Hi Dan! I'm back once more to enjoy some COB :). By the way - you last review response was soo mean! I was so proud of myself for seeing the anagram and then you only tell me I might be right haha! Oh well - I will just have to wait and find out :P

I really enjoy reading your grown up Ron so the first bit was great fun. I particularly liked the line 'He silently wondered whether any of the muggles who seemed so irritated by his ambling pace would fare any better in the labyrinthine corridors of the Ministry of Magic.' - I'm almost positively sure we wouldn't! Vanessa was a bit of a snooty cow so I was quite glad he confunded her! Served her right!

I also totally agree with Ron - I'm thinking this definitely wasn't a coincidence! More files missing - whoever Lady Tenabra is, she's certainly been thorough!

Oh poor Hermione! All that time fighting for Elf rights and then has to sit letting Hermys fawn over her. Terry and Ernie obviously did't help matters but it would have been hilarious to hear the SPEW jokes!

I loved Hermione's idea to get the name of the book!! It was very Hermione! Again you've impressed me with how well you have every single detail of these characters so perfectly. So is this the book Lady Tenabra has then? And if it is then Lady T has been reading up on an imperius type curse? Or maybe just the imperius curse? But that could explain Percy's erratic behaviour. Ooh this has got me quite excited - unless I'm wrong!

I was so happy to see more Scorp - he was so much fun the last time we saw him and he didn't disappoint here. I had to smile at him pretending to listen to Rose and making sure he tuned back in at the right moment. The line 'It didn't even include profanity.' really made me laugh. I'd love read a whole story on your Rose and Scorp! It was really sweet how he did reassure her in the end that Octavia would be okay with them around. It was also nice to see how much he really thinks of Harry and co, putting his faith in them over his dad.

Ok Gamp clearly has a screw loose. He was so sinister with the cruciatus curse! Goyle's obviously damaged as well but not in the way Gamp is - he seems to hate it while Gamp was revelling in it!

Ooh visiting Jarvis gave us some more clues in the story. So the third witness has to be Lady T, although, we knew she organised that death anyway. I think Stoops has to be imperiused - especially with the book they found earlier. It all seems to fit. Although I don't know whether to trust that or whether you're leading us on a bit! It's so exciting though! Another unanswered question though - what was Octavia doing with Ginny's wand?

Gah -Dan this is so good! I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying reading it and trying to make sense of everything thats happening!

Lauren :)

Author's Response: Wow! You are making some serious progress.

I don't try to be mean, but I don't want to spoil any surprises for you, either. You're definitely paying close attention!

Poor Ron just doesn't have much luck with the majority of the muggle world, and especially computers. But there are one or two exceptions, as you'll see a few chapters from now. I'm with you, by the way. I don't believe in coincidences. ;)

Who knows, maybe having Hermys fawn over her will be good motivation for Hermione to get over her "thing" with the wheelchair. I'm sure it was torment for her. I remember actually trying to think of some good S.P.E.W. jokes and coming up dry. So I did want I remember my college professors doing and declared, "S.P.E.W. jokes are left as an exercise for the reader."

It is hard to explain how proud of myself I felt when I came up with the disappearing ink idea for discovering the title of the missing book. Originally, I had Hermione figuring out a way to break the spell, which felt very "deus ex machina" and lame. It came to me as I was editing the chapter, which I suppose is when I get a lot of my better ideas. I don't think I'm giving too much away by telling you that this is the book that Lady T has been carrying around, but you'll have to wait to see about Percy. ;)

The same way I regret not being able to find more chances to write Luna into the story, I hate the fact that Scorpius and Rose appear so rarely together. Could I write my own Scorpius/Rose story? I guess I could try, but it would have to be well after their Hogwarts years, when they're already married. The story of the two of them falling in love has been written **so many** times already.

Gamp is dangerously insane, but I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. He is the epitome of the old truism, "people don't come out of prison better than they went in." Poor Goyle is way out of his depth. He's the quintessential follower.

I think you got everything important out of Ron and Harry's conversation with the good constable. Why, indeed, did Octavia have Ginny's wand? It turns out the fact that she did is rather important...

Oh, I'm enjoying this so much! You're now getting into what I think of as the "good" part of the story, plot-wise. So much happens over the next few chapters. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing and I hope you enjoy what's to come!

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Best ending in the history of literature. Seriously.

Author's Response: Wow.

Seriously, wow.

I don't even know how to respond to praise like that, so I guess I'll just say thank you! I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know.

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Eugh - the part in the morgue really made me shudder. Poor Harry, reminding him of the great hall on that day. That can't be easy for him.

I've told you a few times but I have to tell you again, your characterisation of Harry is way too good. Everything he does is just the Harry we know so well from the books. His little temper tantrum at the books was very well placed!

I absolutely love Luna. I love that she just says things like they are and makes absolute sense over things people get so confused over. 'They think they are' So it that the deal with this book? It's nothing to do with Lord Voldemort but everyone thinks it is and so everybody jumps on board? Well the pure blood fanatics anyway. If it is I seriously have to praise you on how amazingly thought out this story is. Lady Tenabra is a fantastic villain. The way she speaks to the 'army' she's made is quite unnnerving.

Okay, so I've left all the parts about Percy until now with very good reason. He's still kind of confusing the heck out of me but I've had this crazy thought that might kind of answer some of the questions I've been asking myself. I still don't fully get why he's being like he's being with Audrey and he's actually annoying me a bit with it. I don't like this version of Percy.

This crazy thought though, I don't know whether to tell you in case it's the silliest thing you've ever read in one of your reviews. I kind of feel like I might know who Lady Tenabra is but I'm not sure...

You see in my orginial review I was having my little rant about Percy as above and I was also going to mention the fact I really don't like Dynt after the last two chapters. But then I kind of noticed that Arabela Dynt is an anagram of Lady Tenabra. Kind of like the whole Tom Marvolo Riddle, I am Lord Voldemort set up? And she works for the ministry which is convinient and files were missing from a folder she sits down the hall from. Percy also keeps having 'lunches' with her and then acting strange with his wife. Am I going crazy and reading too much into this? If I am, the anagram thing is a really mean trick Dan!

I'm dying to read more but it's really late here so I'm going to have to call it a night but I can't wait to read more. I'm absolutely hooked!

Lauren :)

Author's Response: Hi, Lauren! Sorry it took me so long to get caught up. My wife has an understandable problem with me spending too much time online over Mother's Day weekend. ;)

Since Harry is the main character of the story, I worked harder on his characterization than just about anything else. So it really pleases me to know that you thought he sounded right. He's a tough one to figure out at times. Very stubborn about the guilt and abuse that he heaps upon himself.

Ah, Luna! One of my biggest regrets about CoB is that I really wish I could have found more opportunities to work her into the story. So I relished the few chances I did find and tried to make them count. She's a little scary to write, to be honest. Getting her to sound right is like abstract art or being in love: you know it when you see it, but it's impossible to explain it to another person.

Percy, Percy, Percy... All I can tell you is don't be *too* harsh on him just yet. He has a lot going on in his head, definitely more than meets the eye. But I'm not surprised that he's annoying you at the moment. That's not by accident.

Hmmnnn... You *might* be onto something with Arabela. You'll just have to wait and see. :p

Whee! You have no idea how much fun it is to read all of your reactions and thoughts. I've been lucky enough to have a few readers share their thoughts and ideas as they move through the story and it's a treat every time. Thanks so much!

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Sorry to be clogging up your unanswered reviews page in this manner but you write too much of an addicting story :P

I really enjoyed this first scene. It kind of felt like watching a mission impossible film or something daft like that but it was so good and realistic. Ms Dynt is particularly horrible. She reminded me of Umbridge, wanting to make sure Harry/Bixby was doing as he was supposed to be but not wanting to get her hands dirty. I love the whole set up Harry went through to make it convincing. Just awesome. I love how you gave Bixby such an interesting back story though. you didn't just have him be a character that was just mentioned in passing, we learnt so much about him in such few words and it was really interesting. I really have to commend you for that!

Poor Hermione's still really struggling. I'm still dying to know about this girl yelling cripple though. Its really got my interest.

I love the kind of contrast you have going on here between Draco and Scorpius and Harry and Albus. It's obvious Scorp and Al are concerned about whats happening and want to protect their families and love ones, and while Harry and Draco feel the same, it's interesting to see how much they react differently. Dracos obviously a lot more frightened than Harry.

Again, I love the light heartedness of the last little bit (except of course Flints murder but no one liked him so that's okay) Harry might burst into flames if he sits with the sneaky snakes. Loyal to the end, that's what you've got to love! The message he left made me smile, very immature but very much needed.

Lauren :)

Author's Response: Sorry? Lauren, the last thing on earth you should do is apologize! :p I love this!

I had an amazing time writing Harry's infiltration of the Minister's office. From start to finish, it was non-stop fun for me. I got to throw in some strange little ideas that never would have fit anywhere else, like using a Sneakoscope or mentioning Mundungus Fletcher.

Arabela Dynt does have a few shades of Umbridge in her. She's a lifelong Ministry career climber and she's not afraid to step on other people along the way.

You'll find out abut the little girl crying "cripple!" fairly soon. I hope it's worth the wait.

You know, I didn't start out thinking about the contrast between the two father-son pairs when I wrote this. I think it dawned on me while I was going through the beta read. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. ;)

You have to weave some light-hearted moments into a story like this. Otherwise it gets way too depressing.

Thanks for another lovely review!

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Hi again...

So I thought the first scene in this was really good. You've done a great job of Ron's character so far but I loved him here. First he's shocked at Harry's appearance (hungover Harry bless him) then he's giving all the other aurors evil eyes so they don't question Harry, loyal as always and then he gets angry at Malfoy as he always does in the book and Harry has to reason with him. It was just all the traits of Ron I love.

So Magical Me isn't Lord Voldemorts journal but Lady Tenabra already has it? Or is it really Lord Voldemorts journal? Is she just saying that? You aren't answering any questions, just making more!

Draco and Harry actually connecting slightly! *gasp* The comment about Daphne did make me laugh actually. I kinda feel sorry for her, almost.

Coy Hermione was again a nice more grown up version of Hermione to see. Then the line 'Ronald, if you ever lost your appetite, I would start by checking your pulse' cracked me up. You have such a grasp on the trio's characters, nothing they ever say or do feels out of place.

When they finally told Hermione the truth the her reaction was so heartbreaking bless her! I can't even imagine what it must be like to find out something like that - surely there must be something they can do for her? Or maybe she will invent something herself. The little girl who shouted cripple in her head was strange though - I'm guessing there is more to come from that?

The thing that's happening with Percy also has me kind of confused. He's obviously going through something but I can't decide whether its something that's lingered after what he did to Edwin Stoops or whether something or someone has got to him from the Blood Order. I'm sure you've mentioned ministry contacts which is kind of worrying. Like I said, I have more unanswered questions every chapter I read!!

Okay the flyers are down right scary. Talk about easily getting the wizard world into a panic. I am starting to wonder how much Lady Tenabra really has to do with Lord Voldemort though. It feels like she's using him more because of the fear he managed to create in the last war.

Hermione high is nearly as fun to read as drunk Harry, although considering why they were both in the state they were in, it wasn't actually quite as funny. Still, you have to take the light heart moments when you can. I can just imagine how embarrising it would be to be sat on a levitating chair out the hospital, especially for someone who is so used to being independent like Hermione.

I enjoyed the small bit of Scorpius we got to see in this chapter and I hope we get to see more of that in the future.

The part where Harry gives the wands back to Ron and Hermione was nice to read, especially as Hermione is having such a rough time at the moment. but then you leave us on another der der der moment. Well for the trio at least. We knew that but they didn't. I just want them to figure it out so I can too!

Amazing chapter as always.
Lauren :)

Author's Response: Hi!

I tried really, really hard as I wrote this to keep Ron out of that Second Banana Zone that he seems to fall into in a lot of stories that also feature Harry and Hermione. He's a fully grown, very accomplished wizard in his own right. Yes, he's still loyal to Harry and he's deferential to Harry in a lot of situations because Harry is his boss. But I didn't want him to come across as just the dopey sidekick in this story. You'll have to let me know how I did.

Magical Me was not Voldemort's journal, but Tenabra has another book that she's claiming is it. Did she have it all along? What does it say? Did it actually belong to Voldemort? Questions abound...

Harry and Draco find a bit of common ground here, if in no other way than their general disdain for Daphne. It was fun to write. Don't worry, they'll go right back to sniping at each other soon enough.

Hermione's situation is not good. The healers have other things to try, but they're pretty frustrated at this point. You're correct to pay attention to the little girl shouting "cripple!" It's not just a random occurrence.

Percy hasn't been "right" since Ginny's death. After the revelation that he killed Stoops, you know part of the reason why. But as you say, there *could* be more to it than that...

Poor Hermione is having all kinds of trouble right now. She's obviously mortified when she realizes how loopy she was on the anti-depression meds, and she's too proud to want to live like that. But she plainly has a problem with the wheelchair. We'll see in time where that comes from...

You'll see a great deal more of Scorpius before this is over. He's so much fun to write! In some ways, he becomes my "substitute Ron" for when I feel like writing a goofy, slightly confused male character.

I liked being able to give the wands back to them. It felt really good. But I have a tendency to not let god feelings linger for very long in this story. I'm bad like that. ;)

Ah, you're spoiling me, Lauren! You're spoiling me rotten! Don't feel like you have to stop, though. ;) Thanks so much!

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I just can't keep away!

I really enjoyed reading the Weasley family dinner. It was a nice break from the action, which is great, don't get me wrong, but it's always nice to read some normal things actually happening!

I loved everything that happened. George planning his prank, which in the end was perfect by the way - it took me completely by surprise. Meeting some of the new family members for the first time and of coursing seeing how our old favourites are getting on. Oh and the quidditch match of course. I like the bit of rivalry between James and Al - I see Al as a Slytherin too and I think the competition between them was fun to read.

Molly and Arthur - just wow. In their nineties and still willing to fight to save their families. I expected nothing less of course but the conversation between Harry and Arthur was spot on. Although I know it's probably going to happen I hope it doesn't come to that.

I have to admit you brought tears to my eyes with Georges little speech about Fred (I will NEVER get over that) and then Teddys about his mum and dad. I think it was when George spoke to him after that got me the most. My heart breaks every time.

I was really surprised at your decision to bring Rose up to help Harry but I was also really happy when I was reading it. She's really strong and told him how it was which is obviously what he needed. I'm not used to seeing drunk Harry though, it was a little shocking! I do think my favourite line in that scene was 'You used to wipe my bum. I'd say we have a long way to go before we're even.'. Or maybe 'Uncle Harry, nobody can understand the connection you had with Aunt Ginny. You fought a war for each other. You died for her and then you came back for her. You two were meant to grow old and, I don’t know, die hand in hand while saving the world or something. Nobody in the history of love got screwed worse than you two' I'm not sure. They were both perfect lines from Rose.

The fight scene your wrote at Malfoy Manor was well paced and I felt I could see everything as it was happening so your descriptions were great. I liked that Draco sent Astoria away and then she sent the elf back 'requesting the pleasure of his company' as though there wasn't any fighting going on.

So when Magical Me flew off the shelf to Flint I was slightly confused. Then I had the same thought as Flint that it obviously wouldn't look like what they were expecting it too but still - Magical Me? Then after killing Flint so coldly (I see what you mean about him not being a main villain at all) Lady Tenbra tosses it in the bin? I'm guessing not the journal of Lord Voldemort. All the theories are now kind of driving me crazy - I want to know what's happening!!

Lauren :)

Author's Response: Hello, hello!

I gave a lot of thought to paring the family dinner way back or cutting it out entirely because at the time I felt like it didn't add enough to the plot to justify the word count. In the end, I'm really glad that I left it in. It sets up a thing or two about a few of the characters that turn out to be meaningful in the long run.

In my mind, as long as they're able, Molly and Arthur will always be the first ones to step up and fight to keep the family safe. That's just the type of parents (grandparents, great-grandparents, probably great-great-grandparents at some point) they are.

Ah, Fred. Always the sad feelings whenever he comes up. I hate to being tears to anyone's eyes, but I'm glad George's toast made the impact I wanted it to. The same is true for Teddy.

One thing I've tried to set up is a very close relationship between Harry and Rose. It all comes down to the way I imagine Rose being -- sort of a linear combination of her mother and father with some of the more endearing traits of each. Harry can see so much of his two best friends whenever he looks at Rose, I think it's only natural that he'd hit it off well with her. She definitely did a good job of talking Harry out of his funk, and I think the difficulties in her own love life help her understand parts of what he's struggling with.

I really love writing fight scenes, and I can't think of a higher compliment than you saying that you found it easy to visualize what was going on. It's so tricky to work in enough details to make that possible without having the action drag. Elves don't seem to feel as threatened by open conflict as wizards. I think that's partly because they're so bound to their duty that death and injury don't concern them as much.

You're correct about Magical Me. It was not the Dark Lord's journal, and Lady Tenabra didn't care about it one bit. Why would she go to such lengths to make everyone think that it was Voldemort's journal? Hmmmnnn... ;)

You're getting closer to getting some answers, my dear. Unfortunately, some of those answers come with even more questions. Muahahahaaa!

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Hello hello :)

I'm back again! Trust me you will be hearing my thoughts on every chapter as I can't help but leave my thoughts on the chapter after I read it and I love reading your responses back! I was just letting you know your story is highly addictive haha!

I love the idea of the Weasley family dinner being a full on mission for everybody with tasks designated to each person. Twelve sets of parents is just crazy - have you or did you I guess set yourself up a family tree to keep up?

Dan! I really didn't need the mental pictures of Lucius and Narcissa and leather and yeah. It did make me laugh though. Finding Ron and Hermiones old wands was a really awesome idea though. I never thought about them never getting them back. I love love love the small details in this story Dan, each one always makes me smile.

Lets add Hugo on the list of grown men who are scared of Molly Weasley. I really hope we get to see more of her as the story develops, she's such an amazing character.

I loved Harrys thoughtfulness with the box of goodies - I can't think of anything more perfect when you have an extended hospital stay. I like how you added in that actually the deodrant gave her a rash. It just goes to show how little Ron and Harry probably do pay attention bless them.

Neville's right, Harry would make a good teacher. The way he was with Dennis in the hospital was great, there really is no wonder he has so much respect from everybody around him.

The mystery around Tenebra continues. I love her as a villain, I have a feeling I should know who she is by now though and it's bugging me.

Amazing chapter as always!

Lauren :)

Author's Response: Hi, Lauren!

I'm really excited to hear all of your thoughts, I just didn't want you to feel obligated. ;) I'll do my best to keep the responses fun and informative. And I love that you find it addictive. :D

I imagine that the Weasley family dinner requires a lot of planning and effort because it isn't easy to create that level of chaos. It takes hard work and dedication. It really is a huge group of people, even we allow ourselves the luxury of imagining that the Burrow has been magically -- or non-magically -- enlarged since the time of the books.

Sorry about the whole Lucius-Narcissa thing. It's pretty yucky, I agree. But these people were so stiff and frumpy, you have to imagine they did *something* to let their hair down. Finding Ron and Hermione's wands popped into my head when I was working on my plot diagram after the first few chapters were complete. Keep an eye on those two pieces of wood. One of them will prove rather significant in the long run...

I think *most* grown men -- and women -- should be afraid of Molly. She's such a formidable woman. You will definitely see more of her in all her mother lioness glory.

Going all the way back to his school days, Harry has spent plenty of time in hospitals. So I'm sure he knows what sorts of things are likely to make the stay a little less awful.

I would be really, *REALLY* impressed if you figured at Lady T at this point. A bit later, perhaps. But to figure her at at this point you'd have to be nearly psychic.

So glad you're enjoying it! Thanks for the awesome reviews!

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Hello again :)

Eugh, Flint really gives me the heebie-jeebies. I never really liked him much in the series though so your choice to use him here is a really good one. I love how he's kind of rubbish as a bad guy too, failing his mission. The second scene with him too, when he tries to be intimidating and in charge and kind of fails. Serves him right for being yucky.

So, I'm going to guess that the lady is the awsome villain you've won the awards for? That's the only problem with reading this story after everyone else I guess. I'm looking forward to getting to know her character though, I love a villain we can hate! She's definitely got a strong start here, taking no prisoners what so ever. I was glad to read that Nott did botch the curse supposed to kill Hermione! I hope that means she does have some chance of recovery.

The respect that all Harry's team show him is so great. You can really see how much they like him as a boss and most of them seem willing to do pretty much anything for him. It was fun to see Harry do some actual research too! I have to say I'd agree with his point of view on it though. As much as I enjoy learning new things, pouring over dusty books doesn't sound appealing.

I love little Hermys! He's so lovely with Harry! Even though his relationship did get better with Kreacher I think the fact Hermys is obviously so loyal to Harry is great to read.

I absolutely loved the line 'Don't make me pull rank on you. Or worse still, tell your mum.' Grown men and they're still intimidated by Molly Weasley, but then, no one messes with Molly Weasley. Perfect bit of humour there.

Oh gosh Dan! Hermione might never walk again? As bad as it sounds I'm more concerned how Rons going to take it than Hermione. I know she will obviously be devastated but she's better at dealing with things than Ron and he's already blaming himself.

You have such a gift of getting a reader so hooked! I almost don't want to stop reading to leave you a review haha! I like to leave my thoughts though even though it's probably a bit late considering how long it's been completed. Can't wait to read more!

Lauren :)

Author's Response: You're spoiling me, Lauren. And I love it! I've got the biggest smile on my face!

Flint isn't really the uber-villain in this story, merely a tool that the real villain uses to help shield her identity. He is pretty creepy, and also not especially bright. Like I said last time, he's in way over his head.

You have now met Lady Tenabra, although I don't think her name comes out for another chapter or two. I don't know how much that knowledge will change things for you. She still has a lot of secrets. ;)

Harry has been Head Auror for nearly 40 years at this point, so he has earned a tremendous amount of respect and loyalty from his colleagues. Just how loyal they are will come in handy later on.

I sort of borrowed Hermys from a post-war fic that I love, Harry Potter and the Winters After the War. It was the first fic I ever read on HPFF. I do love the idea of Harry having a younger, less creepy elf. Having Hermys be related to Kreacher just made the continuity feel better to me.

I imagine Molly Weasley is scary no matter your age. She killed Bellatrix Lestrange, how much of a chance do you stand?

Hermione is very badly injured and the prognosis doesn't look good at this point. You're right to be worried about Ron, by the way. He doesn't deal will with this sort of thing.

I'm very glad that you're enjoying the story. In all seriousness, if you don't want to take the time to leave a review on every chapter that's fine. Just let me know when something particularly catches your attention. Thanks so much!

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Hi Dan!

Gosh it's been so long since I read this - apolagies I just got really caught up with RL. I'm back now though so expect some reviews from me! I caught myself back up with the story though - I can't believe I managed to leave myself on such a cliff hanger with Hermione! Anyway, back to actually reviewing this chapter...

The start of this chapter actually made me smile quite a lot. Daphne just came across rather spoilt but the line about her enjoying the house elfs cooking too much was great. I love that Astoria liked the dress despite the fact Draco would hate it and knew she could use it to her advantage and make him jealous. The relationship you've created between the two is really great. Astoria is fast becoming one of my favourite characters in this.

I'm so relieved Hermione's alive, despite being seriously injured/ill. I think I did kind of check after I'd reviewed last time but I didn't get the chance to read the whole chapter. Anyway, I was relieved here none the less.

The family unit you showed in the hospital scene was perfect and fitting as always for the Weasleys. You showed that Rose and Hugo are really close to their mum and also gave us a good picture of Ron and Hermione's relationship too. When Ron said the line 'Sweetheart, I am so sorry. I should have been there to protect you,' it really broke my heart. I can imagine him beating himself up over not being there for her. It's also shown how much Ron has grown up too. I don't know, this just isn't the kind of line you'd expect to hear from Ron in the series but it fits perfectly here. I like his growth as a character.

Harry was funny making everyone feel nervous, and I think it was good how you got Ron to call him up on it. On a more serious note the fact that the ministry not trusting Harry and Ron so therefore messing up the crime scene is bad. They sound more and more like the minstry before Shacklebolt took over which is kind of worrying...

I kind of enjoyed seeing how the boys coped without Hermione. The line "Ordinarily, this was the point where they would have asked Hermione to look it up." made me smile as its true, they boys wouldn't have got half as far without Hermione most of the time.

The comment about Harry giving Ron some space where Hermione's concerned, even though he considers Hermione his best friend was nice. It's like they've all grown and understand each others needs more. A small detail but a really nice touch I felt.

Marcus flint just reminded me of Crabbe for some reason. He was too caught up in the wonder and feeling important. Kind of brainwashed almost. I didn't like it anyway, in a good way. You write a good bad guy that we can hate! so many opposites in that sentence but I hope you understand what I mean! They way he was talking to Astoria and had his hands all over her just made me shudder. Yuk.

I loved Draco's reactions in this next part. From yelling at Flint, to holding Astoria, to asking where she got the dress. It was nice to see Draco and Astoria so close, him genuinely concerned about her. Nothing can distract him for too long though when it comes to the dress. She knew he wouldn't like it though I guess.

The curse used on Hermione sounds awful! Although, from what PN Black said it's a good job the caster was incompetent, if that really was the case. Poor Hermione - I get the feeling this curse won't be easy to shake off. Even with PN Black thinking the damage could be reversed. An interesting idea for a curse though.

Draco and Harry made me smile in the last scene. The old tensions and rivalry is there but they have to get on and it's really fun to read. You got the conversation between them so well though. I love how Draco was ordering Harry around to start with. Then the line about him coming to find 'the worlds most wonderful wizard' was just so Malfoy. I'm happy he didn't call Rose a mudblood. He wasn't exactly welcoming her with open arms but it was something from him.

I love the small details you've given us in the chapter to explain how events have gotten us to this point. You do it so naturally too, nothing is out of place in the chapter. So Al and Scorp were friends and Harry is now very close to him which is a really nice idea. The mention of Malfoys past was really interesting too. It's good to see that Malfoy isn't stupid, he knows he was expendable to Voldemort.

This was such a great chapter and I'm so happy to be back in the swing of reading the story! The way you've wrote this story is amazing and it really could be an extra book tagged onto the end of the series. I will be back soon :)

Lauren :)

Author's Response: Lauren! Long time, no see! You have no idea how excited I was to see you back. :)

Daphne doesn't pop up too often in this story, but when she does I tend to think of her as everything that Astoria could have been but isn't. She is spoiled and bossy and very full of herself. Some of it is probably a defense mechanism, since her life didn't end up at all like she wanted it to.

Astoria definitely enjoys making Draco a little jealous from time to time. As she says, it brings out some of his best qualities as a husband. I'm really pleased that you like her. She became one of my favorites, too. You'll see a lot more of her later in the story.

Hermione is alive, but very badly injured. She has a long, unpleasant recovery ahead of her, and that becomes one of the running sub-plots of the story. Ron is, in a lot of ways, even more messed up by what happened than she is. He knows how close he came to losing her and he doesn't deal with it well at all. Again, this will be a major issue for the two of them for a while.

Overall, I imagine that Harry is a very good boss, but when the case is so personal he can be more than a little overbearing. It's good that he has Ron to straighten him out. He and Ron will have to lean on one another a lot because you're right, they both rely on Hermione more than they probably would like to admit.

I'm glad that you thought I aged the characters well in this situation. That's been one of my biggest anxieties throughout the story. I want them all to be recognizable, but I don't want to lose sight of the fact that they're much older now, with children and grandchildren and lives and responsibilities. It was a really tricky thing to do at times.

I'm glad that you didn't like Flint. You're not really meant to, after all. ;) He is in way over his head, he just doesn't realize it yet.

I really enjoyed writing Draco in this chapter, from his comments about Astoria's dress all the way to his terse conversation with Harry. Before I wrote this, I never would have expected that I'd grow to like his character. Seeing as how I've now done two more Draco stories, maybe I started to like him a little too much.

The wizard who cast they curse on Hermione was indeed incompetent. Nott and Flint are quite a pair. They deserve one another. Sort of the Two Stooges of dark wizardry. But they need a third. Hmmnnn... wherever shall I find one?

No matter how much time passed or how much their families have intermingled, I can't imagine that Harry and Draco will ever be chummy. There's too much bad blood between them and I honestly got the impression from the books that they enjoy sniping at one another. It's their thing. The relationship between Draco and Rose is more complicated. Suffice it to say that she is part of his family, whether he likes it or not, and when push comes to shove he will treat her as such. You'll see much more on that later in the story.

Small details are important, I think, to helping the reader make a connection with the story. I'm really pleased that you noticed.

Ah, I have missed you so! Thanks so much for the awesome review!

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Review tag!

So its been way too long since I left off with the last chapter, but better late than never, it's great to be back.

I really enjoyed the way you've seamlessly adapted the classic trappings of politics and bureaucracy into the magical world; something we got a some good glimpses at in the books, but would be much more prevalent to the story when the characters are older and working.

You've also done an excellent job at portraying the character's mental states, particularly Harry. I could really feel the tension of all the pressures he was under, and how its tearing him apart to see Hermione in that state and not be able to tell her the whole truth, and also the lingering fears he must have about a renewed war.

Lady Tenabra seems like a classic villain; she had that intense chill about her when she spoke, and you could tell that she is not somebody to mess with. I feel like Flint and company don't really appreciate what they're getting into.

The plot continues to be very compelling, and I hope to read the rest of the story in the near future.

Author's Response: Hi, there! It has been a long time. I'm so glad you came back.

As much as I feel like the Ministry went through a "golden age" under Kingsley's leadership after the death of Voldemort, the pendulum swings both ways. Governments, as a general rule of thumb, can't handle prosperity and success for very long without messing it up somehow. You're correct; the canon characters are much more aware of the goings on inside the Ministry now because of their age and professions.

Poor Harry isn't mentally well and he really hasn't been since Ginny's death. Hermione has been one of the anchors of his life since he was 11 years old, so he definitely doesn't deal well with how close he came to losing her.

Flint and his friends have *no idea* who they're messing with, but they'll find out soon enough. Aside from her eloquence, Tenabra also has a talent for manipulating the circumstances to her advantage, as you'll soon see.

I do hope you get a chance to read more. Thanks for the great review!

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Incredible story! Well developed, detailed, correct, and not to many spelling or grammar mistakes. This story was a pleasure to read on multiple levels.

Author's Response: Hi! I'm really happy that you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking a moment to review!

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Hey Dan! I'm back! ;)

First off, let me tell you how happy I am that you divide your longer chapters in a few pieces. It helps me a lot. As I've told you before, I'm not used to reading chapters this long without my attention being caught by other detractors, so having the chapters split in a few scenes is of great help to me. It allows me to take a break from the chapter if I feel I can't keep up with it and come back later without wondering where I've left off. I'm sure when you decided to use the breakers in the story wasn't for this reason, but I just wanted to tell you that it helps me enjoy the story a lot more like this :D

I loved the defensive spells teaching lesson. Like when reading the HP books, this particular scene made me want to live the magical world as well, only to be taught by Harry. I find your Harry an amazing depiction of the original one from the books. You always know what to say or what to make him do to bring back the young Harry, while also providing him the necessary characteristics to show that he's indeed grown. The balance between younger Harry and older Harry from your story feels so natural, it makes reading his thoughts a real treat!

Would it be too pathetic to say that I squealed when even Snape greeted Harry when he joined Neville in his office? I've always desperately wanted to see stories, or scenes or anything that would show that in at least some way Snape liked Harry. Or at least respected him...any feeling other than his intense hate and dislike we've been shown in the books. To know that behind the wall of animosity that he'd built for himself, Snape still thought somewhat nice about Harry. It just pains me too much to imagine that he never held any positive thought for Harry :(

Another amazing chapter. A fair warning. I'm falling rapidly in love with your story :P

Author's Response: Hi!

I've always tended to write longer chapter with multiple scenes as opposed to breaking them up into a lot of short chapters. For me, at least, doing it that way is less disruptive and makes it easier to stay in the flow of a story. The other reason, to be honest, is that it made it easier to manage the validation queue. If you're reading this, Validators, sorry! ;)

I absolutely loved the idea of Harry as a teacher. I thought he would be really good at it because he is so unassuming and approachable, especially toward people who aren't eaten up with a case of hero worship. It was tricky at times to age Harry in a realistic way and still make him recognizable, so I'm glad you thought it worked.

I'd like to think that Harry eventually got his head around the choices that Snape made in life. That's not to say that he necessarily approved of all of them or that he thought of Snape as a "good" person. But in the end, I imagine that Harry figured out what made Snape do the things that he did and Harry obviously came to respect the man enough that he named his middle child for him.

Gah! I'm so pleased that you're getting into it. It makes my day to see your thoughts and reactions. Thanks!

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A great chapter, as expected. You warned me that this will be the beginning of the real story, that this chapter marks the start of their journey and I could definitely feel it. That feeling that something is amiss and not quite right.

I have to ask this because I'm still in awe at how successfully you managed to depict the trial scene: do you work in the law department or something connected with law enforcement? Because the trial scene was AMAZINGLY done. I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was sitting in an actual real life court room and was witnessing a trial unfold. It gave me chills.

I certainly didn't expect Percy to have been the one to kill the Muggle. I mean, it does seem a more logical explanation that any of the others could have done it but not him. Not that he couldn't do it because he lacked the knowledge, but he couldn't do it because he never gave the impression that he was a killer. This brings Percy to a whole different level to me. You've given him so much growth with this little scene, it's incredible.

You know, death and the feeling of losing someone is such a strange thing. You can empathize with people who suffered losses in their life but it's never the same as when you live it. Having lost someone dear to me a few days ago, gives a whole different perspective on what everyone is living with Ginny's death. It's like I'm reading a completely different story. I think the feeling of loss is like the feeling of being a parent: you can try and feel it as others do but when you yourself feel it, it's like nothing you've ever felt in those moments of empathy. My own mourning changed this story in so many ways for me. I see Harry in a new light.

I do enjoy the ominous feeling you've left clinging at the end of the chapter. The portrait's conversation opens up this new adventure for Harry that we've been hinted at since the first chapter. Can't wait!

Author's Response: Hi, there! What a nice surprise!

I think out of all the chapters in CoB, this is still one of the ones I'm most proud of. I actually don't have any legal background at all, aside from testifying in a couple of administrative hearings as an expert witness early in my career. I tried to capture some of the formality I've seen in courtroom scenes in books and movies and still keep a little of that "kangaroo court" feel that I remember from Harry's "trial" before the Wizengamot in OotP.

I'm glad that Percy didn't immediately come to your mind. I think it says a lot that the Ministry never suspected him, even though he was sent to the jail to watch over Stoops. If you're enjoying where his character is going so far, I think you're really going to like what happens with him later in the story. ;)

I'm really sorry to hear about your loss. I agree, it is very different when you're experiencing it firsthand. No matter what Harry does throughout this story -- and you'll see him wander pretty close to the edge at times -- I tried to keep in mind just how much he's still hurting. He never properly came to terms with Ginny's death, and it still eats at him day and night. But that does change somewhat by the end.

I always loved the idea of portraits being able to talk and share some of the personality of their subjects. I felt like they were under-used in the books. So I did my best to work them into this story on occasion.

I'm so pleased that you're enjoying this! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and reactions.

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Happy happy birthday Dan!

Seeing as I've read and reviewed everything you've posted here, I wanted to leave this birthday review on this story. This was the first story of yours I've ever read and it made a very big impression on me. I literally could not stop reading. I have no idea if I've left any reviews along the way, so sorry about that! :)

This story actually inspired me to try and make sense of the ideas I had for "Twin Wands" and start writing it down. As far as adventure stories are concerned, this has everything! Fight scenes, stunning revelations, an amazing plot and brilliant character development. You leave no stone unturned and nothing is left unanswered by the end!

That is why you are our most Versatile Author! So have a very happy birthday, filled with joy and everything you wish for!

Ral

Author's Response: Aww, thanks!

Wow. I'm kind of blown away that you've read it all. I'm sort of blushing right now. ;) Conspiracy of Blood was my first love with HPFF, so to speak, and I think no matter what else I write, no other story will ever be quite as special. It means a lot to me that it inspired you to try your hand at Twin Wands. I really love your story and it feels good to think that I played some very small part in making it happen. I tried really hard to not leave very many loose ends, so I'm pleased that you noticed.

Thanks so much for such an amazing review. It really made my birthday!

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Hello! I have been reading your story for the last four days now.

And it has turned out to be amazing! I hope JKR is out there reading this one- she will be in for a treat.

I love how the plot developed. Of course I guess who Tenabra was, but I was totally on the edge of my seat, biting my nails and shouting out in my head to the other characters to watch out!

Another thing I would really like to congratulate on is your grasp of characters. Especially Harry! I love how you showed his strength while dueling those stupid blood order members. I could see how he got his power from love (or grief)- I truly enjoyed him then. And I loved Ron. He really has come out, hasn't he? I enjoyed the image of him being most gruesome when it comes to questioning people.

Your story has depth, something which quite a lot of other stories lack! I saw patience and intelligence in the way you crafted your story-another core reason why it turned out so well.

Oh and of course- Esme. Frankly, I hated her in the beginning. I am very loyal to idea of Harry-Ginny and it was very difficult for me to even imagine that he betrayed her. Sure, I loved her as a character... but I just couldn't see them together. I am glad you didn't do that!

I am surprised that this story touched me so much! I savored every bit of it and even pondered over it for quite a while. I totally loved the way you tied up all the loose ends, not just from your own story but from the HP series as well. Your writing is sophisticated, dramatic and impact-full. I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for writing this! You took me back in time and gave me the immense joy and pleasure of reading Harry Potter books for the first time ever- something I dearly missed!

P.S: I just did not get who the trainman was though... did I miss it, or is it supposed too be that way?

And I would love to read your account of events immediately following the Second War. I know, a lot has been said about that already, but I would enjoy your point of view! If you have time at hand, consider it!

Keep writing!!

10/10 for touching me deeply!

Author's Response: Hi, there!

I can't tell you how happy your review made me. I know that a lot of people read Conspiracy of Blood because I can see the chapter read count, but it's pretty rare for a reader to reach out and let me know how the story affected them. Even more rare for folks who don't have an HPFF account. When I get a review like this, it's always very special.

I'm especially pleased that you liked the way I wrote the characters. That was really important to me, to capture them in a way that felt true to the books. It made aging them rather tricky, but I think it was worth it. Ron was actually one of my prouder accomplishments in this. I really don't like stories that put him in the "Second Banana Zone" behind Harry and Hermione, so I tried hard to avoid that.

Ah, Esme. I've gotten a lot of different reactions to her introduction, the development of her character and of course her death. I felt pretty much the same way that you did, but the feeling was far from universal. A lot of people wanted to see Harry and Esme end up together. I guess that's part of the fun of this.

I thought a lot about loose ends from the books. There was no way I could capture them all without the story being a million words long, but I picked a few that I thought I could give a satisfying resolution to. The trainman, by the way, is Death. That's why he greets Harry as an old friend when Harry finally dies quietly, after a long, full life. Harry became Ignotus Peverell's heir in a very true sense.

I've thought a lot about trying to write a story set in the 19 years between the end of Deathly Hallows proper and the epilogue. Like you said, that story has been written many, many times. I'd have to think of something really unique that I could add to it. I am in the process of writing a story like that just for Draco and Astoria. It's on my author's page. It's called Detox.

Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for this amazing review. This is the sort of feedback that makes me want to keep writing!

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I'm back! It seems I can't stay away too long from this story already, and it's been only one day. I am totally blaming it for getting me this hooked! :P

I think this is the first time in the history of my novel reading on the Archives that I've read a chapter this long! My attention span is not very long usually, especially when I read from my computer so I get distracted easily. What surprised me is that even if I didn't stay fully engaged with the chapter throughout my read, I was so curious to see what happens next that I came back to it pretty quick. And this doesn't happen...ever. When I start procrastinating, I find all kinds of other activities to distract me from what I'm supposed to be doing :P So far, this is a great sign for me. A sign that I'll be enjoying this story a lot, despite not being used to chapters being so long.

What I enjoyed best about this chapter is the feeling of "calm before the storm". Seeing as it's a story under the Action/Adventure genre and judging by the summary, there will be plenty of roller coaster situations for the characters to deal with. Knowing this, makes these quiet, family chapters a lot more valuable and precious.

I love the feel of the characters. I think you've done a brilliant job of keeping the canon characters IC, while also making them mature enough. Their emotions are very real and expressed in a way that makes the readers feel for them. Especially Harry. I've become wary of reading angsty stories because there are a lot of authors out there who don't portray the anguish that is losing someone you love very believable. Your portrayal of hurting Harry makes me want to reach out and pat him on the back and give him a hug. It's so palpable and yet not over the top! Excellent!

What I'm eager is to find out more about the Next Gen characters. I am terribly curious how you portrayed the ones that will be involved in the story and how they evolve!

Author's Response: Gulp... So, you say you don't normally read long chapters...

Well, I guess I'll have to hope that I can keep you interested, because with few exceptions, they mostly get longer from here. I can't help it, I get in a zone with these characters and the next thing I know, 5,000 words have gone by.

You're correct that things move a lot faster after this chapter. In this one, I wanted to give you a look at how life had turned out for the Potter/Weasley clan. Turns out, things went pretty well. But the heart of the plot takes off in the next chapter.

I'm really glad you feel that way about the canon characters. Keeping them true to the way I remembered them from the books was important to me. Poor Harry will be dealing with a great deal of anguish over the course of this story. I felt badly at times, considering everything I put him through. I wanted to give him a hug for the majority of the story.

The Next Gen characters form a sizable part of the supporting cast of the story, along with a few of their children. Stay tuned for their first appearance...

I'm really enjoying finding out how the story is going through your eyes. That never gets old for me. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Oh wow...I seriously didn't expect this. At least not in the beginning, not when I read the summary of the chapter. I thought I was going to see a beautiful, lovely scene between the two of them, but I started something was amiss when Harry kept talking but didn't get any reply from Ginny. I feared this might have happened and it was the case :( It really hurt imagining that Ginny died, leaving so much behind. I mean, of course wizards die too but it's one thing knowing and another completely different when it happens.

Your style resembles JK's style SO SO much. You use many adjectives and adverbs and through this you create the perfect visual image of each scene. I really strive to write like this as well because this style is one of the aspects that captured me when I was reading HP. I am a visual type of person (I remember faces of people I've seen very easily) so I feel naturally attracted to everything that's visual. It's a very vivid way to write and I love it to bits.

I also noticed you are very good at transmitting the emotions of the characters through your words, which is a BIG thing. Especially sadness. I found that both with actors and book characters, if the actor (or writer) manages to convey a believable state of sadness, that makes the viewer )reader) REALLY feel for the character, they have the part in their bag. Sadness I find is one of the most difficult emotions to portray. So kudos to you :D

I am really looking forward to see how this develops!

Author's Response: Hello, again!

This chapter is one of the most emotional things I've ever written, so I'm glad that came across when you were reading it. The decision to not have Ginny be a part of this story was the most difficult one that I made while writing it. I absolutely adore Harry and Ginny together, but I felt like Harry's story was a lot less compelling without this. I hope you'll see what I mean by the time it's over.

I can't think of a higher compliment than a reader saying that my writing style reminds them of hers. I don't know what else to say about that. Thank you!

Emotions are a very important part of this or any other story, so I really tried to make sure that the characters' emotional states are clear and detailed. It bums me out when I see a story with a really good plot concept and the characters come off flat because the author doesn't spend enough time acquainting the reader with their thoughts and feelings. Ditto for the sensory details. To me, it's really important to try as much as possible to immerse the reader in the scene they're reading.

I hope that the story continues to hold your interest as you move into the real crux of the plot over the next few chapters. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Hey there Dan (I hope it's okai if I call you that)! I've heard SO much about this story that I decided to come and check it out. It's been warmly recommended to me many more times than I can remember, so now with some free time on my hands, I thought it would be the moment to start it. It's a very daunting story (I am still amazed you wrote like 200k words for this! That's crazy!), but I am determined to finish it, no matter how much time it takes me :)

Short but very eloquent start I must say. I was very surprised by the ending with the scene between Harry and Ginny. I think I gasped when I read it because the first feeling I had was that this was somehow taking place in the future of the story, where Harry and Ginny die, and the real story starts the next chapter with them back in time, remembering what happened...if that makes any sense. Let me just say this: I don't want Harry to die! I am surely going to cry if that does happen :(

I'm very intrigued by this project because it mixes a lot of themes I love about the books: that feeling of impending danger the war brings, love that helps you go through the fear, mistrust that war ensues and family. And this is only judging by your summary, because I'm sure I'm going to discover much more as the story unfolds. I know how much you love canon, so this story can't possibly go wrong! It received too many praises from a lot of authors that I respect to not be awesome, so yeah...I'm pretty sure I'm going to enjoy it as well :D

Can't wait!

Author's Response: Hi, Debra! If you're going to read and review, call me whatever you like! ;)

I'm really happy that you've heard good things. I spent around a year writing Conspiracy of Blood, and it's definitely something I'm very proud of.

The main purpose of a prologue is to draw the reader in, so I'm glad it worked for you. Just to give you a small glimpse of what lies ahead, the prologue is actually the beginning of a scene that takes place in chapter 38.

I'm so pleased that you've decided to take up reading my story. I'm really excited to see what you think. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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I'm back again!
This chapter was wonderful! You do a fantastic job writing JKR's characters and keeping them in canon! Flint is really weird and kind of creepy, and I was worried he was going to do something, but Astoria is too smart for him. And you wrote Harry and Ron's conversation so well! I loved the portraits, and I hope they'll be in the story again later! Draco and Harry's conversation was brilliant, too. This story is just fantastic! 10/10
Cassie :)

Author's Response: Hello, again!

I try really hard to keep my characters in canon, so I'm really happy that you thought they were. You're not really meant to like Flint, so I guess I did well with him. If you like Astoria, she'll be around throughout most of the story!

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Hello again!
I really enjoyed this chapter, and think you write Draco and Astoria really well! They're interesting together, because you can tell the really love each other, but their relationship isn't overly romantic or touchy-feely or anything like that. But I think it really fits who they are and how they were raised. The end of this chapter was really intense! I hope Hermione is ok! I can't wait to find out more! 10/10
Cassie :)

Author's Response: Hi, Cassie!

I'm really, really pleased that you like Draco and Astoria! Over the course of writing this, they became two of my favorite characters. They're both products of their upbringing, although the war changed Draco in some important ways. I hope he continues to make sense.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Hello :)

I have not forgotten your story even though you probably think I have. It will probably take me all year, but I do plan to read and review, it just might not happen regularly :)

Anyway, to the chapter!

First of all, I like the beginning and this mysterious woman. One of the details I liked the best is where Flint starts speaking to her almost in high regard, which slowly resolves into impatience. I thought that really was a fantastic touch, and whoever she is, she doesn't really seem to care about that minor transgression. I do like how she blames everything on Flint.

I'm going to keep talking about Flint now and go to the next section with the guy in Borgin in Bourkes. This was my favorite scene in this chapter. One detail I think that really stuck out was your attention to the political climate. I really like how Flint described the current administration as "corrupt" even though it's most likely opposite from it. Everyone has moved on with the times except for him, but the government was the one that was corrupt. I really admired that small detail.

I also enjoyed his bargaining with the creepy dude, and the realization that he'd be looting. I like how you said that the Dark Lord may not be happy about it, and I really had to sit down and think about that for a second. The first time I read it, I was like, is Voldemort like a classy kind of mass murderer? But then when I really thought about it, you know, I realized that Voldemort had no use for money or riches. He could figure out other ways to get by. He was so consumed with power. So I thought it was really interesting that Flint would take the time to analyze and think that Voldemort wouldn't care for looting. I liked that a lot!

Now, onto Harry's sections. I liked the dialogue exchange between him and Bones. Nothing about your dialogue ever feels forced or unnatural, which is fabulous and really difficult to pull off sometimes. I also admire your usage of British phrases and things, even though I don't always particularly know what you're talking about. I think that was brilliantly done.

And finally, my other favorite details in this chapter was the focus on this ancient spell and the boiling of the blood. I am extremely intrigued with Hermione's lack of movement in her legs. My PT brain of course is working overtime wondering, did the blood boiling cause a spinal artery to burst? Maybe in the lumbar region, which would cause spinal cord injury? Is it something more magical? I absolutely ADORE medical issues, especially those musculoskeletal or neurological in nature so I'm quite intrigued on this one. I am interested in reading on and finding out what you plan to do with that because there aren't many stories that do it well and I'm convinced that yours is going to be one of the few that is!

Anyway, great chapter, I really enjoyed it, helped me take my mind off things :) bravo!

Author's Response: Hi, Ashley! Sorry, it has taken me a shamefully long time to get around to responding to this.

Flint is something of a recidivist by the standard of the time this story is set in. He went to prison shortly after the end of the Second Wizarding War and has only recently managed to escape, so his attitudes are well behind the times, so to speak. He sees the current leadership of the Ministry as "corrupt" simply because it's no longer mired in the pure blood status quo of years past.

The men that he meets at the Ragged Fang -- an ancient wizarding pub that caters to a very rough crowd, in a secret location next door to Bourgin & Burkes -- are definitely outsiders, but they're smart enough not to take Flint's offer at face value. Still, Flint is able to figure out something to say that appeals to them. He's clever, in a blunt sort of way.

I'm really glad that you like the dialog between Harry and Susan, because you're still in the part of the story that was written before I started working with my beta reader. So I always find it a bit rough around the edges. I've tried hard to work in some things that are more British sounding, but mostly just stuff I either find in other fics I like or on Google.

The spells that Hermione was hit with is very old and very dark. You'll learn a lot more about it as the story moves along, but suffice it to say that she has a long, difficult road ahead. The exact nature of her injury doesn't become completely clear for a while, though. I love your ideas!

I'm really glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Hello again!
I thought this chapter was really great! I loved Harry's class that he taught, and think it's awesome that he doesn't want the students to call him Mr. Potter! I can definitely picture him beating six people in a duel, too! And I thought you did a wonderful job showing the seriousness of being ignorant of someone like Voldemort, and how it can have really dangerous consequences! I can't wait to read more! 10/10
Cassie :)

Author's Response: Hi!

Harry is all grown up in this story, but in a very grandfatherly sort of way. I tend to thing of him as somebody who had enough of being an adult before he turned 18 to last a lifetime, so he does his best to avoid acting like one when he can.

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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This was a really packed, really wonderful chapter. I loved getting to see the trial after Ginny's death, and learning what really happened to both Ginny and her killer. I really wouldn't suspect Percy, though! That was a really shocking moment, but also really tough, because you want to sympathize with hi, but at the same time he did kill someone. But I agree with Harry that he's not a killer. And the end of this chapter was definitely my favorite part! I loved the talking portraits, and how they had a conversation at the end after Harry left the room. Their characters are perfect! 10/10
Cassie :)

Author's Response: Hi, there!

Nobody suspected Percy, and I'm actually not sure whether that made it easier or harder for him to accept what he'd done. He is not, by his nature, a killer. Harry more or less hit the nail on the head with his alternative explanation.

I loved the idea of the talking portraits in the books, and I always felt like they could have been used a lot more. So I made a point of including them in this story. I'm really glad the characters sounded right to you.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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Tag!

Oooh, I just realised how long it has been since I read the last chapter of this story, and I'm so glad I'm back now. This story is so professionally written and there was a lot of new plot in this chapter...I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next!

The woman Flint was talking to seems very mysterious and very dangerous...I wonder who she is, what she wants and if she had anything to do with Ginny's death. And what about Hermione's attack? And this supposed journal hidden away in the Malfoy mansion? Hmm, so many questions! I can't wait until they are all answered - you do an amazing job at creating suspense and mystery and keeping me on the edge of my seat. Plus, I get excited every time New Zealand is mentioned...because I'm odd like that.

I really like this friendship between Harry and Susan - mainly because they didn't interact an awful lot in the books, but it is nice to see Harry with another canon character. Your characterization of him is so good, I actually started forgetting I was reading fanfiction in this chapter, and thought I was reading a book written by JK Rowling herself. Clearly, he is a little different from how he was at 17, but he is still clearly Harry.

I really liked the scene at St Mungos. Audrey and Angelina added a little humour to the chapter, and it was also nice to see some more members of the Weasley clan. And Harry and Hermione's conversation was so sweet and perfect! I love how close the two of them are.

Hermione may never walk again? How horrible! I hope what the Healer said proves to be false. And I can't even imagine Ron's reaction if he found out...what he'd do.

Anyway, this was a great chapter, of course.

Courtney:)

Author's Response: Hi, there! Sorry it's taken me ages to respond to this. I got so caught up in the review battle...

The woman Flint is talking to is indeed very dangerous. Flint has no idea just how dangerous. But he'll find out soon, along with everybody else. New Zealand gets another mention or two, but it isn't really part of the story. Sorry. ;)

Over the course of writing this, Susan became one of my favorite supporting characters. She really was one that I could do a lot of fun things with. And as far as your compliment about JKR's writing, I don't think there's any higher praise. That makes my day!

I always imagine Harry and Hermione with this brother-sister sort of relationship, only with less bickering. They've always been there to support one another and I don't see that ever changing.

Nothing is set in stone with Hermione at this point, but suffice it to say that she has a long, difficult recovery ahead of her. And Ron will struggle a lot, as well. He's bad with adversity and change.

I'm really glad you enjoyed this! The pace of the story picks up considerably from here. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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This chapter was so amazing. I love this ability that you have, to incorporate all of these canon characters into your chapters and make them all so real and believable and true to their original personalities.

I think my favourite part of this chapter was the conversation between Harry and Draco. Though they are clearly a little more tolerable of each other, they don't exactly like each other, do they? I also loved the fact that Harry was able to so easily irritate Draco, in comparison to at Hogwarts, where Draco was always able to anger Harry.

So many more questions and mysteries arose in this chapter, which I am eager to know the answers for. I also think Astoria was a very strong character, and I loved the way she dealt with Flint-speaking of Flint, I wonder what is going on there? There was so much tension and suspense in this chapter, I felt like I was about to explode!

I can't wait to read the next chappie.

Courtney:)

Author's Response: Hello, again!

This chapter remains one of my favorites precisely because of the interplay between Harry and Draco. It was a lot of fun to write. They will never really like each other in my opinion, but they've learned how to peacefully coexist for the most part.

I'm really pleased that you like Astoria. She became one of my favorite characters as the story progressed. You'll see a lot of her before it's all said and done. As far as Flint goes, well, you'll find out fairly soon what he's after. It's not exactly what it seems...

I'm looking forward to seeing what you think. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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