This was incredible. Absolutely incredible. I wouldn't have changed the ending for anything because it finally summed up everything, everything I'd ever imagined. It gave me closure and gave me that long awaited summary promise. I was waiting for that summary to happen, and it did. I'm so glad.

I don't care for people who can't accept it, want only a contrived happy ending. Fluff is good and all, but HP at its base is dark, vivid, and jaded. My only quibble is that the spider attack was a bit flat, and I felt little of the intensity of that moment. That ending, though...that conversation between her and Severus, that fixed, suspended moment in time...it totally won me over. Even though the epilogue was written in terse segments, its shortness giving off a hasty impression, that's what really the epilogue's all about, isn't it? Snapshot moments of two lives spiraling out of control into what they are today. Direction wise, it was a good way to finish the chapter off. Not quite closure, leaving potential unsatisfactory room for more...but do we really need more? Of course not. Those last scenes acted as a perfect transition.

Incredible story. I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that your manuscripts are accepted. The emotions in this fic were real, and you did an excellent job in grounding this OC and making every relevant character flawed.

Author's Response: Thank you for your kindness. I'm pleased you liked it.

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the ending always
breaks my heart.
:[

Author's Response: Believe me, all these years later I still hear about the ending from my SO. It was not a popular choice.

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i always feel bad
when i read this
part. :[



Author's Response: Sorry to make you feel bad...I think.

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where's that story? the severus/hermione one? i've been trying to
find it for months. lol.

Author's Response: Sorry, I'm not a big SS/HG fan.

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i love that part with remus and cassie.
:D

Author's Response: Glad you liked it. The dynamic between them worked almost effortlessly.

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Every time i read this story it just gets better and better.


Author's Response: Thanks. I'm glad you like it.

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i have just read three chapters straight and i love it. usually, i dont comment until the end of whatever's done, but this was just amazing. you're doing a great job with the character development, especially showing the actual character along with your own interpretations. one thing i would sugest about the OC is that you give her some normal fears and such - someone completly perfect isn't interesting at all. BUT I LOVE IT SO MUCH!

10/10!
please please please please keep writing!

Author's Response: Cassie does show fear and she isn't such a perfect person as you go. She is afraid when they enter the Great Hall and grabs on to Remus' hand. She's later so frightened she's crying when Dumbledore confronts her about her wand. I'm glad you liked it.

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I've read this story 3 or 4 times now; I come back to it about once a year, and never bore of it. Your ability to not only express the emotions of the characters, but also evoke those emotions in the reader is incredible. Whenever I read the last chapter, where Cassandra asks Severus to describe the garden and house to her, I can't help but start crying. It reminds me of my mother's passing; when she realized that she was down to her final few hours and that there was no going back, all she thought about was my future, and whether I would be ok without her. I held in my tears then, to help her passing, but whenever I read this story, I feel like I'm able to express those emotions I could not express then. Thank you.

Author's Response: I'm glad you find something special in this story. It's special to me because it was the first full length manuscript I'd ever completed. It was supposed to end so differently until someone said to me, "You know, if he'd had someone like Cassie, he'd never have been Snape." I almost hated them for being so right. I'm happy that this story has touched something in you. Thank you so much for sharing this review.

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this is such a sad tail of love that it made even me cry, and i don't cry at many things.
THE best story i've read about snape

Author's Response: Thanks. I appreciate that you took the time to read and review.

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Excellent story...kept me up very late reading it. I was very moved and agree this would help one understand why Snape hates the Marauders and even Harry. It also explains his disposition. You are an excellent writer.

Author's Response: Thank you so very much for your praise. Fanfiction for me has always been a way of answering questions that the writer left me with. Thanks for taking the time to read and review.

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cassandra is such a....well, i dont want to insult you, but for a ten year old, she seems largeer than life. even if she's form a an ultrasupe wizard family, a ten yr old girl doesnt just sit there with ink pouring down her face. i mean, if that happened to me when i was 10 i would cry or scream or yell or run or DO something.....

but i suppose it's your character, so i wont interfere. and i love the perr pressure thing in the slytherins' ranks. 10/10

Author's Response: I understand your point. But this is one of those moments in a story that helps define who a character is. It defines my perspective on all of the guys as well as Cassandra. She isn't so much larger than life as she is very different and she has to be for what comes later. It all weaves together to form the person she has to be for her to play the role she plays later in the story. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

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i loved it, truly! but all the secrecy is making me confused! i suppose i'll jsut have to keep reading....

Author's Response: I'm sorry you find it confusing. There is a bit of mystery about Cassandra at first. This doesn't necessarily end, but you are learning about her, seeing her through the eyes of Remus Lupin and Severus Snape. You won't know her until they do.

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i dont understand the veryv ery last bit about the stories being true. but im sure ill figure it out in some future chapter. till then, brilliant job. ta, see you after the next chapter!

Author's Response: I'm afraid you've misunderstood. I added a section to let readers know I wrote this story before Order of the Phoenix and had no intention of going back to rewrite them to fit canon. Instead I ask that they be viewed as an "alternate universe" meaning that I have changed the rules of canon. (Actually I simply jumped the gun on a few.)

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I'm not angry you killed Cassie it rather makes sense somehow. It was a dark story and I don't usually enjoy them, but this one fascinated me. Her trust in Snape when everybody else despised him. I also liked the Slytherin head he was a subtle secondary charrie, but somehow very real.

Author's Response: There is no way Snape would have become Snape any other way. Professor Bracken was one of my favorite OC's. I was tired of how Slytherin's are portrayed as purely evil. They can't be or by now someone would have done away with the House. To me they just see things differently than others, they have their own brand of honor and loyalty, it's just not what everyone else sees.

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Remus Lupin's nickname is spelled

Moony

not

Mooney

Author's Response: I'm

aware

of

of
that.

It was a typo I thought I had caught in most of the story. But as the introductory note said, it was written a long time ago and have no plans to make corrections.

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OH. MY. GODDDDDDDD. THAT TOTALLY MAKES SENSE WHY HE HATES THEM NOW.

*ends caps abuse*

So sad though! I'm definitely reading the others tomorrow!

This is really good. You're a great writer.

Author's Response: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I hated ending it like this, but there was no other way for him to be Snape.

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Mean people. Poor Remus. Severus thought she didn't chose him...awww. I am just SO articulate in my reviews it's amazing.

Author's Response: Snape always believed if Remus offered, she'd choose him. He knew they were close. Besides, he finds it hard to believe anyone would want to be with him.

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POOR REMUS! *crying with him* Is it just me or was that a really really long chapter?

Author's Response: It was probably a long one. I'm fairly notorious for long chapters. I once turned in one that was over 10,000 words.

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Awww, poor Severus. But even more poor Remus! I still can't decide which one of them I feel more sorry for.

Author's Response: I know. It is hard to decide who you feel worse for. I do think the two companion pieces to this "Child of the Dark Blood" and "In the Company of Wolves" make up for it. The latter isn't a sequel exactly, but is more of a companion piece.

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Poor Severus. You're making me call him by his first name! That's good writing!

Author's Response: Naw! I'll know I got you when you start calling her Cass. That's how I know if someone is supporting Remus or Snape. Do they call her Cassie or Cass? I always stay neutral and just call her Cassandra.

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Well. That was weird. The whole thing. Kinda freaky. Wow...

Author's Response: Yeah. As they grew up things were bound to get more difficult and complicated. For both Cassandra and Remus.

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Sirius is a butthead...poor Remus.

Author's Response: Yes, he is. A butthead. I've never liked Sirius Black. He is a twit.


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I feel bad for Sirius. And Cassie. I can't make up my mind!

Author's Response: To borrow one of your expressions, Sirius is a butthead. It's one of those times when you want to throw up your hands and go, "Boys!"

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Aw, good they're friends again, but now Remus is mad. Apparently she can only please one of them at a time...They don't seem to realize that.

Author's Response: If Remus understood what he wanted, maybe it would be different. But, yes, it does seem as if no matter what she does, someone is unhappy.

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Snape is being a butthead, but I guess he has a reason to. You know, Remus better tell Cassie soon.

Author's Response: He has reason to be, he thinks. Poor Remus doesn't know to tell Cassandra anything. He's the picture perfect late bloomer.

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