Sorry to disappoint you so thoroughly, but how was he supposed to know that she was an unregistered Animagus? He did not continue to spy on wizards and witches at random, he has kept to himself for the past twenty years.And if she couldn't see him or hear him, and the event didn't take place at a location that she could connect to him, how could she know who he was?

I must have mis-read something.  I thought she just hid in her animagus form while Snape searched the room.  Yes, he was disillusioned but she would have seen the detections spells he threw around the room.  I figured she saw his blur then hitched a ride back to Spinner's end when the apparated back.I'm kinda glad I'm wrong but I don't think my assumption is completely out of line.  And I still think he should have wondered if she had transformed when he couldn't find her in the room and believed it was humanly impossible to escape.

I put myself in her place. If I had been kidnapped and I had a chance to escape, would I have chosen instead to hang around and find out who was responsible, or would I have saved my hide and gotten the hell out? I figured her instinct for self-preservation overruled her curiosity.Having said that, your presumption was not off base at all. In fact, so many others seem confused about what happened, and for many different reasons, that my next chapter will be told from Rita's perspective as she makes her way home. I hope it will clear up some of the many questions out there. In retrospect, it should have gone into this chapter, right after Snape and Winky left, but I wasn't planning to even write it until the responses and concerns started rolling in.

In retrospect I can see where a bit from Rita's prespective is a good idea.  Thanks for choosing to clear up all confusion.  Sounds like a great idea to me and I'm looking forward to seeing what she did.  Now that I see what you mean, I can completely understand her focus on self-preservation over the pursuit of her abductors.  When I first read the chapter she seemed more angry and curious than afraid for her safety.Regardless, I'm still loving this story and can't wait to read more of whatever you choose to write - however you choose to write it! 

He kept himself Disillusioned and would only whisper if he needed to speak with Winky, so she might not have been able to figure it out. His voice is very distinctive, but it loses most of it's uniqueness when reduced to a whisper. So she couldn't hear him or see him.But they are on even ground because he has no idea that she is an unregistered animagus!My life is slowing down a bit now, so hopefully I will not be so long between chapters any more.Thanks so much for sticking with me.

Snape does not know that Rita is an UNregistered animagus. He has no idea that she can turn into a beetle. And he is too embarrassed to tell anyone what happened, so he will not found out anytime soon.HermioneDiggory's response: Ruh-roh!!!

I'm glad you found my story, wyndfyr. Thanks for reading and reviewing. The next chapter is being written. Please be patient. RL is getting in the way right now.

I wonder what kind of bird Lurch would be? Perhaps not an owl, but a vulture! He has that vulture-like face.Glad you like my choice of names. They just came to me out of the blue.

Thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I had hoped that people would at least get a chuckle out of this chapter. Thanks for letting me know that on some level, I succeeded.Thanks also for the stars, and of course, for your patience. The next chapter should be finished and into the queue in just a few days. :)

Snape has joined the 21st century!Glad you are enjoying the story. Thanks for leaving me a note.

No doubt. Bed, desk, recliner, kitchen table... you get the idea. :D

Thanks

, I'm so glad you liked it. I love Aberforth. I have fond memories of some cantankerous old men in my life. I model him after them.

Wow! All the people who looked at that chapter and we all missed those two things. I also correct typos in my comments to other authors sometimes. Thanks so much. I always appreciate stuff like that. I will make the changes.Thanks also for the nice review and all the lovely stars. :)

Hi

, and thanks for your wonderful review.I appreciate your patience with my lengthy time between chapters. RL has gotten in the way a lot lately.As I just admitted to another reader, I would probably have jumped Snape's bones as well in that scene. It is much easier to write self-control into the characters than it is to use it ourselves! Both Hermione and Severus are more prudish than I would ever be.Thanks again for sticking with me.

What's the saying? oh, yeah, "a hard man is good to find!"LOL! I must admit that I may have also jumped him, hard, dusty floor not withstanding.Thanks for taking the time to review,

. It means a lot.

Thank you for your kind words,

.I am a hopeless romantic at heart. My goal in writing this story is to make my readers laugh as well as shed the occasional tear. But fear not, I also believe in happy endings, although it will still be quite some time before we get there.

I'm so glad you approve,

. Thanks for your patience.

I'm so glad you have enjoyed it thus far. Please be patient with me. I'm afraid that RL has gotten in the way of my writing of late, so it could be a couple of weeks before the next chapter goes up. I will never abandon this story, but sometimes it takes a while between chapters.

Hi

. Yes, holding a gun does not make a person a killer. It's how they chose to use the gun.Glad you enjoyed the chapter. Umbridge is going to get hers in the end, don't worry.Thanks so much for reviewing. :)

Yes, it is up to Hermioine, but Hermione will need a lot of help, though. And she will get it, don't worry.Thanks so much for reading and for taking the time to review.

I just love Winky.That's why I chose to make her his house-elf.But Kingsley really can't let anyone know that Snape is making potions for his food. It is a business decision. Who would dare to taste food tainted with potions created and brewed by a Death Eater and (in the opinion of most) a murderer? That's the way the public sees Snape, and if Kingsley wants his restaurant to succeed, he can't let that info get out.So please don't be too mad at Kingsley. At least he's willing to give Snape a job.

I felt like Rose had every right to be mad at Snape for his comment, but she took it a bit too far, so he snapped, as he tends to do, and overreacted. Like you said, more realistic than peaches and cream.

Severus treats Winky right. He was not brought up like an arrogant pure-blood.And Umbridge has a full set of skeletons in her own closet. It will be fun to uncover them.Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Don't worry, Merrin, we still have a ways to go.I'm glad you were touched by Winky's speach. Thanks so much.

I'm glad you enjoyed the last two chapters,

. Snape and Rose will have a few more confrontations before he wins her over completely.Yes, the fun from here on out will be to see how they catch Umbridge and what it will take to overturn Snape's conviction. I love happy endings, but we have a ways to go before we get there.

Hermione is a Muggle-born witch, and too many blood-snobs are still out there who would simply not accept her as Minister. But there are plenty of others who would be acceptible. I have someone in mind, but I don't want to give too much away.