This is utterly adorable. I loved seeing Slytherin and Snape through Suzie's enthusiastic eyes; it's such a pleasant change from the Gryffindor-centric novels! I love Snape's speech to his students and also Draco's responses to Suzie. I liked the implied sense that although Draco is kind to Suzie, he hasn't been defanged (if you'll pardon the pun) as he isn't afraid to put Patterson in his place.I enjoyed your writing style and am eager to read Death's Dominion and it's sequel now. 

Interesting seeing Slytherin and Draco through innocent eyes.  It sets things up for her crush on Professor Snape.  The scene in LVS where she tried to get him to dance with her and he blames fallen arches was a hoot.I still think she has a great future.

A stranger in a strange land.  With really good food and a dicky tummy.  One day, students of Slytherin will talk about the legendary Suzie, The Hurler.  The Muggleborn who changed Slytherin House forever and went on to do great things in the wizarding world.

What an auspicious introduction to Hogwarts.  Suzie will certainly be remembered for hurling on the fearsome Professor Snape.And that he didn't AK her for it.

Fwooper tail feather? Monkey pod wood?A most auspicious introduction to the wizarding world.

This was a fantastic little story. I loved being able to see events through suzie's eyes. She's so full of wonder and excitement, even a touch of apprehension, but it's all thrilling to her. Draco is really showing promise as a reformed Slytherin. There was a time when his sneer could chill even the warmest of hearts. Now, especially towards Suzie, he seems to actually have a heart of his own. Brlliant job with the story!!!

Okay, I have to be honest with you: when I first began to read this story, I considered it only something I could read while (patiently, I swear!) awaiting your updates for 'A Long Vernal Season'... However, having said that, I have to confess that my attitude towards this story has changed dramatically over the course of the last few chapters. You are, to borrow a title from this and your other stories, Without Peer when it comes to engaging me, the reader, with your incredibly multi-dimensional original characters. I used to vehemently avoid stories with any mentions of OCs, but words cannot express how relieved I am that I made an exception, long ago, for your stories. And I know it sounds a bit snobby and, well, alright, downright awful that I avoided what could have been wonderful stories that included OCs, but before I read your work, everyone else's that I had read before you have only partially crafted a unique character – usually with great potential, but ultimately one that fell flat. (I include myself in this list.) But because of your innate talent and skill in writing, not only have I thoroughly enjoyed your work, and have since grown very close to your own original characters (and sometimes forget that they aren't canon), but have since opened my mind and enjoyed many other stories with OCs that I would have otherwise dismissed. So, thank you, so very much, for applying your gifted writing skills to this particular fandom, and for stripping the blinders off my eyes.I also want to tell you how refreshing this story is, not just because of your ability to draw me in to otherwise uncharted territory (for me) – but also to rediscover how I felt when I first read the first book of the HP series. All the wonder and awe that I shared with Harry as he discovered Hogwarts and the Wizarding world is now revisited, in a new light, as I explore with Suzie how new and magical the same world is, only under a new light, through a new perspective. I'm fascinated by the Slytherin House and how its members interact with one another, as before we've only really been given Harry's account, and just with Gryffindors – leaving us all to assume that something similiar happened in all the Houses. This is a unique and stimulating look at the HP universe that brings back all the excitement of discovering Hogwarts for the first time. I love this story, and fervently wish you continue it!

Nice ending: Not too fluffy, not depressing, but hopeful.I like the way Suzie worries about Professor Snape, just like she is concerned about her own future. It really is remarkable that she doesn't bother with other people's talk about Draco, but thinks he is interesting instead. And the way Draco is portayed is lovely.The whole story is just wonderful - that's about it.Well, then good luck for little Suzie "Sickly" Sefton.

I really like your version, where not every Slytherin ran for cover during the battle.  Now I must read Long Vernal Season.  Thanks for this charming, stand -alone OC piece.  You've really added a lot of details of your own to canon. 

This is so sweet.  I suppose I am reading the stories in the wrong order, but I like this very much. 

Such a charming tale so far!  How like a kid, to blame her queasiness on "that last bean" rather than the fact she'd stuffed herself all day.

Suzie cracks me up. Only she would be excited about taking potions after being sick yet again. She's truly a child of wonderment and excitement. hahaPatterson sounds like a right nasty git and I'm glad someone came back at him, not letting him stir up old wounds and gossip. Sorta reminds me of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle of old. lolAnd it looks like Suzie has made a friend in Slytherin House. That's good for her. I'm sure being a muggleborn in the noble house of Slytherin won't be easy. This is a fun little story and I'm really enjoying getting to know Suzie a little better.

Brilliant, wonderful chapter! I enjoyed myself very much and really can't say what I liked best - be it the way Suzie sees and experiences everything or the way she sees Slytherin House - great apporach!, be it Hagrid's talk, Snape's speech, the sorting... everything is just great reading stuff. I admire and love the way you let Snape appear here, so perfectly complementary to his appearance in LVS, giving his character drawn by you so much more depth and profoundness. The whole thing is just alive.
Your various vegetarian dishes or hints made my mouth water, by the way *g* - do you have proper recipies for the kidney been puree sandwich spread with the sultanas? Or the lentil pie? And if you happen to know a good Hummus recipie, too *laughs* I wonder whether you are going to insert in some chapter anyplace some musing about house-elves and their dealing with vegetarian food. Or food varieties in general... your chapter did add much bunny inspiration to my own musing aboug house-elves and cooking.

Author's Response: Actually, being a veg-head myself ;), I do have recipes for all those dishes. The kidney bean puree w/ sultanas (or raisins) is really good, though some people think it sounds odd. I'll try to get them typed up and send them to you. The lentil pie is actually quite a bit like Shepherd's pie, in that it's not really a "pie," but has mashed potatoes on top. It's quite yummy on a cold winter night . . . As to musings about food in general, and vegetarian food, there are some upcoming chapters in LVS where it is alluded to -- through Severus's eyes.

Digressions aside, I'm very glad you enjoyed the chapter! It's been a fun little side fic to write. Seeing the Sorting through Suzie's eyes really does give a different perspective, since she knows so little and doesn't come with a set of prejudicies -- for example, her interpretation of the fact that fewer students were being Sorted into Slytherin. She thinks it's lucky for her because there will be room for her by the time they get to the end of the alphabet, when the truth is, a lot of people were thinkg, "NOT Slytherin, NOT Slytherin!" LOL!

I had considered putting Severus's speech to Slytherin House in LVS, but somehow I couldn't quite make it flow right. In LVS, we only get his perspective of it after the fact, so it was interesting to be able to put it in here, but with Suzie not having a clue how sick Severus was and how he was barely holding it together -- yet he still managed to appear commanding. Of course, when he was closing his eyes, he was fighting a wave of vertigo, not some deep emotion, as Suzie imagined . . .

Anyway, thanks for the review! I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

Alcina vom Steinsberg's response: Yes, this bit about Severus' not feeling well came back to my mind very vividly in this scene, too.

I'm looking forward to the recipies! The pie sounds even better like this. I'll give you back my newly created somewhat indian lentil-pumpkin-stew, if you like. My house-elf husband finds it rather yummy.

“A Muggle-born witch in Slytherin, eh? Why not? Ambitious enough!”Oh, she certainly is ambitious, that one. Well, more determined and worried about making a good start.And Snape and all these tales about him practically made her want to be in Slytherin House - just like Draco made Harry want to be anything but a Slytherin. You've captured Suzie's feelings and thoughts really well, so that wanting to be in Slytherin just seems like the logical conclusion of it all - after all Snape "hadn’t even yelled at her when she’d thrown up on him". ;-) Additionally it's rather interesting to see Slytherin from a new point of view - from within. Especially the descriptions of the Slytherin areas of the castle are beautifully done and show exactly what little Suzie sees.

She wanted to be Slytherin because she met Snape.  Awww...She must have a bit of a crush.

It's so cute how Suzie keeps worrying about being uncouth - such a funny thing for a little girl to worry about! I really enjoyed seeing the sorting from her POV, and I can see now how she developed such an enormous case of hero worship in such a short time.Also cute - her interpretation of Severus's eyebrow twitch as his way of smiling at her. LOL!Now I'm really looking forward to her meeting Draco, and how he comes to be her protector.

I usually don't like original characters but Suzie is so likable. I like seeing a muggleborn actually want to be in Slytherin.

Love the continuing story of Suzie :) it's very sweet and she's even more enjoyable as a character with her perspective at the fore. It's fun, also, to see Slytherin House from the inside, from a student perspective. Overall, it's a nice interlude and parallel to Vernal Season."its translucent-seeming green walls gleaming in their cool light."I really loved the alliteration and assonance in this sentence, and since it's rare to see that sort of thing in fanfiction, more or less, I had to comment on it X)

And another lovely chapter to this wonderful story! I really have difficulty telling what I liked best, though I suppose it's the vivid description of the last scene with Snape *rofl*. I'm not surpised she was sick after eating all this sweet stuff...
the "diet" part was truly interesting, too. It's high time for other dietary philosophies to show up in the wizarding world.

Alcina vom Steinsberg's response: Forgot - you get extra stars from me for all the lovely Snape lines... so perfectly described in this first impression the new students get... ;o)

Author's Response: Aww, thanks for the extra stars! lol! I'm glad you liked the "first impressions"!

As for the diets, I figure that if the population of Hogwarts draws from a wizarding world that in some way reflects the varying populations around the real world, there's gotta be some variations in diet and other kinds of cultural practices.

Thanks for the review!

hehe poor Severus. What an interesting start at a new school.Look forward to reading more :)

That was quite a journey.  She sounds like a nervous eater.  No wonder she was sick.

I'm glad Suzie has already made some friends, and that so far everyone has been kind to the little Muggle-born witch. The lead-up to her first encounter with Severus was fun, knowing already what was going to happen. And the experience was a bit different from her POV. In LVS, we only heard that she gorged herself on every possible item from the trolley. In this chapter, it seemed a normal progression of events for an excited little girl wanting to experience all the new things in this world. Right up until she hurls on his robes, she's had very little information on Severus, and no reason at all to give him any thought. I'm curious to find out what causes her to settle on him as her new wizarding hero.

Good Lord! I'm astonished she didn't puke long before the boat ride and seeing Snape for the first time. It's no wonder Suzie "tossed cookies" (quite literally) all over Snape. Good thing Twiskett was following Snape around that day. Seems that Suzie has made some great friends on the train. I hope she and Antonia remain close friends. I think they could be great for each other.And Kudos to you for using the world calendar. As always, the attention to detail is astounding and makes your fics very enjoyable to read!

Yay! I'm so excited you decided to write Suzie's story. And surprised that you started it with her mother's POV. But it works very well. I've thought about how strange and frightening it would be to be a Muggle sending your precious child off to the wizarding world, and in Miranda, you've created a character as interesting as Suzie.I also like how you let all the background and history trickle into the story through relevant events, thoughts, and conversation, rather than giving a big boring chunk of exposition that leaves the reader with nothing to puzzle over.And I am puzzling over a few things. I attributed all the information from Ambrose as his being just a different and more open personality from old Ollivander. But the old guy is also much more forthcoming than he was with Harry in Book 1. So, is it that Harry was just a kid, with whom Ollivander wouldn't have had this sort of conversation with, and Miranda is an adult? Or has Ollivander's cryptic personality been tempered by his experience in the war?And the initial wand choices for Suzie. The first wand she tried was the same composition as Voldemort's and the second was the same composition as Harry's. Not a coincidence, I'm thinking... But I'm not sure what to make of the monkey pod wood and Fwooper feather - darn it, it's been too long since I read "Magical Beasts."

Suzie is just adorable:"But then she thought it might be cool to see what the inside of a brick wall looked like."And her vomiting over Snape's robes - poor girl. Your ability to create original characters that have heart and soul is amazing. They are not just an addition, but feel like they actually belong there in the wizarding world.