Hee! Hee! Top marks for Arithmancy, Beth!  Shame Vector's caught up in the minutiae of the academic problem, and Harry didn't pay attention at school (too busy doing something else apparently ...!). More on its way soon, I hope! :Px

Hee! Hee! Top marks for Arithmancy, Beth!  Shame Vector's caught up in the minutiae of the academic problem, and Harry didn't pay attention at school (too busy doing something else apparently ...!). More on its way soon, I hope! :Px

Thank you for your review,

-- I'm so pleased you liked the chapter!  Yes, it's a mess alright, and now Conviva's there she daren't risk a confrontation.... She's about to do something that's either brave or stupid (or both).  Next chapter coming soon I hope! Best wishes, :Px

Thank you for your review,

-- I'm so pleased you liked the chapter!  Yes, it's a mess alright, and now Conviva's there she daren't risk a confrontation.... She's about to do something that's either brave or stupid (or both).  Next chapter coming soon I hope! Best wishes, :Px

Ha ha! Thank you,

!! (*grins*) I'm not going to tell you to stop biting your nails, although given what's coming up compared to what's been before, you might want to pace yourself...! Best wishes, :Px

Ha ha! Thank you,

!! (*grins*) I'm not going to tell you to stop biting your nails, although given what's coming up compared to what's been before, you might want to pace yourself...! Best wishes, :Px

Ha ha! Absolutely too right!! Lol!!! (*bows*). Next chapter's in the queue... Thanks for getting in touch!  :Px

Ha ha! Absolutely too right!! Lol!!! (*bows*). Next chapter's in the queue... Thanks for getting in touch!  :Px

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. It was a challenge to get the twisted POV right without having it seem like autoerotica! More to come soon I hope ;). :Px

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. It was a challenge to get the twisted POV right without having it seem like autoerotica! More to come soon I hope ;). :Px

Thank you for your kind words,

! So pleased you liked it! She's in shock, and horrified by what she thinks has happened.  The answers to your questions will come in the next chapter, but what is important for the story is that she is healing him.... :Px

Thank you for your kind words,

! So pleased you liked it! She's in shock, and horrified by what she thinks has happened.  The answers to your questions will come in the next chapter, but what is important for the story is that she is healing him.... :Px

Hello,

! Thank you for your review.  I've tried to stay true to her character in the decisions that she makes, but clever and thoughtful people sometimes act rashly....  Next chapter is in the queue and I hope it will be up in a couple of weeks! :Px

Hello,

! Thank you for your review.  I've tried to stay true to her character in the decisions that she makes, but clever and thoughtful people sometimes act rashly....  Next chapter is in the queue and I hope it will be up in a couple of weeks! :Px

Hello Beth, thank you for taking the trouble to review the chapter. I am so pleased you liked it! Things are going to get even worse for her, I'm afraid....  She has yet to meet Sabazios....

Hello Beth, thank you for taking the trouble to review the chapter. I am so pleased you liked it! Things are going to get even worse for her, I'm afraid....  She has yet to meet Sabazios....

Hi

- great to hear from you again. Yes, I know, they are going through the wringer, aren't they? No hospitals in the Roman world unless you count the ones attached to the army, and certainly no painkillers apart from alcohol etc. So, really, Severus is lucky to have her...!  Best wishes, :Px

Hi

- great to hear from you again. Yes, I know, they are going through the wringer, aren't they? No hospitals in the Roman world unless you count the ones attached to the army, and certainly no painkillers apart from alcohol etc. So, really, Severus is lucky to have her...!  Best wishes, :Px

The next chapter is in the queue - I am glad that you liked the chapter... and the cliffie (*evil author laugh*)...!

The next chapter is in the queue - I am glad that you liked the chapter... and the cliffie (*evil author laugh*)...!

*Bows* Thank you!! Next chapter is in the queue. :Px

*Bows* Thank you!! Next chapter is in the queue. :Px

Hello again

! Lovely to hear from you.  Glad you're enjoying the story :)  The clues are all there and the secret is inspired directly by canon, but it will all be explained in the last few chapters.  More trauma to come before the resolution, I'm afraid.... :)

Hello again

! Lovely to hear from you.  Glad you're enjoying the story :)  The clues are all there and the secret is inspired directly by canon, but it will all be explained in the last few chapters.  More trauma to come before the resolution, I'm afraid.... :)

It's still going to do that,

!! Px

It's still going to do that,

!! Px

Absolutely... but will she ever know...?!  Thank you for your review - lovely to hear from you again,

! :Px

Absolutely... but will she ever know...?!  Thank you for your review - lovely to hear from you again,

! :Px

Thanks for your review,

!  There is more to their connection than either of them realise yet. It will take them both a while to figure it out.  Meanwhile, Manticores, insane gods, and a volcanic eruption to face....:Px

Thanks for your review,

!  There is more to their connection than either of them realise yet. It will take them both a while to figure it out.  Meanwhile, Manticores, insane gods, and a volcanic eruption to face....:Px

Hi there

, thank you for reviewing again!  I can't answer all your questions yet -- but there are some very heavy hints already out there in the story.  If you compare Riddle's choice of artefacts for his Horcrux with Severus', for example, you can see a difference in the beginning of the spell that created it, and hopefully that will go some way to answer the question about the nature of Snape's Horcrux.  More to come soon! Best wishes, :Px

Hi there

, thank you for reviewing again!  I can't answer all your questions yet -- but there are some very heavy hints already out there in the story.  If you compare Riddle's choice of artefacts for his Horcrux with Severus', for example, you can see a difference in the beginning of the spell that created it, and hopefully that will go some way to answer the question about the nature of Snape's Horcrux.  More to come soon! Best wishes, :Px

Hi Beth!  Every time I see the names beaweasely2 and clairvoyant (and, before that, lyn_f) at the front of my author's notes, I have to pinch myself.  Their input makes the process of writing this horribly complicated story as much of a pleasure as presenting it (with fingers crossed) to the readers.  Thanks for recognising their input -- I know you read their work too and they'll be pleased to hear your appreciation of their talents!  As to the chapter... I'm glad you liked it!  He is being a twit, but, i hope, a believable one.  One of the problems I have with the story is constructing a romance between two people who haven't seen each other in years, who shared one (albeit intense) moment before he 'died', and have only reconnected with each other in an extraordinary place about three days ago.  I can't do hearts and flowers and "I've always loved you", so I'm trying something else.... Btw, please note that Severus has put two and two together over his horcrux.  Have another look at the prologue...! Thanks for your reviews -- I really enjoy reading them!!! Best wishes, :Px

Hi Beth!  Every time I see the names beaweasely2 and clairvoyant (and, before that, lyn_f) at the front of my author's notes, I have to pinch myself.  Their input makes the process of writing this horribly complicated story as much of a pleasure as presenting it (with fingers crossed) to the readers.  Thanks for recognising their input -- I know you read their work too and they'll be pleased to hear your appreciation of their talents!  As to the chapter... I'm glad you liked it!  He is being a twit, but, i hope, a believable one.  One of the problems I have with the story is constructing a romance between two people who haven't seen each other in years, who shared one (albeit intense) moment before he 'died', and have only reconnected with each other in an extraordinary place about three days ago.  I can't do hearts and flowers and "I've always loved you", so I'm trying something else.... Btw, please note that Severus has put two and two together over his horcrux.  Have another look at the prologue...! Thanks for your reviews -- I really enjoy reading them!!! Best wishes, :Px

Hi

! So pleased you are still enjoying it! I try to keep each chapter at about 5k words as I write - I'm glad you like the length. :) As for the Manticore... They are fearsome beasts. The particular qualities of the beast are going to be VERY important to the story!!! Best wishes as always :Px

Yes, he is behaving like an idiot, isn't he? But, I hope he's being a believable idiot!  She could do more as well -- but she's not yet prepared to take that emotional risk either. More to come soon, and the mystery will be revealed. Thank you so much for your review! Best wishes, :Px

Yes, he is behaving like an idiot, isn't he? But, I hope he's being a believable idiot!  She could do more as well -- but she's not yet prepared to take that emotional risk either. More to come soon, and the mystery will be revealed. Thank you so much for your review! Best wishes, :Px

Hi

! Thanks for your review!  The way I see it, expressing their feelings to another person would involve revealing an emotional vulnerability that neither are prepared to admit to.  Not yet, anyway....  Events are about to overtake them for a while in the story, and yet this unresolved issue will continue to be a focus for both of them. Expect more emotionally idiotic behaviour before they both sort this out!  As for earthquake repair -- yes; the earthquake of 62 really devastated the city and the authorities had.not finished all the large infrastructure repairs by 79. Individual citizens would have repaired their own property.  Before the eruption in 79 there were a large number of preceding earthquakes and ground tremors, but the Pompeiians simply appear not to have made the connection between these events and the potential for eruption. :( If you'd like to know even more, there is a brilliant account of Pompeii before the apocalypse, in Pompeii by Mary Beard, a fabulous British academic!

Oh gosh, I'm just thinking now of Severus's comment to Dumbledore 'and my soul?'  Is that when he reaized he would have a horcrux making opportunity?

;) could be...!  Everything is connected.  Thanks for the comment. :Px

Hi

! Thanks for your review!  The way I see it, expressing their feelings to another person would involve revealing an emotional vulnerability that neither are prepared to admit to.  Not yet, anyway....  Events are about to overtake them for a while in the story, and yet this unresolved issue will continue to be a focus for both of them. Expect more emotionally idiotic behaviour before they both sort this out!  As for earthquake repair -- yes; the earthquake of 62 really devastated the city and the authorities had.not finished all the large infrastructure repairs by 79. Individual citizens would have repaired their own property.  Before the eruption in 79 there were a large number of preceding earthquakes and ground tremors, but the Pompeiians simply appear not to have made the connection between these events and the potential for eruption. :( If you'd like to know even more, there is a brilliant account of Pompeii before the apocalypse, in Pompeii by Mary Beard, a fabulous British academic!

Oh gosh, I'm just thinking now of Severus's comment to Dumbledore 'and my soul?'  Is that when he reaized he would have a horcrux making opportunity?

;) could be...!  Everything is connected.  Thanks for the comment. :Px

Hi

! Thanks for taking the time to review.  I am so pleased you like it.  The next chapters are already in the queue and will be up soon I hope!  More drama, chaos and trauma to come (but I am a sucker for happy endings, so...!). Best wishes, :Px

Hi

! Thanks for taking the time to review.  I am so pleased you like it.  The next chapters are already in the queue and will be up soon I hope!  More drama, chaos and trauma to come (but I am a sucker for happy endings, so...!). Best wishes, :Px

Hi,

!  Thanks for the review. Yup.  Yup.  And yup. More to come soon.  Glad you enjoyed the chapter.  Best wishes! :Px

Hi,

!  Thanks for the review. Yup.  Yup.  And yup. More to come soon.  Glad you enjoyed the chapter.  Best wishes! :Px

Oh, yes... Yes, indeed!  Thanks for taking the time to review! :Px

Oh, yes... Yes, indeed!  Thanks for taking the time to review! :Px

Hi

! Thanks for your review. :) I'm glad you like my Grangers; I tried hard with Robert to give him a fairly stroppy character (because, why not?!!).  Yes, Severus is being a bit of an idiot. Silly man!!! I'm sure he'll realise the error of his ways by the end (if the volcano doesn't kill them all first).... Best wishes, :Px

Hi

! Thanks for your review. :) I'm glad you like my Grangers; I tried hard with Robert to give him a fairly stroppy character (because, why not?!!).  Yes, Severus is being a bit of an idiot. Silly man!!! I'm sure he'll realise the error of his ways by the end (if the volcano doesn't kill them all first).... Best wishes, :Px

Oooooh thanks,

! I'm delighted you liked the politics at the dinner party.  I don't think Severus is quite ready to believe that anyone can like him because they want to, rather than by being coerced...

Oooooh thanks,

! I'm delighted you liked the politics at the dinner party.  I don't think Severus is quite ready to believe that anyone can like him because they want to, rather than by being coerced...