Thanks!However, she has left him a potion for his headache... so how bad can she be?It's not an entirely altruistic gesture on her part as you may realise later on down the track.I'm glad you're enjoying the humourous parts - they are usually the most enjoyable to write.

There's also t.e.a.c.h.i.n.g!  I know what that's like!

Well, he can't be ahead of everyone ALL the time.  Thanks for the review!

Thanks for the review.  I'm pleased you're enjoying it and I appreciate the rating!I'm about to upload another chapter so depending on the validation queue, it should be available in the next few days.

Thanks for the review.  I'm pleased you're enjoying it and I appreciate the rating!I'm about to upload another chapter so depending on the validation queue, it should be available in the next few days.

I have most of the next chapter written out, but won't have it completed until the weekend.  My updating is very, very erratic, I'm afraid.

this is the point where I get down on my knees and plead, dressed in sackcloth and rending my hair.  "have mercy, oh great one..."I mean, talk about battling addiction.  why have you done this to me??  :)

I have most of the next chapter written out, but won't have it completed until the weekend.  My updating is very, very erratic, I'm afraid.

this is the point where I get down on my knees and plead, dressed in sackcloth and rending my hair.  "have mercy, oh great one..."I mean, talk about battling addiction.  why have you done this to me??  :)

Then I hate to say that I am a notoriously slow writer.  Ask my beta!

Then I hate to say that I am a notoriously slow writer.  Ask my beta!

"The only thing I'm finding a bit hard to believe in this story is the number of times snape finds himself in the safe house alone with lupin and chara.  why is it so frequent?"The same questin was asked by another reader, though it may have been on another archive - I'm afraid I cannot recall.  It is a valid question, and one that I attempt to explain in a later chapter.  Essentially, the safe house is the centrepoint from which many of them go about their duties.  Lupin and Parr are there a lot of the time because she can only go out infrequently, and when away from Hogwarts, she has to be supervised at all times, hence Lupin's presence.I didn't realise that my rating for my story was too low.  I'll change it now (can't even remember what I put initially!)

"The only thing I'm finding a bit hard to believe in this story is the number of times snape finds himself in the safe house alone with lupin and chara.  why is it so frequent?"The same questin was asked by another reader, though it may have been on another archive - I'm afraid I cannot recall.  It is a valid question, and one that I attempt to explain in a later chapter.  Essentially, the safe house is the centrepoint from which many of them go about their duties.  Lupin and Parr are there a lot of the time because she can only go out infrequently, and when away from Hogwarts, she has to be supervised at all times, hence Lupin's presence.I didn't realise that my rating for my story was too low.  I'll change it now (can't even remember what I put initially!)

Folter has turned out to be surprisingly useful.  And important.

Folter has turned out to be surprisingly useful.  And important.

Interhouse acrimony and "bird-flipping" does provide comedic potential.

Interhouse acrimony and "bird-flipping" does provide comedic potential.

If you wiki-search her first name, you might get a clue as to what she is.

If you wiki-search her first name, you might get a clue as to what she is.

Oh, thanks!  I'm very glad you're enjoying it.

Oh, thanks!  I'm very glad you're enjoying it.

No, not a veela.  Sorry!

No, not a veela.  Sorry!

"car-rah" with the emphasis on the first syllable.

thanks!  I couldn't decide if it was soft, like "char-coal", or hard like italian, or gutteral like "chava" in yiddish.

"car-rah" with the emphasis on the first syllable.

thanks!  I couldn't decide if it was soft, like "char-coal", or hard like italian, or gutteral like "chava" in yiddish.

The confusion is likely stemming from my unclear writing!OK, let me see if I can explain..."Is the Seevy a character of your own creation?"Yes."Are they born, or made?"In some ways this is a difficult thing to answer for a reason I'm rather hesitant to go into at this stage. Let us say they are born. It's not like vampyrism where someone gets bit and then the victim becomes a vampire."Why was Chara's family rent asunder?"Chara's mother and aunt were killed when someone gave their location away to Greyback. Chara's mother was a Handler and Chara's aunt was a Striker. Chara's father was never part of her life and she had no brothers."Because they were all Seevy, or because they were all magic resistant, or . . . what?"All Parr seevy are resistant to magic. However, they suffered a great deal at the hands of muggles simply because they "weren't quite right" and got persecuted a lot."What is the significance of the collar? Is it because she's a seevy? Because she was being controlled?"Since I'm not sure which collar you mean, I'll explain both. The jointed metal collar that has been passed around between Dumbledore and Lupin, and then to Snape in the later chapters, is a Striker Collar. It is nothing more than a symbol. It has no ability to control the Striker, and the reason for the very fine chain on it is to show that this collar is not made to direct or bind a Striker in any way. Strikers traditionally allow their Handlers to hold the collar at all times, therefore is becomes somewhat ingrained for them to obey whomever holds the collar and leash. Handlers and Leash Holders are different. A Handler is someone bonded to a Striker, whereas a Leash Holder is not. In some circumstances it is required for someone not the Handler to carry the collar and leash.If you meant the collar that was put around her neck by Brachoveitch, that's simply a metal collar that has blades on the inside surface that puncture the neck. It's essentially a torture tool used to control through pain."Why does Chara call Severus "leash holder", if he doesn't have the leash? "Unless I have a bad mistake, when Chara calls Snape Leash Holder, he does have it in his pocket. It's in the small bag that has appeared in earlier chapters."And what does having the leash do to the holder of it and the Seevy?"Nothing beyond a reminder to Striker that whomever holds it has some position of authority over them. Some, but not all."The Screen, and her two charges (arla and whateve the other's name was . . . Ariana?) They think he's a Seevy, but he doesn't know about it and doesn't understand the culture? That indicates they are born, not made, but . . . ?"Gaelina (the Screen) is not seevy. It's not necessary for a Screen to be seevy. Arla (Striker) and Avella (Handler) are sisters. The seevy trait is always carried true through the female line, so seevy are matriarchal. It does pass to male progeny but often to a markedly weaker degree. A seevy who gives birth to a male can cause one of three situations: if the sire's mother had seevyism, it usually causes a Dual (one who can be either Striker or Handler depending on training). If the sire has seevyism somewhere in the female side of his family line, the effect is not as strong. This is usually where Occlumency and Legilimency originate. If the sire has no seevyism present in his genetic line anywhere, then the male offspring rarely shows any seevy traits. I'm almost certain someone will point out a problem with this genetic reasoning!Snape is a freeborn Dual. Freeborn as in he has no idea or understanding of seevyism and has not been partnered with another seevy. Therefore his mother had seevyism, and his father had the trait. It's not something I've explicitly stated anywhere, though I did very lightly intimate that his mother suffered from being correctly partnered."The Screen and her two charges; they KNOW Chara? Are they her family? Who is her aunt? Is her aunt her handler?"Yes, they know her. No, they are not family. Chara's aunt was a Striker, so was not her Handler."How inextricably entwined are the seevy and the handler? If one dies, does the other? What happens when a Seevy doesn't HAVE a handler? And Severus was collared by . . . the Dark Lord?"Striker and Handler are very closely linked, emotionally and mentally. If Handler dies, the Striker rarely survives. They will Death Run or go berserk. If a Striker dies, the Handler may not survive, but there is a greater chance of survival in this case. In both cases, it is possible for Handler/Striker to bond with a new partner, but it causes a lot of problems. The Striker needs the Handler for mental control and focus and unless the Handler has a very good mental grip, the Striker can mentally overpower the Handler and becomes almost impossible to control. Unpartnered Handlers cope better than unpartnered Strikers, but it's still very unpleasant for them.The collar Voldemort put on Snape is not the Striker Collar. It's the barbed metal collar created by Brachoveitch.Hope this helps. If not, please let me know, or if you have any other questions (that I can answer without giving too much plot away)...

"It's not something I've explicitly stated anywhere, though I did very lightly intimate that his mother suffered from being correctly partnered."Sorry, I meant INcorrectly or poorly partnered.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.I think I did mention that I'd missed a bunch of chapters and a lot of the ones i read, I read several months ago.  So I wouldn't chalk it up to bad writing, more my forgetfulness.I am going to have to go back and read the whole story, because . . . yeah, I missed a bunch of that.I'm totally okay with you not explaining things now that will be explained later!  :DThank you again.  I really do enjoy this story and I'm really irked more people aren't reviewing.

"I really do enjoy this story and I'm really irked more people aren't reviewing."Well, perhaps people are automatically put off by the OC indicator.  I guess with HP fanfic, people look to experience the characters they know.  After all, that's what makes HP HP and not some other story/world.  An OC could be seen as a diluter, but I've read some OC stories that I've found wonderful and also heartbreaking.  However, OC's no more of a risk than established characters.  I've read some shockingly awful canon character stories which in all honesty has made me shy away from a lot of HP fic.  In all fairness, though, that's been because of the skill of the writer, not that canon characters were used.Plus this story's a large one.  It's not an easy one-shot or tale with smut in the first 3 chapters.  It requires time and patience.  Perhaps that's not for a lot of people. *shrugs* But I'm always very appreciative of those who do read and review, and ALWAYS happy to answer questions (if I can without giving away plot).

I think a lot of OC stories (this one certainly doesn't have that problem) can turn AU and/or Mary-Sueish.  Although the absolute worst story I ever read was an SS/HG, and it was so woefully OOC that I still laugh.I personally prefer a chaptered story over a one-shot.But then, I'm wierd. ;)

The confusion is likely stemming from my unclear writing!OK, let me see if I can explain..."Is the Seevy a character of your own creation?"Yes."Are they born, or made?"In some ways this is a difficult thing to answer for a reason I'm rather hesitant to go into at this stage. Let us say they are born. It's not like vampyrism where someone gets bit and then the victim becomes a vampire."Why was Chara's family rent asunder?"Chara's mother and aunt were killed when someone gave their location away to Greyback. Chara's mother was a Handler and Chara's aunt was a Striker. Chara's father was never part of her life and she had no brothers."Because they were all Seevy, or because they were all magic resistant, or . . . what?"All Parr seevy are resistant to magic. However, they suffered a great deal at the hands of muggles simply because they "weren't quite right" and got persecuted a lot."What is the significance of the collar? Is it because she's a seevy? Because she was being controlled?"Since I'm not sure which collar you mean, I'll explain both. The jointed metal collar that has been passed around between Dumbledore and Lupin, and then to Snape in the later chapters, is a Striker Collar. It is nothing more than a symbol. It has no ability to control the Striker, and the reason for the very fine chain on it is to show that this collar is not made to direct or bind a Striker in any way. Strikers traditionally allow their Handlers to hold the collar at all times, therefore is becomes somewhat ingrained for them to obey whomever holds the collar and leash. Handlers and Leash Holders are different. A Handler is someone bonded to a Striker, whereas a Leash Holder is not. In some circumstances it is required for someone not the Handler to carry the collar and leash.If you meant the collar that was put around her neck by Brachoveitch, that's simply a metal collar that has blades on the inside surface that puncture the neck. It's essentially a torture tool used to control through pain."Why does Chara call Severus "leash holder", if he doesn't have the leash? "Unless I have a bad mistake, when Chara calls Snape Leash Holder, he does have it in his pocket. It's in the small bag that has appeared in earlier chapters."And what does having the leash do to the holder of it and the Seevy?"Nothing beyond a reminder to Striker that whomever holds it has some position of authority over them. Some, but not all."The Screen, and her two charges (arla and whateve the other's name was . . . Ariana?) They think he's a Seevy, but he doesn't know about it and doesn't understand the culture? That indicates they are born, not made, but . . . ?"Gaelina (the Screen) is not seevy. It's not necessary for a Screen to be seevy. Arla (Striker) and Avella (Handler) are sisters. The seevy trait is always carried true through the female line, so seevy are matriarchal. It does pass to male progeny but often to a markedly weaker degree. A seevy who gives birth to a male can cause one of three situations: if the sire's mother had seevyism, it usually causes a Dual (one who can be either Striker or Handler depending on training). If the sire has seevyism somewhere in the female side of his family line, the effect is not as strong. This is usually where Occlumency and Legilimency originate. If the sire has no seevyism present in his genetic line anywhere, then the male offspring rarely shows any seevy traits. I'm almost certain someone will point out a problem with this genetic reasoning!Snape is a freeborn Dual. Freeborn as in he has no idea or understanding of seevyism and has not been partnered with another seevy. Therefore his mother had seevyism, and his father had the trait. It's not something I've explicitly stated anywhere, though I did very lightly intimate that his mother suffered from being correctly partnered."The Screen and her two charges; they KNOW Chara? Are they her family? Who is her aunt? Is her aunt her handler?"Yes, they know her. No, they are not family. Chara's aunt was a Striker, so was not her Handler."How inextricably entwined are the seevy and the handler? If one dies, does the other? What happens when a Seevy doesn't HAVE a handler? And Severus was collared by . . . the Dark Lord?"Striker and Handler are very closely linked, emotionally and mentally. If Handler dies, the Striker rarely survives. They will Death Run or go berserk. If a Striker dies, the Handler may not survive, but there is a greater chance of survival in this case. In both cases, it is possible for Handler/Striker to bond with a new partner, but it causes a lot of problems. The Striker needs the Handler for mental control and focus and unless the Handler has a very good mental grip, the Striker can mentally overpower the Handler and becomes almost impossible to control. Unpartnered Handlers cope better than unpartnered Strikers, but it's still very unpleasant for them.The collar Voldemort put on Snape is not the Striker Collar. It's the barbed metal collar created by Brachoveitch.Hope this helps. If not, please let me know, or if you have any other questions (that I can answer without giving too much plot away)...

"It's not something I've explicitly stated anywhere, though I did very lightly intimate that his mother suffered from being correctly partnered."Sorry, I meant INcorrectly or poorly partnered.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.I think I did mention that I'd missed a bunch of chapters and a lot of the ones i read, I read several months ago.  So I wouldn't chalk it up to bad writing, more my forgetfulness.I am going to have to go back and read the whole story, because . . . yeah, I missed a bunch of that.I'm totally okay with you not explaining things now that will be explained later!  :DThank you again.  I really do enjoy this story and I'm really irked more people aren't reviewing.

"I really do enjoy this story and I'm really irked more people aren't reviewing."Well, perhaps people are automatically put off by the OC indicator.  I guess with HP fanfic, people look to experience the characters they know.  After all, that's what makes HP HP and not some other story/world.  An OC could be seen as a diluter, but I've read some OC stories that I've found wonderful and also heartbreaking.  However, OC's no more of a risk than established characters.  I've read some shockingly awful canon character stories which in all honesty has made me shy away from a lot of HP fic.  In all fairness, though, that's been because of the skill of the writer, not that canon characters were used.Plus this story's a large one.  It's not an easy one-shot or tale with smut in the first 3 chapters.  It requires time and patience.  Perhaps that's not for a lot of people. *shrugs* But I'm always very appreciative of those who do read and review, and ALWAYS happy to answer questions (if I can without giving away plot).

I think a lot of OC stories (this one certainly doesn't have that problem) can turn AU and/or Mary-Sueish.  Although the absolute worst story I ever read was an SS/HG, and it was so woefully OOC that I still laugh.I personally prefer a chaptered story over a one-shot.But then, I'm wierd. ;)

*whispers*It's cos there's no Hermione or sex in it.Seriously though, it is a bit odd since apart from the first chapter, it's the one with the most hits on it, and I have no idea why!Glad you're still reading!

A chapter doesn't have to have either to be good. Speaking for myself, i somehow neglected to add you as a bookmark, so I rather randomly came across you'd done updates and had to read a few chapters over to figure out WTF was going on.  I wonder how many people have that same problem.  God knows all MY readers are going to have that problem (assuming I ever update!)I think it's a fantastic story.

Thanks, I really appreciate that

*whispers*It's cos there's no Hermione or sex in it.Seriously though, it is a bit odd since apart from the first chapter, it's the one with the most hits on it, and I have no idea why!Glad you're still reading!

A chapter doesn't have to have either to be good. Speaking for myself, i somehow neglected to add you as a bookmark, so I rather randomly came across you'd done updates and had to read a few chapters over to figure out WTF was going on.  I wonder how many people have that same problem.  God knows all MY readers are going to have that problem (assuming I ever update!)I think it's a fantastic story.

Thanks, I really appreciate that

Well, he can't be an arsehole ALL the time! ;)

Well, he can't be an arsehole ALL the time! ;)

If anyone has, I'm unaware of it.  It's my intention to do some artwork myself, but I have so little time that I'm lucky I can get around to writing the story!