Totally fantastic!!!  I love this story with all my heart!I'm glad Severus was able to talk to Hermione, and I hope she doesn't enjoy her date with Burbage.And I hope Minerva stays on his butt about not giving up on pursuing Hermione.Beth

Best. Chapter. Yet.

Did you have any idea when you started this, that it would be this fabulous and have so many devotees? Such as myself. I've been dying for days -- oh, yes, I know about GS100. I just like reading here the best.

'At least it's a start...' I'll say. Good work, Snape.

And good work, melusin.

Author's Response: Thank you.
No I didn't - and if I'd known how long it was going to go on for, I wouldn't have done it as drabbles. I'm very pleased with people's reactions to it though.

Very nice chaper!  I would be unnerved too, if Severus flew to me (oh, okay, I'd have my arms wide open for him, but still....) I like that Severus explained, I wonder if it will be enough?  I am looking forward to reading what happens next.

What an awful (and wonderful) place to break away. With Lady Elizabeth, Eljay, strange gardens and mysterious keys, there's so much castle-centric magic and personality to this story; it's really captivating.

good chapter!  and i love Eljay!  I love house-elves in stories, and portraits, and you have both!  I have faith that with enough house-elf and portrait involvement, Severus and Hermione will be able to sort themselves out!

Oh the key is interesting, but I'm far more interested to read what Lady Elizabeth has to say.

loving this story!!  what does betty have to say about lily?  i can hardly wait to find out.  thanks so much!

Is Lady Elizabeth the painting that was barred from the Slytherin common room? I am very curious about what the castle is trying to tell the Headmistress. Is Perdy helping out Percy? That seems to be sufficient punishment. Im so glad you are continuing this drabble. I love it!

Oh, why do I love awkward bumbling Snape so much? Perhaps because you've written him so well. Hopefully Lady Elizabeth will get Hermione straightened out, or at the very least, hopefully I (whoops I mean Hermione) will get to ogle him in the garden some more.

And what a lovely piece of drabbling madness it is! I'm thoroughly enjoying it. It just keeps getting more and more interesting and mysterious.

Oh those nasty portraits... I am looking forward to see how Severus manages to set this straight.

That was fabulous!

Huh.  I wonder what that key has to do with everything.  We should just have the house-elf ask the raven.  Hopefully whatever Lady Elizabeth has to say will mollify Hermione.

Portraits are a never-ending source of information. Just as well!

I enjoyed that. 

Poor Severus.  He is so chagrined at having called Lily's name in his sleep, but he is so attracted to Hermione.  I wish he had felt comfortable enough with the moment to speak to her about that at breakfast.Eljay is a hoot, and he speaks Raven!  He can be a lot of help to Severus in communicating with Corvus.Now, I know you haven't retired Purdy, my favorite house-elf, so what are you cooking up for her next?I wish Hermione wouldn't encourage Burbage's attentions, I just don't think anything good will come of that.  I just don't trust him.And Lady Elizabeth is just about to tell Hermione some things that she should know regarding Severus:  'That boy has never found it easy to admit his mistakes.'..... 'Indeed. And now that the formalities are out of the way, let me tell you about Lily Evans...' ........And you just leave us with an evil cliffie!  Melusin, EVIL is thy name!  Err... you're also a genius!What a way to end a chapter.I adore this story with all my heart.Beth

sorry, Eljay - you might speak Percy-talk and Raven-talk, but Purdy still has the best heart!  still, I am enjoying this new elf, and am hopeul that Corvus can communicate more with Severus with Eljay's help.  too bad Eljay doesn't seem to appreciate Corvus more (yet).  looking forward to seeing what the key unlocks.  thanks for the new chapter!

Buh-uh, did you have to stop the chapter before Lady Elisabeth got to tell her story? I am still mad at Severus for committing the unforgivable crime of calling Hermione "Lily" after their nigth together. I don't care if he was dreaming, it still shows that his mind is filled with the girl who turned her back on him. I understand the need for some plot to make the story go on without them being a couple yet (or at all), but I would have loved for it to have been something else. I love Severus and Severus/Hermione  stories, but for me, Hermione is just as "valuable" as Severus in a story and I think she deserves better than being called by a former lovers name, no matter how many issues Severus has. I can not know if you inted for this story to end with the two of them being together, but I do know that I don't want Hermione to let Severus into her life unless he has made up his mind on what woman he wants to share his bed and future with. Hermione migth be his future, but not as long as he klings to the past. Still not sure if I want her to ever forgive him though, but  as a sucker for happy endings I hope you will make me change my mind before we reach the end and doing so without making Hermione looking weak and without selfrespect and dignity. That said, I still enjoy the story and look forward to see where the key goes and for Hermione to "wake up" and actually make an effort to investigate how Professor Burbage treats the Slytherin students.

I'm curious about what Betty has to say to Hermione. I still like the story enormously and I'm glad to notice that you seem to update more quickly lately. Thank you so much for not making me wait too long.

Love it, love it, love it. Looking forward to more!

Here I was, slowly but surely going out of my mind of sheer boredom when I realised that this wonderful story has been updated. And the new chapter did not disappoint! So, so, curious!

i loved the new elf (who speaks raven!), and am excited about the mystery of the key, and was disappointed that's all severus wanted to talk to hermione about, and am desperate to know what betty has to say about lily! pretty good payoff for such a short chapter, i'd say. :D

Augh, nothing is worse than being called the name of the old ex-lover, even if it's a fantasy lover. Poor Hermione.

omg i cant tell you how many times i have heard the winston churchill ugly/drunk joke from my father, its one of his faves lol. that was perfect placement of it. bravo

>>I love honeysuckle,' she said, 'I know... Minerva told me.<<Just like that! I did this for you. soo sweet.This whole scene at the bench is too romantic. wonderfully written.Now he finally is home. And he has his peace with his past and his life-savious and with his love and with everything. and even Dumbledore can call him by his middle name: HERO!!!So Hermione has to clear her office. Oh really. And Severus returns to his honors as head of house. Irony. Let's see what you have in mind for them. and us!!