The Long Way Down
Alley_B467 Reviews | 6.28/10 (467 Ratings, 0 Likes, 450 Favorites )
In a dystopian AU where the Dark Lord triumphs and Severus Snape can claim any reward he wishes as one of the chosen 'Faithful,' all Severus longs for is a life of peaceful seclusion – and an heir. But it seems that he might have to sacrifice one for the other when he petitions the Ministry for a hand-witch to produce a child and is presented with one of his former students.
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About Alley_B
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Alley_B
Member Since 2008 | 4 Stories | Favorited by 73 | 6 Reviews Written | 622 Review Responses
Reviews for The Long Way Down
don't you dare kill snape in this, i like him, i really do!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
LOL Well, I'm not going to tell you how the story ends, so I guess you'll just have to trust that I know what I'm doing and that I like Snape even more than you do! ;)Thank you so much for reading and reviewing my story.
Fabulous darling - I can't wait for the next chapter (in the queue already!!).
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Yes, it's there, all ready and waiting for the staff's shiny seal of approval. I'm glad you liked this one. Thank you for reading the story and for all the sweet feedback -- I'm glad you continue to enjoy my writing.
Wonderful chapter in a disturbing story. this is still pretty grim.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you! Yes, this story is still pretty grim, and there's still a lot of darkness and angst ahead, but there's also what I hope are some nice surprises -- you guys have earned them, specially those of you who made it through the last chapter! hehe Thank you for reading and reviewing my story. :)
Another great chapter. It's good to know what happened that let things get to this point. I still wonder about the Weasley's and some of the others...the wall perhaps? What almost exposed them was it her reaction to Lupin or something else? June W has a great idea of pinning some incriminating evidence on Umbridge, always like it when she gets whats coming to her. Why do I get the feeling that it is Umbridge who is stirring up all this new trouble.Great update.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you!There's a lot more backstory in the following chapters; some of it is pretty grim (after all, Voldemort did win the war!) but some of it is very encouraging -- and I do tell what happened to the Weasley's, both the good and the bad. What really happened at the trial and what gave them away is coming up in a later chapter (chapter 13) so you'll have to be patient. Oh, and Umbridge is stirring up more trouble than you (or Hermione and Severus) could possibly know, but don't worry, she'll get her due and she'll never see it coming! *evil grin*Thank you again for continuing to read and review. :)
Another great chapter. The backstory of what happened to put Voldemort in charge is almost as interesting as the evolving relationahip between Snape and Hermione. By taking a very canon activity, the duplicate Harrys, and having it end so tragically ties the story into your vision nicely.I was wondering how long it would take for Snape and Hermione to acknowledge that they are really in this together. Of course, the road is never smooth, so I look forward to what comes next.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
The next chapter should be up very soon. I like using 'what if's' to create AU's -- finding a point in canon where things could have gone very differently and creating my story from there, leaving all the canon events before that untouched. I have a really hard time creating an alternate reality that doesn't link to canon in any way. I'm glad that you liked it. Thank you for reading and reviewing my story.
meeps! well, I sure don't mind if Umbridge gets 'investigated', but not Severus. perhaps he can shift some evidence into Umbridge's possession? I'm still hoping Hermione learns a lot of Occlumency - she knows way too much at this point! and of course, I'm still hoping that Severus and Hermione manage to escape and survive at the end of all this.
thank you for the new chapter!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
You're welcome! Thank you for reading and reviewing my story. The next chapter should be up very soon, but I don't think it's going to be anything like what you expect -- I hope you like it. :)
Well, I liked that! A ray of hope in all this and Hermione has found a man who will treat her with respect.Great chapter! I hated to see it end!Livvy
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
I'm glad you liked it -- I had to throw in some cheer after all the gloom and doom in the last chapter. I think the mood of the story will start to become a little bit more balanced from here on, as secrets are revealed and Snape's true intentions become more clear, but there's still a lot of darkness ahead. Sadly, the chapter had to end somewhere, but the good news is that there's already another one in the queue! :)Thank you for all your lovely feedback!
Lovely ending for it all! Thank you for sharing!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you for reading and taking the time to leave a review, even if I'm terribly late in answering it. I really appreciate it.
Oh the angst of that cliffie - I'm hoping he's not dead! Fantastic way to have the battle, and love Lucius' way of dealing with Umbridge!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you. I'm so very glad you liked it! I thought up about ten hideous ways for Umbridge to die, before I settled on this one. 
Thank you, again, for reading and reviewing. :)
Even more revelations! Poor Hermione for find out like that and then he's gone - gah! It's nice to see Remus put it all into perspective for her so she can evaluate and understand her relationship with Severus better. He really does care for her in his own way, especially in his time of need to alert to DEs he takes the time for her... Lovely!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you! I just figured that if he truly loved her, she would be foremost thing on his mind, specially in the midst of danger. Again, thank you for taking the time to review.
Ah, so its not just DEs to worry about its the Knights of Domitian trying to overthrow them too! Is Severus intending to attempt to save Hermione's daughter as he seems to be thinking on the child in his contemplation of what Lucius tells him... Very interesting!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Wow, good guess. A lot of people didn't see that one coming [Severus trying to rescue Hermione's daughter].Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews. :)
Wow, what a chapter of revelations! I wonder why Veera won't make eye contact with Hermione?
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
I'm sure you found out the answer already, so I'm so terribly late in responding to reviews. 
But I just had to say thank you for reading and reviewing my story!
He's finally sent the house elf away and lets her in on what's going on. Love it!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Yay! I'm glad you loved this part! Thank you for the review.
Nice twist with the potions and the floo in his lab. I suspect he already knows by the sounds of his parting words.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you. This story is all full of twists and turns -- I guess I write what I like to read. 
Thank you so much for the review!
Is this why Lucius put the house elf in Severus' home - to keep an eye on the two of them? Its good of her to be asking questions, but she could easily damn him too, but nice to see them working together again.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Yes, yes, yes, and yes! Thank you for all the lovely reviews; I'm really glad you enjoyed my story. :)
Excellent story. Excellent ending line.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you and thank you! I'm glad you liked it. And thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Hmm, wonder who's taken an interest in her from the Ministry - a past "master" possibly?
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Ha! At least you didn't see this one coming! Thank you, again. :)
Quite interesting the Valley of Lost Souls being Exile. Makes sense that Voldy wouldn't let them off so easily.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Voldy is evil, but I guess I didn't need to tell you that. 
Its interesting to find out more about Hermione's past treatments and kind of amusing on how Severus avoids the topic of begetting an heir... He he.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Yeah, I figured, under the circumstance, Snape would be a little... uhm, uncomfortable. 
Interesting to see Snape's reaction to finding out who #283 was, I think he's somewhat still in a state of shock...
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Or maybe not...Thank you again for reading and reviewing. :)
Interesting that he has his reasons for wanting an heir but not a wife to accompany. I can see where he'd be coming from in not being forthright with Lucius about it, poor guy!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
I'm glad you could see where I was coming from with Lucius and his relationship with Severus. I figured the contrast between the two would make Snape's perspective more understandable. Thank you so much for reading my story and taking the time to leave all the lovely reviews. I appreciate every single one.
Very interesting story. Disturbing post-Hogwarts view. Great writing to evoke such emotions.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you very much for reading my story and for taking the time to review. I really appreciate it. :)
wow what a great story :) very impressed and thankfull !
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you! I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it, and thankful that you took the time to leave a review!
I have been thinking of some of the nuts and bolts and have been wondering if Hand-witches stay on after birth to nurse their children?How nice to see the story is in the queue!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Absolutely not. In my vision, hand-witches are just vessels to carry the children and donors of genetic material, not mothers -- the children belong to the pureblood couple. It would serve no purpose for the Ministry to encourage any kind of bonding between the hand-witch and her child, and the wives probably wouldn't want the biological mothers of their children hanging around anyway. Macnair does keep the same hand-witch for several years, but if you recall, in the first chapter Lucius and Snape discuss how some of the Dark Lord's closest associates keep hand-witches for reasons other than to produce children -- as sex slaves. I tried to imply by the girl's condition and Macnair's wife's complaint about 'what a burden the girl is,' that there's something not right going on in the Mcnair household. But keeping a hand-witch to nurse or actually raise the children -- no. Both Mcnair's and Malfoy's hand-witches show up again in chapter 10, and you'll get a more clear glimpse into the lives of the hand-witches -- but I have to warn you, it's not a pretty picture. IMO, that chapter is actually the darkest chapter in the entire fic. Next chapter is at the top of the queue now, so it should be up very soon! :)
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Absolutely not. In my vision, hand-witches are just vessels to carry the children and donors of genetic material, not mothers -- the children belong to the pureblood couple. It would serve no purpose for the Ministry to encourage any kind of bonding between the hand-witch and her child, and the wives probably wouldn't want the biological mothers of their children hanging around anyway. Macnair does keep the same hand-witch for several years, but if you recall, in the first chapter Lucius and Snape discuss how some of the Dark Lord's closest associates keep hand-witches for reasons other than to produce children -- as sex slaves. I tried to imply by the girl's condition and Macnair's wife's complaint about 'what a burden the girl is,' that there's something not right going on in the Mcnair household. But keeping a hand-witch to nurse or actually raise the children -- no. Both Mcnair's and Malfoy's hand-witches show up again in chapter 10, and you'll get a more clear glimpse into the lives of the hand-witches -- but I have to warn you, it's not a pretty picture. IMO, that chapter is actually the darkest chapter in the entire fic. Next chapter is at the top of the queue now, so it should be up very soon! :)
I am daunted by the thoughtful and nigh scholarly reviews, but I wanted to lend my voice to the chorus singing this story's praises. It is a mesmerizing vision of the dark "might have been" of Harry Potter. Plus, it is very nuanced and not just a "grr argh terrible situation" story. I look forward to reading more.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
I have to confess that I'm a little overwhelmed by the reviews myself! I'm practically an unknown writer in this fandom, so I didn't have very high expectations as far as people taking a chance on reading and reviewing my work. The response has been simply amazing! Thank you so much for joining your voice to the 'chorus,' it makes my heart sing! :)Next chapter should be up very soon, probably later today or tomorrow. Thanks again for reading and reviewing my story.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
I have to confess that I'm a little overwhelmed by the reviews myself! I'm practically an unknown writer in this fandom, so I didn't have very high expectations as far as people taking a chance on reading and reviewing my work. The response has been simply amazing! Thank you so much for joining your voice to the 'chorus,' it makes my heart sing! :)Next chapter should be up very soon, probably later today or tomorrow. Thanks again for reading and reviewing my story.