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
LOVED IT! I can't believe it's all over though. it was a great story.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you; I'm glad you loved it. And don't worry, there'll be other stories from me. I'm already working on my next one! :)
My hat is off to you Miss Alley! I didnt think I would like the story end. I was wrong. Your epilogue is satisfying in all ways. Thank you for taking Atwood to SS/HG. It has been a wonderful ride. I must make sure I have you as a favorite here so your next story wont sneak by me. 
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Yay! I'm very glad you liked it. I know you were a little bit skeptical at first, so thank you for sticking with the story. Next one is already in the works! :)
Excellent ending to the story. You gave them the happy ending, but you didn't rush it. You allowed Hermione to have some time to adjust to freedom and normalcy.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you. It was very important to me that they both had some time and distance after everything they went through -- the relationship wouldn't have seemed right to me otherwise. Thank you for reading my story, and for all the reviewing you've done for me. :)
Beautiful story--and ending! I found myself tearing up while reading Hermione's speech about the hand-witches. I just don't do that with fiction! I can't wait to read what else you have in store!! Bravo!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you! 
I hope you enjoy the next one at least as much as you did this one. :)
Awwww! Best ending line EVAR! I'm so happy that I came upon this story. It had everything within it that intrigued me, and never once did your tale disappoint me. XDThank you so much for writing this!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you for reading my work, and for all the lovely reviews. I'm so very glad you enjoyed this story, and that I didn't dissapoint you.
OMG this is so good! He was going after her daughter - I should have thought that but I didn't!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
I don't think anybody thought about it, or at least no one mentioned it to me, even though I forsehadowed it two chapters prior, (when Severus was talking to Lucius and he thought about what could happen to the children if these pure-bloods took over, and to Hermione's daughter in particular). *shrugs*I'm glad you're enjoying the story; thank you for reviewing.
I like the ending, not a fairy-tale but a true post-war description of the characters trying to put their lives back together.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
That's what I was aiming for; I'm glad you liked it. I thought an over-the-top, sacharine-sweet ending would have clashed terribly with the somber mood of the story. Thank you for reading my story and for taking the time to leave a review. I have to admit I'm a little overwhelmed by the positive response this story got.
Thankfully I waited a bit before reading this chapter or else I would have been pulling my hair out until the next chapter!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
LOL Well, they say good things come to those who wait, so I guess it was best that you waited! Thank you for reviewing. :)
Gruesome murder I would say! Oh dear.... this is such a good story! XD
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Yes, my writing can get a bit gruesome and morbid at times, I'm glad you're still enjoying the story in spite of that. Again, thank you for reviewing. :)
What a well written story. I like the way you tied in Hermiones conversation w/ Lupin...
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you! I have to admit that I have a bit of a soft spot for Lupin, and he was just the character I needed to lend some perspective to the story -- I'm glad it worked for you. Thank you for reading and reviewing my story.
What a beautiful ending without being fluffy. Stories like yours are what keeps me coming back to read fan fiction. It is at least as good as any romance novel I can pick up and usually better. I love the characters already and giving them a new story is so much fun. You write very well, thank you for sharing your talents with us.Joy
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you for reading my story, and for taking the time to leave a review! I'm very pleased that you enjoyed my writing. :)
That is the perfect line to end this story.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you! I'm so very glad you liked it. That line is one of the few things in this story that I can claim as mine, so it means a lot to me that you like it! 
Beautiful. I have loved this story very much. A good mixture of romance and drama. Hope to read more of your stories!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you. The next story is already in the works! :)
What a lovely story! Thanks for sharing this wonderful gift with us!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you, for reading my story and for the lovely feedback! :)
God. I can't imagine something so terrible and beautiful as the sacrifice that Neville made for them all. Damn it. I'm crying. But this is beautifully written... and while horrible, still manages to tug at the heartstrings....Hope indeed.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
If it makes you feel better, I cried when I wrote the scene depicting Neville's death through Severus' words, and I cried afterward, and I get all teary eyed every time someone brings up Neville's death in a review -- I don't think I'll ever read that chapter again!Thank you so much for reading and reviewing my story; I'm glad you liked it. :)
*sniff* that was a wonderful end to quite a rollercoater ride of a story. thanks so much for sharing your time and talent with the rest of us. you are an excellent writter and i look forward to reading more of your written words. thanks again
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you so much for reading my story, and for reviewing it, (I love reviews; can't ever get enough of them!)I'll be posting another story soon, and I hope you enjoy it at least as much as you did this one. Thanks again. :)
That was a nice wrap-up. I could have wished for more Severus-Hermione interaction, but still, it was an appropriate conclusion.Overall, your story was gripping and engrossing. Thanks for all your efforts!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
I'm sure a lot of people were hoping for more Hermione/Severus interaction toward the end. ;)Thank you for reading and reviewing my story.
Absolutely perfect. I love that she teaches Modern history of magic. After all, thoses Goblins wars were so boring. And Gavril marrying little Camilla. *smile*. I'm glad I've catched up in time with such a brilliant story. It would have been a shame to miss it.A round of aplause for you Snitchette
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you! Binns continues to teach History of Magic, but Hermione's course is much more popular with the students! hehe I'm glad you found my story, and your timing was perfect because you didn't have to wait between the updates! Thank you so much for reading, and for gifting me with all your lovely feedback! Until the next one! 
Finished! Finished! Well hope your starting another! Only joking (although I wouldn't mind of course Hehe).This story was nothing short of BRILLIANT!I adored the ending line and also the name of their granddaughter 'Hope'.
I'm going to miss this story, but I am glad that it finished the way I 'Hoped'.
Thank You.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
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Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Yay! I feel so accomplished. I'm actually already working on my next story! It will be another plot-driven, SS/HG, dark-ish AU/Mystery/Drama/Angst/Romance story, because that's all that my muse seems to like. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing this story. :)
I am so glad it all ended well. And I love your closing sentence...
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you. I'm glad you're glad! :)
And you ended your love story very well indeed. In fact you told it very well all the way through. Thanks for sharing such a detailed and intense story. I look forward to your next offering -- JoAnne
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
I'm glad you enjoyed it. I just started working on my next story, so it might be a little while yet before I start posting it, but it's coming. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing my first ever HG/SS story! :)
What a great closing line. It felt right that Hermione took some time to herself once the war was won, too. You did a marvelous job playing with the original story's plot devices -- though I have to confess I'm glad you didn't leave it on the same ambiguous note as the original. Thanks for sharing this story.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
I don't think I could have finished this story the same way Atwood finished hers even if I had wanted to -- I just don't have it in me to reduce these marvelous characters to cryptic footnotes in history to be shared for the amusement of amateur scholars and the undergrads! *shudder* I tried to take the epilogue as close to Atwood's as I could, without traumatizing myself and the readers -- the gods know Atwood wasn't so kind to me!hehe Thank you so much for reading and reviewing my story; I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)
Thank you!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you for reading my story! :)
There was always something more she wished she could say, something that would convey the true horror of the times, but she knew that no words could ever do justice to such suffering.all that is necessary to convey the true horror is to read this story! you've done a wonderful job of making us feel as if we were there, with your vivid descriptions and characterizations. I was pleased to see the release of the souls from the Valley of Death, and to see Roselyn alive and perhaps reunited with her kids. I am guessing that Camilla and Hope will never wear pink cardigan sweaters! may I guess that Harry and Ginny have a son named for Neville?thank you for this story, and especially for giving Severus and Hermione better fates than Atwood's tale.
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you so much. Your kind words truly mean a lot to me. I believe pink cardigans are now banned in the Wizarding World by decree of the Ministry, and not only is Harry's eldest son named after Neville, but Neville was also awarded a posthumous Order of Merlin First Class for his bravery! :)As much as I love Atwood's work, her epilogue left me with a cold, empty feeling -- I wanted to end this story on a different note, while still honoring Atwood's premise andvision, thus the compromise. I'm glad it worked for you. Thank you again, for reading my story and for taking the time to let me know just how much you enjoyed it.
Excellent!
Response from Alley_B (Author of The Long Way Down)
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. :)