thank you for the simplified Ron explanation.  I never completely understood why dumbledore wanted snape to tell harry, but harry certainly would have won the elder wand that way, had things gone according to plan.

the healing, the phoenix song--it's magical.  utterly brilliant.  I love it.  this whole chapter is fantastic.

this is a lovely, lovely chapter.  I could have just died when he took her hair and left.  bits of this chapter remind me of "In the Realms of the Gods" by Tamora Pierce--have you read that book?  It's quite good, IMHO.

"She couldn’t understand why Harry insisted that they wear the thing. Who does he think he is? Frodo Baggins?"  So true.  so true.  I laughed so hard when I read that line.

I love this chapter.  I love the Severus-and-Jocelyn interaction.  it's just lovely.  :)

that is SUCH a good observation, that hermione says she hasn't obliviated anyone before!  I always put it down to her being nitpicky, but your answer is very convincing...  :)

One more thing I meant to mention- great OC.

I LOVED both stories in this series so far. This is just the kind of story I always hope to find. It expands on canon in a very believable way yet "fixes" all the things I don't necessarily like about the canon. I'm SO looking forward to part 3. May I suggest Phoenix Flight as a title?

Wonderful, lovely story! Have thoroughly enjoyed the slow but simmering build-up between Hermione and Snape. Can`t wait to read the 3rd part. Thank you very much!

Loads going on and what a chapter!  I really liked how Minerva finaggled him into teaching Potions again. I am so glad SOMEONE brought up the idiocy of Potter telling everyone HE had mastered the Death Stick/Elder Wand. Brilliant - so brilliant I felt like applauding Severus. Oh, does this mean that Fawkes has adopted Severus?  Hope so...

I really hope you write a third!!

A wonderful and enjoyable story.Just a thought for the next installment: could the title be "Phoenix Ashes"? where, after several attempts on Harry's life, they decide that the only solution is for Fawkes to burn one last time with the Elder Wand clutched in his talons, the only way to destroy the wand, but alas, the bird would not return either? Just an idea. I have enjoyed your version of events immensly and I'm sure I'll have fun reading whatever you come up with.

how about "phoenix redux"  I'm glad you're doing a triogy.  this has been such a splendid ride i don't want it to be over!  thanks and christmas and holiday smoochies

How perfect...Hermione used his spell, his song, his wand to direct her intense need to see him healed, and to such an amazing effect!  And Severus not being certain where exactly the demarcation line was between her magic and will and his is almost a parallel for the bond between a married couple; the ring symbolizing infinity, the two becoming one.  I don't know what else to say, except that now they seem to have leveled the playing field so to speak.  They can relate to each other now as equals, rather than student and teacher, or with one being in debt to the other for anything.  I can't wait to see where this new relationship will hopefully take them!I MUST READ THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! 

I must say that I am not surprised at the nominations.  Your writing has been superb.  I know I don’t review much, but I do love to read the great stories and these are truly great.  I would love to see a new story to make it a trilogy.  Phoenix Reborn, Phoenix Fire???  The rebuilding of a lives,  Lives from the Ashes???  LOL just a suggestion. 

Oh its the second last chapter ... I'm so sad I will miss following this one.  Loved the sympathetic magic explanation and how being 'in tune' helped the magic work - especially the tie in with singing!  And something really interesting - your spin on Hermione's insistence on finishing school.  It's such a fanon cliche to have Hermione obsessed about finishing school while Harry and Ron go off into the world - but Hermione can be so rigid sometimes!  Not that both Hermione's and Harry's points-of-view aren't valid, but loved the way Ron sort of took them both down a notch with his main concern being them sticking together.

First, let me say congratulations on your well-deserved award nomination. I know I've reviewed repeatedly for these two stories, but I just wanted to say one more thing - I have been pleased (especially in this most recent chapter) to see a version of Ron who actually has a likeable personality. Some stories make Ron out to be a complete dolt and boor, and if that were his true character, I can't see where Harry's and Hermione's loyalty to him comes in. I loved the scene of explaining Dumbledore's plan in the same fashion as the boys would discuss Quidditch strategy.

Ron really had the situation sussed out.  Great chapter! :)

First, your description of Ron explaining Dumbledore's Machiavellian plan--wonderful!  I may actually print this out and put it inside my copy of DH--because I remember thinking, when I read the parts in it where Harry tells Dumbledore "Yeah, that part (of your plan) didn't work out right"--that I was missing something, for didn't the new master of the Elder wand have to DEFEAT the current owner?  And if Dumbledore had meant that to be Snape, then at the very least he had meant Snape and Harry to duel at some point, and for Harry to (at the very least) disarm him?  But then, I'd get an uneasy feeling, and think "But Harry didn't want to 'just' disarm him, did he?"--but the thought that D. had set him up deliberately to become a murderer---of an INNOCENT man--just to achieve what was basically a chess move--was so horrific I thought I MUST have figured it wrongly.  Your explanation made things clear, and I thank you for it.  Also, I was holding this thought from the last chapter until you explained it in this--but it never once ocurred to me why D. closed his eyes when he told Snape about telling Harry.  I had thought he was merely operating under such emotion that it caused that reaction, but it never entered my mind he was avoiding Snape's Legilimency skills and trying to deceive (and set up) his most true-hearted servant.  I truly cannot fathom, given how this is the only explanation that makes sense, how JKR can exalt D. as some kind of hero, and yet have only contempt for Snape--does she not SEE what type of characters she has written???As to your story, well, if it MUST be the next-to-last chapter, then may I LOUDLY second the comments of HBAR and Elise that this would make an absolutely perfect triology!  "Phoenix Reborn"; "Phoenix Life";  "Phoenix Fire" (hey, now that fits nicely, for a SS/HG love/passion tale).You've done such a wonderful job filling in all JKR's 'lapses' in canon, that I KNOW you'd do a great job developing the story of their love more fully.  You told me (or someone) in a past review (paraphrasing here) that your Hermione and Severus weren't the type to go all fluffy and mushy in declarations of love for one another.  Ok, that's fine--then give us the slow, achingly beautiful development of love between these two "porcupines".I'm just saying, along with everyone else, that I don't want it to end here.  I would love to happily immerse myself in however many chapters you'd be willing to give us of YOUR vision of what a love relationship (and eventually marriage, and maybe children?) between them would look like.  Thank you for this wonderful "Phoenix Song" and "Phoenix Tears"--like many others, it seems to me you have NOT written an 'AU' story, but rather filled in the (glaring) gaps left by JK Rowling  of the way the story SHOULD have gone.

Dumbledore's got what he deserved. His plan was disgusting, but very much in accord with his life philosophy of the greater good. Ron's explanation was very nice. Clear and illustrative.You say that we are almost over with this story and it's a logical point to stop. I will be sorry to let it end though. Reading PT and PS has been very enjoyable. Almost like canon with wishes come true.

How do I feel about only one more chapter? Hmmm... I don't like it.  I think this story should just go on and on and on forever.  Ok, that would get really tedious,  but I will be sorry to see it end.  This screams to be a trillogy, you know.  What with all those nominations, I can see it now... "Award winning author writes final installment of her three part series."  No?  Does begging help?  Well even if this doesn't continue, please keep writing.  I have really enjoyed this little tale.I absolutely loved the part where Ron was explaining Dumbledore's plan.  First because someone needed to clarify it for me.  It never quite adds up in the book.  Plus the Harry fork, complete with lightening bolt scar and messy hair, was priceless.With only one chapter to go, it would take some sort of grand scale natural disaster or something to cause this to have anything but a happy ending.  And I am a sucker for those, so will be anxiously awaiting the completion of this wonderful story!

Well, I don't think I have to go all CAPSLOCK to let you know how I feel about the impending ending of this marvelous adventure, nor about my desire for it to go on and on, especially where Hermione and Severus are concerned.  So I think it will depend on exactly how you leave them as to whether or not I raise my voice (with, undoubtedly, the multitude) to clamor for Part Three....LOVE that Ron figured out what Dumbledore intended (and you're right--that's certainly what the old man had in mind) and that he was explaining it to Harry when Hermione returned.  I also love that the Golden Trio survives, whatever romantic entanglements might ensue (*hint hint*).I really adore the fact that Hermione had a whole list of things that needed to be done and that Ron (and then Harry) hopped on board at once to help assure that Snape's reputation is cleared.  I even appreciate Dumbledore's postumous efforts to clear Snape's name.  Least he could do, seeing how well things turned out.  (I like your suggestion as well that the Deathly Hallows were there to help Harry get past the "Harry's got to die to make this work" bit.)I also really enjoyed the scene in the Hospital Wing and then afterward at Snape's bedside.  This truly does feel like canon, all of it (not just this chapter but the whole, marvelous accomplishment of these two epics).  Bless Hooch and Madam Pomfrey.I hope there will be some discussion between Severus and Hermione alone of what the singing means specifically, because I think it is objective proof that there is more here than just two heroes working toward the same goal.Excellent work all around.

I love this story. You had better get the two of them together! Please, I'm begging you. Make them have a happy ending. And I want to know what happens to everyone, Ms. Smith, Malfoys, Luna and Neville. Everyone! Oh, I'm so sad this is the second to last chapter. I loved this story. It is something I will reread over and over again.

I enjoyed this so much last night I floated away to bed on a cloud of happiness, and only just realized I didn't leave a review!Thank you for such a perfectly "harmonious" parable of how the Phoenix heals the Phoenix who heals the Phoenix!  It is lovely how they complement one another so precisely.  Now---if both of our stubbornly proud and independent characters can just be 'nudged' into realizing how perfectly they can "complete" one another--in more than just healing!I do hope your next leaves us with more than just 'hints' of their future--I know that would still be a 'happy-ending scenario' but I'm selfish enough to want the entire movie laid out before me, and not just the trailer (especially when it's YOUR writing).  So please don't feel in any way in a hurry to wrap things up on my account--I do want to get to the happy ending part, but don't mind how many lovely stops we have along the way in getting there!

They've finally slept together!  Though only literally.What a lovely chapter.  Marvelously, gracefully written. And I think that both their scars are as healed as they can get because each responds so deeply to the other.  There is magic in their connection.