I'm not sure why Hermione would assume the Hallows were nothing but a fairytale, as she has firsthand knowledge of the Invisibilty Cloak, but I trust her big brain to figure it out.  I'm also not sure why she knows Severus was there, but that could be a well-developed case of woman's intuition.Fascinating!

Harry wears briefs!!  Who knew??  Laughed out loud when I read that.Yes, you are indeed evil in bringing him right to her side without waking her, then having him steal away again, unseen, and I shall have to upbraid you for it.  You can make it up to us all later, you do realize, and am so hoping you do, with extras and interest.  I don't mind at all when you deviate from canon when there's good reason to do so.  Like maybe when she doesn't marry that idiot boy but realizes there's someone infinitely more right for her who now has a lock of her hair?

Severus has done an excellent job of preparing Hermione for so many of the trials they are having to face.  If only she didn't have two idiot boys to deal with--Harry is just as reckless and thoughtless and stupid as Ron, and as unable to plan ahead as Albus himself.  Were she not with them, and had she not been prepared by Severus, the wizarding world would have been wiped out.I love the fact that Hermione once again has puzzled out something extremely important: the fact that Harry is also a horcrux.  How will she use this information?Looking forward to that special delivery!

Ah, you are so evil!

"That idiot boy" indeed--he's lucky he has Severus to watch over him (though he will think, of course, that he did it all on his own).  It makes complete sense that he would not have been able to simply storm out of the tent and make it on his own.Intriguing also that Severus would lay the groundwork for retrieving Hermione whole and unijured, should she be captured.  What will he do when Belatrix interferes?All this behind the scenes activity certainly livens up the interminable camping!

Poor Hermione.  She's as prepared for what they're having to endure as Severus and her own intelligence coud make her, yet Albus has still left them out there to flail around in the woods with an evil One Ring to Rule Them All sappog their energy and distracting them from the task at hand.

And you've put his visit to Grimmauld Place into proper context, as well.  I assume the memory of him weeping over Lily's letter was as much the result of too much Firewhisky in general and too much concern over Hermione's safety in particular, and had very little to do with Lily at all.  But again, Harry saw what he wanted to see, and Severus the consummate spy let him draw his own conclusions.Love the reactions of the portraits, the staff, and the castle itself.  Complexity in everything, and in your hands the complexity becomes far more interesting.By the way, I meant to comment awhile back on the scene when Severus contemplates what a stupid, half-baked, insufficient lot of planning Dumbledore left behind.  He really left so much up to chance, accident, coincidence, and dumb luck.  In fact, he didn't actually seem to have a plan at all, just a lot of random secrets and miscellaneous ideas.  It's a bloody miracle anything got done at all.  (Though to be frank, Voldemort didn't really have some clever master scheme, either, did he?)

The moment when the Thestral becomes visible to Hermione is rather chilling!  I'm also intrigued by her questioning Severus' actions re: George's ear.  I very much like the fact that she doesn't simply take it on faith that he's truly on their side.You're not the first to point out that odd inconsistency in Hermione's protestation that she's never done a Memory Charm before, and I quite like your explanation.  Thank you also for assuming we know what happened in canon and only filling in those details when necessary (and then from a new perspective).  Lovely work, as always!

Brilliant!  (I warned you I'd be using that word a lot!)You've done an expert job of explaining where that particular memory fits into the timeline (and HOW), and you're making expert use of Jocelyn---I adore the fact that she continues to play an important role in the story, as well as bringing out the warm and protective side of Severus.And in the bargain filling us in on what he and Hermione's father were talking about in the hall--a delicious bonus!Now shall she provide one step in Draco's rehabilitation, as well?

Bless Kingsley and Arthur for getting it before the rest of them, and especially bless Hermione for reading the whole situation accurately and handling it with grace.Bless her also for dealing so tenderly with Ginny.  Once again, these are all so many of the things that simply must have happened in order for canon to have turned out as it did, and you are tremendously clever to have figured them all out and related them so beautifully.

ooh, you are sooo VERY EVIL!  Oh man, I can't wait to read the next chapter!  Wow.  Very exciting.I love Molly.  I've always loved Molly, I can identify with the mother bear in her.  Anyone who dares to mess with my kids better look out!  LOL.

It will, I fear, be a long time before Severus and Hermione see one another again, but the bonds they have forged now are strong.  And maybe the next time they'll both be able to admit that a handshake just isn't gonna cut it anymore.I do hope that Azkaban hasn't broken Lucius for good.  Glad to see that Draco is starting to see reason, and perhaps Malfoy family ties will have healing powers all around.

Brilliant.  (I'm going to use that word a lot, I think.  Get used to it.  You are.)As a few others have pointed out, Hermione didn't do this all by herself, and she admits as much, though Harry and Ron don't seem to notice.  So it makes sense that it would be primarily Snape's doing.And it is particularly right that he would insist that they agree to it.  I think giving them the choice would be especially important to him.His arrival and the scene at the door really made me laugh; I adore the fact that you can infuse humor into such life-and-death circumstances.

Oh, he's brilliant at telling the truth and having his listeners hear what they think he said instead of what he actually said!This is as brilliant as what came before--I am deeply impressed with your ability to fill in all those wonderful blanks in canon with your own quite extraordinary words.  I read the first piece in order to vote in this year's SSHG Awards, and I really do need to move on to the other nominees so I can cast my informed vote in time, and  besides, it's after 3am, and I really do need to go to bed now, but you have me well and truly hooked.  I may have to go away for a bit and not swallow this whole as I'd like to, but you're making it very hard....

Oh yes, this is going much better than the JKR version.  It really doesn't make sense that he wouldn't be prepared for the snake to bite him.I love this story!

that was unspeakably exciting!!!  and i totally agree...dumbledork was a bas**rd!  fabooest update and mega smoochies

AAARRRRGGGGHHH! That has to be the most evil cliffhanger so far! Love love love your story, so completely believable and makes so much sense. Please update soon, I just read Phoenix Song and Phoenix Tears in 2 days and am in a state of distress with having to suddenly stop! Please put me out of my misery *chants quietly* "Please let Snape be alive, please let Snape be alive" SG x

Thats evil!! Evil!! But I like it lol! Great chapter.

oh dearie me.. lovely chapter as always. i truly enjoyed reading this chapter. i like how the confrontation between harry and voldemort went,especially as you kept a great deal of the original hallows entwined within your story.

Yay for an update.  I like how you are staying close to cannon but deviating enough that it is not tedious to read.  I very much enjoyed Ron telling Hermione that they can't apparate on Hogwarts grounds.  Partly because it is his moment to outshine the know it all with knowledge, but as always she is still right.  And, partly it's kind of nice to know that despite the fact that she spouts off random bits of academia at any given moment, he is at least sometimes listening and learning.Interesting to see Bella employing a muggle technique.  She might be severely punished for that one, despite saving Voldemort's life.I liked the scene in Dumbledore's office.  Ron and Hermione don't want to intrude on Snape's private memories.  Dumbledore insists that they do and in the end infuriates Hermione enough to run off in search of Snape.Evil cliffhanger indeed, although it would be quite ironic for you to venture off from canon and spare him his life at the hands of Nagini, only to kill him off one scene later from blood loss.  Surely you wouldn't do that to us faithful followers.  But, never say never.  I will be holding my breath.  Hope the next chapter posts before I turn too blue!

I love this story so much its not even funny! Its so intense at times it takes my breath away. Please update soon!

Evil author!  Just when we thought it was all coming along nicely!  :P

Exciting chapter, I just hope Hermione saves Severus now.

Ah, yes. Another evil cliffy. I have a love/hate relationship with cliffies. I love to write them into my own stories, but I hate to read them in other people's stories.Well done.

I'm interested in why you added in resuscitation - it seemed unnecessary in relation to canon?  I never thought that bit needed another explanation... Loved everything else, though - nice scene with Tracey Davis.  I guessed Hermione would feel hurt at the Lily revelation - but I'm still sure everything will turn out fine once Snape wakes up (he is going to wake up right? - I'm guessing a healing potion of some sort) and all.  Wonderful work once again - really want to see what Hermione does next.