True.  He won't live forever, but he'll be long-lived.  I suspect the benefits of having Hermione in his life will outweigh the potential future.Thanks for leaving me such a thought-provoking comment.  I really appreciate it.

Awww! Thank you so much!

I quite like Kingsley coming through in the end.  As for happily ever after, there is a short epilogue coming up.  I do hope you like it!Thanks so much for your kind words!

::blushes:: Thanks!

Why thank you so much.  I'm absolutely thrilled you thought so.  You have such a fine tuned sense of these things, your comment is especially welcomed. 

Thank you very much.  I've loved reading your comments as I've posted the story -- there's still one, short epilogue to come later in the week.As for Vector and the justice delivered, well, you've pretty much nailed it on the head.  While she might have killed Hermione on the beach, she didn't.  While Minerva might have become ill in the snow, she, too, didn't.  As for the rest, it all fell within the realm of harrassment, which is a job-losing offense, but not a lot more.Thanks again.

Wow!  You're so harsh.  There is a little more to it than a simple memory charm.   Vector, and there is an epilogue still to come. She may have been searching for centuries for 'a' mate, not  'her' mate; and while it's splitting hairs, or infinitives, if you will, there is a distinct difference.  I don't think Kingsley is a hack at what he does, but at the most egregious, Vector has been guilty of abduction and assault, but not attempted murder.  I supsect her plan was to talk Hermione out of coming to the school to work, but then when she noticed the vial of blood, her game plan changed.Boy, I'm rather surprised you were distressed by this outcome.  Thank heavens for foot massages.  And thank you for your thought-provoking comments.  I do appreciate them.

I think you view Vector with too much sympathy.  You did not write her that way.She left an old lady weakened, away from town and help, wandless, and unable to help herself.  That she expected Minerva to succumb unto death is not a stretch of the imagination.  Perhaps depraved indifference if not attempted murder.She attempted to overpawer and rip the throat out of a young man.  Attempted murder.  Her fangs were not set on stun.  He goal was to win not subdue.She premeditatedly took another witch's wand so that her illegal actions would not be traced to her.  This indicates that her plans did not change in the apartment as you suggest but that she came prepared to damage Hermione and fully intending to.  It also shows she knows her actions to be wrong and needing to be covered up.  That premeditation is the key to why I see it as attempted murder and not as some impulsive, rash act arrived on at the spur of the moment.And then there is her action in the apartment.  Just what was she going to do when she broke through all of those bonds?  Run?  I don't think so.  Join them for Chinese food?  I don't think so.  Create havoc and leave no witnesses only a scapegoat?  Definitely.  I mean, if she were as innocent as she claims, why struggle to be free?  The authorities would have freed her.I don't quite understand your point between her mate and a mate.  Wouldn't any mate be her mate?  In either case, you have written a powerful motive to account for her actions - one that hasn't gone away for centuries and isn't likely to go away for centuries more.  That plus her single-minded fixation is what to me makes her most dangerous.Sorry if I misinterpreted what you wrote or the motives of your characters.  You wrote a character who is deadly, unrefusable, unethical, amoral, and overpoweringly strong.  She is not merely cranky.  She is a threat that can not (will not?) be reasoned with.

Thank you, and there is an a epilogue to come.

Thank you so much. I don't normally like vampire stories either, but it was one of my recipient's requests.

Wow, you're both so harsh about her punishment.  There is indeed an epilogue, but it's not horribly long, although I hope it answers some questions you might have.I'm delighted you've enjoyed it, especially as it isn't 163 chapters long!Thank you.

::grins::Well, I shall be posting the next chapter in  just a few minutes, so it's not too, too cruel.Thanks so much for reading and letting me know what you think.

Not very nice, is she?Thanks!

Wow!  What a thought-provoking review.You make a very good point about Vector's possession v. winning strategy.  I'd say more, but the next chapter will have more information, not necessarily directly about this aspect, but more in general about her choice.  I can't say more about the owl form, although your comment does bear thinking about, but I don't want to give anything away.Your stake-through-the-heart scenario isn't quite the direction I take, but you made me laugh. Thank you for the review, and for remembering my wounded arm.  It is better now.

::smirks::  Thank you very much!

Heart pounding?  How wonderful.  Thank you for that terrific compliment.I'm so tickled you enjoyed what I did with Irma Pince, and even though you'd thought Vector a little odd, you didn't actually think is was she.  Just tickled!

Gloat away, you deserve it.  I'm not terribly surprised that you did catch on to its being her.  I imagine you do this when you read most mysteries ... I do to, in general.As for the cliffie, I'm grinning like a mad bandit.  I'm so happy to have dropped it into the mix, and it just seemed like the right thing to do in this case.  When Vector ... oops ... I can't say that.  It's part of a conversation in the next chapter.  ::shrugs:: I'll tell you next time!Thank you very, very much for the compliment about the plot.  It's one of the most plot-heavy stories I've written, even though I play with plot all the time.  The mystery component necessitates a little more precision, if you will, in the rolling out of the plot points.  It's been a great exercise.As for the next chapter,  well, I do like chocolate (and it happens to be finished, so expect it Monday morning.)

Monday?  Excellent! That should brighten up the start of the work week.

You've made me blush, and smile, and then blush again.  Thank you very much.

::giggle::  I loved your pun.  May I tell you how happy you've made me by not knowing it was Vector until now?  Thank you very much.The next chapter is done, tweaked and  polished and ready to post Monday morning.Thank you so much for your review.

Thank you very, very much.  I'm delighted you thought it might be Vector, but weren't quite certain.  I don't generally write cliffhangers, but this story really called for it, don't you think?

::chuckles::  Yep.Thanks!

Points to your house for catching on so quickly.  I worried about the clues being too blatant, but figured I had enough plausible possibilities to obscure the fact it was  her.I promise not to make you wait too long for the next chapter.  In fact, it's done and waiting until Monday for it to post.  See.  Not an evil author after all!Thank yuo again for your wonderful review.HermioneDiggory's response:

Thank you, most gracious non-evil author Bambu!!!*Offers Bambu a huge basket loaded with fresh fruits, Godiva chocolates, and HD's signature miniature turtle cheesecakes out of sheer gratefulness*

What a great compliment.  Thank you!I'm so pleased you're enjoying the story so far; it was challenging and so much fun to write.

Thank you so much.I don't think Severus will be idle when he finds out what's happened.   Not at all.

You'll see.  His reason for not arriving poste haste is actually a good one, but he'll get there.Thanks for reading and enjoying ... and leaving me a note.

Reallly?  How wonderful you're enjoying it so much.  Thank you.