I just thought about you and this story yesterday and today I saw you've upated it with another wonderful chapter- that ended much too soon...

Sometimes you need a friend offering you a mirror so I'm glad Severus has Andromeda as a good and caring friend who's just because of their friendship not afraid to tell him the truth .

And I am wondering if the conversation Severus overheard about the ledgers couldn't work in his advantage in some way. He now knows what the ministry is after so he can help Hermione more efficiently. And when she understands the scheming and greedyness of this Mr Goetz she might be more inclined to forgive Severus for playing ghost. I know he had all kind of other motives to start this ghostplay but I also have the feeling it might be dangerous for him to let people know he is still alive as long as Mr Goetz is in charge.

So I hope Severus will find a way to discuss his suspicion about the intentions of Mr. Goetz with Hermione so that she can discuss this with Kinsley before Goetz returns next week.

Andromeda is wise,  Severus has painted himself into a corner, and Mr. Goetz is going to get his arse handed to him.  I hope. 

Hermione's confrontation with Mr. Goetz reminded me of what Kingsley told her about him in Chapter 1:

Kingsley looked her straight in the eye. “You may have difficulty negotiating a contract with Mr. Goetz tomorrow. It’s why I wanted to see you. To give you fair warning.”

Hermione crinkled her brow. “What sort of difficulty?”

“I can’t quite put my finger on it,” Kingsley said in a low tone. “At first I thought he coveted the property for himself but couldn’t match your bid, but… his interest in the house is almost unnatural. Wizarding manors,” he said, shaking his head, “they can incite dangerous fervor in people.”

Thank goodness Severus' timing was such that he got to hear the exchange between Hermione and that conniving Ministry "official."  The only thing official about Mr. Goetz is that he is a menace and a thief.  I wonder just how much wealth he has helped himself to at the expense of the rightful heirs?

I don't know how Severus can protect both his identity and Hermione while thwarting the Head of Magical Properties and Estates.  The bastard is after those Prince family ledgers, and I have to wonder if they can enable someone to trace the sale of Dower House from Severus to himself under the name of Lionel Smith.  Even though Severus and Dumbledore had buried the paperwork, "The thing was, the houses were still linked—would always be linked—through blood. His blood."  

I hope we see Charlotte and Anna again, too.  I know Charlotte is outdone with Severus, but surely her loyalty is much more with the Prince family and Lyoness Hall than to letting Severus' secret out of the bag to Mr. Goetz.

Thanks for another stellar chapter!
Beth

I love Andromeda. But more importantly, how on earth is Severus going to get out of this mess he's created? And ledgers? What could possibly be valuable about ledgers?

Another chapter ^^ Well done once again, LadyRhian.

Seems like Andromeda can be a force of nature if she wants to. I don't understand the ledgers part though. Might be my limited knowledge of the English language showing up. Well, let's wait and see.

Want some of my chocolate cake? You deserve it after such a great chapter^^

I feel so bad for Hermione right now. She is going to be so brokenhearted when she finds out the truth about "Edmund". She's also going to think Pip is in on it, since he also knows the truth. Plus, she now has trouble she isn't aware of. I hope things work out for her.

Oh, he's really got himself in a pickle.  It's a good thing Andromeda showed him the folly of his scheme, or he would have eventually messed up royally.  Bored and lustful?  That's his motivation behind the deception?  Oh, dear.  Hermione'd blast him to oblivion if she ever found out.  Plus, he's endangering the life he's built.  So foolish, but... He must care more than he lets on or even knows himself.  And it's another good thing he showed up when he did!  Great chapter, LR!

Ah! that explains why the house elf, on meeting Hermione was concerned that she was there for the  ledgers, and finding out that she only was the Tenant, he accepted her and became helpful.  It also is clear now why the Ministry did not want to sell the property outright.
The story is getting better and better with each chapter.  Please keep on posting - hopfully a little more often. 

Finally!

Now the gloves are off.

Thank you so much for the update. I like that there seems to be some progress with regards to the mystery of the legders now, it has been a while since the Ministrys motives for not selling Lyonesse Hall where mentioned. Severus is playing a dangerous game by fooling Hermione, not only because he is lying to her, but Andromedas words about him being able to do it due to Hermione being muggleborn does not sit well with me, nor should it sit well with Hermione. I hope that they together will twart the Ministrys attempt to steal the legders in a spectactular way, but I also hope that Severus will have to pay for playing with Hermione as he does. She will get her heart brooken, finding out the extent of his lies, his motives, and if/when she also finds out that Andromeda knew, others knew, her humiiation  will be toatal. With a deep addiction for happy endings, I hope and want for Hermione to forgive him at some point, but I also need justice, meaning Severus should have to feel and experience some of the pain his lies will inflict on Hermione.

O_o

Ledgers?  Of tenants?  Of family members?  Much like the Hogwarts roster of students?

I'm not entirely sure I've reviewed this chapter yet. I read it a week or two ago (it has been that long, hasn't it?) and I was a bit disappointed to find you haven't updated! Straight to my review though. Like I said in my first review, I am so, so so excited for this story. Lonely, rakish Snape. Lonely, rakish Snape pretending to be a ghost. Lonely, rakish Snape pretending to be a ghost and perving on Hermione. My expectations are running extremely high, and I trust you'll meet them! - Also, the phrase "she is a woman alone" made me quiver a little. Out of pure rakishness. Oh, I love this OC Snape. Love Fawkes. Love Perdita. Can't wait for the next chapter! Thanks for writing!

I love how Andromeda didn't breathe a word about Severus. Oh, and i can't wait to read the next chapter!

I love this story. I can't wait to see how he fixes this.

hope 'Meda rips him a new one :)

“Pip is not being happy, Master Severus. Pip is not being happy at all,”

You tell him, Pip! He deserves to be yelled at.

~Hugs Pip.~

“You look scary, Meda. What’s got into your knickers?”

Oooh, and Andromeda will be yelling at him, too! At the rate people are catching on, it can't be long before Hermione suspects something!

Wow! Magical renovations seem like quite a ride. I wish Edmund were there to supervise. Hermione's going to burn herself out! Love Anna, but how could I not love her considering her inspiration?!? Severus has quite the pout going there. Part of me hopes he forgot to brew sobering potion for the morning. He deserves the pain.

I'm so glad to have finally caught up on this story.  I love the slow build up of their relationship.  However, Severus had better 'fess up soon, or he's going to have an irate Hermione to deal with when she finds out.

Teehee... Severus doesn't have any control over what Susan tells her.  And the barkeep is doing his unknowing best to keep Severus focused on Hermione.  I love the role the townsfolk are playing.

Ah, jealous Severus is cute.

Every time I see a new chapter, I'm disappointed. Disappointed because there isn't more! This one has me hook, line, and sinker. The addition of a particularly perspicacious Andromeda is only making this better.

Yay, Andromeda!!  Clever Slytherin, to figure out the "ghost" so quickly.  There aren't enough fics wiuth Andromeda in them, and I am pleased to see her -- and very pleased to see an angry Pip, standing up for Hermione.  Go, Pip!!  I wonder if Andromeda will have to hex Severus.

Thank you for the new chapter!

How lovely to see this update so soon after the previous one. And how nice to see both Pip and Andromeda have noticed how much Hermione cares for Snape and are in fact warning him not to toy with her - especially after the previous chapter when he asked her if she was playing games. People in love can be so blind..

And he really gots himself into a mess. What started for him as a game out of boredom (and perhaps loneliness, but I think he didn't realize that at the moment he decided to play ghost) and a way to keep his identity a secret has gone completely out of hand. - Apart from that I think it's nice to see he has not cut all his ties with magical people.

It seems Andromeda is Slytherin enough to keep a straight face when confronted with Hermione's story about the 'ghost' but also Gryffindor enough to ask Snape straight away what game he is playing. And I am glad she did, because I think he has less escape routes when confronted by another human than by a house elf.

However, I do hope after this talk he'll realize two things: first that he has to tell Herms the truth asap especially since he now knows their feelings are mutual, because the longer he waits the more he risks to blow his chance to earn her trust.
If he tells her much later, she will think he has been toying with her and that would complicate things for both of them. And I don't think rescueing her from whatever evil the ministry will set upon her will compensate that (as in: that he doesn't tell her yet but is forced to give up his secret when he needs to rescue her from some nefarious minstry plot).
Second, that Herms is discrete, even if she is not a Slytherin like Andromeda. He probably still views her as an intrinsic part of the trio and I can imagine he doesn't want Potter to know he is still alive. But she will keep his secret if that's what he wants.

What worries me slightly is Andromeda's warning about the ministery. Like Snape she doesn't trust them either and to me too it seems to good to be true to believe the ministry will hand over the ownership to Hermione after this 3 months trial without any fuss.
I remember Snape thought somewhere in the beginning that he knew what the ministry wanted with the property, so there must be something in it for them. I really think Herms needs some Slytherin to look at the contract she signed, either Blaise, Snape, Andromeda or all 3 of them.

Hope you'll update soon....

Let me start with outright compliment. I am enjoying your stories very much. Your writing is so lively and believable and your characters are not black and white. I love stories which are unfolding some time after the war. When everyone had a time to digest the events and develope beyond their war hero status. This chapter was a beautiful start for a story. Give me Hermiona, Snape (or Prince?) and some gorgeous secluded house and you can take me for granted :-). I usually read only completed stories because I am too impatient and greedy to wait :-) or out of fear that it will stay uncompleted (I have no such fears in this case). I am looking forward too meet all the portraits. And what got me intrigued is the ghost on the horse and the empty stables. Will he teach Hermiona how to ride? Will she purchase a horse? I hope that there will be a nice bit of magic done by Hermiona on the house. And what does the library has to say on this subject. I bet Blaise is coming to visit, right? And the ministry is trying to get their dirty hands on some mysterious artefakt, hmmm. It was an accident that I´ve begin to read an uncompleted story. I was so happy that you posted a new thing ( thought it was oneshot) that I forgot to look on the detailed description, but to be honest with myself I don´t know if I would be able to resist anyway :-). This is first review I have ever posted. When I look at it I think that I maybe over did it a bit... but what the hack!!! I hope you will like it and do not hold my english against me as I am not native. 

Well, Lady R, that was a lovely beginning. You make Hermione's detachment from Wizarding society very understandable. The manor sounds beautiful, and you've left us some pertinent questions to be answered about the ledgers and the ghost (although I'm betting it's not Severus--perhaps some ghostly ancestor?

Great start to this story.  You've given it a strong foundation and I look forward to seeing where you take this!