Dear corianderpie ~

I read Caramel when you were in the process of writing/posting it two years ago.  I was completely in awe of your storytelling and the beautiful angst which you were conveying.  I had hoped back then that you would eventually get around to writing the sequel that you had promised... and would hopefully give Severus and Hermione the happy ending that they deserve. 

I have spent the last three days re-reading Caramel (and savoring every bit), so I could finally start reading these chapters that you've posted so far of your new tale.  I absolutely can't wait to see what happens next!  That first Chapter ending with me internally screaming "OMFG!!!!!"  I hope Chapter Six is not far away, because I'm so hooked already!

Looking forward to the next adventure,
~ Brena

Hummmm... I wonder how long Severus was at St Mungo's before Miranda spirited him away to another place and another time? 

I nearly fell out of my chair when Hermione realized that she had "lost" her wand.  Thank the gods she found it, and Snape, in the Shrieking Shack.  Getting Winky to take care of his injuries was quick thinking on her part, and knowing just how to control Kreacher was brilliantly handled!

I have a suspicion that Dumbledore has been omitted some of the truth of his plans for Severus:

‘You have done splendidly, and I am more grateful than I can say that you were the one who found him, and that you found him in time. And I hope that soon… well, never mind that.’ Dumbledore shook his head a little.

"And I hope that soon… well, never mind that."  What?  Hope that soon what?  I have a sneaking suspicion that Dumbledore is not telling her something very important about would what will happen to Severus.
Oh,my!  How I do love this story!!! 
Beth

More, please?  Pretty please with, er, caramel on top?  

Depressing, yes, but also brilliantly poignant and aching. 

I love the article that tells of Snape's innocence.  Harry Potter didn't show up, as if that was even an option for him.  This was ridiculously realistic.

What a position Severus is in as headmaster.  He feels obligated to help the students, and is doing a great job.  Thank goodness for the map.  At the same time, he has to pretend to be on the baddies side, so I can see him having to give somewhere.  The torture scene was ... well, torture.  Yikes!  But it makes it clear what happens if you step out of line.  Or breathe wrong, or whatever.  I am so pleased that Ginny and Neville and Luna are helping out with saving students such as Morse.

As for the Forest of Dean, I don't think it would be productive for him to see her.  It certainly wouldn't for her to see him.  How very heart-breaking this is all going to be.  More soon, please.

I love when a story starts out in the middle (or end) and then we have to work up to that point.  It is often times more frustrating than a traditional completely linear story, but for some reason, it seems to add something when I know about this mysterious point in the story that we will get to eventually.  But first ...

You've really made a point through Hermione's conversation with Lupin, what a huge effort and morally questionable thing this is, relocating her parents without their knowledge.  I was glad that Severus made it easy on them to happen upon the proper books and ingredients they will need.  I do hope she can make the decision to do this thing, and then move on without guilt.

What is all of the stuff that Severus had to collect from his house?  And "bind us?"  Interesting ...  The part where he disposed of the caramels felt so sad and hopeless to me.  Sigh.  I know you love to draw things out, and while it may kill me, I also look forward to it. It helps that I know you like these two so much, you would never stand for them not getting back together ... eventually.

I have been waiting a very long time for this sequel, and I worried that you might be one of those folks who never came back to finish what you'd started.  Then, at the point where I find myself the busiest in real life ever, here you are.  And I have been dying to read this since it first posted, but I told myself that the only way to properly do this thing is to reread Caramel first.  From a time standpoint, that was brutal.  From a reading and enjoying standpoint ... *melts all over again.*  I had forgotten just how wonderful this story was, and now I am doubly excited to see you posting.

This starts out so wonderfully vague.  We know it must be postwar, but nothing else, really.  I love this world you've created; this island where he goes to heal himself, mind and body.  He says it is a paradise, but there is clearly one thing missing.  I was surprised by the Galleon in the end.  Who is it from?  Hermione, it would seem, but why exactly is she looking for him?  Or is someone else using her coin?  Or maybe she sent the message a long time ago and it just keeps appearing until he answers? Does she have some memory of them back, or is she working on behalf of the Order, or Harry?  SO MANY QUESTIONS!

Again, I am delighted to see you and can't wait to see what comes next!

Oh, Severus.  His life is so precarious... it's like trying to keep up with an out-of-control bunch of psychos while dodging an attacking dragon. 

The Carrows are truly evil, and I hope we get to see them pay for their torturing of the students.  Poor Morse.  I just wanted to gather him up and take him out of there.  Thank goodness the "Resistance" is going to get him away from Hogwarts.

I am torn over the upcoming trip to the Forest of Dean.  I want him to be able to see Hermione, but I'm so afraid if she sees him all hell will break loose.  Will she know that they are on the same side?  Will she freak out?  What will Harry and Ron do? 
I am dying to know what's going to happen next! 

Beth

Severus's time as Headmaster must have been exactly the way you described it. Where before he balanced over an abbyss on a wide board, now he has a knife edge. You described his life very well, and I hope that his anguish at the end of the chapter will be a bit elevated in the next.

I like the Underground Resistance style of smuggling out those at risk. :)

This is a truly marvellous chapter! I really enjoyed the newspaper article about how Snape was found `not guilty` and subsequent installation as headmaster of Hogwarts. It`s not often you come across that in fics. That article was very deftly done.The rest of the story is both harrowing and heart-wrenching. Poor Severus. I hope that he managed to get a glimpse of Hermione during the FoD excursion, though it seems very doubtful.Thank you and really looking forward to more!

Ooh, love this chapter! I can hear Alan Rickman reciting every word...lovely. Carrows are shiveringly horrid as usual - I hate hearing about their tortures. Gives one a weak stomach! Dumbledore letting the other portraits in on the ruse. Severus will need all the support he can get! And how will he ever get around Hermione? Hmmm....

Interesting to see how her plan goes.  Poor thing.  Hopefully she'll figure out Severus eventually, and he'll stop hating himself.

I'm glad Severus was able to return to Spinners End just long enough to leave a vial of the antidote in the cupboard and gather the items he would need.  I can understand why he would want the seven volumes of Dark Arts, but I'm really wondering about the "two phials, a jar, and two paper bags."  I'm especially curious about the two paper bags.  I know from your previous writing that you always have a reason for everything that happens.  *****"Then he sat up and pulled from his pocket a small tin labelled Thanatos Potts’s Liquorice Allsorts. He opened it and stuck the tip of his wand right in among the contents. ‘Pov’yazuyut’ nas,’ he murmured, and amber light shone briefly in the darkness." When Severus cast this spell, was he binding Hermione and himself to each other like a Bonding or a Betrothal?  Could this be why his spelled Galleon was returned to him so she could let him know that she was searching for him?*****I was delighted when Hermione remembered the Liquid Obliviate that could be reversed.  Even though she can't remember exactly where she heard of it, she still has some recollection of things of her time with Severus before had to kill Dumbledore.The detailed plans that Severus made to make sure Hermione would find the book with the instructions for brewing the Potion and all the ingredients was perfect.  I was tickled that she felt like she would have hugged him if he had been there.  I am in love with this story!Beth

"In the short period it was open, it released a stream of hungry ghosts, and it was another task of the witches and wizards of that day to capture and tame these beings—who they called gæstgeníþlan (arch note: OE: persecutor or foe of souls), turning them into our servants by making them the guardians of Azkaban."OMG!  The origin of the Dementors!"Reports (arch note: nb unsubstantiated either by author or in existing literature) exist of Portals in thr..."thr?  thr?  through?  Through where?"A diminished, pain-tinged life would have been acceptable, if he could have had the other thing. He’d have bargained for far greater physical pain. Actually, he would have given anything he had left, after having already given almost everything, if the dream that had both tormented him and kept him afloat could have been realized." Could this "other thing" be a lovely witch who has no memory?"He took it. Merlin’s portrait scowled from the obverse. He had not seen a Galleon in years. He turned it over and, as he did so, the coin grew very warm and the runes encircling the hippogriff on the reverse disappeared and in their place a message flashed.Severus where are you?"This can't be Hermione, can it?  But surely it must be...I am so happy to be reading this sequel.  Before I started this chapter, I re-read the last few chapters of Caramel and listened to the song again.  And then I listened to this sequel's song.  I wanted to be sure I had picked up all the earlier threads because I'm going to enjoy this new tapestry you're weaving.Thank you for posting this!  Beth

Holy crap, it's caramel's sequel!! I've always been waiting for a sequel to that lovely, wonderful story where you just left us hanging (literally) at the end there. And now that you mentioned His Dark Materials, I shall have to hunt for my dusty trilogy somewhere in my book collection. Can't wait for more! 

Poor Severus.... and Hermione. I hope her parents will be able to forgive her for her transgressions, as well-intentioned as they are.Can`t wait for the next update. Thank you!

Oooh.  (You drove the words right out of my mouth)

Is your title from the Suzanne Vega song?  Because the lyrics fit so well.

Captive with his family in his own house, cheek by jowl with his master, Lucius would be less able to protect or conceal his assets. And coming home to a house where his guest was his master—that would be more humiliating in its way than staying in Azkaban. Lucius would find himself on a very short, very galling lead indeed.Brilliantly written, this paragraph in particular. Glad you're back! I'm very much not into Pullman, but will forgive you that, ha ha.

If I understand your translation then, Severus just didn't use the Caramel as normal, he used it and at the same time used the Ukrainian as a spell to bind them - like a marriage - so that she'd never leave him?  ...But then he left...  and now it looks to him as if the enchanted Galleon is telling Severus that Hermione's still looking for him. There's still lots of holes left. Can't wait to see how you fill them in.

I feel for both of them.  I hope she will recognise his true role at some point. :)

I love that you expanded on how Hermione intends to "convince" her parents to submit to the Obliviate... Especially as it involves the casting of an Unforgiveable. The anguish and terror warring within Hermione's heart and mind regarding this act was treated so simply in canon, as if it were insignificant, which never really sat well with me. Thank you for shedding some light on this terrible situation, for showing just how difficult this decision is for Hermione. 

My eyes nearly popped out when I saw this story! Thank you for coming back. Caramel is a top favourite and I am glad that we will be journeying once again with HG/SS. I just hope they make it whole. (and a crossover with HDM? That`s truly heaven. HDM is a definite favourite and I can`t wait to see how you will pull this off).Thank you very much and greatly anticipating the next update!

Yay! Yay! Yay!  Glad to see you back with the sequel and in such an intriguing start.  I love His Dark Materials!  I take it the Hermione contacing him is one that has her memories, so we'll be seeing a lot of angst and issues from both of them??Looking forward to seeing what happens next!