Thank you so much!  I hope you had fun on your google-travels and found some interesting things.  I must admit, I love historical and geographical 'anchor points' in fiction - seeing Notre-Dame de Paris for real almost had me in tears because I kept remembering Victor Hugo's story.

Thank you so much!  I hope you had fun on your google-travels and found some interesting things.  I must admit, I love historical and geographical 'anchor points' in fiction - seeing Notre-Dame de Paris for real almost had me in tears because I kept remembering Victor Hugo's story.

LOL! A pleasant surprise... hmm.  Harry just fell into the trap of being a little too confident in his own abilities.  I had a work colleague once who was very proficient in a martial arts discipline.  He told me that even the most experienced fighter can be caught off-guard by a resourceful opponent if their mind is not right there in the moment - and the biggest imediment to presence of mind is an inflated ego.  Big 'N.B.' for Mr Potter.  Thank you for the review, next chapter is in the queue.

LOL! A pleasant surprise... hmm.  Harry just fell into the trap of being a little too confident in his own abilities.  I had a work colleague once who was very proficient in a martial arts discipline.  He told me that even the most experienced fighter can be caught off-guard by a resourceful opponent if their mind is not right there in the moment - and the biggest imediment to presence of mind is an inflated ego.  Big 'N.B.' for Mr Potter.  Thank you for the review, next chapter is in the queue.

Hi

!  Yes, recklessness leads to all sorts of unexpected trouble, a lesson Harry hasn't really picked up on, yet.  I'm sure he will, though.  Well, Toby is from t'North - they make 'em canny and tough up there ;o)  

Hi

!  Yes, recklessness leads to all sorts of unexpected trouble, a lesson Harry hasn't really picked up on, yet.  I'm sure he will, though.  Well, Toby is from t'North - they make 'em canny and tough up there ;o)  

Hi June!  It was a bit of a perfect storm, really.  Harry was all recklessness and half-baked ideas, and Proudfoot was reluctant to rein him in because of who he is (you'll see that in the next chapter).  Add to the mix a street-wise, opportunistic survivor with assorted fighting/brawling experience... Lucius wangled his way out of getting Obliviated - slippery devil!  He's doing his best to guard Severus' back, but his resources are rather linited just now :oP  Thank you for reviewng!

As long as Lucius tries to guard Severus, I won't holler for his head!

Hi June!  It was a bit of a perfect storm, really.  Harry was all recklessness and half-baked ideas, and Proudfoot was reluctant to rein him in because of who he is (you'll see that in the next chapter).  Add to the mix a street-wise, opportunistic survivor with assorted fighting/brawling experience... Lucius wangled his way out of getting Obliviated - slippery devil!  He's doing his best to guard Severus' back, but his resources are rather linited just now :oP  Thank you for reviewng!

As long as Lucius tries to guard Severus, I won't holler for his head!

Thanks Stella!  I like the Wizard-World view - some would say a bit too much.  Cheers and thank you for reading and reviewing.

Thanks Stella!  I like the Wizard-World view - some would say a bit too much.  Cheers and thank you for reading and reviewing.

Thank you

!  OK, I'm keyboarding as fast as I can... just about to drop the next chapter in the queue.  Any minute now...  :o)

Thank you

!  OK, I'm keyboarding as fast as I can... just about to drop the next chapter in the queue.  Any minute now...  :o)

Thanks

!  I'd set out to do something a little different, so I'm pleased I've managed to make it interesting (and not a Binns-style history lesson) :oP

Thanks

!  I'd set out to do something a little different, so I'm pleased I've managed to make it interesting (and not a Binns-style history lesson) :oP

I cannot tell you how chuffed I am that a genuine north-westerner can verify - for real - what I put together from remembered bits of film, documentary, and assorted written works.  Thank you so much for the feedback and good health to your household!

I cannot tell you how chuffed I am that a genuine north-westerner can verify - for real - what I put together from remembered bits of film, documentary, and assorted written works.  Thank you so much for the feedback and good health to your household!

Thank you for being fascinated!  I'm having a lot of fun with writing it :o)

Thank you for being fascinated!  I'm having a lot of fun with writing it :o)

Thank you!  More is definitely coming :o)

Thank you!  More is definitely coming :o)

Thank you!  I figured there would be a bit more to Toby, mainly because of Severus' childhood memory of crying in a corner while his parents argued.  Because it upset him so deeply, I wondered if this was an indication that things had not always been so bad.  If Severus does actually credit his dad with any positive influences, I think he's buried it pretty deep behind a Fort Knox of Occlumency.

I've no doubt he recognized Toby in himself - he's far too intelligent not to - and I wonder if, sitting there in Spinners End of a wintery night, if some of those child's memories did not visit far more often than he'd like.  To love and despise a parent, all in the same breath - a very bitter realization to reach.     

Hi again!  I didn't realise you'd answered my reply - I wasn't ignoring you.  Your response put a lump in my throat.  'Spinner's End on a wintery night', every room with its own memories just waiting to be summoned in an unguarded moment.  I can see Severus  studiously ignoring them with a book and a Firewhisky.  But every now and then...

Thank you!  I figured there would be a bit more to Toby, mainly because of Severus' childhood memory of crying in a corner while his parents argued.  Because it upset him so deeply, I wondered if this was an indication that things had not always been so bad.  If Severus does actually credit his dad with any positive influences, I think he's buried it pretty deep behind a Fort Knox of Occlumency.

I've no doubt he recognized Toby in himself - he's far too intelligent not to - and I wonder if, sitting there in Spinners End of a wintery night, if some of those child's memories did not visit far more often than he'd like.  To love and despise a parent, all in the same breath - a very bitter realization to reach.     

Hi again!  I didn't realise you'd answered my reply - I wasn't ignoring you.  Your response put a lump in my throat.  'Spinner's End on a wintery night', every room with its own memories just waiting to be summoned in an unguarded moment.  I can see Severus  studiously ignoring them with a book and a Firewhisky.  But every now and then...

They certainly are watching!  Unfortunately, the Fudge Administration only considered the advantages of having Dementors drifting around the place.  They never gave a thought to the disadvantages.LOL the rations aren't too bad, better than his childhood staples of porridge and bread and drippin'.  As to how much he was told about the artifact, that shall be revealed as the chapters progress.

They certainly are watching!  Unfortunately, the Fudge Administration only considered the advantages of having Dementors drifting around the place.  They never gave a thought to the disadvantages.LOL the rations aren't too bad, better than his childhood staples of porridge and bread and drippin'.  As to how much he was told about the artifact, that shall be revealed as the chapters progress.

Thanks June, I suspect Severus needed some sort of closure - and Albus needed a good telling-off!

Thanks June, I suspect Severus needed some sort of closure - and Albus needed a good telling-off!

Thanks

, the next chapter is in the queue and more will definitely be coming :o)

Hi

!  Thank you for reading and reviewing.  There was a real coincidence in Ms Stewart's books which prompted the whole story - I can't reveal what it is just yet, though.  The industrial decline fit in with JKR's canon setting, and I can imagine that a child of a working class family would have felt the fallout in any number of ways.  I get the impression that the people of the industrial north (in those days) were a hard, pragmatic people living hard lives.  When the industries collapsed, they had next to nothing left except the dole and the feeling of being surplus to requirements - and it hit a whole section of society :o(

Indeed!  One thing that struck me about the Epilogue was that Hermione did not seem to be herself.  I read somewhere that JKR wanted to create a "dreamlike" feel to the Epilogue - and that's where the idea came from!  Thanks for the Review, next chapter is being Modded :o)

Indeed!  One thing that struck me about the Epilogue was that Hermione did not seem to be herself.  I read somewhere that JKR wanted to create a "dreamlike" feel to the Epilogue - and that's where the idea came from!  Thanks for the Review, next chapter is being Modded :o)

Thank you!  I figured he must have had at least some bright spots in his childhood :o)

Thank you!  I figured he must have had at least some bright spots in his childhood :o)

Thank you!  Next chapter is in the queue :o)

Thank you!  Next chapter is in the queue :o)

Thank you!  The next two chapters are in the queue :o)

True!  The Minsitry has their hands full and are busy checking Portkey links into Europe.

LOL! He can be quite decent if he puts his mind to it.  As to how long it will last... well, how long is a piece of string?  There is one place further away and still within Earth's atmosphere, but I think Antarctica would have challenged even Hermione's capabilities ;o)  Thanks for the R&R

Thank you!  The Veil scene was fun to write - I always thought Lily had a bit of unfinished business.  The next two chapters are queued :o)

Thank you!  Next chapter is in the queue :o)

The next chapter is in the queue! Thank you for reading and reviewing :o)

Thank you! I'll be sending chapter 12 off for a beta-clean this week, so there's definitely more to come.  Thanks for reviewing!