This is not a review to this story in particular, but to your writing in general. I think I can say that I saw you "grow" during these years. If I remember well, the day we met (in another archive), you hadn't written a line yet.And now, look at you! I am sincerely admired. Your style is fluid, never boring, your stories are well plotted and intriguing.Complimenti, carissima! You are very talented! (My English instead is still miserable, sorry)

'My little boy, however, lies buried in the churchyard on the other side of the lake. He didn’t live to celebrate his first Christmas.’With these few words you made me forget to breathe... made my heart hurt.  How could this have happened, I thought?  And I would have probably keeled over if I hadn't kept reading until Dumbledore entered the picture.  I realize this is no guarantee, but I'm hoping with all my might that that precious baby with "hair as black as the wings of a raven, pale skin and his father’s eyes" has been hidden away and been protected for all these years.  When Hope was telling Severus about her life in the village- before her baby was born- I was glad that she had known some happiness.  I was saddened that she did take the potion Madam Pomfrey gave her, but her description of her child as being the son of a powerful wizard who wasn’t going to let itself be… murdered by a simple potion made me nod my head in agreement.  Before Dumbledore made his presence known, Hope had told Severus that after her baby died, ‘I have no memory of what I did afterwards,’ Hope continued in a matter-of-fact tone. ‘I assume I went back to the cottage. After all, I had nowhere else to go. But I don’t remember sleeping or eating. I don’t even remember coming here, to this side of the lake where I had never been before. I don’t remember being in the hospital nor coming to the pub. All I remember is the candle on my nightstand, how it burned every night and sometimes even during the day. It was the only light in otherwise eternal darkness.’Methinks Hope wasn't the only one who had Obliviated someone.  And now I want to know what Dumbledore is going to tell them when they get back to the pub.This kind of wonderfully crafted story telling is what makes me jump for joy when I see a new chapter has posted!!!Beth

Ah, I reacted early. Sorry for that!
Good girl. Thanks for ensuring that he lives. Given your track record I was sure you had killed him off.

HE MUST NOT DIE!!!!
Can you please take a break from being merciless, at least once? Or am I the one who is being too hyper too early?

I'm falling short of words here...
It's so emotionally charged that it actually gave me goosebumps...

Angst, angst and more angst.

Excellent and I rushed ahead to read the next chapter, intrigued and curius and full of questins....

Oh my gosh teh sweet girl! What a horrible tradgey, having to Obiviate a best friend (lover?) and never know what happeend to him. No wonder she stands at the window staring out across the lake. But what made her run? Her father, he was a Death Eater, right? and wanted her to take the Mark?  Was there another tradegy that we don't know yet? I'm goign to suggest this to a few friends. it's a wonderful beginning of a story that I think i'm going to love following.  Morgaaine, well done and I look forward with happy anticipationfor the next chapter and the rest of this story.

Oh what a intriguring little village. I can see why Severus woudl come here - a complete escape from, well, everything. This girl, did she recognize Severus? or was there something, Some familiarity about hsi voice? The father/barkeep, how interesting he wanted to talk to Severus. off to read more.....

Being afraid of the dark, and sometimes the light too..ah, that's beautiful..isn't it true for every poor soul who's no more a child? :)

And now for the story proper... Ah, I love the name change. And I love the no-magic village.. Even wizards and witches need a respite from magic now and then!

Before coming to the chapter proper, may I please request a naughty story featuring dear old Severus indulging in a herbal bath? Or tantric yoga maybe? :P

This sequel gets more interesting with each new chapter.  I find myself going back to "His First" to check on something that I think I remember.  I have so many thoughts and questions about this chapter.For instance I can't let go of the idea that there is something important about the candle, or candles, in Hope's room.  Just the fact that Severus had thought he had seen "both" candles flicker made me take notice.  Even though he thought that he must have imagined it, it still caught my attention and tweaked my curiosity.  When he noticed that what he had assumed was a framed mirror was, in fact a painting, my internal "clue detector" started to beep. (Well, what do you have to say for yourself, missy?  *grins*)Hope came up with an elaborate plan to effect her escape from the Wizarding world, but I wonder just how much of it she shared with her friend, Charles?  In "His First" Charles knew that she was planning to leave the school the night before everyone else missed her, but he had told Snape that he had thought she would return.  But Lucius knew where she had gone because she had been at Malfoy Manor. And he told Severus why... so I have to wonder how much she told anyone about her plan... probably only a very few and only what they needed to know... so that would be Charles and the Malfoys, and certainly Dumbledore knew something because he had arranged for Charles to Floo to the Leaky Cauldron.  Did the Headmaster know that he was going to meet his friend?  Did Charles ever know about her pregnancy? He knew that something had upset her, but did she tell him about the pregnancy?  And now that Severus knows that she Obliviated Charles, I wonder how long it will take him to wonder if she might have Obliviated him, too?  And how long will it be before one or the other of them will find the courage to ask about the baby? I absolutely love your stories!!!!!  Beth

yes, they should definitely give it a try! I've just found these two stories based on this chapter. An interesting approach indeed, all very well woven into canon. I take it so she fled as he wasn't interested enough in her--but will she ever tell him that. Will we get to know whose child this was/would have become? Your narrations is wonderful, too. Looking forward for more!