A Most Important Element in Water
sylvanawood114 Reviews | 4.97/10 (114 Ratings, 0 Likes, 61 Favorites )
While hunting for Horcruxes with her friends, Hermione learns surprising facts about Snape's past. Will that change the way she thinks about him? **Winner** Order of Merlin, Third Class, OWL Awards 2007 for Action/Adventure.
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About sylvanawood
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sylvanawood
Member Since 2006 | 15 Stories | Favorited by 58 | 38 Reviews Written | 257 Review Responses
Snape addict, Granger-Snape addict.
Reviews for A Most Important Element in Water
That's a very interesting start. I always like to read stories that include a character, like Hermione, who learns to regard Snape from a different point of view. Petunia's backstory is intriguing, and I'm curious to see how the story will develop and what Hermione will make of these revelations.
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you. I hope you won't be disappointed.
hmmmm....
i like this story so far. :)
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you. 
Ooowwww this is really really good! Please continue
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you very much.
Very, very intriguing beginning! I'm looking forward to reading more.
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you. I hope you won't be disappointed by what follows.
Hi Silvana! From the name I remembered in "old" SH, and from your disclaimer ("Snape is welcome to stay, though") I think you are the one I know and I hope you will confirm this to me in your answer. Now, going to the story, this chapter is great. absolutely great! I loved how you portrayed all the characters. Is this story the "monster" you were announcing me in one of your previous answers on SH? I'm delighted at the idea that it's a long novel, then! You are improving with each story, so I'm sure this will be a great reading. Just my concern: why the rating? I mean, I think I can imagine, but please tell me. A final quick note: perhaps I told you that I was laboriously trying to write too. Well, there are many points at the beginning of your story that sound really similar to mine... but yours are written infinitely better! Looking forward to an update soon! Saluti da Roma! Mariaemilia
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Hello! Yes, i'm the one. I post on different archives, putting the eggs into different baskets and all that, you know...
Yes, this is the monster I was talking about. It will be long. I hope I can live up to your expectations and not outsmart myself with too many plot twists and turns...
The rating? Just to be on the safe side. I'm never certain which is the right rating, but there'll be violence, death and sexual content in future chapters, but nothing too graphic.
Go and write your own story, by all means! There will always be things that are similar in different stories, that's normal for fan fiction, I think. Here on TPP you find good resources to find a beta reader (and on SH, too) if you don't have one already, and good beta readers make all the difference. Don't forget to tell me when you start posting.
This was very tough to read. I can't tell whether he wants to be the one to 'kill' them to save them since he's really not into death and destruction, or if he really wants to pay them back for putting him in that position in the first place. Please update so I'm not so confused any more. It was a very dark chapter. I'm sure that's what you were after, and you did it very well. Excellent start. I'm looking forward to the next installment.
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you! Chapter 1 is in the validation queue already, chapter 2 is almost finished. I'm not sure if you'll be less confused, though, because you're right, that's what I'm after. :)
OH FOR THE LOVE OF MERLIN, DON"T LEAVE US HANGING!!! Bloody GREAT story!!
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
:D The next chapter is in the queue. Thank you!
Oh wow...something tells me there was a trick involved here. Amazing story.
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you very much!
Oooh, I wondered how we were going to get to the elements of the prophecy.
Looking forward to reading more! Nicely done!
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Aren't you observant? :) Thank you for the review!
Wow! What a chapter. Things are getting very dark and evil, especially Snape. I can't wait for moreKat
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you! The next chapter will come very soon.
Hey, what'd Sevvy do to save Hermy?
(I know, I know: I'll just have to wait until Part II starts... *sigh* Why can't I be omniscient?! *shakes fist at sky*)
Thanks for the awesome story and the cliffhanger and other stuff. I really like the Elvish (Elfin? Tiny Servin' Elfin Rangers!) bits, 'cause they add realism to the world, and watching Hermione Explains It All was most edifying, educationally.
*sits on hands in attempt to wait patiently*
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
LOL. Thank you... I think? ;) I don't understand anything about the little elfin rangers, but I'm glad you liked it. :D
Next chapter will come very soon, don't hurt your hands.
Response from curikitten (Reviewer)
The thing about the elfin rangers was an admittedly weird reference (sort of, anyway) to the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers of my youth. I didn't actually ever watch the show (too many really bad special effects for my taste) but when I wrote Elfin, I just had the weirdest connection in my head. I think there needs to be crack!fic written now. Some sort of "The Elves Take it Upon Themselves To Matchmake With Severus and Hermione" crack. Oh, God. I just got bitten by a plot bunny. I'm not going to write it, though. Absolutely not.
(I was being complimentary. I'm just, you know, impatient. I think you've created a really exciting situation--Hermione at Severus' dubious mercy, everyone else, including Volvo and the boys, thinking Hermione is dead, and the obvious burning question, why the hell did Severus do it? I have a few theories involving some very salacious scenarios (okay, they're more smutty fantasies) and then some that are strictly For The War Effort, but I'm antsy to find out what <i>yours</i> is.)
By the way, I kind of thought that the <i>Hermione Explains It All</i> reference might be equally obscure. Are you familiar with the '90s show <i>Clarissa Explains It All</i>? (Oh, no. Another plot bunny. Run!)
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
LOL, I am so completely ignorant about any and all tv series references. But thank you again. :)
The next chapter will be up soon.
whew! i, too, was relieved. i'm loving this story's depth and logic (and exciting, well written action), as well as the layered nature of the characters - none of them is static; they're all affected and changed by their experiences. i'm so glad i stumbled upon your work! :)
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
I'm glad you liked it. Thank you very much!
I'm so glad you finished your story! I'd been reading it faithfully and was disappointed when it appeared to be abandoned. Now I understand how those Muggle books about the magic school seemed to go off the rails after the first two or three. LOL
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you very much! I was determined not to abandon the story but the final editing and posting turned out more difficult than I thought. And there were all these other demands on my time...
I'd just like to leave my thoughts thus far: I'm usually not to keen on stories straying so far from canon, but I really love the idea of an underground group headed by Snape. That is brilliant. Even though your Snape is OOC by quite a stretch, I really like him. I was thrilled when my guess that he is Perry (at least to an extent) proved to be true. Some criticism: I wasn't a fan of how Hermione's fondness of Snape was revealed in this chapter. Or rather, how it was written. There are better ways to convey against than overusing ellipsis. For the most part I like your writing, and I like your story.
I am glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks Price is Snape!
Thoroughly enjoyed the story (tho' I might check Lucius for Polyjuice...).Great epilogue to tell what is in store for the magical world in general and not just for the main characters.I thought the name of the story was unique and made me curious and was delighted on how you chose it and how you let us know that.Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us. I hope you've gotten reinvigorated in the fandom and will decide to wrtie more.
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
I loved all your reviews, thank you so much for taking the time. My life atm is insane. For writing, I need peaceful, routine conditions, which are hard to come by. So, not anytime soon, sorry. :)
I liked the ritual. Well thought out.I don't suppose you'd be willing to write a one-shot of what happened to Umbridge in the Room...Glad to have Harry back and Severus helping him. And I am pleased that Luna has had such an active part. She is one of my favorite characters.
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Heh. No, I won't write that one-shot. If you like, do it. ;)I love Luna, too. Thank you.
Eventful chapter. Glad I was right about Umbridge. Hope she gets it good. Great story!
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you.
Good to see Dumbledore out of the mix and off to Greece. Me, I blame Umbridge for 'the Arthur problem'. But I really hate her so enjoying blaming her for anything I can think of. Enjoying!
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
I hate her, too. Thank you.
Trouble and woe....so exciting!
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you, again.
Good chappie. Sorry to see Arthur so poisoned. But I feel it will all eventually work out!
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you. :)
Fantastic chapter. Lots of action. And I loved Crookshanks' part. Well done. 
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
I'm glad you liked. :) Thank you.
Wow there is no doubt that Ron is a Gryffindor. Facing his fear. And it was his idea. I guess Gryffindors are a bit insane as well.....Great chapter!
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you. :)
Good chapter. Some things I would have expected to go differently, but all in all a good chapter and everyone is now on the same page.
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
Thank you.
Looks like Severus knew exactly how to throw Narcissa off her game. Well done.
Response from sylvanawood (Author of A Most Important Element in Water)
He knows her well. :) Thank you.