Truer words have never been spoken! Or however that figure of speech goes... Stay tuned, things will be begin to look up, I promise! Thank you so, so much for your continued support and encouragement, it means the world to me!

Have faith, they will redeem themselves in good time. Thank you so, so much for the review!

Thanks for your response.   I will have faith, then.  I do like it that your characters are so in canon character, and I hope you show them all maturing.  I guess DH is still bugging me, because I had hoped to see the kids mature in the end and instead in that book they just got old and more obnoxious, which was not the message I wanted kids to get. 

I do understand, completely. DH is still a thorn in my side as well.Hermione and Lupin will have a sort of rude awakening when they realize the torment that Snape deals with on a daily basis, and how fragile his state of mind really is. The characters, all of the main ones, will most definitely mature, I promise you.

Thank you so very much!!  *hugs*

Thank you, I'm torn between feeling bad for making you cry and being moved that my story touched you so emotionally. *hugs*

Oh, don't feel bad about making me cry.  Take it as a litmus test, as it were, a proof of how evocative this story is.  Besides, since my children were conceived, I've been surfing on an estrogen wave about 20 feet tall; I cry, therefore I am!

Thank you so much!

Thank you so very much! I absolutely adore your reviews, they are so incredibly encouraging!

Thank you so very much. It is a difficult story to write, but I am humbled that people enjoy it.

Thank you so, so very much! I'm delighted that you decided to pop over!

Thank you so much for the review! It will probably be updated in around 10 days or so, as I'm a week away from graduating school, and things are *quite* hectic. Sometimes an unbeta'd version of the chapters gets posted on my LJ account, http://kingpig.livejournal.com, as well as other small stories and info on Conversations updates. Again, thank you so much, and I hope to have a new chapter posted in little over a week!

Thank you so, so much for the review! I apologize that it took me this long to get back to it.Thank you also for stating that there are things that magic cannot fix quickly. I'm afraid I may has lost some readers there, so I will probably need to explain in the near future that magic can mend many things, but not psyches, and not hearts. Thank you again, so much!

Thank you so, so much for the review! I apologize that it took me this long to get back to it.Thank you also for stating that there are things that magic cannot fix quickly. I'm afraid I may has lost some readers there, so I will probably need to explain in the near future that magic can mend many things, but not psyches, and not hearts. Thank you again, so much!

Thank you so much! This is definitely one of my favorites as well, though the nekkid Snape chapter was lots of fun!

Firstly, thank you for the review! Secondly, I'm honored that you've taken the time to read my little story, and it's high praise indeed that you've been following it for a while now! I'm really, really encouraged that this chapter has stirred up so much emotion in my readers, because I did want to portray a character that, while definitely not perfect, has risen from the ashes of one of the worst kinds of hell that is his life, and has become a (mostly) respected professional, and has been a incredible important figure in the outcome of the War. Snape, I think, is a human version of the phoenix that becomes the symbol for the "Light". Eew, that sounded all syrupy. Sorry. LOL.

Thank you so, so much! The next chapter is in the works, I promise! It shouldn't take nearly as long to post as this one did – school-willing anyway. Your review is very encouraging, thank you, thank you! I do fear that we may take another dip or two into dark memories, but they shouldn't be as bad as that previous chapter. And I'll give lots of warning!

Thank you so much! I'm glad that it came through that Minerva wasn't trying to be sneaky, she was just trying to be protective and comforting. And yes, I did think it was important for Hermione to have some time to cope with the trauma of what she experienced before having to deal with the upcoming unstable state of an awakened Severus Snape.

*hugs* I'm sorry that I made your heart hurt, but I am touched that you related and connected to the story so much! I'm truly honored, and encouraged, by your comments! I agree, it would be a horrible hell to be trapped in a mind as traumatized as Severus Snape's, reliving tragic and horrific memories, and unsure of how to escape. However, he does escape his mental prison soon, rest assured, though he will be a little ...unstable... for a bit afterwards.

Thank you so much! *hugs*I'm really touched that something I wrote effected you, allowed you to relate and connect with the characters on an emotional level - that is the best kind of response an author can hope for! Though, conversely, I do feel guilty for being responsible for bringing tears to your eyes. I do hope you'll forgive me!And yes, I imagine Sev's heard a lot of empty promises and exclaimations of caring, hope, or even love, and wouldn't believe a single one if Hermione ever uttered them. (Dumbledore's role is a pivotal example of this, but more on that later in the story, lol...)And your last paragraph did make sense. I feel kind of bad, because in my life, I've wanted so much to have an ability to show another person a memory or something, and have them understand just a fraction of the emotions that I was feeling. It could be a powerful therapeutic tool, and in this story, it will be.

Thank you for the review! Hermione has gained a lot of insight through her experience, and Severus has been more than humbled, so I think it sets the stage for a budding relationship, but it will remain rocky for a while more :) Thanks again!

Thank you for the review! Severus will be angry when he awakes, but Hermione has gained strength and insight through her experience, so do not fret for her!

Thank you so much for the encouraging review! I realize now that it might seem like kitty!Minerva was being sneaky and such, but what I tried to convey was that Minerva was watching over him, and when Hermione entered, she hid, not intending to eavesdrop. After watching the tender display, she was very proud of her former students, and touched. But, yeah, that probably didn't come through, so I'll try to emphasize that in the chapters to come!

And I assume you mean the bond between H and S? Because, I swear, the mystery of it will be brought to light, and the bond will only grow stronger. (I feel I have to convince everyone that I didn't mean this to be that dark of a story, lol! Fluffy-ish – at least as fluffy as I can do, which isn't much – and happy endings will ensue! I promise!)

Thank you again!!

Oh, it definitely came through that Minerva was gratified at what she discovered about her students -- I should have been more careful with my verb choice there!! What I meant was, it's another complicating factor -- although basically a Good Thing. And yes, I meant the H/S bond, which seems to be one of those combinations of affinity and magical mischief, but I'm probably wrong about that :)

Sorry that I just got around to responding! *blush* Stupid homework.

Thank you so much for the encouraging review! I'm so happy that you're enjoying it, and I love how you review each chapter! Thank you!

Thank you so much!

*blush* Thank you so much! I'm striving to portray a tough, strong Hermione, and equally matched Severus.

Oh, wow, thank you so much! I'm so honored! Get some sleep, because the following chapters get very, very intense and dark.

You do pose a very interesting question, one that I've thought about a lot in the past. I think this starts to delve into the nature vs. nurture argument – was it his environment (his upbringing, his life experiences, etc.) that made him who he is today, or was it a part of his nature (was he born with a certain personality trait that could not be altered, thereby ensuring that he would be the same no matter his childhood circumstances?), or a mixture of the two? I've always sided on the "nurture" part of the argument (with a healthy helping of nature mixed in, but nuture seems to be the biggest factor, imho), but there are great debates that endure on today that demonstrate all sides of this question very well.

It would be an interesting exercise to write a story with both sides of the coin and see where it takes you. Either way, it's a great question, and I'm grateful for your support and humbled that this story has sparked this sort of question (I can't think of another word for 'question', so bear with me, sorry, it sounds a bit redundant...). I'd really like to sit and discuss it with you sometime, to learn your take on it (nature or nurture? Would he be the same if his childhood was different?).

And on my LJ account (http://kingpig.livejournal.com/) I have posted the working, un-beta'd draft of the next chapter if you're interested. Thank you again!