I'm absolutely delighted you liked my characterization of Snape, most people focus on my ruthless Dumbledore (I've never been a big fan.)  Thank you for reading and leaving me a review.

I'm very glad you've enjoyed it so much.  Thank you!

::curtseys::  Thank you very, very much.  You've brought an enormous smile to my face.

I don't think this conflict could end without many deaths ... truly it's a civil war in a tight-knit community.  It was always going to be bloody and heart-rending.  I did try to minimize it somewhat.  As for Dumbledore, well, I've distrusted him since I read the second book and actively disliked him since the fifth.  This story was my attempt to exorcise that view so I could write him benevolently elsewhere.  I'm not sure it worked.Thank you, again, for your wonderful comments.

That's such a great compliment; thank you.  I'm thoroughly enjoying your comments.

I modeled Ron and Harry after several WWII veterans I had to interview for a documentary I've worked on in real life.  Three or four of them were very young when the went into the service (as young as sixteen), and their experiences matured them very early.  Could they still be buffoons?  Of course, but when it mattered, they were entirely serious.Thanks for noticing that detail, in particular. 

I'm really touched that the emotional honesty of this scene speaks so personally to you.   It's quite encouraging because I try to make the characters accessible.  Congratulations on having such a wonderful spouse, I'm certain he's a lucky man.Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.  It was the mirror scene which haunted me for months before I finally gave in a wrote the story.  I'm so pleased it holds up.

Thanks.  I do hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

First of all, thank you very much for the compliment, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.  This was my third story in the Potterverse, and I spent some of those formative months trying to create appropriate terminology.  It's entirely possible that I was indulging in too much of a good thing, and I appreciate your pointing it out.

I wasn't a fan of Dumbledore's for a long time, and it was a bit gratifying when JKR showed his true self.I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and thank you for leaving a comment.

I wasn't a fan of Dumbledore's for a long time, and it was a bit gratifying when JKR showed his true self.I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and thank you for leaving a comment.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

It's fascinating to read your reactions to the story these two years after it was written.  I've long been bothered by the trio's characterizations in the series because these three, specifically, would be more mature than your standard teenager (which is something JKR strives to maintain.)  So I've extrapolated, especially because I think Harry/Hermione/Ron's friendship is almost a character in and of itself.  It's that premise I've built on here, and I'm so pleased you like them for it.As for Dumbledore, well, I've disliked him since the end of book two, and I've long thought he was the major contributing factor in Tom Riddle's rise to power, which is why he thinks it's his responsibility to stop him.Thank you for your comments, I can't tell you how encouraging they've been.

That's great to hear! On my side, it's just so interesting to read your responses because they've all been spot on with how I see JKR's characters. I was quite young when I first read the books; I remember receiving the fourth book as a present from my parents for winning an award at school! Now, having read through them again as a (hopefully) more mature person, I find myself editing my own perceptions of characters which I first liked (or didn't like). I really loved Dumbledore at first, but by the time the sixth book came around I'd read the books a few times and I thought, 'well, actually, I'm not too sad to see him go.' I thought DH glorified him at the end and a lot of the seemingly negative aspects of his history didn't surprise me one bit. I'd always believed that there was more to his involvement with both Tom Riddle and Grindelwald than JKR had suggested. It didn't surprise me one whit that Harry had to die. I began to realise how Dumbledore seemed to consider everything as a chess game when I reread the ending of the first book when I turned sixteen. The fact that he had knowingly led the trio into danger was just mind-boggling.  After that I really began to progressively lose respect for him. I think JKR tries too hard to make the trio 'a normal bunch of teenagers' which, I feel, almost trivialises who they are and what they've had to suffer and what they've achieved. I'm glad that someone else has noticed this and taken it into their own hands, as it's probably only in fanon now that I'll ever read what I feel to be the 'true characters' of Harry Potter, which is like the irony of ironies!

It's fascinating to read your reactions to the story these two years after it was written.  I've long been bothered by the trio's characterizations in the series because these three, specifically, would be more mature than your standard teenager (which is something JKR strives to maintain.)  So I've extrapolated, especially because I think Harry/Hermione/Ron's friendship is almost a character in and of itself.  It's that premise I've built on here, and I'm so pleased you like them for it.As for Dumbledore, well, I've disliked him since the end of book two, and I've long thought he was the major contributing factor in Tom Riddle's rise to power, which is why he thinks it's his responsibility to stop him.Thank you for your comments, I can't tell you how encouraging they've been.

That's great to hear! On my side, it's just so interesting to read your responses because they've all been spot on with how I see JKR's characters. I was quite young when I first read the books; I remember receiving the fourth book as a present from my parents for winning an award at school! Now, having read through them again as a (hopefully) more mature person, I find myself editing my own perceptions of characters which I first liked (or didn't like). I really loved Dumbledore at first, but by the time the sixth book came around I'd read the books a few times and I thought, 'well, actually, I'm not too sad to see him go.' I thought DH glorified him at the end and a lot of the seemingly negative aspects of his history didn't surprise me one bit. I'd always believed that there was more to his involvement with both Tom Riddle and Grindelwald than JKR had suggested. It didn't surprise me one whit that Harry had to die. I began to realise how Dumbledore seemed to consider everything as a chess game when I reread the ending of the first book when I turned sixteen. The fact that he had knowingly led the trio into danger was just mind-boggling.  After that I really began to progressively lose respect for him. I think JKR tries too hard to make the trio 'a normal bunch of teenagers' which, I feel, almost trivialises who they are and what they've had to suffer and what they've achieved. I'm glad that someone else has noticed this and taken it into their own hands, as it's probably only in fanon now that I'll ever read what I feel to be the 'true characters' of Harry Potter, which is like the irony of ironies!

::blush::  Thank you very much.  I'm very pleased you've found it moving.

::blush::  Thank you very much.  I'm very pleased you've found it moving.

I quite see your point about Hermione's character.  She's closer to the canon Hermione of two books ago, which is when I wrote this story.  HBP and DH had to dumb her down to fit Ron and allow Harry his moments of glory.Having said that, I'm thrilled you're enjoying the story despite this, and thank you for the review.

Completely agreed. I thought Hermione was definitely at her strongest in OotP. After that she was kind of relegated to the 'characters I need to force into a relationship' column when JKR wrote HBP and that was about it. Which is a huge huge disappointment, because I like Hermione about ten times more than I like Harry, and Hermione/Ron is just plain wrong no matter how you look at it. Even in DH, I felt she could have played a much stronger role, and at times she was there really just so that someone could come up with ideas and haul the boys out of danger rather conveniently. That just bothered me. Which is probably why I don't like DH or HBP all that much!You're most welcome for the reviews. I don't often review on every chapter; in fact, I think this is the first time I've ever done it for a completed fic. However, I noticed that you didn't have many reviews, but more importantly, each and every chapter prompted me to mention something or another, so credit to you for that. I'm juuust about to finish, but I have enjoyed this immensely and I'll hopefully move on to another one of your stories if I have time!

I quite see your point about Hermione's character.  She's closer to the canon Hermione of two books ago, which is when I wrote this story.  HBP and DH had to dumb her down to fit Ron and allow Harry his moments of glory.Having said that, I'm thrilled you're enjoying the story despite this, and thank you for the review.

Completely agreed. I thought Hermione was definitely at her strongest in OotP. After that she was kind of relegated to the 'characters I need to force into a relationship' column when JKR wrote HBP and that was about it. Which is a huge huge disappointment, because I like Hermione about ten times more than I like Harry, and Hermione/Ron is just plain wrong no matter how you look at it. Even in DH, I felt she could have played a much stronger role, and at times she was there really just so that someone could come up with ideas and haul the boys out of danger rather conveniently. That just bothered me. Which is probably why I don't like DH or HBP all that much!You're most welcome for the reviews. I don't often review on every chapter; in fact, I think this is the first time I've ever done it for a completed fic. However, I noticed that you didn't have many reviews, but more importantly, each and every chapter prompted me to mention something or another, so credit to you for that. I'm juuust about to finish, but I have enjoyed this immensely and I'll hopefully move on to another one of your stories if I have time!

And I'm certainly delighted you've enjoyed the journay, and were kind enough to let me know.  Thanks.

And I'm certainly delighted you've enjoyed the journay, and were kind enough to let me know.  Thanks.

Thank you very, very much.  Considering their sacrifices, I hoped they might find Elysium together.I've long thought Arthur an unrecognized here, especially after reading the way he handled his colleagues during the Triwizard Tournament.  He stood up to them when his kids were in danger, and I admired him for it.

Thank you very, very much.  Considering their sacrifices, I hoped they might find Elysium together.I've long thought Arthur an unrecognized here, especially after reading the way he handled his colleagues during the Triwizard Tournament.  He stood up to them when his kids were in danger, and I admired him for it.

Thanks!

Thanks!

Regrettably, war's greatest product is in the loss of lives, and I wanted to seem at least a little realistic.  Thank you so much for continuing to read it.

Regrettably, war's greatest product is in the loss of lives, and I wanted to seem at least a little realistic.  Thank you so much for continuing to read it.

Thank you very much.  Er ... don't worry.

Thank you very much.  Er ... don't worry.

I'm one of those people who hasn't liked him since the end of the second book, so I knew I'd have to write him as a Machiavellian at some point.  I'm very pleased you don't think I'm overbroad in the characterization.  Thank you.

I'm one of those people who hasn't liked him since the end of the second book, so I knew I'd have to write him as a Machiavellian at some point.  I'm very pleased you don't think I'm overbroad in the characterization.  Thank you.