ohnoyoudidn't!?! Argh!  So, we are still keeping with the books and you went and killed off Moody too!  (Deep down I love it!) ... Oh poor Hermione Oh man. What a heart breaking ending to the chapter!

So sad, Severus!

So much for the afterglow...

wow.

Brilliant! I love that even though she is doing something that was, no doubt, quite unexpected and even a touch uncomfortable, she still smiled at his (self deprecating) humor! 

Oh my! I just decided to start this story at the suggestion of some other folks... and I'm so glad I have! I love the way you have included the text in your work. It seems so appropriate and it just makes my heart hurt for Severus. It's so nice to know that there are others out there who feel this way about our "greasy git" and wanted more for him than he was actually given (no offense JKR!). 

Very good start! off to chapter 2!

I just re-read HBP last month and found myself, in my SS/HG obsessed brain, trying to work ways they could have had a relationship into the book. You have done a marvelous job. I am on to the next chapter! 

He'll come! Can't wait! Just had a catch up of the last four chapters, the story is still going well and getting better with each one, I know I've said it before, but I'm really loving this version of DH, it's fab!

I can't say enough how much I am enjoying your version of the story ... I'm glad that Severus took advantage of the opportunity to try to comfort Hermione .. and I'm glad he's figured out the plan.  I am excited every time i have a chance to read a new chapter!  :)

Believe indeed. 

OMG OMG He will come. I'm glad he discovers everything so he might be some help now that Marroon Ron has disapeared.

I saw this over here two days ago and thought it was a chapter I had already read!  Phooey!  Two days lost.  ;-)  You have actually made things harder on poor Severus since he needs to hide from Dumbledore also--although what a portrait can do to him when he's magically promised to assist the Headmaster I don't know.   I can tell by how you are handling the relationships in the Trio that you are going to be respectful of them and I like that.  None of them are perfect, but they do care about each other deeply and I hate it when that is twisted.

When Ron leaves the trio and Hermione thinks about how Voldem... Sorry!, You-Know-Who ;D is winning I sometimes feel like changing JKR's story. I love her plot, but in the end there is a happy ending. I love happy endings, don't get me wrong, but wouldn't it be more interesting to see how the three of them would cope in a world that is following changed rules? This is absolutely not to mean that I don't want a happy ending to this story, I love it the way it is! I was just wondering...A brilliant chapter as always!Kisses

"I will come"My heart just soared.A million stars coming your way.

I had hoped that they would get to see each other at that moment Snape delivered the sword! YAY!!!I am SO enjoying this story!  Thank you so much for writing it!

I forgot to comment about this many chapters ago, but your fic is the only one I can remember that credibly portrays Snape's Occlumency skills- it's excellent, but not perfect. Albus statement in this chapter could be taken as a dig or an appropriate reminder of the limit of Snape's skills.My goodness this line just packed a punch to sum up Snape's mental journey...“For all your wisdom, Dumbledore, there is one thing you have never understood. Humans are not chess pieces, no matter how well you think you understand them. They will never do exactly what you think they should.”Another excellent chapter. You really have got this episodic writing down pat, bec. I'm always wanting to know what happens next.

Hello, hello.  I am once again trounced by the other reviewers, most of whom have said what I was thinking when I idly clicked on the Review link. The Moment - when Severus registeres the plan surrounding the Horcruxes - really was "masterfully done."  It's an important element to your story, and you really did it justice.And as for the DH bashing - I can't participate, even though I know that many in fanficworld revel in it.  Although even my CPA (PA for the Brits, I think) dad said, "It read like a movie script," I have to respect the fact that JKR wrote this book from a far, far different perspective than from whence she penned the first.  Again with the blathering!  Wonderful job, my dear, keep it up, and thank you, a thousand thank yous, for sharing your tremendous talent with your undeserving fans.CheersCB

Aw smape comforting hermione! Loved that chappie n can't wait for the next one!

You know, I really hope this all works out for them, and god, I wish Dumbledore wasn't really dead, so I could kill him myself. 

Excellent chapter again.

Oh, Lariope, I was doing so well until... until... the last exchange! I know, it's not terrible, it's... ahhh! Either I am hormonal or that was very romantic. "I will come." Ok, here come the tears again.

OpalJade's banner rocks! So beautiful! How did she do that? I'm going to ask her. She's so talented.

If you meant this story to sway readers who might be on the fence regarding DD, well, perhaps I was already leaning to one side, but I am well and truly sick of him. "A report." Speaking for the Headmaster! I could've smacked his painted face.

Now. Snape knows the plan. Which we can assume that he did not know or know well-enough in DH. Knows more than he did in the book, anyway, yes? So that leads me to this question: More knowledge, different ending? Are we about to truly embark on another path? I have flutterings of hope.


Author's Response: OpalJade truly is the best, and I love her banner. I'll pass this on to her.

I'm so glad you liked the end!! I hope it was romantic and not that you are hormonal! :)

I'm still keeping mum about DD. But yes, I'd very much like to slash that portrait into little bits. So smug, that one.

*fans flames of hope*

Thank you so much for reviewing. xoxo

I love that in his own way Severus is disobeying Albus. It's quite obvious that he really cares about Hermione and he's been acting for Albus. I hope they will have a happy ending. Much happier than the book.

Ooohhh, what did Sev spot in the portrait? Has Albus been spying on the spy? You must update soon! Please! Now that's out of the way, I love the bits you added to flesh out the tension in the tent. It worked for me. :)

First, let me say that my rantings for your last chapter were strictly refering to DH - I don't want you to think at all that it was a reflection of your story (which I'm loving!) or your writing. That said, if DH would have been written the way you are retelling it, I honeslty don't think the camping would have bothered me at all. :) Telling us what's happening with all the other characters during this 'downtime' completely changes the monotony of canon. I love hearing what's happening with Sev and the Trio and even the camios of others while the Trio are on-the-lamb. It has taken a very dull story (which was my opinion almost throughout DH) and has turned it into the great HP stories I'm used to. Exceptional work! And I love the way you are continuing to weave canon into the tale without missing a beat. I have read many stories that place some parts of canon into the story but ask you to suspend canon knowledge for other parts. You seem to be able to continue right along with canon while still telling a completely seperate and unique tale. I look very forward to continuing along this 'new version' of DH with you at the pen. :)