Lovely. I have a feeling that here's a lot more to say, and maybe I'll think of the words when I'm not this overwhelmed by your fic, but, for now, that'sall I can say.

This is a very sad little songfic, but I still have to thank you for it. It was quite a good one!I think the way Dumbledore is in this fic is a little OoC for him, because as Angel Mischa said, he usually treats his pawns pretty callously, and he didn't really have a really strong bond or connection with Sirius, so it's a little odd to have Dumbledore so emotional over him. Um, that's basically all, except that I wanted to mention (because you forgot it in the story) that the song is by Relient K. I actually have to add thanks to my 11 year old brother, without whom I would never know such a random fact. So thanks, Aaron! I don't really like Relient K all that much, but that is definitely on of their better songs.Anyway, thanks again for the touching, sorrowful story!~Katie

I'll be interested to see this fragment in the context of the larger fic. I'm not sure about the Dumbledore here, as he seems a little OOC considering how canon-Dumbledore was able to treat everyone as pawns so callously, so it'll be good to see him in a larger setting with his character fleshed out.

Author's Response: Well, I have to disagree with you on the OoC front. Everyone has a slightly different perspective of Dumbledore, and the way I see it (and JKR, I think, looking at the way she talks about him), he's been put in a position where he has to make difficult choices which can sometimes result in tragedy, and he really cares very deeply for the people around him. In Book Seven in particular he seemed pretty "callous" as you called it, but if you read between the lines you can see the emotion underneath.

DH is slightly irrelevant at the moment though, because, putting the scene in context, "Phoenix Tears" is pretty AU and everyone seems a little OoC in them. I have a habit of showing characters' (particularly Harry and Dumbledore)'s more emotional sides, but rarely does it seem unrealistic - The fact here is the scene was taken out of context; so as you said, it'll be good to see him in the larger fic with his character fleshed out. In the larger fic, he and Harry have grown closer than in canon, so it's easier to show the emotional side of Dumbledore that I am so fond of.

Thanks for reviewing :)

Angel Mischa's response: I guess I've always seen Dumbledore as more restrained than he was shown here, but in the books we only ever see him through children's eyes, and there's an argument to be made from the other side that as Harry ages and he and Dumbledore become more on a level footing (at least both adults), as AU lets us do, they might come to have a different relationship... We'll see, anyway!