New Chapter for Love Remains
Love Remains
livvy6500 Reviews | 5.65/10 (500 Ratings, 0 Likes, 31 Favorites )
Lily's life doesn't end when Voldemort hexes her. Instead, she and Harry go into hiding, but are things truly any better for her?
Start ReadingChapters (30)
About livvy6
Author
livvy6
Member Since 2007 | 17 Stories | Favorited by 655 | 625 Reviews Written | 6,131 Review Responses
I am a grateful fan of Ms. Rowling and of her overwhelming Byronic Character, Severus Snape! Please check out the first chapters of each fic (except for "How Can I Tell You," which is on Chapter 2) to see pictures of the Heroines.
Admins' Note: Livvy6 died suddenly on February 22, 2012, leaving behind her husband, six-year-old daughter, and seventeen stories well-loved by the TPP community. All who knew her—including those in Harry Potter fandom and all of us, here—are richer for having known her.
Requiescat in pace, Livvy. Always.
Reviews for Love Remains
Ok - "Your Friend Always,"???? Is Lily going to kill herself? Eeekk! You really left us hanging! I hope you update soon!
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Sorry, evil cliffie! I promise I will update as soon as I can!
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Sorry, evil cliffie! I promise I will update as soon as I can!
Sad. Moving. Bad decision on her part.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Yes, terrible choice! It is so sad what depression can do to a person's mind.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Yes, terrible choice! It is so sad what depression can do to a person's mind.
That was so tragically sad. Lily really wasn't all there, and I'm so sorry that Severus couldn't see how depressed she was. I hope he really is willing to raise Harry.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
I can't divulge too much, but this is for certain- Severus will always want to do the best for Harry. He considers him his son.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
I can't divulge too much, but this is for certain- Severus will always want to do the best for Harry. He considers him his son.
omfg! great chapter. where is lily going?
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
That's the question! I promise to update as soon as possible.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
That's the question! I promise to update as soon as possible.
OH MY GOSH! Don't do it Lily! Please! You are so cruel, mystery author. What a cliffy! Please update soon!
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Sorry! I promise I will update as soon as I can!
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Sorry! I promise I will update as soon as I can!
Aw, poor Lily, that she had to come to that conclusion. Really, the ones who will be the most affected are the ones she'll leave behind: Severus and Harry.Great writing, btw.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
You couldn't be more right. The people left behind are the ones that suffer the most.Thanks for reviewing!
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
You couldn't be more right. The people left behind are the ones that suffer the most.Thanks for reviewing!
Aww, poor Lily. Please update soon!
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
As soon as possible!Thanks for reviewing!
I would have thought that the conversation would have been longer, more said, but the point is made, even if Lily isn't accepting the facts. She needs to be more honest with herself and wizen up. That said, it was a very touching scene. Poor Remus, I always feel sorry for him.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
It just goes to show you that you can be right, but if you aren't tactful, it doesn't matter. The other person will not accept it. He will feel a lot of guilt over that conversation for a long time.Thanks for reviewing!
It's hard to make yourself feel something for someone when the emotion just isn't there. Things are going to shit big time. I look forward to seeing the progress (not that I think there will be much "progress" for Lily's feelings, etc.). Living for your kid is something many people do. Staying married for the sake of the kids' happiness, etc. That's what she's ultimately trying to do.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
That's about the long and the short of it. She's going to completely lose all perspective and everyone around her will suffer for it. Poor Severus.Thanks for reviewing
Remus really should keep his nose out. He doesn't know what their relationship is currently, or it's potential.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
He really did more harm than good. He'll regret his actions later.Thanks for reviewing!
That was so horrible, and she really is taking advantage of Severus. I can't see this ending well.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
It is quite an unholy mess, isn't it? Well, we've got a long way to go. I just hope you like the direction I take them all.Thanks for reviewing!
Sometimes one must do what one must do. It's a shame that Lily can't (yet??) give Severus exactly what he wants (because he obviously wants her heart as well as the rest of her), but she's still in the throws of shock at James' death. Waiting a year is not an unreasonable request.I agree with reets67 about Remus being judgmental - wanting her to find another love like she had with James. And in reality, was it the real "soul mate" type of love when she still had to bug him about picking up after himself?Maybe once she relaxes a bit, she might find that she truly does care for Severus in the same way he cares for her. Sometimes "need" can surpass any type of pretty emotions that can "come and go." (No pun intended! ha)Wonderful job! :-D
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Yes, Remus was judgmental and it will make him from now on decidedly humble and thoughtful from here on out. He will suffer because of his sanctimonius behavior. Sure, he had a point, but here he comes late in the game to start analyzing and judging Lily's choice! It just shows you that you can be right but you can still lose by the way you deliver the truth.Thanks for reviewing!
Still not ready to jump on the SS/LEP ship yet, but I am liking this story. It's so different to see Sev so happy most of the time. I'm in this for the long haul, too. :-D Need to wait on the next chapter until I get home tonight (or if I get a chance to take a longer break at work today).
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Glad you are staying with it. Thanks for reviewing!
Poor Lily. Not only has she had her entire life ripped out from under her, but she is now having her view of her choices skewed and made to look ugly and selfish.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
It is sad she is so hard on herself. However, her lack of honesty with Severus is weighing heavy on her.Thanks for reviewing!
Thanks for another great chapter. I started by writing a response but I am afraid this has turned into a dissertation...Unfortunately Remus has held a figurative mirror to Lily, but the mirror is not a true reflection as it is skewed by Remus's world view.Her reaction is interesting, it is as if she is seeing herself and her present situation for the first time, and in a way she is. She is seeing it in a purely emotional sense rather than a rational sense. Borrowing from Andrew Marvell's "To his Coy Mistress", this emotionality is a raw animalistic response, rather than the reasoned slow-growing "vegetable love" of the poem. Your use of Remus to raise the animalistic(passionate/emotional) and Snape in the patient "vegetable" approach is clever, considering Remus's "furry problem" and Snape's committment and ability to stay true to Lily over many years (as per Canon). By putting Lily's realisation in those terms Remus seems to be bringing up the concept of romantic love (with the fireworks, butterflies in the stomach and roses etc) as the pinnacle of attainment and that we are 'failures' or are selling ourselves short if we settle for less. But to me it is very Western concept and etheral - some people are never that lucky, and most never twice. So he is asking her to throw away the only supportive relationship she has for HIS concept of love, with no entertaining of her acceptance that a comfortable companionability would be acceptable. He has not been there for her during the most difficult period- Just waltzing in at the last minute and making a judgement on his beliefs, not on what things are important to Lily - ie. Harry, feeling safe, and her long standing friendship with Severus. He is supposed to be her friend and support her, in fact he makes her feel utterly wretched. A very selfish thing to do, or if I may suggest (pardon the pun) he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Over everything Lily is being pragmatic. Snape realises Lily's state of mind, and while he is incredibly insecure, he is generally happy with the arrangement. I think Remus is being presumptuous and a great friend to James, but not to Lily. He makes her feel as though she has betrayed James and 'sold herself', hence her (patently wrong) self-assessment as being a whore. The confusion and hurt, was not and most likely will not, be generated by Lily or Snape, as they seem to be aware of the situation (if not their underlying motivation) but by their struggle in deadling with others' expectations and these people's choice/s of not keeping their opinions to themselves. As you said,"She likes having sex with Severus, he is her friend. She is choosing this life with him." - quite frankly she could do a whole lot worse. Then again Remus might have his own selfish motivations... This story reminds me of a line from a song, "If you can't be with the one you love, Love the one you're with." Hmmm...Phew! what a ramble! What was my point? Ah yes. As you state in your reply to Elsolel it is all about 'choices', and I feel you have crafted a story line that is more complicated (?) or perhaps deeper than usually seen, with not just romantic love explored, but also companionship and more pragmatic approaches. I look forward to see how your characters work through all this, by what the choose to do.Keep up the great writing.Cheers.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Thank you for your wonderful review!It is interesting that you discussed Lupin's judgment of Lily. He says he wasn't judging her, but he clearly was in a very subtle way. He may have been right, Lily would not have remained with Snape if she didn't have Harry, but that doesn't make how he went about it right either. He caused more harm than good.For the most part, Severus and Lily, for their own different reasons, know why they are in this relationship. However, Lily is deteriorating at a rapid pace. Her view of herself is harsh and cruel. She also believes that just because she doesn't feel for Severus what she feels for James, that means she can't be in love with him. That false thinking will be addressed as well.The next chapter will bring Lily to the bottom of her warped, deluded thinking. Her depression, her fear, and her desperation will overwhelm her and she will do something drastic. The catalyst will be something from the outside of their relationship.One more thing. Lupin will realize how hard he was on Lily and will work very hard to make up for it. He will continue to be the voice of truth, but the truth will have more compassion and patience behind it (Except for one more time, that I can't elaborate on, but Lupin's harshness was needed).I hope you continue to like where I take this story. It grew and expanded in ways I never thought it would. However, the theme of choice will return again and again.Thanks for reviewing!
I'm sorry Lily feels like a whore, she isn't one. (Not that I judge prostitutes to be bad people. no such thing) But she has, in her shock, put herself in an unenviable position, and Severus is likely to be hurt by it. Thanks for your fast update.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
I agree. She's being so hard on herself, although she's not being fair to Severus, there is no malice behind it. She is so mentally skewed that she cannot think straight. She's very reactionary.Thanks for reviewing!
She's only a whore if she makes herself to be one. Severus has been nothing but kindness itself to her. She can decide what she wants to do, and she should do what she does want to do! I hope that makes sense {It's 1am where I am,right now ;)}
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Absolutely! She is not able to think logically. She feels bad for what she's done because she knows she doesn't love Severus, but that still doesn't make her a whore. She doesn't want to hurt anyone, but she is in such denial about her feelings she's going to end up hurting everyone around her. The theme of choice is one that will come up again and again. She likes having sex with Severus, he is her friend. She is choosing this life with him.Thanks for reviewing!
Oooh, another good chapter. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you are liking it!
Hmm, rebound choice, then she finally thinks things through she doesn't quite like it. To bad. 'I' like your Severus.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Thanks, I like him too. Thanks for reviewing.
Oi, Lily is starting to lose it. I'm still very unsure about 'your' Snape, but I'll stick with the story!
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
I'm glad you'll stick with it. I hope you like the next chapter which will have Remus Lupin in it. He's going to be the supportive stabilizing voice of reason throughout this fic from here on out.Is it that you are unsure if he really loves Lily and Harry? I'd like to know what you are unsure about.THanks for reviewing!
Response from StormySkize (Reviewer)
Although we know from canon that Snape was still in love with Lily, it just seems to me that 'your' Snape is more obsessed than in love. Maybe it's me, but there's just something about him that rubs me the wrong way. He's like an infatuated teenager -- or a man on the edge of losing it completely! I still like the story. I'll continue to follow it because now I'm hooked, but I just can't see the character you've written as Severus Snape. I hope this doesn't offend you.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
No worries. I've had this discussion before. I do see Snape as more on the obsessed side when it comes to Lily. When I read DH and the Prince's Tale, Rowlings descriptions of how he looked at her with "greed" was creepy. Reading further where he would tune her out because she would say something and he would fixate on that one part and ignore the rest, coupled with his fierce jealousy over another boy liking her when she wasn't even his girlfriend. It all was very sad and creepy to me. I figured he was harmless enough, he would never force her agaisnt her will, but his fixation on her is not healthy love. Even after all the years, when he broke into Sirius Black's bedroom and took her picture, he tore James and Harry out of it. Real love accepts reality and is willing to let the other person chose their direction. He, after 20 years, still could not see her as the wife of James Potter. Now with this fic, Snape is changing. He is starting to let go of things. The fact that he loves Harry so much even though he looks like James is proof that he is starting to let go of the past. He still has issues, however, he is willing to work through them. The sad thing is that Lily is not being truthful with Severus and there will be repercussions for it.
I think you are doing a good job on this story. But I think I am not going to enjoy it. Poor Severus! Poor Lily, too, (but I have to admit to feeling more sorry for Severus.)
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Well, the story is far from over. There will a lot of sadness for them, but I hope you will stay with the story. I wish I could say more, but at this point I can't hardly say anything without giving the plot away. I will say this, if you like Lupin, he will be in the next chapter and will continue to be a strong supportive presence throughout the fic.Thanks for reviewing!
Response from pookah (Reviewer)
I don't intend to give up! I want to read every chapter of every story for this Challenge, so I can vote fairly. I hope a bunch of entries don't all come in at the last minute! But this is a story I'd want to finish regardless of the challenge. I was really hoping someone would use this prompt.
Oh my. Please update soon!
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
It is in the queue! No worries, the next one will be a real slap of reality in face for Lily by none other than Remus Lupin!
Wow, this was HOT! On to the next chapter.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Glad you are liking it! :)
this is so sad. it seems like while severus is opening himself up, lily is shutting herself down. i think this all happened too fast, so she didn't really have enough time to grieve and recover from her loss before she jumped into this relationship. and severus may not realize he's pushing, but he is. i see trouble looming ahead. : (
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
Severus is so very happy. Although I don't see him pushing. He rejected her when she first offered him sex, then when she came slipping into his bed, he didn't ask for sex until she did and then he offered her a way out. Then, on Christmas he asked if he were asking too much by asking her for sex so much and she said she would tell him if she did. I do see the immaturity on his part, though. He is so love-starved he just jumped in with both feet. He wants her to love him so bad, I think he will take whatever form that love comes in. It's all so very sad.I hope you like the next chapter. Lily will get a good dose reality thrown in her face.Thanks for reviewing
Response from kittylefish (Reviewer)
when i said he was pushing i didn't mean about sex, more with the emotional stuff, and mostly i think it's just because he's more ready for that than she is.
Response from livvy6 (Author of Love Remains)
I agree. He is very hungry for emotional attachment, and she is shutting down emotionally more and more. Her view of relationship is becoming warped by her pain and fear, but Severus, who hasn't had much emotional connection in his life cannot distinguish what is heallthy and was is not. He's is like a man dying of thirst, emotionally. So sad.