Thank you for the review, the rating and the compliment :) I am tempted to...

Thank you for the review.  I don't know what to say; everyone has been really kind and so supportive.  I'm not sure where to go with it; my only thought was to keep with the dictionary challenge and use the words selected by Southern_witch as a base from which to work.  I shall have a think about it.

Thank you for the review.  I hadn't intended more to come (was just playing with the drabble dictionary challenge), but it seems be have been recieved well, so maybe I will... :)

Thank you for the review.  The idea of forgiveness as a cure is taken from another story of mine.  I had intended this to be a one-off drabble, so extending it had never occured to me.  But... this site and the reviews are so uplifting, encouraging and inspiring... I've written more since becoming a member than in the decades before it!  So, a heartfelt thank you for taking the time to review; it does mean a great deal :)

Thank you for the review and the rating.  I wasn't sure about two of the words and if they had been used accurately, so your comment is most reassuring, thank you.  I couldn't resist using sub rosa in that manner, but admit that it happened by accident rather than intent. 

Thank you for the review and the stars :) Can drabbles be made into a chaptered fic? I was under the impression that they were one-offs.  I suppose that there's no reason that they can't be... a series of short chapters... ponders.  It was rather difficult trying to get a complete story in within the 1,000 word limit... I am in awe of those who can write one in about 100 words.  I was thrilled when I finally hit word count and it fell below the limit... lol.  I like wizened old men, they're so good at dishing-up pertinent information when it's needed.

Oh yeah, I forgot. Dictionary Drabble. Well, maybe after the "drabble" part is over you can carry on.

Hmmm... it's quite funny, but I really found the drabble challenge quite hard and was unsettled with the result.  I have an idea; the words change every Saturday... I could do a new chapter of this using the new set of words... blimey!  I must love hard work ... lol, but as Southern_witch says, it will improve vocabulary, and anything to keep my brain active is a good thing.  *Goes off to bite off more than I can chew* lol

Hello

.  Thank you for the review.  Neither did I... lol.

Hello

.  Thank you for the review.  Neither did I... lol.

They did indeed.  They're all on a steep learning curve, and you will recall that they had been punished... but is it fair to have ended their line?  The way I see it, the Ministry (or to be more precise, someone within it) is doing more than just punishing the Malfoys; they are attempting to end a way of thinking.  On the face of it, the death of the ideal of Pureblood as best should die a death, but through forced sterilisations?Ermm... sorry about that lecture :) I guess that I am still trying to sort out the idea of what is a fitting punishment for them. It's hard to explain, and I don't know if you experienced the same when writing your wonderful drabble, but the words that come up sort of draw out or modify the plot.  Sometimes, they draw out a lot of thoughts and ideas, and I guess that I dwell too much upon them.I hope that they see the light too... otherwise they're lost.    

They did indeed.  They're all on a steep learning curve, and you will recall that they had been punished... but is it fair to have ended their line?  The way I see it, the Ministry (or to be more precise, someone within it) is doing more than just punishing the Malfoys; they are attempting to end a way of thinking.  On the face of it, the death of the ideal of Pureblood as best should die a death, but through forced sterilisations?Ermm... sorry about that lecture :) I guess that I am still trying to sort out the idea of what is a fitting punishment for them. It's hard to explain, and I don't know if you experienced the same when writing your wonderful drabble, but the words that come up sort of draw out or modify the plot.  Sometimes, they draw out a lot of thoughts and ideas, and I guess that I dwell too much upon them.I hope that they see the light too... otherwise they're lost.    

No, it was the snake that had tried to throttle him, and although I had pet cat that tried to hurl me down the stairs by either sleeping or rubbing itself against my legs at the top of the stairs, I doubt that his pet would try to kill him. :DLucius had an idea.  Whether it's ingenius or just desperate you can decide.  I can just picture Narcissa's face when she finds out... we'll see just how accommodating and proud they can be. 

Somehow I must have missed the chapter where Draco is attacked by the snake. I will go back and check it out.Sorry for the mix-up.

No, it was the snake that had tried to throttle him, and although I had pet cat that tried to hurl me down the stairs by either sleeping or rubbing itself against my legs at the top of the stairs, I doubt that his pet would try to kill him. :DLucius had an idea.  Whether it's ingenius or just desperate you can decide.  I can just picture Narcissa's face when she finds out... we'll see just how accommodating and proud they can be. 

Somehow I must have missed the chapter where Draco is attacked by the snake. I will go back and check it out.Sorry for the mix-up.

No finger.  Bella will keep them very safe.  I loved your turn of phrase about the horrors... delightful (can you review a review?), and I feel that the review is better than the chapter :DThank you for reading and reviewing :)  Means a lot!

No finger.  Bella will keep them very safe.  I loved your turn of phrase about the horrors... delightful (can you review a review?), and I feel that the review is better than the chapter :DThank you for reading and reviewing :)  Means a lot!

Thank you for staying up to read it :)  I hope that it was worth the extra time up.I am enjoying writing the Malfoys; they're a nice contrast to Bella.Thank you for being here :)

Yes, how is dear Bella, by the way? I do miss her. Um ... ;-)

Thank you for staying up to read it :)  I hope that it was worth the extra time up.I am enjoying writing the Malfoys; they're a nice contrast to Bella.Thank you for being here :)

Yes, how is dear Bella, by the way? I do miss her. Um ... ;-)

Thank you for the review.  I'm incredibly flattered that the story has evoked such a response--I had no real idea that Bella was so strong a character... I'm not sure whether to be concerned that she has eclipsed Severus or not?  I'll make her demise a good one :D

Thank you for the review.  I'm incredibly flattered that the story has evoked such a response--I had no real idea that Bella was so strong a character... I'm not sure whether to be concerned that she has eclipsed Severus or not?  I'll make her demise a good one :D

Thank you for the review.  Severus is the key to it all... and as you say, all he has to do is wake up.

Thank you for the review.  Severus is the key to it all... and as you say, all he has to do is wake up.

Thank you for the review.  And that is her advantage--in this instance and in all instances of her leaping from mind to mind.

Thank you for the review.  And that is her advantage--in this instance and in all instances of her leaping from mind to mind.

Thanks for the review.  She was desperate and thought that they were... poor Hermione.

Thanks for the review.  She was desperate and thought that they were... poor Hermione.

Thanks again.  For all his wisdom and his cunning, he was baited with his love for his wife and blinkered to his error by his own perceived wisdom.

Thanks again.  For all his wisdom and his cunning, he was baited with his love for his wife and blinkered to his error by his own perceived wisdom.

Thanks :)  She is!  More so than I had originally thought.

Thanks :)  She is!  More so than I had originally thought.

Hello again, and thank you.  She is aware... scary, ain't it? :D

Hello again, and thank you.  She is aware... scary, ain't it? :D

Thanks for the review.  Yes!  The ravens are important, but they didn't exactly give their lives for him.  They split into two groups... remember?  The two factions fought... I'll leave it there for you to ponder. :D

Thanks for the review.  Yes!  The ravens are important, but they didn't exactly give their lives for him.  They split into two groups... remember?  The two factions fought... I'll leave it there for you to ponder. :D

Thanks for the review.  He is in a bit of a bind.  He has nothing to tie him to anything... everything he had and knew has either gone or been taken from him.  But he is listening... in his own way.

Thanks for the review.  He is in a bit of a bind.  He has nothing to tie him to anything... everything he had and knew has either gone or been taken from him.  But he is listening... in his own way.

Thank you again for the review and for reading.  She is a wee bit off her rocker, and sadly, she is now seemingly all-powerful... at least Voldemort had the horcruxes to destroy....

Thank you again for the review and for reading.  She is a wee bit off her rocker, and sadly, she is now seemingly all-powerful... at least Voldemort had the horcruxes to destroy....

Thank you for the review.  Carry on reading--I dislike typecasting. :D

Thank you for the review.  Carry on reading--I dislike typecasting. :D

Thanks again.  Yes.  The house-elves are doing what they deem to be for the good of the school and the students, but anything can be shifted to a darker purpose.

Thanks again.  Yes.  The house-elves are doing what they deem to be for the good of the school and the students, but anything can be shifted to a darker purpose.

Thank you for the review.  Yes, the snake.  I think that I allude to the antipathy towards the Malfoys.  Someone, somewhere was not happy that the Malfoys got off so lightly.  The incident makes a bit of sense a bit later on.

Thank you for the review.  Yes, the snake.  I think that I allude to the antipathy towards the Malfoys.  Someone, somewhere was not happy that the Malfoys got off so lightly.  The incident makes a bit of sense a bit later on.

A tentative tea party for all of them.  They realise that they need each other, and at this point that is enough to bind them together.

A tentative tea party for all of them.  They realise that they need each other, and at this point that is enough to bind them together.