Severus has learned that the heart is big enough,to hold all kinds of love, and not a single cell, that can hold just one,leaving no room for another. The healing of the room is a beautiful image, and everyone being there, not only those wounded by the Horcruxes, but all that love them as well. 

The meeting at the Burrow went better than I expected, thanks in great part to Severus, now on to the RoR so they can ALL heal. It was so sad that Hermione thought it was magic that held them together not love, love is so much more powerful.

How could Dumbledor send those children off looking for horcruxes, and not warn them to at least have as little contact as possable, all that time that they carried the locket was the start of the rot. Molly's welcome was heartwarming, and Hermione still has her hand on the clock, wonderful. Now comes the hard part, convincing Harry, Ron,Ginny and Arthur.

The plot is thickening nicely,if I'm reading this properly, finding the "cure" is not the point, we all have the shadow within us, it's finding a way to repair the damage done by the horcruxes. Vincent's funeral was very thouching, and a big step forward for them all.

phenominal, just phenominal.  dang, i'm running out of superlatives.  thanks for a wonderful update and mucho smoochies

Wow love that ending.  I'm glad you didn't leave us hanging there.  Great new chapter.

I've just caught up with this marvelous story; I had to tell you how much I've enjoyed it. The magical complications and various divination themes are twisty in the best way -- intriguing developments that keep you guessing. Should be interesting when everyone gets back to Hogwarts!

Glad they got through to everybody and the endingof the chapter was beautiful.

Fabulous, wonderful, and filled with joy, this chapter took my emotions from joy to fear and back to joy again.  When Hermione had begun to withdraw, I didn't know what to think.  Did she realize that she still cared for Ron?  Did she think that somehow their relationship would have to be rekindled in order for Ron to be healed?I was so relieved to see that she was afraid that what she had with Severus was not real because the magic wasn't just between him and her... and I was overjoyed when Severus told her that it was never the magic between them that spoke to his heart.  It was his love for her, the simple heartfelt love that he held in his heart for her, and she for him, that made what they had so perfect.  Not the magic, but the unmitigated love they had for each other.Thank you for such a moving chapter, and I'm really looking forward to the next update.Beth

That was just beautiful. Everyone's reactions were so in character. And Severus' way of reaching Ron's logical side was brilliant.Hermione is right. Severus is the key. But he couldn't have done any of it without her love. So she is the key for him, and he is the key for everyone else.I am so enjoying this story.

Severus is having a positive effect on Neville, perhaps he is responding to approval of an aurthority figure, whatever it is I'm glad it's working.  

I'm so glad that Hermione had the chance to talk to Dumbledore portrait.  Regardless of what emotions were stirred, it could only help to know that the Headmaster had not realized until much later what had happened and by then it was too late to do anything about it.And I think their plan to bring back their friends to Hogwarts is brilliant, if they can be persuade to come.  I believe they need to heal with the Room of Requirement as Severus, Hermione, and Neville have been able to do.I was so nervous about what would happen when the three of them reached the burrow, but the welcome they received from Molly made it all worthwhile.  I can only hope that when all of the others come into the Burrow, the emotions won't go all ballistic before Molly and their friends who have come to see them can convince them that there is a solution for all the bad feelings they have suffered these last ten years.Very cool chapter!Beth

Here was such a lovely image of the four of them burying Vincent, this boy of whom they knew almost nothing.  I think the room needed for them to do this for him, because of all of them, it was probably the Room who knew him best.  Perhaps by "touching Vincent" they have initiated the healing within themselves.  Such powerful magic going on here!Beth

What an amazing and revealing chapter you've given us!  It all makes perfect sense that the Room of Requirement would have been as injured as they are, as sentient as they are, and hopefully as capable of battling this evil Shadow that has befallen them all.Excellent!Beth

So lovely, Hermione is the sea, very powerful.

If Ginny is in this state, how are Harry and Ron doing? OoRah... on to the next chapter.

It was a lovely moment, when Severus said he had always watched  over her at school. The reading was spot on, now all that needs to happen,is for Severus to admit ,that he longs for tenderness, just as much as Hermione. 

It feels like the darkness was unleashed, when Voldermort died, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been destorying Horcruxes, so what else was released from them as they died. On the edge of my seat, so on to the next chapter.

Well, although it might not  be pretty, maybe they can figure it all out together.

Spectacular imagery here, and seeing the Room of Requirement as a sentient being with hurts and needs of it own is wonderful.  I'd always thought of it as merely a magically charmed room that could provide what a witch or wizard who entered with the needs that they were concentrating on.  But this is way better.  This room is part and parcel of the castle and shares the magical energy– life force, if you will—  that the founders poured into Hogwarts when they created it.Hurray!  The dire needs of Hermione, Severus, and Neville have given the room a reason to heal, a reason to carry on, and a reason to be useful once again.Well done!Beth

Coming together with Neville, Minerva, and Trelawney brought to light so many things that are important to the work they have ahead of them.  I would never have thought that so many things in the Wizarding world could be considered to be "mirrors."  This is fantastic!•Enchanted glass•Runes•Arithmancy•The Mirror of Erised•Tarot and Ogham cards•Wizarding portraits•Room of Requirement•Animagus transformations•Patronus forms

Now that I've read your narrative, I have an even greater appreciation for your talents as a writer..  You are good.  Very good.

I'm so happy that Hermione and Severus went back to Hogwarts.  I'm sure Minerva realized the wisdom of their decision to stay in the same rooms or commute back and forth from Spinner's End.  They could not have stood to be away from each other for a moment.  Now I have to go read the next chapter!!!  8^)Beth

Vine:  "Signifying divine inspiration and success. Triumph in work completed— ”He paused. “And ecstasy.”

•Honeysuckle:  The one that holds everything together. "It’s telling us to get focused and get to work.” “It reminds us that there is no lack of distractions.”   “Doesn’t honeysuckle signify finding the truth amidst obfuscation?”

•Hawthorne:  I could find no mention of Hawthorne is earlier chapters, and the closest was the Blackthorn.  So I'm waiting to find out what it means that Neville was doodling the Hawthorne on his notes.  I did read on one site that the it protected one from evil spirits, and another site that said Hawthorn meant "Fertility; Peace; Prosperity; Binding" to the Druids, so I'm assuming this will come up later. 

Coming to understand the nature of Dark and Light, how they are found in everything and everyone, and how intention is extremely important to whether their boundaries are able to hold them separated from each other, will be one of the most important things they bring away from this initial meeting with the three of them.  If I've erred in anything, please set me straight.

I'm loving this this story!Beth

I read this chapter and the next two on my Blackberry today, but I just had to scan it again tell you how brilliant you are.The initial meeting with Neville was so intense!  For a minute I actually feared he might try to attack Severus.  Thank Merlin he didn't.The descriptions of how the Shadow felt to each of them and what the triggers were for each of them was fascinating.  "It’s like oil. Dark and slick. Impossible to grab a hold of.”   It feels like I can’t ever get clean. Felt. It felt like that, until a few days ago.” The more I thought about it, the nastier it seemed.  Voldemort was an inexplicably diabolical creature.  And this is another wonderful chapter.  Beth

It is only when we fear inaction sufficiently that we can act in the face of fear.  With each supporting the other, they can overcome this shadow that has overtaken their lives and the lives of others who fought to end the Dark Lord's madness.  I know it will be difficult to talk to the others, but with hope and tenacity, they will be able to.Great chapter!Beth

I am breathless.  The depth and subtlty of this chapter have left me in awe of these characters and the plot that envelopes them– and me– in it's Ivy– tendrils climbing, squeezing between the cracks in the walls it scaled. Virtually indestructible and ruthless in its quest to move forward.  It is so beautiful and frightening that I can't imagine how you wrote it, but I am so grateful you did.Beth