Uh, AFAIK boa constrictors aren't venomous. Also, what happened to the framing elements, of this being the memories of a 24 year old Ginny? There hasn't been a single mention of it since the 2st chapter, making it rather superfluous. If this had any bearing at all, at least some return to that time, so mention is required. Also, in that chapter Ginny is famous and has written a book about her life. For what is not explained. In addition, the reporters are asking to whom she is engaged. Factoring everything in, I can only assume Harry does not survive. If he was then the connection between them should have been apparent from the book.

Author's Response: First of all: AFAIK??? Secondly: YAYY!!! Finally people are catching on! You are asking questions about the first chapter! I understand all of your reasoning and I would explain it all, but I would give it all away! I can't really refer back to the 24-year-old Ginny because it is all saved for the last chapter or so. All of the rest of your questions will be answered by the time this story is finished, I promise! Thanks so much for reviewing! Manda*

I hadn't read this story before and decided today to give it a try. So far I'm up to chapter 4, and it's very nice. One problem, though, that comes across (I assume) because I'm reading all of the chapters one after another rather than the usual wait between postings.

In Ch 2, you wrote that Harry had "still been with her every single hour of her labour." However, the last flashback doesn't have him showing up until after the delivery to the point of him saying, “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it sooner.”

Author's Response: Oops, better go back and change that!! Thanks for letting me know - there are a few mistakes here and there, some minor, but fewer major. ^_^

One bit of advice: double space between EVERY paragraph. I don't know where it comes from, but all to often I encounter pieces where the writer double spaces narrative but not dialogue. If anything, not double spacing dialogue makes it even harder to read than narrative.

Author's Response: i'll see what i can do, if i am smart enough to do it lol

Paragraph are not optional. I took one look at this and took a pass.

Interesting. Unless I'm reading this wrong, your stating that an attack on Voldemort would use up a Horcrux, that the soul piece in Voldemort is destroyed and one from a Horcrux is used to revive him. Reread page 503 of the U.S. edition. Dumbledore states, "The seventh part of his soul ... resides in his regenerated body. That was the part of him that lived a spectral existence for so many years during his exile; without that, he has no self at all."

This implies that a Horcrux is an anchor, not a replacement.

Author's Response: You are correct. But also remember in GoF, after the rebirthing, Voldy tells the D/Es that "...it appeared one or more of my experiments had succeeded..." (or something close to that.) This could imply that the existance of at least one Horcrux was critical to survival, and conversely, the absence of any Horcruxes would cause his mortal death. It could also imply that, possibly, more than one Horcrux would be needed to maintain life, and if more than one, why not all? Stopping right there I would have to agree with you. However, I chose to pursue the “expenditure Horcrux” path, rather than the “anchor Horcrux” path for two reasons. First, JKR has dug herself into such a deep hole with this Horcrux stuff I don’t see how she can resolve it all in one remaining book. If only 2 have been destroyed, that leaves 4 + Voldy himself. DD was almost killed destroying the ring and are we to believe that Harry can destroy the others? It just seemed too far-fetched to me. Second, DD could have been wrong about exactly how they work (which, other than that one line you referenced, he never really explains.) And as we know, when JKR repeats things she is telling us there is something important about them. Dumbledore has mentioned his fallibility at least twice in the series and this could be a mistake in his judgment. Perhaps not, but just to throw another theory out there I invented this “expenditure” possibility. In the end it really doesn’t matter, this story is just to entertain a few while we wait 16+ months for the last book. Thanks for t he R&R. S.

Some nice stuff -- Moody removing the cloak and revealing the relationship to the Weasleys the most prominent -- but you also have Fred and George with murderous looks but then cheering, I assume in approval, a few sentences later. Something to indicate a transtion, such as referring to it as sudden unexpected cheering, would help. While it's seems a little odd that Molly would be trying to presuade Ginny from dating Harry -- like most of what I've read I would assume she'd be trying to get the two of them together -- it is different and at least exploring a different dynamic.

Sorry, I have to agree with the prior review. Her actions are contrary to what she said at the funeral of expecting him to do what he did. Also, her relation with Dean is based on her rambling "on and on about how Harry might not take her back and how it scared the shit out of her," os o course SHE's the one who doesn't take the other one back. It just doesn't work for me.

Author's Response: Thank you for reviewing. Yes, I have had other people tell me that also. I plan to go back and switch it up, because I guess i'm obviously not getting out what I want to. I guess when you're the author, you assume other people get the idea that you are trying to convey. Sorry about the confusion and the O/C. I plan to fix it when I get time.

It does have a bearing on our discussion because you are listing the story as post-HBP, which means it follows canon. She has established that there are four Horcruxes as canon, which means this is an AU story.

Also, her norm has been to be evasive until the story reaches or determines such and such a plotpoint. After that, she makes absolute statements on the topic. For example H/G and R/Hr, confirming it in the same interview.

Author's Response: I\'m having a little trouble following your logic. What JKR says in an interview is not canon. Canon is what\'s in the books. In any case I don\'t find any usefullness in our discussion. If you don\'t like my Horcrux theory that\'s OK. Like all our guesses about what might happen in Book 7 its merely speculation.

Sorry, but your Horcrux theory is wrong. Read page 503. Dumbledore clearly states there were only six Horcruxes and the seventh piece in Voldemort's body was not a Horcrux.

Dumbledore states that the seventh piece is now in Voldemort's regenerated body and was what lived the spectral existence all those years. This means that a Horcrux protects the piece in the body from a fatal attack. That piece is not destroyed and replaced by one in a Horcrux. A Horcrux seems to act as an anchor keeping the original piece on the current plain.

Horcruxes are NOT used up. If a fatal attack would destroy the original piece then the concept that Voldemort made so many wouldn't be so monstrous. If the idea behind making even one was to ward against death, then making only one would have limited affect because one fatal attack would revert you to being mortal. It would be in your best interest to make more than one of you are going to make any. The reason Voldemort made six was because the he saw something magical in having seven soul pieces and because he wanted the extra protection should anything happen to one or more of the Horcruxes.

Author's Response: Well again we merrily disaggree. Horcruxes are used up,each time a body is regenerated. Voldemort alludes to this in GOF (p656). But in any case my story is not about Horcruxes, its about Harry and Ginny, so for my purposes spending minimal time on Horcruxes is desirable. -greywolf

Sweet, but one little problem with your timeline. Harry's birthday is July 31 and Ginny's is August 11. Two days after Harry's 18th birthday Ginny would still be 16.