I can say I really enjoyed the scene between Cedric and Cho. It’s nice to see that relationship not get written off, and I really liked the light dialogue between the pair. There’s about a gazillion things I want to say about this fic, and I’m not going to quote specific lines because I loved too many of them. I think the best part was in the way you just made the words flow; it’s difficult to describe a life-after-death scenario and not make it sound cheesy. You managed to pull that off and then some. I liked how you had Dumbledore appear on the platform, too; however, the way you explained it was nice. I also liked how Dumbledore seemed to understand perfectly what was happening because he always seemed to understand death better than anyone in the series, too. ‘Dumbledorian’ should also become a real world because it described exactly the way Dumbledore speaks; his own name is the only world the really seems to do some of his lines justice. The metaphor of a train that could go anywhere was also interesting, but was that simply a ‘standard’ part of dying? Does everyone see that train, or is it just specific people who had Hogwarts mean something special to them? In addition, your description just blew me away. There was a lot of description, but it didn't feel heavy or like it WAS too much description.

This fic is made of Win, by the way, and is completely fabulous.

Your choice to write a fic about such an unlikable character made me so curious that I had to read it. First of all, Lockheart’s vanity is definitely intact throughout the first part of this piece. He doesn’t go out of character, and in the last section, you manage to make him likable because he does show that he feels guilty about accidentally killing this girl. I like how you have Lockheart focusing so much on how the girl looks and used to look because appearances are very important to him. I liked this line:

To lose her beauty, her face, her identity, it had probably been an act of mercy, what he had done.

It’s so in character for Lockheart to consider getting disfigured to mean the same as losing one’s identity. Given the choice, I think Lockheart probably would have preferred to lose his memory rather than become scarred, and I like how you brought out his vanity in very subtle ways. The ending part of this fic was very powerful because it’s ironic and bitterly sad. It brings to mind the idea of karma, and I think you accomplished a ‘full circle’ affect very well between both of these scenes.

Author's Response: Wow, what a wonderful review! Thank you so much!

I think it’s interesting you chose Molly and Avery for this fic. I really liked how you made Molly bitter about the end of the war. We can see how protective she is of Harry, and this really helps give those emotions a bit of background. Obviously, she has a lot of children and loves them all, but she loves Harry, too, and there’s a good chance some of that affection comes from pitying him for not growing up with parents. This fic also adds the extra element that Molly understands how Harry feels because she lost her brothers in the war, too.

I really liked this line: Avery threw his arms over his head as a firework exploded above his hideout, sending mounds of dust cascading down from the ceiling. Voldemort had been his world and now his world had gone, each firework puncturing another hole into its coffin. It shows how paranoid and afraid Avery is of being caught; it’s really the perfect description of a man with no hope to escaping. I also loved the last line of the fic. It seems to perfectly summarize what a broken world the post-War one is.

Now I can leave my real review for this fic. I liked the locker room banter. I like how you had the ‘means to an end’ conversation between Oliver and Cedric because it showed that Oliver really only cared about winning, but how the game was won seemed more important to Cedric. I also liked how you made Cedric funny, and Oliver is very serious, which I think fits his personality quite well. You handled the slash element of this fic very well. I really liked this line:

You’ll stand up in the Great Hall and tell the whole bloody school, and all those girls who chase you, that you’re as straight as a pumpkin vine?

I liked that line and the analogy with the pumpkin vine. I also think that both boys denying their sexuality really made this fic. The scenes where Oliver fights with his dad also help to heighten the slash elements later in the fic and make them seem more personal. I really would like to read a sequel to this fic. I must say, Oliver/Cedric has become my favorite slash pair, although it screws with my Cedric/Cho pairing.

Author's Response: Hmm, well Cedric/Oliver doesn't rule out Cedric/Cho ... not exactly ... LOL. Thank you very much for the review. It was quite tough to write, but my beta was amazing. (Thank you Emma). Anyway I do want to write a follow up ... so watch this space. *adds to several other bunnies* Thanks again ~Carole~

The part with Hermione’s dad was very sweet and adorable. It seems to be one of your very straight forward sections. I think you did something very similar to Neville’s section. They’re both very platonic, sweet, and direct in how they portray love for Hermione.

And he wanted her to be his friend, too . . . or more than that. He imagined spending time with her, simply talking, or perhaps studying, or making her laugh like that, or pressing his lips to hers. It made him smile.

That was the best line from that part. I was surprised (in a good way) how pleasant the part with Viktor was. You wrote him really well, and I think a bit more sympathetically, than most authors do. I liked how you portrayed his love for Hermione as being more genuine.

What really endured him to Hermione was the simple fact that she was the first person who ever took care of him.

That part was very sweet. I liked how you acknowledged the possibility of Harry/Hermione, but also went into why Harry viewed Hermione as just a friend. I think that line really sums up how and why Harry thinks of Hermione as a sister. The dialogue with Harry and Hermione about being a good father was amazing. I also liked how Harry decided he would be a good father because Hermione raised him.

While I liked parts five and six, you really don’t recapture the brilliance of part four. Don’t get me wrong, the part with Ron was great. I think your dialogue between Ron and Hermione is very believable. Overall, I liked your piece here.

Author's Response: Thank you! This is such a detailed review, which is always a real treat :) While I'm a huge Ron/Hermione shipper, I do have something of a soft spot for Viktor, and I'm glad you thought that showed and that you liked how he was portrayed! As for Harry's part -- I think he and Hermione have such a sweet relationship, the epitome of a close relationship between a girl and a boy that remains close despite the fact that it never turns romantic. And she really is the first one to take care of him, imo! :) Thanks again.