I have read this story before, but I obviously neglected to drop a review. This story was very poignant and tastefully done. The point where Helga and Godric discover the romance between Rowena and Salazar is a bit overplayed, but other than that this story isn’t over the top at all. Did you model Godric after Harry? Because I can see Harry in this intensely stubborn, my way or the highway attitude. Also, I very much liked Salazar’s wanting to have her come with him and his internal argument with himself as to whether or not to ask. You really deserved the honourable mention… Congratulations!

It has been brought to my attention that my previous review could be considered a flame. I had no intention for it to be that way and I must apologise. I reread your fic today and discovered that I should never let my brother watch television in the background while I'm r/r. Now that it is a bit quieter, I realise I was completely wrong in posting my previous comment. Your fic was beautiful and I feel like a total snot in not paying attention to it. These are just a couple lines in your fic that I particularly liked:

but she could not help but find Rowena's persistence foolish; an insult to her vast intelligence.

I can only sort of see her doing this in real life, but I find I like the way this sentence sets Rowena apart as a lovesick fool when she is more often than not a wise, regal figure. It showed that there is another side to characters and one that we all wish we didn't have. That hopeless, I-feel-this-way-and-god-let-him-feel-the-same-or-I'll-throw-myself-off-a-tower side.

You did a good job at telling what Helga thought would happen as a result and I love how you showed that more often then not, people don’t let go of what we want even if it could hurt others and ourselves.

that the rabid hatred now choking her life was once an unfathomable nightmare, rather than a cruel, gripping reality.

I just really love this line. Adjectives are great and I liked the placing of it. I must admit, it was a little dramatic, but it fit quite well in the place that you put it.

Did you mean to do something symbolic with the arrangements of Helga and Salazar? Because I noticed that you always have Salazar move to meet Helga. Aside from going to see him (which is more for herself than him anyway) she never bends or stands or moves for him, and he is the one who moves to meet her. And I love how you reversed the positions at the ending making him sit and be submissive to anything she said.

There is only one thing I don’t quite understand. Why is Salazar in a cottage? One would think that he’d be in his own private castle. (Or did he spend all his money on his basilisk?) ;) He is a founder and he probably had money. Is there a reason he is not living it up a little?

I also admire your word choice--I actually had to look up word! And that in itself says something good. I now know what belie means!

Overall, this fic was immensely better than I initially thought and I hope you will erase my previous review with no thought to it.

Author's Response: Why hello again! I will admit, when I read your first review I was having a terrible night to begin with and it about set me over the edge. But, it\'s alright, not everyone can love my story. I need to learn this, so no worries. Now, new questions/comments. In terms of Salazar and Helga\'s placement in different scenes, I sort of see them fitting with their natural symbols. Slytherin is typically tied to water, and as such he\'s more fickle and free flowing. I think he would be much more likely to move in and quickly away than stand and wait for Helga to move. And, since Hufflepuff often is represented with earth, the more steadfast of the elements, I think its fitting that she holds herself steady. Now, as for Salazar in the cottage. I sort of picture it being his old stomping ground, perhaps a small place he used to escape from the world before setting to build Hogwarts with the others. Yes, he does have wealth and power, but he\'s also turned away from the other three, putting himself on the limb alone. I think at this point he\'d be more likely to hide out rather than making a huge show of his departure. I sort of took the view with his character that he\'s just as human as the rest of them, he just suffers from excessive pride and, well, prejudice.

This was a highly interesting and believable depiction of the events HArry watched as he stood up on the astronomy tower so long ago. I particularly liked the way you showed the thought process of Dolores. She was just the right amount of evil and snooty.

“It will!” she snapped at him. “We’ll have him begging and pleading by dawn!”


I loved this line. Her misbelief is hysterical. Particularly as I know the final outcome...

Author's Response: Thanks Miki! I\'ll be reviewing yours shortly. (horseback riding. my legs\'ll be jelly by tonight. ><) Thanks for the review! I\'m glad you found that I balanced it--I found out I love writing about Umbridge.

by the way... That jetlagged comment wasnt derogartory... I never cry when I read except while reading flowers for algernon, but that's a tangent I am not going off on.

Hey, so mething I didnt notice in my zillions of comments: Just realized that your characterization of Sirius is rather like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Once you pin down one thing, you cant figure out anything else. Did you do that on purpose?

Author's Response: Wow you would be the only one to notice haha! When I first wrote that passage, I knew there was something in it but I didn't know what. Then later I made the connection myself and I have this whole passage (hand-written) about how if Sirius was a physics concept, he would be the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. XD I just never found a place to fit it into the story, unfortunately. Wow that crazy that you made the same connection! We like think on the same wavelength :D