I have been meaning to leave you a review for chapters! I have been faithfully reading - mostly through my phone, as I've been working like a dog lately at a new job, and its really hard to leave a review through the Blackberry.

Keep up the great work! I really enjoyed the last chapter, and I was really looking forward to seeing the duel between Ginny and Luna! Understand why the story's progressing...Snape is a very complex fellow! I like his involvement in the story...wonder if the day will come where we'll see him face to face? I really like Tonks' and Remus' relationship in this story.

Just curious...this story is very complex and already at 53 chapters...how long did it take you to plan and write it? I admire your abilities, especially how you've interwoven so many little details from the world JK Rowling has created. It was incredible reading the excerpt from the Potions textbook - it was really technical for being about potions, lol!

Love the quick updates and the story, so I apologize now for probably not leaving a review on the next few chapters as I sneak quick reads in at work!

Author's Response: Thanks for taking the time to review. Glad to know I’m helping you make it through the tough times. Nothing worse that slow moments at work, believe me. Nice to know that you liked the Potions book excerpt; I was worried that I had made it too dry to appeal to readers. But then textbooks are supposed to be dry, right? Thanks for the approval for my take on Remus and Tonks. I really struggled with how I was going to make her into something that would appeal to Remus, because I certainly didn’t see any magnetism between them in canon. Granted that’s why JKR was able to spring it on us as such a big surprise… I didn’t want Tonks’ young age to translate into immaturity as that would end up painting poor Remus as a bit of a pedophile, especially in light of how much he clearly enjoys working with children. I also didn’t want her to be nothing more than comic relief with her clumsiness, either. Everyone already knows that Filch and Mrs. Norris are the true comic relief of the tale. Well, Snape, too, if you look at his black humor, but a lot of people really don’t get that! The key to Tonks turned out to be that I have a long time friend from my days in middle school that is a klutz at times but also very graceful when she dances. I used that apparent contradiction for Tonks and then added more, such as the fact that she dresses down and appears more childlike as a cover for her true prowess as an Auror. Who would suspect the bird in torn jeans, a worn T-shirt and trainers? It was a very clever way for her to approach Stealth. As for meeting Snape face to face, you are about to get the opportunity in the chapter that is currently in queue. And he is in rare form, snarky to the bitter end. As far as the planning of the story, it really all started as an idea for a contest to write the opening chapter of the yet unpublished seventh book. So I didn’t make the deadline; inspiration is a fickle thing. Not to mention that the word limit for the contest was so restrictive that I could not have included the entire tale of the trio’s incursion into Grimmauld Place and I desperately needed that hook at the end where Harry shows the others that he’s found the tarnished locket. Once I got that far, my mind was already working out where I would go from there. And by the time I wrote the chapter about how the Dursleys were desperately seeking a University slot for Dudley, I was hooked. Since then, it had taken me about nine months to plan and execute said tale. But I confess that I’ve been a bit obsessive and managed to write at least 3 or 4 pages every day. The outline kept getting adjusted on a daily basis to make sure that all the important (yet seemingly random) facts got incorporated in the right place and that no chapter failed to contribute to the end product. Needless to say, the revision is taking me much longer. I confess I have found a few continuity errors not unlike JKR’s when she had Harry’s parents materialize out of Voldemort’s wand in reverse order. Luckily, they have been corrected before the chapters got posted to Mugglenet. Thanks for noticing all the little details. Many I have added on my own, but many were there in the original tapestry. Couldn’t have done it without the Harry Potter Lexicon website which is a real godsend for fan fiction writers. Not that I don’t have to refer to the original books, but the Lexicon helps me narrow my search so that I can maximize my time. Sorry if this seems way too long, but I really wanted to give you complete answers since you took the time to review. Don’t be a stranger.

Oh, you are posting chapters before I am able to read sometimes, and I've been a bad reviewer!

But, here I am, to leave the best SPEW-type review I can, because not only was this chapter superbly-fantastic, but this story is richly and wonderfully written, and it and YOU deserve it

So, I unfortunately don't have enough time to go back and re-read everything since my last review, but I did re-read this Chapter before going to the next:

First, where is Ginny?! Okay, that was my thought after reading it through the first time, had to get that out of the way, lol. But seriously, why was she not included in this induction into the Order…age limitations only?

This whole complex reworking around the Fidelus Charm is brilliant -- you are a genius! I would have never been able to come up with this myself.  I love how Lupin treated it like a science experiment: "I’ll just put you in the control group that is aware of the location."

And before I forget, as I'm not sure I've mentioned it before, but I love your treatment of Ron. He's a contributor, he makes intelligent (but not overly so) remarks, but his personality is still retained. I do wish I could see more of Ron and Hermione's relationship, but the three of them, while still maintaining their friendship, have become much more independent in this story. His little sparring session with Snape towards the end was great!

"Writing feverishly at the desk sat none other than Severus Snape." Oh, great moment! Once again, I had no idea what Lupin was leading this all up to other than a way to physically prove his theory.

"Harry was beginning to wonder whether he had somehow crossed into an alternate universe when Snape replied with a hint of a sneer, “You make it sound as if you were almost waiting for me, Minerva. Everyone else seemed surprised, shocked even; although Lupin is doing his best to look like he hasn’t landed knee-deep in ice water….I can only assume Potter told you that I had been in close contact with him.”

That paragraph is so great. I almost felt the same as Harry - did the teachers have more information we didn't? Everyone at the end of HBP was willing to believe the worst of Snape and throughout the course of this story with the attack, Harry was keeping a lot of information to himself (no big surprise there!) and now they are feeling him out kindly. But, oh…I wouldn't want to be Harry in this situation…

I really like the back and forth between the two conversations…it gives it an element of tension, of mystery of…suspense? I think that's the word I'm looking for.

I cheered when Hermione told him about the Daily Prophet article, but I wished I could have known Snape's reaction! Though I felt like the breaks between the two conversations were in extremely good places, I did feel like some of the conversations were left missing from Snape/McGonagall's side, so I wasn't sure if you were trying to make it real time between the jumps or not.

My heart went out to Lupin when Harry told him he ended up trusting in Snape about the project Dumbledore left him. The scene between the two of them is such a testament to how their relationship is developed, and I thought it was great.

“Dumbledore believed everyone deserved a second chance!” he scoffed. “He’d have offered amnesty to the Dark Lord himself if he’d come knocking on the door.”

“Perhaps if he believed that’s what Lord Voldemort really wanted, but remember that Dumbledore had the foresight to reject his plea for a teaching post. Yet he accepted yours.” // That is something from the books I've never given much thought about but it is a great point, especially at this point in the story. I never thought I'd see the day where McGonagall is trying to convince Snape of his goodness, lol.

“Because he had already helped me to save your life when you’d been sent to St. Mungo’s.” Oh. This. Was. So. Good. But…I imagined Lupin's reaction to a bit more of a face-paling, silent shock rather than a rampaging anger. But I did rather agree with his ability to be humble and admit when he's wrong; it again shows the depth of their relationship, more equal footing, mentee/mentor rather than father/son or teacher/pupil.

I also like in this chapter that we get a small glimpse into the mind of Snape - a lot of dry humor there.  And though we don't have any real evidence yet, I think we're seeing a small glimpse of respect for Harry from Snape, that will come through before this story is over. And his line of "That's the way it is with the truth" is awesome.

Interesting theory on the Potion's book…a large stretch, but certainly plausible.

Onto the next chapter!!

Author's Response: Frankly, I was surprised how quickly the last chapter was posted (24 hours or thereabouts) as its usually been about a week or so. Thanks very humbly for all your kind words and compliments. This is a very pivitol chapter and one of my absolute favorites to write. Slowly, I've been warming up to do the Snape POV and did it a bit more in my other story, as well as in the sequel that is currently in the works. As much as I absolutely adore writing his dialog (and imagining Alan Rickman delivering the lines in my head), it's not as easy to get into his head as it is Remus. Too much despair, even though both characters like to do black humor. As far as Ginny goes, she's in classes during the day so they couldn't recruit her for the experiment. The seventh years have a lot looser scheduling with their one-on-one lessons with a single teacher.

This story delves into so many issues that I haven't given thought to...it makes me think about things in ways I haven't before, and it's obvious you spent a lot of time planning out this story and working on it. You are a great writer, and I'm glad for the updates.

Author's Response: Thanks for the glowing words. I've been having great fun with it. JKR left us with so many ambiguities that there's so much to work with.

“Still, it seems so obvious in retrospect,” Harry explained. “All these months I’ve been so caught up in what I dreaded the future might hold, that I’ve allowed it to keep me from fully experiencing the present. It’s as if I’ve already handed Voldemort a partial victory by allowing him to darken my day-to-day existence. Granted, each new day carries an inherent risk, but isn’t it like that for all of us to some degree? Even though there are times when the risk seems disproportionate in my case, is that any reason to deny myself a bit of happiness in the meanwhile?”

Whoo-hoo!! I was cheering when I read this!! And I've been slacking, I admit, so I have no anticipation to read the next chapter, I'm about to read it now! :) Just wanted to say that those words coming from Harry were very satisfying.

Author's Response: Great to know that I was not the only one who felt that Harry really dropped the ball with Ginny at the end of HBP. It struck me as an immature action based on cowardice -- although, he had convinced himself he was being all brave and noble. If he was ever to grow into manhood, he needed to stand up for his own rights as well as accepting his destiny.

Another chapter in one day!

Interesting conversation with Snape...I'll be interested to see how he gets his information.

I love Luna, she is so great. I hope we see more of her in future chapters, I think her insight would be a great help to Harry.

I didn't say this last chapter, but I'm glad Ginny knows about the prophecy. It might help her come to terms with Harry's decision, but I think he's a idiot, quite frankly, but I thought that through DH as well. I'm kind of surprised Hermione hasn't brought up what she witnessed at the Burrow to Harry, or Ginny (but, I guess we wouldn't see that aspect of it, would we?).

Author's Response: More of Luna to come. I like her too! It’s so much fun to write her dialogue as she’s such a contradiction: totally off the wall and yet brilliant in her own way. After all, she is a Ravenclaw! As for the interactions that have occurred behind the scenes, Hermione would love to talk to Harry, put him straight (as both you and I think), but he’s already told her to butt out rather sternly in the past. So she’ll wait until he initiates the conversation himself. Being a teenaged boy, Harry often prefers to just sulk in silence. If Hermione were to ask Ginny about the events, Ginny would tell her that she was going to start dating Robert and then abruptly change the subject. Hope that fills in the gaps for you.

Wow...this chapter was great! When I saw your AN to my last review I knew I had to leave one on this chapter...I was really touched you answered my questions, thank you! I don't like Snape, particularly, but I really liked this chapter for several reasons.

I like the interactions between Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and I felt like there haven't been that many in this story...Harry has started seeking his guidance elsewhere. And I really liked that Ron made significant contributions! I hate stories that make Ron out to be a bumbling idiot.

Snape is quite the complex fellow, and I hope that's not the end of his story...but I have a feeling it's not. :) One more horcrux down! His next interaction with Harry via the mirrors should be interesting...

Can't wait for the next chapter!

Author's Response: So good to hear from you again! I long ago decided that the relationship between Ron and Hermione would never work if Ron was a total buffoon. Sure, he can’t help being a clown at times (the legacy of Fred and George) but he has something valuable to contribute besides just moral support. You’ll be pleased to see that Ron and Hermione will be right by Harry’s side as they tackle the Horcruxes one by one -- and in detail. It is an inescapable fact of life that as we grow older, relationships change. In order for Ron and Hermione to realistically form a closer bond, Harry has to find himself as the odd man out at times. Negotiating these changes is so much a part of reaching adulthood that I knew I could not ignore them if I wanted my tale to ring true. Never fear, Snape will be back. His dialog is entirely too much fun to write! Next chapter is already in queue and I hope it won’t be as long a wait as last time.

So…I haven't read the chapter yet. I was very happy when I saw that Mugglenet said it wasn't complete. But then I saw the chapter title was "Epilogue." Bittersweet.

And then you really and truly shocked me more than you ever have this entire story. I'm mean, jaw-dropping - my husband asked me if something was wrong.

I admit, I was slightly confused, and I had to read it again before it sank in. I really enjoyed your tale thoroughly…partially because of the fact that Lupin and Tonks relationship with each other and with Harry was able to be fully developed. I think I would have preferred the story without the epilogue rather than come to terms with another story that shockingly takes away beloved characters, in addition to having a Harry that creates another reality to cope with his grief. Though I like the tenderness between him and Ginny.

I know you are writing a sequel, and that it features Snape and Lupin, so is it non-epilogue compliant with your story?

Overall, I'm extremely impressed with your writing and this story, as well as your dedication to it and your obvious love for the series. It was a joy and a pleasure to read, and now that I won't be checking for updates for this series, I will go check out your other story. Best of luck on writing the sequel, I look forward to seeing it posted in the future!

Author's Response: I apologize for the confusion caused by my unfamiliarity with the options when submitting my chapters. I have since figured out that I can omit the chapter number entirely, so that the epilogue stands out more clearly. Hopefully that and the spoiler warning at the start will clarify things a bit. But it is intended to be a splash of cold water that brings the reader back to reality. As much as I would like to, I cannot change how JKR decided to sacrifice characters so blithely in her final volume. But don’t be so hard on Harry; he’s just trying to cope with the loss by indulging in a bit of fan fiction himself. It is intended to echo what we are doing on this site, a subtle homage as such. Harry as everyman is us as well. The sequel is coming along nicely, growing exponentially in all directions like a tasty tale should. It acknowledges my epilogue as the starting point and will give you a bit more background on why I had Harry react the way that he did. Other characters included are Ron & Hermione (obviously, with some couple time that will please fans), Mundungus, Mrs. Figg, Luna & Neville, Percy Weasley, Penelope Clearwater, Mr. Ollivander, Tonks & her offspring, Bill & Fleur and their offspring, all the other Weasleys, and original characters introduced in the previous two installments. A few scenes will take place at Hogwarts, but for the most part we are following the story of those who are no longer students. Thanks for your undying support and compliments to keep me going in the void of cyberspace. Look for new story to start posting within the next few weeks.

Hermione had never before seen Lupin literally at a loss for words. It was actually rather amusing, if one disregarded the circumstances.

And as I came to leave this, I see I'm THREE chapters behind! Aaahh!

Author's Response: I always saw Remus as the Marauder whose calm words smoothed things over when they got caught.

Oooohhh, I hope they find a little rat skeleton clinging to a rock, having slowly…*cough, ahem!* Sorry, got carried away there. I can't believe he's still alive! Grrrr. But he's all alone, and Peter is the sort of person who seems to need somebody…he needed to shelter of the Weasley family, and then he needed Voldemort, so I don't know how well he'll do on his own.

I love how they bullied the Minister!

Author's Response: Wormtail is definitely a goner. Who’s going to rescue or shelter him this time? The integrity of the Fidelius Charm hiding the Potter estate is directly tied to the rat’s fate so Hagrid’s declaration in the next chapter will tell you all you need to know. Manipulating adults is what Hermione does best – and Ron is more than happy to give her the opening.

So...my review for this chapter probably seemed weird...I was typing in Word and then copying it over and not all of it made it over and I didn't notice. Thankfully I was able to recover it, so here is the review I meant to leave:

I've been reviewing your story for many chapters now, and so sometimes I don't say some things that are prevalent in all chapters. But I felt the need to point out certain things in this one. Like your ability to write descriptive sentences, for example, without becoming overwhelming. "Dark clouds scuttled like phantoms on the horizon, vying for the privilege of orchestrating the nest deluge." "Cobwebs dangled like baroque lace from the arms of the simple candelabra whose candles had long since expired, leaving small pools of brackish wax on the underlying mat." Beautiful sentences such as these are scattered throughout your work and they paint such a wonderful picture, making your writing almost poetic while still being prose.

It's been a few weeks since I read the last chapter, and I completely forgot that Remus was still in his other form, I was so confused in the beginning, and then I was like, "Yes!"

I like that Harry seems to have embraced his destiny in these past few chapters. His time with Remus in the past year has definitely made him more confident. He has always been a leader, someone that people are drawn to, but now he's embracing it, willingly giving orders, rather than fighting it, and putting his trust in those he's giving the orders to, not always thinking he has to do everything himself.

I really enjoyed the interactions between Hermione and Remus (and Hermione and Ron, *sigh*, he is too sweet) this chapter. I just love love love your Remus, have I mentioned that before? :) And 'Bellatonks' made me giggle.

OMG!moment with Harry and his scar - I had like 12 questions, but I waited to ask until I finished the chapter, lol. But then when he Apparated into the room with them!! I think I gasped out loud. And then when Remus wanted to send her a Patronus, I was yelling at my computer, he'll ruin everything! The chapter got intense the more I read it. Thank goodness for McGonagall.

My respect for Pomfrey when up tenfold when she and Lupin were discussing the Patronus, though, and my sentiments were with Hermione: "Hermione had never before seen Lupin literally at a loss for words. It was actually rather amusing, if one disregarded the circumstances."

Author's Response: Thank you for all the glowing compliments. Glad you like my spare, yet poetic wordings (credit F. Scott Fitzgerald and lots of editing on my part). From the start, I was struck with the similarities between Remus’ rejection of Tonks and Harry’s break up with Ginny. On the surface, they seem quite different as Remus’ overt reasons (werewolf) and Harry’s (hero complex) seem so different. Yet underneath it all, they are both afraid to lose control by giving in to their true feelings. Both fooling themselves into thinking that the overriding reason is an unselfish desire to protect another. (Tonks and Ginny see through this and it makes them both mad.) In his subtle way, Remus draws the parallel when he tells Harry that taking the leap with Tonks literally changed his own life. He is then supportive when Harry tries to untangle the mess he made with Ginny. Once he stops fighting with himself on the inside, Harry can turn his attention to his destiny without being conflicted. So pleased you like my Remus. He has turned out to be my favorite character; so much so that I wrote a Remus-centric fic that can be accessed via my author’s page. It’s told with his unique inner voice as he tries to come to terms with his own demons. His descriptions are bit more elaborate, but he has that poetic side of him that likes to read Milton. Unlike the stories in canon, though, my version of Remus’ lost year shows the majority of his interactions with other adults, not to mention some revealing confrontations between Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape (my second favorite) that occur behind the scenes. Tonks is naturally winsome and brings out the inner joy that Remus’ condition has tried to stamp out, but she is clearly not as immature as she is often portrayed. But to give credit where credit is due, my take on Remus was greatly inspired by the great actor who has stepped into his shoes and the photos I’ve seen of him laughing unabashedly. Sorry, if this seems like I’m trying to sell you another product, but it’s been rather disappointing that not very many people on Mugglenet have discovered that other story (and, yes, it’s complete). Thanks so much for taking the time to describe how you dealt with the intensity of the chapter. Nothing worse than a confrontation that fizzles out and its satisfying to know that my tale delivers an enjoyable punch.