Oh, Fennnnnn!! What an emotional story! Just from the very beginning, my heart went out to Hermione. I could feel her dilemma from believing she should move on after two years, but this paragraph you wrote was so telling and insightful - it really nailed Ron's character, in my mind:

"No, it isn’t. Hermione felt guilty for even thinking this, but she knew deep in her heart that it was true. Ron, no matter how much she had loved him — how much he had loved her — had his flaws. And one of those was his deep jealousy of others, whether it be his brothers or his best friend or any male who happened to catch Hermione’s attention. Ron would have wanted her to be happy … but even more importantly, he would have wanted her to mourn him."

I was nodding the entire time I read that. It's just so exactly right.

I thought the letter from Mrs. Weasley asking Hermione to perhaps spend time with Charlie, even though she knew Hermione had gone to the cottage for solitude was such typical "Mrs. Weasley". *laughs* Oh, that woman!

But the best part was Charlie. So like Ron in his obsessive talk of dragons, rather than Qidditch, but the same single-mindedness. My favorite part was when he kneeled down next to Hermione and told her "I loved him, too", and let her cry on his chest. *happy sigh* It was just such a chivalrous, caring reaction on his part!

I'm glad Charlie was able to bring some fun back into her life, but I really liked that you wrote the ending the way you did - both of them feeling rather awkward, but realizing there was something there that could be explored and developed at a slow pace. I think it would have felt rushed and out of place if they had actually kissed.

Fennn, this is such a sensitive, warm and funny story about two characters that I've never really "seen" together in my mind, but you made it so very possible and plausible to me, that I want to read more about them!!

Well done, Fenn! This was marvelous! I know Julie must have lurrrved it!
*hugs and squishes*
~Andi


Author's Response: *hugs tightly*

I loved your story! It had a wonderful inter-play between Snape and Luna and I thought both characters were believable. You gave them so many great lines in this story - you obviously have an excellent sense of humor.

I especially liked this part:

"She seemed almost completely out of touch with reality.

No wonder she was interested in him.

Of course, he had no similar excuse for his own behavior. He himself was quite sound of mind, thank you very much, yet here he was…."

*laughs* Brilliant! Thank you for writing about this surprising pair and for making it such a great story!

~Andrea

Your story was a very intriguing, thought-provoking glimpse into the possible mind-set of Peter Pettigrew. It's certainly believable that jealousy drove Peter to the Dark Side, and that Snape was right there at the wheel. Your Snape, by the way, was spot-on with all his cruel, malicious, sneering comments. (Although it pains me to say it- you know how I love Snape!)

But I have to say my favorite part of the story was this line from the bar scene: "...He threw the barkeep an extra coin..."

I know you know what that scene reminds me of: Han Solo leaving the Mos Eisley Cantina after killing Greedo. :-) I could just hear Peter saying, "Sorry about the mess."


Well done, from beginning to end. Good luck!
~Andrea

Author's Response: Hi Andrea! Thank you so much for reading this story!! I really appreciate the lovely review. Your SW comment is hilarious! But as we already discussed, Han Solo is way cooler than Peter Pettigrew - and more loyal. Thanks again for reading my entry, and for leaving such a nice review!! ~Gina :)

What a wonderful story, Lacey! *happy sigh* I think your Draco is perfect - his thoughts and phrases are just so very Draco-ish!

Congratulations on getting your very first fic validated! Woo-hoo - bring on the rest of the chappies! *is dying to read more*

*huggles*
~Andrea

Author's Response: Thank you, Andrea! *squishes* I am so glad you enjoyed it! I loved writing this chap. It was a lot of fun. Chapter 2 is almost done and then it is off to my beta! I hope to have it up soon! *huggles* Lacey

*is left breathless*

Oh, Sarah, how beautiful! Despite the setting of the story, despite Draco's pitiful condition, there's really no other word for it but "beautiful".

This is my favorite descriptive passage - although they were all wonderfully, skillfully descriptive -

"After having dark and pain as a companion lonely night after lonely night, Hermione might as well have been the most beautiful girl on the planet. And in his silver, pained eyes, she was.

Hermione similarly, felt connected to him, but didn’t know why. Something in those silver eyes made her feel weak and confused. Merlin knows that they had never been friends, but even when your enemy sits before you, dying and possibly taking his last breaths, the human part of you takes over. And that is what happened to Hermione. Her human compassion for another soul overtook her and sheltered her and Draco. And he felt it, too. "

It just made my heart melt! You really do this pairing justice, and I'm so glad you got the story up!
*glowers and dares prof to say anything about lateness* :-)

Another brilliant story - well done, Sarah!
*runs off to favorite it*

*hugs*
~Andrea


Author's Response: Oh, my god, thank you SO much! I\'m so glad you liked it! My professor set the scene and stuff, I just wrote it all out! Thanks again! *huggles*

Hi Ashley!

What a precious glimpse into Luna's relationship with her mum! I enjoyed that, even as young as Luna is in her memory, she is still so IC. Very confidant in the knowledge of her mother's love, and not needing to be shown the room to know it. It's exactly the way she is the books - supremely confidant in what she KNOWS to be true, and does not need to see it to believe it. Very well done!

This is my favorite paragraph:

"When Luna first set foot over the boundary of the once forbidden room, she felt as if she’d entered a fantastic new kingdom. Never before had she imagined how bare the room would be — save for a bookshelf hidden in the corner and a small desk on which Cecilia used to write her notes. The walls, though still in tact, bore the colorful scars of many a spell blast. Luna pondered to herself how she could make her own bedroom walls look so pretty. "

I love that! It's a bare room covered with marks of spell blasts, but to her it's so wondrous because it's a place she's never before imagined.

You had wonderful interaction between mother and daughter, and I was so happy in your choice for Luna's Patronus - perfect!

(And I appreciate all the feelings of home in this story - desert jackrabbit, wooden kitchen floors, long-legged hare~ it all whispers "Texas" to this fellow Texan, though no one else will notice it. *giggles*)

Great job on your story and best of luck, Ashley!

~Andrea



Author's Response: Yay, hi Andrea! *squishes*

I\'m glad to hear Luna is so IC! This is the first time I\'ve ever written a Luna-centric fic (only 2nd time she\'s even mentioned in one of my fics!) so it\'s wonderful to know my characterization of her is acceptable. :D I always thought Luna would be that type of child to always \"know\" what\'s going on and understand adults better than other children did because she was so mentally and emotionall wise for her age.

And thanks! I like that paragraph, too. When I was pondernig how to write the story I always thought of Luna being imaginative and even more so when she learned something new, and embracing the differences she experienced.

I love Luna\'s relationship with her mother. I have to admit also I think her mum\'s nickname Lulu is just precious. :) I grin like an idiot every time I even think it, lol. I can\'t take credit for the Patronus though-- Gina told me she saw Evanna Lynch wearing a rabit necklace at the premier and saw on a preview that her Patronus was a rabbit, so I took it from there. :) I was having a hard time trying to figure out what animal would work best for her, but the rabbit really did work out best!

Hehe! *hugs* Us Texan gals really are the only ones who would notice I think. ;) Every time I thought rabbit I couldn\'t get those jackrabbits and desert sunsets out of my mind, and of course cottontails running around in fields! *sigh* I love TX.

Andrea, you are an amazing review. Anyone ever told you that? I grinned so big while reading is and then again when I came back to reply. You\'re simply wonderful. :D Thanks for the luck, too! I\'m up against some incredibly well-written stories but it was so fun to even participate! *Turnip hugs*

~Ashley

Hey E.G.!

I said it before, but I'll say it again - I really like the plot and story line of your fic. I thinks it's very creative and insightful.

I like the way you brought in your OC, Angelica. She's the kind of fiesty gal that can take on Sirius. I wish they could've stayed together!

This was my favorite bit of the fic:

"As my final seconds in the world came to a conclusion, I understood and solemnly accepted my existence thus far for what it was: a wasted life. I had failed so many for so long - my brother, my only love, my best friend, and his son — that my death would be pointless and forgotten. Ironic, isn't it, the last Black - most noble and extinct. "

This was just so bitter and remorseful and just so heart-breaking all at the same time!

I thought your fic was very dark, and definite angst showed itself in Sirius' bitter regrets.

Great job, Ritta! Well done!

*hugs and squishes*
~Andrea

Author's Response: Andrea! Thanks for betaing and leaving such a great review! I loved bringing in my OC into the mix. Yes, that was one of my favorite lines too. I edited it after you had betaed it, but I think it worked perfectly. I\'m glad it was dark and angsty since I wasn\'t too sure to begin, but yes! XD I love Sirius, he inspires me, really. -huggles- -Ritta

You did an awesome job, Selina! *wipes tears of laughter from eyes*

All the plays on names seriously cracked me up, but the part of your story that had me howling with laughter was this part here:

'It was time for my first class. A bunch of 15-year-old wizards from the snake House (whatever it was called), who knew they could hex my ass out of the room and three-fourths of the way to Uranus. Oh, God.'

Brilliant! And then having Chastity only last one period before turning in her resignation was a scream!

The pace, setting, action - everything was great, and your humor really shone through. It was all excellent.

Loved it, loved it, loved it!
~Andi

Author's Response: Oh, wow! *huggles Prof Andi* And that\'s my favorite part, as well! *is happy inside* I\'m glad this worked, as a fic.

*sighs happily*

I think you might have done it, Tash, and I thought it was impossible: I actually liked a Marauder's Story.

You did a smashing job of writing a story with a wonderful plot, excellent detail and description, steady pace and action, and just an over-all beautifully done story about Valentine's Day and Lily's reactions to it.

I enjoyed that you had her receiving notes from all four Marauders, and you absolutely nailed their characters in the types of letters they sent. I like that Snape gave her a book tied with a black ribbon, and that he kept his emotions to himself. I have to say I was a bit disturbed that you have my love, Lucius, giving Lily crystallized pineapple, but I liked that his intent was to have her use it to get in better with Slughorn.

Best of all, you capped it off with a lovely ending, leaving me and my fellow readers, I'm certain, with a pleasant feeling that one gets when one finishes a well-written story that's good from beginning to end.

Very well done!
~Andi

James~

I'm so excited that you have your first story up! I loved it when I first read it, and enjoy it still more knowing it's been validated.

I, of course, like that it's a romance, and it's so nice that the memories that help Xenny conjure a Patronus are his memories of Luna Sol. I like how they fight together to drive off the dementors, then get right back to the wedding. Maybe Dementors attack the wedding because of all the happy emotions, and because a crowd is gathered? Regardless, you have written a lovely story which is thoroughly enjoyable. Congratulations!
~Andi

Author's Response: Thank you Andi. I thought it out partially this was during the time of Voldemort's first reign of terror, and now you just put the rest of my idea in there.