I never thought in a million years, Lucius was the MOM! But it makes me sad that he couldn't/wouldn't help them out.

Argh, what on earth is going on? I am so confused. Amazing writing, I've been following along since the beginning but been too busy to comment. This is a skillfully woven narrative, and I very much enjoy it. Though I still can't see Natalie Portman as Hermione, but that's irrelevant :)

Hate to see the story end....can't tell if this is an ending.  I would love to see further what happens with Minerva.For the most part I enjoyed this very much.  You have a very different way of telling a story which was entertaining and well written.

Milky. Pearlescent. A split second of almost-recognition—I've seen this before!—then it was gone, absorbed by the wounds—

• Amortentia has a distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen.• Dr. Ubbly's Oblivious Unction:  Madam Pomfrey used it to heal Ron's welts that were caused by the brain tentacles.  Perhaps it was also laced with moonstone that made it pearlescent.• Maybe a mixture of Murtlap Essence (to soothe and heal Hermione's cuts) and Moonstone (to help her find emotional balance).• Gregory's Unctuous Unction to make Hermione think that Madam Agan is her friend.• I have absolutely no idea what this could have been.  Kudos to you for writing such a mysterious and bewildering chapter.  I am very intrigued!

I wonder who the witch is that lives in the old Tower House.  You wrote that it was located "beyond the edge of the Forbidden Forest."  Does that mean that it is outside the forest, or just inside it?  Could the old witch who lives there be the same person as Amrita Agan (who could be wearing a very strong Glamour our using Polyjuice Potion)?

Millicent has been so helpful, and I hope that Blaise Zabini will be willing to vouch for Severus.  It's obvious that Madam Clif-Wyrt would like nothing better than to help Hermione, and perhaps in the future she can do more than simply allowing her to send Owls free of charge.

I can't wait to read you next update!

Beth

Thank Merlin for Millicent and the three gifts she brought!Beth

Severus' sanity seems as precarious as Hermione's.  She counts things and he seems to prefer the cottage in his mind.  What is going to happen to them?Beth

And when she gazed at the bloody, inflamed incisions on my hands, the tip of a pert pink tongue slid over her lips in quick, greedy movements that did not seem quite…normal. Or human, really.  Madam Agan gave me the creeps.  *shudders*I glad Hermione invited Millicent for tea.  Perhaps it will make Severus happy to see one of his former students.Beth

Perhaps tomorrow will bring Hermione a job.  This is all so sad.  Being frozen mid-step by squares of pavement and window panes and fence posts.  Look at anything but the sidewalk.  It's all so very sad.Beth

...only set free to serve as decoy...we both know we will not survive a second time...I promise we won't have to... One way or another…but I have a job now...Now Hermione must find a job.  Please, please let her find a job soon.Beth

"But the Patils refuse to say why we must stay away from Madam Agan. She is dangerous; that is all we need to know."Could the "disturbing presence" have anything to do with Madam Agan?  Probably not because Severus said it felt like neither friend nor foe, only alien.  Perhaps it is someone working for Lucius... really, I have no clue.  This is a very interesting chapter.  Beth

This broke my heart.  I hope the day will come when they can have real joy in their lives and not through pretending alone.  These two survivors are stronger than I think I would be after eleven years or 135 months or 587 weeks or 4,115 days or 98,760 hours that hell hole.Beth

my birthday

****POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT*****(is that a memory?!)

I wonder who the old witch could be?  Mc Gonagall was said to be dead, but presumed dead and actually dead can be two different things

It sounds like the "substance" is unicorn blood.  Should I have put "spoileter alert" on my review?Interesting story, even though it is incredibly cryptic.  I just wish the chapters were longer.

a good ting she met this Agan-lady. Who is living in the gatehouse, friend or foe? looking for updates that you are giving us nearly every day, great

This chapter is a good indication that no matter how dismal our past has been, and that rarely does our future reality measure up to our fondest wishes, sometimes the compromising required to move on leads to more than we had ever hope for.  Well done!Beth

Hermione's list is a good one.  A hopeful one.  She focused on the best indicator of a better life:  creature comforts and the love in one's life.  And now they have a home.  *sigh*Beth

It was too much. I had to skip to the last 2 chapters. I wonder at someone's ability to write something so sad without giving into the greif and sadness themselves. Maybe because you always knew they would be alright. 

This is depressing.

For some reason I'm not sure of, this chapter brings tears to my eyes. Maybe it's the cat. Pets are so healing. Maybe it's the unexpected generosity of Milicent Bulstrode. Maybe I'm happy for Hermione. I think the evil Indian woman is a vampire. I also think the twins gave them the house too easily. What's wrong with it? Is it haunted? Who is watching them. Is it human or other? Is it feind or friend? It's creepy and I keep waiting for something to happen.

This story is very interesting but sad. I suppose that's the point. The cottage is very nice. I'm glad for them. How long do they have to be on probation? Do they still have to write in the diary after they fulfill the terms of probation?

I'm subtly shocked and very touched that Milicent would deign Hermione worthy enough to endow gifts on her! I'm sure the Kneazle was more or less a gift of normalcy - to try to make Hermione's life as normal as possible for her. The fact that the cat's the runt of the litter doesn't bother me.  After all, Crookshanks was deemed basically unadoptable before she found him - fully grown, and she did wonderfully with him. It's like she can take the broken and make them whole. (Did she do that with Severus too?) The book and vouchsafe vow from Milicent intrigue me more. The book must be important. Milicent knows Hermione's not stupid.  And the vow (oral promise, in this case, not Wizard oath) means a great deal too, in a society where only Wizarding blood signifies worthiness.

Just comments...Severus mentions his fears for Hermione's sanity several times.  Yet his own sanity seem precarious as well, and he seems to know it.  Hermione doesn't seem quite as worried about his sanity as he about hers, although she gets scared when he slips away.  She's in much worse shape than he.  Makes job-hunting kind of difficult.But they've been out of prison for about two weeks, after 11 years of solitary confinement?  It's a miracle they're even functional.

Why is Madam Agan dangerous?  What derelict power put the Carrows in charge of so much at Hogwarts?I do hope that Severus and Hermione can buy their new home soon.  And they have to find jobs!Beth