The opening line is startling, excellent as such – while the closing finalises its meaning. I’m enchanted at the latest when in the second paragraph (where a less skilled writer could just tell us that someone told your viewpoint character that she was old) you actually show a vivid image of your characters: his infernal twinkle, her indignation, him in the act of plucking a hair. Thanks to such details this becomes so much more compelling than a mere abstract reflection piece.

It’s wonderful to read the piece slowly and/or to return to admire how carefully you’ve crafted it, for instance how you’ve inserted the reference to Minerva’s certainty that Albus was of the light only at a point where we don’t know she’s already heard (but would like to deny she’s heard) that Albus has done something perhaps more unforgivable than casting an Unforgivable Curse.

Such a precise and apt character study -- and written before DH, too, from the looks of it. Very perceptive!

Great lines:

//She grasped then that someday she would be old//

Yes, such an impossible thing to really understand when you're young. The first real intimation of it is always a shock.

//limns their body with ice all at once//

Excellent description

//That he left her to hate Severus without preparing her to hate him, instead.//

I like the way the parallel construction works -- the pain of the line come through very well in the understatement.

The light Albus/dark Tom contrasts work very well, too.

A fine story.

Oh, that was phenomenal, without a doubt. Poor poor Minerva. Usually, I do not like to find her in such a state, but you handled the situation well, and I find that I rather enjoyed reading, despite who or what was in her past. All I can think of is Tom Riddle, for he was the only one that fit your description that was alive during her time. I can easily see why she first fell for him, and then fell for Albus. Note that I am no TR/MM fan though... I often despise such couples, but the way this was protrayed was so wonderful... Poetic in a sense. Now I am off to read your other masterpieces... =]

~Skrewtkeeper

A neat little Minerva ficlet. I can imagine that she will be hurt when she finds out she was left in the dark.

Great story! Poor McGonagall...

Oh how sad. Thanks for sharing. ~Always Hopeful~

Actually FFn DOES have the ability to reply to reviews. Make sure you set your options so you get an email of a review from here. There is a catch, you need to click the link. Also, members of FFN need to have a signed review. You can also click on my name (if I give a signed review) and it take you to my FFN profile and you can send me a message. I use this feature all the time!

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Now back to the review-
I love this intropective fic. I wonder who the dark man is in Minerva's past. It fits perfectly with post HBP. It is lovely and has a certain mood to it.