Part 3

So I sort of bypassed the win that was Colin in Part 2, so I figured you wouldn't mind if I addressed a bit of that here, right? I had barely hit "submit feedback/review" when tweets started bouncing around about how Colin was a leader in his own right at the BoH. Well, I think this chapter is another example of how he leads by pure charisma. "If you have a problem with that, I suggest you count wands and take a long look into the eyes of the people in this room before you decide what you want to do about it." He doesn't have to say a single word to his fellow Gryffindors before they're all standing with him, a silent show of defiance made even more powerful because no words NEEDED to be used. The students by themselves were enough to demonstrate their point and their point-man was none other than Colin. I'm sure they would have done the same thing for Neville if he had been the one defying Carrow, but most likely only after Colin stood up too. He's a leader by example and action every bit as much as Neville is. He's just been able to do it with a few less scars than Neville, though I suppose his hand would account for about the same equivalent as a flogging. The point I'm trying to make before I ramble too much further, is that when Colin died at the BoH, a true leader passed, but in coming back as a ghost, he's able to use his charisma for hundreds more years than would have ever been possible otherwise. In some ways, he's able to do more than he could have managed alive, though it would take a longer bit of time to accomplish an initial equivalent.

Moving on.

"adrenaline roaring past illness as he snatched his wand off the nightstand." Well, at least we know how it is that the kids stay alive through some very difficult times-their reflexes are so well honed (hyper-vigilant mayhap?) that even being sick to the point of near death won't stop 'em.

The tone you set here is much darker, more serious, more grounded than just about any other scene in which Seamus has taken a part in. It's like the entire room took on the same heavy stillness and waiting expectation that is weighing Seamus down.

"an intricate network of finely interwoven lines and spirals formed into a shape like a distorted triangle" sounds like a triskellion, but I may be grasping at straws. Would you be willing to share the symbol and reasoning behind that particular symbol sometime in the near future?

"As for why: some things need the land." Aye, deep and powerful things that work through channels and ways that no mere human can truly comprehend. Things that are scary and can change a person more than ought to be possible.

“Severus Snape will not be seein’ the summer end, and that’s on magic deep as the green in the hills under winter snow.” Remind me to never, ever cross a man or woman who knows their way around magic like this. Or their friends.

“Seamus, you haven’t cast some kind of…like Avada Kedavra, have you?” This is where Neville is showing his naive understanding of magic. I can't blame him, it's like Parvati had mentioned all the way back in chapter one-the British limit their use and understanding of magic. They don't explore what to them is something unknown and thus to be feared. It's like Neville not knowing that magic is possible without a wand despite having done it on several occasions in his life. At the same time, I can't truly fault his gran or teachers for not wanting to encourage him to explore further. Exploration of magic is dangerous, especially if you have several hundred young witches and wizards doing it all at the same time. Especially when some of their only examples of people who have explored magic more fully are Tom Riddle, Grindelwald, and Dumbledore. All powerful men in their own rights, but with questionable moral systems to some extent or other. But I've gotten completely off track here.

"but the whys and wherefores…that’s not in my hands or on my conscience." Somehow I don't think that's completely true. I think this is an example of one of the steps he took on the path towards Sluagh. One small, tiny step toward something that would take years in Oweynagat and years more at Loch Cibeidraoid (I'd love to learn how to pronounce those names one of these days. It would make me feel a wee bit better not to butcher them in my head every time I read them. JS) for him to over come and not let rule his life.

My goal is to figure out just how hopped up on potions Terry is at this point. The problem is that we have not seen enough of him in the main fic to be able to truly determine that because he did not have as strong a part when he was only a 2nd LT rather than Ravenclaw's LT.

On a side note-I think one of the things that I've started to notice about Ginny's strength is that it matches her mum's pretty well. She's a powerful young witch who can't stand to see someone she cares about harmed and will do whatever she can to prevent that. Sometimes it means making very good decisions (taking Seamus' wand from him when Neville and Ernie are whipped) and sometimes it means making brash choices like she does here by asking for a body guard for Neville.

"Snape’s got it out for me. But only me. The only times he’s tried to kill anyone else have been collateral damage." That makes Snape a very dangerous man because he's desperate and doesn't care what the price of success is. At the same time, when someone is so focused on a single goal, they tend to have blinders on to a lot of other things going on around them so that gives the DA something to work with and even a way to nudge Snape to doing what they want him to. Or maybe to not do something they don't want him to.

*smacks head* why in the world did I not think about a bezoar? We've seen it work before and know there's a good chance that Snape'll try to slip Neville something else again. Missing obvious things like that is irritating.

Neville makes some really great points about being ready to adapt and keep working on being a step ahead as much as possible. "Like it or not, I’m closing the subject." Oh! Look at him being all commander-like. That's cool, he should do it more often. ;-)

For as much of a vital role as Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs play in the making of the DA, I don't think they would be ANYWHERE at all without Ravenclaw. Which is ironic considering that Ravenclaw is the house which would find it the hardest to fight and would have to be Convinced of what is Right and how Right includes Fighting. That house has contributed so much to making the little charms and such that make it possible for the DA to be the most prepared possible. One of these days I may have to write an Ode to Ravenclaw or some such thing.

That was very nice of Neville to grant time off for Valentine's Day. There weren't any ulterior motives there now were there? ;-)

I like how you granted us a little bit of insight into what a command staff meeting AND a full muster meeting would look like. We didn't have to sit through both meetings, nor did you have to go over everything that was discussed, but hinted at just enough for readers to be able to see how well organized and efficiently run each meeting was. It truly is run like an army with specific training scheduled for a particular day and with specific goals that had to be met before a person was considered a Go.

“Please! You’ve got to!” Ernie's desperation surprised me at first. Based on everything I had seen of both him and Susan, they were ready to fight and were prepared to deal with what should happen if one or the other or even both didn't make it out of the BoH alive. For Ernie to suddenly be begging Neville to leave Susan out of it made no sense. Then Hannah and Ernie talking over Neville's head and things started to click and my reaction was all 'Oh. My. God! No. Freaking. Way.' With a big smile crossing my face and everything.

“You’re not angry?” Ernie's confusion is too funny not to laugh at even though I feel really bad laughing at him. Though I feel even worse for him after I realized Neville hadn't quite realized exactly what it was that Susan and Ernie becoming parents would mean, especially with the wee one due AFTER June. Thus congratulations quickly change to plans and tactics and how to keep Susan from being noticed by anyone outside the need to know circles.

"the guys probably wouldn’t notice unless she had the baby in the middle of the Great Hall," Sadly, this is so very true. [In most cases] Guys really are ignorant of how the whole woman/pregnancy thing works.

"That’s the fact I don’t think most of us could concentrate because we’d be watching out for her out of the corners of our eyes." Smart man. Neville really has been figuring out this whole war thing. I wonder how many books and how many hours of study it has taken for him to turn that natural tendency of his into his prominent way of thinking. That's the only way I can explain how he was able to Really take over and become the Commander in more than just name.

"A new life is still a wonderful thing." At this time in their history more than any other. There is nothing like the mystery and wonder of a brand new life to help a person or groups of persons find reasons to keep fighting something that is so much bigger than they are. Not that they really have to have many more reasons besides the names of those who have already fallen, but it is sometimes easier to fight for a future than it is for the past and that is the difference between a single unborn child and dozens of names. Both have power, but they motivate people in such a different way, and that can be the difference between just the teeniest bit more effort on a soldier's part. Just one more jinx or hex or charm or shield from dozens of wands CAN make a difference.

And with that bit of wisdom *coughyeahrightcough* I must say g'night, and see you around! :-D

Amber/faeriegal

Part 2!

"or maybe I’m just already kind of worn down from the stress." I think Neville just discovered the secret of why big-bad things happen to leaders. They're too stressed to do anything about them when they're small and they get Big really quickly. Or in his case, he gets poisoned by Snape AND is worn down from the stress. Same difference really.

"Everything tilted harshly to one side, and he felt like he was falling, but it didn’t bother him at all." How do you know when someone is Really sick? When they can't figure out that they should be worried about something. I may get annoyed by patients when they complain, but I know the moment that they stop complaining that I'm about to start running for the rest of the shift and Bad Things are happening. Now if only I could convince the doctors of this secret.

"Arms that were much stronger than he had expected flexed beneath him," Seamus is so full of win here. Not only is he sick himself, but he is lifting his 6'+ tall and muscular friend into a bed from the floor. When he means he will do anything for his friends no matter what it costs him, he truly does mean it, doesn't he? I don't know of many people that would be capable of doing even half so much as Seamus does. The world would probably be a lot better place if more people were so willing to give up everything for others. Of course, we'd have to significantly decrease the number of people who are willing to Take from those that Give, but we can work on that at the same time, right?

Two things from Neville's realization that he was slipped something. The first is that I like how well you wrote his confusion and near inability to figure out what is going on even as his brain is working in slow-motion overdrive to figure it all out. Writing that had to be difficult at best, unless you've suffered from a high fever and could draw on that as your muse, in which case I feel very sorry for you. The second thing I like is how you drew our attention to something that you pointed out from the very first chapter. You gave us the information at the very beginning so when we got to this bit here, the light bulb didn't necessarily click on so much as your readers would be nodding along with Neville's thought process and agreeing with him because we have the same amount of knowledge that he does. At least in regards to the properties of Chinese Chomping Cabbage. :-) To further my attempt at feeding your DAYD writer's ego, I'd also like to congratulate you on getting just the right amount of desperate here because I swear my heart rate increased and my cheeks grew warm while reading this passage.

Dream sequence. Right. I don't even know where to start here. So much symbolism and wannabe symbolism and things to lead a person astray and just plain mad images dancing through Neville's mind that figuring it all out would be a fruitless attempt. But I will see what I can do to make something of nothing and nothing of something. ;-)

There is nothing quite like a fever dream to make you see all your worries and fears pop up all twisted and evil and disturbing. Things to note: his friends that are with him in the DoM include the top DA members whom he has befriended EXCEPT for Hannah which I find interesting because it seems as though his mind has already declared that she cannot suffer the same fate as others he holds dear because she is worth More to him than even them. Which brings us to the thing he fears the most, which is not DE, but the people he cares about dying. Especially since he will see each death as his fault. (I think this fever dream is where he stopped trying to sail his way past the whirlpool of self-destruction that he falls into between ch 14 and 15. Just a thought) He still sees himself as not enough to do what needs to be done, and so he sees that he will fail, and wouldn't it be right that those he failed should make him suffer as much as they did? Between Harry and the Sword and his parents mourning his life, it's no wonder he should fall and want to be nothing at all.

Okay, so I don't know if it's your writing, or really getting into Neville's head or the hour or what, but I started to cry with Seamus. I don't have a clue what story Seamus was going on about (How in the world would someone manage to get a rope on a Pookah? Shape-shifting faery creature and all that... does not compute.) but I love how we can tell that he's been talking for hours in the hopes that it will help Neville to come back to his senses. "Seamus was leaning over him with a look of joy so deep it bordered on agony" I beleive it was at this point that I started to tear up and smile and pretend like I had even half so much of a clue as Seamus of just how much it meant to him to see Neville move and even open his eyes.

"Oh, you’re lucky it was me, you should know. Luck of the Irish. That’s all it could have been if you’re lookin’ at me with your eyes clear as spring." In most cases I'd say that's pushing superstition just a bit too much, (not that I'd truly Ever say Anything against the Luck of the Irish because there's still more truth than naught to it) but in this case, I'd have to agree with Seamus. It was lucky that he was there and came up with probably one of the only ways to help Neville. And it worked. Miracle of miracles, it worked! The idea of icing someone down, while not usually practiced anymore, is probably the ONLY way to bring down a fever from the incredible high it had to have reached with Neville if his tears were boiling. I think a large chunk of how he's still alive has to do with his magic. No one can survive a fever that boils tears, but with magic, even unfocused magic, the impossible becomes possible. Between his incredibly strong personal magic and Seamus' luck and quick thinking, a miracle happened.

“I bribed the perverted little shade.” Okay, very quick thinking and a Strong bit of luck and cunning. For a ghost, Myrtle has a very strong, uh, libido, I suppose.

“Well, actually, she said if you woke up, we’d see.” I have to give Madam Pomfrey credit for being a realist, even if she doesn't want to be. There is nothing worse than being a caretaker and not being allowed to watch over the most sick person in your care. It would drive a nurse bonkers.

Watching Neville try to remember what was so very important is so painful here. He's desperate and his mind isn't working right and there's so much riding on his memory, which has never been great, and there's just so much stacked against him here. Even when he does figure out what was important-Snape trying to kill him via something slipped into his medicine-it's something so incredible that it's near about unbelievable. "You slip him a Sleeping Draught, so he tries to kill you...that’s a little much even for him, Neville."

"I KNOW MY BLOODY PLANTS!" I believe we have here a sign of not just someone who is desperate to tell the truth, but one who is desperate to have his friends believe him. Without their support, he and his new part in life are nothing. At least that is part of what I'm seeing here. He's trying to keep others from suffering as he did, yes. He's trying to make it so that others know to pay attention to what the evil man that is their headmaster is doing. But at the core, he still needs the trust and backing of his lieutenants, his friends, and the closest people he has to brothers and sisters, his family.

"there was a darker core to him that showed only rarely, but it was those eyes that looked back now; the side of his heritage that was rooted in Celtic warrior-heroes and blood rites of passage," You set yourself up well for the chaos that will follow only a few short years after this. Seamus is full of the contradiction that is the Irish-Celtic culture, especially as seen by those who have only known of the Irish after Christian influences. Magic runs deep in their blood, not just in the HP world, but in general, and there is a power that goes right along with that magic. It is this that I see Seamus drawing from here, and retreating into years from now. That power that is more than self, and defines an entire people, and Seamus knows it and doesn't hesitate to use it as he sees it is necessary. But that's a discussion for a book that takes place a few years from this one, right? ;-)

"He knew that the Headmaster was looking for an excuse to call him in open defiance." I'm sure Neville has the right of it here. Snape would surely look for some reason, any reason to be rid of the annoyance that is Neville and the DA. Heaven forbid he actually take care of a student first.

*shakes head* silly people and their pride. It's okay to say that you're feeling a bit weak after having all your organs boiled for a few days. The great thing is that as a wizard he Could Charm his book bag and all that. A Muggle would have to suffer even more humiliation and let his friends help him out by carrying him and his books and such.

Carrow's idea to push him until he "defied" her was pretty ingenious. In theory at least. Too bad she forgot to count in the fact that the only other people in the classroom were Gryffindors. With wands. All of whom hated her and cared for Neville. She failed before she even started.

"There was no threat in the movement, there didn’t need to be." Perfectly executed bit of prose here. Simple statements that are very powerful and easily match the simple movements that were being described. The impact is that much stronger, at least at a sub-conscious level just due to how everything ends up flowing. Or at least that's how I end up seeing it.

"but he was smiling." It's funny, but there are some phrases that paint a picture just as well as a painter and in far less space, and this is one of them. We see Neville's triumph even as he's struggling to manage the simplest of tasks and it's perfect. He definitely deserves to find his bed and just sleep.

And here is where I must say, To Be

This is the most amazing fanfiction I have ever read. Ever. I cried so much in the last few chapters of this! Really amazing work here. I can definitely understand why there is such a huge subfandom following for this universe. I really loved Terry and Michael. I cried the most about them - Chapter 18! I just sat there, staring at my screen in shock! DAYD is just so well-written, and has character development (how insanely great!), and I'm not really doing it justice with this silly review! I think I've done a crappy job of putting how much I loved this story into words, so I'll just say, I LOVE YOU! (: Looking forward to the next installment...

Wow. You absolutely blew me away with this. Bravo for making Neville's characterization so seamless that when you introduced Rowling's dialogue for him, it seemed absolutely nature. You made me laugh (little Terry, Ron's hickey), cry (Gwenog's salute to her fallen fan, Ernie's sacrifice) and cheer (Mrs. Weasley in battle - even more than in the original novel). I read this over a few days, and when I couldn't read it, I was thinking about it. THANK YOU for your author's notes. My father was a soldier and it hurts me every time people belittle people in uniform. This story was a fitting tribute to young warriors. I can't thank you enough for writing it.

So it's been a bit busier at work than I had been expecting and the writing of this was not so quick nor so simple as I had thought it would be. For that, I appologize.

Wow! I cannot think of a time when the RoR wouldn't have people in it, whether for training or fitness or meetings from the moment classes were released to the time that it was deemed too risky to be caught out of bed. And I'm sure some of the upper echelons of chain of command took that risk when they felt they could. It is interesting how the need for a true chain of command was demanded when their size was doubled but they were still functioning at a bare minimum chain prior to that. I also can't help but wonder just how high the learning curve was for the newcomers. They had four months less training time and prep time when compared to the first batch of the second DA members. I'm sure it would be intimidating to realize what had brought on the sudden change in their classmates and then have the expectation that they would achieve the same level in a similar time. And then surpass that because they had to if they wanted to keep up.


I had never thought about how much of an affect fears and grudges would have on such a close knit group, but it makes sense. The command staff needed to know who would be able to trust the person covering their back and who would do something petty. Also knowing that someone is particularly talented with charms and another has great aim and another has little sense of fear would make a huge difference in who they're going to be paired up with as well.


Memorizing the layout of the entire castle would be more than stressful, especially for someone like Neville who has been renowned for not being able to remember things like that. But this is also a very changed Neville, one with purpose and a mission, which I have always found to be far better motivating factors than a fear of being late to class or cornered by Peeves.


This may be a silly question, but why weren't they studying the texts and battles prior to this? And I'm assuming that they are looking at texts from when witches and wizards were part of Muggle armies somewhere about 10 years ago. Can I just say how jealous I am that the wizarding world has somehow found a way to preserve history so much better than their Muggle counter-parts. After you had mentioned some of the wizarding wars, I tried to look up information on what is historically known in this world and few documents still exist that aren't disputed for this reason or that. It's very frustrating.


I can't help but wonder how much a part Ravenclaw is playing in this. It is the house that is considered closest to Slytherin in temperament and the ones who have to find a logical reason to go along with the DA, but they're the ones who are making such a huge impact in how well the DA will be organized and able to defend and attack the DE. It's also nice to see more of them because we never really saw much of the house in the first 7 books. At least Gryffindor had classes with Hufflepuff and Slytherin so we saw a bit of them.


It seems like time is moving on fast-forward at this point. They barely started the second half of school and are already gearing up for the end of the school year. At the same time, it does make sense to get everyone set up in their teams and start doing their drills with those particular members for the next two months so that they can start to figure out how to work together as a team more efficiently. I think there are some advantages to having a self-made army and that is the ability to truly make decisions about who goes where and why are much more clear cut than when dealing with a standing because of the necessary bureaucratics that come with the latter.


Dennis Creevey's continued silence really is something that needed to be looked at more closely, not only by the students of the DA, but by the teachers as well. It should be well known to all that he and Colin are now orphans, something needs to be done, right? How did things spiral so out of control as to be lacking any true bit of assistance for kids like them? It is so wrong and will be my eternal beef with the wizarding world-the lack of social services that is.


You're introduction of Dragon Pox is very intimidating you know. It makes the reader tense up and wonder what this new and terrible thing is. Once I realized it was some sort of highly contagious communicable disease, I laughed at myself because thoughts of everything from ghost to some odd creature come up from the lake had passed through my head. Also, can I just say that your version of Dragon Pox is pretty darn awesome in descriptions (they cough FIRE!) and makes Chicken Pox seem like such a small thing. Even the names bring that in context. Chickens are small and things we hunt and eat while dragons are huge and intimidating and are things that eat us.


It is with great irony that we discover most of the officers in the DA were either half-bloods or very isolated purebloods. The DA didn't stand a chance.


“his face twisting up bizarrely for a moment before he sneezed, setting the knee of his pajama bottoms on fire. With a resigned sigh, he shot a jet of water at it from the end of his wand and went on.” You want to know what the best thing about this scene is? Seamus is putting OUT a fire. I got so sick and tired of him being the running gag in the HP films by having something blow up in his face at least once every film. Here, we actually get to see him showing that he's really a person and a wizard and knows a bit more about magic than the odd trick here or there.


*smiles* knowing that Snape acquired a most horrid case of Dragon Pox makes me incredibly happy. Though, it does make me wonder how he managed to avoid it all those years working as a teacher at the school and at the rotten luck of the year that they should happen to get that illness running rampant through the school when they most need the time to be working on their drills.


The little bit with the door refusing to open for Neville is a nice touch to remind us that there are some ways in which magic is much more effective than most things that Muggles can come up with.


I really like the camaraderie that Neville and Seamus have together in these more recent chapters. I can really see their friendship and relationship becoming something more than just dorm-mates to knowing and caring about each other. It sets the stage for Sluagh to have that much more impact on the readers, which I both love you and hate you for. Watching Seamus when he is at his lowest would not hurt so much if we didn't see him here in DAYD acting like just about any other teenager, albeit with a dark sense of humor. At the same time, watching him find his redemption again at Loch Cibeirdraoid via Undying Again almost makes the hard journey worth it. At least from a reader's pov.

“Nah, I wouldn’t miss comin’ back here for anythin.’ It’s the most fun I’ve ever had.” And on a completely different, is he out of his mind, sort of note... fun?! He thought the last few months of torture and being constantly on alert and never truly getting any rest was fun? He needs to be getting his head examined is what he needs to be doing. At least that is what the logical and reasoning bit of my mind is saying. The rest... well, I can see where he's coming from. "Now I’m not just one of the other lads in Potter’s year, I’m a fighter, an officer of the D.A., a war hero…and a fairly popular fellow to boot." Especially right here, because that need and drive to make a difference, to know that your life Mattered and someone else is living better because of it, is what makes life worth living. There ain't no other way around it. Doesn't mean I'd consider being Cruciated three times over plus beaten to a pulp quite along the lines of "worth it" in the same easy manner as Seamus. I do think both he and Neville have a very valid point in that Seamus can't rightly be out of his mind if he were never properly in it. :-)

"Maybe Fearless Leader just had to get himself a bigger, meaner bug to show us all up?" I feel like that is the problem with being in charge and command. Everything has to be... Extra, I suppose, compared to whatever it is that other people are dealing with. A commander is not allowed to fall to something as common as Dragon Pox (wow is that contradictory considering Dragon Pox is near enough unheard of in most of the world) because it's not big and showy enough. Neville always has to be something, someone, more than who he truly is to maintain a mere mask of who he is. The commander of the DA is not allowed to have weaknesses, no matter if Neville Longbottom from 6th year had plenty. It's just not the way that leaders act, you see. And so it's really no surprise that Neville came down with the illness, but that something More had to happen to him. Even Snape knows that leaders can't suffer from a simple thing. It must always be complicated (even if Snape wasn't trying to help Neville or his image, but was merely trying to rid himself of the leader and motivation for rebellion at the school.

But, I be getting ahead of myself here and my mind is fading and I am near about out of characters. Super, Enhanced Dragon Pox thoughts should be following later/soonish (definition of soonish up for debate) and all that good jazz.

I hope you have a fantastic day!

Amber/faeriegal

This was absolutely wonderful. I think I actually enjoyed it more than the seventh book - you got to show us where the actual action was, at least the kind of action that the first six books would make someone expect, and I do love these characters. :) I thought it was a little weak of Rowling, that since people die in battle people had to die, but she compromised on this by making the deaths of people who we hadn't been watching the entire time, people we are (for the most part) not necessarily as attached to. Of course killing off one of the main characters could be seen as a cheap sympathy move too, but that's not my point - What I mean is thank you for making the sacrifices in the book seem like true human beings. It's been amazing.

First, Neville talking about wanting to be a Hufflepuff, then Ernie and Neville's embrace and now Renny's breakdown. You're trying to make me continuously cry throughout this entire fic, aren't you? Well, it's working! I've been looking for a good Hogwarts during DA fic for a long time, and I think I've found it. This is absolutely brilliant and I'm only 4 chapters in! I'm sure you'll make me cry more from here on out, but this is poised to become one of my favorite fics! Everyone's characterization is spot-on and the flow is amazing!

Part 3 - late, but hey, I'll try to keep it at least to Thursday. (my time at least)

“He allowed his fellow Gryffindors to go through first, staring out the window fixedly at the leafless branches of the Whomping Willow as they pummeled one of Hagrid’s unfortunately trespassing escaped skrewts into a blotchy stain on the snow.” You really convey the mood here and even give readers a bit of a laugh. I don’t know why, but the casual mention of the skrewts always makes me giggle, especially when something is happening to them that I know most of the older students fantasized about at one point in time or another. But, because of Neville’s mood, he can’t see it for truly how amusing and funny it is. Instead he’s seeing, but not really comprehending what’s going on because he’s so stuck in his own mind and worry.

"Her smile widened, and a mischievous sparkle appeared in the brown eyes." This is a great description of Ms. Ginevra Weasley. She definitely took after the twins more than any other people in her family, but she's less LOUD about it and much more likely to get someone with a well placed barb than an actual physical joke. I really enjoy how you've fleshed out her character to be so much more here than we ever saw in the books.

The RoR sounds amazing the way Dobby has it set up, but I think my favorite part is the cake because of this, "topped with small sugar figures of the bride and groom shooting hexes at a cringing black-robed heap that bore an uncanny resemblance to their Headmaster" Total win and awesome. That is all.

Oh, poor Dobby. Well, actually, I feel really bad for the DA, but still bad for Dobby too. He tries so hard to make so many friends and do things for people he respects, but it's always just a little over the top. Okay, a lot over the top. Humorously so, but still. I love that he's trying to play the bagpipes even if it's making anyone who actually likes the instrument change their opinion very quickly.

Ernie and Susan's embarrassment was pretty much perfect and the way Neville handled their well-meaning piper was fantastic. Ernie's speech, while being classic Ernie, seems less pretentious here and more about maintaining some sort of dignity and equilibrium seeing as how he was very much not expecting a celebration when he walked into the RoR.

Fantastic choice for lyrics and it's even better since Susan apparently knows it too so it's even more appropriate. The thing is, it's not only appropriate for Susan, but for all the DA because they really don't have much time. Less than half a year and even though there's now hope that some of them will survive, the hope that a particular individual will live is still lacking.

"and he would have given anything for a spell that could freeze time, give him another ten, twenty, fifty years with Hannah in his arms and his wand tucked harmlessly in his pocket." This sentiment hits me hard because I can't tell you how many times I've heard soldiers wish that they never had to fire a weapon for more than maintaining their weapon's qualification because there are few things worse than knowing you are going to be firing a weapon at another human being. If you're firing at someone, that usually means they're firing back and it'll be either you or him who will never see family again.

“Most people think that not even coming close to your twenties is a bit much for ‘sooner.’” Yes, Hannah, yes it is. And with that, even your forties is much too soon because that is when children are getting married and still need you to help them figure out how to do this whole living on their own thing. They still need someone to talk to and cry to when they're trying to figure out how in the world they are going to function with a little one not letting them sleep and still needing to find the funds to pay for their house and food and it's Just Not Fair. *sniffle*

"Seamus and Ginny were showing off shamelessly, her red hair flying" Wee for sudden change in tone! Well, the song was the transition, but this set it off, especially since the picture you drew for this scene is mad awesome and breathes a bit more life into it. Not that you really need that, but you know, the more real the characters are, the better the story comes across to the reader, right? Especially since it forces me to think of the other dancers and the mental image of Rowan being tossed around by Fritz reminds me of something from Cirque Du Soleil or something. :-D

"The same charm that kept the fragile lenses of the telescopes mounted at intervals along the stone parapet from cracking or icing over also cast a bubble of warmth over the tower’s open platform," um, that wasn't something I had ever considered. Seeing things like this always make me wonder what other details like that I've missed between JKR's books and yours.

“It just won’t go away.” That's true, once you've started the way of thinking that tries to see a tactical advantage to everything it's really hard to turn that off. Some survival instinct or something. It would be so much better if it had an on/off switch, but it only seems to have the on part and the off part is none-existent.

Sadly, Neville and Hannah are pretty accurate in their assessment that they're going to have to make their stand before Harry makes his. It's sort of simultaneous, but that really does seem to have all been due to chance more than anything else.

“I won’t do it either. Poor Anthony had to the other day…he was a mess after. They’ve got that streak of detachment that makes it possible, but it’s not enough to spare their conscience.” I cannot imagine how that would be, having to Curse someone for a reason you cannot agree with and are ideologically opposed to. I know I'd end up throwing up just as much as Neville did way back in chapter 2 after Parvati was Cruciated if I had been in Anthony's situation.

"It can never really heal, because it’s never really over when it’s just an idea." When did Neville get so intelligent about things like that? Actually, I think of all the people in the DA, he would have the best idea of what Hannah was going through because he's had 16 years to figure it out.

I like how well Neville and Hannah get each other and are able to explain their thoughts and worries and concerns with each other even while surprising the other with their insights. Even while talking about a Neville's parents where the wrong thing can easily be said or mis-communication is more common than not and everyone side steps it. Instead, they are able to learn more about the other sees them and it draws them closer. It even brings forward other revelations (HAH! Why am I not surprised that Hannah was part of the inner-circle trying to watch Cedric?) and I love that they can make the other laugh when they need it most.

Hannah is right in thinking that Ginny won't have Harry making her laugh when she is crying. He'll try to comfort her, sure, but it won't be anything at all like what Hannah and Neville are able to do for each other. At the same time, Ginny is strong enough in her own right and has a far harder view of the world that I don't think she is as bothered by things that go on around her as Hannah or Neville would be. She reminds of Seamus a lot in that she has quicksilver emotions and doesn't try to hide them, but they're not quite to the same strength and she still has a barrier between her and the rest of the world. Right, back to Neville and Hannah who are actually IN this scene.

"And I love that we came up here to talk about dying and wound up like this." I do too. Not necessarily because I expect to read anything more than a kiss or two in this story, but because it is only through sharing their dread of death that they're able to find the will to try to live. It's bittersweet, but beautiful at the same time. Moments like this are able to make days like chapter 10 bearable and remind us silly readers that it is only at night that we can see stars and the moon like they are meant to be seen. The bright points of light and laughter and love mean so much more juxtaposed against the horror and fear that they slog through every day.

“We have one hundred and sixty-seven days.” The great thing is that I don't feel like she's saying that they have that long until they die, but they have that many days of life. Same difference really, but one is still hopeful because in one you are experiencing the ups and downs of living and the other you are fearing every day because it brings you that much closer to the end. Neither one is giving up and it is truly wonderful. :-)

Thank you for being so patient and waiting and all that. :-D Hopefully it was worth the wait, and not too long (really, three parts? Who am I kidding?) and all that. Have a great day, and I will see you around in the RoR or comm or some such. :-)

Amber/faeriegal

Part 2! (wow do I talk too much)

"He was seen at that idiot Lovegood’s house just after Christmas by two of ours." If nothing else had been accomplished by this meeting, at least they discovered a little bit about what Harry has been up to and they know that he's still alive and fighting. That truly is wonderful and great news.

"everyone had for once believed the official story," Really? Since when do they think the Prophet is capable of printing something accurate during this year? That's funny.

"He’s seeing traitors everywhere. Even in his most faithful." It's kinda nice to see that the DA was right, that Voldemort really is paranoid, but it sucks that someone is trying to blackmail them because of that. Especially if that someone is just another kid like them, because that means that his life is truly in danger and the cycle will just continue. It doesn't matter if Malfoy is in everything so much deeper than Renny, he's still barely more than a child and already shouldering adult worries and troubles. An entire generation of children have grown up much too fast and it is a terrible thing.

The first time I read this and saw how firm Neville was being with Malfoy I was really hoping it had more to do with a plan than bravado, otherwise this was going to turn out really bad, really quickly. I just couldn't see a way past them being forced to meet at least some of Malfoy's demands. Of course, I didn't take into account Colin being quite so awesome and seeing all the potential that the Fidelius charm has.

“If you think that some weepy little note from that stupid Mudblood brat is going to…why are you smiling?” The grin I can see on Neville's face is some combination of an evil, sh*t-eating grin, and full out laughing because he just won and there is nothing that Malfoy can do to change that score. Though you can't fault the kid for trying to threaten the Secret-Keeper. He just keeps forgetting that when people are united because of a cause they tend to be much more united than those who come together because of fear or greed. There's a reason why most of the stories have the good-guys outnumbered and out-tanked but still winning. Not only does our collective conscious WANT them to win, they also CAN win. Or so I'm going to keep telling my own idealistic self.

The kiss was bloody brilliant! I cannot believe Neville actually kissed him, but oh lordy was it awesome to read. I do not know if I have enough imagination to see/know the shock that poor Malfoy suffered. Though it is interesting to think that not only had Malfoy been figuratively stripped of all power and pretense and thus his masculinity, but he was also physically injured/assaulted in such a way as to suggest that loss was more permanent. I do not think it has been a very good year for Malfoy.

"Gryffindor common room, please" He is so polite, even to a more or less non-thinking room. That is very special in a good way.

"clutching his sides as he gasped for air through tears of laughter." He would be, though I am surprised he's the only one on the floor. I'd be right there next to him trying to figure out how to make my lungs work properly when all I could do would be gasp out some sort of laugh type thing.

"If Malfoy needed the better part of a bottle of courage to come and see me tonight, he’s really scared, and that means You-Know-Who is really coming down hard on his own." Proven by several different reasons, not the least of which being the fact that Malfoy asked for the meeting in the first place.

Okay, score two points for Colin for awesome ideas. I love the charmed pendant idea and I can't help but notice that they are identical pendants. It makes me think of some of the principles in particle physics that are only now being discovered, one example being how two atoms are able to mirror each other's movements no matter how great their distance because of some sort of connection thingy. Maybe I'm stretching, but that was what I thought of.

Oh! Lavender is in a rare form during this discussion, and I love it! Going from there's 100 of them and only 40 of us to if there were more of us we could do more than make a dent-we can make a difference! Not just a difference, but be The Deciding factor. “Lav, you’re talking about winning!” Yes she is and it is a wonderful idea. :-)

Why is it that everyone seems to think Neville ahs some sort of secret answer to everything that he isn't sharing with the rest of the class? I mean, yes, he's the leader of their little army, but he's also been very clear about sharing as much as possible with as many as possible so that there is no question about what page everyone is on. It seems silly for them to think that he knows something about how to kill Voldemore that he's not sharing with the rest of them.

"Gryffindor’s sword, Hufflepuff’s cup, Slytherin’s locket" I love how they are so very close to being able to figure out what's going on, but missing just enough crucial information as to be incredibly far off the target about what is going on. It almost makes me feel bad for them.

And why do the wizards not know about the phrase "red herring"? What do they get taught in primary school/at home? Is it really too much to ask for them to have a basic understanding of things like debate and maths and reading/writing and other such things? Maybe we could even be really adventurous and learn a bit about the history of the world, even that nasty Muggle one, and all that good jazz. I know, it's weird, it's crazy, but it might just make the world a better place. *gets off soap box*

“Vault of LeStrange in the Bank of Gringotts, and that’s a dead end…very literally, if we were idiots enough to try it.” Oh snap! I like the poke and prod at either how desperate the Trio were or how absolutely stupid they were to even think of going for the Sword.

The planning to try to get the sword into the hands of one of the Order members is making my head spin. It really does seem as though some of them think it is likely that they could somehow pull of their crazy plan to make it so that one of the people they need to inherit the Sword, will. I dunno, it just seems so weird to me.

“We can win.” I can just hear those three words being infused with so much hope and wonder that the room really does brighten up and the air seems lighter and everything is better, much like you describe. These kids are going from having next to no hope for a future to all of the sudden thinking that there’s a chance, and it’s no longer a long shot, that they could win, survive, and most importantly Live. I cannot imagine how wonderful, incredible and motivating those three lonely words were for the dozen or so lost Gryffindors.

“It was another drive, something deeper and older than the war,” I really like how you make Neville a multi-dimensional character with this line. It seems that for many of the characters in canon or other fics, the war with Voldemort IS their motivation for things. Neville has his own reasons for doing things and this is just one of the examples.

Ah, the Fidelius Charm is so very flexible when you have the wit and Ravenclaw braintrust that is Terry and Mike working on it, even if it is technically only Terry that is consulted. The idea of being able to talk about the DA without breaking the charm but still have it be protected is an incredible innovation. I’m pretty sure that there are much more intelligent and “forward” thinking wizards that would probably *headdesk* if they realized just how much the DA fiddled with charms and other spells to make them work for their purposes. It is true that war brings forward more innovations because they are needed, I’m sure the magical world is no different.

“And disclose it they did.” Why does that sound so incredibly ominous for Snape & Co? Oh, right, that’s because it is. :-)

I don’t know if you could necessarily call the varied and large number of different tactics the DA used for recruitment a campaign so much as a barrage. Basically, they ensured that no one could have one small moment of peace without reminders of what was going on in the world around them. I’m actually surprised that there weren’t MORE people that joined than did!

With how creative the DA was with their recruitment tactics, the people putting their names down were just as creative. Kissing a girl! Really? I’m surprised people didn’t just turn in names to the “leaders” in their own houses. Though, I suppose the Ravenclaws would be harder to pinpoint since they’re already an odd bunch and it could be more or less assumed that ALL the older Gryffindors were already in. (which, if I remember correctly, is pretty much true.)

The DC was another great idea and now that I think about it, would account for pretty much the rest of the school. So effectively, the only people not in the DA or DC would be Slytherins and the odd Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw. I can understand why Neville would have second-thoughts about the DC. After all, who’s to say that they wouldn’t try to do something rather stupid (there are Gryffindors involved you know) while thinking they could “handle” it because they were part of something bigger. Of course, I have to agree with Neville that knowing the young ones could protect themselves a little bit better would be relieving. “Neville saw a tiny first-year girl produce a confident, glimmering Protego Charm that bounced Filch’s intended whip-strike for ‘looking cheeky’ back into his face as though it had struck a stone wall.” I want to meet this girl! She’s kick-ass and probably is a bit cheeky, or at least she was after that encounter with Filch. *smirks*

There be a character limit for my next thoughts so, I suppose you're going to be getting this one in three parts as well. I'm thinking this has more to do with my inability to shut up than it does with the material being more interesting in these chapters, not that the material was ever uninterest

First-I think this is the first chapter I've read in a while (of ANYTHING, DAYD or otherwise) that wasn't completely full of angst and made me cry. Thank you for giving your readers a wee bit of a break. We needed it. Probably as much as Neville did. ;-)

"To Neville’s great relief, the rest of the Christmas holiday passed far less eventfully than the first few days." You have no idea how frightened I was that you would start the chapter out with this, skim the break and suddenly toss us straight into more torture and Crucios and horrible things happening. Well, you sort of did that, but you skimmed the Crucios too and gave us something that even resembled (and actually was!) hope.

"she showed not a moment’s hesitation in turning up her sleeves and digging into the rich soil of the pots and seedling beds." Which is one of the many reasons why Hannah and Neville get along so well. You do have to have something in common with each other, and for someone to share a home with Neville, she really would have to share an appreciation for growing things and dirt.

"What they shared in the early hours of that morning, Neville knew, would be something that would stay with him through whatever darkness lay ahead." What a lovely one-shot Wick was, (No, I'm not blatantly advertising your one-shots in my thingies, no, not at all.) but I'm glad that wasn't in DAYD as it would have severely changed the tone of the story and would not have added anything that the readers could not infer on their own. It does however, work fantastic as a one-shot/out-take. :-)

"The few weeks break had made the whole thing seem far less intimidating," yay for vacations actually serving their purpose of centering and re-energizing people. It really sucks that he's still needed to command the DA.

"the defiant smiles that passed between them were like sparks of light in the gathering gloom." Great simile, especially considering the fact that the second term seems to be impossibly darker than the first.

"Dennis seemed oddly detached from it all, staring blankly into space, and Neville frowned, making a mental note to take a moment after they had reached the school to talk privately with the young wizard." It's great and wonderful that Neville is taking mental notes of the DA and all that, but I am saddened by Dennis' detached air. A fourteen year-old kid should be beaming smiles back and forth across the platform with his friends and flirting with witches.

"flanked by a veritable entourage of four shiningly masked Death Eaters." Somehow, I don't think Draco is coming on his own terms, and the special treatment may not be so special as he thinks or is trying to tell himself it is.

The exchange between Neville and Draco was along the lines of watching a tennis game where one opponent played the same game he always had, yet the other had trained over winter and now had much more confidence and was able to easily exchange the ball. The first man won the first round with a trick, but it showed the second man how far he had already pushed his opponent. Round two and the game would be his with a few well planned moves.

Seamus' indignation and plans are highly amusing. “So wouldn’t it be a fine bit of a surprise to see what kind of wiggly little mess he turned out as?” I think that may have made me laugh so loud as to wake my neighbors! (especially considering I had just read Revelations-again-and Ernie barely grabbing Seamus before he vaulted the table had me rolling. This just continued with that because Seamus is a man of finding the humor in things that you once again have to either laugh or cry about.) I do have to question why Ginny is agreeing with Seamus. Usually she can be counted to think before she leaps, but not here. Actually, scratch that, Luna was one of her closest friends. It makes sense that Ginny would want to see someone pay for mistreating her.

"She usually wears real petrified Dirigible Plums mounted on little hooks." Silly question really, but why in the world would someone wear a fruit? Scratch that-why does Luna wear a fruit? What creature does it repel for her?

I wonder why they're so surprised it's from Malfoy. It's not like Luna would have had the tools to do any magic (DE being far more cautious than house elves when it comes to leaving silverware around) or cut the thing open so precisely. Nor do I see Malfoy acting as a messenger boy unless it would somehow benefit him. But, that may all be easier to see from an outside pov.

“I know it’s a trap, I’m not stupid!” Why is it that line seems to turn up more frequently than it really should. If it's obvious something is a trap, it's likely that the soon to be trapee already knows it.

"whether or not Harry was right or wrong about him being one last year." Did Ginny know Harry really thought Malfoy was a DE? For some reason I had been under the impression he had been more discreet than that. Oh wait, who am I talking about, it was Harry POV and he probably thought he was being discreet while half of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw knew what he was up to. I'll go back to my opinion that he was never the most discreet nor stealthy individual

"you might have that fight on your hands tonight rather than this June."-my mind is going 'he's joking right? He can't really mean that? Oh, shoot! He does mean it!'

"'I just wish Mad-Eye were here,' Seamus muttered, 'he made such a darlin’ ferret,'" Seamus really loves the Idea of Transfiguration, he just doesn't seem to get it himself. It's really too bad too, because with all the ideas he's got bouncing around his head, there wouldn't be many DE able to fight!

Random thought - Poor Dennis is going to have to wait for someone else to come to the tower to give the Fat Woman the password! His brother won't necessarily be able to be with him 24/7, though I know he'll try. Actually, never mind, I know his classmates would let him in if he indicated a desire (would he even do that) to go back to the tower.

Going with the Dennis and Colin theme-I think this is probably the first scene where we see Colin acting like a typical teenager-swearing, explanations via a dead pan voice suddenly transforming into anger-"but I want to know who I’m going to hex into the middle of next week for going after my baby brother!" This line struck me because it's very similar to what I would say (minus the magical components) if I knew someone had beat up my little brother. Going with the little brother theme-I cannot tell you how worried/scared/upset I was for Dennis and his classmates due to his silence. If he's so traumatized as to be unable to speak, who's to say that he won't "go off" while he sleeping or if someone really does push him, probably by hurting his brother. The amount of anger and aggression he is bottling up has got to be absolutely phenomenal.

Observation-Seamus' accent comes out stronger when he's trying to coax someone into doing something. I actually like it a lot. I like reading accents (Irish and Scottish in particular) and you are obviously going to write the most accurate Irish accent out of anyone I know.

"he knocked his hand against the table with an eerily wooden clunk," the sound I hear echoing in my head is sufficiently unpleasant, but when ya add in the image associated with the sound, it's down-right disturbing.

"A love note from Malfoy. He wants Fearless Leader to meet him alone for a midnight snog in the Room of Requirement." I feel like I'm acting like a Seamus fangirl right now (who am I kidding, I Am acting like a Seamus fangirl!) but he's been making me laugh and it's great! I just had to tell you that. :-)

"I guess if I’m going to die tonight, I won’t have to tell Padma I borrowed the new shoes she got for Christmas." I think this flippant Parvati is awesome and made of win. She's a strong woman whom it would be a pleasure to see what she did with her life after this tragic year. *sigh* it's really too bad we don't all get what we want. I wonder what an AU would look like where she and/or her sister lived...? *blocks plot bunnies from taking up residence in her room*

"Snape had stalked by only moments before," Why in the world is he up prowling the corridors? Doesn't the man ever sleep? I'm sure it would do him more good than haunting the corridors like a ghost and make it so he was unable to function near half so well as he needs to during the day. Not that it's a good thing for Neville & co if he was functioning at top shape, but at least they wouldn't be nearly caught in the wee hours of the night doing things they aren't supposed to be doing.

"Neville’s mouth dropped open in shock." It's funny, but I think Malfoy's mouth would drop open in surprise if he saw what the room turned into during some of the DA meetings. Or how well they knew to manipulate it so that they could have it open up more or less wherever they needed it to go.

"Real pity the Mudblood was the only one you had with half a brain." Draco-Meet Terry, Terry-Draco. Have a nice chat. Terry, do try to keep it to English for Draco, kthnxbye.

It is interesting how Malfoy really does think he's the one in charge of the conversation. He really didn't seem to take into account that Neville really has been leading the resistance and doing a fantastic job about it too. The DA really is more than the little homework club that Malfoy had helped to oust and they've got a lot more tricks up their sleeves. Of course, he probably doesn't know the full extent of what's been going on, because what DE would want to admit to being bested by a bunch of children? So, maybe I can't fault him too much, but I can laugh and watch him fall from his high pedestal. Which is kinda mean, especially now that I think about it because I really did come to have a lot of strong empathy/sympathy for Malfoy by the end of HPB and even more for his family during and after DH. *sigh* At least JKR could write some young men as sympatheti

this is one of the most amazing stories i've read. ever. not just in harry potter, or in fanfiction, but every single literary piece i have read.

i can't begin to describe how it made me feel in words, but to be succint, it made me laugh, grin, and cry appropriately.

your final author's note has made me consider our own soldiers. there has been trouble between the government and the separatists for as long as i can remember. and i can only hope that one day he fighting will stop.

thank you for the story. i can't say i agree with either side of the fighting in my own country, since neither is in the right, in my opinion, but you've given me a glance into the lives of the people fighting those sides for them.

you made me stay up all night reading a fan fiction... you naughty boy. It was wonderful, thank you for sharing.

cool, Krum gets a cameo, always knew he was a good guy!

from the height of romanticism with valentines day, to the final scene... which brought tears to my eyes. genius work.

wow, there was so much good in this chapter that I can't really begin to list it off. this really is amazing.