When I got to what James witnessed, this story got just too violent and gross. It definitely stretched credulity that James could recover as much as he did from that horrendous experience.

I can't say I liked or enjoyed this story. It was hard to take Snape seriously when he described the horrors of the London street scene. It was equally hard to take seriously that he was brothers with James and actually "loved" him in some morbidly defective sense of the word. It was hard to take seriously that James was misguidedly blaming himself for Snape getting ambushed by Remus in the tunnel to the shrieking shack. It was hard to take seriously that Snape was the name of a pureblood line and Potter was not. It was hard to take seriously that the Potter family was expert in the Dark Arts, not just defense against them. But most of all, I rebelled at the thought that Voldemort could be helped by the Snape/Potter family so much and then betray it and destroy it so thoroughly. JKR's version of events was bad enough.

I continue reading only out of morbid curiosity.

This is ridiculously long to be a letter from Snape to Harry. And it's way too Dickensian to be a tale of twentieth century Britain, so it's not the background I would have imagined for Snape, even before the last three HP books were out. I have to divorce myself from the HP characters I know and make this a tale of a previous century or two, else in my mind I call Snape a liar.

Nevertheless, you've done a masterful job of forcing the gritty, grungy, dark, distrustful, hate-filled character of Snape out into the open from the shadow it prefers. You make me want to go soak in the tub to remove the dark and unreasoning hate that oozes from the man onto the reader as he tells his tale.

I don't believe I have ever loved another fanfiction story as strongly as this one. I am not quite sure if I ever will.

I think it completely blew away all expectations I have ever held for Severus, and for James.

Wow, this is really intense. Snape suddenly seems like a good guy that was neglected and shoved off to the dark side...Keep updating your other stories too. you're a great writer, don't stop writing :)

omg! this fic is amazing! but...i didnt really get the scene when snape died...was voldemort turning back human or something? O_O? confusing but that was an amazing scene...i cant say i like the idea of snape being stuck as a ghost forever...although him attacking petunia with toaster ovens and hauting james is funny! i cant believe that voldemort made james EAT johnathan's body! eww. whih reminds me, snape's thinking of voldemort and pandora together was just "eww" that was so cute!

and...what did that box pandora gave him do? i'm kinda thinking of pandora's box so is it something like giving him hope?

And before I write anything else let me just warn you here, Harry: If you ever, and I do stress ever, fly in the city in full view of Muggles, even if it is night and even if you are wearing your invisibility cloak, I shall gut you with that Firebolt broomstick of yours and then feed your entrails to Hedwig. Understand?

OMG! lamo! harry did just that in the fifth book! and the seventh! XD

wonderfully done

Unexpected and magnificent story. Thanks for a great read!

wow what a emotional story... first Severus side of it and then James side of it... I... well I dont think words can say what I feel about it, being struck speachless

Its a really really really good story

Mondy

this is amazing. loved it, without a doubt.

10/10, definitely.

This is epic. I don't think there's another word for it.

You've taken an utterly original perspective, if AU, of Severus, the Potter family, and Voldemort's first death. The details in this are fascinating, while the main events are relevant, understandable, and gripping. Your characterization and character dynamics are perfect.

Just, wow...

Wow, incredible. I normally can't bear reading anything writen this far back but this was amazingly done. The only thing I find hard to believe is nobody even remotely hinting at the sev harry relation. Then again, my perspective is tainted by having read the events of OOTP and then what happened at the end of DH... Although in away you were right, Snape partially hated Harry because he was to much like his mother whom he lost rather than cause he was like his brother, james... I like Pandora. I always found it incredibly strange that both of Harrys grandparents were dead even though his parents had him at about 20... and that he had no cousins or aunts or uncles on the potter side despite the fact that the Poters appeared to be pureblood and therefore everyone is related to each other almost. The explanation of Pandora fit this perfectly and Voldys hate of Harry minus prophecy made even more sense than canon. I'm sorry I rambled, I dont normal write reviews let alone just extensive ones and am obviouly rather bad at it. This story was brilliant and very different to what I normally read. Very well done!

Wow what a convincingly wrote fic, i can really see the point of view from Severus. It brings to mind a whole new list of questions as every good peice of fiction should. Great job.

LeStrange.

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I laughed at that.

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I have kept my promise. As you read this, I am dead. The seal upon these papers assure only you may open them and read the written content. I have told no one of what happened so long as I lived. Indeed, many of this I have told no one so long as I lived.

And now you get to carry the burden of our heritage.

My condolences; it is a very heavy load.

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I cried at that.

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How is that possible? I do not know.

Can it be done? You are the only one to manage this.

Is this good? ...Beyond "good" or "awesome". Magnificent, maybe. Marvellous, if it's more than magnificent. Stupendous, eh. Beautiful, most certainly.

T.M.R.C