Aww!

I can't even find the words to describe how utterly amazing this story is.

Millicent Bulstrode is there? I thought she'd kicked all those nasty Slytherins out, or (per movie) left them buried under rubble in the dungeon. Surprised Minerva doesn't get up and kick Millicent back out, just to make sure.

But then, she made a Gryffindor laugh. I suppose that's good enoug to let her stay.

Lovely triumph. I'm sure she must be happy she's defended the castle so well, especially against a Headmaster that she was so proud to drive from the castle.

But this is a happy story. What a pity that some who gave so much for this happiness can't even be mentioned.

Wow, I feel like you captured Maggie Smith's McGonagall perfectly. Amazing.

Thank you so much for writing the piece, I've been always wondering what happened right after the battle, and you helped me with this) Loved Potter hugging her at last, like he was fighting desire to embrace her for previous 7 years)

*but, just out of interest, wasn't Millicent sent away with others SLytherins? Anyway, I've always suspected she was kinder than other girls from her house)*

awww that was on the one hand so sad but then so cute as well :)

I just loved it.

xxxLio

That was great! I didn't let myself read it until I went to see the last movie...didn't want to have anything given away, if you know what I mean. I've read the books but still, you never know what they leave in or take out for a movie.

I loved Maggie Smith in this...especially when she made that comment to Molly Weasley about using that spell...cracked me up!

It was great to read one of your stories again...I went on a Gilmore Girls fic re-reading the other day...missed yours. Any chance of them making a come back? ;)

Thanks for writing!

Nikki

Very sweet, and in character as well :)

Hm... ja, was soll ich sagen? Eigentlich les ich ja wirklich keine Minerva-stories, aber diese hier war ja schließlich keine seltsame Romanze, sondern ein Einblick in ihre Gefühle direkt nach der Schlacht, und darum fand ich's schon gut. Man muss bedenken, dass die Frau... wie alt? ... fast 80 Jahre alt ist und die ganze Zeit an vorderster Front mitgekämpft hat, gegen die schlimmsten der Todesser sogar. Außerdem war sie ja sowieso schon fix und fertig von dem vorhergegangenen, schlimmen Jahr mit all den Sorgen und Ängsten. Und dann steht sie vor den Trümmern ihres Zuhauses (das ist es ja wohl) und vor den vielen Toten und den Trauernden und den Traumatisierten, und irgendwie scheint man jetzt von ihr zu erwarten, als erste aufzustehen und die hundert und aberhundert Aufgaben zu koordinieren. Sie, als alte, müde gekämpfte, selbst trauernde Frau. Dass sie da nun wirklich mal einen Moment nicht an den perfekten Look denkt, ist schon klar. Sogar so eine beherrschte Frau muss mal einen Moment nachgeben und einfach fertig sein. Aber dann hängen zu viele Seelen und zu viele organisatorische Dinge von ihr ab, und schon rafft sie sich wieder auf. Muss ja. Das ist schon bisschen tragedy.

(He, ich bin zwar keine 80, aber ich kann mich im Moment ganz gut in sie hinein versetzen. Im Kleinen, natürlich).

That... That was beautiful. I'm in tears right now, actually. Very well written and that ending was just amazing. I love the Minerva/Harry relationship and I think you got it just right. Not too overly emotional and sappy, but that hug just shows how much mutual admiration they have for one another.

(Sorry if this is incoherent, I'm waaaayy to tired for my own good right now and emotional over the beauty of this story.)

This story was superbly well done (:

I have so much love for this story and I am so glad that you wrote it. Both Minerva and Maggie have a very special place in my heart and the way you have written this makes that place feel so good.

I love this soo much, amazing! And Harry's hug just made me smile! It was a good view on the aftermath of the battle and captured Minerva's thoughts well, with a good reoccurring theme of her hair... And there were some amazing sad parts, and a great portrayal of how life moves on.

Brief but to the point, and poignant. You captured the tone well, and Minn's character; still strong, still holding firm, but beginning to feel her age and the weight of the past few years' griefs. I liked the bit about the large aggressive Slytherin Bulstrode amusing the small, enthusiastic but shy Gryffindor Creevey. good touch.

Very nice little vignette after the battle, when everyone stops to catch their breath and realize, "Hey! We won," but the scope of the destruction is simply overwhelming. Go Minerva!

Simply awesome.