I agree with many of your points and love how you're exploring canon further, with a twist of course. Finally, there is someone who does not simply write off Snape's behaviour and excuses it using his love for Lily! That characterisation is too simple and like you said, his character is contradictory, anything but simple. How long a time will this story span? I look forward to reading more chapters and seeing the story develop. :)

Ughhh why must you tease me with these long updates! I love your story though so I cannot let it go! Every chapter you write with these characters just makes so much sense I feel like they're your very own creation. Hopefully a new chapter will soon follow i can't get enough!

This story is amazing. I think you have made your characters all really engaging and complex and very different that most other stories I have read. Sometimes the Marauders do come off a little too brilliant and perfect, but at least it makes things interesting to try to figure out what they are up to. I do like your characterization of Lily and how she is more complex and familiar with the Dark Arts than I have ever seen as, like you said, she was best friends with Snape for 6 years and he is such a dark, complex character himself it makes sense she would be as well. But How come Lily doesn't have any other friends besides the Marauders? I really hope you continue this story and thanks for sharing.

Man, I completely agree with your author's note, everything you said about the marauders and Snape. It always seemed like to me that JK fell into the trap of some author's by liking one of her characters so much that she needed them to be a good guy, when the picture painted a different story. I always thought it was sad that the people who loved James the most did whatever they could for Harry but fell short because of their circumstance (Sirius and Remus), but the people who loved Lily (Snape and Petunia) did nothing but belittle him while apparently they're the reason he's alive (blood wards on Petunia's part).

I'm a huge Marauders fan, so I'll definitely continue reading your AU and look forward to a not one dimensional Peter and a little bit of Dumble bashing.

Your story is fantastic! I love how your portrayed the Marauders and their interaction with Lily it's really well-thought (I agree with your A/N notes completely) and it just feels genuinely... I don't know how to say it, it's just feels right. Your characters feel right. I love your Peter btw and your Lily and your James and... ok I love your story, period. I suck at reviews sorry but I couldn't not tell you how good this piece is. Anyway, I'm excited just thinking about the next chapter, which I hope will be up soon (right? ;)

oooow, you're brilliant!

Peter fic! People who denigrate his small animagus form as being an indicator of his unworthiness needs to remember this:

1. This makes Peter that much braver for running with something that could eat him in one bite.

2. Unlike the stag or the dog, the rat have hands! Paws that might as well be hands anyways, the rat can hold things and with human intelligence, tied or untied knots, use a small key, etc.

After each of your authors notes I feel like saying "AMEN." Your interpretations are wonderful and I am so looking forward to reading more! Thank you!

OMG! been waiting for an update forever and you did not let me down!

I love your Peter. And the glimpses we get of just how mature the Marauders are is captivating. James' idea of taking an oath... I could see how that literally changed Peter in that moment, and how that changed his future actions.

I absolutely adored this chapter! Can't wait for the next one! Good luck with your move in the mean time!

Ack, my heart hurts in all the places. You make every character perfectly defined and detailed in their neurosis? yes, neurosis. its beautiful

I loved this update. I'm looking forward to the next one.

FINALLY! A KISS! Excellent chapter! I also love your footnotes because while I haven't done as much thinking about Snape's character, what you articulate is what I feel was under the surface of my ruminations about Snape. It's just so complicated but you portray this all wonderfully. And Pete! Seriously love him, was so mad about everything with him in the books.

I love the views on why Severus and Lily stopped being friends. I always felt that cannon left so much to be desired in that explanation. Cannon Severus was such a condriction, was he really an evil death eater that was pissed a Voldie for going back on a promise, a mis understood man pushed into circumstances beyond his control, was Lily really the dear sweet kind person everyone remembered? They were such good friends when they were children that cannon just falls short of explaining what happened. Well done!