I actually cried when i read this. It was touching, and heartbreaking.

When I was ten years old, I found this story online through a search for Harry Potter fanfiction. I had never heard of any websites, never read another fic, never tried writing my own. I found a page that had a beautifully tragic story, and an instrumental version of "I Will Always Love You" was playing in the background. At the time, I associated the song very strongly with my parents' recent divorce, so I was already emotionally on edge as I began reading. By the end, however, I was sobbing so hard that I could barely see the computer screen.

I moved on to reading other stories, and a few years later tried to find that same story. Unfortunately, the search engine I'd used was gone, and by that time Harry Potter fanfiction was so popular that it was almost impossible to sift through everything. I gave up on ever finding it, but both it and the memory of that time in my life brought tears to my eyes whenever I heard that song. Every couple of years, I would remember it while sitting at the computer, and I'd tried to find it, but with no success.

Finally, at 1:15 a.m., a month into my first year of college and almost ten years after my original reading of the story, I found it. I almost started crying just upon realizing that this was it, that this was the story I'd read all those years ago. I was almost afraid to read it. I wondered if all those years had built the story in my memory into something it could never live up to. But I was wrong. I plugged in the John Tesh instrumental version of "I Will Always Love You" on my iPod, put it on repeat, and sat down to read the story.

I can't tell you how beautiful it is. Yes, it could have been expanded into a longer story; yes, it might have been nice to see how Severus fell in love with Samantha in the first place. But that doesn't take away from the tragic beauty of this wonderful story. It touched me with the faith of love at a time when I needed it most, and that touch left a fingerprint on my heart that I still feel today. Reading it again was like holding hands with an old, long-lost friend. I never imagined that I would find myself reading it again, experiencing that magical tightening of the chest as my heart climbed into my throat again, and yet here I am.

I found this story on the original page, and then followed the trail to this site so that I could leave a review. I don't expect you to take any special interest in my story, and I don't know if you even keep track of this site anymore. You may never read this review. But, more than anything else, I wanted to say thank you. I never dreamed of writing anything of my own before I read your story back in 2001, and that experience opened up an entire world to me that I never knew existed. Eight years later, as an English major hoping to take that creative writing passion into the real world, I am unimaginably grateful to you for that initial inspiration, however unintended it was.

I hope this story touched others as it did me. I can honestly say that being given the chance to reread it feels like a miracle to me. A suggestion to others: listen to "I Will Always Love You" while you read this. The emotions it evokes are a perfect frame to such a beautiful work of art.

Again, thank you, for more than you can imagine.

-Lauren C. (September 23, 2009)

Superb! Truly superb!

As if the idiot can't see why! Ye gads! Excellent, heart breaking chapter!

Actually, this story makes more sense in showing how Snape became bitter than HP canon does.

The only thing it DOESN'T explain is why he would act so hateful to Harry.

Fine story.

I don't know if you're going to even get this review, but I decided to come back to some of the first Harry Potter fanfics because a lot of the newer ones were annoying me. This is so good, and I just have to congradulate you on how close you were when you wrote this!

Hello. Good day!
Just here to introduce our Rant about...

Why Trunks&Pan (TP) SHOULD NOT be a couple and…
Why Trunks&Marron (TM) SHOULD be a couple.

TYVM. ;D

Point #1: Trunks is WAY WAY older than Pan. (over a decade age difference!) Although it is acceptable to have a slight age difference, here there is much too much of one!

Point #2: The initials (TP) stand for toilet paper. NOT Trunks&Pan. It sounds really stupid, and if you say “I luvvz TP HOMGG11!one!!one1six” then you’re just saying you like love toilet paper. That’s just sad.

Point #3: Some TP fans say that Vegeta would like to have his son marrying a saiyan rather than someone a human-android like Marron. But no, Vegeta would have to be related to his life-long rival Goku! Whereas if Trunks marries Marron, Vegeta would be related to the android he couldn’t beat, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

Point #4: Pan sucks @$$. Excuse my french.

Point #5: Trunks is WAY WAY older than Pan. Uh, I think I already mentioned that…but it is a very important point! TP fans sometimes make Pan’s age older, but to do that you would have to re-age everyone, unless you think Gohan had her at age, like, 13?!?!?! Fanfictions totally ruin the ages. I mean, honestly! Pan = 16. Bra = 16. Marron = 17. Trunks = 17. Goten = 17. WTF is wrong with you people!!

BTW, this is constructive criticism.
We are cynical fanfiction reviewers.
Take it to heart.

This is really well written, I don't really like snape but this has made him grow on me slightly

this is really good!! i like to see severus in a kinder light

I have always loved this story.

But I like the version on your site more, where Snape tells Harry, and Samantha comes back as a ghost and puts her hand on his shoulder.

Hello there... I would just like to tell you incase you didnt know already that your story was mention in Mapping the World of Harry Potter in the Yer Sir,With Love chapter. Good story~~ Love it~!

I wanted to read the first story up for HP and now I've read it. boy isnt tit funy? I mean..Severus? GOoD? oh well.?

Very dramatic, but extremely well written and with a lovely amount of emotion.

OMG! That was so good! please don't take it down.

this was my favorite when i was younger