Great stuff!

SPOILERS:
(Dunno if this is a review. Really just my disconnected thoughts :P)

This is an amazing fic! Well written and complex. I especially enjoy all of Harry's narration, and his little musing and thoughts. The way he thinks back to previous quotes, applying the words of others in a different context. I love the way he just gets lost in thought.

Unlike a lot of fics I've read, the story starts out alright, then gets BETTER. It probably has to do with Harry gaining more confidence and strength, and establishing himself in his house. He builds himself a group that respect and trust him. He's pretty much alone all of first year, but grows into a leader that's out here giving speeches. Despite his insistence that he has no idea what he's doing, it's still impressive.

The story adheres pretty closely to canon, but it also has some of the best canon divergent moments I've seen.

The first years has Harry taking very different actions, but he still ends up in generally the same spot. It very close to the canon plot, and it feels like you want to diverge but wouldn't know where to go from there. Year 4 is especially guilty of this.

The whole Moody Crouch confrontation was bullshit. Harry is established as someone intelligent and observant enough to notice Crouch's discrepancies, but then goes and examines the magic map in class, like what the hell do that shit another time.

And the cup thing at the end wasnt great either. Very clumsy way to prevent Cedric's death. At least he gets used again, many authors dont seem to know what to do with him so I'm glad he at least plays a larger role later.

Years 5-6 are amazing. They're the highlights of the fic, with great canon divergent moments that don't feel forced (minus Lucius' appearance literally why was he there?). AMAZING DoM battle, the fights in general are so well done. It's very impressive.

Slughorns entire section was brilliant. From the candy set up, to the assassination attempts, to the poisoning, the entire divergence there was so amazing. Altered bathroom confrontation was also great, Harry is so fucking cool the entire time.

Poor Neville, he wants to help so bad. It must feel awful having to watch others succeed, while failing yourself. Harry really doesn't have a good explanation why Neville shouldn't use darker magic like he does because I don't think he understands the consequences himself. It makes him feel good using dark spells, which in turn makes him feel terrible and like he's becoming evil, but I wish there were a more prominent effect. Maybe it fucks with his self control or ability to empathize, but I would prefer something beyond Fawkes won't talk to me and the adults in my life dissapprove.

Dark magic is damaging my soul, but otherwise I'm completely fine? This conflict Harry feels isn't very well established.

Romance is kinda meh. I'm personally not that interested and there are some cute moments but the fic can be read as gen.

There have been some loose ends and other issues but overall a great read. If you're willing to get through first few years, years 5-6 will have you on the edge of your seat!

hey! thought i’d write a review considering how dear this story is to my heart. i’m so glad to hear that it hasn’t been abandoned, but it’s been so long too! i discovered this story in 2019, and gosh it’s 2021 and i’m still thinking about it. i’ve read this probably more times than i’ve read the actual harry potter series.

i’m absolutely in love with your characterisations, and your writing is incredible! i don’t think i’ve read another fanfiction with harry’s descent as well done as you have. honestly, this fic is probably my favourite of all time, and i’d love for you to finish it one day, or at least publish the drafts/ outline. hope you’re well!

I have a question. for year one there was 1 part, for year 2 there were 2 parts, year three, 3 parts and so on. was that purposeful? If so kudos to you, because that is an excellent little detail.

I have to say, this was the most enjoyable chapter of this fic - so far! Great ideas of what might have befallen a Slytherins Harry. I adored the twins - it always seemed to me that JKR didn't make enough use of them. Great work, thank you!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Voldemort offer Harry to join him TWICE in canon? Once in his first year, and then again after his resurrection?

What changed to make him not offer it now? THIS Harry would have accepted -just to survive. His morals are pretty grey.

I TRULY admire how you show that people try -and get baffled when they fail- to fit Harry into the form of his father. It's the whole attempting to fit a square block into a circle hole metaphor.

I LOVE how you do THAT! It's SUCH a human thing to do.

...Stupid too. But then again, humans ARE stupid... that's what makes them human. Which again means you write realistic characters. Lol

Fanfics never cease to impress me with how one timid boy whom bent over backwards in canon to do what he was expected to do, tried to fit in, and followed the lead of his friends, somehow does a 180 and breaks every social rule in the book -like befriending people in rival houses- and somehow ends up thinking an old headmaster of the school he goes to is a great guy -despite all his friends disliking the old man and he has only met said old man once or twice...

Really... It's impressive how much the character of Harry gets changed JUST to fit 1. The canon behavior of Harry regardless of his new personality, and/or 2. Modern moralistic standards with zero regards for real, human psychology. (A.i. peer pressure, death eater friends who'd imprint him with THEIR Values and morals -just like Ron and mione did with canon Harry-, )

Mind you, YOU are in fact one of the more logical ones out there. Even if there ARE a few things that are a bit illogical, and events that comes off as unrealistically forced -like trying to fit a square block into a round hole and end up using a hammer cuz dammnit you WILL make it fit! It fit in canon!

Aaaanyway... Like I said; You're vetter than most fanfic writers out there. I just get annoyed by the same flaws poping up again and again. Even if your fic has a very mild version of them.

That aside, your fic is really good, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Harry will go ACTUALLY Dark one day. _

(And that you follow J.K. Rowling's definition of Dark Magic, and don't make it into some kind of stupid political thing. Tho, mind you, both Bombarda and the Cutting Curse IS Dark magic by her definition, so clearly the way people USE the word is political. SOME Dark magic isn't even viewed as Dark, when it clearly IS Dark. And probably vice versa.)

Going to be interesting to see how this goes. _

How did Quirrel manage to die when there was no kid with a magical protection from his mother to kill him by accident, and dumbles REFUSE to kill ANYONE after the whole Ariana thing?

I doubt he'd get the stone out without some kid to help him, but it wouldn't suprise me if a bunch of Gryffs DID go down to stop him and help him, so who knows...

Or was it just a rumor and he just ran away? Or did voldie kill him?

It's always tricky, but amusing, to see how events change depending on even one tiny detail changing... The little flap of a butterfly's wings... I Lve Chaos Theory in action! _

It'll be interesting to see how this goes.

Good ending! I've never thought about believing in Harry like that before I love it. So simple.

Wow I just spent the whole night binge reading this and I loved it! To put it simply, I cannot wait to see how the changes affect the progression of the plot. I hope you’re doing well and staying safe. :))

Oh damn, I check back in every couple of months in the hopes of finding an update, and I seeing that you updated your profile not too long ago was a lovely surprise. I'm so happy to read that you didn't forget about this story.I wish you lots of inspiration, motivation and time to write.

It's a crime this story isn't finished yet. Good story plot , better progression and handling and dialog. Please complete it.

I really love this work's themes! I've never seen such a complicated depiction of "if you want people to trust you, you have to extend some trust to them in turn" and the difficulties of avoiding declaring loyalties. Very satisfying to see delved into.

I also really loved Harry's age appropriate development into a teen taking on too much responsibility, and doing it well, but definitely overburdened.

Thanks for writing! :)

I think it is cruel and unusual punishment, deluding yourself and your readers to claim your fic is still alive. To not post anything at all in 7 years is failure. You could have made smaller chapters. Just free yourself from the expectations of others and yourself and let this fic go. Stop making promises that you clearly will not meet.