Reviews for A Different Messenger
majere4 chapter 29 . 10/31
At least Mulcibur won't be a sacrifice to tom's ego... and, perhaps, their whole family will defect and cause a serious stir in the Dark community.
"
Next day Madam Camille Mulciber arrived at the school, dressed in black, and announced that Jasper Mulciber had died of a heart attack and that she was taking her children home, with a view to relocating to her family home in France.
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Or... that. *shudders*

"
An unexpected drawback to re-entering the world of emotions was that emotions apparently spread. He had started out thinking he cared only for Harry and possibly Albus, and now... Something to think about another day.
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Have I mentioned that I adore your writing?

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"Lupin," he said before the wolf could open his mouth and make a comment he had no desire to hear. "What do you know about the manufacture and filling of pensieve balls?"
"
*ridiculously big grin engaged!*

What an incredible plot arc! I'm trying very hard not to think about this ending... and knowing that it has no further 'years' to explore.
majere4 chapter 34 . 10/30
You know, I've never considered Remus Lupin as anything more than a placeholder character who eventually cemented both his cowardice and his failure as a man. You've given him a small part here, but it is redemptive, like most of the roles that take your stage.

"
And wasn't that a temptation. A potions lab uncontaminated by the nuclear fallout that got everywhere, even magical enclaves.
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*blinks* wha... *gobsmacked* You just keep dropping figurative bombs, and this time it was about a literal one. The implications on how this would affect magic - and therefore explaining many reasons that JKR's magical world seems so 'stale' - are mindboggling.

"
Black put on a Humphrey Bogart voice. "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," he said.

Startled, Snape couldn't help but laugh.
"
Beautiful.
Tragically short, but beautiful all the same.
Thank you So Much for sharing your time and your incredible talent!
This is going into my Keep folder and I will be very happy to recommend it to all and sundry. I hope and pray that you are well and, Lord willing, out there writing whatever makes you happy.
majere4 chapter 33 . 10/30
"
"In a way. It is a rather complicated potion and not much used nowadays." And not at all suitable for the sort of long term effects likely to be suffered by a former resident of Azkaban. What on earth was St Mungo's playing at?"
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HAH! Annnnnd Severus gets sucked into helping Sirius!

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Either they could double down on the bloody purity and insist that magic was inherited – in which case Riddle had committed the foulest crime their nasty little minds could imagine – or they could deny the importance of magical inheritance and undermine everything they had taught their children. The only thing they could not do was deny the facts, Lupin had done a magnificent job of assembling the necessary proofs – from the Prophet, from Ministry records and from Hogwarts itself.
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Holy shite, you're tearing apart tommy's support from the roots up, brilliant!

The Matter of Sirius Black (I went back and capitalized the M after realizing that this is the perfect title for a story!) is being handled quite well. It is very much the last straw for Severus to be civil - let alone aid - his childhood nemisis. I think it will be the final brick to break down the wall completely. Eventually.

And now, I go to press 'Next' one last time with both anticipation... and deep regret.
majere4 chapter 32 . 10/30
"
Snape boggled briefly at the idea of Mad-Eye Moody as Long John Silver.
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*snorts*
Great... now that's in my head lol

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"Anyway, Scabbers tried to escape under the beds but the Headmaster zapped him and carried him off in a cage with all sparkly magic round it. Everyone was really impressed."
"
I love this. It's far from the first time, but I remembered to comment at last on how much Harry has changed. He acts and speaks like an 11 yr old boy instead of an abused child (or an adult, if the author hasn't the knack for writing children).

"
Snape wondered whether he ought to go back to biscuits: it was just that the house-elves did love to make cakes and looked so disappointed when he didn't ask for them.
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*laughs at the thought of pointing out (to Snape) that he is taking the feelings of house elves into consideration*

"
"That's quite all right, Harry. I forgot myself. By the way, that reminds me, where were you on Sunday?"

"Oh didn't I tell you? I went to St Mungo's to see my godfather."
"
geh... *choking noises continue from here*
majere4 chapter 31 . 10/30
"
Baby Harry turned to Pettigrew. "'urmy, 'urmy," he said. "Do 'urmy!" To Snape's utter astonishment, Pettigrew grinned and then shrank and morphed until a plump, brown rat stood on the hearthrug.

This time it was Harry who recoiled from the pensieve. "That's Scabbers!" he yelled.
"
HAH! You are brilliant!

Your description of Enchanter was fantastic, but they way that Severus carefully orchestrated Harry's future, with a specific design towards taking care of him instead of using him, was the real magic in this chapter.
majere4 chapter 30 . 10/30
"
"But roosters are boy birds and boy birds don't lay eggs." Lupin had obviously done a fair job of explaining the mechanics of reproduction.

"Which is why it's so difficult to make basilisks.
"
I... nope. Gonna just keep on moving on.

Snape's handling of the narcissistic bitch was commendable, especially regarding the dis/misinformation. The mere fact that a malfoi - even if it's only the ferret - will see any repercussions for attempted murder is rather startling. Perhaps Albus Dumbledore does have the capacity to change his 'give death eaters a 23rd chance before frowning at them' ways.

"
But worse and most difficult of all was the realisation that the memories he contributed took into the pensieve-ball all their life, colour and savour – leaving behind only the bare consciousness that such-and-such an incident had happened at such a place and at such a time. It felt horribly as though he were losing her all over again...
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That's... devastating. Barbaric! It takes every glimmer of shine from the magic involved.

"
the charm wove a golden dome around the circle before exploding outwards to cover the whole house with a chime like silver bells, before snapping back and into Pettigrew!

But….

He wrenched himself free and Harry cried out in shock.

Snape staggered back. He knew what he had seen. He knew that Harry had seen but not understood. He stood gasping, wrenching his collar open to breathe, his heart pounding and his mind yelling, "No! I won't! It's too much to ask!"
"
Oh... Severus... *weeps inside*
I know that there's nothing coming after this fic, but you've found some incredible and yet plausible reasons to compress many of the major events of the first few years into one. Incredible plotting!
majere4 chapter 28 . 10/30
"
"Professor Snape?" He turned as he prepared to jump. "Harry, was going to come and find you as soon as we found out anything. He said he wanted to prove he could be sensible and not dash off and be stupid. He was. Really." Snape nodded and jumped, seeing her leave the room as he did so.
"
Huh, well, the part of the math that didn't quite add up (given your new and improved Harry) now checks out. Unfortunately?

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"Fawkes!" he called and the phoenix flew over, carrying of all things the Sword of Gryffindor in his beak. "Why didn't you come and tell me?" he said. There was a pause, then, "No, I quite understand that but surely... ah then in that case... really? Really?
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*Silly Grin Won't Go Away*

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"My scar didn't half hurt all the time we were down there and when I stabbed the diary, it hurt like..." he gave a sideways look at Snape and a cheeky little grin appeared. "It hurt like bloody hell fire."

Snape smiled back, reluctantly. It looked like the adventure hadn't knocked the Harry he knew out of Harry Potter.
"
I assume they'll get their poop in a group regarding the scarcrux six years early? That said, I really hope they find a way to let the house elves know it was malfoi who caused all the harm and fear. I can think of no better reward - short of actually punishing the scum, which we all know isn't going to happen.
majere4 chapter 27 . 10/30
"
Even Beppo, the dungeon elf, whom he thought he had trained into a sort of calm was going around saying,"We gots to protect the childrens from the narsty snakey."
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First of all, 'the dungeon elf' had my dice fingers twitching for the days when those three words would have evolved into an entire playable race - complete with backstory and full ability matrix. Past that, I am glad to say that I've managed to control my outburts of laughter to mere chuckles and the occasional snort, much to the amusement of those nearby.

"
As the adults settled down to discuss arrangements for the next two days, Snape entirely forgot he had not told Harry that he would return to the Dursleys before the Summer over his (Snape's) dead body.
...
"Miss Granger?"

"Oh please, you've got to come. It's Harry. He's gone down to the Chamber of Secrets!"
"
Ayup, that's how math works!
majere4 chapter 23 . 10/30
"
The next week was more of the same. Voldie the Half-blood Dark Lord acquired additional verses and what the Weasley Twins claimed were "Interpretive Dance" moves.
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THIS DID NOT HELP MY APPEARANCE OF SANITY!
It probably hurt things more when Tiny Goth Nurse burst into snorting laughter when I just gave her my phone rather than attempting to sum up, let alone explain.
The good news is that they have decided that my blood platelets are probably not affected by my... foibles.
majere4 chapter 22 . 10/30
"
"There's one bit where Susan's sitting on her Mum's knee, and her Mum's singing to her
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This made me cry. Then, because I was in the midst of donating platelets, I had to explain and, as Inigo rightly put it, it was too much, so I had to sum up.
One gal thought I was crazy, but the tiny little goth nurse decided I was very cool. It was altogether surreal experience.
Thank you?
majere4 chapter 19 . 10/30
"
"Oh no, I had my deficiencies brought to my attention without the aid of magic," Dumbledore looked into his teacup. "And once I saw through myself, my way ahead was painfully clear."
"
Hmm, methinks this was rather recent - and also related to Harry.

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"I'm not sure how I'm going to control the older ones without scaring the robes off them, but somehow I've got to learn." He sighed. "I've got one or two ideas, we'll have to see how they go. If I can't then perhaps I don't deserve to be teaching at all."
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Heh, I have my own... prejudices, shall we say, when it comes to Snapes 'teaching'. Thus, my first reaction to this bit of introspection was "No, you don't!" This is not that Snape, and, although I'm firmly in his corner, rooting for these changes, it is hard to let go of 'the old' and welcome in 'the new'.
majere4 chapter 18 . 10/30
The last few chapters have been both devastating and inspiring.
majere4 chapter 17 . 10/30
Absolutely incredible, stunning, and probably the best way I have ever seen a reckoning within Snape - and probably the only way he could ever come to truly recognize the truths and his need to change...
majere4 chapter 14 . 10/30
"
It was cold outside, and the memory of what he had seen upstairs made him all the more glad to step into the light of the Great Hall. He was just beginning to realise. It was happening again. War with all its ugliness: the spying, the fear, the betrayals.

He looked down at the elated boy at his side, and saw how precious was his innocence; and knew it would soon have to be sacrificed to save his young life.
"
*sigh*
What an incredible turn of events!
I cannot stress enough how impressed I am with your writing.
majere4 chapter 13 . 10/30
"
Harry sneered and, while it was not very impressive as yet, there was no doubt upon whom it was modelled.
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*snorts and chokes* Got to love it, Snapes first moment of paternal pride is based on Harry's fledgling sneer.

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He wondered idly what Dumbledore would do if he went down to Surrey and blasted them into their constituent atoms.
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Break out well aged cigars, I would expect. I should think there would also be some Ogden's Finest, Reserve Cask to be opened.
*ponders*
Yes, cigars and whiskey (whisky? Are the Ogden's Scottish?) at the least.

"
There it was; like a punch in the stomach. He had forgotten. How had he forgotten? Lily, her hair a living flame down her back, singing in one of Flitwick's concerts in the Great Hall.
"
Dude... *lowers head in shared sorrow*
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