What was the significance of the quick pain in Snape's arm / Dark Mark burning before the night Voldemort killed James and Lily?

I am reading your work for a second time. The first time I remembered feeling how Snape's parents started a family with the best of intentions, but things deteriorated as difficulties arose. The second time I noticed the warning signs which you laid out, cultural acceptance of spousal abuse, Toby's unrealistic expectations of both his magical wife snd very young son, alcohol abuse, and the evidence of abuse on Gra's arms. During the HP series, we saw the hints of abuse and evidence of neglect in Snape's childhood, but you have so sensitively created the details of his world. You've created relatives who loved him, a mother who cared deeply for him, but may not have been equipped to protect her son. Great job developing the characters and their relationships.

This story deserves more attention. I don't think there's ever been such an in-depth character study of any of the Harry Potter characters before, let alone such a widely disliked one as Snape. I particularly like the way that you tied together the tidbits we know about Snape from canon - his abusive past, his love of Lily and hatred for certain other characters (James, Sirius, Harry, Neville), his prodigious skill at Occlumency punctuated by occasional meltdowns of rage - and made sense of it all. It's very clear that Snape is not, mentally, an okay character: the extreme detachment from emotions that makes him such a great Occlumens isn't healthy for him, or for those around him. It's also clear that Lily is his lifeline, and continues to be so even after her death - a fact exploited ruthlessly and almost cruelly by Dumbledore. Although the strongest part of this story is the first half (the history of Snape before Harry came on the scene), the latter part was still brilliant in that you showed the hidden depths behind his actions in the books. The idea that he hated James and Sirius (and by extension Harry) less for their treatment of him at school and more because he held them responsible for Lily's death is, I think, a novel one. And yet, given the background you have constructed for him, it makes a great deal of sense.

Overall, all of Snape's relationships - with his family, his classmates and teachers-cum-colleagues, with Dumbledore, with Voldemort and the Death Eaters - were well handled. Some of the particular events I thought needed some suspension of disbelief (he seemed to leave school on almost friendly terms with the Marauders, and his almost-mentoring of young Fred and George was... very odd) but nothing that detracted from the story as a whole. Great work and I'm glad you posted it on this website. Like I said at the outset, it deserves to be read.

Knowing the difficult childhood implied for Severus in the HP series, it is beautiful how you introduced his fsmily with innocence and hope. Yet, you planted the seeds of potential trouble with the comments made by Eileen's mother, Toby's taste in alcohol, the possible financial troubles, and the cultural acceptance of a bit of aggession. You made me feel fondness towards this simple family starting their lives with hope. While reading the HP series, I would not have considered this family in such a pleasant way, but it is very believable and I enjoyed it. I am reading this fan fiction for the second time to add comments. I highly recommend that you continue reading. It is a wonderful story.

This was so outstanding, what a gifted writer. I regret that I did not comment from the beginning, thinking that I had to be a member. In every chapter there was so much that both impressed me and touched me deeply. Your understanding of psychology and the human condition, your deep exploration of the character Severus Snape, and the story viewed through Snape's eyes, riveted me from beginning to end. I hope that you keep writing and that your work is published. I will try to go back and write comnents on the chapters because your work truly deserves that attention. I am grateful that I stumbled over a link to this wonderful work!

Dear Rannaro:

Okay, I'll bite. What makes it an interesting coincidence that Snape was conceived just as the Mercury Seven were being announced? I just know there's some subtle point there I'm missing. (Something to do with planetary influences, perhaps? No, surely Snape's more saturnine than mercurial…)

Sincerely,
Qoheleth

I know this fic is rather old, but I just wanted to be one of the many who have commented to say that this is the kind of fic everyone wishes they had for their fave. this is a true gem.

I just wanted you to know, even after all those years (always?) that this is extraordinary work.

I finished the last chapter last night, and I when I tried to review it, I had no words to describe just how excellent this story is. Now that the ending has had time to set in, here goes: the beginning (before Russ goes to Hogwarts) was just perfect. I never quite pictured his life like that, but this dark and bittersweet way was undoubtably the best. I wish that his Hogwarts years had been better elaborated on and that his relationship with Lily had more emotion to it, just because when Severus’s emotions finally start coming through about how much Lily meant to him, it wouldn’t quite be such a surprise to us as readers. The thing about Dr Carmichael was hilarious and one of the best parts! The twist on Eileen and Toby’s death was so cruel but just perfect. And Phina and Moody and McGonagall and Dumbledore... everything was perfect. Even though I already knew what the ending would be it stole my breath and left me with a huge hole in my heart. The slightly disconnected writing was fantastic and really pulled the whole thing together. I’ve recently gotten into reading HP fan fiction and this is one of the best I’ve read so far. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to read another Severus Snape one just because nothing can compare. Thank you for writing this :)

Beautiful. Just beautiful. I have been reading this story for what seems like years; savouring it, laughing out loud and crying over it in a way that only fans of Rowling books could know. The detailed research and intricacy of this elaborate and decadent piece of literature echoes its muse to perfection. A triumph. I only wish I could place it on my shelf with its brother. Thank you.

Wow. What a fantastic, in depth, detailed story. I loved it from start to end. I really appreciated the detail to keep it canon compliant. Really gives an amazing insight into his character and an adult's perspective of canon events. Wonderful.
One small thing - Snape sees the thestrals pulling the carriages as an adult and seems to have no knowledge of them - however as a student he's feeding them with Hagrid? Obviously he can't see them in the earlier encounter but he must have some knowledge.
Anyway, amazing story. Thanks ️

I remember someone saying that they wanted the Harry Potter books from snape’s perspective; I think this is it!

a very wonderful story... i am one of those who find severus snape even more fascinating than harry potter ...hats off to the writer

I just read your story for the second time. And I am writing this review through a haze of tears. You told Severus' story in a manner that gives him the dignity he was denied for the entirety of the series. Your story makes him come alive and I cannot thank you enough for writing it. He was more than a spy, more than a death eater that turned to the other side. He was a flesh-and-blood man who felt emotions that were never really talked about in the books. He had people he cared about other than Lily. He had a story that JK Rowling didn't tell us. You did. And I am grateful for that. You are a wonderful writer. Thank you. Thank you for this gem.

Bet she poisoned herself. Snape maybe doesn’t, but I do find her repulsive, slimy old bat. If this was the other way around, it would’ve ended after the welcoming feast and labeled as sexual harassment, disgusting from start to finish and I’m hopeful this all soon will be over. The good thing that came out of it: Snape blushing no more with any sex reference. The bad thing: Even more ideas about hiding his true self, more thoughts on how to become unreadable, someone else. It just makes me sad. (Also I dunno about the release of the movies but first I thought it’s Mrs Doubtfire but now I think more Tootsie. :D)