This was an incredibly bittersweet story. Just as one believes that Harry and Hermione are going to sail off into the sunset, you pull the reader into another reality, entirely. Very clever and well executed.
It was comforting, being held by Ron, and for the first time in months, she was back with her boys.
This line moved me as I believe this is just how Hermione would have felt.
Your story was short, sweet and you've written a very romantic piece. Well done.
~The Marauding Cupcake, Gryffindor Review Crew
I first read this story, maybe, a year ago and I still love it today as the first time! Looking forward to more stories now that DH is out and people are needing closure.
*Sigh* How lovely to have this update and wonderful chapters to tide me the few remaining hours until DH. Remus truly is my heart and I like the character you've created for him. I do think Lindi's a bit of a cream puff in this last bit, but all in all, she's just how I would see Remus' first love. She seems beautiful and smart, naturally, and has that damsel-in-distress thing that sould make Remus feel like the big romantic hero. I can't tell you how I wait with bated breath for each update! Love, love LOVE MoB!!!
Author's Response: Aw, Mariangelo, thank you so much. Lindi is \"a bit of a cream puff\". *nods* lol There really are reasons she isn\'t in Gryffindor. *nods vigorously* She\'s no Lily, Ginny or Hermione, I\'m afraid. Don\'t expect to see her suddenly becoming an Auror and fighting 4 Death Eaters single handedly. ;) Lindi\'s no hero, but Remus does like the chance to be the romantic hero that he is. *hehe* Thank you for the lovely review.
I have had that conversation between Will and Remus (I was in Will's shoes, however), perfectly written! Even though Remus is my absolute dream and I wait with agony for each update of MoB for more of him, I can't wait for sparks to fly between James and Lily! You've captured the characters so well I hope you do write them in - or, perhaps, write a story from their POV *jumps for joy at the thought*. Can't wait to read part II. Thank you - thank you. Always worth the wait.
Author's Response: :) Good for you! I personally think everyone should get that talk, so well done for having the nerve. ;) I haven\'t been there yet, but when the time comes...*shudders at very thought* Well, I plan to include J/L, but it won\'t be nearly so involved, since it is Remus’ perspective of them. A whole J/L story...*dies* I\'d have to get a much better feel for how I see them to tackle that. ;) I\'d be working on it for years...oh, yeah, I\'ve been working on this for years. *dies again* Thank you, Mariangelo. I really appreciate the reviews.
OK, I nearly wet myself!! :} *sigh* I love this story. I love your Marauders...especially Remus - natch. But, Gawd blimey, I wish I didn't have to wait so long. There is simply no excuse for having a life! ;) Thank you, as always.
Author's Response: *LOL* I\'m so glad you are enjoying it. Oh how I wish they were MY Marauders, but I\'m so glad you like what I\'ve done with them so far. I\'m so sorry for all the waiting; silly life! ;) You are very welcome, and thank you, Mariangelo.
Oh, I can't believe I've never reviewed this before! I've read this story many times and I absolutely love it!
Your characterisation of Remus is just as I imagine him. He is reluctant towards his feelings for Tonks, and even to believe she may have feelings for him!
He is very funny and loveable.
You can't help but feel for him after his "outing" in the Broomsticks. He doesn't want to make a scene and even goes so far as to question his own worth and place in the world.
Once he realise his feelings for Tonks, he is endearing in that he is not the smooth operator, yet not bumbling with inexperience. You've balanced his passion and reserved nature very well. One can be both, and you've done an amazing job portraying it!.
Absolutely one of my favourite Remus stories!
~Michelle, The Marauding Cupcake, Gryffindor Review Crew
I loved it! I think you have a fantastic grasp of the characters and a nice writing style. Would love to read more from you.
AHH! You made my little heart flip. Even thought we already know they end up together, I still love to read Ron/Hermione! This one was done so lovingly close to canon I am in awe of you! I was left wanting more than HBP gave us on this particular story arc and you have filled it thoughtfully. Thank you.
~Michelle, The Marauding Cupcake
My, oh my. I never tire of reading this one! As I've told you before (in reviews and in the Tower), I love your characterisation of Remus.
Above all, I love the dry sense of wit, usually the self-defacing kind, that you give him.
This story also particularly shows the lengths that Remus will go to for his friends, because he has NO intentions of ever playing Quidditch. Personally, I've never seen him as one to play, either, as he's just too self-conscious. You've demonstrated this point beautifully.
Lastly, for what ever reason, Remus saying/thinking "crap" has just become locked synonymously in my mind. It's just so him - offensive, yet mildly so.
~Michelle, The Marauding Cupcake, Gryffindor Revew Crew
Author's Response: O.O Michelle! I keep forgetting to check this story and only noticed this after I was lurking in the MWPP class threads. I\'m going to have to start paying Abbi! LOL I\'m so glad you like this little snippet, but most importantly, my characterization of Remus. He is such a fabulous character, so that means so much. Thinking Crap... LOL I absolutely see that being his four letter word of choice. :-D. I have from almost the first time I ever started imagining writing him. I\'m so glad you agree it is something he would do. I\'ve always though it would take something a little special for him to actually say it out loud, but I think it must have run through his mind every other minute with those friends of his. *hehe* Well, thank you so much for a wonderful review. :)
"Epilogues" is my first-ever fan fic...and I'm hooked. Never relly liked the Harry/Ginny storyline, but you've got me interested. Can't wait for the next chapter!
Author's Response: Oh wow, how did this review slip through the cracks? okay, yeah, I\'ve notices that H/G doesn\'t get as much love as say r/Hr. and that\'s mostly because it was both kind of sudden and new, but there\'s still plenty of room there to go, you know what I mean? ANYWAY, thank you so much, and I\'m so sorry I didn\'t get to this until just now.
This is the first time since reading OOTP that I have cried for a HP character. My poor fluff-filled heart couldn't take the romantic sentimentality of this piece. Thank you. It was absolutely beautiful.
Author's Response: Thank you for the wonderful review! I\'m sorry to make you cry, but it did turn out well for them in the end, didn\'t it? It was a sad story to write, although also great fun to research and plan. I sometimes wish Cathryn hadn\'t died so soon, I really liked her. Thank you so much for reading this story, it\'s almost been a year now since I wrote it and it\'s so great to still get reviews for it! I really appreciate your lovely words - thank you!! ~Gina :)
Curse you, woman, for making me cry! Actually, I was bawling... no, I'm not ashamed to admit it. You did it to me AGAIN! Portrait of A Love Lost, people. Read it! Oh, by the way, Let's Go Blue!!!
Author's Response: *hands out tissues* Thank you so much for reading this story, I\'m really glad you enjoyed it. Yes, it\'s a tear-jerker! My favorite part is Ron and Harry\'s final hug. *sigh* Thanks also for the plug on Portrait of A Love Lost, I\'m so glad you enjoyed that story as well. And yes - Hail to the Victors! Thanks again for the wonderful review!! ~Gina :)
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Author's Response: You are welcome, I think!
Oh, yea you! I LOVE Remus and it's about time someone made him an equal Marauder. He's always timid, shy, rule-abiding, moody, serious, blah, blah, blah. I've always seen him as having quite the devilish streak in him, but because of hiding his lycanthropy he's very good at covering his tracks. This is why the more extroverted Padfoot and Prongs received the notariety.
Anyway, like I said...Yea, you!
Author's Response: Thanks! I wanted to show that, while he might have been the quite one of the group (and ONLY because it was easy to be the quiet one if you compare him to Sirius and James!) ...he still was VERY MUCH a Marauder. *grins* I\'m glad you enjoyed!
I love this story because it foucuses on the side of Remus that isn't portrayed very often - his inner Marauder! He is funny and smart and just mischievous enough to keep his friends on their toes.
The last line says it all, "Oh, they'd been otwitted outplayed ad outmaneuvered. And, by the quiet one, of all people. Let the games begin."
Wonderfully entertaining.
~The Marauding Cupcake, Gryffindor Revew Crew
Author's Response: Thank you! I\'m really glad you enjoyed it. I think the Marauder side of Remus is often overlooked, please seem to think he wasn\'t really as mischievous, and I think that\'s a mistake. So, this was a treat. :)
I'm ashamed to admit that I've seen this story around and have resisted reading it - until now. I wish I would have read it sooner, because I loved it. I'm not big on Hermione with any of the adult characters, well, because it just skeeves me out a little, but I think you handled it beautifully. I was actually awwing and cheering for them to be together in the end.
At first, I thought Hermione was a little OOC, but as the story played out I could see how being with the Marauders and their laid back personalities might allow her to let her hair down a bit more than with Harry and Ron.
I also thought that it was a credit to you that you did not have Hermione altering the future (as appealling as it may have been) or divulging her adventure to Harry once she returned.
I think you did a great job in tying up all of the loose ends (why/how Lupin and Sirius handled everything in the future) and making it all make sense!
Congratulations, you did a great job.
Author's Response: Thanks very much! It was awfully easy to let Hermione slip into ooc-ness when she was with the Marauders... I tried very hard to keep her in line, but she just loved their easy-going attitude so much she couldn\'t help herself!
Thanks so much for reviewing!!
Aaahhh!!!! I am so loving this. So many fics have the characters completely enraptured with eachother. It's nice to see that Lily can like James AND see that he can be a prat at times. Also, I like that she sees Severus for himself not some brooding, misunderstood Syltherin hunk like other stories. Very well written and your interpretation of the characters is very believable. I hope there is more to this!
Author's Response: Thank you very much. I\'m glad you enjoyed it.
Oh, well done! I have to say that this is one ship I'm a closet-fan of. I can't say that it's a favourite because it has to be well written to be anywhere believable.
The beginning had me nervous, and then it because so saccharine (in a good way) that I knew it must be a dream of sorts.
I love how you kept everyone IC, including Pavarti and Lavender, whom I always had trouble believing got on with Hermione.
The ending was fantastic. I thought she might be dreaming again, and then thought 'Oh, no' when I realised Draco was not a dream. But you pulled it out by keeping him very much IC - “I never, never imagined I would feel this way about you.” - Excellent!
This definitely goes in my win column for Dramione!
~Michelle, The Marauding Cupcake
Author's Response: Oh, Michelle! Thank you so much for the perfectly lovely review! *cries* I did keep the daydream almost impossibly sweet because that\'s how I imagined a daydream charm would work. That\'s how my daydreams work, anyway. LOL!
I appreciate that you liked the characters and thought Parvati and Lavender were particularly IC. You just really have no idea how encouraging your words are to me - thank you so much!
*squishes*
~Andi
Awww! Very sweet! *blushes* Remus is my kinda guy.
I am speechless, well wordless. This has to be one of the best Harry/Ginny stories I've ever read.
From the very first chapter you ensnare the reader. You don't merely tell a story, but weave a tale that is chock full of mystery, suspense, action and, yes, romance.
The world in which the story is set is so rich in characters that are in character and places that are familiar, that I could easily see this fitting into Potterverse (with the exception of self-admitted Americanisms).
You have pleasantly and skillfully taken your time developing your plot and characters and the end product is beyond rewarding.
I have added Almost Me Again to my list of favourite stories and will be eagerly waiting for updates.
~The Marauding Cupcake, Gryfindor Review Crew