Hi, Anne,  thanks for reviewing again, and for your comments...you really make me think about the characters, the plot, and the events I have planned.  I'm really so happy that you love the story. It means a lot to me.  Authors decide to share their story because they hope that other people will enjoy it and maybe be touched by it.  I just wanted to say that reading the reviews that people have been kind enough to leave makes all the effort worthwhile.  And it's even better when a reader takes the time to discuss ideas and themes and all in-depth.  So thank you very, very much!  

I do agree with you about Harry and Draco needing some serious consequences for their actions in HBP with regards to the sectumsempra spell.  I do think that in real life, such dangerous actions should be severely punished, but I also think there is a history in the HP books of the kids getting away with things that (hopefully) would never be allowed in real life, and I'm not just talking about the life-threatening adventures Harry and friends have because those are pretty integral to the whole existence of the HP universe.  But it seems like the students go around hexing one another with little or no provocation and often get away with it, or at least there's not a great deal of official censure.  And even though this is not something that caused physical harm, I'm reminded of the time in GoF when so many of the kids wore those buttons mocking Harry (didn't they say "Potter stinks" or something like that?).  School officials obviously can't make kids get along or support one another, but for a good portion of the student body to openly mock a kid who's participating in a school function shouldn't be tolerated, and in real life, at least at the schools I attended and later taught at, it wouldn't have been.  But I don't recall a single staff member objecting in the book.  So I'm just saying, there's a pattern of the kids getting away with a lot, I think.

Also, I agree that Snape's reprimand meant nothing to Harry at that point, but whose fault is that?  Now, of course, as I said, Harry and Draco both needed some consequences for their actions in regards to that particular incident and DD or MG should have stepped in.  But if Harry has no respect for Snape by then, I say it's all Snape's own fault.  He's the one who has treated Harry abominably over the years.  Eleven-year-old Harry didn't walk into his first Potions class with his mind made up that he was going to act up until he'd turned his Potions professor into a life-long enemy.  Snape is the one who did that.  From the very first moments of their relationship, Snape singled Harry out and emotionally abused him. 

You said that Harry using the sectumsempra spell made you worry for him...I think that may have been one of the intentions of that scene, and even more once Harry uses Imperius and Cruciatus in DH.  I have even more of a problem with him (and MG) using Unforgivables in that one.  I really wish that Harry hadn't used those curses, but I think it was something of a plot device to make readers wonder if Harry would use Avada Kedavra and actually kill Voldemort.  And I'm very glad that he did not, that he was able to use Expellerimus (sp?) and have Voldie's own spell backfire.  I didn't want Harry to actually have to kill Voldie, even though it would have been self-defense and not really murder, but for Harry's sake I'm glad it worked out the way it did.

Anyway, to get back to SC...I actually did plan for Draco to be expelled at first, but on giving it more thought, I realised that 1) I need him at Hogwarts later in the story.  2) Within the context of the story, if Draco were expelled, it's likely  there would be some questions raised and the slavery spell needs to be kept quiet.  So I decided on something else, and hopefully it won't be a letdown and will be somewhat appropriate.  Gotta warn you, though, Draco's not through causing Harry trouble yet.

I'm working on Chapter 10 now.  In fact, I'm going to go work on it now for a while longer before going to bed.  Thanks again!