Aww thank you ^^ Sorry about all the cliffys, I know what you mean; it’s like their even worse when they’re written well and I’m extremely flattered you like mine but it probably makes it suck that much more that I’m taking so long to update – I’ll try not to leave too many cliffy in future (I seem to be torturing my readers TT) – thanks so much!

Hi!  I’m not even halfway through replying to all my reviews, so very very behind... and I noticed you updated too!!! *jumps around happily* I’ll review soon I promise ^^  and I suppose technically this next chapter is going to be the one where Harry gets help... is that false advertising? *bites lip* ^^

And I actually love that some people read that whole white moment differently – as much as it must have been seriously irritating to read... sorry TT – but some thought it was Harry dying and you thought the hospital wing; it’s good in that it means I successfully got everyone in the right frame of mind, even if I write it badly TT (I have the best readers... you put up with so much! *muffins for you* ^^)

*helps you hex Umbridge into oblivion* is there anyone who doesn’t hate Umbridge by now? (if so they must be in league with her! Nooo! ^^) and that awful test that you had to do that we won’t mention (and that I bet you did a wonderful job of) sounds hard but you of course aced it (and if anyone tells you different then they’re clearly the idiots *throws muffins at them... Hagrid’s muffins... yeah, take that!*

And I agree, I hate to imagine Harry’s arm but I sorta have to to describe it ^^ - and I’ll explain this better later but what happened was that Harry was writing and slipped – if I go back through the chapter I can pinpoint where it happens but I’m not sure it’s clear yet to anyone else – and the quill slashed up the paper and so tore a gash up his arm so deep it’s kinda mangled now... my imagination must look like some Salvador Dali Horror masterpiece ^^ (haha, I’m giving myself too much credit aren’t I... it’s probably a crayon scribble.)  nevertheless I’m preening that you think my description of it squeam-worthy ^^

 And yes, Lily was definitely from all of those people who were so sure the ‘ghost star’ would be his mum... *muffins for all* see, it’s you (and perhaps 20 others) who is really writing this fic ^^  I probably played it down a lot but I just wanted that hint of it in there, just enough for Harry to ponder later when he’s out of the woods (literally and figuratively ^^)

A Sev with no excuses and no (good) reasons to pull away from Harry is always a good thing so of course I had to get him away from Voldemort – and Dobby was a must ^^ too cute not to ^^

Poor, poor Harry, yes, we have much comfort on the way – and I hope I can write comfort half as well as I seem to be able to write disgusting descriptions ^^, I kinda owe it to people still reading and to Harry (and Sev) to give them lots of cuddle time now ^^

Mid-Feb, so you know now about how those applications went?  Do tell!!! I’m sure you did wonderfully and life always has the best way of working out perfectly in the end, whether you take roads you expected to or not ^^ - shutting up now, but thanks and looking forward to more AIE too!  Have fun and enjoy yourself and keep safe!!! ^^

Hehe, in that case, *causes constant rain of cookies and hot chocolate to appear* - am I forgiven for the ridiculously long wait this time ‘round too? ^^ poor harry indeed... I’m a horrible, horrible person... fun to read though huh ^^ - thanks!

Hahaha, that’s funny... a mean, kinda... but I’m a bit twisted so I found that hilarious ^^... I broke harry... ahh, thanks for that ^-^ - and sorry it’s taken me so very very (VERY) long to reply... and update... full-time uni takes a surprising amount of time every week... like, all of it ^^

Oh, I’ll fix him, don’t worry ^^ - and I doubt Snape would concede defeat when it comes to fixing Harry either, even when he finds out just how much fixing is to be done... he’s like the Bob the Builder of the Wizarding World, good ol’ Sev ^^ (and did I really just compare the two?  *shudders*) hehe, your excitement is contagious and now I’m excited and I know what happens!  ^^ *runs away from mob of readers who are likely quite desperate by now to know what I know...* but the secret’s all mine!  *laughs evilly*... too much chocolate, sorry ^^

Haha, hmm, well, if the kidnapping was aborted last time because of how fast I updated, how close are you know to donning those balaclavas?  *hides under bed* oh no, oh no, oh no... ^^ *leaves more appeasement muffins and cookies for you to snatch before retreating to under my bed*

I’m giggling rather a lot right now... mostly because I can imagine you sitting there highlighting the entire chapter before realising you’d been searching for one line ^-^ *pats you on the back* aww, don’t worry... you found some mentionable moments in the end *giggles* ^^ umbridge’s office and that whole scene was hard to get right (spent ages going over and over it) and I’ve been told my description of Harry dying of hypothermia made someone feel comfy and warm so I’m glad it drew you in and hope it made you feel similarly ^^- and I’m incredibly flattered when I read that you thought you would have the entire chapter memorised verbatim by the time ch14 is out... but then I have taken a ridiculously long time haven’t I *dodges anything incoming... aimed at my head...* ^^ - oooooh, cherry muffins? ...*crawls from under the bed and snatches cherry (CHERRY!) muffins before retreating again* - well, I’ll say that he is being affected by the potion and he probably wouldn’t have put up with any of this for as long as he has without it but then how do we really know?  Hmm... guess I’ll just have to hurry up and update ^^ (imagine that!)

And thank you so much for saying that about the moment with lily – that’s exactly what I was aiming for and I’m thrilled you noticed ^^ (so many fics have a description so detailed it barely falls short of her saying ‘by the way I’m your dead mum’ so I tried to avoid it as much as possible ^^)

Hehe, it was a good little plot device wasn’t it?  Getting Snape sacked from spying?  He does tend to hide behind details a lot and now he can be all affectionate with no reason to run away from his emotions (well, no more reason than any other man uses anyway... *sigh, in for a long, uphill battle with him aren’t we TT*) – still, we should throw him a party (oooh, with Snapey masks! You’d make a killing... in a good way ^^)  - hehe, even more thrilled I could make you lol, my ultimate aim in life... and so easily attained, *sighs happily* - I did hope Dobby came across as Dobbily as possible ^^

Aww!... everything you say tends to make me giggle in a ridiculously flattered kinda way or blush or smile stupidly for a very long time but you somehow manage to get even sweeter!  Like mud cake! (which was supposed to be a compliment but somehow with ‘mud’ in it it doesn’t quite work... fairy bread?  Cherry muffins!!!) - *checks your head for fever and tsks to myself* if you think I’m a genius there’s something seriously wrong ^^ - oh, and the fact that you mentioned that?  That sev was carrying him like it made you want to melt... well, when I reply to your other review you’ll know why that had such a huge impact on me and the fic, ‘kay? ^^

I know, wouldn’t your own line of balaclavas be awesome?   But then... what if the store was held up by blokes in balaclavas?  You might not even see them!  (camouflage... interesting...)  ooh, and I do so like gloves... the bags with ‘swag’ on them might be a seller too... maybe you could do a line of calico ones with dollar signs on them too!  And ones with cent signs too... for petty thieves and last minute operations (I can imagine that, walking in to a room of soon-to-be bank robbers and saying ‘these were all they had’... you could all have a good laugh before they shot you in the head ^^) – and don’t worry, if I branch out into the smash and grab biz you’ll be the first one I come too ^-^

Sorry I’m making you wait so long (hold on a tic, I think I can hear someone outside... and by the sound of their footsteps... yup, they’re in balaclavas ^^)