I like how you contrast this loud boisterous crowd with the one he left at the Three Broomsticks. One tried to drag him into it, and the other offered him anonymity. Now I have to find out who has discovered him there!

I liked the ending very much. There was lot to the sentence, "If George was there, they could have made it to the top". George just isnt't there, is he? He's lost somewhere. Poor thing.

I loved Molly's take on Harry attending Lavender's funeral. She was with him in life, so he should be there for her in death. Molly is very strong here.
I see the interest developing between Harry and Luna. I'm usually a canon girl, but I will read anything well written, and this is! The way you have the Dementor intertwined with Luna is fascinating. Really, to see a story so different is refreshing. Can't wait to read more!

Author's Response:

The scene with Molly really developed with reallyginny's help--she really helped me nail down Molly's reaction better.  I had her a bit too emotionally detached and reallyginny's beta work made all the difference there.  I would be interested to have had you read the original and compare them just to see how much difference reallyginny made.

If you're a canon girl, then you might be disappointed here as this is definitely a Harry/Luna story, but I promise that I'm not just going to throw Ginny to the side and dismiss her (I hate that in some Dramiones and other Harry/other ships that they just discard Ron or Ginny).

I'm so glad that you find this interesting as the original version got widely varied reviews.

I love how I can see the details of DH have been researched and included here. Dean's reaction to Harry's presence is written very well. Jealousy is well warranted, now that Harry seems to have gotten Dean's girl TWICE. The description of what Dean saw when the Dementor attacked Luna is very well written, and I am intrigued to see what quality she possesses that allowed her to reverse the kiss that way. The Dementor's thoughts are very creepy, by the way. I love it. :)

Author's Response:

Dean's reaction here was greatly improved in the re-write...In the original, I had him just angry, like Harry in OotP or GoF and it was just not right, so I added the bit about stealing his girl twice and I thought it worked, glad to see you did too!

It's important to the plot that Harry starts to see what's going on as he can be a bit thick (kidding).  I find it's actually harder to write the small Dementor snippets than the big bit in the prologue, but they're necessary to give some behind the scenes info from the Dementor's POV.

In the original, Dean wasn't presented in a flattering way and I hope that I've changed that here.  He IS a Gryffindor after all.

Death Eaters really can't accept that their time is over, can they? It can't be good that Harry's support system is a little broken at the moment. Weasley's are turning their backs and he is going to need them. Hermione will help, but I get the sense that she'll side with Ron if it comes right down to it. I can't wait to meet the shaman that has been the Lovegood family doctor for so long. She's either as nuts as them, or very long on patience. Either way, a good character in the making. I think it is a rather low blow for the DE's to attack at Fred's wake, although George had him going out in style. Great job!

Author's Response:

The shaman is a new character for the re-write and she will fulfill an important narrative problem that the original story had and give an insight into Luna that we don't often see. 

Do you really think the Weasley's will turn their back on Harry?  More on this, I promise to come in the next three to four chapters.  Harry's support system will shift, but not break.

And as for the DEs.  You'll hear more about them in two chapters and their motives for attacking the wake and not the Lupins' funeral.  This is where the story starts to earn its M rating-get ready for some punches to the gut (metaphorically speaking).

 I'm so glad that you enjoyed it enough to read the whole thing so far.  Thanks for your reviews and support.

I think you've gotten Harry's angsty temper just right. It is interesting that Connor think he doesn't have the right temperment to be an Auror. I often thought about that. Harry lacks the logical, strategic mind that comes with planning attacks and defenses. He's always been more of a jump in there and fight kind of guy, flying by the seat of his pants. Most of his 'plans' came from Hermione's keen intellect.
Wow, I should have read this before asking you to do your won spell for LDWS. Great job on the Patronus containment spell. The idea of putting them into a pin for the owner to wear is genius.
The only thing that I struggled with a little (and only a little) was Kingsley's characterization. He seemed a little too political, too Scrimgeour, than I would have thought from his character in the stories. Of course, being a soldier is different from being in charge, so who knows how it would have been. I just don't see him as being that dismissive of Harry's contributions to the war. And that leads me to the question, where was Connor during the war? Does he know nothing of what Harry did for 'others'? He better watch out for who he accuses of not thinking of others, and lacking hero qualities.
This was a really good chapter. I am so intrigued by the actions of Ginny's and Luna's patronuses. Very well done. Sorry it took so long to get over here and read it!~GW

Author's Response:

I'm so glad that someone agrees with me about Harry and Aurors; I think Harry had a lot of maturing to do still before he became a good Auror. 

The idea for the Patronus pin was mine, but Bella_Portia came up with the incantation for it.  Out of the several suggestions she made, I chose the one I thought looked most elegant and not the one that made the most sense.  More on the pins in the next chapter; they are a new addition here and meant to help clear up a problem with the original story.

 Which brings us to Kingsley.  I wanted to show by the pins that Dementors were affecting all of them, which would help to account for Kingsley's aggression here to Harry.  I see I still need to clarify that as it will be important to understand that Dementors are having outside effects on people.

At the time of the war, Conner was working in the U.S. as the wizarding Secret Service liaison, protecting the U.S. president from magical threats.  I have his entire history worked out as a character backstory and would love to write his and Gio's stories, but I just don't have the time...

 Thank you for your very kind review and as always, I appreciate your CC.

Charlie is precious. I absolutely adore how you've written him. The best part is his absolute terror that Kettleburn will write to Molly. That is a fate worse than death to all Weasley boys. This is just lovely.

Author's Response: Thank you! I'm glad you liked my Charlie :)

The last line made me roll! Just as she was beginning to feel a little bad and coming back to apologize, here comes Lavender. What poor timing on her part. This was really cute. The characters were spot on. Lovely job.

Author's Response: Thanks, Georgia! :D <3, Tigga.

How intriguing. The diary is back! I think Ginny knows the fine line she was walking when she purchased the book, looking for Tom. I don't think she really expected to find him. I love how you've created this gray, mediocre world that she just exists in. All the light and excitement have gone out of her, leaving her restless and numb. The diary brings back the hope of something that brought out some passion in her. Very well done.

Luna has always been, well, a little different. Giving this insight into her helps us to see that her difference is not a bad thing at all, but part of who she is and who her mother was. I think her odd behaviors help her cling to her mother's memory just a little bit better. This is really lovely.

I know I already told you on HPFF how wonderful this is, but I just read it again and decided you needed to hear it again! The parts of Remus's childhood are so touching, and explain so much about his attitude and personal beliefs. He aches to be good, and good enough, to be accepted by the world around him. I love the hope you let him reach for in the end.

Author's Response:

Hi Shanon!

Oh, I'm happy to hear from you again. I'm so glad you liked the parts about Remus' childhood because I especially enjoyed writing them. The kindness of his character is a very impotrant trait of his and I think that the inner strength that keeps him that way makes him more human then anyone else. He doesn't give in to bitterness - and it takes a lot of courage not to while living a life he lives - because he still wishes to keep a part of his humanity. His self-consciousness might not allow him to see himself that way, but subconsciously he wants to be human in the eyes of the world. In the end, he chooses to fight for that privilege and it is the marking of a true Gryffindor in him.

Thank you so much for reviewing - again. You rock!!

*hugs you*

The scene in Dumbledore's office where she learns of her mother's death still takes my breath away. Anyone that has had that kind of news dropped on them knows the feelings Hannah experienced, and you captured them perfectly. You chose such sweet moments and paired them with such tragedy. This is so beautifully done.