Since the end of DH I have found myself reading and rereading the series because I missed the characters. Weird. So, I started reading Harry Potter fan fiction recently. Your series was my first stop. And I couldn't have been more pleased if J.K. Rowling herself had been putting Book 8 up here for the fans.

I read your first book non-stop for about eight hours. I found myself with the characters I had grown to love over the last ten years of my life. And more than that, I had found them all over again at the beginning.

And I was even more pleased with the start of your second book. I love that some of the story is so familiar. But most is totally new. I found myself totally surprised that Dobby was the one upsetting the pyjamas even though I should not have been. But there are still really recognizble plot areas each with your own touch, like Robin the flying motor car.

I just wanted you to know that I think your series is just really fabulous. And I will be waiting with baited breath for the next update. Much like we all waited for each of the new books. I find myself purely ecstatic that each wait may be only two weeks.

Please, keep up with your writing. I find that I've already gotten myself really attached to this new Harry Potter world. You have done a marvelous thing.

Author's Response: It's really wonderful to hear that the characters felt familiar to you. That's a really difficult part of a retelling AU, in my opinion.
So far, I haven't done too well with the two week gaps, but there's always hope. They'll all come eventually, though.
Thanks very much for the exceedingly kind words, and thanks for reading.

I love the story and I can't wait to see what you do with it both the wrap up of this year and the summer & following years.I find the whole bonding thing to be a very interesting twist on things and I enjoy reading it. I have only been reading on siye for a couple weeks and finally used the "top 25 favorites"search and was amused to find the top 3 already on my favorite list and with yours 4th on the list and meeting most of my typical criteria I decided to give it a shot - glad I did!

On a side note- I hope the view counts are updated to include a hit on each chapter when I use the story PDF button... trivial as it sounds I prefer to simply page down thru the story instead of having to click the "next" button.

Keep up the good work!
Jim

Author's Response: I'm not sure about the view counts, but it's not a big deal. I think the PDF and printable features are really handy, myself . . . I use them to transfer stories to my PDA for reading on-the-go.
I'm glad you like the story, and I am also excited for Part Two. Thanks!

This is my first review as I only just finished reading it through in one go so I'll make this a bit of an overall if you don't mind :D, all I can say is the mechanics of the 'bond' have been masterfully worked through. The prologue took me a couple reads through but I found I understood the rest of the story much better having read it. At first I really didn't think this would be my cup of tea so to speak but once I started reading it I couldn't quite put it down (pardon the euphemism). The dynamics and facets you've added to the characters have blended seamlessly (at least in my opinion) with what we 'know' of them from canon and I'm increasingly curious as to how they will continue to evolve as time passes and can hardly wait for the next chapter, let alone Part II.

Kudos!

the Caffien Addict

Author's Response: Overall reviews are just fine. They give a nice overview, I think. Thank you very much for the kind words.

Quidditch, Quidditch, Quidditch. It wouldn't be a HP story without it, I guess. Oh well, you *had* to do it, since it's a perfect exploitation of the link between Harry and Ginny.

I particularly enjoyed Hermione's whispered "Good morning, Harry" to Ginny -- "She always remembers". Out of the kids it'd be Hermione who'd be first and best able to accept the 'functionality' of their bond and work with it. I think it's only her and some of the adults - McGonagall in the last chapter, something about "I still don't know which one of you [confessed]" (great line!) and Arthur - who have fully accepted and worked with the composite gestalt that is H/G in your story.

Oh, and the author himself, of course -- "*They* thought about it for a moment". Heh.

"... and leaned over to rest her head lightly on his shoulder."

The romantic in me can't help but notice things like that, and I appreciate how you've had them already, in this first year, get an inkling of what their bond implies in terms of 'getting married' (however it was put), as far as a ten- and eleven-year-old could grasp the idea anyway. They're still way too young for anything else at the moment, but as always (a) I find little affectionate touches like that very endearing, very cute/nice; and (b) it's going to be SO interesting to see how you handle their pubescence (and I'm not being lewd or salacious here; I'm quite tame in my own HP literary preferences, not one for smut). Once she starts maturing, will Ginny ever look into a mirror again :-) Until they're married/dating, that is? My apologies for forgetting, but they've already moved past the 'counting tiles' phase into just smiple acceptance of the realities of their condition, haven't they? Was this the last chapter of Year One? When it's finished I think I'll set aside an afternoon and give it another read so I can fully appreciate it all the more.

Author's Response: Can you imagine the number of people who would have called me on it if I skipped this Quidditch match? I prefer just one lynching per year, thanks. And, besides, I enjoy it.
What a shock that you like Hermione. =) I hope my characterization of her satisfies you, other issues aside. I personally like Hermione an awful lot.
As I mentioned to someone else in a review response, there's a difference between 'getting it' and 'accepting it', even if some of the trappings are the same.
Those little sweet moments are easy to write, mechanically, but it's hard to make them work the way they should. We can't let the kids get ahead of themselves, but at the same time they have a unique relationship that goes beyond grabbing each others' hands to hurry themselves along as they work on a complicated rescue.
I plan to stay within SIYE's rating restrictions, but I'm not going to shy away from the realities of their situation. Hopefully you'll find it tasteful enough to be interesting.
What use does Ginny have for mirrors, anyway? =)
There's one more chapter to wrap things up and set up Part Two. I'll have it online as soon as it's ready. Thanks!

Your story really hooked me. Now, I can't help but wonder (and sorry if you've already answered this in someone else's comment) will Ginny have to stay with the Dursley's during part of the summer when Harry goes to renew the blood bond? I just wonder how the Dursely's would react to the whole problem. Now I just have to wait (impatiently) for the next chapter and the next and .... Thanks for writing such a great fic.

Author's Response: There has been a lot of curiosity about the summer, but I haven't said anything about it yet. You'll find out a bit of it in the next (and final) chapter. Thanks!

A nice quiet chapter, Dave. I really like the way Hermione is beginning to talk to one through the other. It shows that she has accepted them as they are.
I look forward to read what you are going to do with the coming bathroom situations. It will begin to look fairly suspicious if Ginny is avoiding the showers for too long; unless of course she has a good excuse.

I really would like to know what you have planned for the summer. Harry needs to call #4 his home. One of the definitions a have for home is: Where you don't lock the door to the bathroom. I don't know if it will be enough for Harry to sleep @ #4, but I assume that they will spend quite some time at the Burrow.

What is that part you announced were in early beta? MoO part i? Is that a part to bridge the gap between the two books? I'm curious.

I look forward to read your next chapter.
Regards Ichtys

Author's Response: There's all sorts of fun coming up for them, starting with the summer.
Part i is just that . . . it's a non-plot-relevant bit of something that I wanted to write. So it uses the MoO characters and history, but the events in that story do not happen in the main plot. Make any sense?
I hope to have the final chapter up within 2 weeks. Thanks for reading.

Its really good. I'm surprised no one kicked up a fuss about another gryffindor 1st year playing. Is that actually a rule?
Great game scene, I enjoy your action scenes, you don't lose your head and start throwing random adverbs around.
Treecat

Author's Response: As far as I can tell, it's fine for a first year to play. They just can't have their own broom at the school, which makes it very hard for them to make the team, even if they're already a good flier. Thanks!

Saw your update right before leaving for home yesterday – and couldn’t get to it because of validating – “they� should just grant you the right to “Post em when ready Gridley� as you have successfully (at least in my book) demonstrated your ability to put out quality work.

My my my, during this chapter I kept noticing just how blended the ol’ Potsly Smoothy (shaken, not stirred) is getting – at this rate they will only be speaking in echo-tongue before entering the Chamber and everyone will know about there only being one of them. And with Ginny’s increasingly almost-public displays of affection (brought on by Hagrid maybe?) towards Harry Neville should be getting the message (I know, keep ignoring my Neville questions)

Great game – I found myself rocketing off my chair at the instant shift from grass skimming to about to leave orbit entrance of our fair wee-damsel-in-charge, Oliver cut her no slack eh?

Oh, and here is the cover I use for your story on my Mobipocket reader, Iberghol's Young Love - http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/2349 5714/?qo=234&q=by%3Alberghol&qh=sort%3At ime+-in%3Ascraps

might make a nice banner or somethin


Author's Response: They'll have to be careful, won't they? Of course, Occam's Razor cuts in mysterious ways.
That's a nice little drawing that captures Part One fairly well, I'd say. For the whole series, I've found myself drawn to Mudblood428's "Equals": http://mudblood428.com/art/sub/equals.ht ml Even though the title is not precisely relevant. =)

great chapter & a very good description of a qudditch match of course having ginny in it was a forgone conclusion & i dont think any one will be breaking her record as she not even ment to be in school yet.
the scean with snape deffenatly gort my intrest & iam beinging to wonder just how much he knows or wether he suspect something due to his a possable ina bilaty to read ther mind (iam not goin to even try & speel the proper name). & i suspect thats something thta will be delt with in the years ahed.

i didnt leave a review last chapter but on thing iv been wonder about in regards to molly & arthurs reaction is that even if they had known the full story iam not mollys reaction would have been any diffrent & i just one more thing shes going ot have to slowly accept that t`s part of harrys peronallaty & therfore part of ginnys in that they are very inpulsive & in particuley when they or there frends fell threterned

james

Author's Response: I didn't think it would be much of a surprise that Ginny got to play. It just made too much sense.
If Molly and Arthur had heard the full story, I think the reaction would have been very different, but the result might have been the same. The rest of the story, however, would have been different. Thanks!

Nice, I enjoyed it even though I'm not to big of a fan of Quidditch scenes it was still good.

Keep up the good work.

Author's Response: Thank you, I'm glad it was enjoyable anyway.