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So what happened with Harry's mental barriers? What side is Snape playing? I'm betting the Jarvey was sent by Draco. A good chapter. Thanks for all the fun.

another great chapter!!!!!!

I think I see the chink in Harry's defences... the problem is that he isn't wholly within them... part of him is within Ginny, who is not using occlumency (as far as i'm aware) and that part of him is still linked to Voldemort. Voldemort isn't getting to Ginny through Harry, he's getting to Harry through Ginny... (in a manner of speaking) methinks Harry needs to teach her to use the same mental defences he does. or they need to build joint defences while merged... of course I could be wrong... it will be interesting to see how it actually plays out... :-) Incidently I also join several of the other reviewers in saying that I love the concept of the bond between them and reading stories which explore such a bond, and that this is once of the better such stories I have encountered. :-)

Author's Response: Thank you! Please keep reading!

I've been wondering about the cat that had been in Harry's dreams earlier on (I can't remember if it was this story or the first one). Now we know. I love this story, and am looking forward to reading the middle one (the forgotten girl?) after it gets a little longer.

Just noticed a minor bit of a problem. When Ginny/Animagus snuck in to Harry's room, he was in bed with nothing at all on, except a sheet. Then he goes to sleep. Then he wakes up from a nightmare and everyone is in his room and they grab a portkey to Grimmauld place. So. What precisely is Harry wearing!? ha! ha! ha!

Author's Response: Exactly! Notice Mr. Weasley throws a robe over him (heh!) talk about embarassing . . .the reference comes up later.

And here, I was just beginning to worry that you'd taken a break from this fic to work through Ginny's backstory... I love the relationship your building here--that it is a mutual one, where neither Harry nor Ginny has all the control, where each stumbles at some point. I will grant amulder's anxiety--we've seen a bit much of self-flagellating!Harry of late (inspired, no doubt, by his navel-gazing in OotP). I think you walk that fine line well, in general. One of the nice things about the H/G ship in general and the portrayal here is that, whenever Harry gets angsty, Ginny is there to kiss and/or slap him around a bit, and get him out of himself. I'm also comfortable with the way you're exploring their... physical intimacy. I find it tastefully done. Not to mention very sweet. In fairness, we don't even KNOW what they (or Ron and Hermione) have been up to. But, given both their age and the extraordinary level of intimacy that they share, I think it would actually be unrealistic for them NOT to explore the physical side of their relationship.... MY anxiety, for what it's worth, is that they get so loaded up with non-canon skills, artifacts and attributes that they cross the line into Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu-dom. I've read some otherwise very enjoyable fics of late that make Harry and Ginny (or, in one case, Harry and Luna) so full of mojo that I found myself thinking, Voldemort doesn't stand a chance. I don't think you've done that here--the sense of impending disaster, which pays off in the (sob) destruction of the Burrow, lets us know that Voldy is still a force to be reckoned with. A couple of random questions: What's up with Malfoy? The scene where he holds Harry back from punching Dean was both totally in character... and totally surprising. And what was Mr. Chubbs doing in Harry's dream? Was that Ginny's subconscious warning him? Was it the protective amulet she'd given him? Was it the pendant he'd given her (which I'm waiting to find out has some sort of power....)? I look forward to the next installment!

Author's Response: Oh yeah! Questions! I love questions! It means you're paying attention (can you tell I used to teach?) Actually, it was on the college level. Psyc 101. Heh - heh - heh. Teenagers - I HAVE to include some physical intimacy. It wouldn't be right without it. O.K. Not real, anyway. The story is complete . . .and will be posted as fast as possible.

Very nice climax, nice bit of tension with the Burrow being attacked, and all that. I'd just like to focus on the bit at the very end with Harry going all angsty and blaming himself for everything. I'm finding this theme popping up all over fan fiction. Unfortunately, most of the time it is handled very poorly and in a cookie-cutter fashion. As such, I'm really getting tired of it. Please, I beg you, don't spend much time on that! Maybe I'm just too pragmatic and/or emotionally distant, but I tend to find Harry's arguments to be silly. It's not his fault that Voldemort is evil. It's not his fault that Voldemort wants to kill him. It's not his fault that the prophecy was made. If Voldemort wasn't trying to kill Harry, he'd be trying to kill someone else, and even if Harry wasn't there the Weasley's would be way up on his "kill" list, since they are part of the order and oppose the Death Munchers. Whups, I'm ranting. Thanks again for a complex multi-layered story. I *really* like how the bond/connection between Harry and Ginny is explored. Please keep the story PG-13 at most, they are just 15/16 after all! thanks

Author's Response: I have to rate the story R for references to sexuality and occasional language. And PLEASE don't tell me that 15/16 year olds don't make out etc. . .they do! I was one! (And not one of the worst). Just a note: this story is already completed . . .it is being uploaded as quickly as editing and html coding allows. At this point, changing anything would ruin the effect.

Ouch! That's a cruel place to leave me! Poor, Harry, he just can't catch a break. i hope Ginny can catch him before he spirals into despair. I was leery of Ginny being an Animagus too, but he scene of her rubbing up against Harry and pulling one over on Ron was too funny. I LOVED the scene with the jarvey, it was hysterical! Please don't tell me it was Malfoy who warned them though. I just can't buy a good-guy Malfoy. I can't wait for the next chatper. The Mr. Chubbs pendent was a great Christmas gift.

Author's Response: And who says that the Jarvey would belong to Malfoy? Hmmm? But perhaps another Slytherin . . .or a past Slytherin . . .Who was it that gave Lily her protection charm?