This story was fine, but i'm disappointed that you didn't write about harry's summer with Severus, what they did, how they got on, where they lived and did they do any fun things? That would have injected a lot more original ideas into the tale and satisfied the promise in the earlier stories about harry & severus becoming close. Also I think you made severus a lot less sympathetic in this instalment plus Sirius was far too sane and chipper for someone just released from 11 years with the dementors. Thanks for sharing this series.

If you ever find the mood and time I am sure many would appreciate an update.

I’d love to see more in this series. I’ve read all your HP works, but this series is probably my favorite. I always have mixed feelings about Snape-adopts-Harry fics because they are usually terribly OOC for both Harry and Snape. In the books, Snape is a truly unpleasant character (morally, I mean—literary-wise, there’s a complexity at which the mind boggles). He ruthlessly plays favorites and bullies Neville. While some of his actions can be attributed to the need to keep his cover, when it comes down to it Snape is just an awful teacher, and a vindictive man who—in my opinion—doesn’t truly grow into heroism until the sixth/seventh years. So I’m always more than a little leery of fluffy-Snape stories.

All that being said, I can totally see Snape getting over some of the worst aspects of his personality, especially in the seventh book when he is placed in the position of protecting students he’s never cared for, and who hate his guts. I can see him taking the position of headmaster as a sort of sacred trust—not something he does out of guilt/love for Lily, but for himself. I often love fics that take on that missing year from his perspective.

Your series here asks a very important what if—not exactly the what if of Snape giving Harry his letter, so much as the what if Snape’s first interaction with Harry is not seeing him sorted into Gryffindor (the house of his father, the house he lost Lily to) but Harry when he’s at his most vulnerable; surrounded by a neglect and emotional abuse Snape finds all too familiar. How if, Snape isn’t so blinded by his hatred if James, and if Harry looks to him as his rescuer from the Dursleys and his guide to the magical world—how they might have had a very different relationship from the one in the books. Snape’s growth as a character is beautifully and believably done here, as is the slow sort-of friendship that grows between him and Remus.

I’ll also take a minute to mention that your second entry is a masterpiece in poignancy mixed with humor. One thing I simply loath in a mentor/father Snape fic is the incessant Dumbledore bashing. Not only do you give Albus the credit of being a real human being who values Harry more than the greater good, but nevertheless makes mistakes, but you brilliantly portray a sympathetic take on the complex and difficult relationship between Dumbledore and Snape. You kept me laughing at Dumbledore’s teasing all the way through, only to steal my breath away with a few handful of lines, scattered throughout the work, that speak eloquently of the duty of care. Dumbledore is playing the long game here—not merely for the sake of the wizard of world, but for the happiness of two students he’s failed.

My one hesitation is a sort of question. There’s no arguing that in a fair and just world, Harry could and would turn to adults with his problems. One of the great difficulties of the books is that so much is laid on Harry at a young age. One of the reasons why there is so much Dumbledore-bashing is because in consideration of what Harry gets up to, Dumbledore seems a bit negligent, to say the least. (I wonder if some of what you are doing here is a respectful counterpoint to the undeniable glorification of rule-breaking and reckless child endangerment in the books, but in all honesty that’s a whole other argument which is neither here nor there) That being said at the end of the first book Harry says he thinks that Dumbledore wanted to give him a chance to do it on his own. In the context of DH, it’s pretty clear to me that yeah, Harry’s right, and a strong reason why Dumbledore doesn’t come down hard on Harry about his hero mentality is that he knows that one day, Harry will have to face Voldemort himself, and (as he admits at the end of OP) that sometimes sheltering children from evil sometimes leaves them vulnerable when they can’t be sheltered any longer. Again, I’m not interested in debating the prudence of Dumbledore’s actions in canon. What I would like to see is how, in your series here, you’d deal with the events of the later books in the series. While I think that it’s entirely fair to write a version of events where Harry has much more support than in canon, I admit I have a hard time seeing how Harry can go from where he is now in your series, to dealing with the dangers and tragedies of 4-7. The death of Cedric in GF marks a darker turn in the series even in canon, but here it would be far worse.

All that being said, there’s a lot of potential, as well. How would a more rule-abiding Harry deal with the reign of Umbridge? Would he learn (as I’m not sure he ever really does in the canon books) that’s there’s a difference between breaking rules for the greater good, and rebelling against an unjust regime? (My favorite part of OP is after Umbridge takes over and all the faculty silently and unanimously agree that this is NOT the time to enforce the rules)

In any case, after what you’ve done here, I have no doubt in your ability to tackle this issue in an emotionally cognizant, thought-provoking way. And probably make me laugh at the same time. So please, if the inspiration strikes you, do continue this series.

Bravo, bravo!

Now that you mention it, Ron crunching a rat’s skull is especially creepy. Thanks, I hadn’t noticed that before.

Cool story, too.

Remus and Severus are so cute together, like a divorced couple tolerating each other for the sake of the kid they have joint custody over.

I always figured the Death Eaters who got away, like Lucius, pulled some strings to make sure Sirius didn’t get a trial. They knew someone had to take the blame to satisfy the public.

If only that had been the fate of Pettigrew/Scabbers!
You know, the books never do explain how the little rat was able to make contact with 'Wraithmort' without becoming his next 'muppet'; how would Peter have been able to communicate with the wraith and figure out the convoluted method of Wraithmort inhabiting a baby and that Babymort would then need to be nourished with potions and snake venom!?
Of course, I found the entire thing to be overdone and ridiculous in the first place: I've read alternatives, written by 12 & 13-year olds that made more sense than that!
Thanks for the 3rd installment. I've been re-reading the other two and have really enjoyed these stories.
Hope you come back to them, someday!
Take care!
Cheers!
MelJ :D

Very nicely done. It's a great break from the formulaic manner in which the fanon usually treats the Sirius case (lazily, if I'm honest) and it's all through the eyes of a Remus Lupin who doesn't dwell endlessly on being a werewolf. Those reasons alone were compelling enough, but the way you've directed the characters through this series is nothing short of remarkable, because you haven't changed their core characters and you were still able to bring it all together into one hell of a story that blends canon with your divergences from canon. Well done.

I really enjoyed this series and I hope you do decide to continue it. I very seldom come across a story anymore where Dumbledore isn't an evil person and it is a pleasant change.

Arrrgh! I just reread my ch 3 review! I said, Thank you for sharing this ... not shit... really? ! how does that even happen? ! So sorry, I should have read it mire carefully for errors!

Hope THIS one is correct when it gets posted... ugh...

his

They must have fixed the apostrophe issue! yay!

I meant to mention I LOVE your author's note at end of this fic! Perfect and quite fitting ending.

his

I thoroughly enjoyed this series! Thank you for shit with us.

I like how how Severus is never actually trying to be friends, but he does find himself in Remus's company an awful lot. However, Severus would say, Never! To the trying to be friends part, but I have a different opinion. lol!

Harry is a sweetheart. Love how little it takes for these kids to confess to their mischief.

Hope Sirius eventually accepts Harry's relationship with Severus, otherwise Harry would be torn apart chosing, but he'd choose Severus as his guardian, in my opinion, over Sirius and his childish grudge. While Severus 's grudge is also childish I feel he has more reason for it than Sirius ever did.

Added these to fav fics. Also if words look odd or not properly spelled, I am on the app, which tends to strip out apostrophes for some reason. And other marks... No idea why...

his

Fantastic story! Your working title about the basilisk was good. Thank you for writing!

Good story, very well written. I hope you’ll post more Honey Bee stories. Thank you for sharing.

Great little fic
Thanks for sharing