Oh, I'm so glad Snape told him when Minerva was hurt! (that's three years off any sentence to Azkaban that Alastor might recommend should things go *very* badly).

There are times I understand Minerva very well; walking all the way from the Hogshead to Hogwarts and to the castle was really quite stupid, but she did it anyway (I'm sure Aberforth would have let her borrow a broom, and I'm actually quite surprised he didn't offer her one). But I've done a few similar things (like riding a bike two miles and working a full shift as a nurse's aide on the day I've donated blood, but I was young and stupid then).

I love the way they lie there on the bed together and companionably fall asleep. Rings don't matter, that alone makes them married harder than many couples with them.

Oh, my. I love how Minerva and Alastor love each other in the shadow of this war, only slightly interrupted. I love how she takes responsibility for some of what happened to Snape, and how Sirius was so carefully taught that anything he did was right (though Minerva is still kind of on the 'anything you do is right if you're a Gryffindor' side).

But thanks for uploading these last two chapters so close together.

Of course, Dumbledore thinks Umbridge will be bad enough, if let loose, to make his own tenure there as Headmaster look good. But how much damage will she do that can't be repaired?

Alastor is totally right that it will be hardest on Minerva, because for Dumbledore, anything done for the Greater Good is still ok no matter who gets hurt.

Even if it's Minerva.

Haven’t finished this chapter yet, not even part way through it actually but oh no, I worried this might happen given the uncertainty over the brewing of that potion, if it was a contraception potion to start with. I’ll be surprised if this goes down well.

Hi, i’ve just started reading this story today and am thoroughly enjoying it so far.
I like the female couple so far, definitely about before their time. Albus and Minerva’s relationship is realistic enough to be that of cannon although he’s gay but this was probably written before JKR confirmed that.
I feel for Minerva though, marriage honestly doesn’t suit her
I’ll continue reading now :)

I am simply stunned. I must admit, I was really sceptical about the Minerva/Moody pairing, but you convinced me. The way you set up the Moody's character was a perfect mix of book canon and your wonderful imagination. I will never think of him in the same way. As with lots of your other stories you placed this one well in the corners of book canon, especially during the events of GoF (made me so anxious).
Also, once again, you extended the wizarding world by far.. introducing us to (magical) clan and pure-blood 'relations', magical structures of France, side characters like Bathilda and Griselda, brilliant original characters (got to love Malcom!) and last but not least a strong willed, cunning, brave and deeply caring Minerva Mcgonagall. I love the path you set up for Minerva and the life choices she made from there on. It showed beautifully the transgression of her character into what we know. Same with Albus and Alastor.
Despite keeping to canon mostly, you employed the freedom to explore the unknown and kept the suspense throughout the story. I loved all the twists and I definitely did not see some things coming. I laughed, I cried, I hoped, I had my heart thorn, I blushed, I suffered with her - it had all the emotions.
One of my all time favourites! You are a brilliant writer, I love your style. Hope more will come our fortunate way. Thank you x

What a story! Lots of surprise plot twists. And the HEA at the end! Oh, my!

Loved it, and couldn’t stop reading it. Thank you so much for sharing it! I will never think of Moody as “just” Mad-Eye again, but slwYs as Alastor.

This has to have been one of the best, well written stories that I have ever read on fanfiction. Thank you so much for writing it!

I can tell that this wonderful story is coming to an end. I guess I’ll just have to go look at other things you have written!

Wow! Alastor as Boggie! What a thought.

I knew it!

This was brilliant. Such an engaging story that I pulled an inadvertent and uncharacteristic all-nighter to reach the epilogue. Thank you!

I just found your story, because I was looking for Minerva-centric fanfiction - and let me tell you, A Slant-Told Tale did not disappoint! You gracefully kept to canon as close as you could and in the end I was so scared for Minerva and Alastor. I really loved all the relationships between the characters and the way you described them so realistic, with ups and downs. This was so great, I read it all in one go.
So, thank you for writing this, I quite enjoyed it.

Excellent from beginning to end.

It was long past time for me to leave a review here, and this one will be nowhere near what I wish, but here you are: it has been a wonderful seven years. Your Minerva is wonderful, flawed and funny and flagrantly brilliant, the Minerva we all deserve. Everyone she interacts with gains a little bit of her flair, and she a little bit of theirs.

I'm not often a fan of OCs (despite using them myself, oh dear), but Malcolm and the others crawled into my heart from the moment they were born and never let go. Along with that, I came into this naively hoping Albus and Minerva would work things out and you also converted me to McGonagall/Moody as a ship, so there's that. :)

I don't think I could name one particular thing or plot point I enjoyed most about this story, but I hope you know that it was bittersweet opening the last chapter alert and seeing "Epilogue", knowing that only one more mystery stood between me and the end. It's why I left the alert for a few months to try and get my thoughts together. Hopefully this is an acceptable amount of applause for your fine work!

Most definitely one of the best written fan fictions that I have ever had the pleasure of reading.