Wow. I'm not sure I have the words to do this one justice so I'll just have to point up and say "what everyone else so eloquently said." So many brilliant lines here. The one that hit me like a Bludger was the one Kelly quoted. My mouth literally dropped open at the sheer perfection of these perfectly chosen words. Then he spots it scuttling away over the grass – a squirrel or a rat. Some small creature. Nothing. *shivers* You captured Severus really well but, more importantly for me, you captured Peter, and made him make a lot more sense. Now that you said it, of COURSE he's not stupid, or inept. He'd have to be clever and skilled. And I love that he has no problem not letting people know all he can do. And to think that Severus was that close to actual possible happiness and it all slipped away... Damn. *shakes head*
This was truly masterful writing, MA. Brilliantly done.