I finally got a chance to read this! And read I did, for a second time after the first read-through :) As always, your prose is beautiful -- it has such a lyrical quality to it and there are some truly amazing lines that evoked so much with just a few words. I loved the intimacy and familiarity you showed between Snape and Harry, and that Snape's encounters with the shopkeeper didn't replace that. I'm glad Snape made a decision to stop at the end.