Oh, wow. I admit that I didn't expect to be terribly interested in a fic about Severus' parents, but this was absolutely captivating. I found myself sucked into Eileen's story, hanging on her every word and impatient to hear what came next, just like Toby.
Severus' seven-year-old voice is perfect; completely childlike and innocent. It stings that he lost that innocence while still so young... but perhaps he gained some of it back in the end. And will you hold it against me if I say my first thought was that Severus' love had to be Harry..?