Such a wonderful cast of characters, from the three perfect pairings to the coven of seventh-years (and the Pygmy Puff!), and such a wonderful story to tie them together. I love your take on all of them . There's your spot-on, caring, sober, realistic Minerva. Then that beautifully un-clichéd take on Hooch (I can't recall anyone ever having written her as a mother, and yet it seems so perfectly natural the way you write it -- and I love that Minerva was the one who "taught her new ways to fly"), as well as the story of her first name(s). Alastor, too, is excellently described and perfectly IC, and then of course there's Severus, with his loneliness and ambivalence and that beautiful appearance at the very end. And Wil! Wil with a self-bred Pygmy Puff on her shoulder is such an endearing image, and the contrast between sturdy Wil and the cute Puffskein is just lovely.
Your writing is beautiful. I love the feeling of outdoorsiness that you convey, and there are many lines that made me wish I could write like that. Have just a few:
--Her voice, which normally seemed a stout and starchy presence of its own, was but a whisper as she gave in to her impulse and stroked a hand along one pale and petal-soft cheek. --It was moist and musk and satin stretched taut over sturdy bones. The taste of damp salt kissed off of tear drenched cheeks was very different from the taste of the damp salt gleaned from between powerful thighs. --his wonderfully familiar scent, overlaid with warm leather.
The last line filled me with a warm glow that'll last me well throughout this rainy day! Thank you for a real treat!