Ah, but we have no such chance, my dear, Ivo thought as he shook her hand, human nature being what it is. Eerie lines, but fitting of the character you've created. Loved the paragraph after; Diantha will learn in her own time, I'm sure.
It was no easier to be a Slytherin in those days than to be from Durmstrang. I can only imagine. Prejudice runs so many ways! Great line to include.
Your description of the professors in hiding is excellent - so clearly demonstrates what they've run from and what the punishment to their bodies has been!
"You might allow us at least a day, Severus," she said tartly, "before you set about alienating all and sundry." Laughter. Oh, perfect Minerva and Severus, no matter where they are found!
"I'll set about alienating Merlin himself," he said, "if that fucking Potter dies before he bothers to deliver us all from this nightmare." The. Perfect. Line.
Yes, in English, I believe that's what 'they have the bed next to mine' means. 'They' plural. 'Bed' singular." Ah, a good stress on the rules of grammar is never too much. (: Very much appreciated this line.
A few months ago, before the world had fallen apart, such an age difference might have made him snicker. Now. . .well, who could care about such things now? Very valid point! An apocalypse of one's known world does seem to have that effect (or so I'd guess; I haven't experienced it personally).
Because that's what people did in a refugee camp. They fucked. They weren't "intimate," except in the sense that the whole damned camp was "intimate," everyone living cheek by jowl, no solitude, precious little dignity. These lines by themselves describe the camp in the most effective manner. I wish he HAD said it, so she might fully have understood the quartering and atmosphere! Nonetheless, very wise lines - I'm glad he at least thought them, and that you wrote them. (:
The night of the Solstice Celebration. I can just see this being the night to let magic, stomachs and general living loosen up. The darkest night, as well, being the night for the pair's most obvious fucking - very nice touch.
I see your darkness, I'm not deceived. I know it all, and it doesn’t matter. I have darkness of my own. Oh, Minerva. The ache in my heart reminds me that I understand the words and concepts quite well. Touching lines from a griffin to a snake! (Griffins, so known for their sense of truth and honesty, so much so that lies can die away to bitter truths around them...) Their scene together was beautiful in the intimacy and the hurry both.
Beautiful. My goodness. Like you, I am not one for authentic speechlessness, but the feeling is fleetingly noted regardless. I had to take a large breath before continuing my comment!
It feels appropriate that I read this story in a beautiful, homey and worldly cafe in my town, faerie lights twinkling occasionally to bring me back to this Muggle world with the buzz of voices around me. I recall you are a fan of combining Internet cafes and Harry Potter fanfiction. Your fic has reminded me to take a deep breath, take a look around beyond the immediate attention-snatching faerie-flashes and background noise, to appreciate this world around me that I hold so dear yet so often forget to admire. I will thank Severus and Minerva for that lesson as well.
[I needn't say how spot-on your characterisation of these characters is, but I will remind regardless. Bravo! And such a realistic – however painful – setting!]
This is an incredible story. Your use of the two OC characters was ingenius in expressing it - the connection to Hogwarts youth days and the idea that there are youth and adult generations beyond those dark falling times. As usual, I won't get over this story for a long while! Breath-taking. Literally. Fantastic work, Kelly! It once more reminds me how honoured I feel that anyone would think you could ever write a lesser story like mine! You are a blessing to this corner of fandom!