Thanks for slogging through to the end, and yes, I was determined that Snape would remain Snape, and take his usual, careful time before committing himself to anything.
Percy's plan was a guilty pleasure for me; I do like to plot out nefarious schemes, and it was fun to play with the side characters too. I did have to remind myself, though, that this wasn't going to end as a Snarry. :)
So, I fail at anon, huh? Were you right? I was tempted to comment anonymously and caution you to begin practicing your one-armed paper-hanging skillz. Really appreciate that you read, and thanks for such a thoughtful comment!