I really enjoyed reading this from Gilderoy's pov -- he's not sympathetic, exactly, but he's understandable and very believable. (And so typically Gilderoy -- only he could see Alice as "lucky," family or no family /g/) Severus is wonderful; we know as much as we need to about his ailment, and I can see him responding to GL, since they are both men of façades. You do a fine job, too, of creating the world of the hospital and its wards. An excellent read.