What an odd, beautiful, haunting story. These were two pairings that made me uncomfortable for many reasons, but you convinced me to invest in them, if not revel in them. I loved all the unanswered questions, the clues to who Minerva was before Hogwarts. I want to understand why the ghost would tell Snape that he wasn't supposed to be there, didn't belong there. I am willing to accept the unexplained as surreal and leave it at that. You had me at 'self-murder' in the opening scene, and frequently tugged my heart with a turn of phrase or image. I especially will remember the ghost's description of what being dead feels like, and Snape's ideas on drowning. Well done!