Oh, how delicious! This is like a stream-of-consciousness commentary as the fic unfolds.
*smirks* When I first started writing about the wards and of course Sleeping Beauty came to mind, I pictured Harry as this odd cross between the prince and the wicked fairy.
I'm delighted you like Odile, because, um, so do I. Maybe a little too much. I had to write a smart, attractive, good-natured Slytherin. Had to.
Argh, Harry. One of the (many) compelling reasons for writing this fic was my desperate desire to have Harry change. Not become a different person, but be so affected by pain and loss and confusion and love that he, yes, grows up. So that when he's free again, innocent again, he can't/won't go back to being the person he was.
I'm surprised that nobody's kicked my arse for what I did to Ron. And the Freds . . I have a hard time imagining George doing anything but this: populating his life with versions of Fred. I guess because I really don't see George as whole without him.
Ah, the snake runes. Nobody's noticed yet that they're also a sort of meta reference to Snape's death in DH. Well, okay, so Nagini was one frickin' huge snake and these are small and insubstantial, but . . In any case, I also enjoyed inflicting such an ironic obsession on Harry. Because snakes are the symbol of Slytherin, and, um. . enough said.
I don't know why I find Snape's bitterness so erotic, but I do. Maybe it's that edge of desperation.
I have a LOT of thoughts about Snape's last line and whether or not it's a good thing for Harry to follow him, but yeah, I basically wanted the hair to rise on the nape of Harry's neck when Snape whispered those words. Way to feed Harry's obsession, Severus.
Thank you for snuggling in to read this (good lord, I don't know if I'd choose this fic for bedtime reading material) and for touching on so many of the points that I struggled like a maniac to express. When I read this over, I kept nodding and repeating, "Yes, she got it. She got that. Hallelujah." Which makes me feel - well, happy. And I'm almost never happy about my writing, so this is a gift.