Somebody is cutting onions over here!
This is heartbreaking (your description of Harry's grave and the house elves was what had me in tears) and at the same time the ending gives a feeling of hope; even with Harry Potter gone, he is still the symbol of hope and fighting spirit, because the short time he lived he proved that Lord Voldemort is NOT unstoppable.

There were some minor grammatical errors and typos, mainly with comma placement ("God know's," "put up a good fight, when their time came," "all of it, through," "throughout the whole world," "ceased to be little more than," "placing them into my cloak," etc.).
With that said, you created a beautifully bleak portrait of the future after Potter's defeat. It's hard to select details I particularly enjoyed because the whole came together so well, but I would like to note a few:
- The ominous, vague overtones of "refinement camp" perfectly matched the 1984 vibe you were going for.
- The colony of house elves revering Harry led nicely into the solemn, determined feel of the ending.
- While there were some things obvious to the reader before they were explicitly revealed (such as the family's nonmagical nature), the final revelation wasn't clear until the very end.

Ominous.

Wow, was that ever a mind trip.

I really enjoyed reading this. It's solid (all the little details pulled from canon make it live), it's believable (the journey through London was so /vivid/), and it's fascinating. Through the whole thing I'm wondering who this person is and why s/he is there and what s/he is trying to do. I didn't know what to expect, but enough interesting things kept happening (the brief nineteen-year-history, the security in London, the giant, the Muggles, Hogsmeade and the two-headed goat!) that I was willing to wait for it. And I'm so glad I did! I like how Harry is never named . . . and how I slowly came to understand that he did indeed fail. (Oh, poor Neville . . .)

If I had to pick out something to criticize, I would choose this: In the very beginning, I feel like the POV is fluid. It moves from first person [Everywhere I look, the mantra is there.] but then flirts with second person [You can feel it, like a noxious vapor, seeping into your skin, poisoning you a little more with each breath.] In all honesty, I don't think the punch that is "you" is needed here. "I" already made sure I was as close as possible to this unnamed character and his/her narrative; I would like to gently suggest that "you" be replaced with "I" or maybe - maybe - "we" to keep the strength of the first person. To me, it seems weakened here in the beginning.

There are so many wonderful similes, metaphors, and details that I would end up copying more than half the story to tell you which I liked! I adore this type of descriptive writing. But my absolute favorite detail was this: [a suit of armor is hopping carefully along on one leg] Talk about tickling the fancy! That right there is the clearest image of abandoned magic in this ruin of a castle. The grave was lovely, too. As is the fact that the Polyjuice Potion didn't work /quite/ right. I wish this person luck. Truly.

~ Anne

On first glance, the rating surprises me. Then again, they're awfully grey borders so I'm guessing this is going to be a psychological play without the potential gore wrought in. :D

The narrator has a very interesting voice. I particularly like the placement of "Welcome to London". It gives a very tour-guide-of-mind sort of feel. Particularly when it continues to trade between the personal tale and the tale of the context. It's a clever interplay - though my concern with that is that for the first few paragraphs, the context was quite arbitrary. I think that weakened the introduction of said context when it did arrive, at least at the beginning.

I giggled at the werewolf comment. That was an interesting twist - werewolves haven't been mentioned yet, and they're a bit of a grey area as far as the magical world is concerned despite being classed as dark creatures.

The second time the mantra appears, I'm reminded of the slogans in 1984 and not sure how I missed that the first time. They're an interesting choice of slogans, particularly following the mention of resistance and aim. The difference between security/control and freedom.

The interaction between the muggles and the narrator is an interesting one - it serves to highlight the explanation of wizard/muggle relations - at least for the general public. And it puts the narrator into a better context as well. And I can't say I expected that to be the Hogsmeade and Hogwarts - things have changed so much! I also wonder what exactly the muggles see -the ruins that are the anti-muggle wards or the true ruins Hogwarts has become.

Aww, the scene with the grave is so sad and sweet: the emotions are really poigant. The inclusion of the house elve automatically makes me think it is them for a moment, but the addition of lilies suggested Snape. I love how it's not immediately clear - how the narrator is, where the location - all of it is designed to multiple possibilities until the answer comes, and then all the clues fit together in retrospect. Clever writing!

Polyjuice potion from Harry's body? That's an intersting idea and, again, not one I saw coming. Also makes me wonder what will happen when the supply runs out. Perhaps that will be enough time. Perhaps it won't. Perhaps a bone is more potent than hair - or less. Maybe it's just the DNA that matters. There are lots of answers left...well, unsanswered by this. Like who the narrator is - I get the feeling in some cases that they were involved in the war, but other bits disuade that. A couple of points made me think of Snape, but he's not pureblood so that part was out. And I find it be quite amusing that Voldermort would himself fail the blood check.

An interesting read, and the sort that keeps the reader on their toes. Great work!

Hi! Fandom blind, but I'll do my best to review. :)

Part 1:

That is a fantastic start! The descriptions of the settings are both vivid and creepy (especially emerald fire). Then the narrator saying [My time might be running out.] makes it very ominous and tense. And the next paragraph, describing about the city and comparing it to a living, malevolent tool, makes London sound even creepier.

And then the narrator's actions, especially him being hasty and sneaking past the Aurors. They add to the suspense. This message [So long as you obey, you're safe. But only if we allow you to be.] just makes it even more ominous and creepy. Brr! Great atmosphere-building there!

I really enjoy the moments when the narrator laments about how London is now. It makes the earlier [Welcome to London.] meaningful. London is not the same anymore. It's a bleak town now. The resemblance to warzone and the rules about transportation just show the gloomy condition of the town.

All the descriptions are fantastic. I especially love the train scene. Really, it feels like I'm looking through the narrator's eyes. [The city flies by in black and grey streaks, cold lights caught in the droplets of rain on the window, reflecting like distant stars.] This line is very, very effective and vivid.

Part 2:

I love the amazing paragraph about the countryside. The narrator comparing the view to a reviving potion works very, very well, and when he contrasts it to the poison of London, I further feel how bleak London is now. Also, the contrast makes the relaxing atmosphere of the countryside even more palpable. To top it off, the descriptions. It sounds truly relaxing (as if I'm there too!), and I can visualize how the countryside looks like.

The atmosphere-building is always top-notch. I can basically feel the narrator's unease when he talks about the magical beasts. And then his dreams just add it. After that, when the narrator is on the woods and talks about werewolves, it's just...tense. Then again, the suspense turns into comfort when the narrator reaches the inn. It's crowded, and he's welcomed, and he spends time doing fun stuff like trading stories, singing, and drinking (these perfectly build the atmosphere of a bar too).

The suspense too, is always great. Like when the narrator is snapped out of trance and assumes that he hears a howl. That is scary, and then it becomes foggy. Ghostly lights, suspecting that they may be leading into a grave; that is chilling, and I'm currently hooked. I want to know how the narrator's journey will play out! :D And then the narrator noticing a monstrous shadow? Earth-shaking roars? And the narrator running away from it? The suspense is WOW for sure! The descriptions of the narrator's journey, such as when he stumbles over roots, just make it even more tense. And the towering giant. I'm basically on the edge of my seat as I read it!

And WOW! The moment Joel and Kathy approach the narrator is just as tense. Especially when Joel wants to attack the narrator and they argue. Good that it finally settles thanks to Kathy, although Joel is not so nice with the narrator. And he suggests the narrator to a deserted town? And going through the trails that sound dangerous according to the couple? Maybe Joel is right. Hopefully, the narrator will make it.

It's pretty melancholic when the narrator talks about Harry, the hero. It's sad that he's left to rot in the ruins of the castle, and how everything seems to die when he's gone. It's a bit comforting to learn that somebody buries him and builds a beautiful grave for him.

And it gets tense when the narrator hears something, though luckily, the elves ignore him.

It's just sad when the narrator notices the bones of the hero, and it breaks. It's comforting to see the narrator muttering an apology, but it's still...sad.

That ending is such a twist, and packs strong emotions. I don't see it coming! The last two paragraphs sum it up very well. Sure, it's open-ended and has the potential to start something that's focused on Harry's clone (or something like that), but it just fits. The narrator is merely Harry's clone, but as long as he has Harry's body (symbol), he's more powerful than anything. He can continue what Harry hasn't finished. Such a bittersweet ending!

Well done!

Wow. Powerful opening. The mantra and the first paragraph give me the feeling that I've stepped into a dystopia. Then the short, single sentence "Welcome to London" is like a punch to the gut, because it's so unexpected. It makes me wonder what could possibly have happened to change London like this, and I HAVE to keep reading. Fantastic hook. Then the next paragraph heightens the feeling even more by telling us just how much has changed, and then you have another gut-wrenching one-liner, just to clinch it. A quick suggestion: "less of a" is a construction we tend to use more verbally than in writing; "less a city than a tool" would sound more formal and would fit better with the tone in my opinion.
"So long as you obey, you're safe. But only if we allow you to be." Again, this feels very dystopian, and very, very ominous.
I feel like the tense changes in the next paragraph. I had to read it over several times to be sure, but it feels off to me. I think this is fine: "I had heard things were bad here. Worse than the States, even." Because here you're saying that he had heard it before he'd gotten here. It's at the next part that it suddenly feel like you're switching from present to past tense. I think a better reading would be "I hadn't quite been able to believe it. The place I came from still resembles a warzone; here, at least, the cities have been rebuilt." This way, it's clearer that we're still in present tense. And again a little later: "Quidditch was never as popular at home as it was here" seems to be in past tense as well. I think this would fix it: "Quidditch was never as popular at home as it is here."
Wow. The description of the Muggles is so sad. I love how there's sympathy for them, too; it seems like, in our fascination with the wizarding world, we fans often seem to be less sympathetic toward the Muggles. But the description of all they've been able to do without magic makes them (us, I guess :D) really admirable. And saying that the house elves had it better than they do and that the Imperius Curse might be a blessing really emphasizes just how bad things have gotten. By the way, just so you know, Rowling always capitalizes "Muggles."
I'm seeing now that those one-liners are actually a stylistic thing in this story, punctuating it every so often with powerfully ironic or painfully true statements that reinforce the point you've just made. That a great little stylistic element; I really like it.
Oh, Neville. The reluctant hero. That's just what he WOULD have done, too, no matter how afraid or unsure of himself he was. I love how you've extrapolated his character arc and brought in the fact that it COULD have been him, rather than Harry. Well done. So sad.
"I intend to rectify that." - Whoa. Who is this person? Brave and daring soul.
Aiyee, this IS a dystopia. Controlling all methods of transportation (Apparition is another one of those words Rowling always capitalizes, by the way). "And I've still got a better chance of curing a werewolf." - Great touch of realism there, showing the impossibility of his venture through something relevant to their world. The bit about the Mandrake research is another one, and a nice little reference to Hermione's answer to Professor Sprout. "My answer was designed to be so dull as to deflect any follow-up questions" - nice. :)
The blood test is creepy. C-R-E-E-P-Y.
"a steel contraption that hisses like a sleeping dragon" - I find this really clever, because we generally compare things we're unfamiliar with to things we're familiar with, which in his case is the exact opposite of what it would be for us. It's like the inversion of Tolkien's analogy in FotR, "The dragon passed like an express train." Nicely done.
This is golden: "I'm not the Chosen One, back from the dead. I'm just one of the few left. We can't be picky, don't have time to wait for a savior." This, more than anything else, show me who he is, and what his motivations are. This isn't about him, and he doesn't think he's anything special that will allow him to succeed. He's just someone who's going to do what has to be done.
The beauty and friendliness outside London is almost shocking; you've made me wonder if beauty and friendship even exist anymore in this world. It's a nice break, even though it's fleeting and it doesn't mean everything's okay, by any stretch of the imagination. The farmer, in particular, pleasantly surprised me. :)
"The thought that I might die tonight suddenly enters my head, clear as day." - This line startled me, because he's known all along that this is SO dangerous, and he might very well die. But then I realized that it actually really works, because he's so bent on his mission that he hasn't even allowed himself to consider the possibility of dying without accomplishing it until it's unavoidable for him to think about it.
What? Oh, wow. There are others here. (Typo: "split-second view of huddle figures" - should be "huddled figures") You do a great job of making them sympathetic even though we know them for so short a time, and Joel is so violent. He's just protecting his family, and again, you're showing that the Muggles have worth. And I like that he leaves them the flames for warmth, even when Joel doesn't want to accept them.
Hogwarts. That's where he's going. Why, I wonder? Well done with the mention of the new wizarding school under the new regime, which is basically just indoctrination with the new ideas. That's just what would happen. :) I'm not quite sure "flexible" was the word you meant there, though; "impressionable" seems closer to me. I could be wrong, though.
Oh, wow, he has the map! That's really cool how you had it adapt to the decay and everything. And I liked seeing it show up. :)
Great job writing the suspense of always knowing something is following him, just out of sight. I'm on the edge of my seat.
I can't follow this sentence: "When You-Know-Who won, he ceased to be little more than a boy." This makes it sound like he was "little more than a boy" before and is now something bigger or more important, which I think is the opposite of what you meant.
Lilies... for his mother. And the scene with the house elves is so poignant and beautiful. Very well written.
Whoa. That ending. Incredible. Just incredible. I can't believe what he just did... and yet, he's right. They need someone to believe in, and this might just do it. I want to know what happens, and yet, this is a perfect conclusion. You let the reader decide what will happen. This fic is amazing. Well done. Very well done indeed.

I really like this a lot. We get a few scenes in Deathly Hallows that suggest what a world ruled by Voldemort would look like and your setting in this story feels like a natural extension of that. We know Voldemort had allies with the werewolves and you showed how he not only used that but the control of wolfsbane to further assert his control. Also, the depression of the setting and of the world seeps through most of your descriptions make it so very clear that this is world where good lost and evil won.

You do a lot of telling and explaining in this piece, which normally can lead to a boring story. However, you managed to tell everything through your character’s worldview so well that I found each detail and each explanation fascinating. You basically succeeded because your character’s voice is so strong that everything was favored by it.

Then you come to Hogwarts and the reveal. The little details continue to be great – have to love the socks. And then the reveal of what is a really fascinating plan, mostly because I could see how it can work. You didn't need to show the plan succeeding or failing, because as you said, it is symbols that matter. Voldemort has made the world a symbol of his power and control. And all your character is doing is providing a symbol to say this doesn't have to be over. We can still fight. And that truly is a powerful thing. Bravo!

Hiya – here because your story was nominated in the RLT Awards!

I gotta say—you paint a great image of a Voldemort-Has-Won world. Starting off with "PURITY IS POWER. POWER IS STRENGTH. STRENGTH IS SECURITY" slams that message right home, that this is NOT the world we knew. Your unknown narrator sounds like a Pureblood who was allied with Harry's side, since he can pass the blood tests and all, but he is clearly tiptoeing around in the world to make himself look like his surface image and you keep the right level of tension all the way throughout the whole tale. You don't diminish it or overdo it.

I liked the begrudging hint about Muggles' smartness—their advances in technology and weapons and so forth, but you also allow the Wizarding World to have used it to their advantage in order to subdue those who fought back, which is a neat little storytelling tool.

You do some excellent descriptives, particularly with the abandoned Hogwarts. I could easily picture the cracked spires and crumbling stones of the castle and felt instant sadness, like seeing an old friend on their deathbed. And I LOVE that the Marauders' Map has adapted itself to show the damage and decay done to Hogwarts. And Harry's grave cairn—oh man, that was a punch to the gut, especially the part about how Voldemort didn't need to desecrate the body or remove it. It's true—by leaving it there, it's a clear display of his power and how anyone who dares defy him can be just as easily eliminated. The house elves' procession of leaving tributes of socks at Harry's grave hit the feels really good. I liked the added touch of the elderly elf at the head of the procession stopping to eye the narrator—like he can sense that the narrator is there to do something important that may be for the good.

The ending surprised me – I was half expecting from the narrator's earlier wording that he was going to try to resurrect Harry, but not take his place by means of using some of his DNA in a spell. Nice twist! While he doesn't look perfect in his new guise, he is right that symbols don't die and are more powerful than any spell. And I think it's great that you just end it here—no hint of what he intends to do now that he's Harry's doppelganger returned from the dead. Just leave the reader to wonder how the new revolution can begin.

Excellent work.

I’m a huge Harry Potter fanatic so this was fantabulous for me.

Right from the bat, I get a feeling reminiscent of Orson Welles 1984. Especially the part about people going into London and possibly not coming back out. You don’t say as much in the summary, but I get the feeling Harry didn’t just die (which he does in canon) and just not come back, he also LOST in the war. And you verify this later on. I liked that bit about Longbottom rising up to be the next leader- he was pretty badass at the end.

I kept waiting for your protagonist to have a name or something; kept thinking it’d be one of the familiar main characters. By the time I realized that wasn’t gonna happen, I already liked the story and your protagonist enough not to care. Considering the ending, it makes sense why you give so little detail about the protagonist. This also leaves room for anyone to identify with the protagonist and imagine they are the ones in the story.

Your voice is very strong throughout. I also like that they’re American because it helps the first person POV you chose. Not that you couldn’t have written a British character, but I always felt that’d be harder for me personally bc then I’d want to look up all the different phrases and mannerisms and etc. to help that char be more authentic.

I like how Quidditch isn’t as popular in the States because sports are not universally popular. I love that the protagonist uses the most boring story ever: researcher. Everyone finds that boring except the researchers themselves. Ooh the Purge. Apt name that very clearly spells out what happened without having to get into the nitty gritty details. I really like that there are still farmers. As much as they hate muggles and muggle technology, it seems there is no other way to make food grow than the old fashioned way.

{ignore the ghostly lights that appear in the fog, just out of reach} Oooh I recognized will-o-wisps but had to google them to find out that they’re sinister in most folklore. I only knew of them from old games (in which everything is a monster you can choose to kill or not) and Brave. Lol. I really like that you included them though, because they help set the scene as magical. I mean, obviously there’s the dangerous stuff, but there’s also the less harmful, but still sinister stuff out there to get you. I just really connected with that detail and liked it a lot.

I almost screamed when your protagonist pulled out the Marauder’s Map! I find it odd that it adapted as it never adapted in the books. I remember Fred and George pointing out which entrances were no longer usable, but it could be they were just blocked and not completely destroyed, hence why they remained on the map. Weirdly enough, I like the lilies around Harry’s grave. Usually that would seem super cliché, but it just helps make it more holy in this story.

Ahh the ending is fantastic. I could see a follow up story developing from this one that would be fun to read, as well. You do a great job of building this dystopian world with minute details as this character goes on their quest. There is a resistance, most of the muggles are dead, the wilderness is back to being wild, Purebloods only, indoctrination, all kinds of things. It is a fantastically realistic world. Great story!

Hi, Naruana! Rhino here –hugs- I am completely fandom blind in regards to this story, so please forgive me if I get anything wrong )
I’m not a fan of mantras and generalisations, so when a story starts out this way it tends grab my attention because I want to find out how the character or organisation that postulated it defend its existence, or how those who oppose it argue against it. In this case your unnamed main character (a great choice, by the way, because it made it very easy to put myself in their place and wonder what I would do) rebelled by associating with the Muggle family, who are considered unclean for some reason.
The phrase “in go the people, out come the subjects” is very powerful. It sums up bureaucracy in a single sentence, and gives the story a modern meaning that even your fandom-blind readers can relate to.
Thank goodness Joel also bridged the gap and trusted the stranger. It ended up benefiting both his family and the visitor. This piece of reciprocal generosity made me smile.
Your character is right. Symbols are powerful. They may not be “The Boy Who Lived.” But now they look like him, there is hope.

First of all, I would like to state that I love the atmosphere you've established. I can feel the hopelessness of the cause. I feel the mention of the US being in craters and the reference to muggles reduced to slavery as a good outcome helps. I also feel that you do a good job establishing a resigned tone, especially when using lines like, "And I've still got a better chance of curing a werewolf," and "Then just let them die, all the same".
I love the first half, and I love the ending where the unnamed narrator finds Harry Potter's grave and takes on the identity of the Boy Who Lived. It reminds me of the really good Batman dies stories that I come across, which give a similar message. Heroes aren't a person, they're symbols too. They can't be destroyed only by physical force. It's surprisingly powerful.
What I'm not in love with is the conversation with the two muggles. It feels like it adds nothing to the story.

Hi there and congratulations on your story being nominated as Best Action/Adventure in the Reviewers Choice Awards!

This piece takes an interesting turn by investigating what the world would look like if Voldemort had managed to win. You create some lovely sensory imagery to showcase just how much the world has changed. This line here: ((You can feel it, like a noxious vapor, seeping into your skin, poisoning you a little more with each breath.)) accurately depicts the world a festering cesspool that slowly consumes you.

I really like the way you showcase how Muggles are treated here in this regime: ((Marked as less than human, forced into slavery—house elves had it better than them.)). They are no better than vermin essentially. Most have been either hunted and slaughtered for not being part of magic kind or they are forced to serve the pure bloods (willingly or not, it doesn't matter). The fact you compare their condition to that of House Elves, who have no rights and are treated worse than dogs makes the deprivation of the muggles all that more intense and depressing.

((PURITY IS POWER/POWER IS STRENGTH/STRENGTH IS SECURITY))-I really love the use of repetition here on the mantra later on in the story because it reaffirms how this is the way of life now in the Voldemort led world. The fact that the world is being led by a wizard who is actually a half-blood provides us with a clear picture of just how much the world, even pure bloods, are afraid of Voldemort. Muggles and half-bloods all fear his regime and pure bloods worry about retribution if they don't obey his every edict.

Here: ((A sickle moon hangs overhead, wreathed in dark clouds. Crickets sing and bats flap, but it all feels wonderfully alive. I feel alive, and so does everyone else. I can see the change in them. They chat, they smile, they even laugh.)) you have another set of lovely images at play that works to create a sense of peace and tranquility inside a world bent upon a dark order. You neatly use that imagery to showcase how this is all an illusion. There's no freedom in this world and there's very little joy to be had. Sure, ((It's easy to imagine we left all our troubles back in London, that nothing terrible is going on this very second.)) but those troubles are just temporarily forgotten. They are still there and will remain there so long as Voldemort and his regime are in power.

((There it is, rising in the distance like the bones of the mountain itself. Fractured spires, crumbled walls—it's a wonder the place is still standing. Hogwarts.))-just love the way you showcase the deprivation and treatment of the once great school. It's become a corpse, and a tomb for those who died trying to preserve humanity and keep the Death Eaters from taking over the world. They've destroyed anything and everything that could possibly rise up against them.

This: ((They left him where he died. At the end of it all, he was left to rot with the castle.)) accurately shows the mind of the Death Eaters and of Voldemort himself. As you put it: ((You-Know-Who didn't need to take the body, didn't need to burn it or display it. By simply leaving it here, He declared his triumph over his mortal enemy.)). No more needs to be said. Voldemort had won and that was all that was important.

This line here: ((...symbols don't die.)) is very powerful and true. Symbols ((...can be more powerful than any spell.)) because you cannot kill a symbol. A symbol is just a thought or memory. It's not a physical being touchable by curse or sword. Its not a horcrux. It just...is. And that makes it both powerful and and dangerous.

In all, very good job!

Just a small warning, I’m a bit canon blind. However, I have seen the movies.

Oh my goodness gracious what an incredible one shot this was. Man, I’ll be thinking about this one for a while! You start off perfectly, the hook immediately drawing me into the story. Your setting…I don’t think I’ve seen a setting so well written! I loved how you described London, dark and eerie. It’s almost as if London has returned to its original form 150-200 years ago at the start of the industrial revolution. [The towering building, carved from black stone; the rigid streets…] it’s all there in such amazing detail. You even got the weather down too! Absolutely breathtaking.

Your character seems very interesting as well. They are very perceptive with detail and things around them. I also like their determination. They have a goal and won’t stop until they complete that goal no matter what obstacles they may face. They also carry a hint of humor, sometimes over exaggerating with a current situation. What else is interesting about the main character is the only thing we know is they are from America and is a pure-blood. You never give us a name or any sort of detail describing them, and that I must say is something I have never seen before. Such an original concept. I love it!

As the story progresses, I start to feel tension grow in his words. Especially when he’s walking through the forest alone and starts getting the sensation the character ‘isn’t alone’ and ‘something is watching him’ the suspense really grows. It’s almost as if I’m waiting for something to jump out, which happens when the giant chases them until they fall from what I’m guessing is a small ravine or valley. But I think the sensation of ‘not being alone’ is everywhere in this story. The character mentions many times that the ‘New Ministry’ is always watching, meaning no matter where you go, when you think you are alone, you really aren’t. This gives me the chills it does.

I do love how you created an alternate ending to the final battle without actually wording it in your story. Instead you used the epilogue (which I have read) as a base and created your own ending. In my opinion I really think this ending should’ve happened. Angry as the reader probably would’ve gotten, it would’ve definitely created a great twist to end the series and a darker beginning to a new age. I also like how your alternate ending influenced the whole world too and just not the magical community in the UK. Almost like World War III occurred and the Earth is on the verge of an apocalypse. Very interesting.

The ending was definitely was the icing on the cake. The burial of Harry in the Great Hall, the house elves, and the spell was a great way to tie it all together. I loved how you placed lilies around the grave like a symbolism for his mother, and the glasses on the rocks, for his father. Plus I liked how you called him “The Boy Who Lived” instead of Harry Potter. It almost creates a legend or a mystery. But this line [But symbols don’t die. And those can be more powerful than any spell] was the cherry on top. The scar on the characters face representing His scar is clearly seen, and even though it isn’t really Him, the symbol of The Boy Who Lived does live on.

Throughout the story I only found a few minor grammar mistakes particularly a few missing commas, but other than that it was a star on top of a tree. Great work!

Cheers,
-Sapphire

This story is the one of the best Harry Potter AU's I have ever read.
The attention to detail, the macabre horror of it all, it's brilliantly done. This is such a perverse contrast to the actual Nineteen Years Later of canon and yet it is so believable.

I love how you bring in the concept of the Wizard/Muggle war, showing how deeply the world has been affected by Voldemort winning. The mere fact that most of the world has been decimated and left desolate just brings shivers to my spine and I can hardly imagine a London such as the one you have described. It seems almost like a Necropolis, a City for the Dead.

My favourite concept of the story is how you never gave the narrator a name or a physical description that will tell us who he/she is. It is the perfect symbol that anyone can be a hero, and the ending in which they used Harry's bone and a potion to take on the appearance of the Boy Who Lived was breath-taking, leaving the faintest trace of hope that Light may still have a chance to win.

Overall, this story was superbly done and is going on my favourites page immediately because I simply adored it.

-Ciao Mate