Well. Here is McGonagall and Tonks and Luna together. I feel resigned. And sad.

Oh my god. I didn't think it was possible. Of all the people you've killed in this fic... You've gone and killed Hogwarts. You've certainly outdone yourself. _wow_ I was going to say that this consequence is the most severe so far, and it would ring throughout magical society... But is it? They've already severed ties with goblins, imprisoned, killed, and done who knows what worse things to muggleborns. Is this the end of this magical society as we know it? But the interview with Indigo seems to suggest that the "futuretechnically the present, given the framing) is much the same. Maybe.

Reading about Finley made me realize I should have realized something earlier, when Ezra visited Finley's home. Ezra could recognize a muggle radio, something a pureblood technically shouldn't. Ezra's father invented the disillusionment charm because Ezra's existence hides Harry's continued existence. God, it's all coming together.

How could he have thought otherwise?

You know, I ask myself this same question.

OH MY GOD I am also remembering now that Hermione had made a quip when she'd changed her hair that implies Ezra had also changed his hair. Why are all these things becoming clear only now? I remember reading that and thinking it was strange.

The Erasure Totus ritual is so simple! They can do it on a moment's notice, it's kind of scary.

Motherfucking Sturch. I should have read more carefully. Wow.

Man.

What an amazing ride. Thank you so much for this story. The continuous theme throughout the story of how when one door closes, another opens, is borne out so well. An incarnation of Harry Potter was questioning an incarnation of Harry Potter this entire story. I can see the inspiration from Cloud Atlas and 1984 quite clearly.

Obviously a lot of my theories were completely wildly off, but you did an amazing job of putting tiny moments and hints throughout the story that should have set off alarms but for some reason never did. I'm in awe of your ability to write a mystery so well.

Thank you, thank you thank you. I look forward to your next story!

I read this entire chapter all in one go, before I started this review. Which, I suppose you'd think was normal practice, but you probably noticed I was writing each review as I read. But this chapter was short and engrossing.

I almost feel like I have to reread everything again to pick out all of the lies Ezra made. There are still a lot of questions I have about the Incarnation Ritual, but we know now that "Ezra" can't have existed the way that he claimed to have existed. And Hermione fully knew the truth (and they had sex? cause this is making it seem like Ezra is like an ensouled inferius).

I love the use of the Elder Wand here. In this case, since Harry is still "alive"... Will the wand work for Hermione?

I'm frankly shocked that there's only one chapter left. I feel like I still have so many questions. I feel like so many things still need to happen.

Surely this isn't the same Unspeakable Magus, just someone with the same title?

"Did you know, Miss Granger, that the Cruciatus was invented specifically for the purpose of punishing mudbloods?"

I know Hermione says she thinks it isn't true, but honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it were.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh fuck. I'm sure you know why I'm reacting like this. Fuckity fuck fuck. I suppose at least you gave dear Ron the honor of an on-screen death.

Holy shit I just feel like it was so terrible before but it's been ramped up to eleven. I knew we were going to pay for Hermione's relatively small victory in the scheme of things, and now so many people have died. I mean, they likely would have died eventually anyway... It's just so many in such quick succession.

Wow. This is an incredible explanation for the Department of Mysteries. I have done a lot of wondering about why the Department of Mysteries exists within that particular space in the Ministry, but it makes a lot of sense in the context you've set up. This also adds a lot of background to what Fudge said about what rules they have to follow magically, as part of the Ministry of Magic.

HOLY SHIT.

This chapter deserves its name.

HOLY SHIT.

Whoops. Posted that last review before I was done reading this chapter.

I'm realizing as I read that these attacks surely _are_ fake, and that Hermione is getting Luna to post them in the Quibbler. And she's using it as an excuse to get close to Umbridge as the Associate. Hah. That is really clever.

Closing the bank seems like a bad move politically.

This conversation between Indigo and the Unspeakable is kind of interesting. The Unspeakable doesnt know the current state of the magical economy? Kind of an important thing, don't you think? And it just raised questions. Why would the goblins "abdicate"? Is that just a euphemism for "they were all genocided"?

rather a teenage girl out of school

Oh man. That kind of hits hard. I forget that they're all so fucking young.

The entire article had been reprinted in the Daily Prophet.

HAHAHA. rip.

This chapter is amazing. Finally, some comeuppance. It's a breath of fresh air. Relieves a little tension in the best possible way. But it also makes me incredibly worried for what's going to come next.

There's something symbolic about Umbridge destroying the centuries-old scrying orb for her own gain. The entire administration is dismantling centuries of systems and trust that might never be built or won back.

Is this the first chapter that doesn't end with a scene with Indigo and the Unspeakable?

The idea of Umbridge making an adult do (blood) lines is kind of funny under normal circumstances, somewhat more sobering when it's actually happening. But the thing is, I almost feel like Hermione brought it upon herself. I don't fully understand her plan at the moment, but surely this was part of it? She's not stupid enough to read contraband unless she specifically wants to get caught... Right?

My paranoia about Robbins seems to be just paranoia. He's legitimately a good person. Now I'm worried that Robbins and Ezra are both sabotaging too much, and it will give them away. Because surely Ezra fucked up on purpose?

tracing her Apparition trail through the twisted and chaotic magical worm holes that transcended space

I'm imagining something like Doctor Who. What a delightful way of describing Apparation.

It's not entirely clear to me how Ezra would end up implicated. Isn't the knife in Pilkington's possession? That Obliviate was incredibly risky, given that he only seemed to check if he'd gone unnoticed after he'd already done it. Man, the stress of everything must really be getting to him!

How sad is it that I was thinking "there's no Luna, so McGonagall and Tonks isn't going to die tonight"? I don't know the date, so it's the only thing I have to go off of haha.

Holy shit, CAGES? I don't know why this shocks me, but it does.

IT'S RON! I can't wait to see more of him, if there's more. Seems like he's grown up a bit. I'm sad so much of that happened off screen, but this isn't his story, and I'm fine with that.

Why do so many people die off-screen? I almost feel like it robs me of a chance for closure.

Indigo still can see light at the end of the tunnel, which gives me a modicum of hope. And the Unspeakable continues to remind me of Hermione, what with his having a favorite quill. Just as Indigo is exhausted, reading such a depressing story is also emotionally exhausting. I keep thinking "it's gotta get better at some point", but does it actually, ever?

I can't believe you killed Remus. But at least he got a scene, lol, and didn't die off-screen.

There was a reason that Rookwood had been named Director, and it wasn't because he was good at music.

:lul:

Kingsley is so incredibly badass. But holy shit, you killed him. I have a bad feeling about this chapter. Is it just a bunch of scenes of amazing awesome people dying?

...okay. The next scene, sad as it is, is not about someone dying. Thank god.

How does Robbins remember Albus Dumbledore? Robbins isn't a Praesix, iirc, so he couldn't be the traitor that holds the secret. I guess the traitor told them too? This isn't too clear.

I'm glad we got the update on Pilkington and Ron. I'm starting to feel paranoid. What if Robbins really is a traitorto Ezra? And he's just pretending to be friends this whole time to weed out members of the Order of the Phoenix?

I'm a little surprised that not a single Weasley seems to be at this makeshift Order meeting. What are they all doing, other than Ron?

various letters, digits, and foreign symbols he had never seen before.

Reminds me of the bit from a previous chapter when Indigo saw his interrogator writing in a strange script made of familiar symbols. But either way, if this is a 1:1 substitution for English, it can hardly be difficult to crack this code.

Your fight scenes are incredibly tense and exciting! They're tight and fluid, and full of shocking, beautiful, vivid violence. Like when Kingsley used the acid and the slashing hex, the auror grappling Hermione and then being decapitated by the goblins is Tarantino-like in its imagery.

Is there anyone alive at the end of this fic? (it almost feels like Indigo is talking to me: the ideas in this fic are more important than the characters. Alright Indigo. Alright.)

So we find out the Caretaker's name. Marion. I hope it's not supposed to be significant to us in any way because I can't think of where I might have heard that name before...

I want to say a little about the structure of the framing of this story, and how I think it's so effective in enhancing the mystery and the plot and the setting. Because this infodump that Indigo gives in the middle of the story is very cleverly made engaging and interesting because it gives us not only background for what's happening in the main story, but also what's happening with Indigo and his guards. And you've done this throughout the story. The framing allows you to give background and commentary without it being boring or overbearing. I don't think I've commented before how much I love it yet, which is a crime.

We also finally learn where the name Tower Indigo comes from! Holy crap. It just raises more questions though... The way you tease it is just cruel.

A traitor other than Ezra or Robbins? Surely not... Ron? Hmm.

If Indigo didn't specifically call out that Hermione was ill, I would have assumed that she was pregnant from having sex with Ezra. Vomitting is like, classic fictional signs that a woman is pregnant.

Then, she turned on her heel and fled.

There's something incredibly terrifying and despair-inducing about this. McGonagall fleeing Hogwarts is when you know all is lost.

Wow. To be honest, I have been wondering about the title of the chapter the entire time I was reading, and this is somewhat more horrifying than I could have imagined. Who was the messenger? Surely that would have been the traitor. As usual, I have so many questions. How did Indigo learn about this super-secret ritual? The ritual clearly works similarly to a Fidelius. The message says that Dumbledore is dead, but does a person have to die to be erased? What if Dumbledore were still alive, thanks to the traitor? But I'm guessing Dumbledore actually is dead, based on what Indigo is saying, and I'm just mourning his off-screen death.

One door closes, another opens. Fuck. That's been said before. What does it mean?

It seems quite odd that the aurors fired off the killing curse in a roomful of presumably all of the wizarding kids of age for the seven years of Hogwarts. What if they killed the child of a prominent witch or wizard, like Draco Malfoy?

I am confused on what year Ezra is in. Slughorn said this is Ezra's final year, but we only see Ezra talking to sixth years. If he is a seventh year, I think there should at least be acknowledgement that he mostly only associates with sixth years.

Despite all that torturous training Ezra went through, Hermione is still a complete badass. Like... Wow. On one hand, we've seen Hermione fight against another auror that was actually trying to kill her, and she still came out on top. On the other hand, I feel like you've been trying to kind of ameliorate Hermione's magical skill so that she doesn't come off as a Mary Sue (like, you've been showing that she struggles with things and has to work at things and certain things don't come naturally to her), and that work is a little undone by this scene haha.

"The night before the Dark Lord's demise. You weren't holed up in the girls' dormitorySo... Where were you, Hermione?

Have you addressed why Ezra calls Voldemort "the Dark Lord" as if he were a Death Eater? Ugh, I forget.

"If I had it my way, maybe Sally-Anne wouldn't be dead now,"

The funny thing is, Hermione doesn't even fully believe this. She feels very responsible for Sally-Anne's death.

I can't imagine Hermione's reaction when she finds out Ron went and became an Auror too. She's been feeling so abandoned during this time, and the thing is, his actions are completely closed to her. He has this possibility because he's not muggleborn; he can't really understand what it's like to go through what she's going through.

But ultimately, I don't think Ezra is wrong either. You kinda need both kinds of people to effect change: people on the inside and people on the outside.

Well, it looks like Hermione realizes that pretty quickly.

Ohhhh man. The mysteries in this fic are top notch. I'm so intrigued and confused by what's happened at the end. Fifty years? Who is Ezra Rowe?

I finally have time to sit down and finish this fic! My progress might be slow, but I will definitely get through it Even though she was nearly running late to being ten minutes early to her appointed meeting...

Too relatable.

Professor Dumbledore had announced his retirement at the end of last year, and Professor McGonagall would be taking over his position.

Well, that answers that question, but it certainly begs the question of what Dumbledore is doing now! I can't really see him lounging around while the state of magical Britain is in crisis.

The conversation between Minerva and Hermione continues the tradition of the canonical books in which adults attempt to get the main characters to open up, but fail to be truly helpful. Hermione, like Harry, tends to play things close to her chesteven as she bemoans her lack of friends at this very moment. Ironic, but understandable. As affectionate as Hermione is towards Minerva (and vice versa), it's difficult to get past that hurdle of fully putting your trust in an (older) adult and believing that they might actually help solve your problems.

"... eight classes per day?"

This is going to be needlessly pedantic of me, feel free to skip this part. Shouldn't it be seven-ish classes a day? It's two houses per class, but all sixth years are in one class and all seventh years are in one class. So there are 12 separate classes (2 per year up to fifth year, 1 for sixth, 1 for seventh), each taught over the course of three periods a week. So that's 36 periods over five days, which is approximately seven a day. Which should be more than doable. Eight is definitely pushing it though.

Ohohoho. The Elder Wand. Well, that makes things a little interesting. Not to mention I've been reading fics in which the Elder Wand plays a huge part. I don't know that it will in this fic yet (I feel like Hermione isn't the type to wave this particular wand around needlessly) but its presence always adds danger to any situation.

Not to mention, who is the current master of this wand? If it was Harry, when he died, then surely the power of the wand would have died with him?

all at-risk individuals are kindly requested to stay indoors on weekdays before 10 am and after 5 pm

I dunno if you read Sherlock fanfic, but there's a Sherlock fanfic on AO3 this scenario reminds me of. In this fanfic, fostered children are never emancipated, even when they become adults, under the guise of protecting them and sheltering them. This creates what is essentially a slave class. It's an amazing fic, if you're into Sherlock.

Each time her heart beat, it reverberated through her body as if she were a drum head

I just want to say that you're such an evocative writer, and you manage to convey anxiety and tension very, very well. I also want to add, in this slight aside, that I love how you add how often Hermione thinks about Harry and Ron, and how they've managed to shape her character so deeply, even though she is, at the moment, alone.

Ugh, Indigo is such a tease at the end haha!

Thank you for the chapter, and I'm looking forward to reading the next!

Well.. that was a more 'bleak' story than I am used to reading, but when its picked for "Book Club"...

Very good story overall.

Thank you for removing Nott. Some slight good comes out of this training.

This story had such a good premise and great plot points that I really wish there weren't a few things holding it back. Over-the-top auror training, Ron bashing, Umbridge knowing about muggle rock band, staffs, and a nerf to the cruciatus being some prominent examples, especially the first two. It was a decent good first story. I'd tone down the need for suspension of disbelief next time (by that I mean tone down the over-the-top stuff) and the Ron bashing. I think you have the ability to write a good story, but a few things are holding this one back from being good.

Remus - very much a capable fight.