Taking command

good seeing fAWCETT

I really wish JK had never brought up the whole life debt issue. It was applied very inconsistently in cannon.

If it is true that Severus owed James a life debt for the werewolf incident, then surely it was repaid a hundred times over for each time he went to Voldemort and risked his life to keep Harry safe.

Some have stated that because Snape was Harry's teacher he was obligated to protect him and thus no debt was triggered. However both Harry's tendency to get into trouble and Snape having to put his own well being on the line for him were well beyond what could be expected in a student/teacher situation.

For example, in cases of violence in schools, we consider teachers who lost their lives protecting students heroes. However teachers who did not so the same are not considered cowards or disparaged. Why, because we do not consider it their obligation to do anything other than what is reasonable to keep students safe.

As someone mentioned earlier, it was obvious only Gryffindors were considered worthy of benefiting from life debts.

This was so very well written.

I always had the impression that those in Slytherin House had to develope skills beyond their year. Your story provides a believable scenario to that fact.

It can't be easy when everyone expects the worst from you. It's a wonder more Dark Lords didn't pop up.

This was such a good portrayal of the post-battle chaos. I particularly enjoyed Theo and his practiced incompetence and the assertion by Bulstrode that not everyone in Slytherin deserved to be sent away.

Well written story from a point of view I don’t often see. (Go Millicent, Baby, and Theo! They all have their own kind of bravery.) I enjoyed your take on the Slytherins. You showed a them having a communal nature that (as far as I know) the other houses don’t have. Though, I would almost bet the Hufflepuffs do too. I just haven’t seen any fan fiction stories from their point of view.

My theory concerning the life debt is that Harry didn’t owe Severus because by protecting Harry, Severus was paying his life debt to James Potter. Also, Harry didn’t acknowledge the debt owed until the “The Prince’s Tale” by which time Severus Snape was already dead. It’s a theory, my best guess. Might make a good plot point somewhere.

I found The good Friend accidentally and is now checking out your entire "collected works". Great, really! I wish I'd found it before, but after all - there's 744k out there, most of it garbage. So one has to look carefully for the jewels and be glad when finding some.

I'll keep looking around. This one is great - fine plot, good drama and the perfect squish of humor.

Delicious story. Loved Baby, loved pretty much everyone.

Brilliant! Loved the insight into Slytherin house dynamics - can totally imagine it like this, and Millie is kick-ass as ever. Theo's Eater status also makes complete sense.

Great story! Unique premise and well-written. I always thought the Slytherins were treated unfairly by McGonagall when she forced them all to leave without asking if they could help.

Excellent! And as we all know, Harry Potter continues healthy as ever, because life debts only count if they're *owed* to a Gryffindor; no life debts are ever owed to a Slytherin, no matter how blatant.

Great story - I really liked it. I can just picture the slytherins going about it this way.

Excellent story. I like the question about three-quarters Headmistress; Albus was three-quarters Headmaster for decades, and it's understandable that Slytherins would be wary of more of the same. Let's hope McGonagall is right about that, and when the next altercation between Gryffindors and Slytherins occurs, she takes the time to listen to both sides (not that she ever did in the past, mind you, but it'd be nice).

But a wink and a nod is a good as a word in the right place. No portrait, Harry Potter healthy as a horse, and...there's one other thing. Narcissa should feel if the Unbreakable Oath to look after Draco feels done or gone. It could be gone because the Witness is dead (Bella); but maybe not.

ha ha... :)

Great story! I hope you come back with your next one soon!