Here's the thing.
I didn't know Nigel existed until I read this and decided to Google the character.
But even without knowing anything about Nigel, this, my dearest, is gorgeously heartbreaking.

I really, really loved the angst Dennis goes through when he's trying to decide if he should go back to Hogwarts. And the fact that Nigel is always with him just made it even more perfect.

And the end ["No," Nigel agrees. "I don't know. But I do know that magic is what Colin loved. And he was glad that he got to share that with you. I don't think he would want you to give up something that made you both smile because it hurt you too."' This is perfect. Because so often with post-death fics, there's the constant mention of he/she would have wanted this/that, and sometimes you just don't know what a person would have wanted.
And the fact that Nigel acknowledges this, and that his entire argument to convince Dennis to return to Hogwarts isn't based on "he would have wanted this," but "we /know/ he loved this" was perfect.

This was brilliant, love.
Well done (:

This made me cry. Reminds me of my own Colin/Dennis piece, even though I go about it differently. It's beautiful.

However, the part of me that developed film in a darkroom for years cringed a tiny bit as I read this. Laura already pointed out a lot of it - like how there is no way he could take the film out of the camera the way he does without destroying it. (He has to wind it back, then take out the roll, then preferably place it in a film canister. In fact, I thought he /was/ destroying the roll and that made me really sad. Also, if he's developing the pictures in a darkroom, it's next to impossible to do without looking at the images. When I used to develop pictures, you first cut up the roll of film at every fifth image, lay them flat on developing paper, then develop what is called a contact sheet. From there, you choose the images to print full size. Most of the time, I would go through at least three pieces of paper before I was happy with the exposure, because you have to guess the amount of time to expose it. Then any finer editing - making one area darker or lighter (called burning and dodging, respectively) - is done. So yeah... he would know the images /very/ well by the time they were printed.

Anyway, that aside, I loved this piece. Despite my long narration of how to develop film. I love Nigel's friendship and Dennis's brokenness and how he isn't sure he can face a Hogwarts that Colin isn't part of... especially since he was murdered there. You pull it all together nicely and I'm amazed by it and I feel so sorry for the kid. Amazing work though, Sam, really amazing.

(Oh yeah - what's Dennis doing with facial hair at 15? I mean, I know it's possible, but few kids grow more than scruff then.)

Bit of a surreal experience to read about Dennis and Nigel together, considering Nigel is basically movie!Dennis&Colin. Still adjusting to that.
This is… goodness, darling, I don't think there are even words for how heart-wrenchingly tragic this is.
*hugs Dennis*
Oh, the beginning. The beginning. I think you just tore my heart out, threw it on the ground, and then stomped all over it. ["No," he whispers. "Colin said we would meet up here after it was over."] Excuse me while I go sob in a corner.

Dennis getting Colin's camera back is utterly adorable. Love. (although, dearest, I don't know how much you know about old fashioned cameras like Colin's — the film can't be exposed to light before it's developed, so giving it to Nigel outside and without a film canister is probably not the best of methods)

[ They talk about the new laws being passed and the Death Eaters' trails, and how Harry defended Draco Malfoy and his mother, effectively saving them from Azkaban.] I love our headcanon overlap. I do. (also, love, you have "trails" instead of "trials")

[You can't stop living your life because he's dead. You have to live for him.] Nigel is perfect. Love him.

SO MANY FEELS FROM THIS PIECE. I CAN'T. WONDERFUL JOB, DEAREST.

I really like the idea of Colin's last moments being recorded on his camera. I mean, I didn't catch entirely whether they were or not, but I thought it would have been sort of nice and eerie at the same time.

Anyway, I like this a lot, because you could have done anyone, even the Weasleys if you'd wanted to. But these brothers were sort of thrown into that world but still on the fringe of everything Harry went through and wouldn't have understood. And I think it sort of shows into sharp relief how even they were affected. And besides, I don't think enough people gave Colin enough credit. And I really like your Dennis. So kudos, I just developed a small crush on your Dennis.

Anyway, this was really sweet. The last scene was perfectly written.

Painful and insightful. Good work, keep writing

I really loved this, it's nice how you expanded on two not so well known characters. It was heart breaking, and I know I'd never want to imagine losing a sibling. Dennis' reaction was so true, and you wrote it perfectly.
It flowed nicely and I like how you mentioned other things that were going on in the Wizarding World at that time. The friendship between Dennis and Nigel was nice and well written.
I think maybe in the ending there could have been some more fight in Dennis, but all in all I really liked this story. I didn't really notice many grammar or spelling mistakes. It had a very nice conclusion, and it was a nice read, capturing the reader for the whole story.

I'm sorry I didn't review this sooner. Angsty stories take a while for me to digest. And this one was so well done.

"Colin said we would meet up here after it was over." - I had to stop reading for a while after this. I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but I'm Jewish which means that I've been more or less drilled with stories of the Holocaust. It's a subject that always interested me and the line I quoted there reminds me of all the testimonies I heard of Survivors after the war. People going to their old homes, to their neighbors' homes, and waiting for the family that wouldn't come back. It just made it all the more realistic and it really got to me.

I like your characterization of Dennis. He comes off as sweet and sensitive, yet the image of him on the run, with long hair and a bit of scruff, makes me think of a man. You've done an amazing job at portraying a young man who has seen too much. I mean I wanted to hug him tight but at the same time he felt like someone much older than 14-15 and I felt respect for him, and you said so much without actually saying it. This was amazing and flawlessly done.

I loved your interpretation of Colin and his camera. So like him to take pictures of the battle, and I think it makes this story all the more poignant.

I'm also happy you included Nigel and that you made the bookverse and movieverse meet. I never thought of Nigel as canon, but I like that you gave him a personality here and he wasn't just filler, as he appears in the movies.

As for flaws... well, I found absolutely none. This was just perfect.

Thanks a lot for this little jewel :)