Chapter Sixteen

Confronting the Faceless 💀 Complete
December 15, 1997
"No good sittin' worryin' about it. What's comin' will come"
 
Lucas Elstewart wakes up every morning dreading the appearance of a Ministry owl at the window of his room. He knows it has to be coming - he's seen the Prophet, heard about the trials from people at work. And yet every morning the window stays empty, no one breaks into his mother's Muggle bookstore which she had inherited from her parents, and he gets through his work day with no more scrutiny than what he's already used to from his overly intense supervisors.
 
He'd mentioned his concern to his friend Audrey Blishwick over lunch once, how his mother is Muggleborn, how he's as-good-as, how his Muggleborn father and little brother had been killed in the last war, and how he's worried the Deatheaters will finish the job this time around.
 
Audrey, in that blunt way she has, told him that worrying about it won't really change anything and all he's accomplishing is giving himself a stress aneurysm that'll kill him faster than the Deatheaters will.
 
She's right, of course, she's often right about these things, but he can't help worrying still. The way he sees it he can either be worried or angry, and anger has never gone well for him.
 
He wakes up Monday the fifteenth of December and goes through his usual morning routine of getting dressed, brushing his teeth, and picking up his old cat Holly when she demands her morning cuddle while repeatedly glancing at his window for any sign of the feathers and wings that signal the start of his family's doom.
 
It doesn't come this morning, but his eyes keep straying to the glass as he eats breakfast with his mother, who happily chats about the new shipment of books coming in to the shop. She pauses when Lucas only hums distractedly in reply and sighs.
 
"Lucas, nothing is going to come. If they could find me they would have by now." She says briskly. "We didn't survive the first war on luck alone you know."
 
He smiles wanly, finally looking over at her. Amelia Elstewart has pudged up as she's aged, and combined with her short stature the overall effect makes her look incredibly unintimidating. But Lucas knows better than to judge a book by it's cover - his mother is one of the toughest people he knows.
 
Still, he worries. He barely remembers his father, but he remembers how much it hurt when he was gone. Lucas can't do that again with his mother.
 
He still tries to push on a smile that's obviously strained if his mother's amused huff is anything to go by.
 
"You let me fret about this hun, you just go to work and save lives, okay?" She says firmly. "And say hello to Jun for me, he hasn't been by in months."
 
Because we're at war and he's worried about his own family's diplomatic status getting revoked. Lucas thinks quitely but he doesn't voice the thought aloud - his mother knows anyway.
 
He leaves for work shortly after, Apparating from the secluded alleyway behind the bookshop so as to avoid Muggle notice. He lands about a block away from work, and he does his best to shake off any sign of his nerves before striding down the road to St. Mungo's.
 
He steps through the Department store window and is immediately greeted by Isabella Brown, the ever-cheerful receptionist for the Hospital.
 
"Good morning Healer Elstewart!" She chirps. "Are you still assigned to assist in the Dagworth Ward this week?"
 
"The whole month Ms. Brown." He responds with a smile that feels much more natural. Isabella is a beacon of sunshine - it's impossible to stay gloomy around her. "I need the experience for my Trauma certification."
 
"Ooh that's right!" She exclaims. "You're really so kind and brilliant for stepping up and getting that certification, so few mediwitches and wizards do. I really think you'll do amazing things Healer Elstewart, and I hope I get to be around to see them."
 
Lucas blushes and waves her off. "I can't imagine them ever finding anyone who does your job as well as you do Ms. Brown - they'll be replacing me before they could even dream of replacing you."
 
She giggles. "You flatterer. Go on then, I don't want to make you late! Have a good day Healer Elstewart."
 
Lucas returns the sentiment and heads up to the third floor feeling much better. Thank Merlin for Isabella Brown and her undentable cheer, he can't imagine how much harder the start of the workday would be without her.
 
He takes the lift up to the third floor, where they treat victims of potions gone wrong as well as plant poisoning. He thankfully has finished with the plant part of his training though - it's downright horrifying what simple leaves are capable of.
 
He makes his way over to the closest supervisor to collect his assignment list for the day. The woman isn't one of their usual supervisors - he thinks he's seen her before but he can't quite place where. It needles at the back of his brain as he strides over with an easy smile.
 
"Healer Elstewart reporting in." He says as he approaches her, and she turns storm gray eyes on him which seem to peirce straight through his skull to stare into his soul. It's rather unnerving, and definitely memorable. Where has he seen her before?
 
"You're partnered with Healer Hanamori today." The supervisor says after a moment. "He already has your assignments. Report to room three-oh-six."
 
He tilts his head in a slight bow - a habit he's picked up from Jun probably - and hurries off to find his partner for the day.
 
"Hey Lucas!" Jun Hanamori grins as Lucas enters the room indicated by the supervisor. The two of them have been best friends since Hogwarts, and when Jun decided to stay in England to work as a Mediwizard instead of going home to Japan Lucas had followed him. Now that they're both getting their Trauma certifications they've been spending a lot of time together at work, which Lucas appreciates.
 
"Hey Jun, mom says hi." He replies easily. "What's on the docket today?"
 
"You and your weird expressions." Jun mumbles to himself with a grin before raising his voice to directly address Lucas. "We've mostly got clean up this morning, there was a mass exodus yesterday-"
 
"You mean people got better Jun, don't make it sound like something terrible." Lucas interjects midly and Jun shrugs.
 
"What did I say? Anyway, mostly cleanup, and then there's a little girl in three fifteen who drank her mom's unfinished love potion yesterday and needs some good beside manner while it wears off so I volunteered us for that." He thinks for a moment, and then nods. "And tell your mom I say 'hi' back. Ready to go?"
 
Lucas smiles and grabs the cleaning supplies that Jun holds out to him. They never use magic to clean things up in Mungo's - there's too much risk that the magic will interact badly with a cure or leftover potions and create more patients. Lucas rather likes cleaning the Muggle way though, it's soothingly repetitive.
 
They clean two-oh-six in about thirty minutes and then move on to the next room on Jun's list. The supervisor Lucas had met with earlier is just stepping out of one of the patient's rooms as they pass, and Lucas can feel her steely eyes tracking him down the hallway.
 
"Is today's supervisor freaking you out a little?" He asks Jun in a low voice as they get started on reorganizing and cleaning room three twelve.
 
Jun shrugs. "She's down from the Golpalott Ward, so she's professionally a potioneer, not a Mediwitch, but we're shorthanded so everyone is taking shifts everywhere. I imagine she's not happy about being here rather than creating potions, but Healer Smethwyck says she's a good worker."
 
"When did you talk to Healer Smethwyck about her?" Lucas asks, confused.
 
Jun grins. "You know old Hippocrates, he'll talk about everything if you let him go on long enough. I recognize her from his description. She's our age, you know. We probably went to school with her."
 
That's when it clicks. "Audrey! Audrey Caldwell." He exclaims, and Jun gives him an odd look.
 
Lucas laughs and clears his throat. "She was Head Girl our year. I never really talked to her, but yeah, she's a good worker. She and Perce were ruthlessly organized, I don't think the prefects had ever run that smoothly."
 
Jun chuckles. "I'm calling bias on that considering your massive crush on-"
 
"Hey there's a spill here and I can't tell of what." Lucas interrupts him briskly, aware of his bright red cheeks.
 
Jun laughs openly now but he lets the topic drop, walking over to examine the spill and declare it Pepperup.

"Makes sense, I think the former occupant of this room was making some and it melted through the pot onto her foot." Jun observes as they scrub it up. "This must have been spilled back when she was first admitted, pepperup usually takes a few days to spoil."
 
"We need to hire janitors." Lucas sighs. "Alright, that's this room I think. Next?"
 
Jun leads them and Lucas easily follows, waving and greeting the other mediwizards they pass on the way. Just before Jun pushes open the door to their next room Lucas once again feels Audrey's eyes on him. He glances over at her and she keeps his gaze until he looks away and hurries into the next room.
 
"Audrey is definitely staring at me." He says nervously. He doesn't know what that means, but he does remember she was a Slytherin in school, and had made some crass comments about Muggleborns in her time (less so when she became Head Girl, but Lucas remembers their first patrol perfectly well thank you). Maybe doom doesn't come in feathered form, maybe it comes in gray eyes and flat blonde hair.
 
"So say hi. You two knew each other in school right? She probably just feels awkward since you didn't recognize her at first and doesn't know whether to speak up or not."
 
Lucas snorts. "Yeah, that's not Audrey, but thanks for trying. I dunno, maybe I'm imagining it."
 
Three hours later he can most definitely say he is not imagining it. Audrey is staring at him like she's looking for something, and Lucas is pretty sure he's going to be arrested and killed over the lunch break.
 
He keeps these thoughts to himself though, maintaining a cheerful exterior as he follows Jun around and chats with their coworkers all morning. He gives Audrey a smile at one point and she an eyebrow but doesn't reciprocate.
 
He can admit he stalls a bit on heading out to lunch, which means his lunch partner will probably beat him to the pub for once. Assuming he makes it to the pub.
 
"Off to get lunch with your mystery girl?" Jun asks slightly teasingly as they take the lift down together. Lucas huffs out a breath.
 
"She's not a mystery girl, she's someone I met a couple months ago who happens to have the same lunch break as I do."
 
Jun shrugs. "Sure, that's not mysterious. Have fun, see you in an hour." He waves and makes his way towards the wizarding exit of Mungo's while Lucas ducks back out the disguised front door, smiling at Isabella's greeting as he does. He hopes they pay her well.
 
Lucas is tense for the entire short walk to his usual pub, but no figures leap out of the shadows to drag him off to Azkaban, so he makes it to his usual seat in the back of the pub safely. He does still beat Audrey - Blishwick, oh man that could get confusing considering who he's just bumped into at work - though not by as much as he usually does.
 
"Hey Lucas." Audrey Blishwick (he'll call her Audrey, he'll call the other one... HG. That'll work) greets tiredly as she slides into the booth across from him.
 
"Hey. How's work?" He asks, hoping she'll have a lot to say so he doesn't have to talk much. He knows it's a hollow hope though. Audrey isn't much for idle chatter.
 
"It's fine, it's fine. Same as ever." She smiles slightly. "Percy is working on some new legislation pertaining to the retrial and release of criminals in Azkaban. Did you know there was nothing in the books for that? People were just sent to jail with no hope of trying again, regardless of how poorly the trial was conducted."
 
Lucas can't help smiling as well. It's just like Percy to do that - he'd been the same back in school, when he and Lucas patrolled the halls together. He always dreamed big, and Lucas wishes he could be the one Percy is telling all about his new ideas. But Percy had given him that chance, and Lucas had driven him off with his emotions and his temper. So now he only gets to hear about his old friend through Audrey, who he'd met entirely by accident but he's glad of it. He's glad Percy still has someone he can talk to.
 
And he can tell that Audrey likes Percy, even if she's never said as much. The way she talks about him is... well, it's reminiscent of how Lucas talks about Percy. So.
 
"Sounds like his kind of project. I remember all the reforms he talked about wanting to implement back in school, it's great he finally gets to create some." He ignores the fact that Percy is creating the reform for a government that will use it to release Deatheaters. Lunchtime with Audrey is a sacred time of his day where negativity has no seat at the table.
 
Audrey raises an eyebrow and that's enough to get him talking about all the plans Percy used to lay out while they were on patrol together, often resulting in them moving far slower than they should have been and dragging out the patrol length by several minutes. Lucas never minded the fact they were technically breaking the rules by being out later than they were scheduled to be - he likes hearing passionate people talk about their passions, and Percy Weasley has always been the living, breathing personification of passionate.
 
He's partway through a story about the time the two of them had caught Oliver Wood out after hours with a girl from the Hufflepuff Quidditch team (and how he'd gotten to this topic he has no idea - Audrey is very good at getting people to talk) and the ensuing childish bickering between Percy and Oliver the entire way back to the dormitory when he realizes that it's probably getting close to when he needs to head back to work. Which means having to walk back. Alone. Possibly to be arrested and sentenced as a Muggleborn.
 
Audrey clearly catches his shift in mood but politely doesn't comment on it, instead offering to pay if he needs to get going.
 
"Same time tomorrow then?" She adds as he grabs his work bag.
 
He hesitates, and then nods. "Of course. Where else would I be?" He adds a smile for effect and she hums in acknowledgement.
 
He heads out shortly after and if he walks a little faster than normal to get back, well, who can blame him for that?
 
But he gets back to work safely, and a greeting from Isabella and a reminder from Jun that they're on what's commonly called "bedside duty" - or checking in on patients and keeping them updated on their condition - does quite a bit to relax him back into his work environment.
 
Honestly getting to chat with patients is his favorite part of the job, especially the younger ones. Adults often get caught up with worry about their condition, but kids seem to be far more comfortable with their own death and suffering than adults, which means they're up to chatting about any random topic Lucas comes up with.
 
Today's patient is a nine-year-old hyped up on a half-finished love potion her older sister had been trying to sneakily brew while she was home for the holiday break.
 
"Hi Kaitlyn." Lucas smiles as he takes a seat next to her, letting Jun grab her diagnostic chart from the end of the bed. "I hear you went nosing around your sister's room."
 
Kaitlyn is a stringy little brunette with a pug nose and big eyes and she giggles drunkenly at the comment. "Cassie was hidin' somfn'!" She says, flailing one arm to try and bat at Lucas' nose. He leans just out of the way and catches the flopping extremity.
 
"And you found it? You're quite the detective there." He praises her, ignoring Jun's snort from the end of the room.
 
They keep Kaitlyn company until it's safe for her to sleep off the rest of the potion, at which point Jun administers a small dose of Sleeping Draught and she's out like a light.
 
"You're insanely good at that." Jun comment. "I think I'd have lost patience at the third retelling of her family picnic this summer."
 
"She's cute." Lucas replies lightly. "And letting people talk isn't hard Jun, you would have done just as well if you'd been in the chair."
 
They Floo-call the parents to confirm that Kaitlyn is fine and will need one more night under observation but they can come take her home in the morning. Then it's time to head home, and all Lucas' concerns from earlier flood back to him.
 
Jun either doesn't notice or doesn't comment, as he heads out with a simple, "See you tomorrow Lucas!" and Lucas is left to dither until the rest of the mediwitches and wizards get off shift and he can blend in with them.
 
Unfortunately his attempts don't work - as soon as he turns into a quiet alley to Apparate home, thinking he's in the clear and was just being paranoid, a hand clamps around his bicep and the world twists as he's Apparated away.
 
His wand is up and pointing wildly into the air as he and whoever grabbed him arrive at their destination, but a moment later the wood has been magically yanked from his hand and is being snagged out of the air by his kidnapper.
 
He spins to face them, and blinks when he makes eye contact with storm grey eyes.
 
"Head Girl Caldwell?" He stutters out uncertainly, and she smirks.
 
"I wondered if you recognized me Elstewart. And it's Python here. I have a proposal for you."
 
Lucas eyes her warily, but she hasn't attacked him yet despite his being unarmed and it's not like he's really in a position to do anything but listen right now. "Fire away." He gestures broadly around him and finally takes in the room they've arrived at.
 
It's a small, dingy room with two deflated armchairs and a bare worn-out mattress atop a metal-framed double bed. It stinks faintly of ale, but the dust is bothered enough to indicate it probably gets a decent amount of visitors despite the state it's in.
 
Audrey - Python? - holds his wand out to him. "Here, so you know you're not trapped." She says simply, waiting for him to take it and then take a seat on the worn mattress before she continues. "You should know that your mother's name came up in the Muggleborn Registry. The letter was to be sent today, but you know how bureaucracy goes, things get lost or put off for a few days while other things are handled."
 
Lucas doesn't know what to do with that, so he just waits for her to continue. Something in his gut does twist at the knowledge his mother will have to close up shop and go into hiding though. She's done everything she can to keep away from the Wizarding world, it's not fair that it's upending her life all over again years later.
 
Python raises an eyebrow at his non-reaction. "I forgot how annoyingly blank you can be." She grumbles, "Alright, look. I'm part of an organization called the Underground. We've been working since September to help Muggleborns avoid the Registry Commission either by losing their papers in the system or forging documents. Occasionally we can't do either without raising suspicions so we just warn people ahead of time."
 
"Is that what this is?" Lucas can't help asking. If it is then he really needs to get going, warn his mother, figure out where they can go to lay low for who knows how long.
 
Python tilts her head slightly, dangerously. "Perhaps. But we could get you two lost in the system, never to be questioned or looked at again. You wouldn't have to hide, your mother wouldn't have to give up her store-"
 
"How do you know about that?" He asks, guard instantly up. He's fairly certain he never told Python anything about his family during their patrols together - they hadn't exactly been friends.
 
Python rolls her eyes. "Down boy. I collected information on you before deciding to make this offer. We don't let just anyone in you know, security reasons and such."
 
Lucas blinks. "I'm sorry... 'let anyone in'? Is this a job offer?"
 
Python grins ferally. "Got it in one kid. We can vanish you and your mom for the low low price of you helping us out when we need you to."
 
Lucas shifts on the bed, staring at his feet uncertainly. It would protect his mom, but what exactly would they be expecting him to do? Helping them out could very easily get him in trouble anyway, and everything would be for nothing in the end.
 
Python seems to understand his hesitation. "We're good at what we do, your mom would be completely safe. We can destroy her files in front of you, if you like." She offers. "Look, we just started a new branch of the Underground and we really need Healers - we've only got one on staff at the moment and Setter can't always be available."
 
Lucas assumes 'Setter' is a code name, though an odd one. He continues to maintain his silence - Python hasn't actually told him yet why they need the Healers.
 
She continues. "In the past month we've started recruiting people for what Lion likes to call our 'Field Agent Branch'. Basically we have people who go into the woods to find Fugitive Muggleborns and we relocate them to safehouses owned by other Underground members. We've got three houses active right now, and we just got confirmation from two people outside Englad that they're ready to take in the Fugitives once we can work out a safe way to evacuate them off the island."
 
Lucas is admittedly impressed - and now he has an idea of where he'd fit in. "And you need Healers to care for the Field Agents and the rescued Muggleborns before they're moved into the safe houses?" He guesses, and Python tilts her head in confirmation.
 
"You'd be on call most nights but it's still generally slow." She says. "We have two Agents at the moment, and of course I technically have some Healer training but I can't handle the heavier cases. You're halfway to a Trauma certification and Setter already has one, so between the two of you we'll be able to handle more dangerous situations. Currently our Agents have to avoid head-on confrontations since we don't have the means to properly heal them afterwards."
 
Lucas rolls the offer around in his head. His mom being safe is a very tempting bribe, that's for sure. Python's homework was very well researched. But at the same time this is obviously dangerous. One wrong move, one wrong person brought in and the whole thing goes over like a line of dominos. He wouldn't be put in Azkaban if he was caught helping this lot - no, he'd be dead, no questions asked. And then his mom would be alone.
 
"Where are we right now? Is this one of the safe houses?" He asks, to stall for time. He figures Python will want an answer before he leaves, but he can't give one just yet.
 
Python raises an eyebrow, clearly catching on to his intent - she's a Slytherin, he reminds himself, of course she noticed the avoidance - but she surprises him by answering honestly. "It's not. This is our meeting point, secured by a modified Fidelius Charm. You might remember my sister Saundra from school, she was Head Girl our fifth year. She's the one who invented the modifications. Once you know about this place you can take people here and tell them about it if you trust them. If you don't clearly indicate where you are to that person then they won't be able to remember afterwards."
 
"Smart. That's how you keep this safe even if someone says no?" Lucas realizes, and Python looks proud.
 
"Yeah, my sister thought of everything. Anyway, we're in the Hog's Head. Aberforth was one of the first people we recruited - technically his code is Goat but no one uses it."
 
Lucas hums slightly, not missing the fact she'd just shared their location with him after clearly indicating that she would only do that with someone she trusted. "So you think I'm not going to give you away."
 
"I don't. And beyond that, the person who recommended you doesn't, and I trust them implicitly. Even if you walk away - and trust me, I know you're considering it - you won't rat us out. You're a good person Lucas Elstewart, and people like that are in short supply these days."
 
Lucas is honestly a little stunned by the short speech. He isn't... Anger, shouting, doors slamming, people not coming back- "I'm not a good person." He gets out weakly. "I just... try to do good things?"
 
Python snorts. "If you say so. That still makes you better than most. Look, I'm going to need an answer before you leave today, and preferably sooner since I have to teach you the messenger spell and get you set up with a code name. You in or not?"
 
Lucas hesitates briefly once more - but finally he nods. "You can make sure they never come after my mom?"
 
"I'm serious about burning the files in front of you. I'll make an Unbreakable Vow to do so if you like." Python says with a dark grin.
 
Lucas flinches. "I'm good, I believe you." He says quickly. Unbreakable Vows are never things to get tied up with. "I'll do it."
 
Python's grin shifts into something like relief and she drops onto the bed next to him. "Great, thanks. Alright, so first things first, you get to choose your own code name. Any animal you can think of, most of them are still available. I'll tell you if you ask for a code that's already in use."
 
"Animals huh? Um, badger?" He says uncertainly. It's a little lazy considering it's just his House but-
 
"Taken." Python says, and her tone is just dark enough that Lucas doesn't ask.
 
Of course that leaves him in a bit of a lurch as to what animal to use. His mind goes blank and he stares at his hands, fidgeting nervously as he feels the time pass by.
 
"Hey, no pressure on this." Python says after a moment. "I picked mine from a nickname. Is there an animal in your life you like? A pet maybe? Beagle chose his code after his family's old dog."
 
Pet. Holly. His mind latches on. But 'Cat' is probably taken, isn't it? Something that simple? And it's a girl's name too so probably for the best. Then he remembers that 'Beagle' is a breed - so why not use Holly's breed?
 
"Birman. Like the cat." He says out loud.
 
Python grins. "Thought that might get your gears moving. Is that cat of yours still around? I remember her following us on patrols, it was pretty cute."
 
Lucas wouldn't have pegged Python as a cat person, but she obviously is if she remembers Holly that well. "Yeah, she's still kicking. About fourteen years old now though, mom says we should probably brace for her passing soon."
 
Python snorts. "Cats who live with witches and wizards have longer lifespans on average, your girl probably has a good six years or so left I'd say. Anyway, Birman is definitely available, you and Setter with your weird breed choices though." She says with a smirk. "Alright, let me show you the messenger spell."
 
It takes a few (dozen) tries - Lucas' magic has never been particularly strong so even a knock-off Patronus is a challenge - but eventually a little silvery-blue version of his cat is bouncing around their feet, waiting for instructions.
 
"The main people you'll need to communicate with are Setter and the Field Agents, including Lion since she's in charge of that group. I'll put myself in there as well in case you need to contact me about anything." Python says briskly. "The Field Agents are Hawk and Panther, they'll message you if they need any help. They work in the evenings so you shouldn't be at work, but we're working on a way to pause messages so no one gets outed on accident."
 
Lucas nods on auto pilot, even if he doesn't really know what she's going on about. He figures as long as he has the messenger and knows how to summon it he's good to go.
 
Python sends him home soon after that after giving him a time and location to 'get a new wand', whatever that entails, and he walks in to find his mother pacing the length of the kitchen and Holly mewling pitifully by the window. The cat notices him first and leaps halfway across the room to latch onto his pants.
 
"Ow! Ow, hi Holly I missed you too." He grunts, dislodging the cat so he can cradle her in his arms. "Hey mom."
 
"Lucas! You're over an hour late!" His mother scolds, the effect lessened by the fact she still sounds worried. "What happened?"
 
Lucas hesitates, and then gives a half-grin. "I, uh, signed up for some extra work hours actually. They're a little random, but it'll speed up my certification and help ease the workload for some of the night shift - they're brutally understaffed so I figured it wouldn't hurt to help."
 
His mother blows out a breath. "That's just like you. Well, I can't say I'm not proud, but do tell me next time you're staying late? Holly nearly clawed through the door worrying."
 
Lucas grins down at the cat in his arms. "Is that so? Naughty girl." He laughs, now more certain than ever he made the right decision.
 
His family will be safe, and he'll be helping save lives. What was he ever worried about?
 
Author's Note: Famous last words Lucas. Anyhow, I hope you all have enjoyed this little update extravaganza! It's back to the norm from here on out~
 
Next Week: Life on the inside is worse that you'd think
Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!
unqua911
So I'm thinking I might do a final 'afterwords' chapter to share my thoughts and feelings on writing this story, if that's something people would be interested in? I'm also open to answering any lingering questions people might have there as well!

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
Susan15
#1
Chapter 57: Hi!
I'm so sorry for taking so long to comment, but shall we begin!

I swear I should have made a bet omg. The moment I first heard of Python I was like "hmm.. what if she was Percy's Audrey?" And even though I knew that our Audrey would be Percy's girlfriend, I always thought how it would be nice if Python and him were endgame, but honestly... they wouldn't last long haha

I want to thank you for being so passionate about the story and truly understanding the characters and doing your best to give them justice. I loved how you put so much effort on everything!

When I first saw this story I first imagined a muggleborn with a fiery personality so after seeing that Tangi was created you have no idea how happy I was.
Claire was my first character for the story. When I thought about her I wanted a strong woman who was conflicted between her believes and her family, but who definitely couldn't turn a blind eye to people in need. Then I thought if she was an insider probably no one would suspect her because of her family, so she would have some advantage!
I'm truly proud of how she grew up. She was such a lonely girl who had only Bill and her cousin Petra as her friends. Then she loved her brother and her parents but she always thought that he didn't care about her. She didn't agree with her families believes and she truly had to do something to free herself from her fears and allow herself to be who she was. And being one of the leaders of the underground made me very proud of her! Especially after Max was able to change as well and they now became stronger together as a family. Honestly I wonder how Claire decided to do in the future, if she stayed in the ministry, if she dedicated herself to her family and if she made friends (because I'm so happy that she at least became friends with Python, she truly deserves friends), whether she ended up married or not, well I'm curious but I think if she ever got married she would choose someone she truly trusted and who she could be herself and for God sake, someone who could make that poor girl smile, because come on she looks so gloomy xD But I'm happy that she made at least one friend and that she got closure with her brother, so I'm blessed :) Ps: I always thought that Claire wouldn't make it until the end xD I always thought she would be killed or that she would sacrifice herself to protect someone.

Theo... Oh my little boy. When I visualised Theo I thought about a broken boy who always wanted his parents approval. Theo was meant to be an adult version of Draco Malfoy. When Kent appeared in the picture I imagined the rivalry such like Draco and Harry and that only made the adult version I imagined more lively. Theo was lucky to have a friend like Kent, even if he didn't understand what a friend truly meant. Theo lost his mother, his uncle hated him, his father well... they didn't have the best relationship, he didn't manage to be captain, he didn't manage to be a prefect, he had to give up on his dream, he couldn't trust anyone. Well everything about Theo was supposed to be tragic. His partnership with Zara was just amazing, I believe he saw himself on her (even though she was pure evil), and he believed that maybe people could change if someone believed in him. He betrayed his family, he betrayed his colleagues for something he believed to be the right thing, Kent could have abandoned him and Kingsley could have hit believed in him and hand him over. But people believed in him, he was the same person his mother believed he was. Seeing him trying to get thought his trauma was sad, but it fit him. I'm so so happy that he found happiness somehow. Val loved him by who he was, she didn't see him because of his family, blood heritage or even his mistakes, but she saw his pure heart and that is just beautiful. And of course Theo and Kent's bromance are still one of my favourite parts of the whole story! Thinking about the future, I wonder if he managed to keep working or his stability is not well yet, but he has Val, Kingsley, Kent, all of his friends, so he will he fine :)

I will miss these kids, but I'm making room for the new kids so hopefully we will have a more funny time on UFF rather than a more serious and gloomy one :) I hope everyone who made it to the end are now happy and even if they don't make a cameo on UFF, that they have success and find their happy endings :)
Once again, thank you so much for this ride. I just can't believed it already ended, it seemed like it was yesterday that Aiden made his first pov ;-;
This won't be a serious goodbye because we will still talk and of course I will still be hyped with UFF and I'll be commenting every single chapter :p
Oh and I'm curious, as you know I'm like a huge fan of Oliver :p did you imagine him getting married? I can totally imagine him marrying someone from his work honestly.
Ok now for real, thank you so so so much. You are an amazing writer and I want you to know that I anticipated every single chapter every week and reading it made my day, seriously, even if it took me a while to comment in the chapter.
I wish you the best and I hope you have a lot of fun writing UFF and finish this trilogy which I believe will bring tears of joy and will bring you the best feeling of accomplishement. You deserve it Dani! Thank you so much *takes off my hat* farewell Ctf, thank you for the ride, you will be always remembered!
From the bottom if my heart, thank you Dani, thank you very much! <3
I won't say goodbye so have a nice week and see you around ;) take care of yourself.
luv_kero
2415 streak #2
Chapter 57: I've been anticipating the Afterword chapter so much ever since you mentioned it, and I absolutely loved reading all of your thoughts on the cast and how you went about developing their arcs!! <3 Some of the things I knew (thanks to me loving spoilers and our insanely long back-and-forth responses via comments and PM, HAHA) and some of the things were a complete surprise, so it was so cool getting to learn and relearn these behind-the-scenes tidbits!! ^^

One thing I had no idea about (but probably should've figured out, LOOOOL) was Python's intended role as canon!Audrey Weasley!! Looking back now, it totally makes and I should've known you'd make sure every aspect of Percy's story was covered, even if they weren't intended to truly be endgame with the planned divorce. :P Does that mean Python would've been leading the MII with Cadi instead of Audrey Blishwick if the latter hadn't been submitted??

Ahhhh, not a day goes by where I wish Evera were still here with us, even though I know that her death was necessary. :') I take a lot of comfort in knowing that her death served so much purpose in the story and that it wasn't meaningless (not that anyone's death was ^^;) in the grand scheme of things. :) I do wonder how the story would've changed if she had stayed alive, since I imagine Kent would've been a much less broken man. But then his motivation to really get plans in motion within the Order of Phoenix wouldn't have been as strong as it was after suffering such a devastating loss. OTL All in all, Kent and Evera will always be the best dynamic duo, and I will never stop thanking you for bringing them to life in such a beautiful way!! <3 And I guess I don't know if they'll make cameos in UFF, but I'd love to know what happened to Drake and Jemma (and even little Roderick from H:aH, LOOOL, if you ever got to planning his future XD) after the events of CtF if you have that information readily available. ^^; If not, no worries!! I'm just very attached to my original trio, HAHA. :')

I'll be reiterating a lot of stuff I've said in previous comments and/or messages, but Channer was the first character I fully conceptualized when you announced CtF and its plot. I'm honestly drawn to charismatic, outgoing male characters (Kent, Drake, Landon), so writing a coward like Channer was such a fun challenge for me since I got to really step out of my comfort zone. I think part of me subconsciously wanted him to eventually join Adeline in the Underground, since I'm a er for the good side, but I loved that he stayed neutral throughout since I think that's the path truest to his character. It wouldn't have made sense if he had joined up and although it was painful to see him get bested by Yurina, I'm really happy that he's learned to hold his family a little closer now. <3

And now, MY FOX QUEEN, MISS YURINA NAKAYASHI!! I honestly don't enjoy writing Slytherin-like characters, but she was such a fun character to create and I became so attached to her in such a short amount of time. I really think it was her background that cinched it for me. The tiger parent mentality is often lauded by Asian parents as the "right" way to raise your child and while I do think there are some great parts about it, I also think it can be incredibly toxic with the wrong parents and the wrong children. So giving Yurina such a lonely childhood made me sympathize with her so much, even though I knew I was creating an evil character who really shouldn't be redeemed. ^^; I think I would've been really sad to see her caught by Abeni, so I'm stoked that UFF saved her in a way and I can't wait to see what mischief she's planning now!! :D Even though she's probably going to be defeated in UFF, at least she got a happy ending in CtF, HAHA. XD No matter what happens, she'll forever be my queen of darkness. <3

And then we have Odette, the strongest Fugitive out there who's absolutely killing it in life now, which she completely deserves after everything she went through during the war. :') Even though I made her to get tortured, I don't think I envisioned just how much she'd have to go through and my heart broke every time her situation got bleaker. OTL I honestly feared for her life the most out of my main four, especially after Evera died, since I knew that a Fugitive death would be incredibly possible. My other Fugitive characters, Xander and Cassie, were much more capable and resourceful than Odette was, so I figured that if a Fugitive had to die, she'd be the one. OTL So knowing that she ultimately made it out alive, even with immense trauma, made me so happy because I would've been crushed to bits by her death. ^^; Odette's a strong girl who shows that persistence and sheer will are key, and I'm so glad that sunnier skies graced her future. <3

I know I didn't write about everyone, basically focusing on my own characters, but I absolutely loved reading about every single member of the cast and seeing their stories get woven together in this amazing tale. Just as it was for H:aH, it was truly the greatest honor to be part of this story in some way and I'm eternally grateful that I was given the opportunity to help shape the HoM trilogy with my imperfect characters. :') They've all grown immensely over the course of CtF and I'm beyond ecstatic to see what kind of magic you'll weave next with UFF!! x] You know I'll be there writing essays after every chapter, because I can't stop myself from spazzing over even the tiniest details and I'm actually going to cry when it's all over. I would've cried when CtF ended, but knowing that there's still one installment left kept the tears at bay, HAHA. :') But we'll worry about UFF ending when the time comes, since it's just barely begun at this point and it's time to ENJOY what's about to come!! :D

Again, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for writing Confronting the Faceless!! <3 You're forever one of my writing inspirations and a friend I've grown to cherish so much after getting to know you these past few years, and I will never stop saying how grateful and lucky I am to have stumbled across Hogwarts: a History back then. x] You're the absolute best, Dani!! <3
Susan15
#3
Chapter 56: Hi!! Ok I believe I am ready for this overwhelming final chapter ;-;

Honestly, I always thought about what would happen to Ava. A part of me continuously compared her to Claire, but I think Ava is a coward. While Claire didn't agree with the values that most of Slytherins believed, she actually tried to do something about it, and a good part was that she met Bill and had her cousin. Ava had Astoria and her friend wasn't what Ava thought about the others. I think she was obsessed with "I'm better than them" to the point that she disliked Clary who was different from what she hated and also she was shocked about Kingsley, someone she saw as an example, only to find that he was a Slytherin. She put all her hatress into the house instead of growing up and understanding that not everyone is the same.
I liked how everything wrapped for her, it was the best outcome became she herself did not grow up much within all those years. And I'm really happy that she and Anwen got to become friends :)

Theo... I'm so... shocked! And happy? I'm truly glad he managed to find peace with himself (or something similar to that) and that he found someone who went through something "similar" and somehow could understand him and love him by who he is. I actually wonder if he managed to face his father since he always wanted to make him proud on top of everything and honestly I wonder if he got to see his uncle getting arrested, because well he deserved that! And I'm so happy that Kent was the best man! Ok I'm happy by how everything just went, Kingsley too. And I'm so so proud of Max and it was great to see him and Claire at Theo's wedding. I hope Theo and Val can make things work and finally forgive themselves.

Aiden as a grandpa is the strawberry on top of the ice cream xD Mia is so cute and YES ONE OF MY SHIPS SAILED!! I'm so happy Logan and Susan got together! And am I sensing a rivalry between Albus and Mia? xD Or maybe something more? :p I'm so happy and proud that Aiden was able to retire and be happy, he deserves and honestly he is one of my favourite characters. It was not easy to be a adoptive father and now he became a proud grandfather, I'm so happy for him.

Minki and Padma got together <3 and they had twins omg poor Minki! But I'm so happy and proud that he was able to follow his dream even if it was smaller than his bigger one. Oh my and Terry and Parvati wow I wasn't expecting that! Friends becoming lovers is something I live for haha. I'm so happy that everything worked out. I know that he is probably the most neutral character in the story, I don't remember, was he in the battle?

Odette! And she is the final pov ;-; Omg Dean got married and they became friends, that's so great. I wouldn't have guessed that Dean would marry a muggle! Dirk would be proud of how both of them grown up so much after everything that happened. I'm so proud of Odette and happy too, she deserves all the happiness in this world!

I can't believe this story just ended. I believe I can speak by everyone that we became attached to these characters and I'm not ready to say goodbye. I love every single character and I believe you made such an incredible story that I don't have enough words to express what I feel. Thank you so much for your time, passion and for making this amazing story and capturing our hearts. You are a great writer and I hope you feel proud of yourself just like I'm proud of you :)

I hope you have a great weekend and honestly I'm making fingers crossed to see them somehow again in UFF because I think I'll miss some of them too much xD
Thank you so much and see you Sunday to see your amazing thoughts and feelings through this story <3. Take care of yourself and have an awesome time :)
Susan15
#4
I'll give you a proper comment about the final chapter but yes please, I'd live to read your thoughts and feelings!
I'm so happy and shocked at the same time with the final chapter, but I will leave it to another time!! I just wanted to let you know how much I loved it and that I really do want to hear what your opinions :)
Have a nice week and I hope to read your feelings and thoughts next sunday :')
luv_kero
2415 streak #5
Chapter 56: Oh my gosh, it's the final epilogue. I'm not ready. OTL

Dang, I legit wasn't expecting Ava to be an ice cream shop owner after twenty years, LOOOL. :P But yikes, I can imagine that leaving Hogwarts definitely turned the "Slytherin=bad" sentiment on its head. I don't blame Ava for thinking that way during her school years, since she was a teenager and she hated not fitting in with her house. But at least she's become more open-minded and chill now, and it does show a lot of her character growth. :) It's also really sweet that she revived Fortescue's ice cream shop, since it's such a cornerstone of Diagon Alley and it broke my heart when Florean disappeared. :'( But omg, I also didn't expect Anwen to have had a whirlwind romance with a Muggle, so I'm glad that she also seems to be a lot more open-minded now as an adult. ^^ Although it that it didn't work out and I hope Anwen is doing okay as a single mother, since I know that can be difficult. >___< The cameos of Albus, Rose, and Scorpius were also super cute and I love that they're this generation's trio, hehe. x]

Oh gosh, Theo looking at little Evan and thinking of his guilt towards Evera's death had me gutted too. Q___Q But also, I'M SCREAMING AT KENT BEING HIS BEST MAN!! AND I'M ALSO SCREAMING AT THEO MARRYING VALERIE???????? FORGET WHAT I SAID ABOUT AVA. THIS IS THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OUT OF ALL OF THE EPILOGUES. I'M SO SHOOK. THIS MIGHT BE THE MOST SHOOK I'VE EVER BEEN. NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS DID I EVER EXPECT VALERIE AND THEO TO END UP TOGETHER. Like it totally makes sense with them bonding over their trauma in this support group and I bet Valerie felt AWFUL for getting caught in Branwen's web after she found out Branwen was a Death Eater. T^T It's so so so cute that Theo and Valerie eventually fell for each other, and I'm so happy that Theo gets to experience this beautiful moment because he deserves it!! And ahhhhh, I love that Kent is Best Man (best boi forever!!) and Evan is the ring bearer (/cries i love this kid so much already help) and Zac also got happily married and Valerie's family is there, and Theo has so many friends and people who care about him. :') AND JUST THAT ENDING, OMG. SHOT ME IN THE HEART. *o* I'M DED FROM HOW CUTE THEY ARE. PROCLAIMING MYSELF AS CAPTAIN OF THIS NEW SHIP NOW, HAHAHA.

Ahhhh, Logan and Susan got together!! x] And Mia, like all the kids, sounds so adorable and Aiden is definitely best grandpa!! ^^ And ooh, looks like Oliver is teaching at Hogwarts now after retiring from the professional circuit?? :D Gah, that reminds me that he's also old now too. OTL And omg, I'm ded at Mia and Albus having a Quidditch rivalry. XD Try-outs will be a battlefield this year with those two gunning for positions, HAHA. And LOOOOOL, I also wasn't expecting that kiss comment from Mia. :P I imagine Albus will definitely be a heartthrob, especially when he gets older, and Mia will be one of many who have a crush on young Potter, LOLOLOL. But ahhhh, so happy that Aiden has such a beautiful family and that he's enjoying life so much now!! He completely deserves it after everything he went through!! And I also love that Ava made an appearance at the end, even though they never actually met in the main story, since everyone's stories are ultimately tied together in this epic. :)

Haha, definitely not surprised that Minki opened up a dance studio. XD He really suffered the least overall out of everyone in CtF, I think. Him and Venus. And awww, so cute that he and Padma ended up having twins!! x] And ooh, Padma is also a teacher now?? :D What kind?? (also there's a tiny typo where you wrote parvati instead of padma and i was like, wait which twin is which?? is padma the gryff and parvati the ravenclaw?? XD) And awwww, I wasn't expecting Terry and Parvati to get married, but I can totally see them together and it's so cute that the two best friends each got married to one of the twins, HAHA. :P They're all one big happy family now!! ^^ Minki and Padma's banter is also so cute, and I love how chill Minki is now in comparison to how he was in seventh year. :') And ooh, what does Terry do in the Department of Transportation?? Guess he followed the more traditional path of working for the Ministry while Jerome went traveling, LOOOOL. XD

And now, we're here at last at the final epilogue. T^T Odette was the last of my main characters submitted to CtF, she was the last POV chapter of the story (and the last Fugitive to be rescued), and now she's the last of the epilogues. But that doesn't mean she's last in my heart, because she's far from it!! <3 I figured she would eventually strike up a friendship with Dean, since they both had the connection of being on the run with Dirk at some point, and I bet they've shared a lot of stories about Dirk with each other over the years. :) My heart hurts knowing that Odette still suffered so much for so long, even though it's completely understandable that she wouldn't have mentally healed in an instant. That's just not possible when you've gone through what she did. And ahhhhh, HARRY COMING THROUGH TO GIVE HER A CHANCE MAKES ME SO HAPPY!! TRULY AN ICON. AND AHHHH, SO SO SO PROUD OF ODETTE FOR BECOMING HEAD OF THE IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE!! *o* SHE OVERCAME ALL OF THE OBSTACLES LIFE THREW HER WAY AND WE LOVE SEEING FEMALE MUGGLEBORNS GETTING RIGHTFULLY RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR WORK IN THE MINISTRY!! x] Again, restating what I said in Kent's epilogue, I completely relate to Odette and Dean talking to Dirk's gravestone so this definitely hit home for me. It's a way to stay connected with them, even though they've passed, and I think it's very powerful that Dirk was able to create a very unique bond between Odette and Dean, even though he had long since passed. :) And I love that the ice skating figurine managed to survive the war!! It's definitely a beautiful, subtle reminder of the past before the war. ^^ And ahhhhh, that final sentence really pulled at my heartstrings. :') Everything is going to be just fine, Odette!! You've made it this far and you're only going to continue climbing to the top!! <3

Also, a big resounding YES to your A/N!! I'd love an Afterwords chapter!! :D I'll save my final CtF comment for then, hehe. ^^
Susan15
#6
Chapter 55: Hi!!

Omg yes! Venus had her dream come true, I'm so proud of her!
Oh and is she getting interested in that man?? :p
I kind of imagined her with someone from work since she would probably be a professional most of the time and she wouldn't go out on dates with just anyone, especially because she would care a lot about her job and would dedicate 100% of her time to that, so I truly see things work out between them :)

Tangi!! Our precious child who is not a child anymore :') I'm so glad she and Xander kept their friendship and managed to still be a part of each other's life!
Aw and Hazel made it out alive! And I can definitely imagine their marriage :) I'm also so happy that Clary and Kingsley got married too, like omg yes!

Gabe!! I truly thought that he was the groom!! I was shipping him with Romilda ;-; but it's still good that they kept being friends all this time. Same goes for Nathan, I'm truly happy that the two of them kept their friendship after all this time! Gabe also speaking in french with Fleur was just perfect haha.

Kent!! Aww I love the name Evan as I bet Evera would love it! He truly acts like a proud dad! And Tori already grown up omg ;-;. Why am I imagining those two in Hogwarts having the time of their lives? Haha. Kent is now a married man with two beautiful kids and I bet he feels the happiest man on Earth. Evera would be really proud of him. The final scene is just heartbreaking :') farewell Evera.

And finally but not last, Audrey!! I'm so glad that she and Percy got serious and started having a life together and forming a family. Their daughter Mai is really energetic haha. And I'm so glad to see that Audrey and Python still remained friends! Omg Lucy... that hit my poor heart ;-; I bet Lucas would feel proud and happy for her. I can imagine little Lucy in Hogwarts as a happy kid and perhaps who knows, maybe she would also become a healer! And Python becoming her godmother is just amazing!

I can't believe that next chapter is the last ;-; it's been a long journey and to see that everyone have grown up and becoming happier (even Yurina haha) is so heartwarming and we became attached to all of them so it will be hard to say goodbye. I hope that maybe some of them may make a cameo in UFF :')
I'm preparing tissues for the last chapter which will take another 10 years after this one and since it's set prior to the UFF events, I'm quite curious!

Thank you for this chapter, for the "romantic and couples" chapter haha. It's good to see everyone getting their dreams came true and them having their own families.
I hope you have an incredible week, great classes and I wish you everything the best :) Rest well and take good care of yourself.
I will see you later for the story's finale ;-; see ya~ :)
luv_kero
2415 streak #7
Chapter 55: Good on Venus for becoming the youngest ever Unspeakable!! Just like Rajani, we love seeing female Slytherins achieving their goals!! ^^ At the beginning of the story, I would've never expected Venus to be working in the Love Chamber. But after her work with identifying the loss of hope during the war, it does make sense that she'd end up in the chamber that's all about unraveling the mystery behind emotion. And omg, I wasn't expecting Cadfael to be an Unspeakable as well!! :D He's so much more chill now after his angsty Hogwarts days. XD Hopefully life has been much kinder to him since then. :') And ooooh, do I spy some sparks flying between him and Venus?? :P I can definitely see them together, bonding over their Slytherin days at Hogwarts, both of them with their air of mystery and very small social circles, haha. And since Unspeakables can't really share what goes on with their work, I imagine it'd be nice to be with someone who'll understand any workplace frustrations and such. ^^

Awwwww, love that Xander and Matangi are still so close after the war!! x] And yaaaay, so glad that Hazel survived and is thriving now!! :D It's so awesome to see that she's become an activist and hopefully things change for the better for the LGBTQ+ community with her leading the charge. :) And omg, Kingsley and Clary made up and married each other!! Ahhhhh, that's so sweet!! ^^ Wow, look at Clary, going from worrying about her grades in Hogwarts, to a bittersweet relationship with Lenox, to being one of the best Auror trainers in the Ministry, to being a member of the Underground, to becoming the Minister of Magic's wife while also being the Head of Magical Law Enforcement!! Again, we love seeing successful female Slytherins killing it in life!! :D And yesss, Xander is gonna be amazing in his new job and I'm so happy he's ending his dueling career on such a high note!! :D And ahhhh, Matangi and Hazel's wedding will be absolutely beautiful, and I really hope they'll be able to wed soon!! x]

Haha, you really threw me for a loop there in thinking that Gabe was the groom. XD I wonder who David is and how Romilda met him. :P But it's awesome to see that Gabe, Nathan, and Romilda are still best friends and as close as ever after all these years. ^^ And ooh, love the little bonding moment between Gabe and Fleur!! :D And also, dang, it's very cool that Gave is working as an investigative reporter. I definitely wasn't expecting that to be his career, since I thought he might go the Auror route or something similar. He was such an explosive kid, always gunning for justice. :P But I can see why he'd choose investigative reporting instead, especially since it does have a lot of freedom and traveling is so much fun. ^^ And he still gets to pursue justice, albeit in a more roundabout manner, LOOOL. And I guess he's going the Charlie route and staying a happy bachelor for the rest of his life, which is awesome and I'm glad he's happy without needing a partner to fulfill him. :)

Oh wow, another Weasley kid to add to the clan. XD They just don't stop coming. :') And it's funny that Mai is so different in temperament from her parents and Percy must have his hands full trying to make sure she doesn't upend everything in their lives. :P And it's so cute that Audrey Caldwell is still known as Python, even after all these years, HAHA. It's definitely a very cool nickname, even without the Underground attachment, so I can see why she'd keep it, LOOOOL. And omg, ahhhh, it's so sweet that Audrey decided to name Lucy after Lucas. T^T He really meant a lot to both her and Percy, so it's very beautiful that they're choosing to honor him through the newest addition to their family. :) He still lives in everyone's hearts, even though he's long gone now, and I'm sure he would've loved doting on Mai and Lucy if he had survived. >___< And I just realized that this means Audrey will have a pre-teen at home and a teenager at Hogwarts while she's dealing with stuff in UFF, LOL. What a busy woman. :')

And oh my gosh, Kent, my lovely boy, I don't think I'm ready to let go of him yet. Q___Q He's one of my absolute favorite OCs and I'm so happy I got a opportunity to expand on him for this story. <3 Like he was already an amazing side character that I loved to bits, but getting the chance to see him under the spotlight made me so incredibly happy, despite everything that happened to him during the war. :') And awww, Tori's a teenager now and I love how sassy she's become. XD Reminds me a lot of Holly in H:aH, LOLOLOL. :P And omg, so cute that she considers Jemma an aunt too, and I'm so so curious to know how Jemma and Drake are doing nowadays!! ^^ And omg, Ebony is such a beautiful name for Holly's daughter, hehe. x] It's awesome that Kent and Willow were able to find their way back to each other, even though it was so rough. Totally understandable that they broke up after the war. Kent was still grieving the loss of Evera and Willow then had to go through the exact same thing with Laurel. They definitely needed to grow separately as they processed their grief. You don't want to be at 50% when you're dating someone, using them to fill that other 50%. You want to be at 100% and dating another person who's at 100% for it to be a healthy, long-lasting relationship. At least that's my belief, LOL, although I don't have any personal experience to go off of (so who knows if I'm spouting nonsense). ^^; But Evan is such a great name, and Evera would've loved him and Sammy to pieces. x] And oh my gosh, my heart is dying because the end of Kent's epilogue is at Evera's grave. T^T I'll be very honest here, I talk a lot to the gravestone of one of my loved ones (and I use it as proxy for the other gravestones that I can't physically visit), so Kent talking to Evera this way was something I wholly related to. And my heart is breaking all over again, because I miss Evera so much and I don't think I'll ever get over her death. But I will stay strong, because she was a strong girl and Kent is staying strong too. I hope there're only clear skies for him for the rest of his life, even though I know things will get crazy with raising two boys in the house and there's still UFF's events to come ten years later. ^^; And omg, I just realized that Evan (and maybe Sammy) will be at Hogwarts when UFF starts!! XD Not that it's super relevant in the grand scheme of things, LOL, but I will have fun imagining the newest crop of Sylvesters at the best school in the world, having shenanigans of their own. :') And I'm just really really really happy that Kent got a happy ending, because he deserves it and I love him so much. He and Evera will always be my favorite pair of siblings, forever and ever, and I'm so happy that their bond will never be broken, even by death. <3

OMG, the final epilogue is coming soon and it's set right before UFF!! :D I'm not ready at all for CtF to end though. OTL But I'm also super excited to see the five remaining POVs and catch up with them twenty years later. ^^
Susan15
#8
Chapter 54: Hi!! Sorry for taking so long to comment!

First of all, my heart is hurting for Lucas. He was one of my favourite characters and honestly I feel like since half of the story he was making a rough path and the signals to his tragedy were there ;-; His last pov and Odette's pov showed how he was overworking and not taking care of himself. I liked him a lot, but somehow I feel like I knew that he would have a bad ending. I'm glad he had a painless passing and I'm sad that he didn't do a check up with Python because maybe he could have survived, but that's so Lucas.. And I'm really sad for his mother, she suffered so much and losing a son is like losing a part of her, especially since it's not natural. Oh my ;-; rest in peace Lucas.

Oh Channer ;-; poor boy, he must feel so guilty. But we all never know what is going to happen tomorrow so it's normal that we don't say "I love you" everyday. But of course it's truly painful and the last interaction is always what is pressed in our minds ;-; I know you will be able to process your grief and you will be better with time. You have your mother and sister, you will be fine!

I'm so glad that Max made it out alive. Now Claire and Max can really talk and pour their hearts to one another. They just "lost" their father who will be imprisoned after waking up (if he eventually wakes up), so they just have one another and their mother. And I truly understand what she means that everyone is biased and already settled their minds that everyone in the losing side is guilty. Fitz!! I'm so glad to see him!!! And I'm super glad that he is fine!!! Willow and Theo omg guys ;-; I'm so proud of Theo to try helping out and prove that everyone deserves a second chance like he had, because of their family environment and ideals. And I bet Willow feels like she compensated a lot from what she did. Everything is good now, I'm happy for them.

Oh Farrah :( you need time to heal my poor child. I understand that Christian is very important to her but he wouldn't understand what she has been through and she definitely needs to have a support near her who truly understands her and even though I know that Christian was what kept her sanity, she created a version of him in her mind who probably doesn't exist, and she needs time for herself now. You can get well child ;-;.

Yurina queen of the evil! Always causing trouble, really haha. Abeni must have a huge grudge on Yurina, because she is quite a pain in the haha. Let's see how Yurina will cause problems in Uff because I know you're involved young lady!

Wow next epilogue is 10 years from here! We're going to see the Hogwarts kids as grown ups!! I hope Venus and Minki managed to follow their dreams! I'm quite curious how Ava and Gabe became as adults haha. I bet everyone else is doing well now :)
I can't wait for the next epilogue!!
I hope you have a nice week, take care of yourself, rest well and see you later ;)
petitreveur
#9
Chapter 54: I told myself I was going to properly comment at the end of the three-part epilogue but I know I had to drop a comment after I read the first POV. NOOOOO LUCAS NOOOOOOO :"( Why do all my fav characters have to die hurhur /cries/ First Evera, then Laurel and now Lucas. My heart was literally squeezed tight when I read the line "He doesn't wake up" and I'm like NO NO NO, THAT CAN'T BE TRUE :"( I should have realised that foreshadowing when he was feeling way too exhausted than ever, that he w-wouldn't make it pass the night. Idk why but his death hits so much harder than anyone else's?? Lucas was (fk, I have to use the word 'was' now) such a golden boy, he did so much as a Healer and contributes sooo much as part of the Underground!! Although he didn't "fight" in the war, he was a true war hero!! I guess it's...relieving that his death wasn't a painful one and he passed in the comforts of his house....he will definitely be sorely missed :"( I can't imagine how broken his mother would be when she realises that her son is never going to wake up again >.< OH GOSHH, THAT START ALREADY SCREAMS DEPRESSING!! (I literally paused for five whole minutes before going on to the next POV)

Glad to see that Channel survived the war!! That sibling dynamic between Channel and Adeline has drastically changed. Damn, those two siblings must feel rather awkward and apologetic to each other but I feel it's neither their fault that things turned out that way. It's the awful circumstances that caused things to spiral out of control >.< It's so heartwarming to see Adeline and their mother visiting Channel in the hospital. , Channel must be feeling even more horrible and guilty for not actively doing anything during the war after learning that their father had passed away in Azkaban. Despite the awkwardness between the siblings, I'm sure Adeline never actually blamed Channel for ousting her and that's what family is all about. They are there for you no matter how much you might have forsaken them and at the end of the day, they still worry about you and welcome you back with open arms ^^ Things are never the same but Channel still has Adeline and their mother and things will get better with time :-)

Another POV that reflects the phrase "blood is thicker than water". Even though Max was a Death Eater, Claire can't bring herself to hate him or cut off ties with him. Sure, she does not agree with his dealings but after all, he is still her brother, her family. That conflicted feelings within her must be chewing her up for she knows that her brother deserved to be punished for the greater good but at the same time, Max is her brother, they are related by blood, and it must be hard to see him locked up in Azkaban (when their father was already sentenced while in a coma, big oof!) That grey area would always be grey ^^" Oh wow, I would have never thought Willow to be on defence (should I say that Max is very lucky to have Claire as his sister? LOL) and Theo to be the final witness!! Looks like Max doesn't have to live in a crammed cell anymore :')

Poor Farrah :'( She is suffering so much but I'm glad to see the tiniest progress that she is making since the day she was admitted into Mungo's. It that she doesn't really have any close friends around her except for Clara as all of her friends are all Muggles who wouldn't be able to understand what she had gone through because of the Statue. And now Clara is feeling slightly wary around her >.< Well, I don't blame Clara, she must be at a huge loss of what to do with someone so utterly broken, she had never been in her situation before and neither is she a trained medical professional. But it's great that Farrah is seeing a therapist and I can tell that Ellie is a good psychiatrist to her. Oh nooo, it must have been a last straw for Farrah when she heard that she's not allowed to see Christian as it was Christian who kept her fighting on for her life in the cells >.< Yet again, Christian prolly wouldn't be able to understand what happened to Farrah as a Muggle. But maybe, it's just the presence of Christian that she needs? Somehow, I don't think that Clara is a mean friend to Farrah or anything, it's just that Farrah is just so delicate right now and Clara obviously can't be there 24/7 for her >.< It's draining for both girls. Perhaps, a longer hospital stay would do them both good? The impact of war is just so harsh :"(

Da boss lady is in the house!! And she is getting straight to work!! With her schemings!! Poor Amos, he is so naive to think that he can get a taste of her LMAO and Yurina is using that to her strength, obviously. And voila, now she has information about Abeni Akingbade, which leads me wondering what exactly happened over the past twenty years?? The Akingbades must be pretty influential people in Nigeria?? And I'm pretty sure Yurina managed to wreck chaos in Nigeria and overthrew the government in some way or another?? I swear this little Japanese lady just doesn't stop :P Abeni must have gone through much turmoil, seeing the UFF's first teaser. Damn, everything is getting juicier and I can't wait for the tea to be spilled xD
luv_kero
2415 streak #10
Chapter 54: Oh man, I should've figured Lucas would end up dying from overwork. :'( The signs were all there, especially during his final main POV. T^T Him overworking himself was a constant theme and it so much that he had to go out this way. It reminds me a lot of karoshi, "overwork death" in Japanese, and I'm just glad that he got one final night with his mother and that he died in the comfort of his home. OTL But oh my god, his mother is going to be absolutely heartbroken when she finds him in the morning and my heart hurts so much for her, because she was probably so thankful that her son wasn't directly on the battlefield, but he ended up being a casualty anyway and she'll still have to bury him with all of the others. T^T In a way, Lucas' death sort of has a numbness to it and both Audreys are probably going to be devastated when they receive the news as well. :'( As well as Percy, Jemma, Jun, and anyone else who knew Lucas. ;~; He was a great guy though and he really did a lot for the war effort. In the end, he definitely died a hero like the others.

Oh my gosh, I've been anticipating the conclusion to Channer's story ever since his final main POV and I'm so glad he's in a much better state than some of the others. <3 Granted, things aren't perfect and they never will be, especially since Timon is dead, but at least he has a chance to make things better and that's what counts the most. Channer is still so young and he has his whole life ahead of him to strengthen the bonds he has with his remaining family members. It's something I'm personally trying to work on as well, although our circumstances are admittedly very different. One thing I definitely fear is leaving things unsaid when it's too late, and my heart hurts so much that Timon and Channer never got to properly bond before Timon died. :'( It's definitely going to weigh on Channer a lot from now on, and I hope that he'll be able to process his grief and regret in a healthy way. On the plus side, I'm so happy that Henry is okay and it's so cool that Adeline stayed with his dad while she was in hiding!! ^^ If anything, maybe Henry and Channer can become eventual friends with Henry easing some of Channer's regrets with stories of Timon in Azkaban and how Timon was always talking about how proud he was of his kids. It won't alleviate all of the pain, but it might help a bit, knowing that even though he never verbally expressed his feelings to his dad, Timon still deeply loved and cared for Channer until the very end. Linette, Adeline, and Channer are definitely going to struggle for years to come, but at least they have each other and that's what matters. <3

Oof, it does that Claire's still stuck between both sides, even after the end of the war. But it's nice to see that short moment between her and Fitzwilliam, and he's grown so much from his school days, ahhhhh :') And oh my, I guess since Claire does technically have a stake in the other side because of her family, what the Order is doing for clean-up probably does feel a lot more harsh to her, even though they probably feel completely justified in doing so. It's a very gray area and at the very least, Willow and Theo came through by helping out, even though they had no obligation to. I do wonder why they did. Maybe it was Holly asking for a favor, since she knew Claire?? Maybe it was just Willow not wanting someone else to lose a sibling after she did?? Maybe it was Theo knowing that Max was like him, brought up with Death Eater ideals but still capable of change?? At the very least, I'm glad that Claire doesn't have to lose a family member who's so precious to her and she's much luckier than most who've been affected by the war.

Oh wow, good to see that Farrah also survived Azkaban!! I'm guessing we'll find out Hazel's fate in Matangi's epilogue. Anyway, it's awesome that Farrah is already seeing a therapist and Ellie sounds wonderful. :) And considering how broken Farrah already was back in February, I'm not surprised she was even worse by the time all of the prisoners were released from Azkaban. Her fantasies were probably the only thing keeping her going while she was at Azkaban. x___x But yikes, I don't know if a happy ending with Christian is in the cards. Considering what she's been through, she'll really need someone by her side who'll understand the extent of this war and since Christian is a Muggle, I don't think he can be that person, realistically. >___< Maybe if this were set during UFF's time with magic finally being revealed, Christian could become her caretaker and they could have their happily ever after. But considering how Clara is Farrah's best friend and Clara's reaction to Farrah's breakdowns, I doubt Christian will be able to last long either. >___>

And finally, my beautiful and strong queen of darkness, Miss Yurina Nakayashi!! <3 Going to America was definitely the right call, HAHA. (Since no pandemic to worry about and the US was in a much better state back then OTL If this were 2020, I'd be like, NOOOOO, GO BACK TO ASIA!! ANYWHERE BUT THE US!!) And yesssss, what a QUEEEEEN, living in the lap of luxury in Vegas!! XD Love love love that she's already scheming and recruiting people to her cause!! She isn't wasting any time in making plans for world domination. XD And ooooooh, I've been so so so curious to find out about the bit with soap operas that you asked me about a while back and it's so cool to finally see it here!! :D And oof, looks like Amos is her newest puppet and I love her puppeteering so much!! XD She'd never give him a second glance if it weren't for the information he's gathering for her. He's too much of a lust-driven doormat and Yurina is WAY above that. x] If she ever does fall in love, it'll be with a man who can provide a challenge and keep up with her intellectually. He'll have to REALLY impress her with his cunning and capabilities, and men like that are few and far in between, especially relative to Yurina. She has no time to deal with small fries like Amos and he's probably only got an Avada Kedavra in his future once she's done with him. :') But ooh, Abeni better watch out since Yurina has her eye on her now!! The fox is on the prowl and no one is safe now, hehe <3

Ooh, super curious to see what life will be like ten years from now!! Definitely a lot happier than this, since most people will have healed considerably by then. :') And wizards probably won't be affected by everything that's happening in the Muggle world, LOL (collapse of the housing bubble, Great Recession, etc.) :P