Wow... oh so very sad yet so satisfying knowing that Harry and Ginny end up living a long life together, but also devastating knowing that Ginny died suffering while Harry wasn't capable of helping her with all the magic he has.

Just a question though, isn't Avada Kedavra supposed to be a very dark spell hence the unforgivable-ness??

These two phrasings simply broke my heart:     

"Because he's Harry.  Because despite everything, he still believes in the fairytale.  And you're going to be his fairytale."

She stood there.  Still.  She smiled at him.

This was beautiful; you showed their life together through only those flashbacks, which told us all we needed to know about their relationship, their lives and the depth of the love they share.

Thanks for the hankie warning - tenderness and simple storytelling ability make for a very powerful combination.

I quite liked this story.  Although like others, I didn't agree with the ending.  Mind you I can't really fathom a love like Ginny and Harry's so I have nothing but my own personal observations to judge that on.

Keep writing, you write very nice stories.

Hmmm.  I dunno.

It was a good story with some nice parts but didn't 'hold' me the way most of your stories do.

I agree 1000%

First up, I can't accept the ending.  Perhaps I'm just highlighting the (sad) fact that I've never been in love, but I can't see Harry's suicide in anything but a bad light.  His death wasn't noble, nor dramatic, nor self-sacrificing ... just a waste of life and his considerable magical talent.

I disagree. I'm married, but would say my wife and I are not as close as H/G and our marrige is not as intense as it was written here and in his other stories. Nevertheless I would have to think if I could continue if my wife died. And Harry's life here was much much harder. Seeing friends die is a hard thing. Outliving them for that long and then see the partner die? I don't think I stand it either.

He may not have had Ginny, Hermione or Ron, but he had children and grandchildren.  Surely there was enough love there to warrant staying on, teaching them, loving them?  Plus work to do in the wizarding world?  I know you made a point of saying that 'it was safe', but there would still be things for Harry to do, surely.

Imagine to try living with 1/10th of your heart. That's what it would feel to me at least.

I didn't 'get' the Life Judgement thing.  Harry's preventing Sirius and Remus from killing Wormtail was noble; his not wanting Voldemort to get the chop was just ridiculous.  In canon Voldemort is nice and simple - an evil cockroach who should be put down.  It's obvious, no moral dilemmas whatsoever.  So I don't understand, nor can support, Harry's quandry there.

Honestly? Wasn't important to me, though in my eyes it could have been the way. It's just the way Harry sees things from time to time.

No offense meant of course. Everyone his own.. ;)

Bye. Oliver

Hmm. If I may, I'll start with two negative comments. First, I dislike the ending. I've always felt suicide was cheating somehow - not an act of love as sometimes portrayed. Maybe that's because of my own experiances with the act.

In any case. Second. A-K seems to carve chunks out of tombstones and statues - why wouldn't it shatter a mirror? Its inventive, for sure, but it just lacked the right feel for me.

Other than those two bits, this was an incredible story. Lavender and Parvati seem both in character and wonderful, and that's quite a kiss scene.

Overall an excellent story.

You have a lovely story with this short piece. It is very much to your high standard of story crafting, well written and thoughtful. I really enjoyed reading this piece up until the end when your Harry apparently committed suicide. Cannon aside, I thought that action was out of character from the way you had written him. It ruined the whole story because the ending that you chose to write did not fit.

~Tillie

That was simply one of the most touching things I've read in ages! Thank you!

Cyns

*cries* it was heartbreakingly beautiful... all i can say... thank you for sharing this story...

Lorien__
cheerleader and nutcase

I can only agree with everyone else. You have delivered a very poignant, thought-provoking and completely empowering glimpse into true love. At least for me that is what this piece was ultimately about. You have love, dedication, laughs, tears, benefits and the ultimate price for it all. Simply brilliant.

I enjoyed most of all the independent perspectives of their first kiss and what led to the moment out on the rocks. Loved how Ginny never revealed Lavender and Parvati's actions/motives until the end.  Liked the surprise pairings for them with Terry and Blaise (I guess developing WK,GQ has finally allowed you to accept Pansy as the STRONG female Slytherin needed, hm? )

I will always stop everything just to read something you've posted - even  (distracting plot bunny forcefully ejected from the board before true pandemonium breaks out ) - ahem....well, particularly when you've slipped some of your trademark dry wit into the mix. You did not disappoint here. You managed to make me forget this was a one-shot with how you so superbly filled in the all-important "firsts" and mixed them beautifully with the heartbreaking "lasts".

I was disappointed only in how little the absence of Ron and Hermione seemed to affect Harry, and how little he felt the urge to live on for his children and grandchildren. But knowing you, the very exclusion of these points WAS the point.... Perhaps Harry's "Saving People Thing" had finally been satisfied and the only thing he was waiting for before saying goodnight forever was Ginny herself.

I won't question AK because, again, I think this was a deliberate choice on your part. And I truly don't think suicide in and of itself was even the intention. I think Harry was simply tired and felt he had fulfilled his part, that it was a new generation's turn to be center stage. With Ginny gone, his one real and pure tie to life is also gone. Imagine someone with so much magic, so much power, and so much potential to simply live on forever.... What could possibly counter that kind of powerful magic?

And of course, we assume AK can only be fueled by hate (according to canon - so far) but perhaps this is how "the power the dark lord knows not" ulitmately manifested itself in the fight against Voldemort and now Harry uses it for himself.  He pours his infinite well of love into the spell and wishes himself home to where Ginny now waits for him, changing the very nature of AK, but not its power.

*whew* I know I've rambled on but in my defence you always make us think, and that gift does have repurcussions.

Thanks for sharing yet again. Job well done.   - Robin

Wow. I mean - wow. This was - wow! There are now words... just no words whatsoever. I love these typoes of stories- romance, love, angst (but not depressing angst- do you know what I mean?) Sory if I'm not makikng sense, I'm just so overwhelmed with this. And thanks for the heads up about the hankerchief-  I sure needed it! Well, Amazing work, just brilliant! And sorry that this review doesn;t do justice to how amazing your work was- I'm just so speechless!

Amazing

~Maria~

   Good up till the end then it tanked. I don't think Ginny would have liked or would have been pleased with Harry to up and off himself like that. Fun read thought

That was beautiful, and your right you needed a hankie!  If only we could all be so lucky!

P.S. PLEASE WORK ON THIS MEANS WAR! 

Simply Brilliant. Halfway through, I forgot it was a one-shot. I was way too caught up in the flow. Wickedly visual and emotional. Past and present tying perfectly into each other. What better way to emphasize the complete soul dedication these two have had for each other? I loved the pure romance of their first kiss, sans speech, and their incredibly moving last moments together. Brilliant idea development for Life Judgement.  So very Harry - "He chose life."

And for the record, I believe the ending was far from suicide. It was simply his own personal kick-start to the next great adventure. Why hang around when his job was done, his children were well set into their own lives, and the other half of his soul and heart was gone? I mean, she was already there saving a spot for him after all.

I hope this means other updates are not too far away - yes?  Robin

+blocked+ it all! You are NOT supposed to make me cry!!! That was great. You are truly multitalented. The only thing I didn't care for much was the ending even though I can see the logic in it. But that's just me.  I really enjoyed it. I originally started to read your stories for the humor. Now, I'm wondering what the next plot bunny will stir up. Hmmmm.  How about a believeable Harry in Azkaban story? Betrayed was good but it never quite finished and I never could see Harry totally leaving the wizarding world. Or, you've never done an NC-17 story that I know of.  That could be interesting. Anyway, I'll read them all and look forward to more.

Thanks for your efforts

Glen

As always, a very well-written story -- I like how Lavendar and Pavarti got Harry and Ginny together (the dress part fits in well with TMW, insofar as how the girls might dress Ginny).  I've always wondered why mirrors couldn't be the answer to Unforgivables -- I guess there's no reason now!  I guess my only concern for an otherwise wonderful story is that Harry kills himself -- I realize it's a release and he doesn't want (if want is even close enough a word) to be without Ginny (and Ron, and Hermione, and everyone else), but still I feel that taints it somehow -- or finally lets Harry be selfish.  I'm still deciding.

But anyway, yet another great story!

Wonderful as ever, you always manage to put such emotion in your writing whether it's a humorous or serious piece like this one.  I didn't need a hankie in the end because although this was extremely poignant at the same time I could almost feel their happiness at the time they'd had together and the fact that they knew they would be together again.

Thanks for a great story,

Sarah.

Excellent Tim

This was right on a lot of levels. Harry has done his duty by all who needed him, Ron and Hermione are gone and because of his magic he might live without Ginny for many years. Why must he suffer any more? He deserves rest too. He chose life before but in a funny kind of way I think he chose life again this time-depends on your view of religion and spirituality doesn't it?

I didn't get this the first time around when I read it, Tim, but the mirror is the Mirror of Erised, right?

Sorry, that might have gotten there a little slow - I'm not the quickest one of the lot. I preferred just to read and cry.

Like I said before, beautiful.

Again, a wonderfully written story.  The end was a tear jerker.

I like how you were able to show both Harry's & Ginny's point of view of the lake scene.  The flow was wonderful from one point of view to the next.

wow....my heart actually missed a couple of beats.  I am not really sure what to say here, how to express that I really liked reading this, and upset that I am that Harry did what he did at the end, I can understand.

Thankyou

Wow. I'm impressed. I've read all of your stuff that I can find, and it's all good, but this piece definitely brings out more emotion than most of them. In that category I think only Despair can match it, but while this one isn't fluff, it's definitely not depressing like Despair. I think your ability to write so many different kinds of stories and have them all be not just readable but good is the most impressive thing. Thanks for brightening what's otherwise been an ugly day in souther Germany.

PS-I really hope you finish Wild Horses, it's the only BtVS fic I've ever read, but it's awesome. It was interesting to read something from you with completely different characters than what I'm used to.