I realized I had only reviewed one chapter. Here are the other two reviews.

"She was beginning to resent the word 'Gryffindor,' or at least its power over her. Lately, everyone seemed to be able to talk her into doing the stupidest, most dangerous things just by saying, "You’re a Gryffindor, aren't you?""
Great first line and its so true.


I really enjoyed the Buckbeak and Hermione interaction.


"She had, of course, skimmed Remus's copy of Absolutely Fabulous Veterinary Practice before entering Buckbeak's room, but she still felt less than qualified to be treating injuries on a magical creature this size. With talons that sharp."
Very Hermione.

I love the idea of Buckbeak having issues with the Weasley family. So it was all Fred and George hmmm. But I like how they redeem themselves by going to Harry for help. Nice twist with Draco by the way.

"And now he's attacking anything with red hair,"
LOL Wouldn't you!!

""I can fly him there," Hermione said in a creditably brisk tone. "Buckbeak still trusts me, I think he even likes me. We'll wait until dusk before setting out, as you suggested, Remus. I'll need some supplies, of course…""

Hermione flying...wow!!!
I admire the lengths she's willing to go. Even concurring something she hates.

Great fic. I really liked how you brought Buckbeak into the story.
I loved the last line: "We're Gryffindors, aren't we?"

Nice job.

Haha awesome! Another intruiging story coming from you. ^_^ I do hope you update soon. I love reading your stories and would especially love to read more as Harry and Hermoine's relationship progresses. This was delightful thank you!

I don't think I've ever left a proper review for this story as it had been completed for a while when I first read it. However, I have just reread it for probably the twentieth time, and felt the need to thank you for writing such a wonderful story. This story has served as a great escape when the stress of real life starts to loom and I'm truly thankful and appreciative for the effort you put into.

I assume that this occurs the summer after the fight at the Ministry. Hmm... Was Harry really kind of ignoring Hermione fifth year? He was more angry at everyone, but I'm not quite sure he ignored Hermione..

I like your premise and your execution so far!

Oh bloddy hell. Now you've got me on the hook for two.... I started with Restoring Hope and, being the impatient reader that I am, thought I'd pick one of you finished stories. This is GREAT. Something I don't think I've seen in other Fic's is the internal voice done so well. Hermione's "I'm getting tired of hearing Girffindor" lament is a really neat look into her character. In some ways it reminds me of that old commercial where the two older brothers are trying to get the youngest to try the new cereal (should have been twins...) "Lets get Mikey, he'll eat anyting.." So here we see people playing on the ego -"It's very dangerous, you have almost chance of success, but hay, you a 'Griffindor', right?..." I love it.

The inherentce is a nice divergence from HPB and work so well. I would love to see what surprizes lay in store for the Ferret. Hmm, Maybe a fidelius charm on all the restrooms? Or maybe a reverse of the room-of-requirement (you can find them to clean but they dissapear when you really need them.. )

Harry's shell shock worked for me as I got more of the stroy. In canon, he has been so 'teenage boy' in his emotions and inability to deal with them. He's been so "I've got to save the world" and "do it all myself" that to have it all build up and crash down around him seemed to be right on the mark. Being in the Durlsey houshold would provide the initial disconnect from the world and the lack of sleep would only push him closer. Very cool use of the existing plot lines.

Hermione using her first line of defense -logic- to figure out that logic was the last thing that would work also rang true for me. She needed a 'logical' excuse to be emotional, or let down her guard and be physical. Her personality, so far, seems to be one that needs to find a reason or excuse to deviate from the 'normal' rulse of the school, society, or family, like holding Harry (what would people say?...) The truth is that she has wanted to hold him several times (in canon) and hasn't. Though I personally have always suspected that JKR was going to keep them more a sibling relationship than romantic, sisters have held brothers and herad them cry through out history, to the benifit of mankind.

I really look forward to where you go with this, but as I started with - Now you've got me on the hook for two!

ed

Oh gosh, the twins. They really did put their foot in it this time, didn't they?

Great read once again, smooth and with a dry sort of humour. And guess what, once again I LOVE your Hermione. I've found that in fanfiction sometimes Hermione is less...hysterical than she seems to be in canon. Not that I mind it in the right place, but it's good to see that she can screech, shriek, talk breathlessly, overeact bushy hair aflying, be so annoying and bossy that no one would want to get near her with a ten foot pole, and yet remains indispensable. Not just in the there-you-go-once-again-I-saved-your-life kinda way, but emotionally indispensable to those around her.

And the next best thing I loved about this piece is the HHr interaction, the dipping of toes in something so vast and out-there and mostly unrealised, rather than rushed epiphanies and steamy kisses (which again, I'm fine with in the erm, right places )

The only thing that sort of confused me was Harry. Harry's shell-shocked-ness seemed more of a spell to me than a natural but totally devastating reaction to what he's been through. I probably am not making much sense, but what I mean is that the state he was in seemed to have been engineered rather than a natural consequence or reaction to a really horrible emotional situation. Of course I know next to nothing about the psychological life of survivers of war and so on except what my instinct tells me, so I really might not be making any sense.

But on the whole, I really enjoyed the piece, and thanks so much for sharing.
Ama

Nice Writing.. Love the storyline!! Enjoyed Reading The Story!! Hope it could be longer...

I am really enjoying this story.It was so sad when Beaky cried, I just wanted to give him a hug.Can't wait for more.

~Rach

I finaly get down to reading this piece two days ago. Well, I've just completed my doctoral thesis (yeayyy, 10 Gryffindor housepoints to me!! Sorry, just have to grab some joy and happiness wherever I can find it), so I finally have some time again to roam Portkey stories.

I feel so touched by the pain that Harry and Hermione each carries in their hearts. JKR should have written something like this after OOTP, at least in the beginning of Book 6. This would have provided a believable link between HBP and OOTP.

I completely agree with your version of pain/injury that Hermione suffered from her DOM fight in OOTP; I had thought she must have suffered badly if Harry, in OOTP, even thought that she was dead before Neville pronounced she was not. So, for JKR to completely ignore the aftereffects of the DOM fight on all six students, that, I thought, was poor writing judgment on JKR's part.

Love your story. Love that Bucbeak wass seeking Sirius. See, animals can love, too. You are so right.

Even counting the sadness i liked this story.
As i use to compliment good stories... it could really be.
Bye.

somehow the other review got messed up. It should read:

*Harry - oh poor Harry. You know, I never thought of Dumbledore's revelations to Harry last year (look at me - last year! but you know what I mean) as insensitive, but the moment Hermione pointed it out, it was much clearer to me that it *was* quite insensitive. Almost worthy of Ron. Ok, not that bad. But to have the prophecy dumped on him just after witnessing Sirius' death was particularly tactless and hard.

*Harry's release - of his emotions, his pain, his sense of loss - how painful yet necessary. He needed that catharsis. Of course the idea of Bucky using him as a blanky is kinda funny too. Now that, the Boy Who Lived does not need. Can you see it now? The Boy Who Was A Security Blanket!

*Hermione's realization that sometimes a hug and soothing words are ALL that is needed. I like how you showed her just being there for Harry. Not many people have been, have they?
and finally

*Hermione's resolution to be with Harry, always. After all, Friends Don't Let Friends Fight Alone, right?

I have thoroughly enjoyed your portkey stories. Please do write us some more...on both fronts.

kindest regards,
CP

Oh Yes. That is a perfect ending to this little tale. I am glad you worked in so many important things:
*Buckbeak looking for Sirius. I can't believe no one caught on to that sooner. They did live together in hiding for over a year. Those types of situations make people (and magical beings) grow closer than under "normal" circumstances.
*Harry - oh poor Harry. You know, I never thought of Dumbledore's revelations to Harry last year (look at me - last year! but you know what I mean) as insensitive, but the moment Hermione pointed it out, it was much clearer to me that it *was* quite insensitive. Almost worthy of Ron. Ok, not that bad. But to have the prophecy dumped on him just after witnessing Sirius' death was particularly tactless and hard. He needed that catharsis. Of course the idea of Bucky using him as a blanky is kinda funny too. Now that, the Boy Who Lived does not need. Can you see it now? The Boy Who Was A Security Blanket!
*Hermione's realization that sometimes a hug and soothing words are ALL that is needed. I like how you showed her just being there for Harry. Not many people have been, have they?
and finally
*Hermione's resolution to be with Harry, always. After all, Friends Don't Let Friends Fight Alone, right?
I have thoroughly enjoyed your portkey stories. Please do write us some more...on both fronts.
kindest regards,
CP
*Harry's release - of his emotions, his pain, his sense of loss - how painful yet necessary.

"Harry had yet to respond to anything Hermione had said or done"

eep - more flat affect. scary...

"with any luck, Fred and George would have been Transfigured into little red-headed Gila monsters and sealed in a terrarium"

as much as I love the twins the ever pranking, do it myself and the rest of you be damned attitude is somewhat annoying! I'd keep a pair of transfigured Gila monsters for a week or two...

"Friend, she tried to end the sentence. But her mouth wouldn't form the word.

Friend, her brain insisted. For nearly five years, friend. He's defended me… I've supported him… we've been there for each other.

Friend, her heart agreed. And after five years, more than friend. Deny it if you can.

For a little while longer, argued her brain. We must."

Hermione is the epitome of Noble Sacrifice. This is such a perfect characterisation of her.

And finally, the disregard of the Restriction of Underage Sorcery. Firstly, I think the whole idea of restrictions on Harry or Hermione, or any of the group fighting M.V. is quite ridiculous. Of course I know the Ministry will not quite be following my theory of ridiculousness (is that a word?)...but to see that Hermione has come to terms with the use of magic when necessary is a good thing. Sometimes I am afraid that she *could* get caught up too much in the rules.

As much as she tried not to, she couldn't help resenting Kreacher… he could have found some other means of distracting Sirius besides injuring an innocent hippogriff…

I have been wondering if we will hear more about this in HBP...this is a particularly low act - especially for a magical creature to another...

"The House of Black is – was, I should say – very conservative in many ways," Lupin replied obliquely. Despite the fact that he insisted on not being called 'Professor,' he automatically fell into lecturer mode whenever he spoke to his former pupils. Hermione, at least, appreciated both the extra information and its method of delivery. "They followed an old custom known as entailing… are you familiar with the term?"

for an interesting description of entailing and its magical implications see the fantastic story by St. Margarets on Phoenix Song called Magic Within Magic Without link here: http://www.phoenixsong.net/symphony/story/2134/ - this particular story address the ramifications when there is no direct blood heir, just thought you might enjoy her explanation...)

This story is so gripping so far. Harry's disconnection is extremely disconcerting. I am a psychology doctoral student. Flat affect, the clinical term for what Hermione just described, is a troubling presentation. I hope in parts II and III we begin to see more of our dear Harry.

I am particularly struck by your alienation of the Weasley family by Buckbeak. I can completely understand why! It also seems to be in character for Fred & George - trying to help but PLEASE!! a "special" firework right outside his room. Are they MENTAL. Nevermind, I know the answer to that.

I am completely unsurprised that Hermione joined Harry on the ride. I can't wait to read the next two parts to see how the ride goes...