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Such a good chapter! I love hearing Dumbledore's wisdom and I think you write Jo's pain very realistically. 

I hope she ditches Hardin soon. Sirius is so sweet and I need them to just kiss!

Author Response

I KNOW RIGHT!? What is Jo thinking? Sirius is RIGHT THERE. 

Writing Dumbledore is always a challenge because I want him to stick to canon 100% and canon Dumbledore has ALL THE WISDOM! I'm glad I did an okay job here :)

Thank you SO MUCH for the review!
Solmussa

Ahh, so good! I can picture Sirius's broken face and I love how he slowly devolves into a monologue and admits Jo is his soul mate!

Author Response

Poor baby Sirius is suffering. I listened to Imagine Dragons' Bad Liar on repeat for two days when I was writing this chapter, and I think it shows :P

Thank you so much for leaving a review <3
Solmussa

I'm rereading this story and I forgot how good it it! I love Jocelyn and Sirius and I'm a huge fan of the slow burns! 

I thought I had left reviews the last time I read, but I didn't so I am now.

Author Response

Oh wow! You have made my day. It makes me so happy when people tell me they're re-reading this fic. It has a special place in my heart. I love Jo & Sirius so much. THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a review even though you've read this already. 

<3
Solmussa

It's like my millionth time reading this, but it's still awesome every time! I love your work and I hope you continue writing these fanfics!

Author Response

Aaawww hello again! You have no idea how much it makes me smile that you re-read the fic. I just love Jo&Sirius so much. 

With summer coming up (even in lockdown) I might have a bit more free time to write another fic. I have to decide if I want to do a sequel to this or a brand new fic... :) we’ll see if I manage ! 

Thanks for leaving a comment, it makes my day <3

Solmussa

Omg!🙀 I love this fanfic! And I just wanted to say keep going!

Author Response

Aaww thank you so much for the review! I hope you enjoy it as you read and, if you have time, do leave reviews in your favourite chapters. They make my day :)

Best,
Solmussa

I am a huge Harry Potter fan (clearly) and a fan of books in general and I've read so many good and bad story's in my life but this. THIS. Is one of the best things I've ever read. You have some amazing talent. The crazy subtleties and patience you have in writing and how you can clearly communicate the characters passion it's just amazing. Even if you had killed off Jo and sent Sirius to Askaban I still would have loved it. The way you write about their grief is so painful and real and you did such a good job writing canon characters like Dumbledore and Moody. I'm definitely going to be coming back to read this master piece again. And my dude, I love you

Author Response

Oh wow! Thank you so much for this review. I am so honoured you like my writing so much :) Bringing characters to life is my favorite part of writing, so this means a lot. 

I hope to see you again around here sometime!

Best,
Solmussa

Wha! *sniffles* I needed this fluffiness to help me out of the despair that finishing the proper story had me in. 

>>>She stared at me. I stared at her. A wild, rogue thought intruded. What if I just kissed her? >>> What if, indeed, Sirius Black. You should have. ;) (Even if she was with James at the time. ;)

Author Response

I absolutely loved it when you said you'd like this because it gave me an excuse to go back and write some more Jo & Sirius :)

Thank you for asking :)

Cheers,
Solmussa

The vows. <3 They were short but somehow just perfect anyway. It really does encompass their feelings for each other. :) 

>>>“We did get married.”

“We did.” >>> They did. That little moment, amid the chaos, it was a perfect little bubble of happiness. 

>>>“My wedding was crashed by a murderous band of Death Eaters. I had to tear my wedding dress to pieces and fight for my life. I am allowed to do whatever the f*ck I want for pretty much the rest of my life in compensation for this fiasco,” Jo proclaimed. >>> HAHA! Hell hath no fury like a woman who's wedding was just messed up. ;) 

I'm noticing more subtle references to Peter not being around at important times. That doesn't bode well. I know what's happening. 

The letter! I love love love how you modified it just enough to work in Jo. I love when you pull in references to canon as it just makes this story feel that much more real to me. <3 

>>>“Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off,” as I burst through the nursery door and ran down the stairs, cursing our bad luck at leaving the wands on the living room sofa, my last thought wasn’t of Peter, who had obviously betrayed us. It wasn’t about Sirius, my brother who I would never see again. It wasn’t about Jo, our bravest soldier who would hate herself forever for failing to kill him before he got to us. No, in those final moments, before I came face to face with Lord Voldemort and he lifted his wand, before the green light that marked the end of me hit home, all I could think about was that I should have given Lily one last kiss.>>> CHILLS. Also TEARS. T_T

It was perfect the way you showed how the Order and Jo and the marauders reacted to the deaths of James and Lily. And the scene with Jo condemning Sirius at the Ministry felt so very real to me, even if she was just faking it. You could totally have left it there and had it be neatly tied up with the canon ending, and I would have felt satisfied (even though it would be so sad), but the twist at the end was unexpected (really, I was completely surprised!) and I loved that ending, too. It actually eased the pain a little that Jo and Sirius are out there somewhere. 

This story... what an incredible ride. You are so, so talented. I know you've mentioned you're writing a personal project too, and if you need a beta reader, please let me know (email, facebook etc). :) It's been ages since I've been so completely drawn into a story like this. I think back to chapter one and how I very nearly gave this story a pass because I'm not usually into fics with OCs. I'm so very glad that I gave EPIC a chance. If you do write a sequel I will be very excited about it! :)  I'm coming down off that "good book high" that readers get (you know the feeling, where you don't quite know what to do with your life now that the story you were so invested in is over), and I'm not sure what to read next now that this journey is at an end. I've appreciated your responses to my reviews each time, and hope I'll see more of your writing in the future. :)

Author Response

Oh THANK YOU :) 

Seriously, I have loved your reviews SO MUCH. Made my day to log in and see what you thought of each chapter. Thank you so much. 

I loved writing their wedding, and the attack, too. It just felt like something Jo wouldn't mind doing - ruining her dress, fighting against them on the altar, lol

YAY! You may have seen in the other reviews that I almost kept this canon but in the end I couldn't. I am never a softie and have no problem killing my faves if it fits the plot but in this case I just couldn't! Sirius deserved so much better, so I decided to give it to him :)

Actually... funny thing is, I AM looking for beta readers and I had thought of asking you if you'd be interested. I would love it. No idea how to get in touch with you - any ideas? Are you on Goodreads or Reddit or something where I can message you? I am on Facebook but don't log in very much, though if that's easiest, I can do it too :)

Cheers,
Solmussa

Awe, I wanted more Stag-do shenanigans! Lol. I cracked up over it all though, even if it was short. ;) And no party for Lily (or was it just implied, and Jo got her home a more reasonable hour?)

The "you're never angry with me" argument... HAHAHA! :3

I loved the proposal! <3 

You wrote out the post-Hogwarts time so well. It really all feels just exactly like it could be canon. Sometimes it's hard to express how well a chapter was written so just know I loved it it. You summarized the 'what-ifs' of the time period and the lives of the marauders so naturally. I wonder if the mention of Peter disappearing for a while was a hint of him going over to the dark side? You mentioned Sirius and Jo finally setting a wedding date (yay!) and Lily and James finally having Harry (ugh, even more totally-canon feelings here :) but we all know how the story ends...so I'm crying. The next/last chapter is going to be so hard to read for so many reasons.

Author Response

Oh wow thank you :) I am glad you liked this chapter. I was torn between writing a lot more and keeping it short and, in the end, I thought it was better to keep it condensed because this was mostly for 'closure'. The bulk of the fic was complete when Sirius and Jo got together :)

The Stag-do was so funny to write. I kept thinking there's  no way they didn't laugh at him all the time!!

Cheers,
Solmussa

Their whole talk was just exactly what they needed. Everything out in the open and both of them finally understanding everything. I know I complained a lot throughout this fic of the *stubbornness* of both of them, but they needed to travel this path to get to this point. <3 Of course we all want hot  make-out sessions with gorgeous Sirius every chapter, but the delicious agony of waiting was what made the payoff so perfect.

>>>And just like it was last time, I was burning. I was burning and so was the world. It felt as if the heavens had cracked open and lighting was striking around us, but it wasn’t – it was his hands running wild over my skin, erasing any memory of ever having been touched before. >>> THIS. SWOON. EPIC. Jo got her fireworks. :D 

>>>I sighed and sat, picking grass and sticks out of my hair. “I can’t believe you are being the reasonable one,” I protested.

“I am currently very angry with myself,” he joked. >>> HAHAHA! :3

>>>"...All that matters to me is after, and after is with you. For real” >>> THIS. OMGodric. 

>>>“Not as much as I do. Who needs this many hair products? Seriously.”

“You know what, he probably does. He’s got awesome hair,” I joked. She collapsed on top of her trunk in a fit of giggles. >>> LOL. Props for a funny and original Sirius joke. ;) 

I love the little nod to the map. Canon never says exactly how Filch got ahold of it, and I like your way. 

The graduation scene was so perfect it gave me chills. I loved James and Lily's speech, and the scene with the flame. And Alice. <3 

What an emotional chapter. I can feel things coming to an end and I'm actually so sad about it.  I feel like you could have ended your fic right here perfectly, but I'm happy there's a few more chapters yet. :)

Author Response

I'm glad you liked my Sirius/Serious joke :) 

Their talk <3 After all this time, finally. I love them so much. They are so good together. 

Also, the map! Totally agree. It kind of bugged me that JK never told us how they lost it. In my mind, I've always thought it was just so unlikely Filch would have bested them. Not with their animagi abilities and James' cloak. So, I thought, what if they just LET HIM have it? They were leaving, and the map had no use outside of Hogwarts, so it felt right they would leave it as their legacy, hoping somebody would find it and carry on. 

I almost ended the fic here, to be honest. We all know what's coming, and I didn't want to write it but I felt like it would be cowardly to avoid it. Even if it broke my heart :(

Cheers,
Solmussa

Awe. <3 I was kind of hoping for something exciting and grand, but at the same time James' proposal was exactly as it should have been. All that matters is that the person you ask says yes anyway. :) 

I about spit out my drink upon Jo's return to the school. LOL ;) .I love how you write Remus. I often read about him portrayed as quiet and not really with much of a personality tbh, but you flesh him out as a proper teenage boy. (I'm also relieved that Jo returned with only minor injuries!) 

>>> “Sirius, I swear to Godric if you don’t go in there and wake her up right this second, I will. Lily won’t mind, it’s not like I haven’t seen it before,” there was a strangled sound like someone was trying hard not to laugh.

Oh. I realized the problem quickly and had to stifle a laugh myself by burying my face in Remus’ pillow. I had fallen asleep without any top on. >>> *SNORT* HAHAHA. I can just picture the wicked look on James' face and Sirius trying not to punch him or admit that he's jealous. ;) 

I love anticipating what new move you're going to come up with for your Quidditch matches. Whenever I read that Sirius or Jo has a new 'secret move' I can't wait for the game scene to see what it's going to be. 

>>> “You don’t want to be friends with him, Jo. I see the way you look at him. We all do, except Sirius because he’s too busy looking at you the same way” >>> To summarize your entire fic. Lol. 

THEY KISSED! FINALLY! :D :D :D I thought maybe if they won the final Cup that maybe Sirius wouldn't be able to help himself at some point during the day and following celebrations; but I LOVE that you had Jo do it, and up in the air on their brooms too. :D Quidditch was their starting point and this just fits their relationship. I'm dying to see what happens in the next chapter now. ;) 

P.S. I have a thing for arms too. Lol. Give me a guy with his shirtsleeves rolled up to just below the elbow and I swoon. ;)

Author Response

The proposal gave me a massive headache. No kidding. I wrote like four different versions of it but none of them felt RIGHT. I kept thinking - this is a teenage boy, only 18, who is terrified of losing the woman he has loved for years to an insane and pointless war. He is still in school, and is probably a bit insecure about this huge step. So, in the end, I felt like even if he had planned a grand proposal, it was more James-like that it would just come out at a random time for no apparent reason. He is spontaneous and kind of just goes with it - like Jo's midnight kiss at the Crystal Ball, scooping her up and carrying her to the Tower, asking her to join the Quidditch try-outs on impulse after seeing her out running, etc. 

I am with you re Remus. It pisses me off when people make him out to be some sort of wallflower. He was a key part of the Marauders and was the brains behind many pranks. He deserves better ;)

Sirius has been jealous for close to two years. Poor boi. LOL

Ah - the kiss. THE KISS. FINALLY :) It felt so natural, so Jo & Sirius. I am very happy about how it worked out in the end. It was so fitting it was on their brooms, immediately after winning the match that gave them the Quidditch cup. I LOVE THESE TWO! Jo & Sirius are my HEART. 

PS: Rolled up sleeves *fans herself*

Not sure if you're into it but in The Witcher (currently on Netflix) there are some EXCELLENT shots of Geralt of Rivia (aka blond, grumpy and sexy Henry Cavill) with rolled up sleeves. Just saying ;)

Cheers,
Solmussa

>>>“Are you serious?” James asked, gaping.

‘Don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it’

“No, he is” Lily couldn’t resist. The joke was old as time, but we just couldn’t get over it. Sirius hated it. I giggled.>>> Lol. I'm impressed you made it this long before you used that joke. ;) 

I'm glad Jo's interaction with Christian was a mundane as it was. I was worried he might try and take her back by force. I guess even Slytherins have some honour. 

Ugh, Jo! Sirius made an actual attempt to tell you he wanted to be with you! T_T Quit being stubborn! (Though I understand her reasons... still. it's Sirius!) 

>>> “Let’s just say if it’d been a N.E.W.T. she’d given you an O” >>> HAHAHA! *wicked grin* 

>>>“Thank you, Lily” I said.

“You can keep calling me Red” she surprised me by saying. “But don’t tell anyone I gave you permission” >>> I just love Sirius and Lily's friendship. :D 

Also, let me just give you the biggest groan EVER. TWO WEEKS AND STIL NOTHING! XD JO!! ;) Well there was the kitchen scene, and the ARMS. ;) 

However, you gave me James wanting to propose to Lily, so there's that. I can't wait to see how he does it! :D 

I loved James' reflection at the end of the chapter. They both know him about as well as anyone can. <3 I'm a bit worried about Jo being off on another mission. I really hope it won't go as badly as the last one did. She's brave but reckless sometimes. *hides eyes*

Author Response

It is THE joke haha I couldn't not include it in the fic because, well, we all know there was no way they didn't use it all the time but it is so overdone I wanted to just casually drop it in towards the end. 

Believe me, I share your frustration. It is super hard to write Jo avoiding Sirius when I myself would have given in the first time he even looked a me LOL

Also, ARMS. For some reason, I have a thing with boy/men arms. They are just so sexy :) 

Jily <3 *sighs*

Thank you again for another lovely review! 

Cheers,
Solmussa

>>>“You should know something” I said looking at her, then at Remus. “The guys we went after tonight were responsible for St. Pauls. And we got them”

They both looked stunned. Then, Remus kneeled in front of me on the floor. “Thank you” there was nothing else to say. >>> This moment. All the feels. 

We get to see the Marauders officially join the Order. That was great. You beautifully laid the ground work for why they joined so young and it works really well with canon. I feel like you wrote the voices of the Order members very well too. I laughed over Moody's comments as he plunged into the fight to help Jo. ;) 

I loved the whole conversation with Jo and Lily where she finally tells her what happened after the Quidditch match. I could just picture it so clearly. Lol. And then there was this: 

>>> “Because I don’t think I could ever get over a breakup with Sirius, Lily. Jax, James, even Hardin, they were good” I looked straight at her so she would know I wasn’t exaggerating when I said “Sirius isn’t good, Lily. Sirius is epic” >>> Damn right, he is! Go get him, girl! :D 

I loved the fight! Very clever of James and Co. to just casually spy them for ruckus in the hallway. Perfect exit strategy for Jo. (And I'm glad her nose is ok too. ;) I'm a little worried that Christian's pride will take a hit and there will be trouble for Jo from him and the other Slytherins later on, so I hope everything is ok. 

I'm so glad the charade is finally over and the group is back to being friends (I'm glad you had them take it slowly and "montaged" it in over a few days. That felt much more natural, especially considering Jo had to keep her cover with the Slytherins.) But I'm so happy that she's back in her dorm again (much to James' annoyance, LOL--I laughed at his suggestion of Jo moving permanently to the RoR. ;) and that the Quidditch team is being friendly with her again. I'm looking forward to their last match! I hope they bring home the cup! :D 

Looking forward to the next chapter!

Author Response

Hello! Happy new year :) 

Loved this review. I <3 Remus so much. He needed some sort of closure and I think this was a nice way of doing it. He can start to move on now. 

I am glad that she’s finally free of Christian and that they can be the little gang again. I love writing interactions between James and Jo / Sirius and Jo so much that these chapters where there weren’t that many annoyed me LOL

Jo is going to have to face her fears! She knows Sirius is epic but ... what if?! It is a very scary thing to realize you have this mountain of feelings for someone else.

Can’t wait to see what you think of the next two chapters :)

Cheers,
Solmussa

The tension between Jo and Sirius is k i l l i n g me! When they were arguing and then making out in the common room it was hard to stomach. I mean, I totally get were Sirius was coming from, and his kiss to prove Jo doesn't have feelings for Christian worked, but when he was demanding to know what sort of game she was playing with his feelings... my heart just broke for him (and her). People often expect guys to be closed off from their feelings, and Sirius struggles with expressing himself fully, and this scene just expressed so fully how much he's hurting inside. 

I'm enjoying the war subplot, it helps keep the story fresh. I'm looking forward to the scene at the park and hope Jo and the rest of the Order will be ok. I wonder if the Marauders will show up at the park? Jo seems ready to finally leave her undercover role, so I hope  that she and Sirius can finally talk things out and be together.

P.S. Thanks for giving my fic a look. I hope you'll enjoy it. :)

Author Response

All.the.tension. All of it. 

Sirius being a d*ckhead to Jo was actually hard to write but I had to remind myself that no matter how much I love him, he is hurting and lashing out is a normal part of that. He couldn't be perfect. 

It breaks my heart that deep down he knows Jo is acting and how desperate he is getting because he can't imagine why. To me, it shows he still trusts her even if her actions make no sense to him. 

The war is also fun to write. I love writing fighting scenes (in my personal writing project I'm working on there's a lot of battles with swords, etc. and I love them haha) so I wanted to include a magical battle in the fic. Next chapter is a good one, I think, and resolves some issues. We are approaching the end of the fic, so it's time for things to start coming together :)

Re PS: I enjoyed the first chapter a lot. Will read the second later today and leave a review :)

Cheers,
Solmussa

Oh Jo. I didn't think she'd go so far as actually "sleeping with the enemy"... I was surprised that she did. :o I like that you made Christian kind of redeemable in that he's not actually a completely terrible person (he's charming, he's parents have a good relationship, he's actually nice to Jo, even if it is mostly in a condescending way), though at the end of the day he's still a Death Eater wannabe.  Despite his somewhat good qualities he's still not a good guy, and that makes him more believable. "Villains" are more scary when they first seem like 'good' people. The "secret code" the Slytherins used was clever. ;) I enjoyed deciphering the meaning of the emphasized words. 

My heart hurt when Sirius finally got Jo alone in that hallway and she pushed him away. :( 

OMG!! Their fight was perfect. Angry, and passionate, and full of pent up finally released feelings. And then Fireworks. Epic. Passion. I was definitely waiting for Sirius to lose his cool and just grab Jo and kiss her like there was no tomorrow. It was so perfect I could picture it clearly. :D I was actually a bit surprised that they went all the way right then. They haven't even actually declared their feelings properly yet (I mean, Sirius screaming that he doesn't want to just be her friend is only half a confession, lol). The drama! What an intense chapter, I can see why you had fun writing it, especially because of the climax. ;) 

The following chapter is definitely going to be interesting, as our heroes haven't actually talked about what just happened between them in a mad burst of passion yet. ;)

Author Response

I spent so much time thinking about Christian as a character. At the end of the day, as you say, a villain only works if they are 'people' and have some redeemable qualities. They think they are right. They think they are good people. And, even if they are horrible, their conviction and messed up 'moral' code makes them better villains. I am glad you like him :)

Jo had to go all the way with Christian for two reasons. First, Christian is an absolute womanizer and he wouldn't have been content with just kissing so Jo had to make sure her sacrifice was worth it. If she'd just made out with him but he didn't trust her she would have ruined her friendship and her chances with Sirius for nothing. That wasn't an option. The second reason is that Jo is a very physical person. It works as a distraction and makes it easier for her to manage it so, even though he's a Death Eater wannabe, it is actually easier for Jo to enjoy the physicality of it - it gives her a moment of respite when she's not feeling totally broken over everything else. 

Sirius and Jo's first kiss - and everything else. I just love the fight-to-sex trope. Can't get enough of it. Again, they went all the way because I kept imagining it in my head so I could write it and there was no way they could stop half way. Not with all the feelings they've kept bottled up for months (in Jo's case) and over a year (in Sirius'). Add to that the intensity of their fight and having lost their first game ever and it's just not possible they would have stopped. They were truly gone the moment they gave in and kissed :)

They haven't declared their feelings and they're going to struggle a little because it's terrifying for them, but they both know passion and sex so that comes easy. It is instinctual. The deep stuff is what they'll have difficulties with. 

I loved this review :) Thank you for taking the time to write it!

Cheers,
Solmussa

Ok I just loved their little private Christmas gathering. :) Especially Lily and James and Jo and Sirus all falling asleep platonically together. :) All the presents were so perfect, especially the necklace Sirius got Jo (so pretty!), and then she got him a muggle motorbike! THE muggle motorbike! This is now my head cannon for how Sirius got his bike. :D It was also very fitting that Jo and Sirius waited to exchange their gifts until they were alone. The tension.Eeee. :D 

>>> “MERLIN, GODRIC and MY UNCLE ALPHARD,” he exclaimed in awe. >>> HAHAHA! :D 

Ugh...I knew she was going to have to get involved with Christian (and you wrote their conversation so creepily well... he gave me shivers...)... but still... UGH! *feels disgusted alongside Jo* 

>>>We walked down to the common room where the boys were waiting for us. James looked dashing in his robes and he looked at me in a way that made me feel all giddy and excited. I always felt like the prettiest girl in the world when I was with him. I, however, also had to wonder how Jo had any doubts about whether her and Sirius would work when I saw how he was looking at her. If James ever looked at me that way in public I’m afraid I’d make a spectacle.>>> LOL. Indeed, Lily. One can only imagine the way Sirius (and James, for that matter) must be staring. ;) 

I love how nervous Sirius is about finally confessing to Jo. ^_^ And Lily and James are so nervous on his (and Jo's) behalf. They're so cute, and such good friends. 

OMG!!! You told me that the kiss would be an OMG moment, but I didn't expect this at all! *flails madly* Of course Sirius jumped Christian. There was absolutely no way he'd be able to restrain himself, no matter how much Jo tried to play things down. And naturally James jumped in. Lily's reaction was spot on too (much to what I was thinking when the kiss was totally not Jo's epic midnight kiss). The next chapter is going to be a gong show. I can't wait! :O

Author Response

This is one of my fav chapters because it's horrible in the way that Jo does 'destroy' her friendship with them all but it is so intense it makes me nervous :)

I also love the bike thing. I think it is so fitting that he got it as a gift from someone he loved. In my head it had to be either Jo or James, there was no other option!

Lily was very shocked, and I feel terrible because she's going to hurt the next couple of chapters, but she's a strong girl. She'll find a way through it.

Cheers,
Solmussa

I love this story so much! I always wondered if there was someone out there who was perfect for Sirius, and it turns out that there was! I also always wondered what made James decide to quit being an arrogant toerag and start being a nice enough person that Lily would actually like him.

I know BBHP already said this, but you should so write a sequel!  I want to know what Jo and Sirius do for ten years while Harry gets to Hogwarts and then how they work behind the scenes to keep him alive and then why they had to not tell him that Sirius never actually went to Azkaban. Anyway, the point is, if you ever write one, I want to read it!

Author Response

Aaah thank you so much for the review! :) I am so glad you think Jo was perfect for Sirius. Yes, I wondered that, too. I've read some fics where something huge happens (like an attack on Hogwarts or something) and makes James snap out of it, but I think it that had been the case we would have heard of it. So, I always thought it had to be something more subtle, something that built slowly as he became a bit older. A relationship with a good friend who could help him tone it down a bit seemed fitting :)

Ah, the sequel. As I wrote in my reply to BBHP's review, I do have a plan (even a title!) for a possible sequel. The issue I have with it is that I love Jo and Sirius so much I don't know how to structure it so that the new MCs also have their spotlight. I am also working on my personal writing project, and thatmakes it hard to find extra time to write another fic. BUT, the plan and the idea are there, so maybe I will do it in a few months. 

Thank you so much again for reviewing and reading my story!

Cheers,
Solmussa

Ee! Jo finally admitted it! :D (Even if it was just to Lily.) 

>>>I wanted to smack Sirius and Jocelyn over their heads with their bats so badly. It was obvious to me that they were really into each other.  >>> I hear  you, Lily! XD 

I just loved James' whole speech about what he truly likes about Lily. 

>>I decided I had to distract myself from the wild fantasies I has having, all of which involved Sirius in a towel. And I had to do it fast. >>> Mmmm. Do you really, tho, Jo? ;)  

I'm glad Jo finally broke it off (mostly?) with Hardin. (Another amiable breakup? Girl has all the luck of a Felix Felicis potion.) Of course, now she has mysterious plans to hook up with a potential Death Eater in Training all for mysterious Order purposes. Sirius is not going to like this. :O 

I'm definitely looking forward to the NYE party! Jo and Sirius better have a midnight kiss, is all I'm saying! ;)

Author Response

Hello wild fantasies of Sirius in towels. Why anyone would want to distract themselves from those, I do not know ;) 

Hahaha poor Lily is getting annoyed at her friends for being such idiots, but she knows they aren’t as oblivious as they seem. A big part of it is that they are afraid, so she can’t meddle or it could all go wrong. I know I tested everyone’s (readers and characters’) patience but I promise you it is SO worth it :) 

I can confirm that Sirius will absolutely not like Jo’s plans to fish information out of Christian. At all. In the slightest. Just NO. 

The midnight kiss is an OMG moment. That’s all I can say ;)

I am glad you liked James’ speech about Lily. She needed a confidence boost after Cal cheated on her and she needed to see that James really likes her for who she is and not just because she’s hot. Things will only get better for those two. If only Jo and Sirius learnt from their friends :)

I am looking forward to reading your review of the next two chapters in particular. I can’t wait!

Cheers,
Solmussa

>>>“What were you thinking about, then? If you don’t mind me asking” she tried again.

“I was thinking I need to ask Jo if she’s okay with me asking you out” I blurted. “Obviously, that’s now completely irrelevant…”

“Yes”

“I was just a silly…”

“James! Yes” wait. What?
 
“Yes?”

“Yes” she smiled at me and, in that moment, I knew with absolute certainty that I would never love anyone else.<<< YES! :D :D  This was so sweet and cute and perfect. And the timing just works. You built up to this so naturally that it feels perfectly canon to me. I'm looking forward to reading about their date. 

>>>“Exactly. And we wrote it so it wouldn’t happen again. No girl is worth losing a brother over” he said somberly. I felt like I was making progress so I kept going.

“And no brother would hold it against another if it was the real thing” I said, looking pointedly at him.>>> Bro Code! Mates before dates! :) I love they're so close  and care about each other so much. 

You wrote the boys' friendship so well and so naturally. It feels so realistic. The girls too. :) I can't wait for the next chapter. I hope Jo and Sirius finally get things all out in the open!

Author Response

Jily are so precious :) I love writing their relationship, it flows so well. My heart aches knowing what needs to happen to them :(

James and Sirius. *swoon* I love them both so much. They love each other so much. I really wanted to show both Sirius utter respect for their code and his friends but also James’ understanding and love for Sirius. I am happy with how the scene turned out, I think it’s realistic and shows their friendship well. I’m glad you liked it too :)

Cheers,
Solmussa

>>>“Funny how a temporary haircut makes you feel naked, but you swaggered across platform 9 and 3/4 in a bra and thought it was perfectly fine” she said. >>> HA! (Also, very true. Lol. I'm glad they can laugh about it now.) 

Was Twinker Bell a joke, because Jo isn't a muggle? Or was it a typo (Tinker Bell)? I wasn't sure. But either way I love both the girls' costumes. :) 

Yay! Lily finally admitted her feelings! :D  And Jo...well, she owned up to her 'type', so maybe soon she'll realize her feelings for Sirius?  

Speaking of Sirius, I cracked up at his reaction to her Marilyn haircut. ;) 

I liked Hardin as a pirate. ;) If he looks anything like Killian from ONCE (which is what I'm picturing) then he must look totally hot. Lol. I like that Hardin is trying to be a good potential boyfriend to Jo, but I also want him to get out of the picture because he's NOT SIRIUS! (And James is on the verge of realizing Sirius' feelings too, especially because of Hardin. I expect that will happen soon too.) 

I love that we got to see what James was thinking during the spin the bottle kiss. :D 

 Mmmm.yes, Jo, remember that almost-touch in the dark hallway with Sirius last year. ;) 

>>>I looked up at him to see his eyes fixed on our hands. I fleetingly wondered if I was being stupid, if maybe Sirius and I clicked so well because we were meant to be more than friends. I felt as if I was on the edge of a big epiphany again, but alas my short body decided it had finally had too much and all my thoughts of Sirius, and maybes, and love and whatnot were interrupted by a strong wave of nausea.<<< ARGH! Jo is so close to realizing things, and then she had to get sick! XD They were having a moment here! Lol. 

I really loved the whole end of the party scene with them being the last ones in the common room, first just the marauders, then just Jo and Sirius. I could picture it: empty, with the remains of the party scattered around them, the fire burning low, the room full of flickering shadows, and Jo and Sirius standing against a wall off to the side, looking into each other's eyes and absently playing with each other's fingers as their unrealized feelings swirl in the air around them. ;) 

I can't wait for the next chapter! :D 

P.S. I adore the Shadowhunters books too. I've been a fan of Cassandra Clare since her HP fanfiction days, when she first announced she was 'working on a book', and have bought everything she's ever written since then (I think it was maybe 2008?). :D  I love Jace and Will, too. And agree that Magnus is basically the best character ever created. Cassie has such a way with words and describing things. She inspires me to write too. I've written for HP (my fic on this site, new chapter recently posted btw. ;) as well as a Doctor Who fic (two, actually. One completed, one on hiatus). I could blather on about books and my love of YA (even though I'm 'too old' for it...I disagree with society, lol), and writing for ages. ;) Thanks for always leaving such long replies to my reviews. I always enjoy reading them. See you next chapter. :)

Author Response

Thank you!! I love reading your reviews :) 

It was a small joke - Jo tries to be all cool and know stuff about muggles but she got it wrong (Twinker) and Lily is too nice to point it out. 

That end of the party scene is one of my favorites, I get goose bumps re-reading it. I can totally picture them there, fingers playing, wondering what-if. I was tempted to give them a kiss there but it didn’t feel right. I didn’t want it to be a drunk first kiss. 

Re PS- I never read Cassie’s FF but I heard it was super good. I have read everything she’s written since, though, and I love her. 

I will have a look at your fic. Will let you know what I think :) 

Best,
Solmussa

>>> There was my Jocelyn, the Jocelyn that didn’t wear make-up or clothes that made me want to catch on fire and burn the world down with her.  >>> I love that Sirius loves Jo in her natural state. :) I also adore the whole line about catching on fire and burning down the world. It totally encompasses the passion Sirius feels for her. :) Poor guy, he has that terrible internal struggle with his feelings going on, and the only person who really knows is Lily. I wonder if he's going to get into a fight with Hardn? 

>>>“Ready to kick some @ss again this year?” she asked me, grinning mischievously. It was all I could do not to kiss her. When she was like this my heart hurt from wanting. >>> My heart hurts from wanting to! XD 

>>>I was starting to think she might be on the way back to normal, until we walked into the common room. I noticed her eyes dance around and it took me a second to figure out that she was looking for Alice. When she remembered she wasn’t going to find her, her expression changed, and my Jocelyn was gone again. >>> Ugh, my heart. T_T 

>>> “I don’t fancy her, Moony” I looked straight at him and, for the first time in my entire life, I said “I am in love with her” >>> *flails* :D 

Also, Remus is a very deep and loyal friend. Like Peter, he quietly notices things and is there for his friends when they need him. I love that he supports Sirius in his quest for Jo. He know that their friendship (the group's) will allow for the bending of the 'no dating exes' rule. 

>>> “Lily, if you wanted to feel me up all you had to do was say so” he joked. I jumped a little. >>> HAHAHA! I say so, Sirius! ;) 

I love that the Marauders finally let Lily in on their secret. :) 

I'm so glad that Jo is doing better after her talk with Dumbledore. I appreciate that you didn't rush her or the others through the healing process, it's been several months now and they're all starting to be better now. I'm happy for them. 

Hardin is a useful outsider character, he sees things that the main gang, especially Jo, don't notice, and it was refreshing to have him state things. He also asked about Sirius being his competition, which Jo again is brushing off. Gah! Lol. ;) Will she ever see what's right in front of her?  

P.S. The title of this chapter made me think of the Shadowhunters books. Have you read them? They're great. I bet you'd enjoy them. :)

Author Response

Hello again! Aww so happy you found time to read two chapters in one go :) 

I love the catching fire bit too. That's the kind of passion that gets you the 'epic' feeling. Sirius loves Jocelyn for who she is. He liked her even before she became confident and 'cool' so it is important for me to remind the readers of that. He likes that she looks hot, but he loves her even when she's at her worst. For him, her looks are a bonus but not the reason he loves her. 

Finally, Lily is in on their secret ;) I thought that Lily, being a prefect and Head Girl, wouldn't have been told too early because she probably was fond of rules so I waited until seventh year because it's my headcanon that she only started bending the rules when she got close to them and thigns started to get ugly with the war. 

>>> “Lily, if you wanted to feel me up all you had to do was say so” he joked. I jumped a little. >>> HAHAHA! I say so, Sirius! ;) - I SAY SO TOO. Lol. I love him so much. 

Worry not, Jocely is on the brink of FINALLY realising what she's been ignoring for so long. I have mixed feelings about Hardin. I'm curious to see what you think after the next two chapters or so. 

Re your PS: YES. I LOVE Shadowhunters. I am sure it is no surprise that I love Jace (and Will, from TID). From TMI I find Clary a bit annoying but Izzy is great. And Magnus is one of my all time favourites. 

I read a lot of YA fantasy (it's my favourite genre) but I only write HP fan fiction. What other books do you enjoy? 

Cheers,
Solmussa

Ugh, Jo!! I want to shake her and shout that her coping mechanism is sooo self-destructive! And Jax, for all that he seems to be a mostly decent guy, should not be encouraging this (even if we know why he is). :( 

I'm glad that Lily and Jo helped do the funeral together, and also that Dumbledore let them keep their room. It would definitely have been awkward if one of the new students ended up in their room that year. 

For all that Jo's new 'look' is an outward expression of her spiralling, I cracked up at the boys' reactions when they saw her at the train station. ;) 

Hardin is an interesting character. I know you said that his accent was one she 'couldn't place', but my mind makes him 'Irish'. Did you have an actual accent in mind when you wrote him? 

Poor Sirius, his struggle is so real. He's so attracted to Jo and she's being so cruel to him (I don't think she even truly gets what she's doing right now). 

I was in love with the Lily and James kiss scene. Even Jo realized the gentle way he kissed her was a sign of how much he likes Lily. And Lily was blushing, so maybe she's finally realizing she likes him too? :)  I hope we get to see Lily's thoughts about it in the next chapter. I adored Remus casually suggesting he and Jo help Lily and James see they're perfect for each other. I bet they'll orchestrate some fun in order to make their friends see reason. ;) 

I have to admit I was hoping for a Jo and Sirius kiss during the spin the bottle game; but I also understand why it didn't happen. I can't wait to see when they DO finally kiss in the future, because however it happens, I'm sure it'll be EPIC. ;)  

I hope Jo starts to return to her old self soon. I know that you're trying to keep it realistic with everyone dealing with their grief, but it's depressing. XD 

P.S. Thanks so much for writing the Infirmary scene from Sirius' pov! I haven't read it yet, but I saw that you posted it and I'll definitely get to it soon. :D

Author Response

Hello! 

Jo's coping mechanism is terrible, but she's only 17 so she's doing the best she can. I am sorry it's depressing haha it won't take too long for things to get back to normal - as you say, I wanted it to be realistic (they wouldn't just forget their friend died) but I didn't want to overdo it either. 

I was imagining Hardin as an Australian version of Sirius, actually. But he could just as well be Irish :) 

Jily kiss! YAY! You'll get James' POV on the kiss in 2 chapters ;) It is so sweet. I love them together. 

Sirius and Jo... I was super tempted to write a kiss there, too. But then I thought I can't, they deserve better than a game kiss. You are only a few more chapters away from it ;)

Aah let me know what you think of the infirmary scene when you can! I actually really loved writing it. I was missing the story (I had completed it by the time you got to the infirmary and I was sad I had no more Jo & Sirius to write, so it was a welcome request!).

Cheers,
Solmussa

I'm so glad Lily is still there for Sirius, and helping to convince him to go for Jo after the time is right. I know that James will understand. And poor Jo, thinking that it's her fault that her relationships won't last (I mean, yes, it kind of is, but not for the reasons she thinks). I hope that Sirius will hurry up and show her how much she's worth. (I'm still both happy and sad that Jo broke up with James, I mean he was a great guy for her, and in general, but she needs 'epic' and she'll get that with Sirius.) 

ALICE! :( *sobbing* Omg.I knew there was a war coming, and I knew bad things would have to happen because of it, but I didn't really expect any of the MCs in this story to actually die! :(  *sobbing more* Poor Alice. And Remus (we haven't really seen much of his grief yet, besides the initial reaction), and Jo... having been there, and Alice having saved her life only to die herself. I totally get Jo feeling 'surviver's guilt' over it. Sirius gave her good advice though. Also, he was totally there for her, holding her through her shock, and taking her away when she needed it. He's so in love with her, how Jo can't see it beyond their friendship is beyond me. Despite this horrible thing, I hope that Alice's death will help draw Jo and Sirius closer. And also that James won't feel jealous that Sirius was the one to comfort Jo, despite the fact that they'd only barely broken up. (I'm glad he was there for Lily, and Remus too, though.) 

What an ending to this chapter. I really feels like the climax is building, even though this fic is only halfway through. I'm so glad I came into this story after you'd written most (all?) of it! I don't know if I could handle having to wait for the next chapter! ;)

Author Response

Alice was a tough decision to make. I didn't want to kill her, but the Marauders and Jo needed something to really make the war personal. I kept thinking what could have happened for all of them to join the Order straight after school and fight so hard (as per canon) and all I could think of was: someone they loved must have died early on. It was really hard to think of how to do it, too. It broke my heart :( I really loved Alice. 

James wouldn't be jealous that Sirius helped Jo through it because he knows there are some things Sirius is just better at than he is. James is all action and nerves and energy, and he was hurting too much to be able to give good, quiet advice to Jo the way Sirius did. Also, James had Remus (as you say) to help through this. He couldn't do it all, and Jo had Sirius but Remus needed James :) And, of course, there's Lily. For James, even if he doesn't know it, there's always Lily ;)

The story is complete (it is fully published already). 

I am glad you're enjoying it so much! Can't wait to see what you think of the aftermath of Alice's passing. 

Thank you as always for taking the time to leave a review. 

Cheers, 
Solmussa

Of course Alice knew. She's smarter than people give her credit for. I love that she knew, didn't care, and was worried about something so 'mundane' as Remus maybe cheating on her (because what else could it be, she wasn't at all worried about his werewolf side in her mind). She's so pure. I'm so glad that it's finally all out in the open. I laughed when they all transformed in front of her. Lol. Now Lily is the only one who doesn't know. I'm looking forward to that reveal! ;) 

The whole summer vacation sounds like so much fun. Must be nice to be rich and 16 and be able to travel the world. Definitely didn't happen to me that way. Haha! 

>>>When England won the match that put us in the final, Jocelyn literally jumped on Padfoot, locking her legs around his waist, and they both started dancing and celebrating in joy. It occurred to me, not for the first time, that they made the perfect couple. For some reason, that made me glance at Lily and found, to my utter surprise, that she was looking at me, too. She quickly glanced away, but I knew what I’d seen. Was it possible that Lily Evans was interested in me after all the years I spent futilely chasing after her? >>> Yes! James notice Lily! Lily notice him back! See what's always been there before you. 

>>>“Shots!” I yelled. Everyone got excited at that. I took my glass and we got ready to down them. Sirius was looking at me, and I knew he remembered. I winked at him and we both tapped our glasses on the floor before drinking.

“You guys are so weird” said Peter.

“Crap, I totally forgot about that” James said at the same time. >>> Haha! I'd forgotten about that little ritual too! ;) 

Awe, they finally had The Talk. I'm so glad it went well. James obviously was feeling the same way Jo was (especially if he was still noticing Lily like that), and he's such a good and loyal guy that he was totally kind and understanding about it. Jo's been pretty lucky in her break-ups over the years. (Unlike Lily and Cal the Cad.) 

>>>"...You and Padfoot are my bestest friends in the world”

“What about Lily and Alice?”

“I’ve promoted them to the sister category, so best friend spots were vacant” >>> I loved this. Lily and Alice and Jo are totally sisters. And James and Sirius are definitely her best friends. :) 

>>>That was the first time we heard the name ‘Lord Voldemort’. It would not be the last. >>> Foreshadowing...dun dun dun! 

Another excellent chapter as always. Merry Christmas! :)

Author Response

Thank you! Love the review :) 

Alice is just such a sweetheart. She is the best. She wants nothing but the happiness of her friends and loved ones. I love Alice. 

Jily is officially in the works haha James and Jo had to end it and stay on good terms because they understand each other too well, but you'll see next chapter that Jo wonders about both her break ups having been so friendly. 

It was definitely not like that for me when I was 16 either lol But I know James is canonically very rich, and it made sense Jo would be too, as she's a pureblood. So between them they can make it work for everyone else. 

I hope you have a wonderful holiday :) Merry Christmas to you, too!

Cheers, 
Carla

Lily and Sirius' friendship makes my heart happy. ^_^ 

Reading about all the vacation homes the gang have between them is making me realize they're all pretty well off (well, Jo we knew about after the Crystal Ball, and Sirius is from an old family, like James, but the rest). I love the whole secret friend protection scheme Jo and James hatched. :) 

>>>“I don’t want just a happy life” I whispered. I continued before Alice could protest. “I want a love story to inspire songs” >>> Love this! :D 

>>>“I want to burn the world to the ground with our passion. I want to catch on fire. I don’t want good, I don’t want nice. I don’t want a happy, comfortable life. I want toe-curling and mind-blowing. I want electric, I want terrifying, I want immense, I want huge, I want world-rocking. I want epic. I want fireworks.” >>> I loved Jo's whole speech. It was so passionate. Who wouldn't want a love like that? Is this where the idea for your title came from?

>>>“Ah, well, in that case, maybe he’s in our room?” Remus gave me an odd look, very intense. I was about to say I had already checked their room when I realized what he meant.

“Ah, ah, yes, I didn’t check there… thanks Remus” >>> The map! ;)  Sneaky, Remus. Lol. 

Eeek! Jo finally figured out the Marauders' secret! It was so clever the way you orchestrated it all. :) And the whole confrontation scene in their bedroom was hilarious (though I'm sure the boys felt somewhat the opposite, poor Remus). I loved how the conversation flipped so that Jo's angry at Sirius and the others are suddenly out in the cold and seeing that 'things are happening here' that they aren't fully aware of. I'm a little worried that there's going to be a huge 'She's mine!' fight between James and Sirius, as we got a bit of a flash of it here. *bites nails* 

>>> “You are an assh*le,” she said, staring at Padfoot. “You and I will have words, privately. Don’t expect to survive them.” >>> HAHAHA! I'm sorry, Padfoot, but you do deserve Jo's wrath, and this line slayed me. XD   (Had to edit your line for the review censor to allow me to post it. ;) 

Peter is very insightful sometimes. I often forget he's there (like the others do) and then suddenly he pops up with a good excuse for Remus or his comment about Sirius during the argument. 

I love that the boys still put their friendship first, no matter what. That shows just how strong they are together. 

Yay! Jo's an honorary Marauder! I can't wait to see what she thinks of the Cloak! ;)

Author Response

Hi hi :)

Yes. That speech is the essence of EPIC. I am a romantic at heart and I wanted to write the romance Marauders fic to end all others so I poured everything I had into making sure the romance (s) were epic ;) 

Ah their little fight in the middle of the big fight was totally spontaneous. The first time I wrote the scene it didn’t happen but I was going through my edit process and I had this sudden vision that of course Sirius and Jo would forget the others are there and have a tete-a-tete in front of everyone. I am glad you liked it! 

Peter is a hard character to write, I’ll be honest. I’ve said before that I didn’t want to portray him as a bad friend or a sleazy type in school because well I’m pretty sure he wasn’t. If he had been the others wouldn’t have been his friend. But his personality had to be different, more subdued and quiet. I figured the quiet types always have the most insight because they are the ones that listen and watch. I am super glad this is coming across and you’ve picked up on it :)

Thank you again for your super detailed reviews. They make my day. 

Cheers,
Solmussa

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