(#) brad 2008-12-20
Pleased to see the Malfoys get their just desserts, even if Harry and Hermione seemed to be a little cold-blooded about it. That's probably just because I've lost the momentum (and rage!) of this epilogues antecedents.
The idea of the Malfoys being kept 'on remittance' was a clever one, new to me and a nice, acceptable measure between outright expulsion or incarceration.
Why the need for multiple horcruxes? Since it seems proven that just one will suffice - viz Hermione's sole soul jar - why did Harry feel the need to make three? Particularly since I think this story supported the notion that too many horcruxes reduced the character or humanity of the immortal?
From Hermione's little speech to Pansy I thought she was going to 'magically return the poison' and kill her but only 'before [she] is in too much pain'. Yet Hermione seemed to kill her immediately ... not even five minutes of Pansy "feeling the effects of a foreign poison entering her body", say.
Luna's offer to Hermione shocked me, slightly. It was something I hadn't expected, connected nicely to Hermione's prior observation to Pansy about the restrictions on horcruxes for herself, and a great little thing to add. Very good.
Although I find myself wondering why Luna - why anyone - wouldn't want to be immortal. Would decide that their 'season' should be shorter than what it could be.
Thank you for completing your story.
Author's response
Luna is allowing nature to take its course, rather than artificially lengthening it. Most of the brotherhood kept 3 horcruxes, it was with 4 that their humanity started slipping away. Afterall, it's good to have insurence. Hermione is just limited in her choices