(#) brad 2007-11-21
I liked this chapter. I enjoyed your depiction of a 'young' Harry, his friendship with Hermione as it was at the beginning, about to flower. Most of your stories (other than that 'what if' version of your 'Old Believers' / To the Rescue universe, where the prophecy is fulfilled in Harry's first year?) deal with an adult - or nearly so - Harry and companions ... it's nice to get this look at the younger, more innocent version. "Friendship was such a rae thing in his life that he actually felt warm and secure just hearing from his friend" ... that's nice.
I do fear, though, that within the next chapter or so Harry will have shed all such signs of apparent youth as a result of his accelerated learning. Or maybe not. Hopefully references to Hermione and his other friends will help ground him, so you don't paint him as too 'adult'/mature.
Good chapter, thank you!