Wonderful chapter, and great to see the underhanded Snape finally get unhanded, though shows even more about Albus, as he's perfectly willing to let things go when they're not useful anymore. Can't wait to see the greasy gits final punishment, maybe with heaping gobs of "Henry the 8th I am" with it LOL. On a more serious note, I don't know what the final plan is for Ron, but right now, he's acting like some of the kids that would come onto base after bootcamp, with the needed skills to go out and fight, but not the wisdom about it at all, and I have to wonder if he's going to kill someone, either accidentally or in a fit of rage. Was glad to see it laid out to Harry there, that even as he is his first friend, there's too much at stake for this to just waltz around here. so I definitely look forward to the next episode.
Author's response
Heya Wonderbee!
Snape is long overdue for some serious ass-whuppin' He's been allowed to get away with whatever he does for so long he's failed to realize that there are consequences for his actions. Despite Rowling's last minute babbling, Snape is neither brave nor a hero. He was a bigot, a bully, a coward, and most likely a spy for Voldemort.
I've made his punishment actually an appropriate one. with no arms, he has no way to defend himself, no way to do what he loves and no way to wipe his ass. He's no longer the big man, but the lowest one on the scrotum pole.
I was thinking infinite repetitions of Barney's song 'I love you, you love me!'
Ron: Precisely. This Ron is a better person than in canon (or fanon, for that matter) but he's still arrogant and prideful. If he were allowed on this mission he might well develop the attitudes Anakin had, and that would be an unmitigated disaster...because if he fell t the dark side, Harry would have to deal with him.
Unfortunately friendship has no place in combat. Harry needed the best he had and Ron, while qualified, was barely that. Harry knew it, but like most young commanders, saw Ron his friend, first, and a soldier, second. Mack just grabbed him by the scruff, shook him a couple times, and made him understand that.
Until nest week...
Alorkin