I looked forward to my mid-day break all morning when I saw that you posted this here. You already know how much I love this fic, but I have more to add, and some things just can't be said often enough.

This story has everything –- suspense (like pale_moonlite says, the unfolding of Minerva is almost like a mystery, only more exciting), pain, friendship, wonderful characterisation, humour, love, beautiful sex, and a perfect, hopeful end with a determined Wilhelmina.

When I first read it, I felt just like minervas_eule –- I wanted to quote the entire story because it's wonderful line upon wonderful line. Such as:
--//owl (T. Alba) frm Dumble// I love her abbreviations and her attention to what's really important.
--//Will didn't hold with personal diaries -- with writing all about one's feelings and what-have-you. Feelings were something to be. . .well, felt. Not spilled out on parchment like a bowtruckle regurgitating woodlouse bits.// Never has Will been characterised so sharply in under forty words.
-- Will's and Amelia's realistic and beautiful butch/butch friendship. I love how you fit them together with their contrasts and similarities.
--Amelia's voice and attitudes. She's so wonderfully-rounded, bossy, pushy, with opinions as solid as the rock on which her relationships crash.
--And her take on the Order. I only noticed the third time round how casually she –- the law enforcement officer –- refers to it in her thoughts and even criticises one of its members for having an attitude that may harm the Order's effectiveness, while the Order members themselves probably think that they're operating without anyone at the Ministry (save the members) knowing.
--Will fraternising with Neville. She would!
--The entire Augusta appearance. Epitomised in: //"Here to meet someone, are you?" Augusta said, as if this were a highly questionable reason to be anywhere.//
--the pub scene. So painful, yet so plausible that Will would do exactly such a thing –- and open the conversation with exactly that "over-hearty" tone.
--the sprout-tipped fork. A greatly underrated vegetable, that is.
--I'll repeat my squees about your references to lesbian life in Witch Britain and your use of the word "lesbian" as a normal adjective. I'd love to see more of that in fanfic.
--//"Minerva," she'd said. "If you're free, I'd like the pleasure of escorting you to dinner on Friday. I know a quiet little Muggle place in Edinburgh."// *sigh* Lovely!

I'll join therealsnape in hoping that you and the artist will collaborate on further projects. Seeing Wilhelmina drawn has been a long-standing, secret wish of mine (I'd considered requesting Wilhelmina fanart in a prompt once or twice), and seeing her drawn exactly as I imagine her is perfection. Her degree of butchness is just exactly right, and so are the facial expressions. Of the unicorn, too, btw. It looks quite pleased that it was able to help its dear Wilhelmina gather her strength.

Thank you so much for this fic, Kelly! It's so much more than I could ever have wished for. I have the printout in the "favourites" section of my bookshelf already, and this now goes straight (and gaily) into the bookmarks.