*grins* I'm so glad you enjoy the story and that I've made Snape likeable while keeping the sarcasm intact :D

I think you've nailed the subtext very well. One of the ideas is that revenge turned aside can be a great gift, but sometimes we need a little help turning aside. *grins* And of course what's really interesting is that arguably the biggest impact isn't on their lives but on the lives of the next generation -- Harry and Draco and Neville.

Thanks again :) This was a lovely comment and I appreciate it.