We Invented the Remix...Redux 7

You know, I first read this last week and adored it; I'm appalled to see I didn't leave a comment then, so here I am. :) This is a lovely and understatedly powerful fic that strikes a fine balance between being quite tense at some points and comical at others - I'm loving how defensive poor Dora is, how agreeable Remus is, how the two of them are seen through the eyes of the counsellor. I also loved that twist of storytelling, by the way, as they almost certainly need a counsellor, but probably wouldn't have sought one without the meddling of Dora's mum. :) I imagine that the counsellor sees couples all the time without having any meaningful frame of reference for their relationships - how can she possibly know that these two are embroiled in a war, that Remus is a werewolf, and what all of that means for them? I loved how you teased all these small details out of my original fic - the lilacs, especially, Remus' nicotine-stained fingers, the dressing gown, the Italian restaurant! - and gave them a life of their own. I love how your interpretation of my story fills in some of the gaps the original left like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle, and improves upon it, I must say. :) No Blinding Light was a weird piece to write, for me, as I was trying to come to terms with this incredibly oddball relationship that Ms. Rowling had thrown at us; where my piece was moody and uncomfortable, yours is realistic, yet peaceful, and manages a kind of resolution that mine couldn't. I was especially fond of how the little references I made here and there to Remus and Sirius' past relationship were brought out into the open and addressed so smoothly - it's touching, and I just want to cheer Dora on for being so levelheaded about it. I loved, loved, loved the emotional kick of Dora revealing her belly at the end - the birth of Teddy wasn't something I had anticipated at the time of writing my fic, as I don't think Deathly Hallows had come out yet, but it fits in sort of perfectly - how hopeful she is, how determined, how content against all odds, and how much more poignant and bittersweet the scene is when one knows how it all turns out. *weeps*
The writing is subtle and beautiful - every word needed, the character voices were spot on, and I thought there were some standout lines.

She already knew they wouldn’t. After the door had closed behind them, she waited a few minutes then stood at the window to watch them leave. They held hands as they went down the front stairs together: Remus really was very thin, almost transparent in the sunlight, the counsellor thought. When they’d crossed the road, Dora gazed up at him and gave that lovely, transformative smile again, then stopped, reaching out for something. The counsellor noticed for the first time that there was a white lilac bush, still in bloom, growing against the area railings of the house opposite. Remus plucked a sprig and handed it to Dora with a mock bow, before they walked off down the street and disappeared into the city.

She could suddenly understand what Dora saw in him: his good bones, his fine, warm hazel eyes, his neatly-clipped nails. He looked like a beggar but he smelled clean and pleasant, of soap and aftershave with a hint of musk.

And, well, I could quote the whole thing, actually, I just think it works, and I know remix isn't really for the original authors but I'm just so enamoured of this that I can't help but feel a little bit lucky. :) Brava, minnow_53, and sorry I didn't reply sooner.