Very nice musings! Such fun to hear stories of your birth and growth as a fan and a writer. Your description of Snape is right on: "delightfully ambiguous, ferociously complex, and totally undervalued by JK Rowling" -- so true :D And I like the quote you cite from duniazade

"I finished the first draft of my original novel the previous summer..." When you get ready to submit it let me know. I might know a good publisher ;)

But...but...what is the OTHER good news??