HP recs: gen

Posted on September 3, 2007
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GEN

Long fics, Medium-length fics, Short fics







Long fics (stories over 50K words, long series and such)




The Balance of Power trilogy, by KrysRoz (montana_dan) []
PG, Harry, Voldemort. Summary: It’s Harry’s fifth year and he’s finally able to escape the Dursleys only to find that Voldemort has other plans. After numerous failed attempts to rid himself of the Gryffindor brat, Lord Voldemort now knows he must change tactics. But how does a Dark Lord convince a fifteen-year-old boy, orphaned by his own hand, to join him? Give him what he’s always wanted, of course. Read on to discover how Voldemort manipulates Harry’s life for three years to achieve the balance of power and reclaim the wizarding for his own.

Limited rec. I have mixed impressions of this fic. On the one hand, I spent two days reading it as if glued to my chair ‘cos it was captivating and I was really curious how it would end. And there was something really attractive there. On the other hand, it was like the Groundhog Day. The main plot repeats and repeats and repeats, and as a result I think that I’d like the same thing but done another way. The ideas KrysRoz uses are much richer than what she did with them. Voldemort as the author wrote him has ten times more potential (as a character) than what is shown in the fic. He reminds me of JKR’s Snape in this respect. Characters’ psychology is engaged only when the author needs it, the rest of time they have no psychology at all, only adventures and wit. And the resolution of the plot, which I’d been awaiting so eagerly, passed almost unnoticed because it was rather anticlimactic. And there are really stupid typos sometimes like Pavroti Patil. All in all, it’s at the same time interesting and exasperating, or even frustrating. But still charming in places.


Blood Magic, by Gateway Girl (or here) ##
PG; there’s some Harry/Hermione and Snape/Lupin, but the fic isn’t ship-centric; Severitus fic. Summary: Blood magic was supposed to keep Harry safe, but his relatives are expendable. Blood magic was supposed to keep Harry looking like his adoptive father, but it’s wearing off. Blood is a bond, but so is the memory of hate — or love.

This fic is 84 chapters long, but I wish it were 184, or even 284. I guess it’s saying something. If I were to choose one fic to compete with canon, this would be it. Despite its length, I read it four times, and every time I discovered something new that took my breath away.

This is a Severitus fic. No! This is the Severitus fic. In my opinion, however well other fics that answer Severitus’ challenge might be written, Blood Magic has no rivals. I don’t know how many people out there haven’t read it, but if you happen to be one of them, go read!
This is the fic of fics; whatever you look for in fanfiction, you’ll find it here (except sex, but taking into account everything else, it’s no big loss.) A whole world appears before you. The author follows the canon lead, adding new, unique things as if engrafting carefully cultivated shoots into the canon trunk. It makes the story look very integral. It has fantastic, unique potions and spells, wizarding traditions and customs; you’ll see family life and education, legal proceedings and balls, ah, you name it. The main characters are deep, complicated and believable; they seem as genuine as real people. And the plot! Harry’s appearance changes, but it must be kept hidden. Under the pressure of the new discoveries and developments his personality also can’t stay unaltered, but nobody can notice it either. Hermione thinks Harry behaves strangely. Lupin also suspects something, but his own behaviour is highly suspicious. And something involving werewolves, something dangerous and sinister happens outside of Hogwarts.
Incredible, excellent story! Go read already!


Brighter Morning, by Salamander / GreenGecko (darkirony) (or here) []
PG, Harry and his son. Summary: Harry wakes up in an unfamiliar house with an unfamiliar son, Arthur, who must overcome his Muggle background to help his father regain the life he lost track of fifteen years ago as well as cope with his own introduction to the wizard world.

I was attracted to this story with the mention of amnesia and narcolepsia - everybody knows I’m interested in disability in fiction. But what made me really appreciate this fic was that Harry’s son is a Muggle. He can’t do magic, he isn’t used to it because his father has spent most of his life in coma, and now he has to accept Wizarding world. It’s the antithesis to ‘living like a Muggle’ theme. Really interesting and well-done. Features a wonderful Snape, too.


Catechism, by Dreamfall (or at Skyehawke, slower updates) #
Harry, R; AU; WIP (on hiatus). Summary: What if the Dursleys were smarter? Smart enough to turn Harry against magic- against himself. How long would it take anyone to realize how much damage was done, and once it was discovered how could they ever hope to fix it? A disturbing look at a Harry who has been taught from infancy to hate and fear everything he is. Author’s warnings: Quite disturbing. Various kinds of abuse. Harry with something of a house elf mentality.

I’ve heard of this story before but never wanted to read it, because the reviews promised me a disturbing fic with a very clichéd plot, and a WiP, besides. Why would I want to read it? But then this fic surfaced in my recent themed search, and I had to check if it qualified. Good Lord! What stupid reasons did I have to not read it? It’s excellent!

For every hundred of mediocre fics with a clichéd premise, there’s always one or two that do the same thing brilliantly. Catechism is Dreamfall’s take on the “Harry is abused by the Dursleys” scenario. We all have seen many a fic that use it as a cheap or unnecessary plot device. We have seen a number of fics where the author unloads on Harry all horrors imaginable, as though he didn’t have enough in canon. Quite a number of fics drown the reader in such a flood of sentimentality that one would want to avoid the scenario forever. This story is not like that. It’s plausible in general and very believable psychologically. And I mean the psychology of all the characters, not only Harry.

The boy is horribly brainwashed. The Dursleys put some effort into making him believe in his total worthlessness and above all — evil, the root of which is in his magic nature. Every evening since he learnt to understand what the words mean, he’s read his catechism that tells him how evil and wrong magic is, how grateful he is to the Dursleys for taking in and disciplining him, a freak and huge inconvenience. Harry fully believes in it. For many years it has been his only paradigm; he doesn’t know better. He doesn’t know anything else at all. The Dursleys taught him that if he’s taken by wizards, they would try to seduce him, so he should fight, without fighting visibly. Now he’s taken to Hogwarts. You think now everyone will dote upon him, and he will recover and become a normal wizarding boy. But that’s the pattern that those ‘easy’ cliché fics follow. In Catechism, Harry in Hogwarts feels like a spy in a hostile camp. And isn’t he a good spy!

This story is truly horrifying, well-written and makes a strong emotional impact. The author raises many difficult questions. And it’s an interesting, captivating reading. As for me, it has everything a good story could have. I would read a fic like this even if it was abandoned. Which it’s not; the updates are just slow. Go read, you won’t regret!


A Family Affair, by kishijoten []
There’s some Draco/Hermione but I read it as gen. R. Summary: Just after his sixteenth birthday, Draco Malfoy learns of a horrifying plot against his life, forcing him to take on a new identity and adopt a new way of life. Years later, Malfoy learns that time has not stood still back home, and he finds himself dragged once again into the intrigue and danger that always surround anyone named ‘Malfoy’.

Girl Most Likely, by Liz Barr (lizbee) #
Harry, Snape, Snape’s daughter; R, gen with some het. Summary: “Fifteen years after he defeated Voldemort, Harry Potter is an increasingly disillusioned Auror, a distinctly un-merry widower, and an extremely reluctant messiah. In the line of duty, he encounters Severus Snape’s ugly, unlovable daughter. Lilith Snape could prove the embodiment – and possible resolution – of more than one multi-generational family feud, provided that her relatives don’t succeed in murdering her before her next birthday. Of course, being brutally murdered – or worse – will be nothing compared with what her father will do when he finds out that Harry Potter has appointed himself her personal white knight and saviour.”

Snape’s teenage daughter has such an unusual personality and written with such great care that I can’t help reccing the fic. If you want to see an OC teenager in HP fic that is not Mary Sue, this is for you. I should confess that I haven’t read the last part, act 3 — I’m going too, and I don’t believe LizBee can spoil the ending. The fic is darkish and unusual; it has PLOT. It’s written wonderfully. The only drawback (if you consider it as such) is that it was started long before OotP and so many assumptions it makes are completely jossed now.


In Blood Only, by E.M. Snape #
R; Severitus fic; some background Harry/Tonks. Summary: Snape is Harry’s father. No one is happy to hear it. [R due to colorful language, dark themes, and nongraphic violence.]

This is an old fic, not HBP-compatible. I read its beginning in 2004, and now it has been finished. I’ve been reading it like addicted for the last couple of days. I like the fic and think it’s written well, allowing for a couple of minor things. That would be enough for me to rec it. But it has more! It features The. Nastiest. Snape. Ever. For 45 glorious chapters. There’s no fluffy bunny hidden deep inside him so that Harry can bring it out with his love/trust/care.

This is what I wrote in my rec of this fic in March 2005: A *good* Severitus fic. A vicious, distrustful, disgusting, malicious, ugly Snape learns that Harry Potter isn’t a Potter at all. You think, 10 chapters later he will learn that Harry isn’t so bad, then he’ll start liking him, first reluctantly, then in a more open way. Nothing of the kind. 20 chapters, and he still doesn’t like anybody, Harry included. Well, of course he will, but I suppose we won’t see ‘a new, improved Snape’ in this fic. Pleasure to read, despite angst, violence and so on.

I can see that I was wrong and not wrong at the same time. No, there’s no ‘new and improved Snape’ in this fic. 40 chapters, and he’s still the vicious bastard he was at the beginning, only much deeper. As for Harry, well…Harry’s his. It works. Unbelievably, with this Snape, but it does. Still a pleasure to read, only now it’s finished, so you don’t have to wait to see how it ends. And it’s a special kind of pleasure to see that a long WIP doesn’t disappoint.


A Little Prince, by Anj []
Harry, Draco, PG; AU. Summary: In a world where there was never a prophesy, never a sign of an end to the war between ‘good’ and ‘evil’, there lived a little boy who loved his father very much indeed.

Written for the Classic Canon Challenge, it’s a crossover fic between the Harry Potter-verse and Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess. I haven’t read A Little Princess, but I suppose now I can imagine it well because of Anj’s x-over. Anj puts HP-verse into the settings of Burnett’s book, so in A Little Prince we can see an extremely AUish AU, not similar to HP at all. But at the same time it’s not one of those fics where you read and think, “Why does it pose as a HP fanfic when it has nothing to do with HP?” Here the sheer delight of HP-verse turned inside out (or maybe it’s upside down) makes you not care about it.

This fic belongs to a genre that gives the author the excuse for administering “poetic justice” to HP characters without character-bashing and without annoying her readers, i.e. through a sentimental children book. You know that I don’t like some types of sentimental fiction, but here it looks too good to miss, which proves, again and again, that there are no bad genres and forms, there’s only good or bad writing. The story is absolutely charming, emotional and ‘in style’. I don’t want to spoil the plot: if you’ve read Burnett’s book, you can imagine it, if you haven’t, more pleasant surprises for you. Anyway, a good cry and happy smile are guaranteed.


A Memory Found, by Mystical Dragon []
Severus, PG. Written pre-OotP. Summary: When a memory charm is lifted, Severus Snape slowly begins to heal from his past.

Midnight by the Weasley Watch, by excessivelyperky []
Snape, Ron, PG. Ron Weasley makes up his schoolwork, and actually thinks for a change. Snape gets some Christmas presents he doesn’t expect. The old game is over, but a new one is just beginning.

Thanks to Isiscolo for the rec!

Hogwarts holds a chess tournament in preparation for the international chess tournament where only two school champions will go: one teacher and one student. There’s a big prise, which Ron wants to win very much because it will ease his eternal poverty problem. You will like this fic if you like chess because the author shows us many games in great detail. Actually, chess is the main focus of the fic. The thing is, however, that I don’t care about chess at all. But I liked the fic. So give this story a chance even if you don’t like chess and don’t understand a thing about it. It really works because it’s written with passion for the game, and it offers us a look at Ron and Snape (and many other people) from a very unusual point of view. We can understand Ron looking at how he plays, and he understands people by the way they behave at the board. The plot isn’t limited only to the chess tournaments. There’s a detective sub-plot, there are several really interesting OCs. All in all, it’s worth your time.


Mine, Snape’s Vocation, The Owl and the Puppy-dog and The Absence Of Unhappy, by Gillian Middleton (gillianinoz) (or here) ##
G; AU; Severitus fic. Summary: For Mine: Against his better judgement Severus Snape let a part of himself be used in a spell six years earlier. Now the consequences of his actions cannot be avoided any longer and Snape finds himself the father of a five year old boy-Harry Potter!

I love AUs, especially carefully crafted ‘Severitus’ AUs, i.e. the fics where Snape is Harry’s father (although they aren’t necessarily AUs.) I love well-written children in HP fics, and here Harry and Neville, both of which are five years old, look very real.

As for me, this is one of the Top-3 ‘Severitus’ fics in fandom. Here we can see a young Snape, but he still has his essential features: he’s bitter, unpleasant, awkward in all things emotional, distrustful — and fiercely possessive. Gillian shows us what might have happened to the Severus Snape we know if many years ago he had had one person who loved him unconditionally, with full concentration; she shows us what might have changed and what might have remained the same in his character. And in the same scenes Gillain tells us what might have happened to Harry had he been taken from the Dursleys at the tender age of five and had been taken care of by a strict, prickly and awkward, but loving parent.

Love is the key for this fic in general. The story is soaked with love. It pours from every word. Gillian loves her characters; it’s apparent from how she writes them. But her love isn’t blind; she doesn’t smooth away their imperfections. And you know what? If I had children and were to choose one person in fandom to take care of them, I’d choose Gillian because of how well she understands small kids, their hopes and troubles, their small victories and failures.

This series is in progress, but it’s not one of those WiPs where you’ll chew on your fingers waiting for the next chapter. This is a sequence of novellas; each of them is a finished story within the arc, so you can enjoy what is written and calmly look forward to the next one, without any cliffhangers or other things that usually annoy readers in WiPs.


Once Upon a Time, In Egypt, by Josan (or in tales_of_josan) ##
PG; Snape, Bill. Summary: I wanted a new villain. I wanted to explore Goblins. I wanted an AU within an AU. I think I got all that.

Every time I read a novella of Josan’s, I have the impression as if I were a child about 10-12 years old. Imagine that I had a friend of the same age and one day we are left alone. It’s evening, the weather is bad and we have to stay at home. We both are if not bookworms, then at least well-read. We are sitting in my dimly lit bedroom and telling stories to occupy ourselves. Josan’s stories seem to me to be one of such stories that a good kid tells to another one to disperse boredom. Or what a good parent tells to his/her children in long winter evenings. [Let’s forget about slash aspect for a while.]

It always seems to me when I read these stories that I’m caught on a hook and it drags me - further, further, what next, and what happens then, and so on until the very ‘happily ever after’ (which is the usual feature of her fiction). It appears that although there are descriptions of places or people there, and there can be characters’ introspections, and dialogues, the main thing nevertheless is *what* happens and not *how*, the narrative sequence prevails over detail. The the author uses consistent chains of events, preferably day after day after day. There can be gaps but no breaking of the straight, even time line; the action is kept steady. Also, her language is deliberately simple, not flourishing; the descriptions are sparse.

When Josan’s stories were first recced to me and I read them, I didn’t like them. Their strange and simple narration seemed moronic to me. But, as almost always with the things I like, later they started haunting me with their images; then I re-read them. And now I can say for sure: I like them. Josan always creates a very integral universe; when you read her stories, you can always imagine not only ‘this room’ or ‘this place’ but you can see the world where her characters live in general. And I absolutely adore how she writes animals!

Yes, Josan’s stories often become sappy towards the end but I don’t consider it a flaw, I don’t mind it at all because it seems to me an essential, integral feature of her storytelling manner. All in all, I think Josan is one of the most original HP fanfic writers I’ve read. I said I liked them? No, I *love* them. I’m absolutely bewitched with their simplistic magic.


Resonance, by Salamander / GreenGecko (darkirony) (also at the Fiction Alley) []
Although there are Snape/OFC, Harry/Tonks and Harry/OFCs on the side, they are not the main theme, so I think it’s gen. PG-13. Summary: Snape adopts Harry in this story that stretches from the end of year six until Harry starts his Auror apprenticeship. Harry defeats Voldemort and has to deal with not only with his now greatly increased fame, but also with some odd, disturbing skills he inherited from the Dark Lord. Both he and Snape fumble around trying for some kind of family normalcy, which neither one is very knowledgeable of. Harry survives his seventh year at Hogwarts with a parent as a teacher and starts his training as an Auror.

I was hooked with another fic by this author, Brighter Morning, that came up in the search for Muggle-fic list (see above). It was interesting, so I decided to see what else GreenGecko has written, and Resonance it was. The main plot-line is ‘Snape adopts Harry’. To make it credible, the story goes very slowly and the events are shown in many detail. But it doesn’t make the fic lack plot; many different things happen there: Death Eater attacks, balls, fights etc. An awkward domestic Snape is really charming. Everything is written very thoroughly: classes, spells, relationships, and musings. I won’t call the story amazing but it’s enjoyable and not annoying despite its length: I’d drop out of another fic because I’d get bored, but this one I didn’t.


The Secret Garden, by Diana Williams #
PG; AU; Classic Canon Challenge x-over. Summary: “When Harry’s aunt and uncle die, he is sent to Hogwarts, to live with his only remaining relative, Severus Snape. There he discovers a mysterious secret garden that has been locked for ten years. Why? And what is that strange crying he hears in the night?”

This is a cross-over with a children’a book, and a good one, so it has all the features you’d expect. It’s sentimental; the plot is dynamic but not predominant, and there are, of course, several secrets and a happy ending. I’m not spoiling anything because a happy ending the rule of the genre. But the best thing in this story, as for me, is how the events of HP canonical past are interpreted. And animals. And the gardens. Oh well, and of course the characters! Excellent reading, comforting and interesting!


The Taming of Harry Potter, by Melissa Jooty []
Snape adopts Harry, PG-13; AU; WIP (discontinued?). Summary: Formely entitled ‘The Boy In The Basement’. For young Harry Potter, a cupboard under the stairs is luxury compared to the conditions he has been kept in since he was seven years old… Warning: child abuse.

I don’t know if I like this fic or not. The premise is the one I hate passionately, where the Dursleys torture Harry. However here it isn’t shown in detail, here we can see only the result, i.e. the animal-like boy called Harry, closed up in his own mind. It’s an AU story that has rather little to do with HP-verse. This fic shows us the upbringing, care for and educating of a very damaged child carried on by one Severus Snape. Step by step (or three steps forward and two back), we can observe how the strict taskmaster Snape leads Harry out of his shell. And although I don’t usually like it, in this fic it’s done in such a way that seems credible and interesting to me.


Two Worlds and In Between, by Minerva McTabby (snippets from the TWIB verse) ##
Young Albus, Aberforth, OCs; PG, very slow WIP. Summary: “A 19th Century Potterverse story. Opens in 1855, at Hogwarts with the Dumbledore brothers - and Julius Marvolo, grandfather of Tom Riddle.”

Now remind me again, why have I been wary of reading it? Because it’s a WIP? Because it’s updated once a year and still has only 4.5 chapters (they are long though)? Because by now it’s absolutely not canon-compatible? What sort of foolish reasons are they when it’s about a fic like this?? I don’t care about all that and now can’t imagine how I could care before. Now I’d read it even if it had only one chapter. I don’t give a flying rat’s arse that Tom Riddle never had a grandfather named Julius Marvolo but had Gaunts instead. Because this is one of the most fascinating stories I’ve read. Ever.

Young Aberforth Dumbledore, a Mudblood like his older brother, comes to Hogwarts, gets sorted into Slytherin — the first Mudblood in history to be sorted there, and immediately starts spreading havoc of epic proportions. Julius Marvolo, Slytherin heir and number one in Status game takes him as his partner. Julius has his reasons, which come to bite him on the arse every day. Albus, the Gryffindor prodigy, drifts about as if not there, causing Julius much aggravation.

This fic is terrific: there’s inter-House and outside politics; fabulous, living original characters, fantastic magic, history — Hogwarts a century and half ago, and, gosh, you name it! It’s intricate and creative and refreshing and brilliant and wonderfully written. I’m so in love with it I could cry; I’m totally, completely besotted! There are lots of precious details, but only for this one I could kiss the author senseless: Other pairs were moving into place around us, filling the broad corridor at the base of Gryffindor Tower proper, where the portrait of a slender young witch in pink robes guarded the entrance to House territory.

If, for whatever reason, you’ve been putting off reading it, don’t!


A Year Like None Other, by Aspen in the Sunlight #
Snape, Harry, Draco, adoption; R. Summary: It all started with a letter from home and family. Except, Harry doesn’t really have either, does he? He’s about to get them. A Snape-adopts-Harry story providing an alternate 6th year.
Sequel: A Summer Like None Other (WIP): Family isn’t everything, as Harry, Snape, and Draco discover in this sequel to A Year Like None Other. How will a mysterious mirror and a surprising new relationship affect a father and his two sons?

I managed to get into another WIP (has been finished since). This is a very long and detailed gen story, no romance at all. Now the sequel is updated often and regularly. The author is writing this fic without a plan. On the one hand, it tells on the fic: there are minor climaxes and sub-plots as it progresses, it sometimes strays aside. But on the other hand, it’s surprising that the author manages to keep the line and not stroll too far from the main plot, and that she manages to catch and tie all the ends. It’s an interesting reading, but it bears the air of a TV soap where the plot of each next part is born on the way. If you like good soaps, go on, you’ll enjoy it. I’m enjoying it. It’s truly delightful!






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Medium-length fics (~15 to 50K words; stories you can read in one go but it will take some time)




Acts Infernal, by Sam Vimes (copperbadge) #
PG. Summary: An old man in Diagon Alley has a story to tell, if the price is right: about the gates of Hades, a silver boy and a sable boy, a cast-off angel, and a knife that can sever your soul.

Harry goes to the Underworld to bring Sirius back. Draco goes with him but on his own sinister mission. Ancient Greek mythology, European pagan myths, Christianity and HP-verse, all are merged in the finest, most original manner. Besides, this is a story with a frame, which is also absolutely wonderful. All in all, the fic is a pearl. Go read!


Clarke’s Law, by Isis #
PG, SGA+HP crossover. Summary: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. “Fandom cheat sheets for those of you unfamiliar with one of the fandoms” and author’s comments.

I think this fic is fabulous. You see, I have no idea about SGA and no particular interest in it. Haven’t seen a single episode. Have seen the screencaps of the main characters but they did nothing for me either. But this story is set in the SGA verse. I wouldn’t click on the link were it not written by Isis. Man, am I glad I did! It’s such a clever and fascinating story! I believe everything will be clear even if you are not familiar with one of the verses ‘cos it was for me. I don’t want to spoil it so I’ll abstain from speaking about the plot, but it does have a plot and fantastic theories, and wonderfully written characters. Sheer delight to read!


Dark Avatar, part 2, by Julie Fortune #
Snape, PG-13. Summary: Something’s going badly wrong at Hogwarts, and this time, it isn’t Harry Potter who’s the target … it’s Slytherin House.

Dulce Et Decorum Est, by Lady Jaida #
PG; discontinued at early stages; AU. Summary: Once upon a time, there was a prophecy. However, the Boy Who Lived is no longer the boy destined to defeat Voldemort — or be defeated by him.

The fic is abandoned, but it’s worth reading even if no more is ever written. It’s an AU fic where Neville is the Boy Who Lived, where, therefore, Harry’s parents survived, Peter didn’t have to become a traitor and Sirius didn’t go to prison. That’s all good and well, but the best thing in this fic, apart from good writing, is that there’s no protagonist in these 5 chapters. We are used to the world divided into good and bad guys, but nobody is exactly good here. The AU as it’s done here is very interesting and even somehow addictive. I *so* wish that Lady Jaida would write more of it!


Harry Potter and the Polka Dot Plague, by Mariner (or here) #
PG. Harry, Snape. Summary: Harry Potter discovers why polka dots are evil. Severus Snape discovers why it’s a bad idea to forge your medical records. Lucius Malfoy discovers why you shouldn’t give surprise gifts to your boss.

Maps to the Stars’ Homes, by Liz Barr (lizbee) #
Gennish Harry/Ginny; PG-13. Summary: Following the war, Harry buys a plane ticket and leaves, but the memories keep following him.

Fantastic intonation. Harry travels, changing places and jobs and meeting people. The narration follows him, focusing on this and that. We have a term in Russian for this type of story, “travel novel” that I’d apply to this fic were it longer. Anyway, the hero sees the world, on the way learning some truths about himself. Quiet, wonderful reading.


Numbers Never Lie, by klynie []
Snape, Hermione, PG-13, AU third year. Warning: Some violence, implied non-consensual sex and strong language. Summary: In her third year, Hermione’s favorite class is Arithmancy. This story is a submission for the Omniocular September AU Fic Challenge, Prompt #3: Snape is Hermione’s biological father. It’s time to write an alternative to Severitus fics!

Well, that was my request because Hagia Sophia is so persuasive that I went requesting this plot everywhere I could :)

I enjoyed this story, and I think it’s interesting. I didn’t care about a bit of HBP info at the end — I thought it to be hasty. What I liked outweighs it though. Firstly, I liked the plot. The AU here is like nothing I’ve seen, and not only because Snape’s Hermione’s father — which in itself sounds more plausible in this fic than many a version of “Snape’s Harry’s father” that I’ve seen. I liked how it developed further, how it influenced the Shrieking Shack scene and so on. Secondly, I liked Snape and Hermione’s relationship and interactions. Snape is [properly] nasty and calculating, and it works in the general scheme of things in this universe. I particularly liked the bits about politics and hair — you’ll see what I mean when you get to them. All in all, it was interesting reading.


new Ouroboros, by Miggy #
PG-13. Summary: Written for the the_eros_affair, a H/D community. But it did not turn out a romance in any sense of the word. I was writing to the prompt: “Harry to Draco: I promise to play rough.”

This fic is chilling and cruel but so engaging I wasn’t able to tear my eyes from the screen until I finished it. Harry’s sorted into Slytherin; Draco becomes his best friend. What do you think will win, friendship or ambition? This is a breathtaking catch 22, vivid, masterfully written.


Tom Marvolo Riddle Potter, by SisterDear []
PG-13. Summary: When Voldemort is defeated, the fragment of his soul still stuck in Harry drags the Boy Who Lived with it through time in search of another, complete version of itself. A time travel, Harry adopts Tom Riddle story.

It’s a longish story with a plot that is relatively rare, although not unique. Harry travels back in time (here — accidentally) and meets a young Tom. What I liked in this story is how dreadfully unpleasant Tom is in it. It’s far not all smiles and hugs and easy solutions as one could expect from a story with this plot posted at FFnet. Tom is a scheming, nasty, deeply disturbed boy. Harry’s tired and distanced. I found it most appealing that the author managed to draw it to a satisfactory conclusion without falling into either fluff or dark!fic.






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Short fics (under 15K words)




The Abyss Gazes Also, by tangleofthorns []
Sirius, Azkaban, R. Dark.

This is an Azkaban fic, chilling and, I don’t know, realistic - it seemed very real to me. It alternates short chapters about Sirius - how he gradually loses memories and self-awareness, how he finds a way to somehow cope as Padfoot, how Fudge visits and gives him the newspaper where he sees Peter - and other prisoners: Rodolphus Lestrange, Barty Crouch’s mother who’s impersonalising Barty, Bellatrix, Dolohov, Hagrid during his imprisonment in the third year. I wouldn’t find a gen Azkaban interesting ‘cos it’s not ‘my’ theme, but this one is excellent.


Accidents Happen, by Thistlerose #
PG, AU. Summary: Trelawney’s first prophecy is complete tosh, and when Voldemort is finally killed, it’s not by Harry. Not even by a Gryffindor.

Amusing and clever: this fic suggests one of the most original ways to kill Voldemort. I can’t really say anything ‘cos I’ll spoil it, but it’s a delightful short story.


Accio Stone, by krislaughs #
Potters, PG-13; AU. Summary: “This is what might happen if Lily and James Potter had survived Voldemort’s final attack, if Harry grew up in a close-knit family far away from the wizarding world, if it was Harry’s eleventh birthday and there was a whisper of trouble in the air…”

I love AUs about Harry’s childhood. But if he has a perfect, loving family, it’s not an easy task for a writer to make their story interesting. This one is, because in the perfect little world surrounding Harry (and he’s not the main hero here; they all are) something is off. This is a wonderful story. The author alternates different POVs and flashbacks very well, without overdoing it or unnecessary swings that would throw you out of the story. We are gradually given to understand what has happened to the family before and how their life goes on now. And then there’s an adventure! Good reading!


All Gone Aside, by alianora #
R. Summary: The Headmaster, and the aftermath of a prank gone wrong.

A rather scary fic. The prank has gone wrong: Remus killed Severus. The fic shows us what happens afterwards. I hate the thought that Severus is killed but I couldn’t help reading it anyway. The expression “like watching train wreck” comes to mind. Thought-provoking and unusual.


The Almost Legend of Draco Malfoy, by Zahra (hackthis) #
PG-13. Summary: Not everything is about Harry Potter.

Animagus, by Marysiak #
Harry, Draco, G. Symmary: Harry spent his childhood being denigrated, insulted and abused by his only male role model… that has to have an affect on your body image so I wondered what might happen if Harry succeeded in becoming an Animagus.

Avocado, by LittleGreenPerson (aphoenix2007) #
Draco, Tonks, PG. summary: “Thirteen-year-old Nymphadora Tonks never knew she had a cousin. When she meets him, she wonders what this Avocado he keeps on talking about is. Perhaps Draco isn’t as innocent as Nymphadora thought…”

Reading this fic, I found out that something can be at the same time creepy and funny. This child!Draco is absolutely fascinating and, in my opinion, in character. I can imagine him just like that. Wonderful fic.


Boy’s Best Friend, by frogslayr #
PG, Sirius, Draco, Harry. Summary: “Draco wants a dog. Sirius is one.” Warning: Fluffy. Cute. That sort of thing.

How I love such stories by frogslayr! Where somebody else would write something disgustingly sugary, her light, gentle irony saves everything and makes it really sweet, in the best sense. Look at the summary. It’s not AU, it’s just clever without being cheap. And it’s charming, so very, very charming! Aww!


Changeling, by Lydia Bennet #
Weasley twins; PG. Summary: Fred wants a dog more than anything, and he’ll do anything to get one. Anything at all.

The Children, by Sam Vimes (copperbadge) (or here) ##
PG. Harry’s classmates. Summary: After the War, we all gather to celebrate its end…but none escape unscathed, least of all Draco Malfoy.

This short story makes me cry every time I read it. But the tears aren’t those of anguish and unhappiness; they are the tears that accompany catharsis. It’s surprising that this fic makes such an effect, because nothing particularly tragic happens there. It’s just *what* is said and *how* it’s done. The author doesn’t explain things; he shows us what’s going on, and every significant detail sort of comes forward from the background. And later they all fall together, making the whole picture.

The brilliant Stealing Harry and its sequels outshine not only most AUs about Harry’s childhood but also everything else Sam himself has written. It’s a pity, really, because Sam has created a lot of truly wonderful things. The Children tells us about a meeting of old veterans — that is, quite the contrary, very young veterans, those who stood by Harry in the final battle. It also tells us about the power of words, turning symbolic into literal in a terrible and breathtaking way.

The story was written before OotP, so you’ll find that some details contradict canon. But as for me, it doesn’t matter. The fic is too good to miss because of such insignificant things.


The Chocolate Frog War, by Leni Jess (or here) #
Snape; G. Summary: “The war is over, and Severus Snape is in Azkaban. With Chocolate Frogs. Could there be worse? Well, yes. Correspondence about them. Just what is really going on?”

Amusing and lovely, in spite of the fact that the action happens in Azkaban. Snape is on the war path against Azkaban guards who want to feed him a Chocolate Frog a day, ‘cos it’s the new ration supplied by charity. Wonderfully written, very enjoyable, with the lead-on to some bigger and more serious events.


Curiouser and Curiouser, by Blythely #
G. Lewis Carroll x-over. Quote: “One Saturday Hermione remembers that there was a girl who fell down a rabbit hole and wonders what happened to her after that. Madame Pince gives her the key to a small room where the books aren’t full of spells and potions and Hermione recognises most of the titles on the colourful spines.
She misses lunch and dinner, and when Lavender asks her about it she says she filled up on bread-and-butter at a tea party.”

Alice in Wonderland asks to be crossed with HP-verse. Blythely is a clever and unusual writer. Put these two together and you’ll have a very strange and entrancing fic. Succinct, bizarre and amusing. Very pleasant reading.


The Dark, by Kay_Cricketed []
R, Draco. Summary: They locked Draco up in the dark, like an unwanted animal waiting for the slaughter. You find all sorts of things, you know, in the dark.

A very angsty fic. Draco’s going mad, locked in a cell with the corpse of his father. It’s chilling to watch what passes through Draco’s head as hunger and loneliness eat him away. Scary.


Dear Aunt Snape, by Marginaliana #
Snape, Luna, PG. Warnings: Thoughts and mentions of suicide. Summary: Snape’s words reach more people than he’d counted on when he is recruited for The Quibbler’s new advice column.

Advice and snark from Snape. Don’t you want to read his advice column? I can’t imagine why not. This fic a wonderful mix of funny and sad, ridiculous, lovely, and wistful. Moving and quite charming.


The Doll Army and Your Very Own Dora, by Fernwithy #
Tonks, G. Summary: Six year old Dora Tonks gets a visit from three Marauders, and her dolls get a new mission in life. (I Wonder If…) This story was written prior to the release of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

new Dudley Dursley and the Hogwarts Letter (the Top of the Pops Remix), by kindkit #
Gen, G, short. AU. Summary: Dudley’s never going to get a Hogwarts letter.

I’m stealing this rec from kyuuketsukirui who named this fic among her 20 favourites of the year.

This is a clever story (a remix of a drabble by lilacsigil, link in the fic post). I’ve seen hundreds of what-if AU versions of Harry’s childhood but never before did I see an opposite one: how would Dudley’s life go if his parents died in a car crush and James and Lily Potter survived and took him into their family? Dudley is a Muggle boy who lives in a magical family, in magical surroundings, in the world suffused with magic. So how does it feel?

It’s an interesting story but what is more, it’s kind. There’s no villainisation of ‘good guys’ for the sake of making us feel for the canonically unsympathetic one. Everything is simply different and you feel for Dudley because of the problems he faces.


The End is Nigh, by dolorous_ett #
PG-13, Ginny, Luna. Summary: The last of Ginny’s brothers has gone to Hogwarts. She is bored and lonely, but the only other wizarding child in Ottery St Catchpole is Luna Lovegood, and she’s weird. A tale of words, chickens, religious mania, friendship and childhood’s end.

The story is weird, in a good way. Not so weird as to make what it speaks of unbelievable. Ginny’s the last of the Weasley children to go to school, so she’s left behind. Molly sends her to make friends with the neighbours’ daughter, Luna. A very strange, tentative friendship is born, and something sinister begins to happen to the Weasleys’ chickens. It’s so amusing and bizarre! I’d call it religious satire if it didn’t look so natural in HP universe. Interesting, engaging reading.


Eugenics, by Foreword #
Filch, PG. Summary: On his eleventh birthday, Argus didn’t get any cake.

Sad, succinct. A sympathetic and moving depiction of Argus Filch’s childhood. I particularly liked the ending.


Faithful Only He, by Nimori ##
Potters, Sirius; PG; AU. Summary: And if Sirius had been their keeper…

A version of reality that could have been if Sirius had been the secret-keeper. A young Harry and his parents visit Sirius in St Mungo’s. It’s a fantastic miniature. I don’t want to retell the plot because there’s almost no plot, only a conversation with the inadequate man in a hospital suit, but it’s heartbreaking. A boy, two concerned and busy with other things adults, and a clutch of paper that the madman gives James. Perfect.

“He’s thirteen. He shouldn’t enjoy…”
“What?” Lily’s voice took on a sharp edge. “Visiting his godfather at Christmas?”
“He’s going to outgrow colouring and cracker hats soon. And Sirius…”
“Sirius won’t.” Lily sighed as James looked down at his crossed arms, fingers plucking at the gaudy-patterned material.”


The Familiar and the Family, by donnaimmaculata #
Weasleys, PG. Gen with some slashy undertones.

The fic shows us Scabbers’ first months in the Weasley household. Noisy babies Ron and Ginny, dangerous toddlers Fred and George, serious five-year old Percy and two elder schoolboys who just came home for holidays. Even when we can see only sketch-like details through the rat’s eyes, they strongly reflect the personalities of the Weasley children and parents. The author combines the rat’s observations and choices with Peter’s memories and inner monologues in interesting and effective ways. Peter shows through his Animagus form - simplified and amplified in turn. I liked both the family and the familiar. And the way it was written, too.


Firebrand, by Dee (cupiscent) #
Harry, Draco, Ginny, R. Adult (themes, language, references to drugs and violence, the cruelty of humanity, death). Summary: Ginny dies. Harry delivers her mail.

The First Signs of Magic Series: Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, by Icarus (or at Sugarquill) ##
PG/PG-13. Summaries: 1. Summary: Dr. and Dr. Granger have a perfectly ordinary evening, when something very odd occurs. What do they do? “As a family, they made the decision to panic.” Includes vampires, uncomfortable chairs, and singing hospital orderlies. The mystery of lost paperwork is solved. 2. Summary: Malfoy humour. Or is it revenge? Draco reveals his first signs of magic, and a unsuspecting nanny pays the price. We always knew Draco was a brat. 3. Severus Snape still hasn’t had his first signs of magic, and his grandfather wants to see him. His grandfather. A notorious wizard who hasn’t been seen in public for nearly a decade, though the family insists that, yes, he is alive. What shall the Snapes do about Severus?

This series simply can’t be recced enough! It’s clever and funny; it offers us a very interesting explanation of how the wizarding world deals with Muggle-born magical children before they receive their Hogwarts letters. And just on a few pages it shows us a perfect glimpse of the future features of Hermione’s character, a sketch-like but very precise view of a good middle-class Muggle family and many-many other things. A fascinating, wonderful fic this is! And the other two aren’t less fascinating!


First Steps, by Bugland (link to the main page, then look in ‘Vignettes’) #
G; young Severus. Severus Snape takes his first steps as a wizard.

Five Ways That Sirius Black Never Returned from the Dead…, by Allecto #
G. As the title says, 5 versions of Sirius’ afterlife.

All the five are wonderful. I even can’t choose which I like best. They are all with a slight twist, not plain, be it portrait afterlife, or dog afterlife, or just old good Hades. A well-written, intelligent and sad fic, although not heart-wrenching, or at least it wasn’t for me.


From the Desk of James F. Potter, by Xylodemon #
PG. James writes a resume. Written for Florahart’s mini-challenge.

Xylodemon writes the best James. As for me, he’s simply spot on. This is a tiny fic, but you can hear James and Sirius speak. Lovely and amusing.


Full Circle, by Florahart #
G, some Snape/Harry in the background; Filch, OC child. A/N: So for reasons unknown I have lately been considering the care and upbringing of Squibs. And then this happened. It’s gen, possibly soppy, long post-war, with established Snape/Harry. Summary: Sometimes life draws strange parallels.

One day the comfort of a quiet life of Snape and Harry’s household is disturbed by a highly unlikely visitor: Argus Filch. With a child. It’s short story but it raises very unusual questions about the life of a Squib. It’s touching and wonderfully written. I really liked it.


Games of Skill And Chance, by Snowballjane ##
Snape, Lupin, G. Summary: “The war is over and Severus Snape has one more term left to work at Hogwarts. How does he end up running the school games club and how will it affect him?”

I absolutely loved this fic. It tells us the story of Snape’s ‘humanisation’. When the war is over, a crippled veteran Snape discovers that he’s finally free to do what he wants, but he has no idea what it could be. Limping through Hogwarts corridors, he accidentally starts a games club for children from different houses. Can you believe it? I wouldn’t, too, if it was written in another way. But here is was written wonderfully, and I do believe in fairies, no, wait, it’s from a different story. But I do believe that Snape could become softer, if it’s written like here. Wonderful fic, sweet but not too fluffy.


Green and Red, by Arsenic Jade []
G; Snape; McGonagall. Summary: Severus has always appreciated one Gryffindor.

Happy Father’s Day, Harry Potter!, by cragarrows []
PG-13, humour. Summary: “Harry learns that he is the last surviving Heir of Griffyndor, and that Prophecy says an Heir of Griffyndor will destroy Voldemort. This is why Voldemort wants Harry dead. Harry has a cunning plan to exploit Voldemort’s faith in the Prophecy — or did Dumbledore think of it first?”

A new suggestion to the childhood list. It’s not amazing, but it’s an unusual take on the children theme, funny in an absurd-funny way, thanks to the exaggeration; it’s amusing and light. Besides, the author shows a very original way of defeating Voldemort, so, Dita, it’s specially for you :)


Harry Potter and The Way It Never Was, by blue_moony #
PG, humour.

Funny, in a slightly sad way; it’s an answer to a ‘what if’ question. Quick paced, a bit strange, left me with a bemused smile on my face.


Hate. Not Fear. Hate, by Bernice (iibnf) #
G, Snape. Summary: So, maeglinyedi has this challenge, where you write your worst fears into the Harry Potter world. I have stupid phobias.

In Good Time, by Linelen #
G, Harry. Summary: Healing, like all things, comes with time.

Inevitability, by Kay Taylor #
PG. Summary: Tom, Harry and Dumbledore-centric, gen. When things look darkest, Dumbledore hands Harry a Time-Turner, and a boy’s gotta do what a boy’s gotta do. Pre-HBP canon.

This is the plot where Harry goes to the past to kill Tom Riddle while he hasn’t become Voldemort yet. The story is well-written and thought-provoking. What I liked best is the development of the relationship between Harry and young Tom, the dynamics between them. Read to learn what Harry sees in the past and how it influences his decision.


Learning to Spell, by Nattish #
Harry, Snape; G, AU. Summary: “Harry is very young and has been sent to live with Snape. He finds it easier to make friends with the forest creatures than the mean old man.”

Charming? Check. Sweet but not sugary? Check. Do I love such stories by Natt? Most definitely. There’s something unique in Natt’s author’s voice, in the narrative intonation of hers that makes this fic, like many other fics of hers, outstanding, different. Very pleasant reading.


Learning to Uncurl, by Amorette (also at WTP) #
Snape, Harry, G. Summary: A decade after hostilities are over, Harry finds his Animagus form to be terribly relaxing and since he thinks Snape needs to learn to relax, suggests Snape learn to be an animal as well. Surprises ensue.

Well, Harry is a moose who likes munching on weeds in the third floor swamp. Severus, as we find out, is an Animagus too, but he has a problem. Cute and lovely. Go give yourself five minutes of light pleasure.


Leniency, by Rex Luscus []
Snape, Harry, PG-13. Warning: Major tragedy. Summary: “Five years after the defeat of Voldemort, Harry gets possessed by the desire to do a good deed.”

Very angsty fic, cruel, too. Not so much in the way of character behaviour as in the way life goes. Snape is imprisoned. Harry decides that to move on, the Wizarding world needs a closure, a fair trial for the war criminals, so he forces his mercy on the unwilling Snape. Snape needs a sort of closure too: he asks for several photos to be brought to him. A couple of dialogues with the living, a couple of dialogues — or were they monologues? — with the dead, the upcoming trial. For me this story was more scary than tragic, although it is tragic, there’s no doubt about that.


Lion’s Mouth, Snake’s Bite, by Kat and Tzigane []
PG, maybe R towards the end; Lucius, Draco. Summary: Draco gets a Pet.

new Living On, by wingdance #
PG-13, gen with established Remus/Sirius in the background, AU, ~9K words. Summary: Life for Lily doesn’t end just because her husband’s life has.

Voldemort attacks Godric’s Hollow. James sacrifices himself and dies. Lily doesn’t. After a while, she adopts two children of dead/executed Death Eaters, and now Harry has a brother and a sister. Different and well-written. I really liked how wingdance showed so much of the kids, their personalities and lives, in such a short story. Wonderful! (I wonder how I found it…)


Man of Property (part 1, part 2), by Josan #
Snape, PG.

After the war, an injured veteran Severus Snape buys property. Absolutely wonderful! So warm, so humane, so detailed! How would it be possible not to love Josan if she writes fics like this?


Metamorphosis, by Zillah (visionshadows) #
There are some Snape/Lupin and McGonagall/Pomfrey but the fic isn’t ship-centric; Harry, R. Summary: In the final moments of her life, Hermione chooses to save her child. Warnings: Death-fic, male pregnancy, depression.

A Most Unlikely Pair, by Eodrakken (pauraque) #
G, Draco, Pettigrew.

It’s a very short, amusing fic from the king of all things Peter-y. Baby Draco is wailing and bothering the Dark Lord. So Lucius sends Peter to comfort the child. Peter does. A marvellous miniature, it’s light but it tells us a lot of the characters involved.


Of Dog and Chimp, by unsymbolic #
PG, sort of Sirius/George Bush. Summary: What is on ‘the other side of the veil’? Maybe it’s something far more sinister than death. Maybe it’s the Bush White House!

This fic was recced all over the place, and everybody and his cat kept saying “Don’t mind the pairing, it’s really great!” But of course I did mind, at least until a friend of mine who reads only H/D (and prefers them fluffy) banged me over the head, urging me to read it and promising that ‘it’s not like that!’ So if there are some of you who skipped this story because of the pairing, please, give it a chance! This is the very case when a capable writer pulls off a crazy or impossible scenario. If you are into politics, you’ll read it as satire. If you aren’t, it’s still funny but as humour instead of satire, and even a bit touching. I’d call this fic charming.


Old Dogs, by Bernice (iibnf) #
Lupin, Snape, G.

This is a tiny ficlet, very funny and tender, I’m not telling you anything ‘cos I so don’t want to spoil this small miracle.


Older, Wiser, Sadder, by shalott (astolat) #
Snape, Harry, PG. Summary: Before the beginning of the affair.

The Only One He Ever Feared, by jjtaylor #
PG-13. Summary: You’ve got it all wrong. We’re not the bad guys.

The fic is a part of hp_au_ficathon and answers the request that Voldemort and Dumbledore be switched. The way it’s done is really clever and fascinating, my reaction was “wow!” I can’t tell you any details because the pleasure is in your unravelling of this fic’s mystery on your own. I picked only two fics from the AU ficathon for recs; this one is one of them. Enjoy!


The Onopordon Acanthium, by Rinsbane # (locked)
McGonagall, Millicent, G. Summary: Future fic. As McGonagall ages, she finds she has a rare illness. Millicent comes to take care of her. Because it’s her duty, because it is what the women of her family do and have always done.

Out of the Bag, by Bernice (iibnf) #
Snape, Minerva, hamsters. G.

Find out why Snape’s so bad at Transfigurations. Very well-written, amusing, and sweet, too.


Parrot, by Penknife #
PG, POTC crossover. Summary: Jack’s always been an odd bird.

As I said in my comment, a good HP/POTC crossover? Wow. It’s just a short story but it’s full of clever, precise details of both worlds that work! They do work! It’s lovely and wistful and amusing; it smells of another historic period. It shows us a perfect young Jack Sparrow. It gives us a glimpse into the family history of the characters we know. All in all interesting and wonderfully told.

It seemed to me while I was reading that the author’s narrative manner looked familiar. But I can’t put my finger on it.


Preferences, by Eumenides #
PG. OC, Draco, Ron, Neville. Author’s Note: For the Classic Canon Challenge “Bartleby the Scrivener”.

A Question of Whom, by Raven (malfoypatriarch) #
PG. Summary: Experts say that with a mere blink of an eye, a person can dream. The dreams last but a second and within that second, an entire life can be made up. A life completely different from the one you’re living now. Who’s to say then, that we’re not all dreaming our own lives? And who’s to say what will be greeting us when we awaken?

The Reader, by Aja ##
Draco, Harry, PG-13. Summary: Death. War. Love. Poetry.

Reclamation, by Sam Vimes (copperbadge) #
PG; AU. Remus/Sirius implied. Summary: In an alternate universe, one man still struggles with a moral decision made many years before. Warning: Themes of suicide; reference to major character death.

This is a clever post-HBP what if fic, Tom Riddle-centric, at the same time chilling and appealing. I’m sealing my mouth shut ‘cos the best way to read a fic like this is knowing as little about its contents as possible. I can say that it’s very good though. That won’t spoil anything :)


Remus Lupin, Early Pioneer in the History of Magical Minority Rights, by Magnetic Pole #
some Snape/Lupin in the background, G. Summary: Wilhelmina Weasley writes an essay about her hero in the history of Magical Minority rights.

Remus Lupin, Early Pioneer in the History of Magical Minority Rights
By Wilhelmina Weasley, Third Year, Gryffindor
Written for Professor HJ Granger, History of Magic
Assignment: two scrolls on the life history of a pioneer in the history of Magical Minority rights,
based on library research or a personal interview

This fic is brilliantly written and at the same time absolutely hilarious and profoundly sad. Rare and strange combination, so this is probably why it works so well and this is why it’s not to be missed. It tells us a lot about us, in a sly and unassuming way. It’s been a long time since such a short story stayed in my head for so long.


Silent All These Years (Sirius, Bella, R), by Cluegirl (or here) ##
Sirius, Bella (some mentions of Sirius/Remus); R. Topics: Cancer, family alienation, abusive parenting, racism, abandonment, abortion, pregnancy from rape, terminal illness, euthanasia.

An astounding piece of fiction, written for the [info]wizard_trauma fest. This is the exchange of letters between Sirius and Bellatrix from their early years and until Sirius’ death that totally, completely blown me away.

There are so many potential pitfalls in this scenario, but ClueGirl, of course, sidestepped them. Let’s take a terminal illness as Black family curse, for instance. It could have been cheap, but ClueGirl makes it absolutely believable, so that you see everything you know from the first five HP books in an entirely new light. She finds a very fine, true manner that lets her show Bellatrix so that the reader can see her as, if not attractive (for she’s still the mad, bloodthirsty bitch we’ve seen in canon), then at least human. She’s shown in a way that lets us understand her. It’s a really difficult task not to make Bellatrix either a ludicrous evil-doer or a prettified, misunderstood something. And Sirius! Oh my god. He’s so much Sirius! But the most fascinating thing in this fic, as for me, is the Black family. It’s not a piece of decoration, it’s a key. Fantastic fic!


Simple Lost Things, by Dayse #
PG; AU. Snape, Sirius, Harry. Sirius/Remus implied. Summary: Snape suspects that Sirius’s feelings towards Harry may not exactly be paternal.

A Speaking Likeness, by Leni Jess (or here) #
PG-13, Draco. Summary Draco gets out of Voldemort’s clutches alive. Now he has to make sure life might be worth living.

A Swan, A Tree (something far away and happy), by Rinsbane # (locked)
PG, a hint of Snape/Harry. Summary: “The war comes home to Hogwarts. So do people. Sometimes we can’t see all the pieces of a puzzle and we just have to trust that things will work out.”

This fic is really gen, but as Snape/Harry is the author’s OTP, there’s some very subtle Snape/Harry in it — but blink and you’ll miss it. I think I’ll add it to the gen part of my reclist. Anyway, this is one of the best Uninvolved Narrator fics I’ve read. It’s told from the POV of a magical portrait who observes the war, the echoes of which reach the corner where it hangs. It’s full of absolutely wonderful magic. You know, I always crave fics that explore the theory and life of magical portraits/photos. Rinsbane here makes wonders in this respect. Fantastic story!


Switch, by Corvidae9 #
G, AU, has a lot of follow-ups so may be considered WIP (same link). Summary: “The Sorting Hat has sorted thousands of students in the course of its life. If it makes a mistake or two, who’s to say it’s wrong? Certainly not Fred or George Weasley.”

Brilliant and hilarious. The twins prank the Sorting Hat, and *everybody* from Harry’s year is sorted into a house different from where they were sorted in canon. The kids have one-two lines each, but as for me, at least half of them is priceless. Charming, funny, sheer delight to read!


A Thousand Wishes, by _hannelore #
Neville. G. Summary: Neville gets distracted by a folded paper crane and a particular wish.

A Thousand Words, by Bernice (iibnf) #
PG-13; Snape. Summary: Snape. Sad. Short.

new To Unstopper Time, by Chthonya #
Gen (Snape, Harry, Lily), PG-13, short. Warnings: DH spoilers, AU, some swearing. Summary: What if Severus and Lily had stayed on speaking terms?

Sad and clever, the ending in particular. Snape decides that he wants to keep Lily for a friend after the “Mudblood incident”, and so history is changed. But not much. In certain details, enough that Harry, still raised by Petunia, has an “uncle” come and visit him and teach him about magic. Is is a change for the better? Read and see for yourself. Wonderful Snape, wonderful Harry, and a perfect ending to top it off.


Tower of Air, by Cluegirl (or here) #
Albus, Sirius, PG. Summary: Sometimes, even when the price is too high, there is no choice but to pay it. / Angst. Albus Dumbledore counts the costs.

A fic where the expression “the raven-haired youth” looks good is worth reccing.

Seriously though, the author shows so much compassion for her character that it can’t help but evoke a strong emotional response in the readers. ClueGirl here writes Albus Dumbledore so that he calls for our love and sympathy. In this story, he’s neither a two-dimensional villain who’s no better than Voldemort, nor super-hyper-manipulative puppeteer, nor senile old man. He is a tired, complicated man, burdened with variety of duties and losses. We find Albus carrying Sirius’ portrait to the hidden gallery in the highest tower of Hogwarts. While he ascends the stairs and places the picture on the wall, he speaks to Sirius and the other inhabitants of the gallery, and they talk among themselves. I’m deliberately leaving Sirius and everything about him out of this review; let it be for you to discover. I’ll only say that I find him very much in character and the situation, absolutely heartbreaking.

It’s a very sad and beautiful story, poetic and memorable.


An Unequal Magic, by Lyras ##
Petunia, Snape, Harry, PG. Summary: When Petunia grudgingly offers Snape sanctuary, the pair discover that they have certain things in common. Gen, although I tried my best to work in hints of pre-slash Snarry, as per request. I’m afraid it’s rather a case of “blink and you’ll miss them”, however.

This is the best Petunia fic I’ve read, hands down. I don’t really care about her, but this fic made me care. She’s so real, so complicated! You can’t help caring. This fic makes you understand her and see things with her eyes. Petunia has a secret. It’s a very sad secret, and it’s very IC. I loved Snape in this fic, and Harry’s cameos were wonderful too. IMO, it’s just an incredible story. I loved it.


Unrequited, by Underlucius #
PG, Snape. Summary: Snape lives a life of longing. For the Unrequited Love Challenge.

Voldemort in the Loony Bin, by Mahaliem #
PG-13. Summary: Pretty much what you’d expect from the title. Notes: There are stories in fandom where the hero wakes up in a mental hospital. Everyone tries to convince the hero that his world is all in his head. Buffy the Vampire Slayer had a wonderful episode based on this concept and I’ve read a terrific fanfic in the HP fandom with the same idea. This is my version of that cliche.

I feel silly that I always say the same things when reccing a story by Mahaliem, but here I go again. This fic is hilarious, as you can expect when you see the combination of the cliché and the author’s name! An ideal thing to lighten your mood.

Voldemort looked at the food on the tray in disgust. He wouldn’t feed this slop to Nagini. However, if eating it allowed him to meet with his followers and plot to escape from the Ministry’s clutches, then he would do as he was told. Snatching up his fork, he speared a carrot on the tines and was lifting it to his mouth when his hand bumped something. In confusion, he laid the fork down and examined his face with his hands.

“A nose!” he shouted. “I have a nose!”

Potter shook his head in disgust. “Bats in the belfry.”

Wonderful style, absurd and funny but still somehow credible plot and characters. Every scene is a succinct but bright miniature with a couple of particularly wonderful lines and canon details incorporated into it with an unusual twist to highlight it. Sheer joy! Go read!


When The Ghost Came, a story about George and Fred, by Singwithin #
G, Weasley twins. Summary: AUish look at the twins, and how things might have been different.

Wizards Abroad, by Fourth Rose #
HP/Discworld crossover, PG, Draco-centric. Summary: When Dumbledore sends him to the “perfect hide-out”, Draco doesn’t know yet that he’ll soon wish Voldemort had got to him first…

This fic is absolutely brilliant and one of the most amusing things I’ve read in a while. Marginaliana seduced me with her crack_broom rec. You see, I don’t particularly like Terry Pratchett. I like the world he created but not how the books are written. But in this fic, the author takes the most vivid, characteristic things from both universes and mingles them in a most perfect way. The result? Gosh, laughed so hard I was afraid to rupture something, especially when Draco asks, “Father?” Oh lollity. Thumbs up!






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One Response to “HP recs: gen”

  1. Shelley on July 5th, 2008 7:00 pm

    The link for ‘Boy’s Best Friend’ seems to be broken, just FYI.

    Also, some recs for you to consider (they are all gen and are Snape/Harry mentor):

    Elsa’s Taniwha series (very other-worldly) - http://www.potionsandsnitches.net/fanfiction/viewstory.php?sid=528

    Perse’s ‘Surreality’ (a little bittersweet) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2218900/1/

    Libellule’s ‘Circumstance’ (a nice adventure) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1664852/1/Circumstance

    Theowyn’s ‘Enemy Within’ series (very IC Snape, nice magical details) - http://www.potionsandsnitches.net/fanfiction/viewstory.php?sid=1286

    Thank you for all your hard work. I find myself coming back to your lists again and again.

    -S

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