Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Het: m/f, SS/MM, Missing Moment, Pre-HBP

Story Summary: Just another day in the life of two Hogwarts professors.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

I had a hard time attempting to categorize this little gem of a ficlet/short story.  The situation is somewhat angsty, but the dialogue is exactly what you’d expect between these two, with several wonderful turns of phrase that had me laughing out loud.  The two of them are snarky and unsentimental, yet are full of such obvious affection for one another.  This is a lovely little missing moment, one you are sure to enjoy.

Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Het: m/f, SS/MM, Alternate Universe, Post-DH

Story Summary: Many years after Voldemort is finally overthrown, a Bulgarian former refugee comes forward to help answer one of the great mysteries of the wars: what happened to Snape and McGonagall. AU after the Battle of Hogwarts.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

In this engrossing and original tale, we leap thirty years into the future in a world where Voldemort won the Battle of Hogwarts, though Harry eventually defeats him. The first person we meet here is Ivo Dobrev.  Wait a minute - who??  Ivan Marinov Dobrev.  Surely you remember him? No?  Well, it doesn’t take long after you begin reading this story that you forget that he is not one of JKR’s creations, so naturally does he belong to this world.

Ivo was one of the heretofore nameless Durmstrang students present at Hogwarts during the year of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the year that Voldemort was re-embodied and the Second War really began.  Two years after that, Bulgaria was getting far too uncomfortable for former proteges of Igor Karkarov, so he fled to Romania and ended up in a refugee camp.  Now, all these years later, The Dumbledore Institute has begun an oral history project to collect the stories of those whom the war affected outside of Britain.  Ivo responds, full of ambivalence, to an ad they placed in the Bulgarian equivalent of The Daily Prophet, deciding to at last tell his story after years of silence. He can tell about the life in the Vanda refugee camp, yes, but he also holds part of the answer to an enduring mystery of the war: what happened to Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape after they disappeared from Hogwarts post battle.  It is this story he both wants and does not want to tell, and he does not mention that he knows anything about this when he agrees to meet with the Institute’s historian in a small, out-of-the-way wizarding cafe in Sofia.

Thanks to the author’s superb powers of characterization, we immediately understand both the grizzled survivor, trying to decide what to tell and when and how to tell it, and the eager, naive young woman who is charged with recording his story.  Diantha Morris knows nothing, really, about war yet believes she can come to understand it from recording these stories.  She listens, almost patronizingly, to what he has to say, thinking that she is collecting a routine story about life in the refugee camp, and is utterly unprepared when Ivo slyly drops his bombshell.

She is shocked, then skeptical, at Ivo’s assertion that he knows what happened to these two key people after Hogwarts fell.  But he convinces her, and then, like she, we burn with curiousity to know everything he knows.  Through his eyes, we watch Minerva and Severus arrive in the camp, and settle in.  With him, we relive his memories, feel his respect for them and his scruples about listening in on their conversations and watching them at intimate moments.  Through the author’s spot-on ear for the way they speak to one another, and her luminous descriptions, we are transported there with him, hearing what they don’t say as well as what they do, and feeling the fierce tenderness between them.  The two of them feel very real, as does their relationship.  When the story comes to its close, in a finish which feels absolutely right, we are left as astonished as the historian must have been, at the power of this poignant and perceptive story.

Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Slash: m/m, Drama/Angst, Romance, Rare Slash Pairing, SS/MM, Rare Snape Het, Missing Moment, AD/HS, DH/Epilogue Compliant

Story Summary: Horace's relationship with Albus has never been straightforward; he has always been left at once ecstatic, confused and hurt to the bone. As the two friends become reacquainted during one of the wizarding world's most trying years, what, this time, might play out differently? How might memories of times past impact upon the future, and what secrets might come to the surface? Set during 'The Half Blood Prince.'

AlbaLark’s Rec:

The Horace Slughorn of Canon isn’t exactly, if you will pardon the pun, terribly fleshed out.  We know him only as the Head of Slytherin House and Potions master who preceded Severus Snape- a man who has quite a few character flaws (gluttony, hedonism, cowardice, someone who ‘collects’ people he believes can be of use to him later and so he can bask in their reflected glory, an avoider of uncomfortable truths).  In other words, he’s not a terribly admirable person, and he is meant to be someone for whom we feel a mild disgust when he intrudes upon our notice.

But this brilliant fic is guaranteed to change your point of view regarding Slughorn.  It humanizes him in a way JKR failed to do, setting his flaws in context, making them understandable and much less repellant than our original one dimensional view made them seem.

Told from Slughorn’s POV, the story begins just before Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter show up in Budleigh Babberton to induce him to return to Hogwarts.  Slughorn had fallen hard for Dumbledore long ago, who seemed to reciprocate his feelings to a point, only to wound Horace deeply and without seeming to notice that he’d done so.  We see Dumbledore’s manipulations here in an entirely different light than in HBP, and in spite of himself, Slughorn gives in.

As Harry Potter’s 6th year unfolds from Slughorn’s perspective, he falls easily into the old routines, renews old acquaintances, discovers a budding romance between colleagues and tells himself that he can handle being in such close proximity to Dumbledore, - even be friends with him without danger.  But we know as well as he does how impossible that will prove to be.  Dumbledore still has the power to wound him, even without meaning to.

The backstory of their past relationship unfolds in reminisces and flashbacks, and we see how he idealized Dumbledore, how insecure he felt at the disparity in their looks and talent, how unequal the feelings seemed to be.  These ideas haunt him still, making him feel the hopelessness of his longings even as he cannot prevent himself from having them.  Dumbledore won’t allow him to get close, will not allow any acknowledgement of feelings, nor would he in the past, though they were involved physically.

In the wake of one particularly devastating attempt make his feelings known, Slughorn spills his anguished grief to a photograph of Dumbledore.  It is a heartbreaking scene that will ring deeply true to anyone who has fallen for someone they feel is out of their league.  What Dumbledore has to say in the aftermath of this rings true as well, and gives one some keen insight and a bit of sympathy for past behavior one might otherwise find in short supply when it comes to him.  As things move toward the end we know is coming, the author crafts a denouement that is very moving, and a finale that gives us what we and the characters dearly hoped for.

In truth, I almost passed over this amazing story because of the primary pairing - the background helping of Severus and Minerva was the main reason I decided to read it at all.  I am *so* glad I decided to give this a chance.  It is beautifully written, exquisitely well characterized and deeply satisfying.  Don’t miss it!

Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Het: m/f, Drama/Angst, Post-HBP, Romance, Rare Het Pairing

Story Summary: After his rescue from the Malfoy dungeon and his stay at Shell Cottage, Ollivander finds himself waiting out the war with five of the Weasley clan at their Aunt Muriel’s. Their hostess is a difficult woman, but as he learns more about her, Ollivander begins to find her interesting as well.

Kelly Chambliss’s Rec –

This fic was part of the 2010 “HP Beholder” fest, which exists to give romance to characters that some people judge too old or unattractive or unpleasant to find love.  “An Interesting and Difficult Woman” epitomizes this premise:  set during the DH year after Mr Ollivander is liberated from his imprisonment in the Malfoys’ cellar, the story charts the slowly-developing romance between the old wand-maker and Muriel Weasley, the sharp-tongued, bold, 108-year-old aunt of the Weasley family.  In Featherxquill’s hands, both characters are beautifully-realized:  Mr Ollivander is quiet and careful and perceptively sees the world in terms of his craft; Muriel is outspoken and wise and, well, as the title says, she’s both interesting and difficult.  Personally, I’d make that “complex and fascinating.”  Plus — there’s a sizzling sex scene that is not only hot, but that also wonderfully reveals the characters.

Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Het: m/f, HP/GW, Romance, Mystery/Suspense, Post-DH

Story Summary: On Halloween, a recurring figment comes back to Harry’s life.

Rumpelsnorcack’s rec:

The intimacy between Harry and Ginny in this fic is lovely.  They are tender, caring, angry and real, and their relationship is highlighted and strengthened by Harry’s quest to find out who the white lady he’s been seeing around is.  In the end it is the connection between the two of them that provides his answers. This fic shows clearly how and why Harry and Ginny work so well together without ever being in your face about it.

The main focus of the story is Harry’s need to find out about the white lady (and her need to understand him) but Ginny is right at the core even when she isn’t ‘on screen’ with Harry.  The language used is beautifully evocative of the coldness surrounding Harry and the warmth he gets from Ginny, and makes the story a pleasure to read.

Status: Completed

Length: Ficlet

Tags: Het: m/f, Slash: f/f, Multiples, Rare Het Pairing, Rare Femmeslash Pairing, Erotica/PWP, HP/GW/LL, HP/PP, Post-DH, GW/PP, Ginny Femmeslash, FemHet Multiple, LL/PP

Story Summary: Based off of this picture (NSFW!!) by _odella_ . "This Evening's Entertainment."

Antosha’s Rec:
This is a short piece—three smutty double drabbles and a single—that manages to give a sense of something much larger.

Each of the first three portions deals with another liaison between Pansy and a lover: first school-era Luna, then Harry (Pansy making amends not long after the battle) and then Ginny, capped off by a brief, fun view of a Potter/Weasley/Lovegood ménage.
I love each of these vignettes—Pansy’s unhurried sensuality and her… partners varied reactions. And of course the last drabble was a wonderful payoff, tying the whole thing together!

Pansy purred as she dropped the Loon’s bra off the side of the bed and reached up once more to gently tug those slender hands down so she could admire Luna’s full little breasts. Lovegood was willowy, all right, but nude she was all joyous, sinewy curves, which Pansy admired as she stroked a shoulderblade.

Status: In Progress

Length: Epic

Tags: Het: m/f, DM/HG, Drama/Angst

Story Summary: Post Hogwarts by about a year. Draco and Hermione must face the consequences of one night’s events.

Gioia’s Rec:

This rec is an unusual one for me. For starters, this epic-length story is still a WIP. And although the author is continuing to update the story regularly, it could be awhile before the story is finished. Scifichick has never yet abandoned any of her many stories from what I can tell, but I’m always hesitant to rec WIPs because of the understanding that real life can often prevent such long fics from ever being completed.
However, the real reason this is an unusual rec for me is based on the moral ambiguity of the fic. In it, Draco has raped Hermione while drunk, fathering a magical child at a time when only 1 in 10 wizarding pregnancies are resulting in a magical child. Hermione is quickly forced by the ministry and the Malfoys to consider marriage to her rapist. I have major issues with this concept and generally avoid rape fics for that reason. Rape is not romantic and it’s not the basis for a solid marriage, no matter what certain romance or erotica stories might imply.

But this story isn’t a sweet romance. It’s about the hard issues that result from this act and how Hermione and Draco come to terms with what occurred and with what’s best for all involved in the future. To be fair, the rape in this story is motivated by drunken, out-of-control, love-driven lust; it’s not the so-called typical crime driven by hate and a desire to degrade and exert power over the victim. But it’s still a rape and therefore Hermione has some serious psychological issues to address. Draco, too, is suddenly forced to take a hard look at the selfish individual he’s grown to be and to ask himself if he’s capable of becoming a better man, even knowing that his efforts may not result in Hermione ever forgiving him.

In fact, you’ll find that the depictions of all the characters are handled in a similar way.  Although the author isn’t a fan of Ron, she explores his character thoughtfully, gives justification for any of his behavior which deviates from canon, and allows him the chance to let his choices define him, just as with the protagonists in this story.  And so while many Slytherin-centric stories tend to blindly declare that the Slytherins were misunderstood victims and that the Gryfffindors (whether Ron or the Marauders) were bullies, this isn’t one of those fics.

The question of abortion is also a significant plot point at the start of this story. Again, the author does a good job of taking an honest look at this issue with an eye towards the moral, psychological and sociological implications. Nearly every character displays a certain degree of double standards in their varied opinions on abortion, which makes the handling of this issue much more interesting here. And although this is normally a topic I avoid in fanfics, I found myself very intrigued by the stark manner in which the author addressed this.

So I am recommending this story because of the way the author takes such an honest look at some hard issues rather than overly-romanticizing them. At the same time, as one who is angst-phobic, I also am impressed with how the author keeps this from being a depressing, overly-intense tale. There is enough interesting plot making up the bulk of the story that I did not find the tale overwhelming at all.

As a side-note, scifichick774 is a self-described crack-fic author. Don’t believe her.  Even the crackiest of her stories reveal keen insight into the human psyche.  She has no problem with occasionally deviating from canon-characterizations, but the overall strength of her writing, her focused, character-driven plots, and -most importantly- her intriguing AU justifications for why the characters could behave a certain way under the right circumstances prevent stories such as this one from feeling like easily-dismissable crack-fic. Therefore, this thoughtful, intriguing story is not at all a deviation from scifichick774’s normal writing style, in spite of her self-deprecating remarks.

Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Het: m/f, Drama/Angst, Rare Snape Slash, SS/MM, Rare Snape Het, SS/AM

Story Summary: Severus Snape spends his first summer holiday away from teaching cloistered at a remote house in strange company, not least his own.

Kelly Chambliss’s Rec –

In many ways, this story is the best Snape/McGonagall I’ve read; the only reason I can’t say it’s the best Snape/Moody is that I know of only one other.  But “In Memory of Sigmund Freud” does a superb job with both pairings.  In fact, even though this review contains probably the longest lists of effusive adjectives I’ve ever written, I’m not indulging in hyperbole.  The plot, the structure, the style, the characterizations, the literary allusions, the sex — they’re all that good.

Here’s the set-up:  At the end of Severus’s first year of teaching, while he sits, à la Hamlet, debating the merits of self-slaughter, Minerva invites him to spend the summer with her at her family home.  When they arrive, the always-suspicious Severus is shocked to find a drink-sodden Alastor Moody already in residence.  But he settles quickly into in his own room, complete with Greek-chorus, hilarious ghost, and soon he and Moody are working out their salvations (or something) in their own complicated, painful, inimitable ways, assisted, in her inimitable way, by a wonderfully sexual, acerbic, butterfly-collecting Minerva.

This is young!Severus in all his gauche awkwardness; he’s believably naive, paranoid, exasperating, brilliant, and oddly endearing.  It’s Moody with all his strengths and weaknesses — scarred, angry, wounded, violent, moving.  And Minerva is a triumph:  she’s generous and wry and initially seems to be the most uncomplicated character of the three, but in the end, I find her the most enigmatic.

In this as in all her stories, Delphi writes with intelligence, wit, and insight.   It’s a powerful fic that will stay with you.

Status: Completed

Length: Novel

Tags: Het: m/f, Gen, Post-HBP, Romance, Rare Het Pairing, Fluff, Mystery/Suspense, Nevillecentric, NL/HA

Story Summary: Neville thinks his summer will be much like any other: working in his grandmother's garden and other lonely pursuits. After leaving Hogwarts many months before, Hannah Abbott believes she is trapped and isolated for good. They're both mistaken. This story is rated PG13, except for one R-rated scene in chapter 14. This story was written prior to the release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

Antosha’s Rec:

It’s a bit late for Valentine’s Day, but I thought I’d share one of my favorite novel-length fluff fics. It’s definitely not all sweetness and light, but it’s wonderfully romantic and it happens to pair two of the nicest characters in the series, Neville Longbottom and Hannah Abbott—a couple that was quite rare when the fic was written before DH, but became quasi-canon when JKR revealed in post-book-seven interviews that they had ended up together.

The fic combines romance and mystery, very much in the vein of one of Rowling’s favorite authors, Dorothy L. Sayers. While Hannah and Neville very slowly find their way together, they are also trying to solve the mystery of her mother’s death—an event that was easy to miss in all the uproar of HBP, but which the author spins into a very canonical, compelling plot.

He didn’t seem to have much of an appetite at the moment. Instead, he poured himself a cup of strong tea from the rapidly cooling pot. As he did so, a plump tawny owl swooped in through the open sash window.

“Gran – she’s here!”

“Yes, I can see that, young man.” Augusta Longbottom’s voice softened. “Hebe – my angel. Where have you been all this time?” She held out her hand for the owl to alight. Instead, the bird settled on Neville’s shoulder and extended her leg. With trembling fingers, he unfastened the small roll of parchment and carefully spread it on the table, tea and toast forgotten.

Dear Neville,

Thank you for your last letter. It was good to hear from you, even with such awful news. I know I’ve said it before but if it hadn’t been for you and my other friends keeping in touch, the last few months would have been unbearable. Although, it’s funny because I got the strangest note from Professor Sprout the other day. It was so sweet of her to write. I miss her. In answer to your question, there’s no chance I’ll be able to go back to school next year. I’ll explain when I see you. Yes, that’s my answer to your second question, but I’ll come onto that.

Neville put the letter down for a second and took a noisy gulp of his tea. Augusta held back a retort about table manners with difficulty. Her grandson was looking more cheerful than she’d seen him since he arrived home for the holidays. For the first few days, he’d done little except limp around the garden, looking frustrated at all the work that needed doing. This week, he’d recovered sufficiently to start pulling his weight again, but he’d been going about his chores with less than his usual gusto. Although longing to, she hadn’t quizzed him about the events of the end of term, taking Poppy’s and Minerva’s advice for once. Across the table, Neville slammed his mug down with a thump, spattering the tablecloth, before starting to read eagerly again.

I haven’t heard from Susan since the start of the holidays – she said she wouldn’t be able to write once she left Hogwarts. They have to be so careful. But I’d give anything to know that she’s safe.

Death everywhere. I have to keep telling myself not to be gloomy. Life goes on. For some people, anyway.

I’m so sorry you got hurt. I can’t imagine how terrifying it must have been. Thank goodness you’re getting better now. You are being careful, I hope? Being hit with a Blasting Curse, even indirectly, is no joke.

I had a feeling something must have happened. I had my Galleon in my pocket, I like to keep it with me to remind me of last year when Mum before all these horrible things started happening. I was lying on my bed in the dark, talking to my cat. Reading seems pointless and I can’t seem to concentrate on my knitting, so it makes no difference. Zophy’s a real comfort though, she hardly leaves my side. Anyway, I felt the Galleon starting to get hot straight away.

I switched on the light and all I could do was sit there and look at it, and wonder what was going on, wishing I could have been there. I’m not brave like you but at least I could have done something. I can’t believe Ernie let you all down. I told him never to stop checking, but he’s always been a heavy sleeper, or so I’ve heard. I could bash him, I really could.

I can’t wait to see you and ask the millions of questions buzzing round my head. I feel like we’re just walking around in ignorance, not knowing when the next bolt from the blue is going to strike. I’ve had a lot of time to think over these last months and talking to Dad and everything he’s going through

Then again – maybe I’m better off not knowing, stuck here.

Gosh, this is a long one. I’ll get to the point. I can meet you tomorrow – well, today by the time you’re reading this. I’m coming down to London with Dad, he says he’s been promised a meeting with someone about Mum. I can’t imagine who – all our letter-writing must have paid off. He even got me to send a owl to the Ministry a few weeks ago, although I told him it was useless.

So, I’ll meet you outside St. Mungo’s at 12.30, like you suggested. The Physic Garden sounds lovely. I do hope it’s a nice day. I could do with some sunshine, and a bit of fun.

Can’t wait to see you!

Hannah

—from Asking for Roses, Ch. 1

Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Het: m/f, SS/HG, Gen, Drama/Angst, Romance, Fluff, Friendship/Mentorship, Post-DH, Minervacentric

Story Summary: Birthdays are the highlights of Severus Snape's life.

harmony_bites’ Rec:

This was lovely. This does feature Snape/Hermione, but is mostly a friendship story, especially between Severus and Minerva, and later Filius. I like how this builds from birthday to birthday from the one just before Harry Potter started Hogwarts to post-Deathly Hallows. Lots of little individual details in this story was a pleasure.