Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Slash: m/m, Romance, Rare Snape Slash, Post-DH, SS/FF

Story Summary: After the war, Severus finds himself dealing with excessively apologetic former colleagues, struggling through a difficult recovery from his injuries, and holed up inside Hogwarts in order to avoid the Ministry. Strangely, Filius is somehow making it almost enjoyable.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

This is another unusual Snape pairing that might strike one as unlikely, but I have greatly enjoyed this author’s efforts in the past, and so I decided to trust that this would be good.  It’s safe to say that expectations were exceeded!

The story opens with Severus waking up in the infirmary after the Battle of Hogwarts, with everyone (except the Ministry) falling all over themselves to apologize for having doubted him.  When Severus has had just about enough of this, in walks Filius Flitwick, who refuses to apologize for anything.  That sounds ominous, but it’s just Flitwick’s rather smart way of disarming Severus’s snark bomb and jollying him into conversation.  And he keeps it up, too, visiting daily to bring books, play chess, and gossip about what’s going on in the castle.  And when Severus is well enough to leave the infirmary, but in need of some exercise to bring himself back up to par, he talks him into being his regular dueling partner in lieu of Poppy’s physical therapy.

The friendship this engenders is very natural and real.  Different feelings begin to creep up Severus before he even realizes something’s changed - for the both of them - and this, too feels a very natural consequence.  When the slow burn heats up a little more, the scene that follows is tender and surprisingly hot.

The two of them have a very happy next few months, but the Ministry will not wait any longer to take Severus to Azkaban and then to trial.  He has to make a choice.  Should he stay and stand a trial he is pessimistic about winning, or take flight and have a chance to keep his freedom?  The author makes the choices he makes, and his reasons for them, feel as genuine as can be.  And while the final outcome is in doubt, we’re sure about the feelings they have for each other.

This is a lovely story, with characterizations which ring true, written with warmth and humor, making a romance that just *works*.

Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Humour/Parody, Fluff, Rare Snape Slash, SS/AF

Story Summary: In which Albus Dumbledore makes an error, Severus Snape is certainly not married, and Argus Filch is the happiest man in the world.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

This clever, splendidly humorous fic opens with a quote from Mrs. Euphemia Buttons’ wizarding guidebook on marriage and yet another hare-brained scheme by Albus Dumbledore.  Severus Snape is in his first year of teaching at Howarts, and Dumbledore decides that he wants to use an old ritual to bind Severus to him in his capacity as the ‘Head of Household’ at Hogwarts to insure his loyalty.  The only problem is, the Headmaster *isn’t* the head of the castle’s household - the caretaker is.  Thus, unbeknownst to them both, after Dumbledore repeats the ritual three times, seemingly without success, Severus ends up the ‘bride’ of Argus Filch.  This sounds like it ought to be crack-fic, but, amazingly enough, it is not.  It will, however, frequently have you gasping with laughter.

Turns out, Filch has been fancying Snape for a while and is thrilled to be married.  He begins referring to Severus as ‘poppet’ and taking advice from the aforementioned marriage guide on being the perfect husband.  Severus, for his part, once the shock wears off, resists mightily any notion of being married, though he does enjoy the sex that is the side effect of the bond.  This is just a magical mishap, and any notion that he might really want or need this is just ridiculous.  But Argus is sweetly patient and persistant, managing his prickly ‘bride’ every bit as well as he handles Hogwarts. Filch is so adorable here that you just want to hug him - not one’s usual reaction.  His attempts at cosseting Severus are so sweet and funny, and Severus’s tart responses make them even funnier.

In spite of himself, however, Severus slowly succumbs to Argus’s genuine affection and tender attentions.  Suddenly, breaking that misguided spell doesn’t seem so urgent, and our favorite Potions master seems on his snarky way to unbounded domesticity.  And this winning story, full of delectable lines, lovely insights and charming scenes, will leave you smiling long after you’ve finished.

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!

Length: Short Story

Tags: Slash: m/m, Drama/Angst, SS/RL, Tragedy, Pre-HBP

Story Summary: Lupin discovers the skeleton in Snape's closet.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

The Diary was written prior to OotP, and is therefore no longer ‘canonical’, but is still well worth reading.  Severus goes to meet a spy for a report, and discovers from an injured Remus Lupin (his contact), that security has been breached and Voldemort has a spy in residence at Hogwarts.  Snape rescues Lupin, and hides him in his rooms at the castle while they try to find out the identity of the Dark Lord’s informant.

This is the frame for the real meat of the story (the identity of the spy turns out to be rather anti-climactic):  while trying to find something to amuse himself while in hiding, he comes across an ancient diary and a portrait of Snape’s maternal grandmother.  These two items lead to the uncovering of Severus’s tragic family history (remember that this was written at a time when we assumed that the Head of Slytherin was a pureblood and born to privilege, rather than a half-blood born into poverty and neglect).  What he learns gives Remus new insight into Severus’s character and what made him the man he is, and this endows him with the courage to take a chance on a new beginning for the two of them.

Both men are very in-character here, the dialog is nicely done, and the revelations shocking and very sad.  All in all, a well told tale, and one of the classics of the ship.

Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Slash: m/m, HP/SS, Drama/Angst, Humour/Parody, SS/RL, Alternate Universe, Pre-HBP

Story Summary: "Moony, you alright? I heard you groaning and--CHRIST! Shit, Moony, sorry, I didn't rea--wait...is that SNAPE?!"

AlbaLark’s Rec:

Recovery Position is an AU fic which ignores everything after Goblet of Fire.  In this world, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Severus Snape all survive into a post-war furture in which Hogwarts is a devastated mess, with Dumbledore crushed beneath the wreakage and 18 year old Harry Potter’s fate uncertain, but he is assumed to be dead.

Severus himself narrates the story.  His voice is hauntingly true - funny and pain-wracked at the same time.  You can’t help but hurt for what he’s saying at the same time you laugh out loud at the way he’s saying it.  He’s gotten himself addicted to muggle morphine to deal with the grief of losing Hogwarts, Dumbledore and Harry Potter, whom he loves unrequitedly, now forever - or so it seems.

Remus Lupin, who has much experience in the muggle world, recognizes Severus’s addiction and detoxifies him with quiet devotion, just in time for Harry to reappear.

Severus fights his craving for the morphine, his past attraction to Harry, his growing, unwilling, attraction to Remus, and discovers that his feelings are not so unrequited after all.  The triangle is drawn with such precision and feeling, and every character is so true to our understanding, that you ache for all parties as Severus contemplates his choices.

The sex in this fic is extremely well written - hot and emotionally intense, starting out as a not-quite-casual shag that, as the relationship continues, evolves into full-bore lovemaking.  The warm, hopeful ending is a just-right conclusion to this marvelous fic.

A technical note: This story is archived at the Lupin-Snape Community site on LiveJournal in several separate posts which are not linked.  Each post has to be accessed individually.  You will need to click the forward button to find the next post, and they are not all one after another.  Posts 1/2 through post 7 are sequential; there are 2 clicks forward to post 8; there are 4 clicks forward between post 9 and 10, then another 2 forward to post 11; post 12, the final post, follows next with one click.  Yes, it’s aggravating, but definitely worth it!

Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Drama/Angst, SS/RL, Post-DH, MWPP

Story Summary: There are many reasons to lie, and Remus Lupin is familiar with all of them.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

The primary character in this powerful fic is Remus Lupin, and this is not your usual ‘fanon’, idealized Remus.  Those sympathetic to his character don’t usually see him as a liar, or, if they do, they see it as something forced on him, not as a personality flaw.

This story takes a different approach and shows us a person who, from his first discovery that lies can wound, nevertheless finds them disconcertingly easy to tell.  The early lies are necessary ones, the ones which allow him to conceal his lycanthropy.  But even these are treated as a game - a tactic which backfires spectacularly.

Since we see everything from his POV, Remus’s motivations are easy to understand, even if the choices he makes are wrong.  In spite of this, he remains a sympathetic character.  The author lets us in on the roiling sense of betrayal, his fears and guilt, and the pain which leads him to try to communicate what he feels to those who are supposed to be his friends.  When they act predictably and distance themselves further, the alienation which lead to Pettigrew being chosen Secret Keeper makes perfect sense.

No one is an ideal in this story, and everyone is seen to be caught in their own webs of deceit.  As the years pass, and Severus Snape begins to assume a larger role in Remus’s life, we discover that he - perhaps better than anyone - understands Remus quite well.  Severus, it seems, has secrets and lies of his own.  We know what these are, of course, but Remus does not.  The one time they come together as lovers, Severus allows himself to openly display (for reasons which are clear to us but not to Lupin) feelings he’s kept hidden for a long time.  He asks Remus to lie to him, and when ugly reality intrudes to end their idyll, Remus is no longer certain himself who was doing the lying.  It’s a heart-breaking scene, a kalidoscope of pain and betrayal, perfectly done.

As the final battle shocks him into self-clarity, he finds all the truth he needs in the man he instinctively saves from death in the Shrieking Shack.  The aftermath of that epiphany, and the place where the author leaves us, feels just right.

Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Slash: m/m, Drama/Angst, Romance, SS/RL, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense, Post-DH

Story Summary: The war is finally over and, to his surprise, Remus Lupin has survived, though questions about just what happened to him during the final battle haunt his dreams and his waking hours in equal measure. When he realizes that Severus Snape is also still alive, Remus knows he can’t rest until he finds him. Something deep within him whispers that Severus holds the answers he needs, and only when he’s face to face with him again will he be able to understand the true reason for his survival and find what’s been missing from his life for far too long.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

This lovely, angsty little romance begins with the happy fact that Severus Snape is alive and free after the close of the final battle.  So, why isn’t he halfway across Europe by now?  Having heard that Remus Lupin lays under a spell mimicking death, he knows that he alone holds the key to reviving the werewolf.  So, despite the danger, he cannot walk away.  He lifts the curse, only to discover that doing so brings him none of the things he’d hoped for.  In the wake of his disappointment, he disappears to start his life anew, and alone.

Remus Lupin, as he slowly tries to put his life back and memories back together after his health returns, knows that Snape has something to do with the fact that he recovered from the spell, and thus, must be alive too.  So Remus sets out to uncover where he has gone and how and why Severus did what he did. And when the two men finally hash out what tore them apart, the result is as pleasing as one could hope for.

So, the plot combines elements of mystery, suspense, action/adventure and hurt/comfort (in other words, your classic Snape/Lupin romance) as it turns out that Severus’s plans hadn’t covered every contingency.  Very good characterizations, an engaging story, a dashing rescue, and well-written dialogue make the 11 chapters an absorbing read, and the illustrations (from many different artists) which accompany most chapters are a welcome cherry on top.

Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Slash: m/m, Drama/Angst, SS/RL, Mystery/Suspense, Snape Slash Multiple, Alternate Universe, SS/RB

Story Summary: After Regulus died, Severus began receiving letters from a mysterious "friend" at random intervals. Oddly enough, he also began running into Remus Lupin at similarly random intervals. As the world falls to pieces around them, can Severus trust words on parchment, or a werewolf's motives?

AlbaLark’s Rec:

This story sucks you right in from the beginning, as we sit on the Hogwarts Express with Regulus Black at the end of his 5th year, lusting after Severus Snape.

After that hot beginning, the story moves quickly into the period of the First War, still from Regulus’s POV, pondering his disillusionment with the Dark Lord as he watches Severus sleep.  He makes up his mind about what he must do, and then Severus is left alone to pick up the pieces.

As Severus and Sirius nearly come to blows at Regulus’s funeral, Lily and Remus comfort the grief-stricken Severus, and afterward, Remus takes Severus to the corner pub for a drink.  What starts as comfort ends as something more, and thus begins the rollercoaster relationship the two will have for the next 18 years.

The characterizations here are spot on, and the situations doubly so, as they fit right into canon and expand on it in ways which mesh seamlessly with what we know.

Time passes into the period between wars, and mysterious letters begin coming to Severus, often just after an encounter with Lupin, and we follow Severus’s life, framed by this correspondence and what he believes it means.  The events leading to the Second War and its aftermath are shown deftly, and the survival of both Snape and Lupin seems as natural as if that’s what ‘really’ happened.  When things take an unexpected turn at the end, the adroitly handled hopeful ending wisely leaves the future up to our imaginations.

Status: Completed

Length: Drabble

Tags: Slash: m/m, Drama/Angst, SS/RL, Drabble, Alternate Universe

Story Summary: A series of 100-word drabbles. Severus is in Bethlem Royal Hospital; Remus is a doctor.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

A series of 12 linked drabbles set in a non-magical, Victorian era AU, this beautiful little piece tells of the rescue of a mad Severus Snape from Bedlam Asylum by Dr. Remus Lupin.

This is a superbly crafted and lyrical story that shows great depth of feeling, with an ending that will wrench your heart.

Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Slash: m/m, SS/RL, Crossovers, Rare Slash Pairing, Alternate Universe, RB/KS

Story Summary: Severus Snape is a brilliant diagnostician, but it turns out that Remus Lupin is a very difficult case, in more ways than one.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

If the thought has ever crossed your mind that Hugh Laurie’s Dr. Gregory House and JKR’s Severus Snape could be fraternal twins separated at birth, this fic is for you.

This is an non-magical AU story, with an adaptation of the first war plot points as the backstory.  Riddle and Malfoy are still villains, and Snape and Regulus Black are still under a cloud for their past associations.
The story opens as Black (a Cardiologist who functions as Snape’s Wilson) brings Diagnostician Snape an unusual case involving Pediatric Endocrinologist Remus Lupin, who is suffering from monthly symptoms which mimic severe heart failure, and then disappear after 8 hours.

A recovering Lupin flirts with Snape, who immediately sets him down with the snark set on ‘stun’, and the fun begins.  Severus does his usual ‘hold everyone at arm’s length’ bit, but Remus still gets under his skin.  Then, just as he has managed to alienate Lupin and nearly everyone around him, the past comes back with a vengeance to haunt him.  Right when everything looks as if it’s going to come crashing down around his ears, Regulus makes a discovery, and Severus has to make some important choices and face some truths about himself.
The story is beautifully plotted, excellently paced fun, with dialog that would do any House episode proud, just enough angst, and a happy ending.  Popcorn, anyone?