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Snerk. Not my usual type of thing, but how could I resist a story that cites both Blackadder and Douglas Adams? I couldn’t. This is a short humor fic, very well written, and so far from canon you’ll need to pull out the binoculars to spot it. Of course, I doubt the author is unaware of this, and in fact, there’s a distinct whiff of ‘meta’ about this fic that I quite enjoyed. The story has Remus Lupin working at Hogwarts. However, he also has a sideline- as a romance writer! The titles of the books sincerely cracked me up, as did Remus’ lack of insight when it comes to their inspiration. Of course, my favorite thing in the story was Snape. This is simply a lovely, sarcastic version of the git. Take this little exchange, which occurs when Snape discovers two of his students pouring over one of the romance novels in class:
Snape allowed himself a small sneer – a warm-up sneer, a sneer that was flexing its muscles and sipping a sports drink and preparing to grow into a larger, more strenuous sneer altogether – before turning the book over to examine it.
“ “Passion in the Potions Laboratory”,” he read slowly. “How very appropriate. Let’s see what the synopsis says: “When ethereal blonde Selenity Firestarr comes to work as assistant to the brilliant and brooding potions’ developer Strictus Snipe, the sparks fly! But will these two volatile ingredients provoke an explosion of passion or potion? A passionate tale of love against the odds!” ” He paused briefly, as if too overcome to speak immediately. “Well.”
This time the entire class flinched in sympathy. The two culprits looked as if contemplating immediate suicide.
“This is most interesting, isn’t it?” Snape said.
Hermione Granger raised a hand.
“That was a rhetorical question,” Snape snapped without looking at her. “Ten points from Gryffindor for being excessively literal!”
It just gets better when Snape discovers the true author of the stories! Overall, just a massively fun read penned with a very sure hand. The story also has a very sweet heart, and for once I even loved the sappy bits at the end. Too cute and too fun.
Hee. It’s my night for ‘fics not usually to my taste’. This is a short, humorous little ficlet told completely in dialog. Nothing substantial and not particularly rooted in canon, it still gave me a chuckle or two. Snarky, clueless Snape, deadpan Dumbledore. As the author notes, it’s a ‘comedy of errors’.
“Albus?”
“Yes, Severus?”
“Lupin is trying to kill me again.”
“Are you certain?”
“Of course I’m certain. I was a spy, you know. A rather badly-paid one with an inadequate pension scheme and very few holidays, but a spy nonetheless. I can recognize suspicious behaviour when I see it.”
Snerk. Well worth the 5 minutes it will take to read.
So, talkstosocks suggested this long, post-war future fic by Josan. I’ll admit, I’d read it back when I first started on HP fic- I think I read every Snape story Josan had written at the time. I hadn’t gone back to re-read once I got ‘Media-cow’ up and running, mostly because I remembered having some quibbles with the story, and so it didn’t leap out to me as one I wanted to rec. I re-read it in order to write this up, and I still have some quibbles with the story. Of course, before I get into them, let’s get into the spoilery overview.... [lj-cut]
The story kicks off just after the war against Voldemort has ended. Snape is tired. With Dumbledore now dead and his duties to the man at an end, he removes himself from Hogwarts and from the wizarding world. Fast forward 12 years, and Severus has forged an existence for himself in a seedier section of muggle Liverpool. Though his magical abilities are concealed from his muggle neighbors, he still researches potions under a pseudonym, though otherwise has cut himself off from the wizarding world. He doesn’t have much contact with the muggle world either, though he does allow the lower level of his loft to be used by a local foodbank, run by Miss Jones- a woman who is eerily reminiscent of Minerva. The story really gets going when Miss Jones reveals herself to be a relative of Minerva’s who, though little more than a squib, had sensed enough of Snape’s aura to know he was a wizard. Thus it is to Snape she goes when she needs help to protect a young man with magical abilities who has fallen on hard times. The young man? Ron Weasley.
The first half of the story is a kind of mystery/action adventure bit where Snape tries to discover who has been systematically abusing Ron, and then muddling his memories of the events. Snape also works on a potion to counteract the effects of a war time curse that has left Ron with a debilitating inability to control his muscles. Well, it turns out a new group of Death Eaters is on the rise, and with help from Harry, Hermione and the Aurors, Snape and Ron bring them down. Of course, during this period, a relationship between the two men also forms, one which is consummated once the threat is gone and Ron’s curse reduced to a manageable level.
The second half of the story follows Ron’s struggles with his family- mainly Molly and Ginny- who don’t approve of Snape and fear he is attempting to control Ron. Bill, Charlie and their wives have no such reservations, and are happy to welcome the couple when they drop in during a site-seeing trip around Europe. And in the end, Snape finally gets a Weasley jumper and they all live happily ever after.
Whew- told you, it’s a fairly long fic! Anyway, I did very much enjoy the read, even the second time around. Mostly I liked it because it’s well written and plotty. However, I had quibbles. I think the main reason the story didn’t ping my buttons was due to the Snape characterization. Don’t get me wrong- I liked this version of Snape. And that’s the problem. This Snape was just not the snarky git I’m used to. Now, I do tend to grant a lot of leeway, particularly in a fic set 12 years post-war. However, it just didn’t quite ring true for me- it was all too easy for Snape to allow someone into his home- and more importantly, his life. Also, I just plain prefer my Snape snarky.
As to the other characters, Ron worked for me well enough, but I’m just not that opinionated when it comes to him. The secondary characters (including OCs) worked very well. That’s one of the things I like about Josan’s fics- good, fully-fleshed minor characters who help bring the story to life. I was less thrilled with Molly’s characterization, though again, she’s not someone I have strong opinions on. Still, for a little bit there, it almost read like ‘bash’ fic- which it really is not. Josan does a good job during a discussion between Snape and Author of portraying Molly’s view, and in the end, does right by Molly in the story. However, while reading it, there were parts that felt heavy-handy when it came to Molly’s smothering need to control Ron’s life.
As to the story, I liked the first half. It didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat or anything, but it was a nice mix of relationship/mystery/action. The second half seemed to drag for me, despite the bits where Snape finally gets recognized for his competence and his contributions. I do love that sort of thing, but the story still seemed to drag. I think it felt like the big climax was reached after the DE part of the story, and the second half was an epilogue that went on too long. Like I say, I liked it, it just didn’t have a huge emotional impact. [/lj-cut]
So- overall? This is a good read. It was interesting and well written and the world had a ‘realness’ to it. However, this Snape was just a little too willing to open his home to Ron and dedicate himself to the young man’s protection. I can believe that Severus would do such a thing, but I’d imagine him bitching about it the whole way. Finally, the mix of action/adventure/mystery with the more domestic second half left me feeling the pacing was off, or that the emotional intensity of the story was blunted. Oh- and bits of the story have since been Jossed, but not in any way that bothered me. So, an interesting, feel-good read, but not really the kind of Snape story I prefer.
Being blizzard bound most of the weekend, I amused myself by skimming through snarry_reader- The Essential Snarry Reader. Much fun, and many stories I’ve yet to read. As a result, I found this somewhat guilty pleasure, which I actually enjoyed more than the author’s popular ‘Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent’. It’s a long, post-war fic that pays homage to Cyrano De Bergerac. It’s also very Snape focused. Hell, it may be a little too Snape heavy for some folks, but I would not be one of those folks! [lj-cut]
This story is long and plotty, and it centers around Voldemort’s attempt to resurrect himself once again. The few remaining Death Eaters have fled England and with their help Voldemort has managed to recreate the parasitic existence he had with Quirrel, only this time his host is Lucius Malfoy. It proves the last straw for Draco, who abandons the Death Eaters and hightails it for England in order to warn Harry. Harry may not need much warning, as he’s been having dreams concerning the dark lord’s return. Oddly enough, the dreams suggest that in order to stop Voldemort for good, he will need to come to terms with an old enemy- an enemy who he now has conflicting feelings for. As Draco hunts for Harry, Harry goes to Snape for help. Just to complicate things a bit more, seems Snape has some feelings of his own where Harry is concerned.
What follows is a very action oriented tale that gives great Snape. In the second scene, we get Snape verbally eviscerating Umbridge at a political rally and then turning around and kicking Death Eater ass in a formal duel. Hee! Loved it. I also liked how the author kept Snape snarky and guarded. He buries his own feelings for Harry and even manages to smooth the path for Harry and Draco to come to an accord- but he doesn’t have to like it:
(W)hen Draco burst out of the Floo in Snape’s quarters three minutes later, he found the Potions Master awaiting him with a superior smirk.
“Let me guess,” Snape said as the youth got up and dusted himself off with furious strokes, “Potter took one look at your leather pants and expressed his undying devotion to you as the air resounded with singing cherubim?”
For a second, Snape actually wondered if Draco would attack him. He hadn’t decided how he felt about that when the youth suddenly turned and collapsed into a chair, covering his face with both hands. “I should never have come. I should never have met with him!”
“So no cherubim then?” Snape couldn’t resist.
Snape, the self-sacrificing asshole- it’s one of my favorite characterizations. That said, the story is not without flaw. Snape may be a little too in charge and capable for some tastes. Harry, on the other hand, is much mellower than in the books, and he plays a secondary role in this story. I thought it made sense, but it’s pretty far from canon. The story also read a little… baulky in places. The author sometimes skips some scenes and fills us in on the important details later on. Now normally, I like that sort of thing. However, while reading this, I kept puzzling over seeming plotholes that were later cleared up. I don’t know- it just wasn’t smooth. Also, I thought there were a couple of actual plotholes, so that didn’t help. Nothing horrid, but little things that kept distracting me from the story. Lastly, the ending wasn’t as strong as I might have hoped for. No idea how I’d change it, and it was satisfying, but it didn’t ‘punch me in the gut’. [/lj-cut]
Overall- my Snape love clearly carried this one into the ‘rec it’ category. I simply enjoyed the hell out of him stomping around dominating the wizarding world, being a snarky git with a soft spot for the ‘boy who lived’. The action focus and lack of romance until the end didn’t hurt. Not a perfect fic, but it perfectly hit my kinks.
Wow! This is an absolutely fascinating story! Very, very different. It’s a long future fic that begins with Hermione working for the Ministry as a statistician in charge of data on the declining birthrate in the wizarding population. Yes, it is similar to the ‘forced to marry’ fics, but it’s not a response to a challenge. Yes, it is Snape/Hermione, but it’s not remotely a romance. Yes, it did take me a couple of chapters before I really settled in and accepted the basic premise, but once I did I was completely lost to this story! It’s simply enthralling, and I’d highly recommend you check it out.
Now, before I get into the spoilery bits, a few words of caution to potential readers. It DID take me about 4 chapters before I got into it. There are some odd bits here, some things that still don’t jibe with my perspective on the HP universe. Really, the story reads better if viewed as an AU, though it doesn’t meet my definition of the term. Anyway, this is my way of saying- stick with it, even if the first few chapters don’t work for you. The tale being told is unique and compelling, as are the characterizations. The story is worth the ride. [lj-cut]
OK, more spoilery bits. It begins with the wizarding world in crisis, a declining birthrate and increase in birth defects has resulted in a world wide effort to address the problem. English wizarding society, with its strong sense of tradition and purebred culture, is under pressure from the rest of the world to make changes. Fearing that she may eventually be forced to marry a man not of her choosing, Hermione propositions Snape. He accepts the proposition, but has plans of his own. Once the marriage has been finalized, Snape lays down the law- Hermione will fulfill her ‘wifely duties’ or Snape will report her attempt to circumvent Ministry policy. In short, he blackmails her into sex.
Now like I said, there was some oddness for me at the beginning- some of it good and some of it less so. There’s this bit at the beginning where the Weasley family is used as an example in a report. However, it didn’t make sense to me. It seemed to conflate issues of ‘class’ and ‘blood’ in a way that rather left me confused. I also had doubts concerning the speed with which this crisis seemed to be coming to a head. Lastly, I was a little confused regarding Hermione’s guilt with regard to the deal she made with Snape. I could imagine him working himself up into a rage at the implication that Hermione asked him as a last result and based on the assumption he couldn’t do any better. Hell, I can imagine Snape working himself into a rage over damn near anything. However, I guess I just though Hermione’s actions were pretty rational given the circumstances, and her guilt never really made sense to me. Anyway, there were parts of the premise that I had to get past before I really got into the story, but once I accepted the premise, it was smooth sailing.
What follows is really a suspense tale, as we slowly learn that elements within the Ministry are capitalizing on the population crisis in order to realize their own agenda. This agenda is two-fold: support ‘traditional’ family values; destroy the last vestiges of power held by the purebreds and ‘isolationists’. There is some very fascist stuff going on, and I loved how the Ministry PR machine worked to obscure the true nature of the policies. It was creepy and all too realistic- if you’re the conspiracy theory type, which I am. There’s lots of interesting politics going on here, not the least of which is the introduction of the ‘International Confederation of Wizards’ (ICW)- think NATO on steroids.
In the midst of all of this political intrigue, there is also the seriously screwed up relationship between Snape and Hermione. I really liked this characterization of Snape. He is snarky, smart, prejudiced, truly an asshole, and randy as all hell. I liked Hermione’s realization that while the man is capable of heroic behavior, it doesn’t mean he’s a ‘good man’. Certainly at the start of the story, he isn’t. Whether he is by story’s end is open to debate. As mentioned, the story isn’t a romance, as much as the setting suggests it is. The wedding night, while not rape, definitely verged on the ‘non-con’ side for the virginal Hermione. Oddly, Hermione never really seemed to warm up to the sex, though she did eventually accept it as her ‘wifely duty’ to a purebred husband. Honestly, that whole bit was kind of strange to me, but it somehow worked in the context of this story.
Anyway, while ‘love’ does not really bloom, mutual respect and caring slowly do. Hermione brings Snape in on her efforts to expose the conspirators within the Ministry, and the sense of danger and tension begins to rise. It’s a puzzle that slowly comes together, one that involves dark magics and dark potions, incriminating documents and midnight raids. I was totally sucked in! By the time we reach the conclusion at an international wizarding trial, I was fairly certain Snape and Hermione had covered their basis with regard to bringing down the conspirators, but I was less certain of the ultimate outcome of their relationship- which I’m now going to talk about and you should REALLY read the bloody story before going any further.
Wow- I did not expect the ending. I really thought Snape and Hermione would end up together. At a minimum (i.e., what I was hoping for), I thought it would be left sort of open ended, with them deciding to at least try and see if a relationship would be possible. Now honestly, that’s what it felt like the story was building up to. I’m not married to the need for a happy ending. Hell, I like death fic if it feels right for the story in question. In some ways, this ending didn’t feel right. I think it’s because we did see the relationship slowly evolve over time, and by the end of it, it seemed like they were in a place where they could try and make a go of it. I was also left feeling that neither of them would find a better partner. Both characters were fiercely independent in this story, and Snape was prickly enough it would be hard to imagine him ever opening up to another woman to the extent he did with Hermione. However, both seemed to come to understand the benefits of having a partner- at least, one who would still allow them their independence.
Now, that said, I didn’t actually mind the ending. I think it’s because in my head, Snape and Hermione do eventually find their way back to each other. I don’t know that a reading of the story really supports this, particularly given Snape’s final letter to her and the fact he steadfastly refuses to give her the slightest indication that he’ll change his mind. Still, I hold out hope. I think it’s partly because Snape has completely removed himself from the world at the end of the story. Yet he’s still a relatively young man. I just don’t see him living out the next hundred years in his little cottage by the sea. In addition, Hermione’s new job fashioning a revised legal system seems like a natural mechanism for forcing her into contact with Snape. In my head, when Snape realizes she is not going to find a ‘suitable young wizard’ and that his sacrifice is counter productive, they’ll end up together. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
Overall, the story rocked. The writing was excellent, the plot compelling, and I seriously dug the author’s style. I bought a lot of ideas in this story that wouldn’t normally work for me- which is always the mark of a compelling read. I also adored the Snape characterization. Hee- it was dark and it was funny and I’d love to read more about this very complex man. Take this bit, where he’s looking up a passage in an attempt to decode a hidden message:
“Did you find it?” she asked.
“Yes. A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“And?”
“And the man knew absolutely nothing about fairies, obviously.”
“Besides that.”
“Ah.” He glanced down speculatively at the page. “Decent writer, for a Muggle.”
Snerk- he’s such a wizard, and a pureblood one at that. His disdain and discomfort for all things either Muggle OR non-British cracked me up, and it’s something I could totally buy into. I also enjoyed his often detached, intellectual, egoistic approach to the world- and the way this approach could be endlessly frustrating when it came to dealing with Hermione. Take this bit, where he’s dowsed her with a possible aphrodisiac in order to study its effects:
6:55: H. comes into room to retrieve face-tissue (four more sneezes since last entry). Complains of dripping nose. I note that no effect on me other than slight flaring of nostrils due to her noxious smell. H. claims will serve me right if she drips into my soup. Returns to kitchen in ill-temper—totally unwarranted reaction, as I was simply stating a fact. (Contradictory Hypothesis: substance would, in fact, make a far better contraceptive than aphrodisiac by virtue of effect upon H.’s mood.)
God, he’s such a freaking bastard it seriously cracked me up. Of course, that made it all the sweeter to see him slowly start to care. I dug Hermione as well- her fierce sense of right and wrong, her willingness to take on the system in order to make things right. It rang very true and it appealed. I was a little baffled by her reaction to sex and relationships. It worked in this story, and I’m not sure why. Normally, I don’t think it would have. Anyway, overall a very different, very interesting read. [/lj-cut]
(Note- link will take you to LJ memories. Look under SS/HG to find all of the links to ‘Chaos’.)
Wow, I’ve got a pile of fic I haven’t written up. Lazy me! I think I found this one via painless_j’s compilation of non-linear stories. It’s a short story that flits between 1997 (at a guess, this is around 5th or 6th year) and 2006. Though I’ve marked it as ‘gen’, there’s a good bit of Snape/Draco subtext and more than a hint that Harry’s interest in Ginny goes beyond that of ‘friend’. [lj-cut]
As to the story, well the war’s still going strong in ‘97 and Voldemort has become suspicious of Snape. Seems Snape hasn’t really proven all that useful as a spy, and now Draco, Snapes mentee, is proving reluctant to join the Death Eater fold. Flash to the post-war future, where Harry’s returning to Hogwarts as the new Defense professor. What happened to Snape and Draco? How will Harry adapt to being a professor? Will he ever get Ginny to go to dinner with him? The non-linear format makes it hard for me to say without spoiling things for the reader!
I liked this quick read, which is not surprising as I tend to like non-linear fics. I think it tends to add an element of suspense to things when done well. I can’t help but be curious as to how things ended up as they did. The bits set in the past were nice and ‘actiony’, though told with a rather detached air- which worked rather well. The future bits are told from Harry’s pov, through which we find out more about Snape and Draco and what exactly happened back in ‘97. The writing itself is good, the two-timelines are handled very well, and I generally liked all of the characters. I personally don’t see Draco as ending up this nice of a guy, but it could happen.
Overall, quite a pleasurable way to spend half-an-hour. It wasn’t a punch in the gut, but it was quite interesting. [/lj-cut]