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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. [READ MORE]
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. [HIDE]
(Note- link will take you to LJ memories. Look under SS/HG to find all of the links to ‘Chaos’.)
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