After the Earth by Torch
'She'd already cleaned everything off the mantelpiece -- the photographs, the display case, the flowers.' This tiny vignette really makes you think -- to say any more would spoil it
[Added 18/03/2006; Drama; <1000; Harry Potter]
Apothecary and Auror by Pasi
'The lab was lit even during the day with torches to ward off the smoky darkness that crept in through every narrow window, every crack and crevice of the ancient fortress.' This intelligent first war novella eschews black and white for smudgy grey shades, as Snape takes his first steps towards Voldemort. It also features a chilling evocation of Azkaban
[Added 12/12/2006; Drama; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter]
As Beeswax in Summer by Rinsbane
'Sometimes, if it’s an especially long meeting, he makes lines of stars down the edges of his parchment. Not the kind where they’re lines crossed like Xs, but the kind that are drawn without ever lifting the pen, from corner to corner.' An intriguing blend of the poetic and the mundane characterises this haunting war-time piece, set deep in the bowels of Hogwarts [currently friendslocked: July 2008]
[Added 12/12/2006; Drama; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter]
The Bloody Stare of Mars by Yahtzee
Voldemort's won, the heart of London's a concentration camp & muggle-born witches must take employment where they can....The Potter fandom isn't exactly short of 'Voldemort won' dystopias, but few combine Yahtzee's solid grasp of plot, keen eye for telling detail & light touch with the angst
[Added 01/12/2005; Drama; 20,000-50,000; Harry Potter]
The Cactus Where Your Heart Should Be by Jane St Clair
Draco copes with the absence of his father; Crabbe & Goyle cope with the absence of Draco. Precise characterisations that don't stray too far from canon, but it's the details that really make this short piece
[Added 13/02/2006; Romance/Erotica; 1000-2500; Harry Potter; Adult]
Changeling by Lydia Bennet
'Fred's first dog was a bit of a mess.' A creepy, clever short which slots seamlessly into Rowling's world
[Added 11/12/2006; Drama; 1000-2500; Harry Potter]
Cost of Living by Sansa
'After the first week, he stopped putting a second cup out with the tea. A month later, he made Potter's wrought iron chair the centerpiece of a lush potted garden.' This post-War story revolves around an unusual premise which I won't spoil here, but it's the details that really make it shine
[Added 07/08/2008; Drama; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter]
Cursed Artefacts For Sale by Icarus
'…collecting Cursed Artefacts is a registered form of madness in the Compendium of Wizarding Mental Disorders and Other Things That Make You Twitch.' A richly detailed & inventive future fic, with a broad streak of dry humour
[Added 13/02/2006; Drama; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter]
The Death of a Soul, A Blowjob Beneath a Table, and the Rain of Toads That Followed by Phaballa
'As reported by the Southampton Soothsayer in March of 1879, the account of the kidnapping of one Alexandra Glass, age eight, daughter to the famous Astrologist Augustus Glass, who invented the Glass-Hayburn arithmantical equation used to calculate the aural patterns of stars.' A hilarious post-war happily-ever-after romp, with asides on coincidence and fate
[Added 12/12/2006; Humour; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter]
Dudley Dursley and the Hogwarts Letter by KindKit
'Right up until he turned eleven a couple of months ago, Dudley used to hope that he'd got magic too.' A brief AU that is both thought provoking and surprisingly touching
[Added 09/07/2008; Drama; 1000-2500; Harry Potter]
The End of the Beginning by Mariner
A page-turner of a crossover novel, featuring an interesting external view of the Marauders in adulthood plus a surprisingly persuasive mixture of the Joss- & Potterverse magics (BtVS/HP)
[Added 09/10/2005; Drama; >50,000; Harry Potter; Crossover]
Every Day This Week by Predatrix
'Severus, surprisingly enough, hated Quidditch.' In an unexpectedly plausible move, Predatrix makes the young Snape borderline autistic; the result is heartrending, as the eleven-year-old tries to conform to Hogwarts' expectations
[Added 01/12/2005; Character Piece; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter]
Fool by Kass
'I've always enjoyed the first of April. Only the most moronic of students dare try to play tricks on me, and the day offers tantalizing opportunities for embarrassing my charges.' It's a bit of a cliché-fic, perhaps, but the Snape voice is spot on
[Added 18/03/2006; Romance/Erotica; 2500-6000; Harry Potter; Adult]
For To Preserve This Day by Sinope
Snapshots of uneasy relationships during the first war. A delicate, precisely observed piece
[Added 13/02/2006; Drama; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
Get There Faster by Jintian
A dark coda to Order of the Phoenix that deals with Harry's responses to Sirius's death. Breathtakingly plausible
[Added 13/02/2006; Drama; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter; Adult]
Goat Song by Delphi
'Albus never was careful with his things. If nothing else, it had made Aberforth a fair hand at mending.' Delphi takes an unlikely pairing and makes it utterly real in this clever and moving story
[Added 27/11/2008; Drama; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
Imperfect by Anne Line
'...it was easier to trust an enemy than a stranger, that's how turned around everything was.' An unusual setting, awkward dialogue & a gritty sense of place set this apart from the Snape/Lupin hordes
[Added 04/01/2006; Romance/Erotica; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter; Adult]
Lies in the Rookery by Thamiris
'...it's entirely possible that, hidden beneath them, his body's no more than the bones of dead birds.' Dark, luscious, twisted picture of a convoluted relationship
[Added 04/01/2006; Romance/Erotica; 1000-2500; Harry Potter; Adult]
Lust over Pendle by AJ Hall
'Various far-fetched theories were spun as to what exactly had happened the night Draco Malfoy went out to murder Hermione Granger, and returned some hours later, to tell his father that, actually, he thought becoming a Death Eater was a rotten idea, and he'd rather be excused.' Deservedly a fandom classic: AJ Hall has had a ball with Rowling's universe. The characters are developed far beyond the two-dimensional ciphers of canon (the author's vision of Narcissa Malfoy is particularly memorable). Although the pacing occasionally flags, the light humorous tone works well and the Bond-style finale is a romp. The sequel, Dissipation and Despair, is also recommended
[Added 09/07/2008; Drama; >50,000; Harry Potter]
Möbius by Mandy
'Over time, Severus wondered if a wizard could draw out enough memories to leave him an empty shell, with only the most mundane of memories in his head and the ghosts of the past.' This clever novella contains one of the more inventive HBP fixes I've encountered, and also features a believable voice for Snape
[Added 11/12/2006; Drama; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter]
Mors Mortis by KindKit
'It is death, and death is always seeking.' An original idea, powerfully executed. Highly recommended
[Added 07/08/2008; Drama; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
Much As She Had Lived by Ignipes
HP has a multitude of minor characters. Ignipes takes Dorcas ('Voldemort killed her personally') Meadowes and gives her a death, and a life. Subtle characterisation of the nascent Voldemort, and evocative descriptive choices
[Added 18/03/2006; Drama; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
Nettle Soup and Gooseberries by Jay Tryfanstone
'On the television, they looked smaller, and rather further away.' The integration of the wizarding and muggle worlds was never going to be straightforward. An unusual future-fic, packed with sumptuous details [link to author's warning page]
[Added 11/12/2006; Drama; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter]
Night-blooming Heartsease by Julad
'His Gran used to say that Voldemort was a silly boy in need of a very sound spanking, but that was before she Disappeared.' Among my favourites of the HP classics, this bittersweet novella is known for pulling off an unlikely pairing with grace, but at heart it's a coming-of-age story. The magical details are a real treat. A standalone prequel to Resonant's Transfigurations, it diverges from canon after PoA
[Added 09/07/2008; Drama; 20,000-50,000; Harry Potter]
On the Naming of Names by Jay Tryfanstone
'Severus Snape, on a bridge, in Prague.' An unusual post-War piece, densely written & evocative. Jay's better known for some of her other Potterverse stories, but I think this may be my favourite
[Added 04/01/2006; Drama; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
Once Upon a Time, in Egypt by Josan
In this unusual post-War novel, Snape is employed by goblins to investigate potions discovered in an ancient Egyptian tomb. Though a few of the plot elements failed to convince, it's worth a try for its wealth of fascinating details about goblin society & Egyptian magic
[Added 18/03/2006; Drama; 20,000-50,000; Harry Potter]
Orbital by Ineke
'Sirius ... walks with the consciousness of himself as an object of desire: slower than you'd expect, as though the lingering glances are catching him with soft hands, tugging and yearning against the direction of his motion.' Ineke achieves a delicate balance here, giving Sirius a much darker edge than is found in most R/S, without making Remus appear out of character. Wonderful sensual writing
[Added 06/08/2008; Romance/Erotica; 2500-6000; Harry Potter; Adult]
Reclamation by Sam Vimes
'I was wondering what you knew about horcruxes...' From the initial premise to the plausible consequences, one of the most interesting AUs I've read in the Potterverse
[Added 04/01/2006; Drama; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
The Return by Kulfold
'It's from Ollivander. He's inviting you to return your wand.' This original depiction of a wizarding tradition is a little more sentimental than my usual picks, and a touch rough around the edges, but the ending is worth the wait
[Added 11/12/2006; Drama; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter]
The River Child by Ignipes
'It was, without a doubt, the ugliest creature Remus had ever seen.' A simple, moving short in which the parallels between the dark creature of the story and the werewolf are ever present, but never too obvious. A favourite from Ignipes' 'Remus Lupin's Lost Years' series (accessible via this page); all are worth reading
[Added 21/03/2007; Drama; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
Round Bottom, Twelve Inches by Penumbra
'Death Eater orgies, my knee. All we got were stale canapés and harangues.' Comedy à la Wodehouse, packed with delicious detail
[Added 04/01/2006; Humour; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
The Seven Transgressions by Chicxulub
Seven different takes on Snape/Hermione, without a hint of romance. Teeters on the margins of badfic in places, but emerges dark, dreamy, disturbing. My favourite was 'Formalin'
[Added 02/12/2005; Romance/Erotica; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
Still Life by Amalin
'When you're dead and one-dimensional, Harry has found, it is easier to walk away from things. Even if you're walking sideways.' Clever concept and elegant execution
[Added 02/12/2005; Drama; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
The Sword of Slytherin by Vissy
'Over the years he had come to realise that the Dark Lord's limited ability to see beyond what he expected was a blessedly exploitable blind spot, whereas Severus' streak of perfectionism was relentless and unforgiving.' Vissy weaves in & out of HBP so neatly that you're sure this was exactly what was going on while Rowling's back was turned. Worth reading for the sympathetic characterisation of Slughorn alone
[Added 27/11/2008; Drama; 6000-20,000; Harry Potter]
Time Turner by Kate Bolin
'It was a bleak, colourless day when Hermione Granger discovered they were out of time.' An intriguing crossover exploring the mechanics of time travel in the HP-verse (HP/Doctor Who)
[Added 29/03/2007; Drama; 1000-2500; Harry Potter; Crossover]
To Sever the Lining from a Cloud by Textualsphinx
'He would never leave the earth and reach the stars. He was mud, he was slugs, he was worms, he was maggots: worse than maggots, in fact.' A highly original piece, mixing fairy tale with modernity to (cough) magical effect
[Added 18/03/2006; Romance/Erotica; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
Tower of Air by ClueGirl
'Albus has never been one to seek the murky depths, after all, hiding his heart in the castle's stony bowels as old Salazar did his vengeance.' A perceptive character study, which wields the angst brush effectively
[Added 11/12/2006; Character Piece; 1000-2500; Harry Potter]
'Twas Brillig, and the Slithy Toves by Kaydee Falls
'Carroll was actually a wizard, you know. Taught at Hogwarts for a year or two, I think. Care of Magical Creatures.' Neat characterisations of all four Marauders as they pass on the torch, and the dialogue just bounces along
[Added 13/02/2006; Drama; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
Two Lockets by Sinick & Acid
'The candles ... waddled after Harry in a row like ducklings, short and fluffy and dripping wax all over in their excitement at being alight and having company at last.' Worth a try for the world-building alone, with a fantastic evocation of Grimmauld Place and its secrets
[Added 10/07/2008; Drama; >50,000; Harry Potter]
Unsticking the Shadow by Pogrebin
'"How easily he has torn us to pieces, my dear."' Pogrebin is one of the many fan authors who seem to understand the implications of the Potterverse far better than its creator. I sometimes find her style a little off-putting, but this clever, thought-provoking piece is well worth a try
[Added 07/08/2008; Drama; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
The Unusual, Exceptional, and Statistically Remarkable Hermione Granger, Age 21 by Maggie
'Every year on her birthday Hermione made a note of the single most important thing she had accomplished in the previous year and the single most important thing she wanted to do in the next.' Insightful and subtle character study, stuffed with gorgeous details
[Added 06/08/2008; Character Piece; 2500-6000; Harry Potter]
