It's a magical world

[14.04.04]

After the End by Arabella and Zsenya is longer than something really long, it's stil a wip and several of the characters dip into überperfectionness on occasion, but (see that but? it's important) it's frequently updated, Remus and Sirius are near perfect, I swear, and the Draco is... intriguing, though I want to hit the PotterGang over the head several times for utter cold heartedness, and, uh, Fleur and Bill? Theirloveissopure. No. Really. And original character Max? I like him too. This is why I keep reading the thing. I don't really give a damn what happens to Ginny and Harry or Hermione and Ron. *eyes the ceiling* Imma bad, bad reader, yes, I am.

Two Worlds and In Between by Minerva McTabby is a WIP featuring almost only original characters, but it's written in a way that's utterly absorbing, and I keep checking every week to see if there's a new part there. If you don't like WIPs, I have to warn you. This will drive you insane, because once you're done with the parts that're there, you'll want more. Featured Tom Marvolo's grandfather and his gang, duels a plenty, fascinating teachers, more politicing than in the Sunking's court and Dumbledore and his little brother.

the Revenge of Lord Vodkamort by LizBee. Another I can't remain coherent long enough to explain, so I'll just quote you something:

    Quite a lot of people agree (and just as many disagree, but more on Professor Snape later) that saving the world is an admirable profession for a young man, and something that all should aspire to. And a fair number agree that, having saved the world, a young man of good fortune may settle down and enjoy a few drinks.

    This was all very well, thought Hermione, standing in the doorway to the lounge room and surveying the damage, but there was a difference between having a few celebratory pints down the pub, and going on a two year bender.

There should be more. It should be a series! Yes! A long series!

Stop All the Clocks by Lazy_neutrino. Author summary: "I thought that love would last forever: 'I was wrong.'"

On Harry's sixteenth birthday, he and Lupin are still coming to terms with Sirius' death. But how do you cope when you've lost everything?

Scrabble by MartianHousecat.

    Malfoy sneered at his competition and drew his wand. He shifted his gaze from the others and turned it to the difficult task at hand - getting new letters. The gold letter bag sat quiescently for now, so he slowly inched his left hand towards it.

    A hush fell on the spectators and some vainly tried to push closer, but were neatly stopped by Crabbe and Goyle, who, like always, worked the crowd.

    "Come on," he whispered under his breath. The game had been underway for several hours now - the scores only as low as they were due to the usually counter-cheating - and the bag was getting testy. This would take finesse, but luckily he'd enough of that to charm every girl in the year, and enough left over to start in on the boys. Assuming that Parkinson didn't gut him after the first.

    His fingers brushed against the shiny fabric and it rustled restlessly, still playing coy. In one smooth, practiced motion he brought he hand down against the bag, hard, and shot off a stunning spell. The bag, being sneaky, managed to curl enough of itself away just in time, and flapped in his grip, trying to break free.

    He managed to wrestle it flat against the table, one handed, but it successfully dodged his every spell.

    Then, every Scrabble player's worst nightmare happened - the bag went on attack.



the Marauders

[14.04.04]

He Said it That Knew it Best by Lexin. Harry, ahem, goes to spend his summer vaca with his godfather, who's currently living with Remus Lupin. Good Sirius and Harry interaction, bonding, whatever you want to call it. Remus and Sirius relationship is always low-key in the background.

thing by Cimorene and Wax Jism. Gah. *incomprehensive ramblings* This is... the story of Sirius coming to see Remus. And the story of Remus and Sirius at age fourteen at Hogwarts. It's long, and grand, and very much worth it.

the second coming by Lise and Kel is more the way I believe the meeting of Remus and Sirius really went. It's a story which packs a whole lot in 20 kb. Makes me think. Y'all know good Sirius/Remus is lacking, so read those I've recced, okay? Keep the faith, and whatnot. *grins* Theirloveissopure!

...that's what little boys are made of by Alkari. Little Marauders.

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails by Thing1. Little Marauders.

Seven Things That Didn't Happen On Valentine's Day At Hogwarts, Or Maybe They Did by Pru.
Seven years of Marauder Valentine's Day pranks? With good dialogue and characterization? What's not to love? Grins Years 6 & 7 are weaker than the rest, but I blame canon for that, not the author. Also, at one point there's a completely adorable and hilarious genderswitch, which, you know, issa kink of mine, so obviously I love it extramuch. The ageing of the marauders is done very well, methinks, neither too quick, nor too slow. James dogged (and dumbass) persual of Lily is hilarious, and Remus is sort of gently exasperated, which is how I like him the best, and Sirius acts before he thinks and feels far too much, which is how I like him, and Peter tags along after James. It's all good. Remus/Sirius. 208 screen changes on my beloved cellySam. 444 kb.

Stealing Harry by Sam.
The dialogue is, for the most, utterly a joy to read, especially if it's Sirius and Remus infront of Harry, who's eight and a half, and doesn't understand what the hell they're on about early on. It's an AU and it tethers fairly well on the edges of what I'd consider HPWorld Utopia and the canon HP world. Sirius never went to Azkaban is basically the AU premise. Also? Eight and a half year old Harry is a lot more charming than his 11+ year old self. The other characters are also lovely (Snape, the Weasleys, Oliver Wood, etc). Sirius/Remus, but it's a b-plot, rather than an a-plot, if you understand me. WIP 20 chapters up thus far. About 24-34 screen changes per chapter.

So You Want To Transfigure Yourself a Rock Band by Dazzler.
It's fluffy, but the characterization is fair enough (nothing extraordinary, but not offencive, you know), and I get a kick out of 'watching' the Marauders go about doing GlamRock, their way. The dialogue is great, too. The romance is a bit 'eh', and the beginning is also 'eh', but once you get past that, it's all shiny, mate. 140-odd screenchanges and I spent most of them snickering.

Four Things That Never Happened to Remus Lupin by Victoria P.

    Remus sat on the little stool, thinking, Safe, I just want everyone to be safe. I don't want to hurt anyone, don't want anyone to notice me.

    "HUFFLEPUFF!" the Sorting Hat announced, and Remus scurried over to the Hufflepuff table, hoping he could make friends there while still keeping his secret.

Remus is sorted into the Houses. Fascinating.




draco/harry

[14.04.04]

Dancing Queen by Maya. Just. Ha!

    There, leaning suddenly against Blaise’s shoulder, was Draco Malfoy, pristine blond hair a rumpled mess, eyes shining oddly, wearing skintight white jeans and a silver, clinging shirt which was still riding high on his stomach, showing an awful lot of pale flesh and the remnants of silver glitter.

    “Malfoy?”

    “Well, that’s torn it,” Blaise said crossly in the silence.

    Malfoy eventually seemed to get over his shock, and gave Harry a bright and extremely pleasant smile.

    Which was when Harry remembered that Malfoy had been swigging doctored drinks.

    “My, what a surprise,” he drawled, running a negligent hand through his hair. Harry noticed that his nails were painted silver. “What are you doing here?”

    “I’m straight and I’m here nonsexually with my cousin,” Harry said promptly.

    “Fancy,” said Malfoy, and his eyes were caught by something over Harry’s shoulder. Harry recognised the suddenly glazed look in them as the look of someone who had been blindsided by the pants.

    “And this is my cousin,” he said wearily, preparing for the Great Mockery.

    “Wow, Harry,” Dudley said in his ear. “You work fast, don’t you? What a pair. God, look at the blond!”

    Harry numbly accepted the Bacardi Breezer, wondering if he’d feel better if he was drunk.

    Dudley still had his eyes on the graceful line of Malfoy’s throat and – well, the graceful line of Malfoy’s everything, Harry supposed - and he said in awed tones, “Mmm, pretty,” which wasn’t something Harry had ever wanted to hear about Draco Malfoy’s anything.

    “Are you straight?” Malfoy inquired suddenly.

    “Yes,” Harry said in fear and with all the vehemence he could summon up.

    Malfoy beamed. “What a coincidence,” he said. “Me too.”

    “Oh God, not another one,” Dudley said.

    Blaise made an exasperated noise. “No you’re not, Draco.”

    “Am too,” Malfoy asserted.

    “Draco, you were just dancing onstage and being smeared with glitter as a drag queen licked your bellybutton!”

Lustre by Julad and Calico. Hee. Pomegranate. You just gotta love a story which features a snake named Pomegranate. Draco's point of view. Very easy to read.

    He turns his hand over and admires the silvery shimmer as the snake winds itself over his palm to rest her little wedge head on the back of his hand. She's long enough to wrap five times around his wrist, or twice round his neck with a curl of tail trailing against his collarbone, and she's slender as his thumb for the most part, tapering down to a single scale's-width at one end and a tiny snub muzzle at the other.

    Alongside her, in the Eagle UltraMail delivery casket, there was a short note from his father. It required his breath on the wax to unseal it, and detailed price and species and availability, all of which marked this gift out as a most exclusive one indeed.

    Enfolded in the parchment was a ring: a small dark emerald balanced between the neck and the tail of a minute curling snake. The note finished: If you can deduce the enchantment on this ring, it will stand as my contribution to mark your passage into adulthood. You know what to do with it. Let me know when the time comes, and I shall begin making the arrangements.

the Lodger by Mad Martha wherein the famous Harry Potter takes a lodger because Hermione thinks he's spending too much time on his own. A very fascinating and good look at both Harry and Draco after the war. They're both in character and they both change during the story in a way that seems real to me. Another of the go read's. 250 kb long and worth every kb.

Facade by Malfoi. Regency romance inspired by Jane Austen.

How Harry Potter Got His Groove Back by Durendal.

Days before by Rae. Post-War, Harry and Draco escape the wizardingworld to heal. Not overly cheerful, naturally, but they get better at the end, and the imagery and language here is lovely. They seem older than their years, but not unrealistically so. Just worn and weary after having seen too much death.

Transfigurations by Resonant.

    The fifth stall in the men's washroom at King's Cross station had had a "Closed For Repairs" sign on the door since 1973.

It took me a little while to get into this fic, I must admit, but when I got into it, I finished the whole story in one sitting. The story itself is written in a pretty straight forwards way, with ideas and discriptions which rival JKR's own.

In other words, much amusement to be had.

The story starts with Harry returning to Britain after years in the States to teach at Hogwarts, which is opening again for the first time since the war against Voldemort ended.

I'm not sure I agree with most of the characterizations -- they're not how I see the characters -- but they work in the story, and I can see where they're coming from, so it's not an incredibly Out Of Character story at all.

What I found to be the most fascinating with this fanfic, is the other types of magic used, like voodoo, native American and Latin American. I feel like it makes the HP world more (and this will sound dumb, but) organic somehow.

    Malfoy was kneeling by the girl, whose heels were drumming on the floor. "Petrificus Totalus," he said, and she fell still. He looked up at McGonagall. "Kitty, get these bloodthirsty little boggarts out of the way, will you, while I --"

    McGonagall herded the students back as Malfoy began to murmur in a soft, slurred voice. Harry tensed, but then recognized the words as transfiguration spells -- Malfoy was turning the chair into a stretcher. He still pronounced his spells like a native speaker, all elisions and dropped endings. Harry's spells were perfectly functional, but compared to Malfoy, he had always felt as though he were reading the words out of a phrasebook.

    The girl's eyes were still open, moving wildly, and in her arms and hands and jaw Harry could see muscles clenching against the restraint of the spell. His eyes fell on someone's boiled egg, shell still unbroken. He snatched it and knelt on the girl's other side, running it over her face and murmuring, feeling a faint tingle under his fingers. Tyndall de Soto, the Coven's specialist in Latin American magic, had taught him to pull enchantment into an egg, and apparently the spell worked even when the egg was breakfast.

    He was dimly aware of Malfoy on the other side of the girl, still tapping the chair with his wand and murmuring. The stretcher began to sprout wheels, then bands to hold the girl's arms and legs. She stopped tensing just as Malfoy's last words transfigured her rather gaudy necklace into a pillow to cradle her head.

    Harry put the egg in Malfoy's hand. "Tell Sofia it was boiled. She may still be able to interpret the yolk. If she hasn't done it before, I can help when we're done with crowd control."

What I see as the main plotlines in Transfigurations are Harry's estrangement from the others and the struggle to make Hogwarts safe again.

This is a Harry/Draco story, but the slash is hardly the point of it. This is an action story much more than it is a relationship story. Personally, I'm glad about that.

My favorite characters in this, are Snape and Dumbledore. No, really. They're most shiny, I promise.

There's one particular bit I really like about Draco's characterization, though.

    Malfoy was turning the chair into a stretcher. He still pronounced his spells like a native speaker, all elisions and dropped endings.

412 kb




Harry

[14.04.04]

Harry Potter and the Polka Dot Plague by Mariner.

    A number of people were talking excitedly in the next room. Harry couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but he could make out Madam Pomfrey's voice, and Professor Dumbledore's, as well as two others he couldn't recognize. Everyone sounded extremely upset. Harry was just starting to wonder if it was worth the effort to get out of bed and try to see what was happening, when the door flew open. Madam Pomfrey rushed in, followed by Dumbledore, followed by - Harry sat straight up in shock - Crabbe and Goyle, supporting an extremely disheveled Professor Snape between them.

    Snape's black hair looked greasier than ever, and his skin was streaked and shiny with sweat. He was wearing his robes over a gray nightshirt, both of which were rather singed, and there were black smudge marks on his face, as if he'd once again stood too close to one of Neville's exploding cauldrons. Crabbe and Goyle dragged him over to the empty bed and lifted him up onto it, grunting in unison. Madam Pomfrey immediately herded them toward the exit, muttering about quarantine again. They went obediently enough at first, then stopped in the doorway and glanced back over their shoulders with identical frowning expressions.

    "He'll be all right," Goyle said, "won't he?"

    Harry couldn't help but stare. In the four years since he'd first met Crabbe and Goyle, this was the first time he could recall hearing either one of them speak. Usually they just stood around and sniggered while Malfoy did the talking.

    "Of course he'll be all right," Madam Pomfrey said firmly. "Now go and tell that to the rest of the Slytherins. And tell them absolutely no visitors, so it's no use anyone trying." She pushed them out the door and hurried out after them.

    Snape fell back onto the pillows with a groan. He looked really awful. His nightshirt gaped open at the throat, revealing a dense and extremely colorful pattern of polka dots.

    "Potter…" Snape's voice was slurred and his eyes looked dazed when he glared at Harry across the gap between their beds. "Fifty points from Gryffindor."

    "There, there, Severus." Dumbledore patted Snape's shoulder sympathetically. "Don't mind Professor Snape, Harry, he's delirious."




Draco

[14.04.04]

The Curious Vengeance of Draco Malfoy by Halrloprillalar. It's het, it's written for Valentine's day, and yet... It's utterly delightful. Short and funny. Draco and Cho. Go read.

Lust over Pendle and Dissipation and Despair by A.J. Hall. Fabulous. Highly recommended. Draco/Neville.

From the author's introduction:
Lust Over Pendle is a comedy of manners set in the Golden Age detective thriller genre, and is presumed to take place after the end of the seventh Harry Potter book, and, therefore, after the fall of Voldemort.

and for DISSIPATION AND DESPAIR:
After offending his Bishop, the Rev. Peter Blakeney had feared he would be stuck for the rest of his career in rough inner city curacies. Even though his letter of appointment bore an anonymous scrawl "Best of British luck", the surprise offer of the incumbency of St Sebastian's Church, Malfoy Intrinsica, Wiltshire seemed like the promise of a rural idyll. And though the foot and mouth epidemic was in full swing, there were sinister carvings behind the choir stalls and all the locals changed the subject immediately if he even mentioned the Manor up the hill (let alone its reclusive Lord) he felt he was settling in well. Until one night there came a tap at his study window, and he found himself caught between two worlds, and about to find out exactly why St Sebastian is the patron saint of archers, enemies of religion, gardeners, murrains of cattle, plagues and police. It is a cosy English village whodunnit in the classic tradition, give or take an Unforgivable curse or so.

Playtime by Keieru. Little Draco, Crabbe and Goyle.

Eight Days a Week by Aspen.
Arthur and Draco at the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office, eight days a week.
Arthur watches Draco and Draco can't sit still. amusing.

A CAREER IN THE (EVIL) ARTS: A DRACO/SNAPE STORY. MOSTLY. SORT OF. by Sloane

    Draco tried to be good. He really did.

    But, as he was Draco, it didn't work.

    "But, Professor, I'm trying to be good!"

    "You've been stalking Mr. Potter all day, Mr. Malfoy, and I'm not having it. It's…off-putting."

    "But I'm trying to be on-putting, Professor McGonagall!"

    Hermione gave him that slug-under-my-verbose-boot-heel look. Draco rolled his eyes.

    "Oh, so it might not be a word, Granger. Have a little imagination."

Bwah! and also, bwahaha!

Draco Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing... Rat? and epilogue by Maya.

    Coffee...

    The Slytherin table was bare. Draco had no idea of how to get coffee. And Draco absolutely, positively had to have coffee.

    Granger took a sip from a cup.

    Draco only just stopped himself from going completely feral. He took several deep, calming breaths.

    I will not torture the information out of her. I will not seize the cup and try to lick the bottom. I will retain some aspect of my dignity.

    I want coffee I want coffee I want coffee!

    "Oh, Granger?" he drawled in his most unconcerned tones. "How would one go about getting served at this damnable hour?"

    Coffee, wailed his utterly spoiled inner child. Right now!

    Granger was looking up at him with a slight frown. "In six years, you've never once gotten up early to study? How in the name of God did you get to be a prefect?"

    Why are you wasting my time, woman? Give me coffee!

    "I study like a normal person," Draco said between gritted teeth. "At night."

    "Yes, I can see you're not exactly an early bird," she sniffed. "Are you aware that your robes are in a state and you haven't brushed your hair?"

    "And yet it still looks better than yours...Look, Granger, I don't have time for this. I just want some coffee! All I want in the world is some coffee! If I had one wish, it would be for coffee!"

    That wasn't dignified.

the Almost Legend of Draco Malfoy by Zahra.

    Draco Malfoy never wanted to do great things: they required too much effort. Great things took time and dedication, and inevitably were extraordinarily messy. Voldemort had been required to kill several hundreds of people before anyone noticed him, and Draco wasn‘t interested in doing that much work. Blood was impossible to get out any sort of quality robes, and Muggles simply weren’t that important to him. Draco didn’t have any great cause that fired his blood or called for him to use the Forbidden Curses. He certainly never wanted to be anybody’s hero – the word alone had so many negative connotations that Draco would have been appalled if anyone had even used it in the same sentence as his name. All Draco really wanted was to do what he wanted, when he wanted, with the minimal amount of fuss on his part and the maximum amount of pain to everybody else.

    Draco was never ‘good.’ He was never ‘confused’ or ‘concerned.’ He never had a crisis of conscience or faith.

    Draco never had faith to begin with.

    At the end of the day, he didn’t give a toss.

    Draco looked out for himself, and everyone else was irrelevant.





Hermione

[14.04.04]

Come Shots by Kate Bolin, art by Glockgal.

    Parvati's getting dirt on her knees. That's the only thing Hermione can think about as she's gripping the edge of the table, nails digging into the humidity-softened wood. Parvati's getting dirt on her knees and Parvati's hands are pushing apart her thighs and Parvati's head is under her skirt and Parvati's mouth...oh...

    She can hear the plants rustling in the pots next to her, and she wants to reach into their pots, lifting up handfuls of dirt and compost and squeezing squeezing squeezing as she comes, dirt under her fingernails and Parvati against her clit. She can't grab the plants, she can't do anything but grab the table, because the table's holding her up, her hands are keeping her up, she can let go with one hand and lift up her skirt and run her hand through Parvati's long cascade of hair and press her closer and to the left and just so and...and...and...

    She falls back against the table, knocking over one of the ferns, arching her back and moaning loudly, leaves and branches tangling in her hair. Parvati is kissing her thighs gently, her knees still on the ground, dirty and bruised.

green candle by caliah.
Hermione would do anything for her friends.

accio by girlyskin.
hermione/fleur

    names have their own magic.


Millicent

[14.04.04]

excuse me, but by Silvia.

    Let me tell you a love story.

    You think only pretty girls get love stories? There aren't enough of them to make the world go round. There aren't enough of them to fill a shoebox.

    There's the rest of that want out there, nipping at smooth heels and calloused ones. Tightly strung wards and booby traps in the basement, just waiting for you to step into the parlor and sit your ass down. It'll settle if it needs to, will take your fingernails bitten and your toes packed in wrong. It'll whisper you promises.

    There's enough for a pug faced girl, with thick thighs and broad shoulders; if love has time for Malfoy, it can fit in anyone.


Pansy

[14.04.04]

chrome by keri
pansy/hermione. pansy studies a mudblood.


Snape

[14.04.04]

the way the world ends by Toft.

    At some point during that hot, awful summer, Harry comes back, abruptly five foot ten of adolescent rage at everything he already knows he's lost. He comes in like a thunderstorm alongside Kingsley and Moody, and the first thing he does is blow Mrs Black through the wall.

Severus and Remus. I like it because the language is so lovely, and the scenes have exactly what they should have and nothing more, and it's hard, but they're healing. and Severus is nasty, as usual. *grins*

This Living Hand by Millefiori.

Author summary:
Snape is determined to keep Draco Malfoy from becoming a Death Eater. Harry is witness to the consequences. Written for the Severus Snape Fuh-Q Fest first wave scenario: Protective!Snape saves someone; someone special, actually. 43k.

the Familiar by Resonant.

    Snape set the frog on the table in his sitting room. It regarded him through its ridiculous spectacles.

    He fetched the largest shallow bowl he could find, washed it well, and filled it with water. He lifted the frog in. It splashed into the shallow water and looked at him expectantly.

    Snape sighed. "Accio housefly," he said, tapping his cupped palm with his wand.

    The frog sat in the water and blinked at him. Oddly, the spectacles appeared to have lost their earpieces in the transformation. Just as well, as the creature now had no ears. Through the tiny lenses, the frog's green eyes looked at him moistly and without complaint.

    "Hmph," Snape said aloud. "It's an improvement, if you ask me."


Ron

[14.04.04]

Flame and Shadow by Maya wherein Pansy Parkinson is absolutely nothing like Hermione and Pansy and Ron are absolutely not a couple.

the I was a Death Eater and All I Got Was This Bloody T-Shirt series by Durendal.
Hilarious and zany. *snickers*

Midnight by the Weasley Watch by excessivelyperky.
I really like it. It has a lot of Ron, Chess and Severus. Lots of chess. Fascinating chess. Fascinating new characters as well. All around fascinating. But, uh, you'd have to have at least a basic knowledge of chess in order to read this, I'd think.


Ginny

[14.04.04]

Empire of the Senseless by A.L. Milton. Ginny has no special skills or education. She'd be a perfect politician! Amusing.

silence by plumeria.

    Pressing her hands to her cheeks in an attempt to subdue the fire, she mentally cursed herself for being so obvious. Fred had been right -- she had been staring, gazing in rapt attention at the person she had completely fallen for.

sundress by rhoddlet.

ginny/hermione

    At this point, Ginny realizes that she's doomed to fall in love with the people her brothers bring home.


Narcissa, Lily

[14.04.04]

Dreaming and the Lifted Veil by Tess. Nacissa and Lily.

nothing but vain fantasy by bec.

    lily's been having fanciful dreams

the history of the world by shaye.

    People are born, people suffer, people die. Sometimes they fall in love.


Gilderoy

[14.04.04]

Potio by Seeker.

    Keeping his head down, hair falling over his face, shielding it from the passers-by, he kept as much in the shadow as he could. It was a weekday, the foot traffic was light, and he went unchallenged by any strangers who might have known him from his old life. The one he didn't know, and was determined to discover. A creaking sign above the walk declared one tall dusty building a bookshop, and he decided that was as good a place to begin his search as any.

    There were newspapers in the front, with pictures whose inhabitants peered and made rude gestures at him. His brow wrinkled as he stared down at them. Did everyone hate him? Perhaps it was as well he didn't know who he'd been, if that was the reaction he got. Still, he couldn't begin to build his new life until he knew what he was leaving behind, so he headed for the shelves. Perhaps his books, the ones they'd not let him read, would give him some clues.

    He couldn't find them. He tried fiction, since the doctor had said they were, but there were no Lockharts to be found. He tried humor, since so many people laughed at him, but they weren't there either. Staring around at the various categories of non-fiction, he sighed. He had no idea where to start.

    "Help ya, sir?" a thin voice piped up behind him. He turned with a grateful smile. The proprietor of the bookshop, a very tall, very thin man wearing a black gown, winced and glanced away.

    He knew why. The scars along the side of his face were a constant ache now. Trying to ignore the book seller's reaction, he asked tentatively, "I was looking for books by Gilderoy Lockhart. D'you have any?"

    The man's laughter sounded genuine. "Looking for a good laugh, eh? Right you are then, they're back here with the remainders. Sell you the whole series for dirt cheap. Nobody wants 'em now it's out what a fraud he was."

    He swallowed heavily. He was a fraud? Biting back the questions bursting at his lips, he simply picked up one of each of the severely down-marked books from the huge pile and stuffed them into his pack. The proprietor rang up his purchase, less than three coins to pay for the lot, and waved him on his way without ever looking at his face again.

    Not that it would have mattered. Settled at a table in the back of a dark pub, staring at the photograph smirking and winking at him from the back of the book, he knew no one would look at the wreck he was and see the golden beauty he had been. Although from what he'd heard, from several sources, that beauty was as false as the scars on his face were real.

    The waitress came over, took his order, tried not to make it obvious that she was disturbed by his face, and left without attempting small talk. It was just as well. He had a lot of reading to do and was in no mood to see any more pity from anyone.


Sybill

[14.04.04]

Third Eye, Third Sister by Orphne.

    Later, at Hogwarts, she lived in the dungeons, which felt much like a cave, she thought. When she spoke, the echoes returned in hollow whispers, but she never wrote down or spoke of what she heard. She dreamed too, back then--of Dark Lords and curses and the ruins of Hogwarts. In class, she sometimes spoke in tongues long forgotten and not yet born. In her bed at night, she would ghost her fingertips against the rise of her forehead, and feel the shadow of a third eye, dry and lidless. It never blinked, it never closed, and it never slept.

    She learned that she could not change what she Saw, and had accepted it. Sixth year, after she Saw Myrtle Maltpress fall against the toilets, body stiff, she had helped her with Divination the day before she died. After she Saw Tom Riddle murder his Muggle father, she had told him that he could copy her Charms' assignment for that day since he wouldn't have the time to do it himself. Years later, when she Saw Voldemort fall by the will of an infant, she had sent him a note wishing him A Happy Halloween.

    After Voldemort fell, she moved to the top of the North Tower.

    She is old now. The smoke in her rooms sheathes a film over her eyes, and she rarely dreams. In her old age, she has taken up weaving. In the evenings, she presses her spindle-like body against the loom and runs her hands over the wooden frame, embracing it as an old lover.

    In her old age, she has grown sentimental.


Tonks

[14.04.04]

A Legacy for Her Enlightenment by Flourish.

Tonks is a Black and at 12 Grimmauld Place, she learns the truth of this. Creepy. Horror.


Oliver

[14.04.04]

In Love by Halrloprillalar.

    Whenever Marcus saw Oliver, he itched. Or something like an itch. Marcus couldn't work it out. There was an odd feeling under his skin, deep in his chest, in the palms of his hands. He wasn't sure what to do about it.

    At first he wondered if he wanted to hit Oliver. But Marcus knew exactly how he felt when he wanted to hit someone and this wasn't it. This was ... itchy. And it worried him.

The most beautiful thing I've read in a long while. my love for this cannot be described. Marcus is lovely. *solemn*


Zacharias

[14.04.04]

The Professional’s Guide to Badgering People Crouching Lion, Hidden Badger How the Badger has fallen by Maya.

    Zacharias considered the matter of the amusing Draco Malfoy for a while, and then approached him. He was standing looking up at the Gryffindors practising, and he was making some notes about their practise that were quite clever, and would probably have come in useful if he hadn’t missed out some crucial parts making faces at Harry Potter.

    Zacharias sidled discreetly over to him, and came up with the perfect opening line.

    “Harry Potter is a bit of a twit,” he observed calmly.

    Draco laughed. “Oh, at last a soulmate,” he responded, and then turned around and jumped back. “Ew, a Hufflepuff,” he said faintly. “You’re not allowed to talk to me, are you?”

    “It’s not in the school rules,” Zacharias pointed out.

    “I knew I should have gone to Durmstrang,” Draco muttered. “All right, go away or get beaten to a pulp. Minions!” he called imperiously. “Minions, where are my… oh for God’s sake, they went off for their second brunch, didn’t they?” He looked pensive. “It’s so hard to find good minions.”

    “If I was rich,” Zacharias remarked, hoping that he wasn’t giving him ideas, “I’d hire assassins.”

    The suggestion seemed to appeal to Draco, who tilted his head in his direction in a manner that suggested he could one day accept that Zacharias was not taking up air that could be more usefully conserved for Slytherins.

Zacharias/Draco. Funnier than something really funny. Dead on, in a slightly skewed manner, characterization. OotP.


Crossovers

[14.04.04]

Harry Potter and the Improbable Use of Chaos Theory by debchan.

    "You killed Professor Umbridge," one of the children said.

    Granny tugged at one ear. "Yes. Well. It was a bit of an accident."

    A different one said, "Oh, no, don't feel bad. She was a terrible teacher." The rest of the children nodded.

    "Still-"

    "No, really. Last year she tried to kill a student."

    "I heard it was several students," someone else chimed in.

    "Even so-"

    "She was a wanted criminal on the run from the Ministry. They'll probably give you a reward."

    "Regardless-"

    Yet another broke in with a grimly pronounced, "She had decorative plates with frisking kittens on them."

    Ah. "I see," Granny said.

    Nanny said, "What kind of a reward?"

Discworld/Harry Potter. Hilarious.

L'Heure Bleu by Dale Edmonds.

    "Again," snaps Draco.

    Riley concentrates. It's like an itch at the back of his head, as if his hair wanted to sneeze. His fingers tingle and blue-white light pours out of them. He's stripped off his clothes and is standing barefoot in his boxers, sweat dripping off him. He's been practising the damn spell for two hours now and when the light streams out, it's a rush, a low, sweet rush that sends his heart racing and leaves him feeling like he's run a marathon.

    Draco does this without any visible effort. Waves his hand and incinerates the target. So far, Riley's singed the edges.

    The light fades. He drops his arms and collapses on the floor. The stone flags are blessedly cold. He's thirsty, hungry and the Army never said this was going to be so fucking difficult. Military advisor to a group of English wizards. He'd always thought Giles was weird, and now he's convinced they're all freaks.

    "Get up, Riley." Draco toes him in the side. He opens his eyes and looks up. Graham, the fucker, assigned himself to Harry Potter. Flying around on broomsticks and drinking butterbeer, he said. Gossip added a Ms Granger to the list, while Riley's stuck with Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy fortune and private army.

    Two weeks he's been trapped in the rambling castle, unable to wander about on his own. House-elves shadowing him everywhere, locked doors and paintings that not only watch him, but scream at him. He's taken to showering in the dark.

    The first day, Harry Potter, a skinny dark-haired kid who looked strung out on nerves or crack, had been there to talk to Draco. Riley wishes he'd paid more attention, but he'd been a little on edge himself. No broomsticks, but Draco's driving was worse than Buffy's, and there'd been a damn dragon on a leash outside the front entrance.

    Arguments the first day with names he didn't know, half of it just plain hissing that the two of them looked like they understood. A disappearance before dinner that left them dishevelled. Riley could put two and two together. It helped that Draco was so fair that his stubble burn could be seen across the room.

    Potter had stormed off after Draco tried again to get rid of Riley. Draco, whip-tight with tension, had waited at a window. Riley waited a while, then went back to his room to check his email.

    Two hours later, a sharp rap on the door and he'd staggered out of bed to open the door. Draco, a silver-scaled hood drawn over him, and a softly growled command. "Come and learn. If I have to keep you, you'd better be good."

Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Harry Potter.

'cause everybody wants by silvia kundera.
[hp/rps][hermione/britney]

    sometimes she thinks it's not real.