July Recs - Harry Potter
Another round of HP fic recs! Very late this month because of my computer problems (long story).
As always, pairings are varied (mostly slash, femslash and gen in this batch), ratings are varied, please always check fic headers and tags for warnings. Etc.
Bistro Styx by thewhitebirds (Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson)
There are a LOT of things to love about this fic. It's bittersweet. it's Pansy and Draco after the war. Years after. Their relationship is over but they still love each other and this dinner in Paris is like a last accord. The style in which this is written is beautiful and oddly musical. it's not quite the style you think of when you think of "lyrical prose" - it's too poignant, too sharp in some places, the descriptions very brief. But there's a rhythm and rhyme to it, and all the details flesh out the picture brilliantly. It's one of those fics in which everything and everyone is mostly alright, if nostalgic, but you come away with a feeling of gravity and maybe a bit of sadness, nonetheless.
Bequest by kelly_chambliss (Minerva McGonagall/Walburga Black, Minerva McGonagall/Rolanda Hooch, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin)
This fic does a nice job exploring how not only is beauty in the eye of the beholder but also how the way we see people is different from one person to the next and where one person might see a screaming hag another might find a principled, posed woman. And, really, who ever thought that McGonagall and Walburga could make a convincing couple? But they do! This is a remix of another fic, but it reads perfectly well both as it's own story and as an expansion of the original.
The Rotten Core by starfishstar (Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald)
This manages to pack a punch in a relatively small number of words. Albus' sudden disillusionment with who Gellert is and how, for a moment, he hopes that he's wrong and that his lover will stay and offer comfort in a tragic situation is absolutely heartbreaking.
Recipes for the Lost and Lonely by phresine (Draco Malfoy/Ron Weasley)
This fic is lovely and mostly lighthearted. Watching Ron and Draco come together in a slow burn is wonderful, especially when skillfully portrayed. They're very different and still cautious with each other, even -- especially? -- after the war. Watching them fall in love here is fun and emotionally satisfying.
But if you close your eyes by nathalieweasley (Pansy Parkinson/Gabrielle Delacour)
I love all the little details in this fic, of Paris and of Gabrielle. The atmosphere is evocative and almost dream-like at times. I love Pansy's characterization as well and how she true she stays to who she is and what she believes in, even after the world has changed.
Poseidon's Prisoner by esteoflorien (Cassiopeia Black, Marius Black)
I love the worldbuilding in this fic and its descriptions of magic and how magic feels and how it feels to have it. I like how this story develops Cass's relationship with her brother and her family, the undertones of sadness and loss of something not quite defined. It's an interesting look at some characters who are mostly just names in the HP canon.
And so we live, for the future by abyss_valkyrie (Remus Lupin/Evan Rosier)
This fic brings out some of the things I love most about this unlikely ship: how it all starts as lust and some awkward mistake and then develops, how they play off each other, how being on different sides of the war affects them and their relationship. The way that little things start to develop between them, how the pure lust starts to give way to something else is incredible to watch. I also just really love Remus in this. I love how he is honestly the most-minded person there. He understands Evan's reasons for following the Dark Lord, some of them even resonate this him. But in the end he has his principles and he understands how wrong it all is. And the story ends on a happy note. Canon stays canon, but this this doesn't go into that and it's a good thing too, because after how emotionally packed this is, a happy ending is very much appreciate.
The Butterfly Effect by my_thestral (Draco Malfoy/Ron Weasley, others supporting)
This one can be hard to get through. Although, if you make it through Part 1, it mostly goes uphill from there. But, depending on what sort of things you find hard to handle, it could be rough. For sure heed the warnings in the header. Humiliation isn't one of them, but as some one for whom this is a hard squick/borderline trigger, I'll say that if I was writing this fic header I'd include it. Draco is in a very dark place and he has some major break downs in front of people.
NOW for all of you who are not bothered by this, the fic is GREAT! I love Ron/Draco and I love Ron and both of those are wonderful. It's from Ron's POV and it's very compelling to see how he goes from good samaritan to actually caring a lot about Draco. I also love how helping Draco is also letting Ron have a moment when HE is the hero, if not to the world than to someone who really-really needs a hero. It's actually amazing how much lightheartedness and humor Ron's POV can bring to a story as objectively dark as this.
Also, Harry, Hermione, Bill and all the supporting character in generally are wonderfully in-character.
As always, pairings are varied (mostly slash, femslash and gen in this batch), ratings are varied, please always check fic headers and tags for warnings. Etc.
Bistro Styx by thewhitebirds (Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson)
There are a LOT of things to love about this fic. It's bittersweet. it's Pansy and Draco after the war. Years after. Their relationship is over but they still love each other and this dinner in Paris is like a last accord. The style in which this is written is beautiful and oddly musical. it's not quite the style you think of when you think of "lyrical prose" - it's too poignant, too sharp in some places, the descriptions very brief. But there's a rhythm and rhyme to it, and all the details flesh out the picture brilliantly. It's one of those fics in which everything and everyone is mostly alright, if nostalgic, but you come away with a feeling of gravity and maybe a bit of sadness, nonetheless.
Bequest by kelly_chambliss (Minerva McGonagall/Walburga Black, Minerva McGonagall/Rolanda Hooch, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin)
This fic does a nice job exploring how not only is beauty in the eye of the beholder but also how the way we see people is different from one person to the next and where one person might see a screaming hag another might find a principled, posed woman. And, really, who ever thought that McGonagall and Walburga could make a convincing couple? But they do! This is a remix of another fic, but it reads perfectly well both as it's own story and as an expansion of the original.
The Rotten Core by starfishstar (Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald)
This manages to pack a punch in a relatively small number of words. Albus' sudden disillusionment with who Gellert is and how, for a moment, he hopes that he's wrong and that his lover will stay and offer comfort in a tragic situation is absolutely heartbreaking.
Recipes for the Lost and Lonely by phresine (Draco Malfoy/Ron Weasley)
This fic is lovely and mostly lighthearted. Watching Ron and Draco come together in a slow burn is wonderful, especially when skillfully portrayed. They're very different and still cautious with each other, even -- especially? -- after the war. Watching them fall in love here is fun and emotionally satisfying.
But if you close your eyes by nathalieweasley (Pansy Parkinson/Gabrielle Delacour)
I love all the little details in this fic, of Paris and of Gabrielle. The atmosphere is evocative and almost dream-like at times. I love Pansy's characterization as well and how she true she stays to who she is and what she believes in, even after the world has changed.
Poseidon's Prisoner by esteoflorien (Cassiopeia Black, Marius Black)
I love the worldbuilding in this fic and its descriptions of magic and how magic feels and how it feels to have it. I like how this story develops Cass's relationship with her brother and her family, the undertones of sadness and loss of something not quite defined. It's an interesting look at some characters who are mostly just names in the HP canon.
And so we live, for the future by abyss_valkyrie (Remus Lupin/Evan Rosier)
This fic brings out some of the things I love most about this unlikely ship: how it all starts as lust and some awkward mistake and then develops, how they play off each other, how being on different sides of the war affects them and their relationship. The way that little things start to develop between them, how the pure lust starts to give way to something else is incredible to watch. I also just really love Remus in this. I love how he is honestly the most-minded person there. He understands Evan's reasons for following the Dark Lord, some of them even resonate this him. But in the end he has his principles and he understands how wrong it all is. And the story ends on a happy note. Canon stays canon, but this this doesn't go into that and it's a good thing too, because after how emotionally packed this is, a happy ending is very much appreciate.
The Butterfly Effect by my_thestral (Draco Malfoy/Ron Weasley, others supporting)
This one can be hard to get through. Although, if you make it through Part 1, it mostly goes uphill from there. But, depending on what sort of things you find hard to handle, it could be rough. For sure heed the warnings in the header. Humiliation isn't one of them, but as some one for whom this is a hard squick/borderline trigger, I'll say that if I was writing this fic header I'd include it. Draco is in a very dark place and he has some major break downs in front of people.
NOW for all of you who are not bothered by this, the fic is GREAT! I love Ron/Draco and I love Ron and both of those are wonderful. It's from Ron's POV and it's very compelling to see how he goes from good samaritan to actually caring a lot about Draco. I also love how helping Draco is also letting Ron have a moment when HE is the hero, if not to the world than to someone who really-really needs a hero. It's actually amazing how much lightheartedness and humor Ron's POV can bring to a story as objectively dark as this.
Also, Harry, Hermione, Bill and all the supporting character in generally are wonderfully in-character.