Undiscovered Beginnings
Stories occurring in the 1000 years of British Magic before the first Letter from No One drops through Vernon Dursley's mail slot
(The Time Period before Harry discovers he's a wizard)
23 stories currently
Hogwarts Founding
Title: A Request
Author: alyxbradford
Line from canon: The Baron was always a hot-tempered man. Furious at my refusal, jealous of my freedom, he stabbed me. . . .When he saw what he had done, he was overcome with remorse. He took the weapon that had claimed my life, and used it to kill himself.
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 31 of Deathly Hallows
Rating for the story: PG-13
Word Count: 725
Notes from author or recommender: Written for the omniocular August 2007 DH Canon Challenge
Link for the story: Here
Title: A Wholly Unique Work
Author: Thanfiction
Line from canon: “My - my uncle Bilius saw one and - and he died 24 hours later!”
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 6 of Prisoner of Azkaban
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count: 978
Notes from author or recommender: A very humorous look at how Uncle Bilius came to meet his death after seeing the Grim.
Link for the story: Here
Title: And the Hat Said 'Gryffindor'
Author: ciircee
Line from canon: "Come on, Rubeus," said Riddle, moving yet closer. "The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered."
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 13 in Chamber of Secrets.
Rating for the story: G
Word Count: 3000
Notes from author or recommender: "Did you ever notice that there are no Hagrid stories out there?" or at least very few. This is a wonderful one, though.
Link for the story: Here
Title: The Last Thing
Author: ciircee
Line from canon: "You're in safe hands (though I have none) For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 7 of Sorcerer's Stone
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count: 2381
Notes from author or recommender: Some details of the creation of the Sorting Hat. There's quite a lot of information in the story which has no basis in canon, but I think there is enough that is canon to make it worth including.
Link for the story: Here
The Life and Times of Albus Dumbledore and Family
Title: The Warmth of the Sun
Author:laurus_nobilis
Line from canon: "It destroyed her, what they did: She was never right again. She wouldn't use magic, but she couldn't get rid of it; it turned inward and drove her mad, it exploded out of her when she couldn't control it, and at times she was strange and dangerous. But mostly she was sweet and scared and harmless."
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 28 of Deathly Hallows
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count: 981
Notes from author or recommender: Written for omniocular's August 2007 DH challenge.
Link for the story: Here
Title: Better Left Said
Author: kjcp
Line from canon: The very same summer that Dumbledore went home to Godric's Hollow, now an orphan and head of the family, Bathilda Bagshot agreed to accept into her home her great-nephew, Gellert Grindelwald.
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 18 of Deathly Hollows
Rating for the story: PG-13
Word Count: 6000+
Notes from author or recommender: A very interesting portrait of Albus's and Gellert's relationship, the break with Aberforth, and the death of Ariana.
Link for the story: Here
Tom Marvolo Riddle
Mauraders At-School Stories
Title: Untitled
Author: fernwithy
Line from canon: [George] took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 10 of PoA
Rating for the story: G
Word Count:755
Notes from author or recommender:Written for one of fernwithy's marvelous "Challenge Calls!"
Link for the story: Here
Title: Praise out of Season
Author: summerborn
Line from canon: “Excellent, excellent, Harry! Good lord, it’s clear you’ve inherited your mother’s talent. She was a dab hand at Potions, Lily was!”
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 9 in Half-Blood Prince
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count: 1205
Notes from author or recommender: A nicely balanced story with interaction between Lily and Severus, with Slughorn being very realistic in his preferences for his favorite students.
Link for the story: Here
Title: Betray
Author: miana_dude
Line from canon: “You and Tonks are related?” Harry asked, surprised. “Oh yeah, her mother, Andromeda, was my favorite cousin,” said Sirius, examining the tapestry closely. “No Andromeda’s not on there either, look-“ He pointed to another small round burn mark between two names, Bellatrix and Narcissa.
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 6 of Order of the Phoenix
Rating for the story: PG-13
Word Count: 2517
Notes from author or recommender: Bittersweet story about Andromeda having to face the consequences of her decision to leave her family. I love stories like this!
Link for the story: Here
Title: Not-Quite-Friends
Author: fwibble
Line from canon: “I don’t need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!” Lily blinked, “Fine,” she said coolly. “I won’t bother in future.”
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 28 of Order of the Phoenix
Rating for the story: G
Word Count: 2913
Notes from author or recommender: While I don't ship people, I am adamantly of the opinion that - at school - Snape and Lily got on tolerably well. I could go into the evidence in canon that I use as my proof, but instead, I shall give you fic instead. At most, it contains spoilers for Order of the Phoenix.
Link for the story: Here
Title: Transformations
Author: Capramagus
Line from canon: “And they didn’t desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi.”
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 18 in Prisoner of Azkaban
Rating for the story: G
Word Count: 2,999
Notes from author or recommender: Written for the Phoenix Song Fifth Anniversary Challenge. Since we know that the animagi transformations were a surprise for Remus, what was he thinking when his friends were so obviously working on something and deliberately excluding him? This story shows us one possibility.
Link for the story: Here
After School, Children's Births, 16 Months of Hiding
Title:Halloween 1979
Author: snuggle_muggle
Line from canon: One minute to go and he'd be eleven.
Chapter and book canon quote is found in:Chapter 3 of Sorcerer's Stone
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count:1812
Notes from author or recommender:Wrote this one a while back, but it still fits into the canon. I've never written James/Lily before, but it was really fun to write and I've gotten a good response.
Link for the story: Here
Title: Uncloaking
Author: shiiki
Line from canon: “You have guessed, I know, why the cloak was in my possession on the night your parents died. James had showed it to me just a few days previously.”
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 35 of Deathly Hallows
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count: 2359
Notes from author or recommender: I had wanted to write this scene myself, but was glad when I saw that someone else had done it. It brings in the “Tale of the Three Brothers” and everything. Very nicely done.
Link for the story: Here
That Horrible Night
Title: An Adequate Speech
Author: snuggle_muggle
Line from canon: On Halloween morning, they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 10 of Sorcerer’s Stone
Rating for the story: G
Word Count: 1360
Notes from author or recommender: I was wondering why, considering that Halloween isn't really a big holiday in England, Hogwarts has a big feast. Now my husband is certain that it's because it's a witches' holiday, and he's probably right, but I chose to think of it a different way and that led me to write this story. I chose to think that there was a very different reason why Halloween was celebrated.
Link for the story: Here
Title: The Final Five
Author: TangoCharlie
Line from canon: …then came a new voice, a man’s voice, shouting, panicking - “Lily, take Harry and go! It’s him! Go! Run! I’ll hold him off-“
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 12 of Prisoner of Azkaban
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count: 2949
Notes from author or recommender: Written for Phoenix Song’s Fifth Anniversary Challenge, detailing the last few hours of James Potter’s life.
Link for the story: Here
Title: Old Friends Die Hard
Author: Bowles
Line from canon: “You don’t understand!” whined Pettigrew. “He would have killed me, Sirius!” “THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!” roared Black. “DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!”
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 19 in Prisoner of Azkaban
Rating for the story: PG-13
Word Count: 3106
Notes from author or recommender: This story is told in 2nd person, which is unusual, but it works. If you don’t get a chill down your spine at the end, then read it again because you’ve missed something! Great writing and a great ending.
Link for the story: Here
Title: Last Year
Author: Bad Mum
Line from canon: “Gideon Prewett, it took five Death Eaters to kill him and his brother Fabian, they fought like heroes….”
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 9 in Order of the Phoenix
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count: 1814
Notes from author or recommender: This story is another one that can send chills down your spine. It consists of Molly’s thoughts during the day of Halloween 1981 as she reflects on the loss of her brothers.
Link for the story: Here
The Wizarding World
Title: Thursday with Grandad
Author: vegablack62
Line from canon: "Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me - he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned - but nothing happened until I was eight."
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 7 of Sorcerer's Stone
Rating for the story: G
Word Count: 2111
Notes from author or recommender: A well thought-out story about Neville!
Link for the story: Here
Title: She Knew He Would Return
Author: vegablack62
Line from canon: "My gran's always said You-Know-Who would come back one day."
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 11 of Order of the Phoenix
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count: 1440
Notes from author or recommender: "I wrote the following alternative POV piece for the Omniocular August challenge. We were to write a scene from an outsider's point of view."
Link for the story: Here
Title: Always Maroon
Author: maple_mahogany
Line from canon: "Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 12 of Sorcerer's Stone
Rating for the story: G
Word Count: 602
Notes from author or recommender: A plausible explanation for Ron's lament about his maroon sweaters.
Link for the story: Here
Title: Identical Smirks
Author: belovedranger
Line from canon: “[Ron] threw his wand back into his trunk. “Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud.”
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 6 of Sorcerer’s Stone
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count:1112
Notes from author or recommender: We learn one theory as to why George and Fred told Ron that stupid spell to turn Scabbers yellow. Surprisingly, it wasn’t out of the kindness of their hearts.
Link for the story: Here
Title: The End of the War
Author: GMWeasley
Line from canon: “[Frank Longbottom] and his wife were tortured for information about Voldemort’s whereabouts after he had lost his powers,…”
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 30 of Goblet of Fire
Rating for the story: G
Word Count: 1923
Notes from author or recommender: This story was written before Deathly Hallows but still manages to portray Neville’s story beautifully. Everything centers on “The End of the War,” the first war, and Frank and Alice Longbottom’s sacrifices.
Link for the story: Here
The Boy Who Lived
The Vanishing Glass
Title: Some Children Are Loved
Author: Scop Art
Line from canon: When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; . . . .At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley’s gang hated that odd Harry Potter. . . .
Chapter and book canon quote is found in: Chapter 2 of Sorcerer’s Stone
Rating for the story: PG
Word Count: 2800
Notes from author or recommender: From the time frame before SS/PS begins, when Harry is seven years old. Touching story that contrasts Harry's childhood with Ginny's.
Link for the story: Here