April is the cruelest month (but I've got recs to ease your pain)
And I almost completely let it pass without posting recs. Which would have been... unfortunate.
Harry Potter
The Art of Walking Backwards by Mary Borsellino
Part 1
Part 2
Remus attempts to bring Sirius back and gets way more than he bargained for. Both happy and sad, this is a quietly beautiful story.
Bed and Board by Resonant
So the war’s over and wizarding Britain is swept by an... odd craze. Everyone except Harry is indulging, and he wonders what’s going on. Ron and Hermione help. They have a Harry clause (which I think is one of the Best Ideas Ever). Excellent Trio smut.
Door to the River by Minx
Remus can’t leave Sirius behind, so he takes steps to retrieve him from behind the veil, following in Orpheus’ steps.
Dream by Kass
And more yummy hot Trio smut. Harry has a lucid dream featuring both Ron and Hermione. Or does he?
First Time by lizardlaugh
Tonks is tutoring Harry, though she thinks this might not be exactly what McGonagall meant. Lovely, sweet, hot, wistful first time fic.
In a Shadowed Time by Nifra Idril
Sirius and Remus and the spaces between that can never be filled; fourteen years of shadows and two men who no longer know who the other is. Sadly beautiful. We need Nifra to write more Sirius/Remus.
Like a Man by maeglin yedi
Remus visits Sirius in his flat. Straight [*snerk*] boys watching porn and experimenting. Hot, hilarious, in character, endearing and did I mention hot?
The Man Who Lived by Beth H.
Snape, tired of living, no longer scared of dying, does what he believes he must. Dead on character-wise, with a heavy feeling of exhaustion leaking through, and the second person POV gives just enough distance -- Snape is as alienated from himself as he is from everyone else, and it shows. Nicely done.
The Marauder Rhombus universe by Jackie, Kathleen, Jamie and Jacito
Okay, I’ve recced this privately to a number of people, and I’ve wrestled with whether or not to rec it publicly because while it has an absolutely stunning Remus characterization (especially when written by Jacito), and enough hot hot Sirius/Remus UST to peel the paint off the walls, it also has some writing issues that almost made me stop reading it when I first began, noticeably tense issues (and some other technical errors. Nothing a good line edit wouldn't fix.). Added to that is the fact that it is a complete AU-Elseworlds type fic, containing no magic. I generally have difficulty with the idea of non-magic HP fic, because the magic is part of the appeal - and certain things are so inherently part of the characters’ (Remus’s lycanthropy, for example) that it seems somehow *wrong* to remove them. Plus, it is, horror of horrors, a work in progress.
However, all that means nothing in the face of the image of Remus playing bass.
*thud*
Yes, boys and girls, this fic is about MWPP as a band. Very much Get in the Van, though a little light on the ‘70s detail (I’d like to see more sense of the times), and honestly, they could file the names off and rewrite it as original fic and it’d probably work.
But, Remus. Plays. Bass. Guh.
James is an utter prick (almost completely unlikable at first, but he grew on me) and Sirius an obnoxious bastard. Peter is sweet and a little spacey, the way a drummer should be, and Remus is incredibly Remus-y, all things considered -- beautiful, elusive, full of secrets Sirius wants to discover, and did I mention he’s the bassist?
Lily is their most-definitely-not-a-groupie manager, and James is slowly winning her round, while Sirius and Remus dance around each other, their feelings, Sirius and James’s relationship, and how that complicates and informs their feelings, and trying to make a living making music.
There’s some lovely detail work scattered throughout the whole thing, with Remus’s hairbands around his wrist and Peter’s tattoo and the fact that Bill and Charlie Weasley work in the club where the band plays.
So yes, go read the whole thing and then poke the authors into writing more.
The Opposite of Happily Ever After by setissma
This is an exceptionally painful story, both for Remus and Sirius, and for the reader. So what if they’re straight, and they’re really just fucking around because Sirius is bored and Remus is horny? And what if Sirius slowly realizes that maybe he wants what Remus can’t give him? And what if Remus is a little slower on the uptake? Man, this story broke me.
Promised Eternity by setissma
Post-OotP, Remus makes some promises to himself. Beautiful, heartbreaking, and hopeful, this story made my chest tight and my eyes tear.
Redeeming Time by Minx
James Potter grows up. Brilliant. Excellent characterization, subtle changes, and the boys are very, very boyish, even as they're becoming men. I think the end was a little abrupt, but it doesn't detract from a lovely story. And the James POV -- all too rare for in this fandom - is fabulous.
A Sequence of Ghosts by Raven
Part 1
Part 2
I liked this a lot. In fact, this kept me glued to the computer when I was supposed to be doing a big mailing for work. ::cough:: Not that I read fanfic at work or anything. Ahem.
Anyhow, this is a slightly different take on the Remus/Sirius relationship in the pre-Azkaban years -- volatile and highly dysfunctional. We see them falling apart, and then we see them trying to put something back together again during OotP.
It hurt me and it made me laugh and it made me see some true things about both Remus and Sirius, and it left me with a couple indelible images, one where Remus comes through a window, and another with a black leather coat.
Sleep Pretty Darlings by Nifra Idril
James watches Lily sleep, and worries about impending fatherhood, the war and how to avoid being sent to sleep on the couch.
Smoke, breath, secrets by Ferox
Draco does what needs doing to save Harry. Short, sharp, and bitter. (written for the informal lyrics challenge)
Special Needs by Raven
Companion piece to "Making Moony Laugh" (recced previously), from Moony’s point of view. Sadly beautiful.
Things That Go by Allecto
Written for my informal lyrics challenge, this is a beautiful, sad look at Remus post-OotP, and how he finally realizes there are still people who care for him, even with Sirius gone.
A Thousand Wishes by hannelore
Beautiful, poignant, heartbreaking and hopeful fic. Hermione tells Neville the story of the little girl who folded a thousand paper cranes because she believed it would make her wish come true, and it sparks something in him.
If you've ever done something completely irrational in the belief that it would make everything turn out all right in the end, you will relate to Neville in this story.
Beautifully characterized, subtle canon details, and lovely, spare prose that doesn't hit you over the head with anything, but lets it all sink into you as you read. And the ending... I really did cry, and I'm getting teary-eyed again just writing this rec.
Tower of Air by cluegirl
Albus Dumbledore has a private portrait gallery, and after the fight at the Department of Mysteries, he has one more portrait to add. Heartrending picture of Dumbledore and the guilt and sadness he carries, the cost of the wars he's fought, and the fact that he still lives while others don't.
*shivers*
Triumvirate by Laura Smith
OT3! Everyone thinks Harry, Ron and Hermione have gone to Hogsmeade, but they're back in the boys' dorm, having sex. Hot hot hot Trio smut. Yet another thing this fandom needs more of.
What Is Best by Vixenette
Ouch. Just. Ouch. Another post-OotP Remus fic, and he's falling apart and no one's helping him and it hurts so very much. (written for the informal lyrics challenge)
~*~
Read. Love. Send feedback, my darling buds. Oh wait, that's *May.*
~victoria
Harry Potter
The Art of Walking Backwards by Mary Borsellino
Part 1
Part 2
Remus attempts to bring Sirius back and gets way more than he bargained for. Both happy and sad, this is a quietly beautiful story.
Bed and Board by Resonant
So the war’s over and wizarding Britain is swept by an... odd craze. Everyone except Harry is indulging, and he wonders what’s going on. Ron and Hermione help. They have a Harry clause (which I think is one of the Best Ideas Ever). Excellent Trio smut.
Door to the River by Minx
Remus can’t leave Sirius behind, so he takes steps to retrieve him from behind the veil, following in Orpheus’ steps.
Dream by Kass
And more yummy hot Trio smut. Harry has a lucid dream featuring both Ron and Hermione. Or does he?
First Time by lizardlaugh
Tonks is tutoring Harry, though she thinks this might not be exactly what McGonagall meant. Lovely, sweet, hot, wistful first time fic.
In a Shadowed Time by Nifra Idril
Sirius and Remus and the spaces between that can never be filled; fourteen years of shadows and two men who no longer know who the other is. Sadly beautiful. We need Nifra to write more Sirius/Remus.
Like a Man by maeglin yedi
Remus visits Sirius in his flat. Straight [*snerk*] boys watching porn and experimenting. Hot, hilarious, in character, endearing and did I mention hot?
The Man Who Lived by Beth H.
Snape, tired of living, no longer scared of dying, does what he believes he must. Dead on character-wise, with a heavy feeling of exhaustion leaking through, and the second person POV gives just enough distance -- Snape is as alienated from himself as he is from everyone else, and it shows. Nicely done.
The Marauder Rhombus universe by Jackie, Kathleen, Jamie and Jacito
Okay, I’ve recced this privately to a number of people, and I’ve wrestled with whether or not to rec it publicly because while it has an absolutely stunning Remus characterization (especially when written by Jacito), and enough hot hot Sirius/Remus UST to peel the paint off the walls, it also has some writing issues that almost made me stop reading it when I first began, noticeably tense issues (and some other technical errors. Nothing a good line edit wouldn't fix.). Added to that is the fact that it is a complete AU-Elseworlds type fic, containing no magic. I generally have difficulty with the idea of non-magic HP fic, because the magic is part of the appeal - and certain things are so inherently part of the characters’ (Remus’s lycanthropy, for example) that it seems somehow *wrong* to remove them. Plus, it is, horror of horrors, a work in progress.
However, all that means nothing in the face of the image of Remus playing bass.
*thud*
Yes, boys and girls, this fic is about MWPP as a band. Very much Get in the Van, though a little light on the ‘70s detail (I’d like to see more sense of the times), and honestly, they could file the names off and rewrite it as original fic and it’d probably work.
But, Remus. Plays. Bass. Guh.
James is an utter prick (almost completely unlikable at first, but he grew on me) and Sirius an obnoxious bastard. Peter is sweet and a little spacey, the way a drummer should be, and Remus is incredibly Remus-y, all things considered -- beautiful, elusive, full of secrets Sirius wants to discover, and did I mention he’s the bassist?
Lily is their most-definitely-not-a-groupie manager, and James is slowly winning her round, while Sirius and Remus dance around each other, their feelings, Sirius and James’s relationship, and how that complicates and informs their feelings, and trying to make a living making music.
There’s some lovely detail work scattered throughout the whole thing, with Remus’s hairbands around his wrist and Peter’s tattoo and the fact that Bill and Charlie Weasley work in the club where the band plays.
So yes, go read the whole thing and then poke the authors into writing more.
The Opposite of Happily Ever After by setissma
This is an exceptionally painful story, both for Remus and Sirius, and for the reader. So what if they’re straight, and they’re really just fucking around because Sirius is bored and Remus is horny? And what if Sirius slowly realizes that maybe he wants what Remus can’t give him? And what if Remus is a little slower on the uptake? Man, this story broke me.
Promised Eternity by setissma
Post-OotP, Remus makes some promises to himself. Beautiful, heartbreaking, and hopeful, this story made my chest tight and my eyes tear.
Redeeming Time by Minx
James Potter grows up. Brilliant. Excellent characterization, subtle changes, and the boys are very, very boyish, even as they're becoming men. I think the end was a little abrupt, but it doesn't detract from a lovely story. And the James POV -- all too rare for in this fandom - is fabulous.
A Sequence of Ghosts by Raven
Part 1
Part 2
I liked this a lot. In fact, this kept me glued to the computer when I was supposed to be doing a big mailing for work. ::cough:: Not that I read fanfic at work or anything. Ahem.
Anyhow, this is a slightly different take on the Remus/Sirius relationship in the pre-Azkaban years -- volatile and highly dysfunctional. We see them falling apart, and then we see them trying to put something back together again during OotP.
It hurt me and it made me laugh and it made me see some true things about both Remus and Sirius, and it left me with a couple indelible images, one where Remus comes through a window, and another with a black leather coat.
Sleep Pretty Darlings by Nifra Idril
James watches Lily sleep, and worries about impending fatherhood, the war and how to avoid being sent to sleep on the couch.
Smoke, breath, secrets by Ferox
Draco does what needs doing to save Harry. Short, sharp, and bitter. (written for the informal lyrics challenge)
Special Needs by Raven
Companion piece to "Making Moony Laugh" (recced previously), from Moony’s point of view. Sadly beautiful.
Things That Go by Allecto
Written for my informal lyrics challenge, this is a beautiful, sad look at Remus post-OotP, and how he finally realizes there are still people who care for him, even with Sirius gone.
A Thousand Wishes by hannelore
Beautiful, poignant, heartbreaking and hopeful fic. Hermione tells Neville the story of the little girl who folded a thousand paper cranes because she believed it would make her wish come true, and it sparks something in him.
If you've ever done something completely irrational in the belief that it would make everything turn out all right in the end, you will relate to Neville in this story.
Beautifully characterized, subtle canon details, and lovely, spare prose that doesn't hit you over the head with anything, but lets it all sink into you as you read. And the ending... I really did cry, and I'm getting teary-eyed again just writing this rec.
Tower of Air by cluegirl
Albus Dumbledore has a private portrait gallery, and after the fight at the Department of Mysteries, he has one more portrait to add. Heartrending picture of Dumbledore and the guilt and sadness he carries, the cost of the wars he's fought, and the fact that he still lives while others don't.
*shivers*
Triumvirate by Laura Smith
OT3! Everyone thinks Harry, Ron and Hermione have gone to Hogsmeade, but they're back in the boys' dorm, having sex. Hot hot hot Trio smut. Yet another thing this fandom needs more of.
What Is Best by Vixenette
Ouch. Just. Ouch. Another post-OotP Remus fic, and he's falling apart and no one's helping him and it hurts so very much. (written for the informal lyrics challenge)
~*~
Read. Love. Send feedback, my darling buds. Oh wait, that's *May.*
~victoria