#squashrecs

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favourite snape characterisation in fanfic?

Sorry about going intense on this but you asked me about Snape :D

Lawful good - Sex, Lies and Audiobooks by Raewhit. Snarry with super nice Snape.

Neutral good - As Beeswax in Summer by Rinsbane with a Snape who is really really hard to read from Harry's POV before we get the reveal of his character/real goals. Snarry.

Chaotic good - In Between Days by atrata with a Snape who is working based on his agenda. Snarry.

Lawful Neutral - The Snidget by Acid and Sinick with a Snape who is just giving his 100% to do damage control after the good side lost. Gosh, he is super alone but also really sticking to his code. Snarry.

Chaotic neutral - Frabjous by eldritcher with a Snape who is the worst planner with zero impulse control. His plan is don't follow the plan. Snaberforth and Snarry.

Lawful Evil - And Mine the Gall by @perverse-idyll with a Snape who is walking a real fine line between his desires and moral code. Deliberately!!! Snarry and Snapledore.

Neutral Evil - Remember Me to Cheetham Hill by Delphi with a Snape who definitely knows how to get what he wants and goes for it. Like really goes for it :D Snape/Filch.

Chaotic Evil - Fifty Shades of Truth by starcrossedgirl with Total Bastard Snape. Snarry but this one definitely won't work for folks who want a happy ending for their romance :D

I don't know anything about D&D except this meme so like don't take it seriously. I just wanted to rec fic.

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2023 HP Slash Fic Recs (January to August)

My favorite slash fics written in 2023! Full disclosure everything is Snarry except one fic which is Sirius/Albus + Snape/Albus.

In the Margins of What We Know by Malora (January)

Snarry, 27700 words, epistolary fic

Snarry doesn't really get a lot of epistolary fic. So when I saw this one I was super excited. Love it. Really creative fic with a lot of scope/worldbuilding without a lot of words.

Magic and Botany: The Bamboo Forest of Li Xian (book excerpt) A bamboo forest is unusual compared to other forests in that its growth happens beneath the surface. The Bamboo Forest of Li Xian, in fact, could be considered one organism. There is a single root system for the entire forest. Two shoots of bamboo, seemingly distant, can be connected in ways that are not easily seen.

Check out the rest of the Snarry Adopt A Prompt Fest 2022.

  This Mirrored Perspective by @likelightinglass and zalil (February)

Snape/Harry/Tonks, 8000 words, PWP, Dirty bad hot wrong

Ok this is my OT3 and I don't really take questions. But this is my OT3 because of Likelightinglass writing An auror, a professor and a potioneer walk into a bar. This fic has a totally different vibe! It's intense, psychological, dirtybadhotwrong porn with peak self-indulgence. Definitely NSFW.

That nagging sense that he didn't deserve it.

  Night Skye by @titconao3 (March)

Snarry, 11500 words, OTP comfort food fic

Heartwarming OTP fic! It's the best Snarry comfort food fic I read this year. Good vibes, sexy high chemistry, loving/intimate feels, brilliantly characterized, beautiful settings.

“One day…” He shakes his head and looks up at Harry, his eyes like coal. “Today,” Harry says. “Today, Severus; that’s what matters.” This is how, finally, Harry gets Severus to agree.

  Coda to "Soft Touch" by @perverse-idyll (April)

Snarry, 3,300 words, Soft

Have recced before. Will rec again. Because everybody needs to read it for the soft tender vibes. Not really soft. But compared to the intense angsty fic this is a coda for, I feel like it's optimistic and soft and I just feel so happy for my OTP.

"Can a man not toss off in the privacy of his own room without being accused of sabotaging his bloody health? If you can't trust that I have a vested interest in my own recovery - "

Snape spotted Harry, and a flush raced from his collar up to his hairline, exquisitely pink beneath his unnaturally smooth skin. But although he swallowed his tirade, Snape didn't seem particularly put out by having practically shouted his masturbatory claims to the entire office.

Check out Soft Touch the perfect dysfunctional/dirtybadhotwrong massage fic which inspired this coda!

  Devotion by @danpuff-ao3 (May)

Snarry, 27000 words. Intense/dirty bad/hot/wrong.

Exactly what I want from my Snarry! Honestly Danpuff is bringing the oldschool vibes of Snarry back with a bang in their fics every single time and I am just super spoiled now. Snarry forever :D Also love to see Danpuff going into longer fics this year!

Though the worst crime of all is Potter’s. "Did you want to die?" Also The boy knows — he knows — he can take anything he wants. That bitter surrender is surrender all the same. That the force of Severus’ loathing is fed by his longing.

Pro tip - Read Contempt together with this fic. Check out other fics from Snarry-a-Thon 23

  Much Ado About Asmodeus by @ac1d6urn (June)

Snarry, 18100 words, Fluff

Fluff and crack! Really love the oldschool trope parody vibes of this fic. I actually haven't read something like this in a pretty long time. Going on my rereads! Also going on my holiday season reading list :D Also love to see Acid's insane prolific streak this year. I feel super spoiled as a reader! <3

Harry squinted against the rain and promptly attempted to expunge the phrase "Ventus Vultuosus, swish and flick when in a bind!" from his memory. Ugh. Curse you, Common Weather Weathering Spell #13! That'll be the last time I trust anything Witch Weekly puts out in fine print. (Except maybe that last fruitcake recipe.) Now that he thought about it, Auntie Annabelle's Advice Column on "Ten Ways of Bewitching and Beguiling Your Mr Right" didn't seem so reliable either, especially considering some of those later suggestions, and maybe even those in the middle too. Those were a bit wild.

  Promises, promises... by SerenaEW, @acydpop (July)

Snarry, 5000 words, Fluff

Aww!!! The Snarry Summer Fluff I was totally praying for and really needed! Perfect Snarry Bang opener for my reading <3 Also the art! <3

Severus was looking at him, telling him, with only a glance, to shut up before you say something utterly idiotic. The expression on Jamie's face looked nearly identical.

Check out the other fics from Snarry Bang 2023

  Brillig by eldritcher (August)

Dumbledore saying "You disgust me" to people in his life but also meaning "I disgust myself". The more he sees himself in the other person, the more disgusted he gets. Intense, intense beautiful fic. But also healing because he finally overcomes that.

He disgusts you. Ratty, bony, skulking, pleading, raging, raving, frightened of the shadows and frightened of the fog, frightened of you. "You did not save Lily!" he yells. "You did not save James!" he weeps. "You did not save me!" he whimpers, and huddles into himself and trembles as if the North Sea is in his very veins.

Also the math works out!!! Snape/Dumbledore + Sirius/Dumbledore = Snack by proxy actually.

Check out the rest of the spectacularly beautiful Frabjous which contains some of my all time favorite fics.

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Asoiaf Sapphic September Mini Rec List

Sapphic September - mini rec list!

Rec list!

I wanted to do a quick rec round because it's Sapphic September! I have a lot of love for the femslash fics in Ossuarium. So going to focus on those!

General background - Ossuarium by eldritcher is a set of stories focusing on Targs in HoTD and Robert's Rebellion eras. They focus on character studies but also have plot. They are incredibly beautiful, soulful prose and storytelling. This series has my absolute favorite fics in this fandom but also not that well known so wanted to do my share in spreading the love.

Rating - M.

So 10 femslash fics for different moods!

Angst

Rhaenyra/Alicent

Angst, bitterness, friends to enemies, tragic ending. The Rhaenyra/Alicent cycle of Ossuarium is essentially an Alicent character study. Sharp, uncompromising, complex look at how sometimes buying into a social system imprisons you for life.

Soon the maiden's thirds - Young Alicent has a lot of hope but she's starting to find out more about their society. She is more observant than Rhaenyra and starts noticing their different attitudes.

Soon the vestal bride - Alicent is married to Viserys and really wanting to protect Rhaenyra from a loveless marriage like hers.

Soon the fallow embrace - Alicent really wants to help Rhaenyra but she's super angry about what she feels is Rhaenyra's lack of duty. At the same time she's also getting more worried about her kids and their future.

Soon the hippocras - Alicent has chosen her side and she's selfmedicating with faith/religion to repress her worries/feelings about how this is going to end.

Tantalus - Rhaenyra is dead but Alicent is still seeing her in the faces of the survivors.

  Sweet

Rhaenyra/Laena

This one is for the book fans! Sweet, happy feelings of two people who support each other a lot and want the best for each other.

Two Hearts That Beat as One - This is the beginning of their relationship. Laena is really in love with Rhaenyra her. Super sweet.

  Melancholy

Visenya/Rhaenys

Rhaenys is a force of nature here. Absolutely lovable. Definitely see why Aegon and Visenya loved her. But Visenya's characterization is the more gripping one here honestly. The vibes of body dysphoria and gender dysphoria she experiences are haunting, especially because she is extra determined to get over these to give their family a second heir.

Soon the pollard - really intense and really melancholic.

  Bittersweet

Rhaenys/Visenya (past), Rhaena/Visenya vibes.

This fic is narrated by the dragon Dreamfyre and touches the bittersweet moments in her life. Emotional and heartbreaking but also has sweet moments because Dreamfyre is the best dragon and has a lot of love for her riders, Rhaena and Helaena.

The Maids that Bloom in Spring

  Dragonqueer

Rhaena/Nettles

Special category :D

Lust - Netty gets into a relationship with Rhaena (daughter of Daemon) and starts learning more about the connection between dragons and their riders. Sweet and hot. Also really Targaryen like the tapestries in Alicent's bedroom in the HoTD show.

 

Fluff

Rhaenys/Tyene

Because some of these fics are on the sadder side also wanted to include a really fluffy Happily Ever After AU fic. What if Rhaenys (daughter of Elia and Rhaegar) survived?

Anodyne - Rhaenys wants a wife and she starts her selection process early. Writes poetry, gives flowers, the whole deal. Fluffy fic with Rhaenys/Tyene Sand endgame.

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Contrary to his reputation, he wasn't usually volcanic, not when murmured, raspy, arsenic-laced insinuations could do twice the harm of a temper tantrum. He was already a master of burning his initials into Harry's heart with verbal acid. (Kind of a turn-on in itself, actually, but only because Harry was old enough now to hear the broken undertones and heady, dark hunger coating each word.)

Rec because - Because Snape can get it. From Harry. Also maaaybe Hermione.

"Hermione shivered," Harry said. "I swear. I saw her. She liked it."

Word Count - 1900 words

Rating - E

Pairing - Snarry

Author - @perverse-idyll

2022/2023 has been like reward years for Snape fans because we have been getting insanely good fics. Including some insanely brilliant fics from PI. Some of them definitely had weird aftereffects. Like I am seeing Snamione now. PI's fault.

This fic is hot, hot and also hot. On top of that they are totally whacky and traumatizing everybody. Which is a Snarry thing to do. It's brilliantly characterized which just adds another layer to the hotness and their chemistry is insane. It's got the usual amazing PI vibe of a really sensitive exploration of Snarry trust issues, intense/complicated dynamics and general Snape Issues. Snape is the Issue of course and Harry is totally into that :D

Sometimes all Severus had to do was turn thirty-plus years of repressed hunger upon him, and Harry would start shaking.

Rec note - this is in Warm Universe which just adds 100x to my love for it because Warm is hot, sexy, sweet, as sweet as PI Snsarry gets :D Also incredibly hot/scorching Snarry PWP with The Ultimate Snarry Kink for me.

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HP slash recs - Rarest of Rarepairs <3

Short fics with October themes <3 Something for everybody. Fluff, Kink, Dead Dove, Spooky, Crack, Horror.

Also check out the Femslash Edition!!

Lists based on my reading.

Snape/Scorpius Malfoy.

Headmaster's Pet by sdk. 700 words.

Because this is kinktober!

Ron/James Potter

Gnorwlla by KateKintail. 550 words.

Hogwarts Halloween vibes! Spooktober!

Charlie/Hagrid

Typhon by eldritcher. 1600 words.

Ace!Charlie finds the love of his life. Flufftober <3

Bill/Kingsley

Liaison by Celandine. 400 words.

Get down and dirty. Polar opposite to the fic above. Hot hot hot! Fucktober :D

Quirrell/Lockhart

Frolicking With Fairies (by Gilderoy Lockhart) by Allecto. 700 words. Cracktober is Lockhart doing his thing!

Barty Crouch Jr. / Barty Crouch Sr.

Intention by mirrelomy. 2350 words.

Incestober is a thing.

Ludo Bagman/Harry Potter

Get A Clue, Harry by just_a_whorecrux. 1150 words.

Dead Dove Best Dove.

Argus Filch/Apollyon Pringle

Down Among the Dead Men by Delphi. 2900 words.

Horror. Haunting and scary. Read the warnings.

Argus Filch/Peter Pettigrew

To The Letter by pauraque. 1700 words.

Oldschool hp dubcon detention!fic <3

Regulus/Ron

Best Birthday Ever by dirtywrongandwholesome. 1850 words. Because kinktober gets to come again. Sorry not sorry.

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REC!!

Author's Summary - Regulus Black and The Glorious Cause.

Short fic. 2300 words. Rated M.

Rec Because this is like one of the rare fics where I genuinely liked the Regulus characterization. Definitely Canon Regulus. He's 100% a believer up until the point Voldemort fucks up Kreacher. Everybody is brilliantly characterized. Brilliantly written, brilliant framing. Really creepy and dark but also that's literally on brand for the guy who was badass enough to write The Most Letter.

Vibe Quote

The Dark Lord is circumcised.

If that's not enough

"Ickle Reggie mooning over a shirt-lifter," Sirius mocks, affecting the singsong prattle Mother uses to jeer at him. "Wait till you find out that The Glorious Cause is a sodomy masquerade. Bella brews all that Polyjuice for a reason." The Dark Lord doesn't look like a shirt-lifter. He is not effeminate or weak. It must be propaganda, as Bernays said in his book. The Great Evil of Hogwarts is a poofter. His agents must be slandering the Dark Lord by projecting his weaknesses and corruption on the leader of The Glorious Cause.

It's got

Brainwashed guy in his mom's basement I mean kitchen but you get the point.

His best friend is Kreacher

He is totally dysfunctional because Walburga and Sirius. Also because brainwashed.

He 100% believes. Until Kreacher gets fucked up.

I really love the relationship Kreacher and Regulus have here. It's pretty soft. Ofc if you squint you can ship Kreacher/Regulus but the fic is a genfic about Regulus and is pretty much a close POV in his headspace.

Also the Voldemort characterization. Without actually getting a scene/line from him. Honestly insanely good.

Rec note - I had to really fight to convince the author to post this on AO3. So yeah! Win <3

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HP Rec Fest - Day 8

Fest - @hprecfest, Theme - Canon Divergence

When the Rose and the Fire Are One by @perverse-idyll

Snarry. 81500 words. Rated E.

The ultimate Snarry for me! Snape is under house arrest after the war with some really horrifying wards. Harry defeated Voldemort. But Voldemort got a last curse in! Harry was cursed to bear the guilt of Voldemort's crimes. Can they help each other?In the beginning Harry's just using his power in the situation to make Severus suffer. But how much of his actions is his own and how much is because of the ghosts of Voldemort's crimes?

For one searing second, as pure and without conscience as a flame, a tiny smoulder in the corner that could burn down a house, Harry knew for certain he would someday fuck Snape. He wanted it, and he would make Snape want it, too. Even if it meant choking him into submission. Even if he had to use the collar to persuade him.

The fic is intense and complex. But it has a bittersweet and hopeful ending. Magical. One of the most creative plots I have read in this fandom really blending the whimsy + darker implications of the love is magic from the books!

Because the power to do so is based in the arithmantic complexities and interactions of emotions you can't control.

When the Rose and the Fire Are One has the Snape characterization for me. I'm kind of used to getting my heart broken for either Harry or Snape in Snarry fics. This fic got me crying for both of them. It's pretty common for fics with Snape as a MC to focus on his characterization more. He's definitely one of the most complex characters in canon so the fics focus on him more. This fic has brilliant and an unforgettable characterization for him. But it's also got an equally powerful and unique one for Harry which matches the intensity of the Snape characterization.

Sometimes a fic kills you with its intensity so much. This fic made me take a break from reading Snape centric fics for ages because I didn't want to read another type of characterization for him. It is just perfect for me.

Week 1 Recs

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@hprecfest. Day 31. A fav amongst favs

Almagest by eldritcher

Harry/Voldemort. Rated M. 133600 words.

Three men go to the moon to save the world.

If I can read only one fic ever again in my life because of some reason, I choose Almagest.

Beautiful theremin space opera telling a raw story about flawed people. Political, philosophical, romantic, sensual, kinky, funny, literary, musical, passionate, curious, unafraid, desperate, vulnerable, tragic, dark, profoundly human fairytale tempest.

Harry doesn't stop fighting for the right thing. Voldemort is doomed but he won't let "impossible" stop him. Dumbledore is brilliant, flawed and dangerous. They are the beating hearts at the center of the fic. My absolute all time favorite characterizations for them.

The pacing, the scale, the plot, the passion, the dynamics are absolutely incredible. The finale is a brutal victory march. The prose is lyrical and vivid. I don't want to spoil anything. So I am going to leave you with a quote by Ovid used in the fic which gets the vibe of the characters and the story.

"And now the measure of my song is done: The work has reached its end; the book is mine, None shall unwrite these words."

Almagest is a swansong. It burns everything it's got. Feels like a wildfire destroying a forest so that new pine cones can start growing, because "bright rose a different sun".

The perfect fic for New Year's Eve.

pic source

My other recs for this fest on Tumblr and also on AO3 collection

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Hp Rec Fest 2023 Recs by Squash

AO3 collection for the recs I made during this fest!

The fest mods deserve everything <3

Rec masterlist - links are for my rec blurbs.

31. A fav among favs: Almagest by eldritcher (2018). Harry/Voldemort

30. A precanon fic: The Unspoken and the Unsent by hollycomb (2013). Dumbledore/Elphias Doge

29. A postcanon fic: Candles Lit Against the Dark by perverse_idyll (2023). McGonagall/Grubbly-Plank

28. An underrated fic: A Cliff in July by Miss M. (2013) Millicent/Marietta.

27. A Muggle AU: Commonplace Magic by Acid, Sinick (2010). Snarry

26. A fic with an ending you can't stop thinking about: In Infinite Remorse of the Soul by perverse_idyll (2011). Snarry, Snape/Dumbledore.

25. A fic rated T: On Wednesday by Tryfanstone (2006). Snarry

24. A holiday fic: 10 Snarry Holiday fics.

23. A soulmate fic: Inch by Inch We Crawled Toward Each Other by Chatter (2017). Fleur/Hermione

22. An unfinished fic: The J. Alfred Prufrock Arc by vain (2003). Snarry.

21. A thought provoking fic: Brown Sugar by eldritcher (2018). Voldemort/Tom Riddle (Diary).

20. A G Rated fic: The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife by eldritcher (2021). Snape/Giant Squid.

19. Hottest smut fic: Both Sides Now by Predatrix (2006). Snarry.

18. A fairytale fic: The Lost World (short version) by perverse_idyll (2013), Snarry + Omphale by eldritcher (2015), Harry/Voldemort

17. A fic that made you cry: 10 Snarry fics to make you cry

16. A fic that made you laugh: 10 Snarry fics to make you laugh

15. Most recent bookmark: De Aegypto by squibstress (2023). Minerva/Rolanda

14. A fav series: Pandemic by eldritcher (2021) Harry/Voldemort

13. A fic over 100K words: Catullus 16 by eldritcher (2014) Harry/Voldemort

12. A WIP: Year of the Thestral by perverse_idyll (2022) Snagonagall, McGonagall/Hooch

11. A dark fic: King of Fat by rinsbane (2006) Snarry

10. A fest fic: A Matter of Time by danpuff (2022). Snarry

9. A rarepair fic: Extraordinary Lengths by MaxWrite (2009). Percy/Barty Crouch Jr.

8. A canon divergence fic: When the Rose and the Fire Are One by perverse_idyll (2010). Snarry

7. A canon compliant fic: Storytelling by kellychambliss (2010). Hermione/Minerva McGonagall

6. An unreliable narrator fic: Remember Me to Cheetham Hill by Delphi (2021). Snape/Filch

5. A non AO3 fic: Down the Rabbit Hole by RaeWhit (2008). Snarry

4. Fic + art: PS, I love you by mywitch and groot (2022). Snape/Hermione

3. A podfic: [Podfic of] Bad Girls, Bad Girls, Whatcha Gonna Do by wilfriede (2023). Minerva McGonagall/Rolanda Hooch + [Podfic of] Plenitude by wilfriede (2023). Amelia Bones/Hermione

2. A comfort fic: Epic of the Forgotten by eldritcher (2017). Viktor Krum/Voldemort + Sexing the Pumpkin by ratherbrightred (2007). Snape/Sirius Black

1 . A fav fic under 5000 words: Corresponding with Snape by asnowyowl (2010). Snarry

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Catullus 16 by eldritcher

Harry/Voldemort. Rated M. 168000 words.

Fest - @hprecfest. Day 13 - A fic over 100k.

This is a special rec because Cat16 is a really special fic. One of my all time fav fics! The fic was originally written in 2014 and it returned to AO3 in 2023 after it was taken down in 2018. This is a fic I avoid reccing because I don't really think I can do it justice. Lots of prep work went into this rec <3

Cat16 is a glorious love story. Also a scary war story. Also a story about grief, living with the ghosts of the people you lost.

This fic is hard to categorize. It has everything. A depressed, grieving villain avoiding war. A depressed, lonely headmaster avoiding war. A frightened, brave hero who has to walk a pretty fine line between morally good and not so good but doesn't succeed sometimes. Compromises on top of compromises but how do you even with somebody who killed your parents? The grief is visceral/unending/painful to read/painful to think about. Love clasps grief as only love can. This is a repeating theme in every single eldritcher fic. But it really is the biggest ghost haunting Cat16.

The war framing is Grindelwald’s invasion after he escapes from the prison. But the real war is the heart and mind war Harry, Voldemort and Dumbledore have to fight everyday as they make compromises. Dumbledore is charismatic and brilliant. Voldemort also. Their depression, grief and sensuality are the other side of the coin. Definitely not inhuman. Harry is so brave, so hopeful, so flawed, so everything.

You can’t talk about Cat16 without talking about the smut. Because Catullus wrote this poem about sodomy and face fucking. Because eldritcher's love for ficdick isn't like a secret or anything. The opening scene has serious Kill Bill vibes. The fic starts hard, goes hard, doesn’t really stop going hard. Honestly Harry and Voldemort have got to be nonstop dehydrated because of their dickchasing. So much dick. Sexposition is dickposition here :D

Also the character progression. Harry’s character gets layers as he deals with new challenges everyday. Dumbledore’s and Voldemort’s characters work in reverse with them losing layers when they trust Harry more and more. It’s a really brilliant and unusual exposition technique I don’t see a lot in fic. Works for the fic 100%.

The relationship arc has a lot of literary clues about the progression. The locations also show the relationship evolution and the real scale of the fic. The fic starts in Hogwarts, next London, next Canterbury which is really important for Dumbledore's arc, next some war locations, next Hungary in the Carpathians which is the classic Grindelwald setting in eldritcher's fics and the finale is in France locations in Rheims and Verzenay.

Also Grindelwald. The Grindelwald/Dumbledore confrontation in Canterbury with the backstory of Thomas Becket/King Henry is really intense. OMG. This fic. Like any eldritcher fic you can use it to prep for history trivia. Probably better than learning history on Twitter :D Also more fun. Less shouty more smutty. Zero preaching. Zero pretension. Somebody on reddit compared this to hpmor done right which I feel is insulting Cat16 but yeah I get the comparison.

The finale, Acheron, is one of eldritcher's best longfic finales and that's a really high bar right there. The ending is bittersweet and haunting. They are in love, they are together but you finish reading with this loss of innocence melancholy, sweet ache which is going to haunt you for the rest of your life.

Love love love this dickpoetry epictragedy soaringlovestory fic <3

art source

Recs I made for this fest

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HP Rec Fest - Day 17

Fest - @hprecfest. Theme - A fic that made you cry.

Snarry is good at angst. So I made a list! 10 fics with 10 types of angst :D

The Boy by themoonandstars1989. What if Snape wasn't a good guy? :D Read the warnings!

The boy had grown beautiful — alabaster skin and dark red lips. Snow White personified, waiting for a prince's kiss to wake him up.

Mostly Harmless by emilywaters1976. What if Harry wasn't 100% good guy? :D Read the warnings.

After the war, former Voldemort supporters go into indentured servitude. Snape becomes Harry's slave. That's when things get complicated.

Morior Animus by vain. You know where this is going but you cant stop reading :/

". . . You seem to be enjoying the book." "Read it twice through," Potter replied, vacant gaze staring just a little bit over Severus's left shoulder. He sounded proud of himself. The sad smile reappeared and he shrugged slightly, sensing if not seeing Severus's raised eyebrow. "I like happy endings."

No Sex, No Galleons by Ziasudra. Snape Whump :D

Even after the death of both his Masters, Severus Snape couldn’t escape a life of servitude. Tonight, just as every other night, he stood on a shaky wooden platform, with nothing but a tattered robe wrapped thinly around himself.

Help Wanted: God & Executioner by pir8fancier. Wartime really sucks when you have to be the one doing the thing.

"You are quite willing to let the rest of us shoulder your sins, are you? Kill for you, so that you can exit this war with a relatively clean soul?"

So Lonely Without Me by caligryphy. Wartime also really sucks when you can't do anything.

"... What if they’re dead? What if no one knows we’re here—what if they’ve sold us out—what if the war is over and Voldemort’s won? Dumbledore secreted us away—he can’t do the same for himself. What’s to stop the assassins from gunning for him? What’s to stop Dumbledore from dying—he’s the only one who knows where we are—the only one—"

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence by cluegirl. Voldemort wins is the worst situation ever :/

"Delusional child, don't you remember what you are?" He hissed between blows that rocked Harry breathless, "Have you let our Lord's indulgences fool you?" Lucius grunted, and the whip bit again, "Fine robes! Elegant chambers! Laughable titles do not make you anything but a slave!"

Always Hungry by melora98. More wartime whump. Sometimes you have to make big sacrifices to save the other person :/

Harry didn't know how long it had been. He slept, jerked awake, his mind spun. Walking around the small perimeter of the cell exhausted him and he would collapse flat on his back, staring up into the darkness until fitful sleep caught him again.

The Impossibility of Crows by LoupGarou. Wartime. Doing the right thing means giving up on a lot :/

"I have to do this." His voice was so soft I had to strain to hear it. "Of course you do. You never did have any reasonable understanding of your own limitations."

Standing on the Shoreline by tofsla. Postwar. You can totally have postwar Snarry angst. This one is melancholy and really brilliant as a Snape character study.

He never undresses, not for this. It was circumstance and then it was habit, and why would he have wanted anyone to see his body, anyway? He has little enough going for him as it is, even with the mark gone. And besides, the dresses are—are— But he almost wants to say yes. Roll over onto his stomach and let Potter unzip him, open the dress from neck to arse. He could almost let Potter expose him like that.

Also bonus!

If You Are Prepared by Cybele. Nobody is prepared for this one :/ A sweeping old school Snarry epic.

The boy cannot know.

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Hp Rec fest - Day 1

Fest - @hprecfest

Rec Theme - A Favorite Fic Under 5000 words

Pairing - Snarry. Rating - E. Length - 4400 words.

Author - asnowyowl

Link - SnapePotter Dreamwidth , Walking the Plank

Summary - Who would have guessed that writing silly notes to someone could change the way you feel?

Rec because - Classic fluff with a happy ending! Writing letters to each other first for fun but things get hot and serious.

"He's shagging someone," Ron said. That was certainly impetus enough for Harry to tear his gaze from Snape. He'd never thought of himself as the possessive type, but he almost growled out the word, "Who?" "Ewww." Lavender looked as if she might sick up. "Who'd ever shag him?"

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HP Rec Fest - Day 5

Fest - @hprecfest

Theme - A non-AO3 fic

Down the Rabbit Hole by Raewhit

Snarry, Rated E. 48000 words.

Rec because this is brilliant and angsty with a nonlinear and whimsical narrative that makes the reader feel the agoraphobia in the story. One of the best sentient Hogwarts fic I have read. Sentient Castle saves Severus after the war. But Hogwarts keeps him a prisoner because he failed his duty to the Castle. Harry is the only person who knows that Severus is alive and trapped in the dungeons. Really complex and beautiful plot, excellent pacing. This Harry is a savior who doesn't hesitate to take on the Castle for Severus's sake.

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HP Rec Fest - Day 16

Fest - @hprecfest Theme - A fic that made you laugh

Snarry is complicated/messy/angsty. But also funny! Lots of Snarry fics are really funny deconstructions of some super popular tropes during the eras they got written. Today I got ten Snarry fics that made me laugh. Nobody asked me for a list but I made one anyway because Snarry!!!

D for Defender by Amand_r. Bat Snape forever <3

There's a man stalking the Wizarding world. Or a bat. Maybe a Man-Bat. Severus is probably having an affair, Harry's tired all the time, oh, and those drunks out in East Anglia are complaining about the green lights. Again.

The GL, Oder Der Giftige Lautsprecher, nicht wahr? by Rakina. Snape is a dick shaped plant. Literally.

This looked something like a round gourd, bulbous and flushed red. As Harry stared at it he realised the gourd's shape was alarmingly testicular, and the dusting of dark bristles over its surface did nothing to lessen the resemblance.

Better Homes and Dungeons by abstractconcept. Relationship problems because Snape and Harry of course are awful at communication.

“He’s bored with me,” Snape said despondently. “Naturally,” Draco replied, draining his gin and tonic. “You don’t throttle him nearly enough.” He poured himself another glass. “Learn to keep your relationship more exciting. Break out the whips more often.”

Sheer Dumb Luck by rexluscus. Of course the best solution to win the war is screwing Snape. Literally. Also in other ways.

For once, Harry and Voldemort want the same thing, and they want it from Snape.

Fall into Charybdis by Nimori. Dirtybadhotwrong. Also funny!

"Of course." Harry waited until the floo whooshed, then rounded on Snape. "What are you playing at, you greasy prick?" "I think you should call me Dad," Snape said, examining his nails.

Protosnape by suitesamba. Snarry authors also write non dirtybadhotwrong. Sorry if my recs gave you the wrong impression at any point. This one is wholesome and funny!

When WWW decides to add Headmaster Snape to their Wizarding Heroes Action Figure line, Harry begins a correspondence with Snape’s cousin to iron out the details of the prototype. Albert Prince Jr. has some very specific ideas, and Harry soon finds himself counting buttons and measuring cauldron bottoms in a bid to get the action figure to market, and to find out a bit more about this mysterious cousin.

Great Liars, Great Magicians by LoupGarou. BACK TO THE DIRTYBADHOTWRONG.

Dumbledore forces Harry to bond with Snape, who demands an heir, but when Harry announces his pregnancy, Snape doesn't believe him. The road to hell may be paved with good intentions, but the path to love is strewn with sex, lies, and manipulations.

A Tolerable End to an Unfortunate Situation by who_la_hoop. Of course Snape doesn't stay dead. Of course he is a problem.

When a dead, naked Snape enters the Great Hall – resurrected from the dead and out for Harry Potter's blood – it's the start of a whole new set of problems for the reluctant hero of the wizarding world.

Pink Slip by Cluegirl. Voldemort wins and ofc Harry is tortured. Really tortured :D

It is a long-held tradition for the children of one's enemies to be fostered in one's own household in order to enforce both sides' adherence to a treaty of peace. Harry doesn't find much comfort in the peace that has been bought with his freedom, but he's just a Fosterling in the house of Malfoy -- his only avenue of complaint lay with his Welfare Overseer, one Severus Snape.

Unexpected by Seeker. Snape gets deaged and everybody exploits that. Really exploits him :D

Thirty years as a Death Eater cum double agent and it came down to this.

Recs I made for this fest

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HP Rec Fest - Day 11

Fest - @hprecfest

Theme - Darkfic

Snarry fandom is darkfic central so it's really impossible to pick just one fic! But I am going to go with a beautiful fic which doesn't usually get recced a lot.

King of Fat by rinsbane

Rated E. 10500 words. Snarry, Snucius, Snape/Voldemort.

Unique, brilliant and unsettling. Hard to categorize but we are going with Snape character study with him thinking about the different players in his life like his mom, Harry, Voldemort, Lucius, Dumbledore. Also a beautiful meditation on beauty/ugliness.

Snape had long ago learned that he was not one of the Beautiful. The Dark Lord, though – the Dark Lord was all economy of motion and languid ease, all sharp impatience and sleek insinuation, all burning coals held behind a sheet of ice. He smelled like sweet smoke rising from a sacrifice of flesh, and his voice was the low crackle of the fire devouring the meat. He was the altar and the fat upon it, and he sacrificed to himself, and he would pull Snape up onto his fire and burn him, and Snape would be remade into a thing of beauty himself.

Have you ever read a fic and thought OMG it's just using the right kind of words and the right amounts of words to tell this story? In Snape's words, no spare fat here in this fic!

Snape fandom attracted really brilliant writers from day one. A lot of them are appreciated like they should be. I feel some of them were maybe more niche depending on whether they wrote longfic/shortfic and other factors. Rinsbane is one of the best writers I have read ever but also hard to categorize their works in a genre. It's hard to explain why but my personal take is something about rinsbane's writing feels too sensitive esp on sexuality. Esp on Snape's sexuality. It doesn't feel OTPish? It feels naturally multishippy? Which is hard for me to appreciate when I am in OTP reading mood. But also these are also some of the fics that stayed with me forever. One of my reccing goals when I started reccing was to rec everything Rinsbane has on AO3 for HP fandom. I love love love their works.

Recs I made for the fest

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@hprecfest. Day 21. Theme - A thought provoking fic

Brown Sugar by eldritcher

Voldemort/Tom Riddle (Diary). 74800 words. Rated M.

The ultimate Voldemort fic for me! A fic about the loss of humanity during war. A brilliant and chilling masterpiece.

Voldemort's sanity is getting worse. Meanwhile the Malfoys made a "boy" from the Diary. He gets really attached to this boy who doesn't get scared by him. Just when the love story is starting, he is captured by the Order when Snape betrays him.

The writing is devastating. The psychology for Voldemort, Dumbledore and Harry are brilliant. It's super tempting to call this Dark!Harry except he is still the same Harry destroyed by a long war. Also Snape & Voldemort with the Daniel & Nebuchadnezzar dynamic is everything.

The incisiveness in plot/characterization in this fic is something I haven't really seen in my reading before. It doesn't hold back. It is intense, brutal, disturbing, filled with blood and history, just gets under your skin unforgettable, exactly what it needs to be. The fic has a cathartic bittersweet ending.

"Do you know the tale of Nebuchadnezzar?" he pressed on, reaching out to clasp my tense fingers. It was a tale of hubris. He had spoken of his might, of his fair city of Babylon. And God had taken offense. "Thy kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the fields; they shall make thee eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee." I had been a spirit broken fleeing from snake to mice to snake, desperate and unable to sustain myself through magic or mind. I had been nothing, except endless anguish and madness and fear. "I know the tale of Nebuchadnezzar very well," I admitted quietly.

art source Nebuchadnezzar by Arthur Boyd