mainly HBP musings - the potion in the cave

Ah, Christmas is over! Hope you all had a good and not too stressful time! Ours was nice, relaxed and enjoyable, and I spent an hour on the phone to my best friend in the US on the 25th (after 1am, but... shudders at thought of phone bill). Still, it left me lots of time with fanfic in front of the computer, and curled up with HBP in bed. Which means a substantial fic rec post should be forthcoming tonight :).

But while re-reading HBP (and after mulling over Horcrux traps for the recent fic), something occurred to me about the potion Harry and Dumbledore encounter in the Cave in HBP...
( Read more... )

FIC RECS (smutmas and others)

As much as I loved all of the Harry/Lucius fics that unexpectedly turned up this smutmas season, the pairing that really rendered me speechless at times was Sirius/Harry. There were so many totally *amazing* stories (and Harry/Sirius usually isn't my cup of tea at all)! But then I always tend to fall hardest for stories with pairings or plotlines I would not seek out in the first place if I stayed inside my comfortable confines of Malfoy- and Harry/Slyther-slash :).

Non-Smutmas Recs:
Patron - Saint by underlucius [R; slash, Regulus/Lucius; short one-shot]
The story behind Regulus Black and the Horcrux... This is one of the fics that praise just can't do justice. The style, plot twist, canonicity, sheer *beauty* of it is just *there*, and you'll have to go see for yourself. Which you should. I mean *seriously*! If you only read one of these recs, read this.

This Sporting Life by lazy_neutrino [PG-13; gen, Remus; one-shot]
Summary: Remus is captured. Lucius has his own reasons for setting him free. Dark.
Yes, I made a tiny handful of beta comments on this (not that it needed any). But it sent me into babbling fits the first time I saw it, and still has that effect on me at every re-reading. Lazy_Neutrino's Remus is just about the best there is, and her Lucius is chillingly (and brilliantly) cruel here. And the writing just shines!

Smutmas Recs:
The Hollow Wall by nimori [NC-17; Harry/Sirius; one-shot]
Summary: Harry has a ghost to put away. It's a larger job than he once expected.
Warning: underage... maybe...
This bleak vision of Harry remembering his 'relationship' with Sirius during OotP reduced me to tears. It just *embodies* longing and despair, and the sheer ends Harry goes to to somehow suck some meaning out of Sirius' death (or his life...). *Very* much worth reading, and taking time over to savour the plot and implications.

Love Is by kaiz [NC-17; Bill/Snape, Bill/Fleur; long one-shot]
Fleur and Bill approach Bill's one-time lover Snape to deal with his werewolf urges. It has everything: characterisation (perfect Snape, realistic Bill and strong Fleur, *gasp*), plot, smut, emotional intensity, and Fawkes! Hah, and to think that I almost passed up on this because of the pairing and the het! Don't make that mistake!

Aniseed and Smoke by melpemone [NC-17; Sirius/Regulus; one-shot]
Warnings: incest, semi-darkfic, angst, breathplay, light drug use, light D/s, bondage.
I'm not a great fan of the Brothers Black, but here excellent characterisation and psychology intersect with smut hot enough to fry eggs on, and a perfect killer ending... A wonderful read, with superb writing.

Sea Change by ihatefastcars [NC-17; Ron/Draco; long one-shot]
After HBP, Draco is taken in by the Order at Grimmauld Place... A lovely, long and solid piece of hesitant friendship developing into romance. I adore Ron's hilarious inner voice, the great writing, and the immensely canonical atmosphere. It's just an... all-round great read, and who could resist a fic that starts of with Harry in the process of strangling Draco Malfoy?

Body and Mind by son_of_darkness [NC-17; Harry/Lucius/Snape; one-shot]
Warnings: Non-con, kidnapping, bondage, bukkake and one extremely foul-mouthed Harry.
Harry is captured and handed to Snape for 'safekeeping'. Lucius worms his way into the proceedings... It's brutal, it's gritty, it's ugly, with a thoroughly un-romanticised Lucius, a rage-filled, incredibly strong Harry, and a very... complex Snape :). Not nice or for the faint at heart, but a dose of nasty realism that's very rare in fanfic.

The Turning of the Tide by atdelphi [NC-17; Moody/Shacklebolt; long one-shot]
Kingsley apprentices with Alastor Moody as a young Auror, and they slowly get... closer. As I said in the feedback, I love my smut, but I love long, plottish stories with rock-solid characterisation and a perfect canon feeling even more. And this is exceptional in showing how the growth of friendship* creates a bond much stronger than romance during the first Voldemort war. Gorgeous stuff!