#Snape is bad but he’s definitely not the worse DE

[hollyparker]

~ Okay, before I start this, I will first like to say that I’m not hating on anyone. This is all fiction; you can like, stan, or hate whatever characters or ships you want. I’m just here to have fun and get away from my real-life issues, honestly. This post was only to talk about the hypocrisy in the Marauders fandom. So I really hope no one gets offended by this because that was not my intention and that never is, and I do apologize if it comes off as such. ~

So awhile back, I saw a TikTok of some girl saying how she never meant to start a war she just told a Snape stan that he was originally a death eater. And I was all like, “Yeah, okay facts, he is/was," but then I read her comments and realized that she was one of those Snape haters. You know, the hypocritical and delusional ones. Where they hate on Snape and the people that like him (which, hating Snape is fine. You don’t have to like him. It’s only an issue when you bully people that do like him and make them feel bad for it), but then go on and stan Barty, Regulus, and ever other death eater in that little cult. 

She was literally saying how Regulus, Barty, and Evan are different from Snape. And I mean, yes, they’re all different, but they’re all still bad people and death eaters. Then she goes on to talk about how they’re different from Snape because “at least they didn’t bully and abuse kids” (which they literally did, especially Barty. As stated in the books and shown in the movies. The DE’s were actively hunting these kids down and literally torturing people ‘i.e. Bellatrix and Barty torturing the Longbottoms to insanity’), “There’s not a lot of information on them”, and “they’re baby girls”. 

Then she goes on to say that “although Barty was a DE, he was clever and loyal, unlike Snape, who is a whimp"…..Huh? You don’t like the fact that Snape wasn’t loyal to Voldemort? So do you actually like what the DE's and Voldy stand for? I’m a little confused on that one. 

And someone commented that Barty did in fact abuse kids, as he was literally trying to kill Harry. And she goes on to say that it’s not abusing children and that Barty didn’t even want to do it; he was simply doing what Voldy told him to do. Like, what?? Just what? Barty is literally a proud DE (and she said it herself that he is loyal to Voldemort), so if his precious “master” tells him to do something, he’s going to want to do it, and he’s going to do it happily. No hesitation, no remorse. If Voldemort wants it, then he wants it. Voldy tells Barty to go kidnap, kill, or abuse some kids, then he’ll do it. Whatever, just to please him.

Then she acknowledges that he tortured the Longbottoms, but then goes on and says, “But are they children? No.” As if that makes it any better!? He was still torturing and abusing people. He is NOT a good guy 😭

I just really don’t understand why they can like all these awful (and I mean awful as in they did terrible things) death eater characters and get praised, and others nod their heads along with them, but the second someone shows the slightest interest in Snape, it’s as if someone killed their pet or their parents. It's like the biggest insult to their name or something. As if those other DE’s are not worse than Snape. They say “we don’t follow canon,” and yet they keep Snape canon or they make him wayyyy worse, like homophobic or a rapist or they’ll give his backstory/upbringing to other DE characters to make them more angsty and sad.

(ALSO, another point is the whole pretty privilege thing that goes on in the fandom, that they don’t like to admit is a thing, but it definitely is).

[fool-of-a-took1]

I will now share my list of the worst ships I’ve seen because wtf

1. Edmund Pevensie/Severus Snape

(Hehehe nooooo why noo)

1 Work

2. Draco Malfoy/Lucius Malfoy

(WHAT IS THIS?! INCEST!)

348 Works

3. Helen Parr | Elastigirl/Violet Parr

(INCEST)

13 Works

4. Dash Parr/Violet Parr

(Stop with the fucking incest)

9 Works

5. Bob Parr | Mr. Incredible/Violet Parr

(STOP IT)

9 Works

6. Dash Parr/Helen Parr | Elastigirl/Violet Parr

(FUCKING HELL)

4 Works

7. Simon Brown/Nanny McPhee

(No just no)

Not on ao3

8. Peter Pevensie/Susan Pevensie

(INCEST!! AGAIN!)

129 Works

9. Edmund Pevensie/Peter Pevensie

(INCEST!)

94 Works

10. Aziz/Ben/Doug/Evie/Jane/Jay/Mal/Carlos de Vil

(So many people)(actually don’t really have anything against it I just almost died trying to read the tag)

4 Works

11. Draco Malfoy/Fred Weasley

(Fuck no)

83 Works

12. Harry Potter/Severus Snape

(NOO absolutely NOT)

15,246 works (oh that’s bullshit)

13. Sirius Black/Charlie Weasley

(PEDOPHILIA! And just wrong generally)(idk, might not be pedophilia but it’s not right)

46 works

14. Hermione Granger/James Potter

(Dude wtf, they ship her with everyone)

271 works

15. Sirius Black/Severus Snape

(Nope nope ew ew ew!!)

2,126 works

16. Peggy Carter/Newt Scamander

(Not really bad ig but it’s interesting)(and how did that happen?)

1 work

17. Newt Scamander/Theseus Scamander

(Incest.. again)(people really like that for some reason)

1,155 works

18. Albus Dumbledore/Newt Scamander

(Okay first of all love Dumbledoor slander second of all NO!!)

184 works

19. Arthur Weasley/Ginny Weasley

(Aww come ooon stop it! Stop the incest! What is wrong with people?)

30 works

20. Hermione Granger/Rubeus Hagrid

(Wow they really do ship her with anyone)

21 works

21. Fang/Hermione Granger

(How? How did we get here? How did we make it worse?)

5 works (and it’s not even only one)

22. James Potter/Severus Snape

(NO NO NO JUST NOO)

929 works

23. Sirius Black/Lily Evans

(Yeah no not really my ballpark)(how did you even get it to this?)

75 works

24. Fenrir Greyback/Remus Lupin

(Definitely have not read this because I wanted an abusive relationship with Sirius swooping in later…)

122 works

25. Sirius Black/Tom Riddle

(… I’m not even gonna try)

30 works

26. Neville Longbottom/Severus Snape

(Why is this a thing?)(he is a teacher that fucking bullied him)

161 works

27. Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter/Severus Snape

(I’m sorry, is your brain fried?)

442 works

28. Sirius Black/Severus Snape

(Stop it, seriously)

2,126 works (okay I told myself not to comment on the amount but wtf is that?)

29. Regulus Black/Severus Snape

(ABSOLUTELY NOT!!)

483 works

30. Regulus Black/Sirius Black

(I mean I already knew blackcest was a thing but come ooon)

456 works

That’s not even all of it, I have more

(Also fyi I did know and expect the incest but I write it down because it’s bad and it’s a lot)

[consistentsquash]

He dead! 5 Snape MCD Snarry recs

MCD Fridays! Five fic recs where Snape is really dead. No ambiguous endings. No coming back. No afterlife. He really dead. Because we got to show some love for the fics that really commit to MCD! Folks don't normally read them which means not a lot of these get written in the first place!

Actually wanted to do 10 recs but it was insanely hard finding fics with this criteria!!

Snuff Out by naatz

Rated M. 2800 words.

The Harry characterization!!!! Their dynamic. Seriously surreal fic. Intense. A lot of feeling w/o a lot of words. Love the HBP vibes. There had to be some other way to solve everything; some way other than death and desolation and the ruins of a room with a green bed. This fic is from the Snarry Games Team Angst.

Dangling Conversation by LoupGarou

Rated M. 16300 words.

Also dead. Of course the author is really cruel and we keep hoping maybe maybe it's going to work out. Nope! Dead! But the fic is super brilliant with how it does a lot of plot twists/tricks to get you hoping. Suspense like a Halloween movie!!! One of my all time fav Snarry fics. Really intense! Also from Snarry Olympics Games Team Angst.

Leman by eldritcher

Rated M. 3600 words.

Rec - Harry needs a powerful wand to defeat Voldemort. So of course Snape makes him a wand from his own heartstring. Fairytale horror. Also the hottest shaving scene. Hot shaving kink + human sacrifice is the vibe here. Also Snape the competent wandmaker! Gosh lovelovelove this fic. This is from Snapecase fest. The 2023 fest is going on right now. So definitely go check it out if you want new fic!

Always Hungry by melora88

Rated M. 6700 words.

Rec - Harry falls into a DE trap. Snape saves him. But the death is 100x worse than his canon death. Read this when you want to get wrecked. Really romantic horror. Also the emotions are real Snape style. Also Snape is ultra competent and doing really scary magic for good/bad reasons. One of my fav fics of all time. You just get pulled into the fic. Get wrecked big time Oldschool Snarry Wartime style. This fic is also from the Snarry Games Team Angst.

Seven Sins of Severus Snape by riffraff84

Rated E. 7700 words.

Rec - Character Study!!! Character study + MCD! So the best combo ever. Snape ofc is a total glutton for punishment. For folks into Catholic vibes this fic has serious Catholic vibes. This used to be a thing in Snarry fic for Snape characterization. We need to bring it back. Because the angst is amazing!!! Want to be convinced? Check out this fic!!!!

[ottogatto]

OP might find some answers in deconstructing the slandering narrative that was spread by snaters:

Snape never talked Lily just after she told him to fuck off, that's James, and Sirius even tried to make it sound cute. It is entirely possible by the way to see Snape's love for Lily as platonic all the way, symbolized by his female Patronus. Even if it was romantic, it must have become platonic (on another level) at some point because Lily was dead and yet Severus continued to work to ensure her will (until he couldn't).

As far as we know Snape didn't create spells for torture. Sectumsempra (the one obviously harmful spell we learn he created) was made specifically "For Enemies", and the few times it is used are in self-defense (Harry vs Draco, Harry vs Inferi) or to save someone (Snape vs Death Eater for Lupin). Snape's past is ravaged by severe bullying, including sexual assault and an attempt on his life, for which he was silenced by the authority of the school (and of the wizarding world). As many have said before, Sectumsempra is the penknife that the bullied kid brings in his pocket at school to protect himself from the bullies who get away with threatening his integrity scot-free (and are in fact praised for it). Consider the sexual assault as well: I'd find it very well acceptable that women carry a weapon to protect them from sexual assaulters, so we can find it very acceptable for Severus to do it after the Marauders' obsession with him (which led to at least one instance of public SA).

Snape spent, as we know, between a few weeks/months and, what, two years under Voldemort's service? Then he spent the rest of his life (18 years) spying and undermining Voldemort. Lying to Voldemort's face, ya know. He did not spend a lifetime serving Voldemort, but you're right that he pretended to: that's also what showed him as stupidly brave and skillful. Look at what Karkaroff got. Now imagine that but 10 times worse for Snape considering he was an actual Order member, not just ratting out his ex DE friends (if he had any) to avoid Azkaban.

We are also shown he saves his personal enemies (Lupin, Harry), sacrifices his soul for Dumbledore and Draco (but regrets it enough that the Avada may have not worked initially and that Snape cried his heart out, probably mending his soul through genuine regret), becomes an undercover agent (Snape's year was cold hell), and he saves as many people as he can: "Lately, only those whom I could not save." He used his knowledge in Dark Arts to save all the kids in Hogwarts and more, directly or indirectly: Harry (actually makes a particular vow for that, saves him several times), Neville (+ protects him from bodily harm at several instances), Luna, Ginny, Katie Bell, Draco, Montague... That is pretty much the definition of heroism. We are finally shown he accepts that he was used by Dumbledore and that he can never ensure Lily's will since Harry has to die for Voldemort to die; he decides to directly go against Lily's dying wish/act and save the world instead, showing Snape has enough of a moral compass of his own by the end of the saga to do what is right even if it goes against Lily.

Barty Crouch Jr certainly was a bad person (tortured Neville's parents to insanity, triggered Neville in a PTSD-like way by purposefully Crucio'ing an enlarged spider in front of him, forced Harry to enter the Tournament with the intention of sending him to resurrect Voldemort and get him killed, tried to capture/kill Harry before Dumbledore-Snape-McGonagall intervened to save Harry, killed his father and transformed his corpse into a bone, etc etc, and was wholly into Voldemort worship), and never stopped being a bad person. He never was a hero. I know this is trending to steal Snape's story and slap it onto other Death Eaters like Regulus but this is getting ridiculous. Barty Crouch Jr of all people...

Snape is not for everyone either, but if you do love "seemingly bad characters, made more 3 dimensional and turned into heroes", then you will very probably love Snape. He is exactly written like that in HP. (Not Barty Crouch Jr, gosh...)

Do you want to read fics of him btw? For an introduction I advise Severitus (Snape mentors Harry), Snack and/or Snupin.

Know what I really don't understand? People who like Snape. I understand that a lot of people do, and I'm not going to leave hate comments or anything(I might block you depending on other factors tho) but like, why? He bullied children, stalked a girl even after she told him to fuck off, bullied one child specifically just because of who his dad was, created dark spells used for torture, and spent his life either serving voldemort or pretending to(I could probably add more to this list but I don't want to piss people off too much). Don't get me wrong, I enjoy when seemingly bad characters are shown in a new light and made more 3 dimension, and turned into heros(barty crouch jr), but what can be shown to make Snape good? Jk couldn't make me like him even with all of her reasoning, so why do people like him? If anyone has valid reasons I would absolutely love to hear them(not being sarcastic I promise), but as of this point I have heard nothing that redeems him in my mind.

[bloatsome]

Since I really respect your opinions and find them quite similar to mine I want to ask about your opinions on Regulus Black. His personality, how he sees Sirius, why he regretted being a Death Eater etc.

Hi anon!! So nice to hear you like my opinions :)

Regulus Black is a character we don't really see much, but I respect him like I respect Snape for realising how Voldy and the DEs can ruin the life of so many people. Both Snape and Regulus defected because they couldn't bear the idea of their loved ones being harmed and probably realised others had it just as bad as them with the DEs in charge.

I think he was a good person deep down, if not good then certainly very capable of love. He was probably what the fandom claims Draco is, just a child pressured into following in his parents' footsteps. He certainly gets influenced really easily and is selfish like the earlier Snape we see, but he was also very brave and could've had excellent development if he'd lived.

From what we do see of Reg in canon, though:

Regulus probably bought into that whole pure bloods are better crap and he certainly seemed to have believed in the cause of the DE, was a fan, which is pretty obvious from the collage of cuttings in his room. Maybe he thought Voldy just wanted to harm muggleborns, and didn't really have much against house-elfs, or other creatures. Maybe that was something he couldn't align himself to, and drew the line at. Personally, I headcanon Reg to be an animal lover.

His relationship with Sirius:

Definitely very complicated, you can see that Sirius is soft for his brother, but doesn't think he was sensible enough to see that Voldemort was crazy. As an older sibling, I sometimes feel the same. You feel responsible for your younger siblings and think they don't know better than to do the wrong thing unwittingly.

I'm sure Regulus would've been close to Sirius pre-hogwarts, which explains why Sirius cared about him. They probably drifted apart since associating with Sirius, the rebel, would only make it worse for Reg. I'm sure Regulus had a lot of moments where he thought "only if Sirius would come to his senses, everything would be perfect" and probably was under great pressure from his family to amount to something within the death eaters since the Blacks' firstborn was such a disgrace to the household.

It seems pretty stupid to die the way that Reg did, but he was really young; and that, combined with his fear and sudden change of heart could be a possible explanation.

[masterthespianduchovny]

The Identity Politics of Snape

Years ago, I read an opinion that part of Snape hate is because he was largely believed to be a pure blood for years. Although we all know by now that this isn’t the case, I firmly because that, despite his half blood identity, people still subconsciously view Snape as a pureblood. 

Now, many can and will deny it, but if we knew that Snape was halfblooded from the start, would we still be talking about how he’s a wizarding nazi? Would we still loathe him because of the decision he made as a teen?

I get it, he’s a teen, he should know better than that, right?

But, it’s more complicated than someone needing to know better. People often forget how casually racist the wizarding community was on the ‘GOOD’ side. For comparison, in the USA it’s like the North v the South. Yea, at a point in time, the South was straight up blatantly racist (and, in some parts, they still are), but they North is racist in a not-in-your-face type of way. And, at times, they can be more racist than the South. They may be “kinder” about it, but it’s still there.

So, when it comes to the wizarding world, we’re simply condemning Snape for siding with the blatantly racist side opposed to the casually racist people. Hell, it’s like the U.S. TODAY. It’s wrong to say you hate minorities, but it’s okay to make stereotypical statements to be prejudicial against them.

I’m simply framing context here because this race conversation in the HP fandom is so basic and elementary that it’s laughable. Seriously. 

How so?

For many years, the muggle prejudice has been compared to the U.S. brand of racism, which is an important distinction (and nazism). As an American black person, that comparison isn’t one to take lightly or casually overlook that significance of said comparison all to shit on a character other dislike because it’s cool and trendy. That’s a serious and multilayered comparison due to the complexities and long lasting effects of racism in America beginning with slavery.

For those who don’t understand what being biracial means in America, which many do not, it’s an ugly double edged sword. Some white people will treat you better because you have white blood, but you’re still a nigger. Others will treat you like shit because you have “nigger blood.” That’s why the phrase “nigger lover” exists--proximity to blackness or the defense of it is unacceptable to some; being partially black or full white is irrelevant is you look black or you’re okay with blackness. 

To argue that since Snape is biracial he gets the full benefits of his wizarding side is fallacious, especially when comparing it to American racism. Actual biracial people have flat out said the white side of their family either treated them differently due to their blackness, including their parents, and/or said racist shit to them about black people. Some of these biracial people internalized those hateful beliefs because they didn’t have anything to counter it OR the white part of their family was more influential.

Furthermore, prejudice like this especially wins out when the SOCIETY and CULTURE you live in is racist as well. Snape developed his prejudicial beliefs before he came to Hogwarts*, but the racism in his society already existed before he got there and that was even from the “good” side. It also wins out when it’s unchecked. Bullying Snape isn’t checking racism--confronting his beliefs does.

Some will argue, “Well, being half blood isn’t like being biracial--they don’t know he’s a half blood” and this is where I say, “you’re wrong.”

Chicago is a big city--like the third largest in the U.S (I’m not 100% sure). But, it’s pretty freaking huge. Those who have lived there for decades can tell you stories about their community and the history of the city. My brother told me the story about two competing grocery stores with similar names. My mother had stories--hell, my aunts and uncles too--about people from their neighborhood who went on to be famous. The details that they know and the intricate story that they can tell about a city full of millions of people is fascinating. 

The wizarding community is small--dangerously small--the idea that Snape could pretend to be a pure blood is ridiculous in a society that cares about blood purity. You think he can just say his mom is Eileen Prince and not reveal his father? You think they won’t ask about his last name and have small talk about this kid Severus Snape with the mysterious wizarding father?

Do you all honestly believe that?

Many of you probably do and that’s because you all don’t understand racism, despite trying to use this against Snape as to why you hate him and why he’s evil.

Do you know how many racist people have black spouses and black children and fuck black people, but fucking LOATHE black people? You’d be surprised. There is a severe cognitive dissonance going on with them. Hell, some fucking Neo nazi literally befriended a black man in prison and trusted him to tell his life story, then some grand wizard or some shit SIGNED a fucking KKK chapter over to said black man RECENTLY. I mean within the last year or so.

But, they’re RACIST!

Right???

Racism is illogical, so racists behave illogically.

Voldemort is a freaking HALF BLOOD and these pure blood wizards are following and worshipping him. Voldemort literally tried to recruit Lily--a FUCKING muggle into his cause. LMFAO.

Where is this going?

Wannabe DE’s befriended Snape because he was a half blood, but also, that doesn’t mean he was fully accepted. It means that he shared their beliefs to an extent, but he was also half them, so they were okay with that.

But, on Snape’s end, being a “minority” or “biracial” is a lifetime of navigating identity and the politics behind it. And people forget that he’s half muggle just because he was accepted. They could’ve easily turned on him in a heartbeat without a second thought. They had no issues with full bloods being killed--hell, even family--but, y’all think that somehow Snape is exempt because he was a half blood??? 

Snape had to live with those niggas--he literally only had himself, but we expect him to make a noble decision at 15, despite almost everyone else making selfish and fucked up decisions at his age.

People conveniently gloss over that Snape was literally fighting for his fucking life as Lily fought against an abstract threat while at Hogswarts. Lily never got bullied--”But, other muggles did.” AGAIN: Lily never got bullied OR threatened. Snape was bullied, sexually assaulted, and almost fucking killed all while being threatened into silence. You expect him to put her life over his? Seriously?

What makes this dynamic even worse is that James literally has no place telling Snape anything about race or identity and that’s on that. Especially when James is one of his bullies. Neither does Sirius or Remus. None of them motherfuckers have any right or moral ground to say shit to Snape when they could’ve easily spoke to Snape opposed to bullying him or standing by as it happened.

*Snape’s prejudice against Muggles was born from the hatred of his father, a muggle, who he was powerless against. This isn’t to excuse his behavior, but contextualize it. Abuse victims want to feel powerful (read: in control of their life). Magic gave him that power. When being in the wizarding world, he learned that having magic wasn’t enough so he sided with a group that “supported” him and would give him power. Even though people will argue that this is head canon, the text supports this better than Rowling say post books Snape joined to impress Lily. Snape was already on the path to joining unless he’d be always trying to impress Lily.

Furthermore, I’d argue that Snape’s prejudice was more complicated than “hating muggles.”

His prejudice was largely tied to hating his dad and the fight for power. Besides rumors, which it’s called rumors for a reason, there is no definitive proof that Snape actually hated muggles. If Snape was this flat out “racist” person, he would’ve been open about that. “But, but....Lily.”

Again, y'all don’t understand the nuances of racism. There was a viral story about how this white man was in a full blown relationship with a black woman and went on a racist tirade about black people TO HER. Then, in her face he said that she was “different.” Straight up racist people do not hide that they are racist. They make exceptions for the minorities who are “different” from the group that they hate. The idea that Snape would put on this whole charade to make Lily believe he isn’t racist is hilarious. 

“But, he called her a mud blood!” 

Yes, he did. Snape was complicated and had complicated and confusing feelings as a child/teen. BUT, someone who is a full blown racist doesn’t do what Snape did. Snape had prejudicial beliefs, but he, like his beliefs, were more complicated than simply hating muggles because he was half muggle himself and his relationship with muggles weren’t clear cut either.

We’re also assigning power to Snape that he didn’t and never had. 

Think about the power Omarosa had in the White House and look had easily that was taken away. For minorities, power can be taken away with a snap of a finger. Look a Brett Kavanaugh...despite his bad behavior (in school and during the hearing), he was given a lifetime position with great power as SCOTUS. That should tell you all you need to know about power.

Must we forget that many of those Death Eaters didn’t even trust Snape and he was only protected because Voldemort slightly trusted him???

Also, people’s insistence to call Snape a racist as an adult is utterly ridiculous, especially when they say James and Sirius were reformed bullies. James “magically” changed over a year, but a man who spent 18 years undercover and checking a fucking picture about using mudblood is STILL a fucking “racist?”

FrFr?

I know people like to argue that he was playing both sides to see who won, but that literally doesn’t make any sense. 

Like, AT ALL.

Why?

Because, he had the whole thing in the bag with old VOLDIE. Because of Snape’s love for Lily (however you read that), HE was the reason the war went on as long as it did. If Snape kept his mouth shut, “Happy Voldemort Day!”

If Snape had a change of heart AT ANY POINT DURING THE SERIES, “HAPPY VOLDEMORT DAY!”

I don’t think his detractors understand how pivotal Snape was in Harry’s success--all of the way to the end. Even to Snape’s dying breath he was important to Harry defeating Voldemort.

But, he was playing both sides to see who won???

Lastly: Snape was also coded as jewish.

In Snape, Rowling has created a angry villain who has a hooked nose, greasy dark hair, sallow skin and glittering dark eyes, an inscrutable, sneering, untrustworthy double agent – who hisses.  

https://sabbathmeals.typepad.com/sabbath_meals/2005/08/i_am_going_to_t.html

People have also touches on Snape’s hygiene, his lineage stemming from his mother side, and many other things people are more familiar can touch on.

The fact that he can be read and coded as marginalized and demonized groups is incredibly telling considering how demonized HE is. Snape is also very queer coded as well.

Others can go into more length about these other two identities since they aren’t my own, but it’s fascinated that someone coded in such a way is the most demonized and polarizing character--more so than the actual villain. 

I wonder if it’s representative of people who take offense to complex minority characters with complex goals who aren’t pure and good, but only serves to prop up others. White are the characters who are white can make morally grey or reprehensible decisions and behaviors be excuses, but Scape’s behavior cannot be contextualized even though it isn’t justified. People will bring up bullying, which is a valid issue, but they often steer into Fanon interpretations, which are often fabrications based on nothing and feel justified in their hate.

I wonder if these are the same people who defend Liam Neeson’s behavior from the past, yet condemn a fictional character in the same breath? 

Gosh, this isn’t touching on how fucking poor Snape is.

@halfbakedsnape

[bridenore]

Harry / Draco recs : personal favourites

Something a bit different this week to celebrate the end of the year : 20 of my personal favourites. It was hard to chose, but finally I’ve settle on my go-to fics. The ones I’ve read over and over and still welcome like an old friend.

Liste in alphabetical order, as always.

At Your Service by @faith2wood [95k]

Hogwarts students are in danger; Harry is determined to save them all. There's only one thing he knows for certain: Draco Malfoy is somehow involved.

Away Childish Things by @letteredlettered [153k]

Harry gets de-aged.  Malfoy has to help him.

Azoth by @lol-zeitgeistic [88k]

Now that Harry is back at Hogwarts with Hermione for eighth year, he realises that something’s missing from his life, and it either has to do with Ron, his boggart, Snape, or Malfoy. Furthermore, what, exactly, does it mean when one’s life is defined by the desire to simultaneously impress and annoy a portrait? Harry has no idea; he’s too busy trying not to be in love with Malfoy to care.

The Boy Who Only Lived Twice by @letteredlettered [54k]

Harry Potter is an Unspeakable.  Draco Malfoy is the wizard who shagged him.  Adventure!  Intrigue!  Secret identities, celebrities, spies!   It’s all right here, folks.

Glamour by SilentAuror [22k]

Post-war: Harry is given an assignment: to assist Draco Malfoy as he carries out a month-long disguise that turns out to reveal more than it hides in the end. Warnings: EWE, gender-bending.

Here's The Pencil, Make It Work by ignatiustrout [49k]

Harry thinks "Why is Malfoy working in a coffee shop in muggle London?" is a much simpler question than, "Are you going to accept that auror offer and, if you don't, what will you do?"

He Was He and I Was Bunny by bryoneybrynn [37k]

The war is over and “eighth year” is about to begin at Hogwarts. But for Harry and Draco, nothing is quite the same. Harry’s looking for an escape, Draco’s looking for a friend. Does a little black bunny hold the answers for both of our boys?

Jolene by Romaine [21k]

Harry comes back from a mandatory holiday and finds that an Auror raid on his favourite establishment could expose his biggest secret.   However, another has even more secrets than he does at stake.

Jolene Deux by Romaine [5k]

Draco makes special plans after being told by his Healer that he’s fully recovered from being pregnant and having given birth to his and Harry’s daughter, Violet.  I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into Harry’s and Draco’s future life together.  The story begins immediately after where Jolene ended.

Kiss A Boy In London Town (And Other Intimate Misadventures of A Society Whore) by @femmequixotic [36k]

There's only one cardinal sin for a whore.

Left My Heart by @emmagrant01 [85k]

Auror Draco Malfoy has disappeared, and Harry Potter has been sent to San Francisco to find him. (Post-Hogwarts, set in February, 2004. Written before Half-Blood Prince was released.) 

Surrender the Grey by @emmagrant01 [151k]

Draco Malfoy returns to London after five years of self-imposed exile to start a new life with Harry. But will the secrets of the past destroy everything they've worked for?  Sequel to "Left My Heart"

The Light More Beautiful by @firethesound [81k]

Thirteen years after Draco accepts Potter’s help escaping the horror of his sixth year, he returns to England where he makes the unfortunate discovery that Potter is still as obnoxious as ever. And worse, more than a decade overseas hasn’t been enough to dim Draco’s obsession with him.

Salt on the Western Wind by Saras_Girl [60k]

When the war isn’t quite as over as it first appears, a guilt-ridden Harry is sent to a mysterious safe-house. Among sandwiches, insomnia, and Mills & Boon, he discovers something quite unexpected.

Some Kind of Wonderful by taradiane [34k]  

Harry is adrift without an anchor after the prophecy that shaped the first eighteen years of his life is fulfilled. Restless and bored, and wanting to stop Hermione from nagging him about wasted opportunities, he decides to spend his time volunteering at a Muggle homeless shelter…then along comes Malfoy, with an anchor of his own that he needs help carrying.

Things Worth Knowing by @femmequixotic & @noeeon [164k]

After the Battle, Harry thinks he’s left Hogwarts for good, but Minerva insists that all students return for an Eighth Year if they wish to sit for NEWTs in the spring, and Harry needs those NEWTs to go into the Aurors. Draco’s just grateful not to be in Azkaban. Or the Manor. He’s hoping he can steer clear of Potter this year and grapple with his own problems. Unfortunately for him, Potter appears to be one of those problems. And that’s not even addressing the fact that Potter’s got serious issues of his own, which Draco realises as he’s forced to share an Eighth Year dormitory room and several classes with the Gryffindor Git. If only they can make it through the year without killing each other, it should be all right, shouldn’t it? 

A Thousand Beautiful Things by geoviki [104k]

Draco Malfoy struggles with changed fortunes, shifted alliances, an ugly war, and an unusual spell, with the help of a concerned professor, an insightful house-elf, and an unexpected Gryffindor friend.

Delicate Sound of Thunder by geoviki [61k]

Draco Malfoy has always known that happily ever after is only true for fairy tales.  When someone threatens to expose his wartime past, he risks his life to protect his secrets, but learns he's not the only one with something to hide. The sequel to A Thousand Beautiful Things.

Turn by Saras_Girl [306k]

One good turn always deserves another. Apparently.

Welcome to the Broom Closet by incapricious [23k]

Harry thinks he knows how his life will go: Become an Auror. Marry Ginny. Have a family. But then he sees an advertisement in the paper that no one else can see, and his life is turned upside-down. The Broom Closet: you can be anyone you want while you're there, but you won't remember it in the morning.

When It Alteration Finds by  momatu [55k]

After the war, Harry left most of the Wizarding world behind and built a new life for himself in the Channel Islands. He opened a bakery and is happy with his life. Draco is a fiction author who writes under a penname, and he's currently suffering from writer's block. His agent suggests he try writing in a new environment and rents a cottage in the Channel Islands for him.  

When You Kiss Me (What A Lovely Way To Burn) by @femmequixotic [22k]

A drag fairytale of New York in which Draco wears red lipstick and Potter can’t get enough. 

Written on the Heart by who_la_hoop [113k]

Harry doesn’t mind that so many Slytherins from his year have returned to finish their NEWTs, really he doesn’t. It’s just – do they have to be so friendly? He’s not prejudiced, really he’s not. It’s just – they’ve got to be up to something, right? Unnerved by the attention he’s attracting from everyone – the Slytherins are the least of it, to be fair – and struggling with a raft of changes to Hogwarts itself, Harry wishes he could be happy that one constant remains: Draco Malfoy really fucking hates him.

When he’s hit by an illegal love-spell though, Harry finds he has more to worry about than whether or not Blaise Zabini actually wants to be his friend. For if everyone affected has been blessed – or cursed, by the look on Malfoy’s face – with a magical tattoo revealing the name of their soulmate, what does it mean that Harry’s skin remains completely bare?

As an added bonus, I wanted to add to the list these two unfished fics. Even if they haven’t been updated in a while, I still read them over and over again and would definitely recommend them to anyone who asks. They are just that good.

All the Answers by Maxine [195k] *Incomplete

Finding himself saddled with Draco Malfoy is just about the last thing Harry expected to happen this year. Too bad ignoring the git is something he’s never been able to do. Horcruxes, war, and teenage hormones – no one ever said this would be easy! 7th year fic. Harry/Draco main pairing...eventually. 

Not in the Hands of Boys by fourth_rose [130k] *Incomplete

Once the final battle is won, life must go on, although it can be even harder to master than death. Back at Hogwarts for his final year of school, Harry tries to cope with everything he's been through. As the world around him struggles for a way back to normality, he is forced to realise that in the long run, living takes a lot more courage than dying.

I hope you enjoy thes stories as much as I did!

[marvelstars]

Wizarding World and perjuices/racism

When I read that Snape is racist towards muggles, and he joined the Death eater camp to go on with his racism, 

I have complicated feelings over this, because while the wizarding world is certainly interesting and complex, with many readings, one of the main characteristics  we see on the books is that this society has a deeply ingrained sense of superiority towards muggles, and others magical no human creatures, to the point that the main difference between Voldemort´s DE and the rest of the WW is that the first seeks to use hard laws to keep them contained or controlled and the second uses a low level of suppresion laws to keep them separated from the main human magical population, imo Voldemort war is called a civil war for a reason, a considerable part of the population shares some of his less radical beliefs, and even Dumbledore,his main opponent, in his youth believed that muggles had to be controlled for their own good, he outgrew this way of thinking, but still hold onto the way of the “greater good”. 

I don´t think it´s a coincidence that werewolfs, trolls and giants joined Voldemort, given they are part of the non human magical folk who get the worse end of the bargain with the current goverment, while the globins keep themselves neutral after Voldemort took over until the dark lord attacked them. 

For me, to believe that Snape is the only character, from the “good side” who holds bad feelings towards the muggle population, because he got angry with Petunia after she called him “that Snape boy” and because of his bad relationship with his father, I would have to ignore Hagrid using his magic to punish Dudley because Vernon insulted Lily and James, Sirius and James scaring and laughing  at the muggle police officers just because they wanted to have fun and they could, Dumbledore´s youth,  or most of the characters being like “muggles are so foolish and silly”. 

I definitely think the DE have the worst intention towards muggles, but I feel like we are ignoring an important part of the story if we believe the other side was all about “muggle rights” or “werewolfs rights”  because for most of the story, that wasn´t even on the radar of the main characters.

[ofprcngs]

BRANDON ARREAGA — Well, if it isn’t JAMES POTTER, the GRYFFINDOR superstar. For those of you who don’t know HIM, you can spot them sitting with the other SEVENTH years. Most people think that they’re CHARMING and INCISIVE, but they can also seem pretty DEPENDENT and INEXORABLE. Sometimes people call them the SHEPHERD. Sure, they’re a PUREBLOOD, but that doesn’t define them. 

i literally have 0 explanation for why i did this other than i’m in love with him. but also, he’s a mess, so jot that down. if you wanna know more about him ( protip: don’t ) then i recommend checking out his pinterest and then i dunno.... contemplate why i’m a punk ass bitch, i guess. enjoy this mess. plot with me. ily.

james henry potter ( named for two his two grandfathers, maternal and paternal respectively ) was born on april 4th, 1960 to two of the most loving parents a child could have.

fleamont and euphemia had been trying for a child for years. they’d been together for basically all of time, having been that typical good-looking, well liked couple in hogwarts that everyone always just assumes will get married ( spoiler alert: they did ), however had had to postpone kids due to fleamont’s brief stint as a professional quidditch player for eight years following their graduation. after that, they would try every month for a child, and after many years of disappointment, eventually gave up. it was during this time that fleamont developed the sleekeazy hair potion which only added to their immense wealth. 

finally at age forty-one, they were surprised with the arrival of james. obviously, they saw him as their miracle child, and as such he was pampered and completely spoiled from the moment he was born.

i cannot stress enough how much this spoiled upbringing shaped james into the person he is today. if you’re wondering why he was ever an arrogant prick, it’s because he was always used to getting absolutely everything he ever wanted. he grew up with money, he grew up with fame and with every bit of attention he could garner, and so it was really no wonder he was a bit of an asshole by the time he started at hogwarts.

obviously, james had a pretty cushy childhood, and as such, shit didn’t start getting real until he started at hogwarts. 

it took all of three seconds for the hat to sort him into gryffindor, and i guess you could say he pretty much considered himself to be the gem of the house. he was the absolute epitome of a gryffindor, basically considered him the poster boy and all but expected everyone to love him.

really did not help his ego to know that everyone did.

in typical sterotype-gryffindor fashion, james hated slytherin. he had always been taught growing up that purists were basically the root of all evil, and his father had had no qualms in lumping all these people in with the house of the snakes. james and his friends took a particular disliking to severus snape almost immediately for the poncy way in which he seemed to believe he was superior to all for his intelligence and his house status, and this dislike only grew when lily evans was tossed into the mix, too.

for basically the first four or five years of hogwarts, james really was that stereotypical arrogant asshole that he’s often made out to be. he always got everything he asked for, he was incredibly popular and incredibly intelligent, he had the most amazing friends and his eyes on the most amazing girl. he was set!! shit was good!!

shit was not good, though. definitely was not. 

despite having known of remus’ furry little problem since second year, things didn’t really start to settle in james how awful it was until third or fourth year. he hated seeing his friend in pain, he hated that he couldn’t help, and so he rallied the boys to put into action their worst plan yet!!!!

becoming animagi!!!!!!

it took fucking forever, obviously, but by the end of fourth year they did it!! we stan icons

except then in fifth year shit hit the fan again in just, like... so many ways

first, it was the whole severus ‘mudblood’ situation. honestly, james was absolutely furious. he’d always hated snape but this just made everything 1000 times worse. even if it had happened to anyone else, he would have been fuming. but for it to have happened to lily like... yikes. 

this was also a horrible time for james though because lily rejected him for the thousandth time. like, look, what a yikes thing to think when she was just called a mudblood, but frankly he was sick of being rejected and he was sick of being the asshole who kept pressuring her so that was the breaking point --- he gave up on her. 

and tbh, he changed a lot from here on out. grew up!! became a better person bc he saw how horrible snap was and decided he was sick of horrible people!! saw, recognised and acknowledged that just bc he was hot and intelligent and rich he wasn’t always going to get everything he wanted ( see: miss evans ) and just generally learned that oh shit the world doesn’t revolve around him!!!

oh and then there was that whole thing with sirius and snape and Remus the Werewolf and ohhhh boyyyy.... that infuriated him. 

he loves his bros so much and y’all know he would die for them, but to see his friend abuse remus’ pain and suffering for his own gain was heart wrenching. it just pushed him further to pull him in line, to realise that not everything was about games, or petty rivalry, or ‘ getting the girl ’ --- life  heartache and mistakes and it was never going to go the way he wanted it to.

now look, this isn’t all to say that james is now a Super Strict, Super Intense, Brooding Weirdo. he’s still a bit of a child, and he’s still a bit of an arrogant prick, but ultimately what wins out is his morals --- every time. he wants to lead the world to a better place, without war and without hate, he wants everyone to have the same opportunities he had as a kid and he wants nothing more than for blood purity to be eradicated.

get that shit outta my house!!! gross!!!!!!

now in his final year, james is always flipping between taking his role as head boy deadly serious and turning it into one big game of mischief. he’s still a marauder at heart, after all, and has definitely abused his power sometimes for the benefit of fun and games, but when it comes down to it, he can be very strict and lowkey paternal. the leader really just.... popped right outta him, it came to play and it came hard, and really you’d think he’s minister for magic with how serious he treats it sometimes.

i hate him.

he’s a lot less intense with his hatred for slytherin’s. he has come to recognise that not everyone from that lifestyle is going to be the same, not everyone who grew up a certain way or was sorted into a certain house is going to think with a deadly mind, and while he’s still a bit wary, he’s a lot more relaxed about it, especially as head boy ( gotta at least pretend shit’s fair !!! )

ok i’m so tired this is abt to turn into a rambling mess 

uHhhHHh he’s very dependent as in like... boi cannot go a week without his friends. he is used to having people to bounce off, that’s always the type of leader he has been, and as much as he would probably be amazing at anything on his own, he’s never really tried. too scared!! i hate him!!!!!

super unforgiving. like, if you have gotten on his bad side.... i’m sorry. it is going to be very difficult to return from there. his moral compass is pretty black and white, you’re either good or your bad, and if you’ve done something he considers bad wELL sucks to be you, i guess. sorry not sorry.

takes his quidditch very seriously tbh. so many people have told him he needs to be a pro like his dad, but he’s like haha fuck you i know what i wanna do ( hint hint: he wants to rule that goddamn auror office, make that shit far more efficient then he thinks it is now ). but srsly, he’s so intense abt the game and it really like... idk gets him in the zone, keeps him level-headed in amongst all this chaos. 

i don’t know what im saying anymore pls send help

uhhhhh he’s smart. i guess. straight a’s and shit idk. just very naturally intelligent, finds everything he does easy, like.. really is that asshole who is just good at everything he does.

i’ve run out of things to say, pls just love him

WANTED CONNECTIONS

girlfriend: i hate to expose myself as a whole ass jily stan but... here i am i guess. but also, listen: he really thinks he’s over her right now. like, he truly believes his days of pestering lily evans are behind him. it was just a crush! it’s gone! ( spoiler alert: it’s not ) BUT he is so convinced that he has got himself into this relationship which is really just... a mess. like highkey it’s obvious he could never fully love her bc his Heart Belongs to Lily or whatever but he does care for her deeply and has tricked himself into believing it’s love. it’s hard, man. he’s confused. send help.

ex-girlfriend(s): more of above but like... less intense? or more intense! who knows, frankly.

childhood friend(s): i’d die for childhood friends. jake/gina dynamic? iconic. just anything, really.

odd friend: ok like... as i mentioned, he’s still kinda wary of slytherins and ppl who grew up in purist culture, but i would love love love to see someone who was one of the first to show him that not all those people are so bad. like someone from a purist family or the like who was just chill and friendly and actually befriended this asshole even when he was... well, an asshole. it’d be fun, ig. also if they eventually do end up recruited for the de’s bc of family stuff or whatever... bonus points.

rivals: i’m tired. you understand.

[fortheloveofsnorkacks]

I’m not sure murder is actually the worst crime. It’s often treated as such, but then and again dementors are brought up as a fate worse than death (though whether people who hand others over to dementors are treated with the same level of culpability is another story). 

I think the real crime of murder is not actually about destroying life, but the selfish destruction of life. Horcruxes are wrong not just because they involve taking a life, but because someone is killing for personal benefit at another’s expense. That means de-valuing someone’s life to the point where you do not treat them as human or even human-adjacent (insert conflictingly-handled non-human rights subplot). It’s the callous cruelty that’s the problem more than the ending of life, which is why remorse can undo the soul-damage. See also Wormtail’s self-preserving cowardice and willingness to consign others to death and how that leads to his own death.

Or at least, if I was doing the series, that’s how I’d handle it. I’m not sure how clearly it comes out; at best, it’s subtextual. Still, I think it’s consistent with some of the themes of dehumanization and selfishness in the later books. If we think about the people who do die, it’s framed as a “selfless” action. Giving up one’s own life is framed as noble, but I don’t think it’s necessarily about the uncertainty of the afterlife (though that definitely amplifies the sacrifice).

It’s usually framed as noble because it’s a gift to the living. Nicholas Flamel decides to die because he wants to end the philosopher’s stone’s potential for harm. Lily’s sacrifice is about giving Harry a chance at living, and Dumbledore’s is also about limiting Voldemort’s ability to harm others. So Snape killing Dumbledore becomes not-murder, because he wasn’t murdering Dumbledore for personal benefit (and had Dumbledore’s full consent, so he wasn’t ‘stealing’ Dumbledore’s life), and Snape’s death is lauded because he was willing to die so others might live (by ending the reign of Voldemort). 

I think if death itself was the ultimate evil, characters who willingly choose death would be framed as self-murdering, but that’s not the route the series takes. In that vein, I think Voldemort’s line there shows how he fundamentally misunderstands what Dumbledore’s getting at. Voldemort thinks it’s all about death, and that death is bad because killing people sends them to the scary unknown and that’s why Dumbledore is criticizing him, but that’s emphasized to be a bereft moral understanding of the world. For Dumbledore, it’s about love and sacrifice and all of the things going through a person’s head and heart. Killing can be right or wrong, because it’s not actually about life or death, but about souls and love and what kind of person you develop to be.

I don’t think the existence of a form of afterlife necessarily undermines the theme of death in part because the Wizarding world doesn’t seem to have an afterlife belief system or any explanation for life-and-death phenomenon. The possibility of an afterlife is clear because of ghosts, but ghosts don’t know what comes next and wizards apparently don’t have a religion beyond mild superstition, so they don’t even seem to have a theory of what comes next. Dumbledore’s understanding of “old magic” (the life-blood-sacrifice-death kind) is personally theorized, not systematically understood. Even Harry’s experience is described to be “in his head” and can be discounted, but if we don’t discount it, there’s no knowledge of the content of the afterlife, or who’s there, or whether it’s good or bad, and we can’t necessarily trust the Resurrection stone to tell us, either.

There are a lot of belief systems and believers in the real world that have explanations for life after death, and have accounts of near-death or out-of-body experiences, but the existence of those things still doesn’t offer total certainty even for many devout believers. I think a similar dynamic is at work in the HP universe, and even if we take Harry’s experience as 100% factual, no one else can experience it, and people still can’t regularly go back and forth, or communicate at all across the veil, so I think death is still pretty mysterious.

"If Death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy …" - Voldemort, Order of the Phoenix

You know... the series doesn't really address this tbh. If death isn't as bad as Voldemort seems to believe it is, then why is murder so bad, why is it the ultimate crime? Mind, I do believe that there's an answer to that question, but it's not one the series gives.