#hp rare pair fic rec

[hp-fanfic-archive]

hypocrites, the lot of you by soopsiedaisies (@soopsiedaisies) Pairing: James/Sirius, Raising Harry Rating: T Word Count: 4k Fifteen year old Harry gets home absolutely hammered after a little party in one of the fields behind the Burrow. James reminisces, and Sirius is not just disappointed, he's also mad.

[dracostuff]

So many cool fics here! <3 Looking forward to reading these! Dryrtle and Dransy are my favorite ships! 😌

Meta

"This is Crabbe and this is Goyle": friends on last name basis?

Lucius did NOT want Draco to be a Death Eater

Draco DID want to be a Death Eater (and here's why)

Pansy, My Beloved Mean Girl

Draco & Blaise: frenemies, not friends

What Draco’s Hand of Glory represents

Character Profiles

Theodore Nott - canon / headcanon

Rec Lists

Droyle (Draco/Goyle)

Dryrtle (Draco+Myrtle)

Drarcissa (Draco/Narcissa)

Dremus (Draco/Remus)

Pandaph (Pansy/Daphne)

Self-Recs

Refuge - Draco/Scabior. Cottagecore. Rhyming slang.

One Night - Draco/Goyle. Draco smells like a tangerine.

Longest Night - Draco/Narcissa. Incest but make it cute.

Care - Draco/Pansy. Boyfriend redemption arc. Magical nail paint.

Assumptions - Asexual disaster Draco/asexual sweetheart Harry.

Flobberworm - Draco/Harry (unrequited), Draco/Pansy (unhealthy). "Would you still like me if I was a Flobberworm?"

[lumosatnight]

24 Fic Recs 2024!

Another year of fics, another year of recs! I was so excited to make another rec list this year after hearing that @hprecfest was back, and I'm so glad I could squeeze one in before the end of 2024 (just barely oop). Here are 24 fics that I read and loved in 2024 (although some were written quite a few years ago) ordered by ship!!

🌼 - fluff | 💔 - angst | 🔥 - smut

—

💫 DRARRY 💫

1. A fic over 50k

Earthbound Spook by bmouse (cest_what) [Drarry, T, 57.6k] 🌼💔 Dimension travel! Gryffindor Draco! What more can you ask for?? A wonderful fic in the time/dimension travel genre. An oldie, but a goodie.

2. A smokin' hot fic

Now I Wake Up In The Night and Watch You Breathe by @hoko-onchi-writes [Drarry, E, 24.6k] 🔥📷 Listen up! This fic has stalker Harry absolutely obsessed with Draco and Draco being an absolute slut for it (even when he's non-consensually asleep) and it is is absolutely unhinged and I love Hoko for writing this masterpiece!! (but yes, check the tags first)

3. A series

I Was Early (You Were Early) by @dodgerkedavra [Drarry, E, 12.1k] 💔🎨 Beautiful, gorgeous. First Harry and then Draco's POV. A lot of angst and grief, but it is so worth it for the beautiful love story between Harry and Draco.

4. A romantic fic

Nectar by @jtimu [Drarry, T, 2.0k] 🌼🍯 Nothing says romance like Draco's animagus form immediately seeking out Harry. This @unleashed-fest fic is sugarey sweet. Draco as a hummingbird is a stellar idea!

5. The best of your OTP

Fine-Fractured Halo by @rainjulyx [Drarry, NottPott, E, 29.0k] 💔✨ A One Day AU where we get to check-in with Draco and Harry one day out of every year. Beautiful, wonderful angst. Each scene is a work of art. The emotions practically jump off the page, they're so visceral. An instant fave.

—

💫 COMMON SHIPS 💫

6. First fic you remember reading

Amateur Cartography by worksofstone [Dramione, T, 21.0k] 🌼🛏️ Dramione was my gateway into fandom, so I still have a soft spot for some of the classics. I particularly like the virgin!Draco trope, so this fic is a fave. I recently reread it, and it's just as cute and funny as I remembered.

7. A comfort fic

Rest Your Head Close to My Heart by pauraque [Harmony, M, 3.6k] 🌼🍼 Truly, Pauraque can get me to read anything, and this fic does not disappoint. There's breastfeeding and age play, but also so much love and understanding. The emotions are so beautifully written.

8. A fic that makes you laugh

Mating for Life - Breeding Season in the Highlands of Scotland by @sillylittlebeans [Snarry, E, 3.3k] 🔥👃 This fic is filthy crack and it is absolutely glorious. Alpha Severus and Omega Harry get a little mating action, and Dudley gets to watch them on TV. Perfect. Superb.

9. A fic rated E

Nothing Compares by @coconutice22 [Tomarry, Drarry, E, 11.4k] 🔥💐 Muggle AU with fiery Harry and obsessed Tom. I love their dynamic in this. Drarry make a brief appearance but it's Tomarry endgame. And, oh boy, is the ending worth it. The perfect (emotional) climax.

10. Rec a fic that was recced to you

In His Skin by Guessingguessing, translated by @direwolf-summer [Wolfstar, E, 3.2k] 💔🚬 I wish my Chinese was better because I would love to read all of Guessing's works in the original language, but Direwolf does a spectacular job translating all the angst, heartbreak, and pining into English.

—

💫 RARE PAIRS 💫

11. A fic from a favorite author

Teacups & Tankards by @schmem14 [Rosifoot, M, 9.6k] ☕🍺 I adore Em's writing. She always writes the most divine rare pairs! Here we have Puddifoot and Rosmerta navigating their businesses and feelings during the 2nd war. A beautiful look into some background canon characters.

12. A fic rated M

Bespoke by kelly_chambliss [Millinny, Minmina, M, 5.8k] 🌼👔 Kelly is one of my favorite rare pair writers. The way she captures the unique voices of her characters is simply brilliant. Here we have butch Millicent being guided by Wilhelmina into buying her first suit!

13. A fic under 5k

Confidence by @skeptiquewrites [Pansmione, E, 2.9k] 🔥👗Pansy is FIRE and Hermione is a BAMF. Of course, they're perfect for each other. I love the confidence they give to each other. And yes, they are HOT together.

14. An underrated fic

Rusty Crowns by @if-fortunate [Panstoria, Blansy, M, 28.5k] 💔💎 One of the best Pansy character studies I have ever read. Hands down. Pansy is fully fleshed-out. Sympathetic and spoiled. Suffering, stifled, and still the snotty pureblood we all know and love. Engame Pansy/Astoria but I love the inclusion of other relationships as she grows.

15. A fic for a ship you don't normally read

Second Chances by @emotionalsupporthufflepuff [Theocissa, E, 7.4k] 🔥🍦 I don't actually read a lot of F/M fic, but I couldn't resist MILF Narcissa. Theo is enamored and Narcissa loves the attention. A delightful EWE fic (and hot!).

16. Most recent fic you loved

Be a Good Lad by @maraudersaffair [Padtail, E, 3.6k] 💔🔥 I NEED MORE SIRIUS/PETER FICS ASAP!! Their relationship is so painfully complicated with dubious morality, questionable intentions, and forced secrecy. I absolutely adore it! It adds such a rich layer to canon.

17. A fic rated T

The Once and Future Headmaster by allthegoodnamesaretakendammit [Harbus, T, 17.9k] 🌼⏳ Time travel, pining, and neighbors to lovers. I don't usually read this ship because of the giant age gap (try 100+ years) but the time travel neatly subverts this by remixing the ages of Harry and Dumbledore. I loved reading their new dynamic in this!

18. A fic with fanart

Not Far From the Tree by @mallstars, @itsphantasmagoria [Scarry, Drarry, E, 1.5k] 💔🔥 This might be cheating because it starts Drarry but the endgame is Harry/Scorpius, and OHMYGOD this fic!! The complicated relationships, the pining, the smut, the ART!! This fic has it all, I am entranced!

19. A rare pair

Treasure by @the-miss-lv [Gramander, Thesewt, E, 19.5] 🔥🐈‍⬛ I love most of Miss Liv's Newt/Theseus works honestly, but this is so deliciously hot and sweet and depraved that I keep coming back to this one. Cross-dressing Newt, powerful Auror Percival, and a dash of incest. The perfect combo!

—

💫 POLY SHIPS 💫

20. An AU fic

A Developmental Approach by brightened [Snarrius, E, 69.8k] 🌼💔 A Harry raising Harry fic with time travel, polyamory, and healing (also there's a baby Voldemort too). Severus is wonderfully prickly while Sirius is boisterous and charming. Harry is the glue that holds them together.

21. A fest/event fic

Snowdrift by @wolfpants [Dronarry, E, 8.6k] 🔥❄️ Wolfpants is a smut master. We must all bow down. Established Dron 'comforting' Harry after his breakup in this @dronarryfest fic is so steamy. I am sweating, hyperventilating, screaming from the rooftops how good this fic is.

22. A holiday fic

Wrestle with Daddy by dirtywrongandwholesome [Barlouie, E, 491] 🔥💪 Have some Weasleycest, as a treat. Dirty, bad, wrong, and HOT HOT HOT. Charlie/Bill and then Charlie/Bill/Louis... mmmmmm. Much of the fic happens over the summer/winter holidays so I'm counting it as a holiday fic.

—

💫 GEN 💫

23. A fic that makes you cry

Family Ties by Nope [Andromeda, T, 1.7k] 💔🖤 Snippets of Andromeda's life as she navigates the war, marriage, kids. The focus on her family and their tumultuous relationships is heartbreaking and incredible.

24. A podfic (and a fic)

Eternal Return by silverpard, read by @wilfriede [Harry, Tom | Voldemort, T, 27min] 💔💀 One of my long-time favorite fics in the time loop genre. Wilfriede brings it to life with Harry's inner voice as he grapples with doing things for the greater good.

—

💫 BONUS RECS! 💫

A fanart

What in Merlin's Name is That by @stazvlt [Luther, G, Digital] 🌼🦆 One of my rare pair OTPs and I cannot believe Shiaya drew them. Lucius is besotted with Arthur, of course, even if he doesn't want to admit it. This art is so silly and cute and I adore it with my whole heart.

A self-rec (because why not?)

In 5 Years by @lumosatnight (me) [Anthony/Astoria, T, 2.0k] 🌼💔 A reverse timeline love story with MCD, falling in love, and a meet-cute (in that order). I really enjoyed the alternate format of the fic and weaving their story together through snippets of their life.

—

⚡️ Want more fics to read? ⚡️

Try my rec tag: #lumosinthelibrary

Year in Reading, b-day oneshots, WLW Library

[siobhanhazel]

Shivvy's favs of HP Secret Santa Rare Pairs

In December I participated in HP Secret Santa Rare Pairs 2024! 

I read a lot (but not all) of the fics, and I would like to highlight my favourites 💕

As of Jan 8th, I have read about 103 fics out of the approx 129 of the creative writing category works! The remaining fics I either skimmed and decided they weren’t my cuppa or I still have them on my to-read list.

Again, this is completely just subjective and to my own particular tastes (which lean very heavily towards queer content). All of the writing and other creations were amazing contributions to different corners of the fandom and I know we all did our best to create amazing gifts for our giftees! Reminder: I don’t wish to receive any comments that fall out of the range of the three basic fandom courtesies: YKINMKBYKIO - Your Kink Is Not My Kink, But Your Kink Is Ok  || SALS Ship And Let Ship  || DL;DR - Don’t Like; Don’t Read

Yah so - if you don’t like, don’t read, n' don’t reply anything negative at me. Thank you! 💕 * But if you notice some info or link errors please let me know (tired eyes). 💛  = my brief squee/comments

Gifts I Received

Thank you so much to my gift writers! I included so many ship requests and was so happy to see I got Severus twice kekeke. 🎁 Fragile Bonds by @picklesonjupiter / picklesonsaturday 💕 Sirius/Severus  || T || 309 words Sirius seeks healing from Snape, but their complicated history and growing feelings make the process more challenging. 💛 I love Severus’ hands… I love Severus being adept at using his hands… I love Severus being adept at using his hands on another man…! On Sirius! LOVE. 🎁 No Need to Hide Under These Friday Night Lights by @maraudersaffair / maraudersaffair 💕 James/Severus   || E || 5,096 words James Potter is the most popular boy in school. He's even the star quarterback on the football team. And for some strange reason, he won't stop staring at Severus Snape. 💛 I swooned when I realised I’d get non-magical High School AU Princechaser!! It is so sweet and so smutty, I love it!

Fics I Went Feral For (reverse alphabetical by pairing)

🎁 the gift that keeps on giving by @the-invisibility-bloke / the_invisibility_bloke 💕 Teddy/Draco/Harry || E || 12,993 words There’s only one thing Teddy wants for Christmas: to lose his virginity. 💛 I went feral for this fic and am now obsessed with Tedrarry - the wit, the pacing, the pining, the smut…! All the comments for this are rave reviews, please read it and other fics by the author! (they write a lot of Sirry and other pairs too)

🎁 Hold onto this lullaby (even when the music's gone) by @knotsnuffles / objectlesson 💕 Sirius/Harry || E || 8,345 words The truth is, Harry doesn’t just want Sirius buying him fine robes and dressing him in them—in his heart of hearts, he wants Sirius to take him out of these robes, too. 💛 Another unstoppably fantastic Sirry fic by objectlesson! Mind the tags and if it’s your jam, curl up for fluff/smut and Sirius taking care of Harry.

🎁 speeding through red lights (into paradise) by @the-invisibility-bloke / the_invisibility_bloke 💕 Sirius/Harry || E || 9,975 words Just before fifth year, true to form, Harry does something very brave and very foolish. 💛 This turns the dial for ‘Harry Pining for Sirius’ up to max Brilliant prose by the author, highly recommend if the tags make it seem like your thing.

🎁 Pink Aster - Days Gone By by @trueliarose / Trueliarose 💕 Severus/Charlie || E || 45,664 words Fire melts ice, or so they say. Severus just hadn't thought that that applied to the ice in one's soul as well. Or, When Charlie Weasley came to Hogwarts to accompany the dragons for the triwizard turnament, he met Severus Snape. But can a short affair turn into a lovestory? 💛 This long fic has my whole heart! Severus is written wonderfully, the sex is spot on, and the atmosphere and Charlie’s care is just chef’s kiss! It spans canon and my heart aches along with Severus and Charlie as they fall in love amidst the war.

🎁 Rematch by p0intless_p0et 💕 Pansy/Ginny || T || 2,239 words In a cold, dark Hogwarts, ruled by fear and suspicion, Pansy Parkinson and Ginny Weasley find an unlikely spark on a makeshift Quidditch Field, and, much to everyone's amusement, only one of them can play Quidditch. 💛 The characterisation is just perfect, the atmosphere of Book 7 Hogwarts is stunning, and I thoroughly enjoyed this and reread it already, perfect Ginsy rivalry.  

🎁 Teacups & Tankards by @schmem14 / Schmem_14 💕 Madam Puddifoot/Madam Rosmerta || M || 9,589 words Bea and Ros are best friends who learn love and trust as they suffer loss and heartbreak during the Second Wizarding War. 💛 AAAH ITS SO SWEET AND EMOTIONAL and they are perfect for each other, please, come meet these sweet ladies with their slow romance kicking off during the hardships of war. It’s infused with so much heart and sexiness, I cannot recommend this enough! 

🎁 Rotten Roots by p0intless_p0et 💕 Neville/Draco || G || 2,335 words Draco Malfoy has everything he needs to complete Snape's potions work, everything but the ingredients. Neville is the Herbology professor at Hogwarts, he'll give Draco what he needs, at a price. 💛 Draco laced with guilt, and Neville's gentle hand guiding him close, showing Draco he knows him, and can be there for him. It’s suuuch a brilliant set up for a Dreville, it makes your heart ache for Draco, and Neville is so solid and steady and supportive!

🎁 Carry A Piece Of Me by @skywatcherrose / sky_watcher_rose 💕 Narcissa/Minerva || M || 3,471 words In the aftermath of a lost war, Narcissa and Minerva are just doing their best to survive - and perhaps take a little pleasure along the way. 💛 These two women, loving each other and holding strong as part of the feeble underground resistance… I love the tenderness of their intimacy during the darkness of war. Amazing portrait of these women!

🎁 A Tale of Two Tonks Women by @midnightstargazer / MidnightStargazer 💕 Andromeda & Nymphadora || T || 3,632 words Throughout her life, Tonks defies her mother’s expectations. Andromeda couldn't be prouder of her. 💛 I felt like I never understood Andromeda until this character study piece which is all about Tonks and her mother’s relationship. Very worth the read, thought provoking!

Fics I Want to Highlight  (reverse alphabetical by pairing)

🎁 Brightest Witch and Brightest Star by @jinrosemoon / JinRoseMoon 💕 Sirius/Hermione || M || 511 words

🎁 The Tabby Teapot by @celestemagnoliathewriter / CelesteMagnolia 💕 Seamus/Dean & Minerva/Poppy || T || 8,768 words  

🎁 Good Together by @anaxandria-writes / Anaxandria 💕 Neville/Theo || T || 800 words  

🎁 The Heat of the Moment by @schmem14 / Schmem_14 💕 Marcus/Percy || E ||  8,638 words  

🎁 Live for Today by  @schmem14 / Schmem_14 💕 Marcus/Oliver || M || 2,273 

🎁 Ron Weasley: GILF Hunter by @alyceofthetogas / AlyceoftheTogas 💕 Madam Puddifoot/Ron || E || 2,456 words

🎁 Look What We Found by @daydreamingfoxglove / DayDreamingFoxglove 💕 Luna/Pansy || T || 3,048 words  

🎁 Just Warming Up by briarandbone 💕 Hermione/Pansy || M ||  2,102 words

🎁 Prodigal Daughters by @chemicalwildflowers / QueenOfStormySkies 💕 Hermione/Andromeda || T || 3,952 words

🎁 In the Bleak Midwinter by @apricitydays-lazynights / Apricitydays 💕 Cho/Ginny || G || 2,340 words

🎁 The Beginning of the End by @mymindisverycomplicated / mymindisverycomplicated 💕 Cho/Dudley || T ||  27,265 words  

🎁 Frostbitten by @mrsprobie / mrsprobie 💕 Astoria/Luna || G || 346 words

🎁 Family Is What You Make It by sky_watcher_rose 💕 Arabella/Minerva || T || 5,366 words

🎁 Gurbaith-Feuer by @mitsuki91 / MitsukiSirya 💕 Albus/Tom || E ||  15,395 words

Gifts I Made

🎁 Copper and Blond Catharsis by SiobhanHazel 💕 Draco/Ron || E || 16,642 words Post-war, mild angst, porn with plot, fluff and smut etc 💛 For suniwrites - I had a great time writing something a lil dark and sweet! 

🎁 [Art] Hug Him Back by SiobhanHazel 💕 Sirius/Severus || G || 💛 For Julesss - It was so fun to exercise my drawing skills with a cute Snack pic!  

A Few Fav Non-Fic Entries

There were sooo many amazing art and other crafts etc! I didn't have a serious chance to look through them all again, but the ones that came to my mind as amazing are:

🎁 [game] What's that ship? by @lumosatnight / lumosatnight 🎁 [Art] So… Thank You by @sillylittlebeans / sillybeans 💕Harry/Bill || G ||  🎁[Sculpture ] Lazy Sunday by @elisedonut / elisedonut 💕Percy/Oliver || G || 🎁[Comic] Kiss Me if You Can by sillybeans 💕Cedric/Harry || G ||  🎁[Craft] Meet Me Outside by @sugareey-makes-stuff / sugareey 💕Marcus/Oliver || G || 

There were so many other amazing things (esp art!) but alas I have run out of steam! That’s all, it was an amazing batch of fics, I was so happy to participate and read! Kudos to everyone!

[sitp-recs]

just treated myself to the foursome I didn’t know I needed (lies), feat a brilliant Pansy pov, a heartfelt love letter to her friendship with Draco, scorching self-indulgent poly smut & delicious bisexual representation. what a treat! thank you for the meal @kbrick 🍽️

[stazvlt]

NottPott Fanfics Rec Lists

After checking my bookmarks and the tags on ao3 i'm proudly present to you the nottpott fanfictions recommendation. TW: Please check / read the tags. Some of this fics touch a very heavy subject and it might not be your cup of tea.

Shadow magic by Lomonaaeren (Series- 73000 words total) AU.

Harry was born with a power the Dark Lord knows not: the magic to see into shadows, to walk the shadows, and to send the shadows everywhere. This changes his life rather dramatically.

Harry is very independent in this one. If you'd like to see Harry as a morally grey and powerful lord with a very devoted Theo this is your fics.

Enough is Enough by AnonymousMagpie (33k words)

In the spring of 1992, a massive magical discharge shakes Lily Potter’s legacy. Harry Potter, its raison d’être, nearly dies. It has until now been a passive enchantment, reactive, and burns away his attacker only once violent physical contact has been made. But the backlash is enormous. The protection is disrupted. For the first time since the day of its creation it must strain to the utmost. And it determines that Harry Potter is wildly, systematically unsafe.It reacts.

Gryffindor and Slytherin Inter house relationship, and many more!! Nottpott might not be the focus here but it deserve the place on this list on the base of it being very fun to read.

Clearly Granger Will Be the Brains of This Operation by Dart (2k words)

Someone has got to save Potter, so he can save the world. ~or~ Nott and Potter sitting in an BMW, S-N-A-R-K-I-N-G

Theodore nott kidnapping Harry Potter. Do i need to say more?

Another Way We Are Not Alone by thealmostrhetoricalquestion (15k words)

Theo barges his way into the afterlife to demand assistance from the Master of Death. And apparently fall deeply in love with him while he's at it.

The bonding here is Amazing. The banter, The journey, The Sentient Boat. 15k words of Nottpott bonding.

The Heir to the House of Prince by elph13 (series - 1.136 000 words)

Summer of 4th year and Harry's all alone, dealing with his grief and the sudden revelation that James Potter is not his father. Support comes in a strange form. The form of Theo Nott, son of a death Eater. A strange friend who says he'll help him find his true father, whoever this Lord Prince might be.

I legit didn't sleep for the entire night bcs i can't stop reading it's just that GOOD. The quality and lenght of this series are amazing. House of Prince Theo is the base of my fanon Theo. Smart, Observant, Loyal and utterly Scary. Theo who's very devoted with  his traditions. Theo who wield KNIFES. And it doesn't need to be said but Harry is also amazing in this one. He's stubborn, strong, and utterly loyal. Not Dumbledore or Sirius friendly though so i do warn you if you like both of them.

Amends by SheWhoMustNotBeNamedEver (1.6k words)

"How was my... You nearly cut me in half, Potter." Harry squinched his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose over his glasses "You're being a bit dramatic about it, don't you think?"

Harry attempt to bribe Theo's forgiveness with a curry. You can guess how that goes ;)

Round and Fluffy by CaityBell @caitybellfics (1.5k)

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter arrive at the DMLE to retrieve their spouses.

Uhh misuse of Confundus? Jail?? Hermione and Theo friendship, Draco and Harry 10 years rivalry. Got all you need here.

The Answering Machine Message by SunsetRiot (13k)

The answer machine beeps again; someone’s going to leave him another message. He hears his voice. It sounds so alive. They sound so happy. It’s getting harder to hear his voice these days; it’s getting harder to accept that he’s gone. He wonders what the person leaving a message is saying this time; probably offering their condolences, trying to send a message of hope through a stupid muggle machine, it’s all people seem to be doing these days. He hears another beep and he knows the persons finished leaving their message. He doesn’t care. He doesn’t want words, or hope or anything. What he wants is gone. Theodore Nott is dead and Harry Potter doesn’t know how to carry on living.

We have too much fluff therefore i need to recommend some angst. It's a bleak world for Harry without Theo there.

Harry Potter and His Saving Theo Thing by Lomonaaeren (21k)

Harry can think of worse things to do than helping Theodore Nott rejoin society. And after a while, so can Theo.

Adult Harry and Theo is always fun to read especially when Harry is an Auror. Their banter is delicious on this one. One of the more ... mature fic? I don't know how to describe it but this one has different vibes than the other fics on the list. Also this list isn't complete without the two lovely NottPott fics i got as gifts from HP rare pairs last year:

Silver Surprise by @lumosatnight

Theo joins the DA in Fifth Year, much to everyone’s surprise. His corporeal Patronus leaves Harry intrigued.

A Classic DA activity. Everyone is suspicious of the one lone slytherin but not our boy Harry. So SOFT and Cute, two traumatized children bonding over patronus <3

My Favorite Colour by @sandervansunshine

Tired of the monotony and hum-drum of adulthood, Harry seeks out a new source of happiness. He finds it— this pure, unadulterated blend of peace and joy— in a flowery meadow, a cool stream, and a storyteller by the name of Theodore Nott.

Feels good fics 100%. The way they shared a secret meadow and them unashamedly being themselves without judgement. Story teller Theo stole my heart <33 That's all for now! Thank you so much for checking this list out. I would love to add more fics in this list but my spirit need recharge after i accidentally deleted the last rec list last night. Most of these authors also wrote a lot of other amazing fics!! Please check them out :D OH and feel free to reblog or comment with your favorite NottPott fics, your pal here needs more nottpott.

[saintsenara]

rare pair tag game

thanks for the tag, @said-snape-softly :)

i'm pretty sure everyone has done this by now, but if you'd like to, please consider this a blanket tag.

apart from all the tomarry and the odd dabble in remadora, i am a rare-pair enthusiast, so i am delighted to spread some propaganda here... the criterion i've used for a rare-pair is less than 2500 works on ao3.

pairs, little metas, fic recommendations, and some suggestions for authors to follow under the cut.

sirius black/severus snape

why i ship it:

this one can just about claim to be a rare-pair.

sirius and severus are narrative mirrors, whose complicated relationship to themselves and to each other is crucial for driving several of the most important arcs in the series.

in particular, sirius - constantly haunted by guilt and grief over his role in the death of the man he loved [you can decide if his love for james is platonic or not, but i definitely think the text thinks it isn't...], trapped in his childhood home, unable to have his real loyalties acknowledged before his death by the fact he's on the run - leads harry through his journey in hero-worshipping, then being disappointed in, then forgiving james. and then promptly dies.

this is one of harry's most significant areas of personal growth - it begins to chip away at his rather black-and-white morality, which is finally destroyed by his ability to confront the complexity of dumbledore in deathly hallows - but it is also key narratively: harry coming to understand james starts to hint to the reader that it is lily - otherwise absent from her son's conception of himself - who is the key to the mystery...

which brings us to severus - constantly haunted by guilt and grief over his role in the death of the woman he loved, trapped in his childhood home, unable to have his real loyalties acknowledged before his death by the fact he's a spy - who gives harry, and us, the final piece of the puzzle. and then promptly dies.

put them together, though? well, you get the delicious tension of two fundamentally broken people - who cannot comprehend the possibility of their own redemption - bound to each other. can they forgive each other and themselves? is it a disaster? the story can go either way.

and even in fluff there is so much potential for d r a m a between sirius' recklessness and severus' cunning, sirius' emotional control and severus' temper, the fact that sirius is canonically hot and severus is canonically not, how they react to harry and draco [i don't usually accept the fanon that severus is his godfather, except when it means snack can be fighting about it], and so on.

and i'm a sucker for two bitter old men getting a happy ending. sue me.

want to give it a read?

if you trust nothing else i say in my life [and why should you] you can trust this - second life by nwhiker and cassandra7 is one of the greatest pieces of writing i have ever seen, not only in this pairing but in this fandom full stop. it's a profound and solemn meditation on loving and grieving, choice and chance, and the great pain caused by the divide between the magical and the muggle worlds.

then, for gorgeous angst with a happy ending - two boys kissing by @writcraft and the merit in trying by brightened

albus dumbledore/tom riddle | voldemort

why i ship it:

the facetious answer is because they wouldn't be so obsessed with each other if there wasn't some sexual tension underneath it.

the facetious and nsfw answer is because it appeals to the part of me whose favourite book aged 11 was lolita

the serious answer is that they should be horrifying together: they're both liars; both incredibly self-righteous; both living behind masks which conceal their true emotions and motivations; dumbledore took one look at tom as an eleven-year-old, said "he reminds me of gellert", and then did nothing about it; tom thinks dumbledore's a hypocrite and is right, although not for the reasons he thinks; there is a colossal age gap; there is virtually no scenario in any timeline where they could be openly in a relationship unless one of them is concealing his identity; and - really, this seems quite minor in the grand scheme of things - they are constantly trying to destroy each other.

but.

intellectually, they are the only two characters in the series who could be the other's equal - i'm sure that violent arguments about the twelve uses of dragon's blood trigger the majority of their sexual encounters, and a man who's passionate about your research is hot.

if either of them ever fancy being honest - so, no - there is a shared cavernous [although, in tom's case, unacknowledged] grief in their lives which has shaped their not-as-divergent-as-the-text-thinks-they-are views on death, love, duty and so on. their active refusal to understand each other [i.e. dumbledore entirely misreading voldemort's motivations in the job interview scene] and commitment to constantly underestimating each other [i.e. voldemort bouncing around like an idiot in the chamber of secrets instead of using his brain and remembering what a phoenix is] could, in time, lead to something almost resembling acceptance. i mean, just imagine the hurt/comfort sex which happens when voldemort finds out about grindledore.

the way dumbledore describes the young riddle - "self-sufficient, secretive, and, apparently, friendless" - is also an exact description of him. that each sees himself in the other canonically drives their hatred of each other, but it could also appeal to two very vain men in a much racier way. after all, who doesn't want to bang their narrative mirror?

and being an orphan probably doesn't seem so bad when you realise your boyfriend's family is aberforth.

want to give it a read?

i can't recommend concordance by @laeveteinn enough, particularly for one of the best-written dumbledores i've ever seen. i find dumbledore is often written either as far more whimsical than i'd like, or far more fiery and radical [when one of his most interesting personality traits in canon is his tendency towards inaction], but this dumbledore is the perfect balance of contradictions, while tom is his canonical feral self, longing to perceived, rather than the emotionless sociopath of so many other stories.

i also recommend as an entire ocean in a drop by eldritcher, which really leans into just how similar these two are underneath all the artifice.

albus dumbledore/severus snape

why i ship it:

well, we've had dumbledore with one lost boy, let's have him with another [i haven't been brave enough to venture into dumbledore/harry yet, but i'll take recommendations...]

as with riddledore, we have the potential for horror here: a vast power imbalance; enormous age gap; the fact dumbledore sends snape out to potentially die every time he goes off to voldemort; and - this is the crucial one - the fact that dumbledore's recognition of himself in snape is pure self-loathing ["you disgust me"] manifested in punishment [allowing snape to be humiliated in front of fudge, not stopping the presumed-to-be-real moody searching his office, making him give harry occlumency lessons, not letting him teach defence against the dark arts].

but then this stops, when snape does the tremendously brave thing of agreeing to kill dumbledore, and their dynamic equalises, as dumbledore recognises that snape is courageous, steadfast, and redeemed. i'm always struck in half-blood prince by the fact that dumbledore has it with harry's sniping about snape and straight-up tells him to shut up, as well as by the fact that he very nearly gives the game away and confesses why snape switched sides [the thing he promised not to do] when harry finds out it was snape who gave voldemort the prophecy.

and within this equalised dynamic - so this hot geriatric sex is happening in the afterlife, i guess - we have two men who are intellectual close-to-equals, who understand grief and guilt, whose aesthetic senses are charmingly mismatched, who are rarely honest but might be for each other, and who have lots of profound similarities which might lead somewhere...

want to give it a read?

cheerfully disregarding everything i've just said about how snumbledore could work, i highly recommend in infinite remorse of soul by @perverse-idyll, which is a chilling look at how dumbledore uses the power imbalance between the two to assuage his own guilt through snape's humiliation.

for something much more wholesome, i'm a big fan of byzantium by eldritcher

petunia dursley/severus snape

why i ship it:

because vernon is a dick.

i'm fond of petunia, who i think is one of the most interesting characters in the series because of how full of contradictions she is, and who i think is also a victim in fandom spaces of how the adult cast was aged up for the films [in canon, she's only in her early twenties when lily dies, and the implication is that vernon is a good deal older than her)] which makes her inadequacies, such as her inability to truly care for either child in the household, seem much more nuanced than they do if she's pictured as a middle-aged woman with considerable life experience.

like snape, she teeters on a knife edge between various chasms: she is a working-class girl from the midlands made good in middle-class surrey, he is a working-class half-blood boy who spends most of his life in pureblood circles; she ends up with her whole life wrapped up in a square little house when she's barely out of her teens, he ends up with his whole life wrapped up in spying at the same age; she hates the wizarding world and yet covets it, he hates the muggle world and yet cannot escape it; she loves lily and she hates her and she loathes her for dying, he... well, you know the rest.

want to give it a read?

i was first convinced by this pairing by the lovely regretfully yours by @maria-de-salinas, which takes both snape and petunia's awkwardness and bitterness and moulds it into something really tender.

i also highly recommend barking at the moon by rinsbane, the summary of which speaks for itself.

merope gaunt/tom riddle sr.

why i ship it:

our first canon pairing, and probably the most problematic of the canon relationships, since the series never acknowledges that tom sr. is a rape victim.

but i have found myself recently in my merope era and, in particular, in an attempt to give her more nuance than she gets in canon. as i've said to anyone who'll listen in the three broomsticks discord server, i loathe the implication in canon that merope dies because she just cba to live [since it directly justifies voldemort's belief that her death was shameful] and prefer to see her as someone who was desperate to escape a truly horrifying life [the fact she's going to be forced into an incestuous relationship with morfin is right there in canon...] and so did something she didn't have the capacity to understand the implications of [this is not a woman who's ever heard of consent] because she thought it would give her the first chance to be happy in her life, watched it all crash and burn around her, and would have very much liked to have lived to raise her son.

i doubt there was anything real or tender in her relationship with tom sr., of course, and his escape - while merely a brief stay of execution from his son's perspective - is tremendously brave. it's impossible to write tom/merope fluff [although i respect you if you're inclined to try] but fanfiction gives a space to explore the intricacies of their relationship which canon doesn't allow, and i'm obsessed.

want to give it a read?

i'm recommending myself here, and assuring you that you will enjoy: enchanter's nightshade, which explores how merope's attempts to keep her husband enslaved fail; the snow child, which treats the relationship as folk-horror; and the shack at the end of the lane, in which there is redemption, in the end.

the best exploration of tom sr. dealing with the fallout of the relationship is @phantomato's exquisite ganymede, which feels so truly embodied that you can't pull yourself away from the page.

bellatrix lestrange/tom riddle | voldemort

why i ship it:

our second canon pairing, i am obsessed with these two and the tragedy and - to some extent - tenderness bound up in their relationship [which can be proven to be there because noted softy @whinlatter loves them].

i've written before about my conviction - in contrast to a lot of bellatrix fans - that her relationship with rodolphus is utterly miserable, and that voldemort is the only man in her life who can understand her desire to make a life for herself which is not constrained by the gendered expectations of her social class.

obviously, lord voldemort is not a shining paragon of a boyfriend [and he is an awful choice as a baby daddy, bella, get it together], but i think the enormous power imbalance is perhaps slightly less enormous than is sometimes assumed - certainly, she tells him to his face in half-blood prince that he's wrong to trust snape [she's a clever woman], voldemort never physically punishes her for anything [rip to lucius malfoy, who seems to get picked for this in her stead], and voldemort tolerates a surprising amount of nonsense from her which shatters his mystique.

all of which is to say... the scream when she dies isn't just because he's losing the war.

want to give it a read?

tee hee, i'm recommending myself again, and encouraging you to take a look at: atramentum, bellamort's last afternoon together before voldemort goes to the potters; nor all that glisters gold, bellatrix's life - including her relationship with voldemort - through sirius' eyes; and death (eaters) in paradise, because murderous psychopaths deserve crack fics too.

draco malfoy/tom riddle | voldemort

why i ship it:

because the ship name is taco.

these two are a pairing which i enjoy with my tongue firmly in my cheek [and tom's tongue firmly in draco's], as i do with most other things in which draco is a main character [do i want to read drarry angst? no! do i want to chuckle? absolutely!], although this should not be taken as saying that many of taco's fabulous authors don't manage to make the pairing entirely plausible.

in fact, consensual taco [non-con is, of course, its own beast] often has some of the best characterisation of both tom [fretful, mercurial, stubborn, and nowhere near as charming as he thinks he is] and draco [prissy, a very good judge of character, someone who likes being taken care of, and much braver than he appears if he absolutely has to be] i've seen in the fandom, largely because - unlike other voldemort-centric ships [especially tomarry, but also voldemort + any of the adult death eaters] - there's no sense of inevitability there. these two aren't connected by a shared bit of soul, or a prophecy, or having gone to school together, or having been hooked in by voldemort in the first war when he was unassailable.

they have to choose each other. or, more accurately, draco has to choose tom, and tom has to get chosen.

and the results have me entertained.

want to give it a read?

then you will want to have a look at the travelling cabinet by @the-paper-monkey [and its sequel, bluebeard], truly the gold standard of taco content with an absolutely brilliant draco, whose sheer capacity to cling on and make himself an irremovable part of tom's life may just end up changing the course of history.

narcissa malfoy/severus snape

why i ship it:

because i am in deep with the conspiracy theory that it's canon. i am absolutely certain that narcissa is the person that voldemort is referring to at the end of deathly hallows - "he desired her, that was all, but when she had gone, he agreed that there were other women, and of purer blood, worthier of him". it seems highly unlikely to me that the canonical voldemort would give a shit about snape fancying any random pureblood [although the snapemort version is, naturally, hugely jealous], but snape having had some sort of liaison with narcissa, and the ability knowing this gives voldemort to humiliate snape, narcissa, the memory of lily, bellatrix, lucius, and draco is definitely information he would go out of his way to remember...

plus, how do you know where he lives, babe? v suspicious.

want to give it a read?

if you want some fluff, you will very much enjoy the incredibly sweet the reformed man by gingertart50, which features narcissa nursing snape back to health post-nagini and is a favourite re-read for me when i'm drunk and it's christmas.

if you want some very-much-not-fluff, other women and of purer blood by yours truly will scratch the itch...

minerva mcgonagall/severus snape

why i ship it:

because i'm an equal-opportunity age-gap fan, and there is far too little older woman/younger man in the fandom.

and look, i'll admit it, i'm a fan of the fanon that snape and mcgonagall are friends prior to dumbledore's death - i'm not sure it's canonically plausible, but this sign can't stop me because i can't read - and i like the idea of that blossoming into something more, especially in fics where snape survives the second war. after all, he is a man who definitely needs to be treated quite strictly [and i don't just mean in the staff room], there is a shared loneliness and grief to them both, they're intellectual equals despite the age gap, and bickering about quidditch is absolutely fine as a method of foreplay.

plus, you can't tell me dumbledore's portrait doesn't ship it.

want to give it a read?

for a fic which shows minerva at her acerbic - and yet still sensual - best, always but not necessarily forever by gingertart50 is an old, fluffy, and very funny, favourite.

for something much more bittersweet, that good night by kelly_chambliss has my heart.

severus snape/tom riddle | voldemort

why i ship it:

because voldemort is canonically down bad for it - there is no need to believe snape's ridiculous cover story for not attending his resurrection, to try and spare lily as a treat for his man, and to give him a nice, painful death which allows the narrative to move on and harry to defeat him if the dark lord isn't firmly in his simp era.

more seriously, they obviously have an enormous amount in common, particularly in terms of their backgrounds [harry draws a connection between all three of them, but actually the fact that harry is rich in the wizarding world, not a slytherin, and with a muggle mother, therefore giving him a pureblood name, means he can't relate to the post-childhood experience of both halves of snapemort].

as a result, i think snape is the death eater who comes the closest to understanding voldemort's motivations - above all, the fact that he's not seeking an oligarchy, which the malfoys etc. obviously believe - while voldemort is someone snape feels understands his intellectual interests and his creativity.

want to give it a read?

boy, are you in luck, because i myself have a snapemort wip - scylla and charybdis. it is not wholesome.

tom riddle/myrtle warren

why i ship it:

because it started as crack and now i love them.

in particular, i just have so much respect for being incredibly annoying as a method of seduction, and i think myrtle's commitment to just following tom around chattering at him - and, therefore, without her realising it, preventing him from committing all sorts of crimes - is iconic.

want to give it a read?

then my unhinged rom-com - bookbinding - shall provide.

tom riddle | voldemort/ginny weasley

why i ship it:

because i enjoy seeing my dear friends who ship hinny shake and cry.

but also because ginny and tom have an enormous number of similarities, right down to the fact that they both have yew wands [if you're sick of people saying harry has an oedipus complex, you'll be delighted to be confronted with the mountain of evidence ginny reminds him of the villain who keeps trying to kill him instead].

they are both very good liars, quick thinking, remarkably resistant to shame, possessed of nerves of steel, predisposed to violence, brown-eyed, so hot they have harry gagged, and the profound enemy of someone whose surname is smith.

despite what he claims, tom was absolutely not just sat politely in that diary gritting his teeth while ginny complained about having second hand robes and idiot brothers. as he says, he opted "to start feeding [her] a few of my secrets", and i think it's justifiable from canon that they were at the very least half-truths [for example, i would not be shocked to discover he tells her he's a half-blood orphan brought up against his will in the muggle world - there's no other reason, i think, for him to successfully make her tell him these things about harry without it], which means that ginny has lots of lovely emotional leverage over him.

plus, as with tomarry, you have the element of "this is kind of inevitable" in the relationship, and the mysteries of fate are always sexy.

want to give it a read?

this is a tommary/hinny/tominny triad, but it has had me in a chokehold since the first time i read it - shameful company by merrivale, which, truly iconically, manages to be epilogue compliant.

[themiddleofwonderland]

Day 13: a rarepair for @hprecfest

Ooh, today I'd like to recommend one of the rarest possible pairs in this fandom (that surprisingly has four fics, and not just one like I thought): Aragog/Flying Ford Anglia in Follow the Butterflies by @rainstormradish

This fic is absolutely beautiful and surprisingly tender. I don't know what I was expecting when I saw the pairing, but it definitely wasn't shedding tears for a giant spider and a car. It's amazing how radish wove this secret love into canon, so seamlessly that I have no doubt this is the truth of the forbidden forest, hidden from all but those involved.

[consistentsquash]

do you have links for finished snape/weasley fics

Hiya!

Snape/Percy from my bookmarks. Definitely read author warnings/tags.

A Clean and Bright Mirror by Leela

Tweed by Lysanatt

Sexetera, Ad Infinitum by nqdonne

Mustard Seed by rinsbane

The Trouble with Love and Cauldrons by RoonilWazlibMalfoy

[handledwithgloves]

me : *minding drarry business*

tedromeda : 👫

me : …oh!

[elisedonut]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Harry Potter - Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Alastor Moody/Percy Weasley Characters: Alastor Moody, Percy Weasley Additional Tags: Romance, Literary Allusions, Sexual Dysfunction Summary:

In which quests and grails are overrated, and virtues are not.

[hp-fanfic-archive]

Helluva Way to Find You, Wasn't It? by TheLadyGia (@theladygia) Pairing: Harry/Sirius Rating: M Word Count: 10k When the only way to find your soulmate is via orgasm, you sometimes gotta ask the tough questions. Like possibly asking your godfather to fuck you because your soulmate senses actually seem to match him pretty perfectly. Harry Potter has never caught one (1) single break.

[sugareey-makes-stuff]

Okay, I'm back with some more recs to play catch-up for @hprecfest. After doing a little more digging, I present 3 (spicy🌶️) gems to share with y'all! If you're looking for more recs, you can find a fave fic under 5k, a comfort fic and a rare pair fic under 2k all in this post! Without further ado, feel feel to give these some love or add them to your TBR list!

Day 10- A Fest Fic

collarbones like a bow, skin an arrow to the heart by @lqtraintracks | lq_traintracks (written for HP Bodice Ripper 2023, Ginsy, E, 4k)

Gin’s adjusting the lighting for their next shoot when in walks the new model Luna was so enthusiastic about, and that’s when they know they’re in deep shit.

This fic blew my mind when I first read it because it's strong and sexy with UST. It's definitely spicy too, but the banter we get from Gin and Pansy it's spot-on. Every moment in this fic hits like a punch. The flow is great, and I really appreciate the use of pronouns and the genderfluidity that's offered. And well, in this world alone...it's almost like anything is possible. The attraction and sex are there, and that's honestly what matters. *chef's kiss*

Day 13- A Fic With Over 100k Words

Licurici by @lou-isfake | louisfake (Harry/Draco/Charlie, E, 133k)

Charlie wanted Harry, but he’d never planned on having him. He’d never planned on Draco Malfoy, either. He hadn’t planned on anything but living out his days in Romania, with his friends and his dragons and his safe, peaceful distance. Apparently, it wasn’t a very popular plan. This is a story about crumbs and flickers and roots, running away and coming home; about falling in love without meaning to (twice), and having truly good friends, and the mutually revealing recognition between two people in love with the same man.

The summary pretty much sums it up. I love how this fic gives us a deep perspective into Charlie's life that we don't usually see, and the worldbuilding is phenomenal. The friendships and romance are very real, people fail to communicate and misunderstandings happen. Everyone really needs a hug, they all make mistakes, but in the end, things work out. I love Charlie's interactions with Draco, and then Harry, because they're different but they're so natural. This fic is lovely and such a breath of fresh air. If you want a fic you can binge overnight and feel All The Feels, please go give this a read!

Day 19- A Fic With The Hottest Smut

Built Like An Angel, Six Feet Tall by Rozarka (Millicent/Cormac, E, 7.1k)

Millicent is sure that Cormac is only out to make her look like an idiot with his flirting and innuendo, so she keeps an icy distance. Then, one night at a seminar, he somehow manages to goad her into the hotel swimming pool with him…

Soo, this is a gem not only because it's for a rare pair, but the UST and snark between Millicent and Cormac is sooo delicious. I did not know I needed this ship until I read this fic, and I was like oh. They've got a good energy together, and it translates very well when they do get things on. They have no problem with action, bite or talkin' dirty, that's for sure! And everything gets hot and wet very fast!🔥😉

[lumosatnight]

Lani's Birthday Oneshots: 2024 🧁

As per tradition, today is my birthday and as a gift to you, I present a HP ONESHOT REC LIST to celebrate 🥳! Here are 15 oneshots, under 10k words (mostly), one for each day in June leading up to my birthday. Lots of genres, lots of tropes, ordered by ship (kinda).

🌼 - fluff | 💔 - angst | 🔥 - smut

—

1. The Pirc Defence by @sleepstxtic [Draco/Harry, E, 10k] ♟️❣️ This fic is brilliant!! Masterful, even. Kat does it again with the intriguing plot, the deeply intense relationships, and strongly lovable characters. This is the chess rivals to lovers fic that everyone deserves and needs to read RIGHT NOW.

2. Nightswimming by @sweet-s0rr0w [Draco/Ron, established Draco/Harry, M, 5k] 🔥🌃 This fic is delicious. Searing hot anticipation. That feeling right before the climax, the first spark of the match before the fire is fully lit. Exquisite. I just want to bask in it.

3. Postcards Of A Life Well Lived by @ghaniblue [Luna/Draco/Harry, M, 950] 🌼🦋 Georgeous slice of life. I love the dynamic between the three, weaving in and out of each others' lives. Luna is a gem.

4. This Tree Grows from Ash and Dust by @wellhalesbells [Dudley/Draco, M, 9k] 💔♣️ This fic is rife with tension. The Drudley dynamic sucks you right in and with unrequited Drarry in the background! I cannot get enough.

5. Different by @camelliacats [Nigel/Colin, T, 10k] 🌼💔 Canon-compliant how Nigel falls in love with his best friend's brother. Teen romance, first loves, and all the wonderful complicated feelings that come along with it.

6. self-made by @onewhodiedyoung [Cho/Ginny, T, 3k] 💔🦢 Beautiful post-war story. Ginny grappling with her identity and who she is after everything. Cho knowing and supporting and growing.

7. My Kink Is Karma by @chaos-bear [Lavender/Gilderoy, E, 3k] 🔥🤣 What a pairing!! Hilarious fic with some hot and then awkward smut. But absolutely perfect.

8. thorns, in amber by @thisisdecemberista [Sirius/Lily, established James/Lily, E, 5k] 💔🔥 God, this fic. The infidelity angst mixed with war mixed with their all-consuming love for James. A whirlwind of emotions that had me in a death grip. So so good.

9. Bouquet by sky_watcher_rose [Minerva/Poppy, T, 3k] 🌼💐 So sweet, so lovely! A professors getting together story that melts my heart. I always knew Minerva was a sweetheart beneath that strict exterior.

10. the end of illusions (who could ever be saved) by lovelit [Tom/Percy, E, 3k] 🦁🐍 Percy discovers Tom's diary and things spiral from there. I absolutely adore Percy in this: hardworking, overlooked, and just seeking a friend.

11. Come Slowly, Eden by Paimpont [Voldemort/Molly, M, 3k] 💔🥧 A pairing that at first glace seems incongruous but actually works so well! Molly showing Voldemort kindness, and him showing her family mercy. *chef's kiss*

12. Tom Riddle Sr. by @limetameta [Tom & Tom Sr, T, 4k] 💔🏡 A Tom Riddle Sr. character study in which he raises Tom on his own. Voldemort is so much the same, and so much different. I would read so much more of this universe.

13. Unfinished by @turanga4 [Fat Friar & Harry, T, 1k] 💔🌙 Grief, love, and loss. A lovely, heartfelt look into the aftermath of the BOH and Harry finding comfort in Hogwarts.

14. Through the Sleepless Night by @mugsdontlie [Mundungus & Arabella, T, 2k] 🌼🐈 I love friendship fics and I love their friendship here! Mugs is the master of rare pair dynamics. There's such familiarity between the characters. It feels so real and the perfect backdrop to canon.

15. Sexy Gobs by @emilyrickman [Lighning Era & Professors, T, 650] 🌼📝 Hilarious and so creative. The formatting is insane! But I'm most impressed by creating a cohesive story simply from a couple of post-it notes.

BONUS FIC (>10k): Wit Beyond Measure by @midnightstargazer [Unrequited Bloody Baron/Grey Lady, T, 14k] 💔👑 Stunning, amazing fic showcasing Helena Ravenclaw. Struggling under the expectations of her mother, leaving to find herself, and returning to safeguard the castle's students. I love the depth, the fleshed-out insight we get into her character!

—

Want more fics to read?

Try my rec tag: #lumosinthelibrary

Bday Oneshots (<10k), Year in Reading, WLW Library

[siobhanhazel]

What We Fought For - HP Rec Fest 2024

What We Fought For by sky_watcher_rose Minerva/Poppy. Rated: M. Words: 23,000. Post-war, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff with Angst, Grief/Mourning, Trauma, hints of PTSD, Portraits

Day 6 Prompt: fic for a ship you don’t normally read

This fic portrays Minerva's grief during the first months immediately following the Battle of Hogwarts, as she steps into her Headmistress role and beautifully, delicately falls in love with her friend and coworker Poppy. I've read it AT LEAST twice and it's such a good characterisation and exploration of Minerva; it's sad and sweet and amusing too. Minerva's friendships with the former Head's portraits is so precious.

Their relationship is so real and believable and I AM A SUCKER FOR HURT/COMFORT! Especially when the hurt isn't contrived for the story's sake. I beg you to give it a read, it's a perfect late-autumn fic! Excerpt:

‘I haven’t had a chance to do much…’  Poppy trails off, and bites her lip. Her eyes glint and she blinks furiously, and in normal times Minerva might have pretended not to see. She knows that Poppy prefers to keep emotions private; in that respect, they are very alike. But she can’t not see the shiver that runs through Poppy’s body as her eyes sweep over the mess. She can’t not see the effort it takes Poppy not to cry.  She places an arm tentatively around Poppy’s shoulders, not quite knowing if it will be welcome or not, and finds that somehow Poppy is holding her too. Body pressed against body, warm and alive and breathing. The scent of skin and exhaustion and coconut shampoo. Curly hair against her cheek, escaping from Poppy’s ragged bun. Curves pressed against angles, her own sharp edges softening and slumping as she too tries to hold back the tears. The room hovers in the corners of her vision, ripped open, a wound left gaping in the air. She closes her eyes on it, just for a moment, and tries to focus on Poppy. The precious weight of another life so close to hers. The curious, unexpected sensation of being held.

@hprecfest @skywatcherrose

[skeptiquewrites]

Rarepair Rec Saturday

Here's Looking At You Kid by MesserMoon (E, 140k, George/Blaise)

"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world…"

George wanders into a bar. Nothing is ever the same.

I am in love with the characterizations in this fic. I intended to read one chapter and space it out. Instead, I fell immediately for how this fic doesn't shy away from drawing out all the complications, and heartbreak, and Weasley family disapproval from their relationship. Perfect use of flashbacks to draw out the story. There's also a significant secondary Drarry plot. What more could I need?