#leftsidedown

[billsfangearring]

Honestly we (@billsfangearring @mblematic and @tahtahfornow) don't even know where to begin introducing @broomsticks right now. Jackie, you are the most AMAZING gift to this whole freaking fandom, like <3<3<3

First of all, you are a super talented writer with SUCH a gift for setting moods and choosing the PERFECT words and publishing so many beautiful, deeply compelling femslash and rarepair and dark fics! There wouldn’t even BE certain tags (Petunia/Angelina??) without you and your gorgeous vivid imagination. You are out here doing the lord’s work and nourishing some seriously underfed circles of hp fandom <3 and all we can say is THANK YOU, thank you, thaaaank you!!!!

Also you put out some amazing content for the tamer/more basic fans among us lol... your wolfstar?? your remadora?? absolute perfection with a side of magical trademark Jackie uniqueness... e.g. wolfstar from Peter’s pov, e.g. “awoo without plot,” e.g. Luna/Ginny in the garden... etc. etc. we could go on for hours. 

And not ONLY are you an amazing fic writer (!!), but you are, we think, THE kindest, most encouraging, most empathetic, most welcoming and genuinely inclusive/inclusivity-committed person we have had the fortune of encountering in this fandom! Ever! And maybe outside of the fandom too lolol.

You put so much effort and so many spoons (YOUR SILVERWARE DRAWER MUST BE SO FULL) into crafting beautiful, meaningful comments on fics that make all the work of writing SO WORTH IT for your lucky recipients, and also into reccing and boosting your fellow fic writers’ work and making us all feel so seen & appreciated & loved. (Umm Mutuals March?? You have been so kind, so generous with your time and energy, really, ohmygosh)! On top of that, you're a brilliant beta and cheerleader during the writing and editing process! You have so much insight and kindness, which combine into something extraordinary. You make us better people just by being your lovely self and sharing that with us – you truly are a rare and beautiful spirit who lights up this entire corner of the internet like a shining sun. 

And. AND. Your love for fandom itself is an inspiration. On top of all of the above, you’ve dedicated so much time since joining us jaded veterans to understanding the fandom community and its history and envisioning how to improve its culture that we all forget you haven’t been here for years! Your passion and curiosity are unmatched, and it's such a privilege to learn from you in Discord discussions, your tumblr posts, and your excellently curated and tagged reblogs on this hellsite. Thank you for your service ;)

[personally i wouldn’t even be here now if not for you so you have my eternal thanks for dragging me into the hellsite <3<3 and also for being your wonderful, wonderful self. – June]  

[I would probably be here but I’d definitely be sadder!! My eternal thanks for making both tumblr & discord a happier zone that I will never ever ever ever be able to leave. I will continue to come to you for advice p much for the rest of my life probs?? Hope you’re ready for THAT moohaha – Molly]

[I would probably still be here too but wouldn’t have written any of my own fics or nerded out quite so hard on all things fandom, so thank you for saving me from that comparatively lame existence. <3 How is it that you’re younger than me but also who I want to be when I grow up? (Don’t answer that.) – Billie]

Thank you for everything you write and everything you do, we love you so much!!!! <3

Fic recs and more below the cut!

FICS

Please check the tags for any content warnings for these fics! Take care of yourselves!

but tonight your hand is steady (James/Lily, T, 2k) – a genius character study of my (Billie's) girl Lily that showcases Jackie’s incredible economy of language without sacrificing its beauty.

the grace unasked for (Remus/Tonks, T, 17.5k) – the oh-so-lovely remadora chaptered fic! Exquisite!

how i met your mother (Fleur/Gilderoy, E, 300) – this is the Lockhart fic we all needed. Why is this canon now? Somebody get JKR on the phone (jk keep JKR away from the good stuff) 

More Than This (Remus/Sirius, T, 3k) – my (June's) fave peter POV wolfstar! Such a well done ace Peter and the clever outsider pov wolfstar makes me insane!

pleasing her (Cho/Parvati, T, 200) – DARK!FIC CHO/PAVARTI incredible. DARK. I sincerely yelled at my computer about this one, it’s incredibly effective. 

Poster of a Girl (Sirius/Bellatrix, M, 2k) – weirdly lovely mind-bendy (for me, Molly) fic with Blackcest (Sirius/Bellatrix) and Sirius experiencing gender dysphoria. 

sooner or later (it's over) (Peter/Regulus, T, 1k) – a reverse-chronological Peter character study with some brutal turns of phrase and an utterly underappreciated ship!

sssister (Astoria/Daphne, M, 300) – “Molly don’t rec snake sex fic AGAIN” I DO WHAT I WANT

incandescence (i see me in you) (Daemon Targaryen/Rhaenyra Targaryen, E, 2.5k) – non-HP but hottttttt HOTD fic!!!

REC LISTS

Please check the tags of the recced fics for content warnings too!

leftsidedown's Collections – we would like to point you to the collections Jackie has been very quietly maintaining on AO3 with themed fic recs on top of all the rec lists she posts on tumblr! 

we love butch lesbians in this house – speaking of tumblr rec lists, Jackie always has the most interesting themes, such as multifandom butch rep…

femslash fic recs: ginny + infidelity – …this incredibly specific topic with multiple fics per pairing…

15 het Remus rare ships – …and further showing off her multishipper chops with these het (gasp!) Remus rare pairs.

halloween-themed wolfstar rec bingo – Jackie also does really fun themed bingo card rec lists, like this Halloween Wolfstar one…

dark fiction halloween rec bingo – …these darker and creepier spooky season recs…

wolfstar autumn rec bingo – …and these recs containing all the fall vibes you could ever wish for!

FANDOM ANALYSIS

What was the HP fandom on AO3 writing in 2022?

more miscellaneous stats for HP fics updated in 2022

wolfstar fandom survey results

atyd fic popularity stats

no. of kudos and age of fic: some very confused stats? – more “popularity” over time stats for fics featuring the biggest hp ships

The Fanfic Maverick: Fanfiction History with Talkin' Fanfic PART TWO – liveblogging a fandom history podcast episode with added links!

Fansplaining: Fan Labor, Fan Consumption – liveblogging a fandom meta podcast episode on fan labor!

--

Whew! We could go on but this post is already very long (thank you for appreciating broomsticks enough to read to the end!) so we'll leave things here. We adore you, Jackie!

Love,

Billie, June, and Molly <3

[thistlecatfics]

Jackie!!!!!!

I am verklempt! That banner!!!

Thank you, thank you. My fandom goal is to be known for being very kind to real life people and very cruel to my beloved characters <3 

You are such a gift, such a joy, and I need to get working on that ALOTO fic today <3 <3 <3

And thank you especially for always reccing Icarus -- it’s my favorite ulta-niche fic, and I especially love when it gets attention. 

This is so fucking motivating and makes me want to ignore my actual job this afternoon and just write fic which I think you will like. 

@thistlecatfics absolute queen of there is nothing wrong with you and you are okay i swear i promise and just unconditional love and acceptance.

and also darkfic 🥰

no but seriously. thank you for all the thoughtful comment love, for braving the tiktok waters to bring us such insightful metas, and hoollyyyy shit your fics. i drop everything and run when any of your fics hits my inbox and all! of! you! should! too!!

plotty casefic packed with backstory and societal commentary and lesbians: you will burn right now but then you won't regret it • flonks • 31k, M. so many female characters and they’re ALL given such rich storylines. the black family dynamics would be absolutely show-stealing in any other fic but fleur manages to be just as if not more fascinating in this fic. also, does this fail the reverse bechdel test?? #goals

finding truth and resolution and that one way out of complicated impossible inescapable situations (tbh this is every thistlecat fic): Icarus • pansy/millicent/parvati • 20k, M. the representation in this fic is also IN-FUCKING-CREDIBLE.

marvellous juggling act of a fic: Two Quaffles Pub • cho/ginny • 9k, M. it’s snappy and smart and avoidant and honest and real and so lovely and i legitimately don’t know how you do it. also, this might be one of my favorite snippets i’ve read EVER:

A woman dating another woman? That’s like playing Quidditch with two Quaffles and no Snitch.

QUEEN of the M rating, of writing sex and kink as such fascinating explorations of power dynamics and power exchange! AND such delightfully defiant takes on canon -- and fanon!

Alphard's Favourite • sirius/peter • 5k, M A Rat in the Drawing Room • regulus/peter • 2k, M Acting Out • narcissa/molly • 2k, M Breathless • dorlene • 400, M

---

sometimes thistlecat manages something approximating wholesomeness and it is just as good and somehow just as utterly bring-a-tissue:

Silent Garden • daphne/theo • 1k, T. postwar selective mutism daphne. Family Legacy • tedromeda, remadora, tedoire • 2k, T. Three generations of trans/nonbinary/gender questioning Tonks-Lupins.

---

thistlecat’s humor, too, so underrated:

A Farewell Letter • wolfstar • 500, M, Sirius uses a Quick Quotes Quill to let his parents know he's, er, leaving! Height Difference • wolfstar • 500, G SETTLING this age-old fandom debate once and for all! Good Chat • wolfstar/jily/dorlene • 200, E. every! single! word!!

It was a planned action against heteronormativity and a complex statement about the exploitation of reality tv. Alternatively, the islanders were horny and bored.

---

literally wrote the goddamn meta on it: Fanfiction as an Arts-Based Trauma Therapy Modality. mandatory reading for anyone who uses fic as personal trauma processing!

speaking of which, i’m gonna necro your uquiz 😂 what ~problematique~ trope are you?

---

for an explanation of why i just wrote you a whole ~thing~, check out this post & the ‘mutuals march’ tag below!

[remus-poopin]

do you happen to have any fic recommendations that are well-characterized? (i.e. follow their canon personalities quite faithfully?) :)

Ok I don’t read as much fics as I would like to so I fear that the ones I’m about to recommend are ones I already have before haha.

I have to recommend literally anything by @evesaintyves ! I love the way she writes Lupin so much! He feels so real and gritty while still keeping true to his character. She also writes my favorite version of Tonks!

Couple of my favorites are

“The Rougarou” (Remus/Sirius) Such a good exploration of Remus and his sexuality omg.

And

“It’s just what you do to get by” (Remus/Tonks) Genuinely the best fic I’ve ever read. I love this so so much AHH

Some other Lupin fics I’d recommend:

“Introspective to say the least” and “home for Christmas” by Thecat_iswritting. I feel like @thecat-isblogging-blog gets Lupin’s voice so right it’s crazy

“Toys in the attic” by @ashesandhackles and @thecat-isblogging-blog I feel like I’ve talked about this a thousand times now so I’ll just say if you’re a Sirius and Lupin fan read this

“The grace unasked for” by Leftsidedown. Feels like it could have been in the book because it feels so true to Tonks and Lupin’s characters and voices.

“Of the fallen” by DopeyTheDwarf has a great Hermione and Lupin, and it’s also super sweet!

I’m mostly a Remus fic reader because that’s my girl but I’ll occasionally dabble elsewhere:

I’ve really been enjoying @whinlatter’s Ginny in “beasts”! though this is another one I haven’t finished yet because I’m taking a very long time to read cause I’m enjoying it so much lol

“I hope this comes back to haunt you” by humanveil is a really good Snape fic that @seriousbrat recently recommended!

I talked about this recently but “the last enemy” by CH_Darling and “The darkest days” by betweenfactandbreakfast are two really good marauder era fics that again I’m taking my sweet time to read.

That’s all I have right now, if anyone has any other recommendations pls share!!

[hpsaffics]

smut writing guides and resources: an AO3 collection

Collected a bunch of excellent resources -- tumblr and livejournal posts, mostly -- for a Femslash February smut writing workshop on the @hpsaffics discord server, and finally got around to putting it all in an AO3 collection!

Feel free to join the discord (18+) for more discussion and for a multishipping/SALS, sex-positive and supportive community!

A selection of some of them:

day 1: why write smut?

The first rule of writing smut is don’t write smut. by @/letteredlettered

i don’t know why you wouldn’t want to write bad fanfic. that’s the point of it – it’s allowed to be bad. by @/bettsfic

Smut 101: A Tutorial For Beginners by @/pikapeppa

day 2: easing into it

Writing Smut 101: Overcoming Smut Shame by @/slightlyrebelliouswriter23

Mature is ‘and then they made love.’ Explicit is 'and here’s how they did it *exactly*.’ aka the envelope post by @/tinsnip

any tips for writing smut? by @/ao3commentoftheday and others

day 3: characterization & relationship dynamics

Smut 101: Part 2 by d-dangerlove

Smut 102: A tutorial on writing dialogue during sex by @/pikapeppa

Any tips on how to write smut that actually moves the story? by @/ao3commentoftheday and others

day 4: plotting out a scene

Smut 101: Part 3 by d-dangerlove

Essay: The Formula for Writing Sex Scenes by cupidsbow

Sex Writing 101 by @/pasiphile

day 5: getting down to details

The Ultimate Guide to Writing Smut Fic by QuinnAnderson

Smut-Writing for the unSmutty by Vukovich

The Big Book of Writing Sex; A Tactless Resource! by @/RPedia

lesbian smut guide by @/springofviolets

day 6: genderbending & transfic (and omegaverse fic)

day 7: darkfic and kink fic

[collected by @leftsidedown / @broomsticks]

[thistlecatfics]

the grace unasked for by @leftsidedown (17k, T, Remadora)

What if… instead of going to Bill's after the Malfoy Manor, Harry and co. flee to Tonks' parents' house, where Remus and Tonks are hiding with Andromeda? How would Remus and the others react and handle this? Remember, Tonks is in her last trimester, her dad just died, she's still being hunted down by Bellatrix and everyone is in hiding, and suddenly Undesirable No 1 shows up with a tortured Hermione, former hostages and a dead house elf and his presence is now potentially threatening everyone's safety...

I LOVE a "what if this one small thing changed" concept which has both big ripples and also keeps the fundamentals the same - this fic is so deeply rooted in canon and canon characterizations which I just love. Each character (Andromeda, Remus, Tonks especially but also Harry, Ron, and Hermione) is portrayed with such deep flaws and strengths in a way that really honors their humanity.

This has one of my favorite Andromeda portrayals and includes one of my favorite headcanons -

"A memory came flooding back. The letter she'd desperately mailed off: your little boy, your Draco, he must be one now? You must understand, then, dearest sister, I am begging not for myself, only for my daughter. Everything I know, anything I can do—She let herself fall back against the cool wall, and cast her eyes blankly upwards. Ted. I promise, I will protect the only piece of you left to me."

The fic left me with no coherent thoughts but just this deep and echoing respect for grief and purpose and devotion and connection.

For @hprecfest <3

[cailynwrites]

A Very Pairy Christmas Masterlist - 31+ podfics for December

Week 1: ❄️ Snow ❄️

Warmth by @givereadersahug (James x Lily x Severus)

Knitting Hats for Puppies by @arielsakura (Harry x Bill)

Convergence on a Winter's Night by @inmyownlittlecorner5 (Ted Tonks x Severus Snape)

Snowdrifts by @indreamsink (Draco x Hermione)

Sock Snowmen by @givereadersahug (Harry x Severus)

The Great Biscuit Calamity of 1978, And Other Such Disasters by @lunapwrites (Sirius x Remus)

Snowdeer Charms and Concussions by @arielsakura (Tom x Harry)

Week 2: 🎵 Caroling 🎵

Sorry It Took Me So Long by @arielsakura (Luna x Harry)

With Love by @smallsherbert (Pansy x Hermione)

Fast the Night Is Fading by @snapesnailtape (Severus x Lily)

Sing My Song (For You) by @theselittleponders (Rose x Scorpius)

Draco, Merrily on High by @blythe-ly (Draco x Harry)

Remus Lupin and the Christmas Snail by @innermostplanet (Remus Tonks)

Beautiful the rose that in your garden is by porcelainsalt (Luna x Astoria)

Week 3: 🎄 Mistletoe 🎄

'tis the damn season (Pansy's version) by @the-francakes (Ron x Pansy)

Escaping Fred Weasley's Magical Mistletoe by @ptwritesmore (Fred x Hermione)

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by @siriusly-sapphic (Narcissa x Dorcas)

Mistletoe Rescue by @indreamsink (Draco x Hermione x Theo)

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree by @ptwritesmore (Ron x Daphne)

Festive Mood by @paulamcg (Molly x Amelia)

House Unity by @tryslora (Draco x Neville)

Week 4: 🎁 Gifts 🎁

The Pink Prank/Prankmas Eve by @danpuff-ao3 (Draco x Ron and other pairings)

Fulfilling of the Secret Wish by smirkingcat (Draco x Remus)

Unlocking Christmas Joy by @ptwritesmore (Harry x Hermione)

The Seventh Annual Weasley White Erumpent Exchange by @constitutionalweasleymonarchy (many pairings!)

A Non-Christmas Non-Romance by kelly_chambliss (Snape x McGonagall)

Adeste Fideles by @madmaudlingoes (Draco x Ron)

you make me feel good by @facingthenorthwind (Albus x Scorpius)

Week 5: 🥂 New Year's Eve 🥂

snapshots by kitsunerei88 (Percy x Oliver)

The Enchanted Forest by @xslytherclawx-writes (Neville x Regulus)

A Magical New Year's Masquerade by @ptwritesmore (Draco x Hermione)

This Time Next Year by @janieohio (Draco x Harry)

Bonus: 🕎 Hanukkah 🕎

kindling and memory by @leftsidedown (Fleur x Tonks)

[remuslupinfest]

Author Reveals!

We’re happy to announce it’s finally time for author reveals! Authors: you’re now free to adjust the dates on your works, as well as repost them to other sites. The mod account will be removed as a co-author from AO3 shortly.

A great big thank you to everyone who participated in the fest as an author, commenter, or just a reader.

We’re already excited to do it all over again next year  ♡

REMUS/SIRIUS

Don't Need Another Metaphor (It's Simple Enough) - by magickedpiracy Gnossienne - by jennandblitz Heaven’s Just One Sin Away - by DrWhoIsGinnyHolmes Hidden Desire - by TheHufflebean Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations - by TheQueerTailor my jokes are my armour, my kindness is my sword - by littleoldrachel Pomegranate - by OrangeFlamingo Romance and Adventure - by LuminousGloom Sweet Nothing - by phasesofremoony time will crawl (till our tails fall off) - by stardiver two imperfect souls might touch perfection - by soloorganaas Wanderer’s Soul - by annanotherthing

REMUS/TONKS

Empty Chairs at Empty Tables - by ala_baguette it’s just what you do to get by - by EveSaintYves Our Surprise Metamorphmagus - by Howellatme Sounding Off - by CelesteMagnolia A Third Roommate - by CelesteMagnolia

REMUS/SEVERUS

As You Hit the Wall - by miffmiff Budding Affection - by SafePlaceSnupin Bumps & Bruises> - by multilingualism Dark as the New Moon - by nocturn to witness the beauty of your repair - by leftsidedown

RARE PAIRS

Compliments - by SiriuslySapphic Every Rose Grows Bonny in Time - by stonecoldhedwig From Blossoms - by MeliMess The Gardener's Arms Make Him Feel Alive - by DontStopHerNow The Limits of Patience - by puuvillaa Marked me like a bloodstain - by Patriceavril night of red - by ayebydan Our Ogygia - by zeddmarker pour some sugar on me - by succulent_nurturer Scent of summer snow - by TracingPatterns The Sounds of Us - by Sniper_Jade tie the anchor to our feet and say goodbye - by MKAugust the wolf in the woods - by secondsister You and Me, Moony - by AmethystHeart2421

GEN

Animals - by turanga4 Leave Replacement - by sliebman10 A Long Read - by Tpants A Professor through the eyes of a Werewolf - by Tardis_Magic93 Slay the Beast - by zeddmarker Tangible Hope - by SiriuslySapphic There's No Place Like Home - by EchoOfaWind Things We Do - by Wanderingdonut Tired of Being Alone - by cheyla

[fiendishfyre]

~Fic Feature Friday~

Original concept link Thanks for the reminder @strugglequill (a true fandom hero) ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.

Title: Poster of a Girl (link) Author: LeftSideDown (@broomsticks here!) Fandom: Harry potter Ship(s): Sirius Black/Bellatrix Black Lestrange Rating: Mature CW for Noncon/Underage Summary: It’s not a tragedy that she’s born a boy. Sirius loves all her older sisters, and they accept her too.

I do enjoy me some Black family fics and this one features a trans girl Sirius! ⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚. Open fandom tag! @stopme @jmagnabo92 @thistlecatfics @artemisia-black @annabtg @jamesunderwater @everyone else who wants to do this, consider yourself tagged, can even @ me on post you make!

[lumosatnight]

5 Underrated Ships (+ recs)

All of these ship asks have been making me scroll through my fics list, and I've realized there are some ships that I just really vibe with but probably no one will ever ask me about. So, I'm forcing them on you instead! Mwuahaha. Here are 5 underrated ships with fics recs!!

-

1. Bellatrix/Molly (Mollytrix)

Canonically speaking, Molly and Bellatrix attended Hogwarts at the same time, most likely even in the same year. Just imagine Gryffindor!Molly striking up a friendship with Slytherin!Bellatrix. Now imagine that spanning years and years. Imagine Molly being devastated when she has to break things off because "Bella's been spending just a little too much time talking about joining a cult." Imagine years and years pass and Bellatrix sees Ginny on the battlefield. "She looks just like her, the one who left her, the one who abandoned her." Molly personally killing Bellatrix in the BOH seemed awfully personal, I'm just saying.

My ship rating: Mollywobbles Bellabobbles

My fic rec: The Melted Water Can Harden Again by ReasonPapers [M, 4.3k]

Bellatrix Black is distracted from her infatuation with her sister when her advanced studies couple her with a witch her equal-- Molly Prewett.

-

2. Tom/Myrtle (Tyrtle)

This was brought up the other day in the HPFC server, and I was reminded how much I absolutely adore this pairing. Why did Myrtle have to die? Tom, especially at the age of 16, seemed particularly selective with his kills. I do not believe for a single second that Myrtle just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I think they had history. Probably one-sided, probably very unhealthy, but I believe she was more than just a passing annoyance to Tom.

My ship rating: slow and steady wins the race

My fic rec: Snake Eyes by @diana-skye [M, 1.4k]

There’s a single moment, between yellow eyes and nothingness, where she remembers. [Or - What if Myrtle wasn't a random victim of Tom Riddle? What if he was someone she knew, even someone she loved?]

-

3. Lucius/Arthur (Luthur)

The bookshop scene in CoS has too much tension for Lucius and Arthur not to have a complicated past. They got in a full-on brawl in the middle of the bookstore with both their families present. Look me in the face and tell me there isn't something else going on there. An unrequited love? A past hook-up? Lingering feelings? Something. Anything.

My ship rating: "Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.

My fic rec: The Seduction of Arthur Weasley by Farbautidottir [M, 15.8]

After Lucius Malfoy goads Arthur Weasley into a brawl at Flourish and Blotts, both men find themselves stuck on their mutual memory of the night they spent together in 1967, before the Wizarding War began. But Lucius wants more than just a memory.

-

4. Narcissa/Charity (Charcissa)

I'm actually a huge fan of Charity and a lot of characters (Charity/Severus, Charity/Draco, Charity/Hogwarts professor), but something about being trapped in the Malfoy's manor and strung up above the Malfoy's table makes Charity/Narcissa extra special. Narcissa being in her own home and having absolutely no power to stop Voldemort from staining her dining room table. Delicious angst.

My ship rating: let me in!!!!

My fic rec: charity begins at home by @leftsidedown [M, 200]

It ends there, at any rate. or: Narcissa has always been greedy.

-

5. Luna/Theo (LoveNott)

I personally headcannon Luna and Theo as kind of the oddballs in their houses. Luna is a Ravenclaw, sure. She's witty and clever and smart (albeit not in the usual test-taking way), but she's also flighty and prone to delusion and weird (yes, she's super weird and we love her for that). We don't know much about Theo, but I picture him as quiet and nerdy and a little bit of a pushover. With such strong personalities, such as Draco and Pansy in your house, someone's gotta be the meek one. But he's also reluctant to follow someone blindly. He's reluctant to dedicate himself to a cause that he really doesn't know that much about. I love the idea of Luna and Theo getting into ethical debates. Luna shows more care to magical creatures than Theo has seen Death Eaters show to fellow wizards. Luna is weird and wild and unpredictable, which is the complete opposite of what Theo has always known, and he likes it.

My ship rating: I'm not Nott in love

My fic rec: littler dazzler, little song by @vesperics [T, 3.6k]

His mouth tastes like vinegar and his skull is nearly vibrating with pain and Luna Lovegood is sitting beside him like some sort of strange guardian, flower-bound headband and bare feet and all.

-

Tagging cuz I'm interested but also you definitely don't need to provide recs: @bleepbloopbotz, @schmem14, @indigo-scarf, @naurcissamilfoy, @siriusly-sapphic, @peachpety

[billsfangearring]

Monthly Fandom Faves: April 2023 (Ten Minute Version) (HP Edition)

Hi everyone,

Sadly I didn't have time to read much this month or properly review (or even comment on) the two Wolfstar fics I did read. However, they're both wonderful so I'm going to list them here for now and link to our beloved @broomsticks's recs instead. I hope to write up my own in May!

Much love,

Billie

To Build a Home by mblematic (@mblematic)

(Remus/Sirius, M, 28k)

1978-1981: Sirius stumbles on something in the woods, Sirius and Remus stumble into each other, everyone stumbles into the war.

Jackie's rec here :)

poppies in october by tahtahfornow (@tahtahfornow)

(Remus/Sirius with secondary Remus/Lily, James/Lily, and Remus/Tonks; M; 19k)

A little half-moon indentation on a patch of green south of Llandeilo, another amongst the densely marked webs of North London. Remus Lupin, Sirius Black. He wouldn’t need magic to follow their footsteps: back and forth, circling, circling around each other. Opposite points of a gravitational orbit. And now here he is again, pulled in like the tide, back to where he started, back to where he left.

Jackie's rec here!

[saintsenara]

If your still taking emoji game asks, I’ll go for 👍 💌 👽 You recs are always divine!

thank you so much for the ask, anon - i am definitely still taking asks for this game :)

👍🏽 a fic you bookmarked recently

beasts by @whinlatter 

harry potter/ginny weasley teen | 80k words

why i recommend it:

i am - obviously - on the record as not a hinny girly, but whinlatter is one of the few people able to convince me of the pairing. this is because she’s a beautiful writer, but it’s mainly - and i think this is incredibly important - because she writes the stars of the show as actually funny. there seems to be a real tendency in "how is the world rebuilt after the war?" fics to make everything unstoppably angsty, with lots of therapy-speak processing of trauma. and that never hits for me, largely because it’s not something i can picture harry "what’s a coping mechanism?" potter and friends being willing to do.

beasts instead gets the vibe completely right - teenagers without all the answers muddling through as best as they can, which always seems to result in them choosing the stupidest [and funniest] option. harry is both self-isolating and self-righteous, hermione is brittle and very loyal, ron is the only one with any emotional stability, mcgonagall has had enough, and ginny is - to quote the author herself - written like scrappy do.

which isn’t to say that this fic isn’t angsty - it is, at heart, an exploration both of how ginny deals with being back at hogwarts in 1998-99 when the castle is filled with memories she’d rather not have to think about every day, and of how the end of voldemort doesn’t magically mean an end to the astonishing corruption in wizarding society. 

it also has an acceptable amount of hits if you control + f "riddle". so there’s that.

👽 a fic that isn’t prose (poetry, text fic, etc.)

no amount of therapy can help by @the-wig-is-a-metaphor

harry potter/tom riddle | voldemort general 

why i recommend it:

because it makes me shriek.

harrymort youtuber au? it's likelier than you think.

💌 a fic that inspired you to create something for it

this is cheating, because it’s not a specific fic, but @broomsticks [who you will know as leftsidedown on ao3] inspires me a great deal. she is absolutely committed to multi-shipping [and especially to femslash multishipping] in a way which is really quite rare now, as well as to exploring the full spectrum - from fluff to filth to filthy fluff - we can write our characters into. plus, she’s a fandom history encyclopedia, and one of the few people on earth apparently willing to do statistical analysis of harry potter fanfiction for fun. she also gives great prompts, which have led to two of my favourite pieces of my own work: enchanter’s nightshade and the three sisters.

and three pieces of hers you should try: the best of us | in another life | for everything a season

[billsfangearring]

What a thing to wake up to 🥹😭🥰

I'm grateful every day that you reached out on discord when I joined the HPFC server. Thank you for being the world's best friend and cheerleader (and might I add, far surpassing me in all of the above contributions to fandom). Thank you so much for these kinds words and everything you do—love you!! <3

BILLIE APPRECIATION HI IT’S BILLIE APPRECIATION DAY

@billsfangearring you’re such a wealth of knowledge, about everything from fandom to sports to politics to more fandom, AND you’re so generous and skilled at sharing it in such an accessible manner — we’re SO blessed to have you here. and by we i mean me; i would follow you into any fandom if only for the fic recs.

you’ve contributed more to my list of fave fics than anyone else (and also my tbr, cries) — these yearbook reclists are such lovely pieces of fandom history!

2007 my favorite!! my introduction to kaydeefalls and torch and their other fics are to die for (I look at the world and I notice it's turning & in the right hands <3)

2004 my second favorite!!! such a long list and i love every. single. fic on there. absolute fandom classics.

wolfstar fandom historian queen -- literally wrote the meta on it.

love and mistrust during and after the first war: it's not enough (this time) • wolfstar • 2.5k, T. regrets! wretchedness! so much depth! truly you wrote a thing that hits all the nostalgia notes AND this @consistentsquash rec and your reply are just... the best of fandom <3

BILLIE WRITES ALOTO NOW Love & Baseball (series) • jesslupe • 2k, T kjsdlfjjdf you tried so many different genres and povs and eras here and nailed them ALL. fun and wistful and feelsy and oh, i love <3

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for an explanation of why i just wrote you a whole ~thing~, check out this post & the ‘mutuals march’ tag below!

[remus-poopin]

do u have any fic recs for the ships u mentioned in the tag post? i feel like i often have a hard time getting into fics but i trust ur judgement lol - superfallingstars

Hey omg I’m just seeing this now sorry! Here’s three that I absolutely love and think you might too!

Ok for Flonks this fic by @thistlecatfics is AMAZING AHHH it’s probably my favorite fic I’ve ever read and it has a special place in my heart. Literally can’t recommend this one enough. (This one gets a extra 10 points from me for the Fiona Apple song reference)

Ok here’s two for Remadora:

I feel like I might have talked about this one before but it’s honestly amazing so whatever. Really everything @evesaintyves writes is incredible so if your looking to get into fics go to their writing

This one has my favorite Lupin characterization I’ve ever read, @leftsidedown really nails it. Honestly all the characters here feel spot on and I realllly love Tonks and Lupin’s relationship here.

[hpsaffics]

HP Saffics Two-Year Serverversary

Happy Two-Year Serverversary!! 🥳

The HP SAFFICS server is happy to celebrate two years of femslash madness and mayhem. With 437 members, this year we created 1,098+ works and 24+ rec lists! Between our annual summer exchange, microfic challenge, and many more events, our members have been busy spreading the sapphic love.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us along this wild spectacular journey. We can't wait for this next year with even more femslash fun!!

Check out our upcoming event: HP Saffics Femslash February 2024 🌸

Prompts & Info

AO3 Collection

Here is a link to the server. We hope to see you there! https://discord.gg/YMGeYtvMV7

Much love from the @hpsaffics mods,

@lumosatnight @fantasyborn @siriusly-sapphic @nanneramma @leftsidedown @whoreofthecottage

Peep the new logo made by the talented @rhiaflamesong 😍😍

[thistlecatfics]

Tedromeda Rec List

I put together a Tedromeda rec list for an anon ask of @spindrifters, and I figured it ought to be its own post! I like messy, imperfect, bordering on toxic Tedromeda, and I especially love lesbian!Tedromeda so if those are not your things you may not vibe with this rec list and that's ok! But if they are -

Turncoat: in defense of andromeda tonks nee black, @ink-splotch (8.3k) 

“When her little cousin Sirius got disowned too, years later, Andromeda sent him a fruit basket.”

This fic was so big and so brilliant and the world building is so excellent. It made me cry. I had to triple check the word count in putting it here because it seems so much longer because it’s just so rich with life and detail. 

War, or Peace, or Whatever This Is, Slyboots (7.6k) 

“Fall in line, that’s the way, and never mind who gives the orders. Carrying on, that’s the British national sport.”In the aftermath of the Fall of the Ministry of Magic, Andromeda Tonks does what little good she can.”

I love a war time fic with complicated world building and no good choices. Really brilliant fic. The sharp, fast moving pace adds to the paranoid anything-can-happen-at-any-moment feeling of a coup.

In Memoriam, Bitterfic on LiveJournal (6k)

“When he was young, brash, he had said that the Muggle-born were as good as any purebloods, yet he had never doubted that Andromeda Black was infinitely superior to him. Even after twenty-five years of marriage, he never thought of her by his name, as Andromeda Tonks. She was to him always Andromeda Black whose voice cut through the darkness that night in the Forbidden Forest.” (cw: sexual assault, suicidal ideation) 

A brilliant haunting little fic from my favorite LJ writer from wayyy back in the day. Ted Tonks POV

Andromeda Liberata (133k+ WIP) (lesbian Tedromeda) 

“In which Andromeda Black cruelly betrays her sisters and sets in motion the total destruction of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black because she fell in love with a lesbian muggleborn.”

While it might be tacky to put your own fic in a rec list,  I’m quite proud of it :)

i don’t forgive you (but please don’t hold me to it) by evawrites (10k, T) (lesbian Tedromeda)

For Andromeda, the choice is not between the Dark and the Light. It’s not between Headmaster Dumbledore and the Dark Lord, not between Teddy’s family and her own. Instead, it’s between Bella and Teddy. Foolishly, Andromeda prays she’ll get to keep both.(She gets to keep neither.)

Dark and haunting and the contrast between Bellatrix and Ted is so well set up.

history books forgot about us by spindrifters (25k, E)

Andromeda Black meets Ted Tonks quite by accident, and it’s something like mischief at first sight. From the lost papers and mixed-up files of the marginalia universe, the complete history of a relationship that was never meant to happen.

This canon-divergent universe is everything, and these two recklessly in love kids are everything to me!

wherefore/evermore by @leftsidedown (150 words, T)

continuing the Great Literary Tradition of mad women writing villanelles

A poem!!

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And then some Andromeda-centric fic where Tedromeda is important but it's not really a shippy fic:

not like the rest of them by unspeakable3 (11k, T)

Sirius has recently followed in Andromeda's footsteps and emancipated himself from their family. This afternoon, the two cousins will reunite - and see each other for the first time in four years. Andromeda is nervous. Sirius is nervous. There is a lot they need to say to each other.

Imperfect runaways!!

we were sisters once (we have another love now) by Nefaria_Black (3k, T)

Dora is six and few things are more exciting than a day spent in Diagon Alley. Even if the street is packed with people. Even if she’s separated from her parents by the crowd Because Mother is easy enough to find, isn’t she?

Haunting fairytale vibes

The Waves by nanneramma (3k, M)

Andromeda is not sure if she got it right. But she tried.

Gorgeous canon-compliant character study

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And for those who like some Blackcest with their Tedromeda:

Clip, Ravel, Cleave by @vdoshu (15k, E)

Before Andromeda met Ted, she was a Black, through and through. While years later the story was told that she’d turned her back on her family’s dark ways, in truth, nothing was so simple.In the beginning, it was just Andromeda and Bella. And it was just the two of them until it was too much.

An all-time favorite featuring Andromeda and Ted meeting after Hogwarts and dark magic addiction and all sorts of dark goodness