How fortuitous.

Due to...unforseen circumstances, I am commandeering this journal as my main fannish journal, having had to delete the original.

Well then. I suppose I'll start posting all my old recs.

Art Rec: HP/SS, slash

Despite the title, "Harry Potter and Severus Snape", by Glockgal, is absolutely lovely. It's also been around for a while, but alas, I am lazy and had never poked about in Glockgal's site before. This has been thoroughly remedied now. :D

The image is password-protected, but all you have to do is answer a pop-up question. It is slash, so I suppose there should be a warning for that, but both participants are fully clothed and there's nothing explicit; it's a "relationship" type slashiness, not a smutty-type slashiness. Go, go and see now!

Fic Rec: "Next Time"

Hmm, I was going to post all three at once, but that makes it harder to sort them properly. Instead, I shall post each separately for the sake of Memorying the recs. A slasher's work is never done.

"Next Time" by Gatewaygirl is part of the "It's All Been Done" FQF-- I hadn't known there was such a thing, actually, but I'm glad this came of it. The challenge was "Harry/Remus and a Time-Turner," and Gatewaygirl has taken it beyond the things already done-- yes, there is near-standard angst and a drunken bet, and then it just gets better. Harry matures enough in 48 hours to rival his five canon years; he starts out assuming it will be a bit of reckless fun, and learns instead to think of the impact, not on the general future, but on the person he loves-- it's all very easy to waltz in with a Time-Turner on July 29, go back, and wake up still in love on July 30; it's a bit trickier for the lover you leave (literally) in the past. The changes hinted at in Remus, due to Harry's actions, are tantalising, and Gatewaygirl has obviously put some thought into both the requirements of time travel-- as in the ingenious way Harry devises to check whether he's changed history-- and the means by which magic applies to sex. A gentle sense of humour mixes well with werewolfy angst, as well.

Fic rec: "In a London House"

"In a London House" by maeglinyedi is a series of shorter ficlets, RL/HP-centric. Wonderful writer, wonderful writing. Here's hoping for more.

Fic Rec: "Whiskey and Vodka"

"Whiskey and Vodka" by Setissma ought to be an entry for the "It's All Been Done" FQF-- it takes the standard "horrible nightmares" plot line and adds a dash of alcohol and liberal sprinkles of cosy, everyday-type details to make something warm as a beloved blanket. It's really in the domestic and personal details that the mood is carried: Harry watching Remus stretch on tiptoe to reach the sugar canister and thinking how he's never realised Remus is short, the way Hermione's suggestions that Harry contribute financially are met with defence because he likes knowing it's their furniture, the way neither really needs to say anything out loud. Possibly even better, Setissma actually deals with the routine interruptions that would normally result from living with a werewolf, and does so without sugar-coating. Too many fics I've read have some miraculous potion that eliminates, basically, Remus' lycanthropy; others seem to think Remus (the cautious and bookish) would be perfectly fine with curling up at Harry's feet in wolf form (or for that matter, having semi-bestial sex). Why these strike false chords in me is another post, but half the appeal of "Whiskey and Vodka" is that it manages a Remus who is, in fact, a werewolf with all that entails, yet still manages to find happiness.

Fic Rec: "Microcosm"

"Microcosm", which fully lives up to its name, is an absolutely beautiful little thing. Harry, and Remus, and movies and dinner, but most of all moving on and moving forward. Kudos to pauraque, for crafting such a sweet and haunting bit of writing.

Art Rec: "In Absentia"

In Absentia, by Dr. Worm, is incredibly touching and somewhat slashy while still being totally G-rated. Harry, hugging Remus' cardigan, and looking somewhat forlorn; what's not to like? I particularly love Harry's hair, and the way his wrist sticks out of his sleeve so adolescent-ly; I'm so used to the MentallyGrownUp!Harry who appears in so many slashfics that it's good to be reminded he's still young enough to be wrong, to be all knees and elbows and wrists however much an "old soul" he may have. Combined with the expression, and the sentiment... wow. I hurt for the poor boy.

Of course, being the irrepressible slasher I am, I hope that the absent Remus will return to him soon... :D

POTC fic rec: "Depth"

Pirates of the Caribbean, this time! Sleeps With Coyotes was busy while I wasn't looking! "Depth" is not terribly long, but manages to evoke all the right moods, and answer all the questions that bubble up at the end of the movie; after all, if the sea is in one's blood, can you deny it? His vision of the world changed drastically, Will must decide if it can be re-forged, or if he must.

POTC rec: "Binding"

While sorting out my links today, I found a fic I obviously had meant to rec. ""Binding", by Kanzeyori, is maybe PG at most, and probably G, but there's such a wealth of feeling, of heart and heartache, beneath the short, seemingly simple action the story revolves around. Pirates, and scars, and Will and Elizabeth, with a tad bit of rum.

I'm glad to have rediscovered Kanzeyori-- expect further recs!

Find the story here.

LOTR fic rec: "An Honest Man of Gondor"

An Honest Man of Gondor, by Lullenny, has one of the most amazing outside-looking-in views on hobbits I've ever run across. She is one of the few authors I've read who does not treat hobbits as short Men, and who remembers that they are a species in their own right. Also, she uses another character's perspective to work her magic, which is always lovely.

SW:TPM fic rec: "The Best Medicine"

In a fit of fandom nostalgia, I went browsing through Master and Apprentice, whose mailing list I have long been a part of, and, in fact, from whose capable hands I first found the writing of Telanu, Rushlight, and others I admire, multi-fandom.

At any rate, while I was browsing I happened to stumble across "The Best Medicine", by Russet McMillan. It's a gem: long, intelligently written, with imagination and smut and tension that doesn't devolve into an angst-fest. In short, Qui-Gon is injured during a mission and, due to the quantum physics of hyperspace travel, can't access enough of the Force to heal his wounds. Obi-Wan, however, knows a way to generate enough; the question is, will Qui-Gon go along with it? "The Best Medicine" is the first "sex for healing" fic I've run across that actually makes sense. Then there's the fact that it involves one of my absolute favourite slash-sex positions, one I didn't think anyone had written except me, in my own head.

Brilliant stuff.

Art Rec: The Pit of Voles the way it should be

Ever wonder what Fanfiction.net would look like if it were run the way it should be? Go check it out! Articles on "Whacking Mary Sues," "Why Canon is Your Friend," and (my favourite) "Tolkien Wouldn't Approve of THAT!"

Go, and marvel.

Fic recs: "Over Tea", "Parseltongue-tied" & "Spirited Boy"

First, if you haven't read DementorDelta's "Over Tea", do so! Severus and Harry's relationship through the eyes of Minerva, as it develops. I adore fic that explores relationships through another character's POV.

Even more wonderfully, it seems that barbana made some lovely fanart for Parseltongue-tied, which inspired Delta to write... well, she calls it a smutlet, but it's really full-grown smut, as well as delicious. In short, "Spirited Boy" is the other side of the "Over Tea" story, complete with the steamy scenes Minerva (thankfully) didn't get to see. Read all of them, I beg you, because DD is a wonderful author!

Fic Rec: "The Ill-Tempered Potions Master" (+ art!)

I've been intending to rec this for weeks! Please forgive my sloth and all-around excuse-ful-ness as I humbly offer dragon_light's and dementordelta's "The Ill-Tempered Potions Master", in which Harry catches apples, falls off a fence, does lots of handy-man housework, and wins Snape's heart. Don't forget to go visit the artwork by lunulet that inspired the story! If my admittedly bad descriptions fail to lure you into reading, it should remove any doubt!

Art Rec: "Green"

Severus Snape has a private moment in Green, by fiendling. This made my day.

Definitely not work safe. :D

Art Rec: "Trespassing"

Trespassing by lizardspots is so far from worksafe you might want to take several days off. She has a warning for "non-con overtones," but to me Harry looks like he's been waiting for this reward rather eagerly, and wishes Snape would get on with things. :D

Art Rec: "Impromptu"

Another piece by the wonderful fiendling, whom I have just now decided is the most wonderful person ever. Again, do not open in public venues or in front of those with heart trouble.

Impromptu. (SS/HP)

Art rec! "Beneath Your Tongue"

Well, it's been quite some time since I recced any artwork; to remedy that, I point you to Ponderosa's "Beneath Your Tongue", which is definitely-not-work-safe HP/SS. I am so in love with it that, were it at all feasible, it would be my desktop background. (Whether I'd ever get any work done is another question entirely.)

Art! [Cover for AWS]

The talented and lovely debchan has made a marvelous cover for Telanu's A Wizard Song. See it here. Look carefully-- there's more than just a picture of swirly Snape!

Art! "You're Not At All What I Expected"

I can't, unfortunately, make a direct link, but directions are simple:

1. Go here.
2. Click on "Second Wave Entries" in the left-hand side menu.
3. Scroll all the way down to the art at the bottom of the page.
4. Click on the first piece by Mashonna.
5. Drool. Stare. Drool some more. Spend fifteen minutes obsessing over the drool-worthy details of each scene, even the tiny ones. Grow faint from hunger (or blood rushing the other direction). Bookmark and love.

Art Rec: "Two Coats" AND Fic Rec: "Clipped Wings"

All right, there's no slash at all here, and Snape's nose seems just a little short (it's lovely and characteristic in all other respects, though), but I like Cyllaniel's "Two Coats of Black" very much. Snape and a raven; what's not to like?

Perhaps it also reminds me of one of my favourite fics ever, too; "Clipped Wings", by Theresa Wymer, is possibly the best magical-holocaust story out there. From the very first words it had me hooked, and never let me go. It's one of those stories I love so much, it never occurred to me to rec it before this picture made me realise I hadn't.

More gen art! "Potions Master"

Lizardspots has outdone herself! I am so very much in love with this picture; I want to, I don't know, have it blown up and used as a mural on my wall, or have it tattooed life-size on my body somewhere. "Potions Master" captures almost perfectly the Snape living in my head. Because I am sure no one cares, I won't bother listing the tedious tiny differences; instead I will merely say, this trumps Rickman any day. :D

The other joy is the fabulous detail work; notice the tiny snakes, the mouse, the magic! Notice the shading, the cross-hatching, the sheen of the cauldron, the tiny snails, the scorch mark on the apron. I think I would happily sell my soul for that man to come alive off the page.

Lots of good fannish stuff

Fandom just flooded me with great stuff. Check it out:

mctabby has posted more Summary Executions.

brevisse has posted an adorable sketch of Harry and Severus.

badficsupport had a very interesting article posted on Remus Lupin and how his lycanthropy has potentially affected his character.

isiscolo had an enlightening discussion on the use of British English in fanfiction written by Americans, a discussion which included interesting sidelights on Snape's social class, British culture, and other details of the Potterverse often overlooked in the grand scheme of things.

Oh, and wikdsushi posted "The Last Battlefield." Wow. My mind is still boggling. Must read again, then send loooong feedback.

Pettigrew discussion

Somehow I managed to miss it the day it came out, but isiscolo apparently posted a thought-provoking entry on Peter Pettigrew and his general absence in Marauders-era fic. The discussion is surprisingly large, and the contributors have said a lot that's very interesting to contemplate, particularly if one writes Marauders-centric stories.

Two fannish articles

The first article I've run across lately is this one, which makes some very interesting suggestions about Harry and Hermione's relationship. I don't give all the arguments equal credit, but nonetheless it's well-thought-out and does make some excellent points, including the general way Ron is phased out of a lot of the action, not only in OoTP but also in earlier books.

The second one is courtesy of lycoris, and takes the chess match of the first book and applies it to the characters. Lots of good points to be found, and some interesting predictions in the realm of character deaths; reading it is definitely worth your time.