Fic Rec: "Ill Advice"

A year after Sirius' untimely death, Harry spends the summer at Grimmauld Place; a discussion about his tryst with Ron (purely for practice!) brings an unexpected revelation from Remus, and in seeking to understand Remus's choices, Harry eventually comes to understand something about himself.

Maeglin's latest story, "Ill Advice", is one of those fics that walks the line between serious and funny; while Harry's developing relationship with Remus is sweet, and his self-discovery is genuine, the advice he receives from all quarters and his successive attempts at broaching the question are rather entertaining. I'm particularly enamoured of the letter to Hermione ("They're all hypothetical questions--but your answers helped a lot!"), and his blackmailing Mad-Eye Moody. On the "touching" side, I adore Harry's ultimate tactics, and the easy humour between them once they have resolved things; Harry and Remus, and not just the author, also understand the importance of laughter.