Stately Homes of Wiltshire [Fic Rec]
I’ve joined the Exploding Snap game this year (organized by the amazing @gameofdrarry mods) and this is my twelfth rec for this game! (If you’re wondering about the others, you can find the latest ones here & here)
Title: Stately Homes of Wiltshire
Exploding Snap Trope: Portraits
Read if you're looking for: Auror Harry, Pining, Mystery, Humour, Magical Theory, Magical Homes, Falling in Love, Alternating POV
Summary: Malfoy Manor has mould, dry rot and an infestation of unusually historical poltergeists. Harry Potter is on the case.
This wonderful fic is so well-written, creating the perfect balance of mystery and humour. Each character gains its own mannerisms and personalities, until you can both see the scene panning out and hear the dialogue in each character’s voice as you read! (And I really mean each and every character, including the OCs and the minor characters! Without giving too much away, I especially loved the way the Slytherins were portrayed in this!)
I really loved the way the story alternated between Harry’s and Draco’s point of views, both of them are written in such a way as to make the reader find them entirely relatable! And the relationship dynamic between them flows so naturally, their banter is so natural, it’s just a joy to behold!
Oh, and the amount of details here! Malfoy Manor is brought to life here, with its many rooms, its talkative portraits and all the repairs to be done… You can feel the history and the memories in every line, it’s truly brilliant writing!
The story is so well-paced, the writing style so delightful, that I read the entire fic in (almost) one sitting without even realizing it! I was just so transported by the story that I couldn’t put it down!
So, if you’re looking for an amazing, epic fic that also manages to make you laugh, head over to AO3 now!
Some of my favourite parts: Potter looked almost surprised to see him, the idiot. He had visited Draco’s home, whomever else could he possibly expect? “Hello,” Potter said, with an aborted half-wave. Thin winter sunlight gleamed off his high cheekbones, yet another in a long line of irritations. “Your gate thinks I’m a wastrel.”
“The gate isn’t wrong,” Draco muttered.
“Sorry, what?” Potter asked, all flawless brown skin and sharp jawline, the arsehole.
Songs to listen to while reading: “Lover” by Taylor Swift, “Us” by James Bay, “Vienna” by Billy Joel, “To Build A Home” by The Cinematic Orchestra and “Mystery of Love” by Sufjan Stevens
