Why I rec this: The story itself is fantastic. A thrilling case fic that weaves in a burgeoning, slow-burn relationship between harry and draco. Draco as a blacksmith is not something i've seen before and I love what the author does with that choice for him. There's also a funny sideplot of draco trying to dissolve a life debt but i'd rather not spoil it. Now, the art. THE ART. Was the artist living inside the author's brain when they made this? There are pieces throughout the fic and oh my god do I adore this artist's style. The way they've captured harry and draco is pretty much exactly how i picture them in my head, not to mention the gorgeous renderings they've done of pansy, blaise, ginny, susan bones, and millicent bulstrode (omg MILLICENT). A lovely fic and truly stunning art, it's really an unbeatable combination.
Hello! I have been looking for a fic for quite a while but i can't seem to find it anywhere so, can you help me? I read it a few years ago but here's what i remember: it was set after hogwarts, draco worked as a blacksmith and had been cursed into a snake, so he used his shop to secretly brew an antidote for his curse. Then he and harry end up being trapped but draco uses his snake form to save them while a fire burns down malfoy manor. I hope these details were helpful enough. Thank you!!
We believe you are looking for The Paradox of Active Surrender by @korlaena and @saulaie (107k, E)
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I read this fic a while ago and I was wondering if you’ve heard of it but basically what I remember being the main part of the plot was Draco trying to pay back his life debt to Harry so he keeps getting Harry different things and Harry keeps rejecting the items
Thanks for helping!
Hi! I thinks this is:
The paradox of active surrender by korlaena, Saulaie (E, 10 chapters, 107,978 words) Summary: When Draco shows up as a suspect in a murder case after eight years of no contact, Harry has to balance his professional life and his past friendship with Draco. As suspicion mounts against him, Harry knows he has to keep his distance, but Draco makes that difficult when he starts claiming that they have a Life Debt to settle. Harry wants to trust him, but what is he hiding and where has he been these long years?
I'm pretty sure that's the one, but if it isn't please send another ask, happy reading!
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The Paradox of Active Surrender - @korlaena and @saulaie - 107k - Explicit
“When Draco shows up as a suspect in a murder case after eight years of no contact, Harry has to balance his professional life and his past friendship with Draco. As suspicion mounts against him, Harry knows he has to keep his distance, but Draco makes that difficult when he starts claiming that they have a Life Debt to settle. Harry wants to trust him, but what is he hiding and where has he been these long years?”
This fic is absolutely INCREDIBLE. Thoughts under read more.
Have you seen that meme of a guy who opens a box unsuspectingly and out comes A BEAM OF LIGHT so unbelievably shiny that the guy is in shock and left wide-eyed, his hair rumpled and his breath labored? That was me with this story.
As soon as I opened the door to it, I was sucked right into the air of mystery and mysticism it is so carefully enveloped in. We step into a murder case, the aftermath of violence, shoulder to shoulder with Harry as he deals with a situation he’s obviously encountered before; he’s only thrown off balance when he spots Draco standing to the side, the only witness, and oh boy does it start to get interesting. He hasn’t seen Draco in eight years, and when he finally does, it’s as the only suspect of a murder.
I adore it! The ambience that the author set from the get go was immensely intriguing, I was plagued with questions after only a few minutes of reading, itching to know more, and the way information was handled was so clever, we find out about the case bit by hard earned bit.
And, in the midst of this whirlwind of questions, we get to see the magic, which is one of the absolute highlights of this story for me. The incredibly visual way in which charms are described is something I have not seen the likes of in any fic before, and the life debt!!! It is such a creative take on the bonding trope! Not only does it make perfect sense, but it also provides some comic relief when we see the ways Draco tries to dissolve it and how offended he gets when Harry makes him work for it.
The characterizations are spot on. Draco is prickly and snotty and clueless, but he’s also incredibly funny and clever and trying hard to be better; Harry is stubborn, still a bit hot-headed and overprotective, but he’s also hard-working, immensely kind and always willing to help. Their careers fit them like a glove. It’s not often that I enjoy such intense focus on Harry’s work as an auror, but here I just wanted more and more of it, because every second we see him, it comes through how much he loves it, how important it is to him to do as much as he can to help make the world a better place; and I don’t even know where to begin with Draco being a blacksmith. It’s such an unusual career, but somehow feels like a perfect analogy for who he is as a person: someone who makes beautiful things out of the toughest of materials.
They fall together beautifully, in between laughs and arguments, discussions and Seekers games and chocolate. My heart melted when I saw how evident it was that they were falling in love, even through all the hardship and obstacles that are thrown in their way, but it was also incredibly important to me to see how much they come to value each other as friends, and the way they build their trust little by little, the way they CHOOSE to trust each other. I think this is one of the reasons why when they finally sleep together, it reads as warm and wonderful and sweet.
There’s a plot twist that involves animagus forms that I am ACHING to talk about. It would be immensely spoilery though, so I’m just gonna say, IT’S INCREDIBLE AND I WAS MIND BLOWN, I loved it so much. I also truly loved the plot line of Draco’s house, especially with how that ties in at the end 😭
The side characters are wonderful, so so wonderful and lively. The little we see of Ginny and all the Weasleys and the Slytherins, but also Susan, who I don’t usually see a lot of in fic and who was downright amazing and a total BAMF.
And last but not least: the illustrations. The illustrations. Saulaie is immensely, heart-wrenchingly talented, and whenever I scrolled and saw a new illustration my heart did a little dance, because they fit the story so perfectly in every way, the colors and the depiction of magic are incredibly, absolutely beyond stunning, Draco looks exactly the way I imagine him, and Harry stole my heart with every single piece we get of his unruly hair and slightly crooked smile. The illustrations transformed the experience of the fic completely, allowed me to immerse myself fully in the feel of everything as I got visual clues that helped me build an image of what I was reading. Simply perfect.
This was a LOT longer than intended, but it’s coming right from my heart, which wouldn’t stay calm after I finished this at three in the morning last night and promised myself that I would write this rec as soon as I could form a coherent phrase. If you love case fic, mystery, animagus theory, magical theory in general, bonds, a drarry relationship that rings incredibly true to the characters and illustrations that are so beautiful they make you cry, this story is for you. If you read it and enjoy it, feel free to send me a DM to gush about it together ❤️
Summary: When Draco shows up as a suspect in a murder case after eight years of no contact, Harry has to balance his professional life and his past friendship with Draco. As suspicion mounts against him, Harry knows he has to keep his distance, but Draco makes that difficult when he starts claiming that they have a Life Debt to settle. Harry wants to trust him, but what is he hiding and where has he been these long years?
Heya Bix! Maybe Cotton Candy Shop, Day Dream Carnival, and Fancy Paper Doll for the Angelic asks ? Much luv
Hiiiii!!! Omg okay, so I just did Cotton Candy Shop but for the other two:
Day Dream Carnival: What do you daydream about the most?
Writing, probably. My mind wanders with what's going to happen next in a fic, or ideas I have for a new one, etc. Sometimes people, but those would probably be considered more fantasies than daydreams. 😏 Ohh, travel!! I think about traveling constantly. Oh, the places I would go if I had the time and money. *sighs*
Fancy Paper Doll: What accessories would come with a doll version of you?
This is so fucking creepy, I love it so much. A Ouija board? So I could possess other people or dolls?
Meh, or maybe just books and cute outfits with interchangeable wigs so I could do something with my fucking hair for once. 😂
