Hi Danni! If you could rec just one Snarry fic to convert someone curious , what would it be? :)
Ooh! That's a tough one! Let's see...🤔
If I knew the person and their preferences, I could better narrow it down to their taste. For example: how do they feel about underage works? Or student/teacher? What level of angst are they comfortable with? Etcetera. In fact, when I was drafting a rec list for @sitp-recs I DMed her to check first. (I meant the list to be a surprise, but I wanted to feel confident I was giving her good choices, so alas!)
But for a blind rec...where there's no time/opportunity to get a feel for what parameters to work within...making sure I had a "safe" choice that was both well written and enjoyable, but also does service to my OTP (at least in my mind.) Because for me, I won't feel like I've properly converted someone unless a story feels truly Snarry to my soul (just for me personally!) So stories where I feel the characters are done justice and their dynamic is the intense emotional mess that makes it so delicious...🥰 What gives someone a good feel for the ship and its potential...
I think the best answer for that has to be Rapture by mia_ugly. Which is (rightfully) recced all the dang time! It's truly a classic. What's funny is, despite its popularity and all the high praise, I put off reading it for the longest time! Time travel isn't usually my thing. But when I finally sat down with it, I couldn't put it down! And then I was mad I'd waited so long to read it!!
It is truly the most gorgeous romance. It will absolutely touch your heart. It's beautifully written. The people and emotions all feel so very real.
...and me being me I can never just give one answer. 😉 So I'd be tempted to slip in The Beating of This Fragile Heart by @writcraft if I knew the person was as much of a time-travel skeptic as me. It's such a lovely love story and packed with fluff and angst. For those I knew could handle a bit more intensity, and a bit more raw and rough characterizations, I'd suggest When the Rose and the Fire Are One by @perverse-idyll. For those who could handle more questionable subject matter and a darker story, I'd suggest In Between Days by atrata.
For me personally, those more intense and dark stories are more likely to sell me on any given thing 😂 But I do truly think Rapture is a story for everyone and I think if Rapture doesn't get you, I don't know what will! I know for a fact that Rapture has pulled many people into the Snarry life!
Why Rec? - The Snarry Swap reveals is tomorrow! Wanted to do a serious rec for Something to Say before the reveals!
Summary - A strange curse leaves Harry as the only one able to understand Snape, but Harry has no desire to hear anything Snape has to say to him.
Rating - E
Length - 30000 words
YMMV - Recs are just based on my reading. Totally subjective.
First Act
We get to see the setup of the conflict between Snape and Harry. I am super impressed by the fact that the author is tackling a seriously complicated era for Snarry.
Really loved the strong writing of Harry's characterization. Also really loved the writing of their dynamic! This is super impressive when you think about the setting of the fic.
There are generally a few Snarry patterns I get to see in fic
1. Snarry written before HBP got completed - They kind of had a different situation because they were working with an open canon. Especially during the three year break between the books the fanfic authors didn't have to deal with a lot of Snarry complications like Dumbledore/Prophecy/Lily/Horcruxes. These fics generally did a lot of worldbuilding about the war. My favorites here are probably A Bittersweet Potion and Civil War.
2. Snarry written after HBP got completed - X Years After the War - This is usually with Snape/Harry/both doing a lot of self actualization work. Generally avoids a lot of the immediate trauma stuff after the war. Sometimes Snape is in the hospital/Azkaban/Muggle world. My favorite here is RaeWhit's Sex, Lies and Audiobooks.
3. Snarry written after the books got completed - Immediately after HBP - This is super crazy. Harry hates Snape after HBP. Snarry set in immediate post HBP/post DH is really really ambitious. My favorite examples here are When the Rose and the Fire Are One and This Boy's Life. Something to Say is set in this crazy period!!! Ambitious stuff! ❤️
Second Act
We get to see how Harry is maybe attracted to Snape. The tension between them is A+! Really good writing.
The fic is super ambitious in the second act. It introduces/deepens a pretty complicated plot.
There are generally a few Snarry patterns I get to see in fics
1. Snarry with a low magic plot to get them together - generally more common in AUs/X years after postwar. These fics are heavy on plot. But the characterization can be sometimes softer. The Dreaming Spires and Close Encounters are my favorite fics here.
2. Snarry where they are getting together with Harry as Eighth Year/Professor/Auror/somebody who is working with Snape for some reason - generally focuses more on their character growth/change compared to plot. Moonflowers is one of my favorite fics here.
3. Snarry with Harry and Snape kind of jobless/drifting - This is generally super ambitious because it tries to do characterization and plot together. Down the Rabbit Hole and When the Rose and the Fire Are One are my favorites here. We don't usually get a lot of fics here. Something to Say is actually tackling this ambitious combo of plot + characterization in the second act and I am super impressed!! ❤️
Third Act
We get to see the plot resolution + the relationship conflict resolution. Lots of ambition! Lots of plot/relationship/internal conflict threads getting closure.
YMMV - I feel the third act is the weakest for this fic. The tone change between the really strong first + second acts to the third act doesn't really vibe with me. But then I realized something! I feel like the plot is actually absolutely IC. Idk if plot has a characterization? But if plot has a characterization this fic is totally IC. It really hits the vibe of the plot style in The Chamber of Secrets.
There are generally a few Snarry patterns I get to see in fics about the third act. Only thinking about fics written after the canon completion because it gets super complicated otherwise.
Weak third act because of plotting weakness. Not naming fics here for obvious reasons! Super subjective stuff.
Third act which is really really similar to the canon plot devices. I actually haven't read a lot of fics in this category. Something to Say is the first fic I read which is actually reminding me of the CoS plot directly ❤️
Third act which works brilliantly because of some liberal plotting changes from canon style plots. I feel like authors who do this are definitely not plotting like canon plots. Generally fics which hit this note have some pretty consistent beats like -
some fics use self actualization as the plot resolution. RaeWhit's fics!!! Raewhit uses a lot of magic in their fics sometimes but I feel usually it's to get to that self actualization resolution.
Some fics use folklore/fantasy as the plot resolution. Literally everything perverse_idyll or eldritcher writes belongs here more or less. They write a lot of magic elements in their fics but it's definitely not canon magic. Of course it works brilliantly. But I feel that's because the canon had a pretty hard disconnect between the whimsy type of magic in the beginning/darker stuff later. Also canon magic tries to be explainable? The type of magic in a lot of these plots which use folklore/fantasy isn't really explained and that's why it works.
Some fics which use the classic happy ending of buying a house/marrying/adopting kids together/celebration at the Burrow/taking the next big step together. A lot of fics in the postwar category.
Something to Say writes a lot of magic in the plot just like the canon. Super impressive. Maybe it's not going to vibe with the reader. For me personally I like a darker/fantasy type of magic if the fic has plot. But that's just a me thing. When I don't judge just based on what I usually got used to I am super impressed by the third act here! ❤️
an introductory rec list (that no one asked for) to some of my favorite ships: snarry [5/10]
First fic I read for the pairing:
Because I Love You, You Idiot by TheMightyFlynn [115k,E]
Veela!Fic. Both Snape and Harry have Veela blood and are bonded. From Snape's POV as he tries to work out why Harry isn't reacting the way he should be to their bond.
[stumbled onto this fic while looking for other creature fics when i was first really getting into hp fanfic and it does kinda slap, i’ll be honest. it also intrigued me into not immediately skipping over snarry fics when i saw them and now… well… the pairing is a fav.]
Fic that really sold me on the pairing:
Immortal Claim by ladyofsilverdawn [16k,E]
Harry needs Snape's cooperation to solve a case, but navigating vampiric culture and Snape's powerful allure proves more challenging than he anticipates.
[artist!sev and vampire!sev??? sign me the fuck up. that and the excellent writing and the tension between harry and sev make for an excellent fic which really hooked me on the ship.]
Absolute favorite fic(s) for the pairing:
The Fifth Act by oliver.snape [111k,M]
After coming to an understanding during the Horcrux hunt, Snape and Harry spend the next year reclaiming what they never had in their lives while playing their roles in the war. HP/SS though not rushed , with a happy ending with some humour throughout.
[not only is this fic extremely well-written but it’s funny as hell. the plot is interesting and the concept of severus and harry ending up as housemates after the war is iconic. 11/10]
Double-Sided Coin by thecookiemomma [62k,E]
Another prophecy throws Harry into a relationship he never would have picked for himself.
(warning for underage)
[this is one of my favorite fics like ever. bonding fic with a side of magical theory, terms of endearment, a little bit non-traditional soulmate elements, interesting plot elements, it’s all there. i’ve read this fic literally more times than possibly any other fic.]
The Worst Cook in Essex by Snarry5evr [6k,T]
Harry loves to cook. Severus doesn’t think he’s all that great at it.
[this fic is absolutely hilarious and i live for it. the domesticity, harry’s entire plan, their relationship, it’s all so well written and also hilarious but not in an excessive crack kind of way.]
Most recent fic I’ve read for the pairing:
Dead Man's Bones by Lilredwulfe [5k,M]
Harry wakes one day to find his magic has changed. He seeks help at Hogwarts, but quickly comes to the realization something is amiss.
[i’ve read my fair share of creature fics and this one is a little unusual and i like that. i also liked the writing style a lot.]
Favorite AU(s) I’ve read for the pairing:
Very Canon Divergent + Roadtrip AU: Dance In The Dark Of Night by Kaatje [112k,M]
An undercover mission leads to love, life and the defeat of the Dark Lord. Road Movie set in Scotland following graduation. Inspired by The Lord Of The Rings.
(warnings for: suicidal thoughts, previous rape/non-con, graphic depictions of violence, self-harm, child abuse)
[it’s very au (i think it had been written before the hp series was finished) but it’s very very good and i love the concept so much.]
WIP(s) I really love for the pairing:
Evernight by LilRinnieB [318k,E]
It's Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts and the new strategy in the war against Voldemort is "Fight darkness with darkness." Harry goes through a series of changes that has him questioning everything he thought he ever knew about magic, darkness, destiny ... and a certain snarky Potions professor.
[oh my god the plot in this is so intricate and well-written and i adore all the OCs and the relationships are well-written and the dynamics and progressions are perfect and i have truly never been sadder to see a fic unfinished (BUT that hasn’t stopped me from reading it several times).]
Longest fic I’ve read for the pairing:
Evernight by LilRinnieB [318k,E] (WIP)
It's Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts and the new strategy in the war against Voldemort is "Fight darkness with darkness." Harry goes through a series of changes that has him questioning everything he thought he ever knew about magic, darkness, destiny ... and a certain snarky Potions professor.
Fic(s) with some of my favorite tropes:
Soulmates: This Fever Called Living by KiroAngel [3k,G]
Severus was never lucky in love or, really, lucky in any capacity. When his lack of luck follows him around in the form of the of an outlined Soul Mark, well, at least luck decides to keep it interesting. And maybe, just maybe, his luck will one day polarize.
[it’s a little bit introspective and i love the writing style.]
Bed Sharing: Heatwave by DobbyRocksSocks [1k,T]
A heatwave has hit Scotland, and Professor Potter can't sleep because of the temperature. Can Headmaster Snape help?
[first of all, so much of DobbyRocksSocks’s stuff is adorable. Second of all, love me some cute get together and bed sharing.]
Main Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter (pre-relationship)
Summary: Snape has always wanted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. But what happens when the wizarding world no longer has much use for his talents?
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Here’s another rec from the ongoing Snarry-a-thon 2017 (daiiy postings on AO3 under the community “Snarry_a_Thon17 “ through the end of May). “A Dampening of Heart” (18K words/emotional infidelity/rated M) is a Severus-centric fic that presents a really interesting Harry - powerful but comfortable, successful but alone. The story gives us a Severus who is also very comfortable, but who is obviously missing something in his life. This well-written fic is a very good read, and presents two characters amazingly comfortable in their own skin. Kudos to the yet-to-be-revealed author on this one.
Harry/Severus. Rated: E. Words: 8,723. Underage. Student/teacher. Mild gore. Mind magic. Nonlinear narrative.
In which Harry saves Snape for a change. Unforeseen events ensue.
A birthday gift for me?? From my beloved friend Nina?? 🥹 I hate to say I was a week late in actually reading it, but I'm glad I did. I was able to truly sit with and savor this sweet gift from a sweet friend.
Now there are many things I love about this fic, but we'll begin here:
No, Snape isn’t pretty. He isn’t nice to look at.
Then why is it that Harry can’t stop looking at him?
If there's anything I love, it's embracing the ugliness. No shying away from it, but openly acknowledging that yeah Snape isn't the best looking, but how Harry is drawn in all the same.
Not just in looks, but Severus is quite nasty as well during their confrontations. Sharp as ever, and vying for control.
“How many times have I saved your reckless neck in the past, you―” he hisses, seeming about to cross the distance between them to strangle Harry, but then he corrects his features into an eerie indifference.
I also love the acknowledgement that Harry isn't so pristine either.
He is a scrawny, lanky teenager. His intellect is nothing to be impressed with and the way he speaks to Severus is wholly inappropriate most times.
We also see Harry as he should be in this fic: curious and bold, yes, but also demanding and reckless. He never knows how to leave well enough alone, and we've gotta love him for it!
Then there's the story itself, and how well-done the nonlinear narrative is. The realization that something is amiss, and slowly unfolding the erotic mystery of it. There are enough hints to follow where it leads, but holds you captivated all the same.
I truly am blessed to have friends who know me so well. This was such a delight for me! And all the more meaningful as I know the struggles Nina has been dealing with, and for her to craft such a tale in the midst of all that, for me?? Well...I'm quite lucky indeed!
You should definitely give this fic a shot if you haven't already, and please leave my dear Nina some love if you do!
