Keeper of the Superfluous Es!

Since I obviously hate crossposting, it stands to reason that I should be good and not spam my flist five times and instead do two-week recaps. Everyone's happier :P

[From 9th March]

A Pimp and Two Recs

Info on libby_drew's book 'State of Mind.' Harry/Draco rec by femmequixotic. Snape/Narcissa art rec by Mystery Artist.

[From 3rd March]

Poetry Meme

The Power of the Dog by Rudyard Kipling

[From 27th February]

Dr Noe Has a License to Thrill

Recs by noeon

and Olympic Musings

[From 24th February]

A Reccer's Credo

It's like the Jedi Code of Honour only for reccing :P

--P

Okay, so this isn't a non HP rec, but I just had to mention that romaine24's interview with alaana_fair at The Howling Werewolf is pretty awesome. You should definitely check it out ♥

Also, Happy VD! Again. *G*

[Supernatural]

New fandom = do. not. need. I'm just not into Wincest at all, but Dean/Castiel is the sort of lovely I find hard to resist. Here, have a few!

Veteran - Dean/Castiel [R] by liadan14.

It's funny how new fandoms sneak up on us, yes?

I'm what you would call a sometime watcher of Supernatural. I have my reasons for not getting deeper involved. Mainly because I don't like being shoehorned kink or pairing-wise. I feel like I don't have the freedoms I do with Harry Potter. But then I'm told about Dean/Castiel and suddenly the game changes.

I actually came to Liadan's journal on a Harry Potter rec and found myself gravitating more to the Supernatural fic. And this is where I give a slight shrug of my shoulders and forego an explanation. I don't have one. I just know I loved the fic.

After the apocalypse, Castiel's been made mortal. He settles with Dean and Sam, and the three of them struggle to find their places in this new world. After seven years, I'm used to wizards and spells and life behind stone walls. Here, I'm lavishing in a sort of quiet domesticity as Dean helps Castiel acclimate to human life by helping him select toiletries and adjust to a sleep schedule, and yeah, I think you know the rest. I'm making it my business to seek out more of the pairing. It's a lovely thing to be pleasantly surprised.

Sharpen Your Teeth - Dean/Castiel [NC-17] by zeitheist.

Just a lovely piece of filthy motel porn. In the category of rampant TMP obsessions with Victorian-era steampunk and absinthe is the Enochian language. And there's some disturbingly hot bodypainting with Enochian characters that made my brain go all smokey then splodey.

[Sherlock Holmes '09]

[ART] It is Probable - Holmes/Watson [WS] by Ponderosa121.

[ART & FIC] Change of Plans - Holmes/Watson [NC-17/NWS]; art by Ponderosa121 and fic by blue_soaring.

[Merlin]

[ART] Knight - Morgana/Gwen [WS] by spacefragments.

[ART] The Fool - Merlin and Uther [WS] by littlemute.

Enjoy all!

--P

[Crossposted from 10th February.]

Ugh, snowy day is snowy. And mostly unexpected hiatus is over. More fandom recs tonight :-)

[Ficses]

[This is kinkfest, so please heed the warnings in the fic headers, people. *G*]

Pavo Cristatus - Lucius/Harry [NC-17] by melusinahp.

Truth be told, I'm still floating on the travelling circus cloud. And now Mel follows up one of my favourite Hols fics with a lovely Lucius/Harry story. No, I guess I haven't fully discounted Lucius yet. Not when there's old school cool on the table.

Harry's been captured and auctioned off to the highest bidder, and I actually kind of love that Bella's been outbid. Harry finds himself in a sparsely decorated bedchamber, Lucius's newest acquisition. The accommodations are modest, the wardrobe meagre, but it's still very elegant in a way you shouldn't be able to describe non-con.

And speaking of non-con, Mel has this way of really blurring the line between non-con and dub-con, and this is exactly the sort of tightrope I love walking. The interplay is sexually as well as intellectually charged, and I alternated between cheering the both of them on. The ending is a fitting punishment, but for whom, I won't say.

Better Than Goats - Harry/Ginny/Draco [NC-17] by marguerite_26.

In the year and a half or so since I've discovered Maggie's writing, I've also discovered she's probably one of the most consistent and entertaining writers I'm honoured to know. I'm not the hugest fan of threesomes, too many pronouns to trip over, but I really loved Maggie's kinkfest offering. Let the record show that I'm not the hugest fan of Ginny either, but Maggie makes this work for me - on both counts.

I have to give Maggie snaps for her no-nonsense warning. She clearly states that Harry and Ginny are in love, and that's not like to change. Brutal honestly, yes please. I like knowing what I'm getting myself into. Also, bonus points for being ballsy.

Ginny arranges a threesome for her and Harry, and it's quite the sexy affair. Of course, the third in their ménage is none other than Malfoy, who's brooding and barefoot, and okay, who knew I had a bare feet fetish? Draco het, not really my cuppa either, but it's not really about Harry/Draco or Harry/Ginny or Draco/Ginny, it's about Harry/Draco/Ginny, and I loved that nobody was cast aside. Three sides of one equilateral triangle. How's that for perfect geometry?

Control Issues - Albus Severus/Scorpius [NC-17 - WARNING FOR BREATHPLAY] by son_of_darkness.

Hello, bulletproof kink and pairing! Kye's really a master when it comes to kink. I love the way he gets into his characters' heads and really looks at every aspect. While most people just play on the surface, Kye goes from super to subcutaneous and explores this kink skin-deep.

Scorpius loves watching Al gasp for breath, and their experimentation into breathplay is a gradual, believable progression accomplished with perfect love and perfect trust. They start with a safe arm tapping out that slowly disappears as they continue along, but there's never any guilting, just Scorpius pushing both their boundaries with Al completely free to decline. I'm just totally in love with Al and his desire to please Scorpius as a lover and life partner. It's this combination of both the physical and the metaphysical that I really find, well, breathtaking.

Cold Comfort - Snape/Harry [NC-17 - WARNING FOR NECRO] by keppiehed.

So, somebody bravely accepted my kink challenge, and I couldn't be more pleased. Despite the grim circumstances of Harry's demise, this is done so sensually with touch and emotion that I'm left reeling. It's necro, so I'm sure there's going to be a good deal of reluctance, but there's nothing described here I found remotely off-putting. Part of why I'm fascinated with this is because I enjoy seeing the 'what-ifs' explored. And even though Snape's just barely alive himself (metaphorically speaking), you get the sense that both of them were so at odds with their feelings, that this was really the only way they could ever be comfortable with one another. Or together. If you're willing to give this a go, I'm certain you won't be disappointed. Keppie's a new writer for me, and one I'll be keeping an eye out for.

Enjoy all!

--P

Author: themostepotente
Title: The Pocketwatch Chronicles
Pairing: Harry/Draco, so brief you'll miss it if you blink Draco/OMC and Harry/OMC, mentions of Snape/Lily
Summary: When an antique pocketwatch sends Harry and Draco back in time, they must work together if they've any hope of returning home.
Rating: Hard R
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
Warnings: AU/AR, time-travel, steampunk genre, past established relationship, Veela!Draco, snarkery, humour, drinking, La Fée Verte, a wee bit of violence/blood, appearances by Snape, character death (canon and OC - definitely not Harry or Draco)
Word Count: ~25,000 words
Epilogue Compliant?: EWE
Author's Notes: Originally written for raitala for the '09 hd_holidays exchange fest. Betaed by blamebrampton, bryoneybrynn and venivincere.

Comments as well as concrit are certainly appreciated ♥

More notes at the bottom of the fic.

( The Pocketwatch Chronicles )

[Crossposted from 6th January]

Still reading hd_holidays fics. THANK GOD the reveals aren't until the 16th :P

From snapelyholidays

[FIC] A Place Between Sleep and Waking - Snape/Harry [NC-17] by Mystery Author.

I must admit I have a bit of thing for seeing Severus out of his element. And while there is undeniable appeal to the powerplay dynamics of Snarry, I do enjoy seeing Harry in control of the situation. Not topping mind, but dominating the scene.

Harry's been having dreams about Snape. Dreams Harry can slightly control, almost in the way of lucid dreaming. At first, they are recurring; flashbacks to the Shrieking Shack. But then they revert to the distant past and Snape appears as a teenager - gangly, awkward and at a crucial turning point in his life. Enter Harry, little more than a disembodied voice, until he begins to materialise little by little. Will he help Snape make better life choices?

It's refreshing to see a fic with characters we don't often get to see opposing sides of when they're together. Snape's deliciously vulnerable and a bit paranoid, and Harry's the somewhat cocky authoritarian. And can I just say that Snape/His Hand should be a staple in every Snapeophile's diet? Nom. Nom. Nom.

Loved all of the side characters, too, particularly Dumbledore. And this is the part where I thank the author for giving me a Dumbles who knows what's going on in his own damn school. It's a minor point, but I have issues with headmasters/mistresses who turn a blind/ignorant eye to drunken shenaningans, contraband and interhouse slumming.

First and only Snarry I've read since the Games, and this was positively brilliant!

[ART] The (De)Briefing - Snape/Kingsley [NWS] by Mystery Artist.

From smutty_claus

[FIC] A Life So Very Much Less Than Ordinary - Harry/Luna. Background Ginny/Scorpius and Teddy/James. Appearances by Albus, Lily and a bit of Kingsley. Cameo by a very unimpressed Draco Malfoy [NC-17] by Mystery Author.

Admittedly, I don't read much het. And generally, I don't stray from my neat little Snape triangle. But the author (not a clue who wrote this either *G*) is usually full of little surprises, so I decided to venture out of my comfort zone for some light-hearted romantic comedy.

My first thought was 'poor Harry.' It's bad enough when your wife cheats on you, but when you catch her in the act, it's worse than a kick to the (not saggy :P) balls with a steel-toed boot. And again I repeat 'poor Harry.'

Did I mention the wife's new love interest is young, blond, under Harry's command and the scion of Malfoy? Together now; poor Harry!

Despite all this, it's not long that you have to feel sorry for Harry. Especially after Kingsley's awesome pep talk. (How much do I love Kings?)

Enter Luna, quirky to the power of infinity. I was always split on matchmaking Harry with Luna, too. On one hand, they're ill fitting. On another, they're perfect for each other. I mean, c'mon, who else isn't going to bat an eyelash at a woman wearing vegetable earrings with Big Bird syndrome? Not many, I can tell you.

This fic was a really lovely mix of sweet and sour. Which is always how I take my candy - and my drinks. Sweet in the way of Luna's helping Harry come to terms with Ginny leaving him. Sour in the way of Harry's meddling children. Sweet in the way of Harry falling head over heels in love again. Sour in the way of Draco's mocking missives. Sweet in the way of Harry's finally understanding James's relationship with Teddy. And finally, sweet sour in the way of Harry arming poor Scorpius with a toothbrush. Hee!

This is a quiet kind of a tea and Sunday read, but since it's only Wednesday, I suggest making an exception. A wonderful feel good fic!

[ART] Greedy - Harry/Pansy [NWS] by Mystery Artist.

[ART] Hero's Reward - Harry/Pansy [NWS] by Mystery Artist.

[MOAR FEST ARTSES]

From hd_holidays

Draco Malfoy and the Deathly Hallows - Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione (side pairing) [PG] by Mystery Artist.

Red Wall [PG-13] by Mystery Artist.

From snarry_holidays

Severus' New Familiar [WS] by bielol.

They Left Four Hours Ago [WS] by alchemia.

Determination [NWS] by andreanna.

From daily_deviant's Kinky Kristmas

Can't Stop Myself - Angelina/Charlie, George (George/Angelina implied) [NWS] by Mystery Artist.

Fascination - Harry/Charlie [NWS] by Mystery Artist.

From hp_yule_balls

After Quidditch - Harry/Draco/Blaise [NWS] by Mystery Artist.

From yuletart

The Girl Wonder - Robin (Stephanie Brown) [DC/Batman] [WS] by _odella_.

Fascinating - Kirk/Spock [Star Trek TOS] [NWS] by kittehkat.

GREEN PEEN FTW!!!

I Want to Believe - Mulder, Scully, Tonks and Remus [X-Files/Harry Potter] [WS] by glockgal.

Catch It! - Young Howl [Howl's Moving Castle] [WS] by dun.

Enjoy all!

--P

[Crossposted from 3rd December]

Erlestoke - Draco centric [NC-17 - PLEASE HEED THE WARNINGS] by Mystery Author.

Occasionally, you will see me refer to fics as 'sleeper hits.' Which I'm sure raises the question - what the hell are 'sleeper hits, TMP?'

Basically, these are fics that take you completely by surprise. Fics that may be passed over due to posting times, characters and content. Having seen this posted the day before all of the holiday fests began, I wondered if this fic would suffer any as a result. It was the longest fic posted at hp_darkfest, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to invest the time so close to the start of fest season. But I was gently assured that it was extremely well crafted.

And it was. In fucking spades, man.

Admittedly, this is not an easy fic to read. The subject matter is quite triggery. Me? I was a bit apprehensive about one aspect in particular. Under normal circumstances, this aspect just doesn't work for me. Not as a kink. Not as humiliation. Just, not ever. And yet, it works PERFECTLY here. The idealisation is simple yet genius.

In 'Erlestoke' Draco is sentenced to five months in a minimum-security prison for his petty war crimes. He knows it won't be easy, but he never quite imagines the evils of men. Sheer unending torture comes in the form of three screws who use and abuse Draco in ways that will twist your heart and wring it raw.

Without sounding incredibly silly, this fic really is a triumph of the human spirit. Honestly, I consider myself to be a strong person, but I would have broken down within the first week. Draco has always been somewhat of a creampuff to me (ALL ROWLING'S FAULT :P), but he greatly surprises me here. Impresses me even with his will to endure and his powerful coping mechanisms, which I might add, are beautifully and brilliantly played.

I know what you're all thinking. Who wants to have their heart piked and put on display for all to see? It's the HOLIDAY SEASON, TMP! We want presents and mistletoe and figgy pudding, fercrissakes! But this story does have a rosy ending I'm happy to report. I may even have wept a bit I was so relieved.

In closing, I'd just like to say that part of the reason I really connected with this story is that I got the feeling this author didn't give two shits about the comments. They had a story they wanted to tell, and dammit, they did. I admire that, really, because I often loose sight of that fact.

HIGHLY. HIGHLY. RECOMMENDED.

Enjoy all!

--P

[Crossposted from 21st November]

As promised, on the side of down n' dirteh, a few recs from daily_deviant.

[Ficcage]

Clean and Filthy - Snape/Draco [NC-17 - warning for crossdressing] by entrenous88.

Fuck, but I loves me some post-HBP fic. You know, that period after Harry tells Snape to go fuck his cowardly self and Snape drags Draco along because they're both deep in the shit. Oh, the possibilities for wicked Snaco. *rubs hands together gleefully*

In 'Clean and Filthy', Snape brings Draco to Spinner's End, presumably for lack of anywhere better to take him. Draco furthers the tension by turning his arrogant, Roman nose up at the dirty mess he's asked to live in. That is, until, Snape greedily orders Draco around with a bucket and scrub brush. Draco plays the waiting game, roughening his hands with calluses and bleach burn, but when he's given a French maid's outfit and told to wear it, the balance of power gradually shifts. Not quite the Cinderella story you remember, but much, MUCH hotter. *G*

Into the Flames - Teddy/James Jr [NC-17] by leela_cat.

And speaking of hot. Leela cranks up the heat next-gen style.

In 'Into the Flames', Teddy and James Jr find temporary refuge in the firestorm of a dying dragon's destruction. As if this pairing wasn't smouldering all by itself, this is what happens when passion is kissed by a curse.

What I like to call 'Intelligent PWP' - poeticism and a touch o' plotty smut.

[Artage]

Entangled - Harry/Neville [NWS] by zephre.

I have only one thing to say about plant bondage... squeak

Enjoy all!

--P

I'll have more recs (fic / art) this evening, I promise! Found tonnes of Snape/Black art last night I'd never seen before, so yay for that!

[The Eyes Have It Edition]

Friendly - Greyback and Draco [WS] by Mystery Artist.

[WARNING: Menace towards a child]

Greyback is totally AMAZING here, folks. And those yellow eyes are HYPNOTISING, OMG. As I said in my comment to the artist, I'd risk death to rescue wee Draco. He just looks so innocent.

Show a Little More Tooth With Your Smile - Harry/Draco [R] by Mystery Artist / Mystery Author.

[WARNING: EXTREME GORE]

This? Is so not for the faint of heart (or, would that be art?)

It's very unpretty but at the same time beautiful in a really gut-punching way. I feel as though I've had the wind knocked out of me.

My, GOD, just look at the HORROR in Draco's eyes!

The ficlet that accompanies the art is both haunting and thought provoking, and I can't help but wonder just what has led them both down this path of utter, utter ruin. *weeps*

Enjoy all!

--P

[Crossposted from 6th November]

Good morning, everyone! TGIF recs, yo!

From ownficfest. Previous recs: ONE || TWO

As Human as to Breathe - Dumbledore/Grindelwald [PG-13] by Mystery Author.

This is a lovely coming-of-age drama centring on Albus's choice to leave with Gellert when an unprovoked attack on Ariana renders her magically unstable. In 'As Human' we get a clearer picture on the hot/cold relationship between two of Europe's most promising students as they vie for acceptance. I love that this writer runs the gamut between Albus's being smitten to almost becoming hateful, until the scene veers into something completely unexpected. In the Potterverse we're given very little on the rest of Wizarding Europe and the wizards/witches who shape it, but here we're treated to Prague and some of the antecedents of the modern elite. There's not a lot of Dumbledore/Grindelwald out there, but when it's done, it's always done good and proper. This is no exception.

From hp_darkfest.

[FIC] Nothing Will Happen - Tom Riddle Sn gen [PG-13] by Mystery Author.

A fabulous character study of Tom Riddle Sr and his decision to cast aside the child of his coerced coupling with Merope. This is a short, sharp shock into the mind of a reclusive paranoiac man and his fear of the inevitable. Chilling!

[ART] Nulla Fides Nisi Sui - Lucius and Draco [WS] by Mystery Artist.

The last panel? I argued with myself over who was hotter. If you love Lucius, please check this out.

[ART] Imperio: Postlude - Draco/Rosmerta [NWS] by Mystery Artist.

Not my cuppa pairing-wise, but I am swept away by the creepy, lovely uniqueness of this.

From bottom_draco Fest.

[ART] The Cursed Wood - Harry/Draco [NWS] by Mystery Artist.

Oh man. Oh, FUCK. I am well and truly gobsmacked over this. CHRIST. CHRIST. CHRIST.

[ART] Up the Stalk and Down the Pole - Hagrid/Draco [NWS] by Mystery Artist.

I should be squicked by this, and I'm not. And my brain is screaming for me to iron my hands over the guilt. But, OMG, this fits the Jack and the Beanstalk prompt SO. WELL. HP fanartists you fucking amaze me!

The Golden Slave - Harry/Draco [WS] by Mystery Artist.

Beautiful and dreamy Arabian Nights theme!

[Misc HP Art]

Deathy Hallows Trio - Ron/Harry/Hermione [WS] by leelastarsky.

Batman and Robin - Harry/Scorpius [WS] by _aurora_sky_.

Maybe Tomorrow (I and II) - Harry/Draco [WS] by reira_21.

Draco/Fenrir [NWS] by loony_lucifer.

In a Celebratory Mood - Albus Severus/Scorpius [NWS] by red_rahl.

This is FLOCKED.

Revenge: Sweet as Honey - Snape/Hermione [NWS] by siriuslysnogged.

Okay, Snape has a robe tent, and this both amuses and arouses me greatly. *G*

Concerto for Two Voices - Harry [WS] by mayflo.

Have a lovely weekend all! And enjoy!

--P

From hd_career_fair. Previous recs: ONE || TWO

Public Affairs [R] by Mystery Author.

One of the trickier points of writing fic reviews are how to tell the tales without being too telling. And this is just one of those fics I am loath to spoil. Let me tell you, it is a rare and wonderful occurrence when I cannot predict a story's outcome.

When Harry's Slytherin-sorted son is being bullied, Harry decides to enlist Draco's aid to try and change the minds of those who still oppose forgiving the ex Death Eaters for their past deeds. This author's Draco rocks on so many levels in that he is utterly and unapologetically Slytherin. His characterisation never wavers. And I absolutely got a kick out of his firm's name being Malfoy, Malfoy and Malfoy. Not because he's partnered with two other family members, but because he does the work of three people. How perfectly egocentric!

This fic also boasts a fabulous supporting cast with Pansy arranging the press interviews that ultimately lead to victory. And Harry's subsequent choice to head Slytherin House is by far, the most brilliant fic cameo I've seen in some time. Of course, things take a turn for the worst when an opposing schoolmate injures a Slytherin student and all illusions are shattered. The ending? I. Never. Saw. It. Coming. The author? Utterly and unapologetically Slytherin, just like his/her Draco. One of my favourites at Career Fair.

From ownficfest. Previous Recs: ONE

Black Coffee on a Lonely Night - Harry/Draco [NC-17] by Mystery Author.

It's not often I can take pleasure in a non-magical AU. There aren't many fandoms out there that I can appreciate such a radical change of scenery. Nor are there many writers with whom I trust to anchor me to their stories by characterisation alone. This author demonstrates with amazing ease how such a task is accomplished and how such a trust is born.

In Black Coffee, Draco is a lonely widower and ex cricketer who restarts his life as a single dad and café owner. Harry is the liberal MP who frequents Draco's shop and stirs more than just his coffee. There's a lovely cast of supporting characters that include the Slytherins as well as Angelina Johnson and Luna Scamander, charmingly and befittingly a vegetarian naturalist. And wee Scorpius just melts my little black heart. Opposing Draco's controversial relationship with Harry is Lucius who slips all too easily into the role of Lord Malfoy, Tory pragmatist. Just an absolutely engaging and beautifully done romance.

[Merlin]

Camlann, and ... - Merlin/Arthur [PG] by meredyth_13.

I greatly admire those who can write stories in as few words as possible, and Meredyth delivers an achingly beautiful tale of Merlin carrying Arthur into Avalon in just over 2,000 words. Now, this may not seem quite so extraordinary, but consider this; in all the time I've been in fandom, I've never had the pleasure of reading anything from her. She has such a lovely, poetic style that I hope she continues to grace us with her talents. I do love when friends surprise me with such treats.

Enjoy all!

--P