the big-ass rec list of HP genfics
I said I would post it so here it is. This is for my reference so I can keep track of the links of fics I've read and liked. So if you've nothing better to do this Holiday vacation, click one and read a story.
Last updated: January 1, 2006
This list compiles my Recommended Harry Potter General Fanfiction, which means that the following fics are character-centric and/or do not focus on romantic or sexual pairings. 95% of these are one-shots as I have terrible attention span (I don't doubt that there are awesome novel-length genfics out there but I'm rather attached to short fics that pack quite a punch). I also have a penchant for dark, sad, and depressing fics so most of what is listed here are in those categories. Humor fics are listed under Funneh Fics as I possess limited imagination as of the moment.
Format is as follows:
Fic Title by Author
Character/s | Minor Pairings (if there are) | Rating | One-shot or Chaptered
Warnings (if there are)
Summary
My Review
~o~o~o~
General Fiction
To the Ghost by Jintian NEW Added: 1/1/06
Draco, Hermione | implied Ron/Hermione, Ron/Draco | R | one-shot
Summary: Draco, Hermione, and war stories about Ron.
OMG. There are NO words, no fucking words to describe how much I worship this story, how much it completely blew me away. Just WOW. Fanfuckingtastically AWESOME that it just tore me apart and left me with no words. I think there's also this huge gaping hole in my chest now. OUCH.
Untitled Ficlets by callmesandy NEW Added: 1/1/06
Ron, Harry, Draco | Ron/Draco | no rating | one-shots
No Summary by author
Excellent Ron voices here. Very short reads but they show Ron as he is in so few words, his strengths and weaknesses.
Fall From Grace by kimby77 NEW Added: 1/1/06
Ron | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: The brains in the Department of Mysteries caused more damage to Ron than anybody would have guessed. Now he's stuck in a whirlwind of shadow, unable to break free, while his friends remain oblivous.
Creepy look into a post-OotP Ron. JKR failed to give us an account on the possible effects of the encounter with the brains and this one is a take on that. See Ron's fall to the dark side.
The Cupboard by enahma
Harry, Snape | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: After Sirius's death, Harry is sinking into depression. And then, he receives a detention which leads to a shocking revelation. Will he be able to stop sinking deeper?
This was one of the very first genfics I read when I decided to venture from reading slash. It struck me how very possible the scenarios here can be because Harry and Snape were very much in character. The most powerful emotion it'll get out from you is sympathy.
A Thousand Wishes by _hannelore
Neville | none | no rating | one-shot
Summary: Neville gets distracted by a folded paper crane and a particular wish.
Very sad Neville fic. The ending is unexpected but everything else works perfectly.
Tower of Air by cluegirl
Dumbledore, Sirius | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: Sometimes, even when the price is too high, there is no choice but to pay it.
Oh wow. No words can express how deeply I was affected by this story. It's seeing Dumbledore behind the scenes. How does he deal? we ask. And here we see one of the takes on that. Frightening on so many levels and wonderful.
Stop All the Clocks by lazy_neutrino
Harry, Remus | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary:On Harry's sixteenth birthday, he and Lupin are still coming to terms with Sirius' death. But how do you cope when you've lost everything?
Oh this was a painful read. Remus is flawed in his rationale and everything is doomed from the beginning.
A Whisper of Serpents by lazy_neutrino
Snape, Peter Pettigrew | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: The Shrieking Shack changed everything. Snape, Peter. Marauders-era gen.
Lovely Snape voice here, and we see Peter's descent into the dark side. Some passages hurt a little more than they seem, especially when we see the Marauder rift. Most of all, things come in full circle.
The Art of War by Hijja
Draco, Ron | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Wizard's chess in the Slytherin dungeons. Ron and Draco, both with an axe to grind. High stakes, dubious rules and psychological warfare. Painful consequences and strange encounters. If you've ever wondered whether it is a good idea to play games with Slytherins, this is the answer.
Incredible characterizations. What I loved most about this is how the author managed to really get inside Ron's skin and make him so Ron. Draco's cunningness is lovely here. The Ron-Draco dynamic is so perfectly canon and well thought out. Gorgeously written darkfic.
In the Morning She Dances by dried-tears
Luna | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: The petals fall to the ground, and she stops humming. All that they notice is the quiet.
Sad bit of Luna ficlet. Emotionally heavy for its length.
A Boy and His Dog by Zimquist
Harry | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Harry meets a dog that reminds him of Sirius.
Oh, sad, painful read. Harry knows it's coming but everyone's blind faith refuses to acknowledge anything else otherwise. The irony of the black dog in PoA is taken in a new light in this story.
Ashes by lazy_neutrino
Lily | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Sixteen years ago, Lily Potter made the wrong choice. Is there such a thing as a second chance? About as AU as it gets.
A what-if-Lily-made-the-wrong-choice story. Very dark look into Lily's character and the circumstances that may have come about this choice.
A Lever and a Place to Stand by Pogrebin
Padma & Parvati Patil | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: "This is, of course, what Padma is all about. Restriction. Control. Precision. Parvati is about the dissolution of consequence." Hunger and self-destruction and fading into the air.
This is just a shining piece of gem amidst the sea of formulaic HP fics out there. This is one of the most uniquely written portrayals of Padma and Parvati I have come across and involves weaved philosophics and preachings on eating disorders. Really excellent. GO READ NOW.
Aetiologia by lalejandra
Draco, Neville | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary:Finding a way to get his wand to bend enough to stick it through Dumbledore's nose and out one of his eyes was complicated.
Blood was simple.
YES YES YES. This is Draco flesh and blood and pureblood and very SLYTHERIN. No fluff, no reedemed!Draco, just broken and nasty and intelligent and rational and so very in character. The ending made me dance with joy because this is Draco as I see him. The politics of Muggle/Wizarding world was intricately weaved into the Neville-Draco conversations and I'm so glad lalejandra was able to execute this so perfectly because VOLDEMORT HAS A POINT. And all you Gryffindor lot can get off your noble and high chairs and see it from where we Slytherins stand with this excellently written fic.
A Letter from the Cupboard by Doneril
Harry | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: After the war, Harry writes a letter.
Oh wow. This is an excellent portrayal of a post-war Harry. Short yet concise and it tells EVERYTHING. What I loved about it is that it shows Harry Potter as it is--dark and full of death and a war that robs innocence left and right. I've always believed the HP series is more than just a children's book and this fic is a perfect example of it. Excellent Harry voice.
The Almost Legend of Draco Malfoy by Zahra
Draco | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Not everything is about Harry Potter.
Draco is unforgiving, unredeemable, unconscionable, and just plain practical. This is the Draco I know and love and Zahra writes him perfectly--no glamour, just Draco Malfoy who is so much more in his insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
All Too Sweet to Last by Annakovsky
Hermione | Hermione/OC | PG | one-shot
Summary: Sixth year ended abruptly when Hermione blew up Hogwarts, forty-five Death Eaters, and Harry Potter in a blast of blue magical flame that could be seen at a distance of thirty miles.
I'm not a big fan of Hermione in the books nor in the movie but this just pulled me in. You can feel the grief of her having been a hand at Harry's death and how things become strained between her and everything wizardly and magic-y. The ending gives you this hollow feeling and leaves you in despair. Well-written, depressing fic.
Bleak Midwinter by Jolie
Sirius, Snape | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: No. 12, Grimmauld Place, a few days before Christmas. It’s the longest night of the year, and Sirius Black, by now on speaking terms with utter solitude, receives an unexpected and altogether unwelcome visit. It leaves him with the tempting promise of a future - but one that will come at a high price. Struggling with the demons of his past and his present, Sirius is forced to make a hard choice, while hundreds of miles away, his godson is thrashing around in his sleep, troubled by the vision of a giant snake…
This is one of the best Sirius fics i've come across and it delves into his time at 12 GP during OoTP. The reader is witness to Sirius' struggles with his Slytherin cousins, and most of all with himself. The large part of this story is a flashback of his time at GP as a fifteen-year old, out of place and filled with righteous anger at having to deal with being a Black and a Gryffindor at once. Very good read.
A Test of Loyalty by Pasi
Remus | Remus/Tonks | PG-13 | WIP
Summary: Remus Lupin claims to have deserted the Order of the Phoenix for Fenrir Greyback's werewolf pack and Lord Voldemort's service. His new masters want him to prove it.
A compelling read about Remus' time with Fenrir during HBP. I love Lupin's character and his POV in this makes you feel the real-ness of his fear and his being terrified to be at the company of his fellow werewolves. My little Wolfstar heart cried at the tiny bit of Remus/Tonks in it but. Well.
Breathe Out Anger by penknife
Remus | Remus/OC | PG-13 |one-shot
Warnings: Has homosexual instances.
Summary: After James and Lily's deaths, Remus wants answers. It would help if he knew the right questions.
Okay this is one of the reasons why I believe Lupin shines so much more and is so much more than JKR dares to write him as. He is a dark creature and he's also flawed and he has so much potential as a character. In this we see him wasting, hitting bottom, because he's the only Marauder left and one can only imagine how it must have been like for him. This fic tells that story, along with a few others that tie with canon. Beautifully written.
Desk Duty by mosylu
Madam Pince | none | PG | one-shot
Summary:A librarian's job is never done . . . especially not at Hogwarts . . . and especially when a certain toadlike High Inquisitor is nosing around.
I think this is the only Madam Pince fic I've read. Nevertheless, this was just excellent. I was cheering "You go gurl, Madam!" by the end of it. And the twins! Well worth the read and might as well have been a missing scene in OoTP.
Dragons by rhoddlet
Ron | Harry/Ron | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Dragons in the hills of Romania and dragons in the heart of boys. PG-13, warfic.
Don't let the minor pairing scare you because you won't even notice it's there. Rhoddlet's brilliance in storytelling is realized in this. The litany of deaths is all at once sudden and unexpected and Ron deals as he would have, not really fully healing yet but getting there. It is beautifully painful and comforting at the same time.
Everyone Knows by Hannah Marder
Everyone | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Everyone knows that people in the other houses are different. And that their own house is treated unfairly. In Hogwarts' four common rooms, fifth year students discuss Quidditch and struggle to finish their Potions homework, while in the library, Luna tells Ginny her latest theory. This time, she might even be right...
This was such a fun read. The story has a great premise and we are shown how similar and different the four houses are. I especially liked the Ravenclaw scene because it makes so much sense. And then there's Luna, whom I could not have agreed with more. It also helps that a bit of Hogwarts politics (and some stereotype theories) were weaved into the story, told in the eyes of its four houses. Highly rec'd.
Factories that Make Factories by alibi_factory
Goyle, Snape | none | no rating |one-shot
Summary: Black sheep and the simple things in life. Fluff.
God yes. I am so in love with this fic. Goyle is so perfectly portrayed as something more than a dumb thug I love it Iove it I love it. And Snape. His 'extended' kindness and curt replies and his silent appreciation of the woodcarvings and everything else just works like clockwork. Have I mentioned how I am utterly in love with it?
Faded Laughter against her ear. by muse
Ginny, Sirius | Remus/Sirius | no rating | one-shot
Summary: Ginny finds a portrait in the attic.
Sad sad fic. That's all I can say. It has implied Remus/Sirius in it but it's not really the focus of the story.
Bullet with Butterfly Wings by Penelope-Z
Narcissa Malfoy | none | R | one-shot
Summary: Narcissa has no words.
Flowing descriptions, beautiful yet disturbing rendition of Narcissa Malfoy. MUST READ.
Life is a Game of Chess by mysterywalker
Harry, Dumbledore | none | PG-13 | oneshot
Summary: Life is like a game of chess, Albus Dumbledore always thought. Now one of his pawns refuses to play. (OotP spoilers)
Harry finally gets a clue and we see what he is really capable of. Don't read if you can't stand Dumbledore bashing.
Marauders Never Tell by Mithborien Mornamar
Remus | none | G | one-shot
Summary: The Marauders are only inked on outlines, parchment easily burns and nothing lasts forever.
Awww, Moony. I knew there was a fic somewhere with a Marauder's Map POV in it! Short yet powerful ficlet.
On the Brink of Oblivion by xayne
Justin Finch-Fletchley, Draco | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: An unlikely pair of soldiers collect their thoughts before the final battle.
This story has much potential to be something more but the author pretty much tied it around itself successfully. We have some nice Justin-Draco interactions here during the 2nd war. Excellently written.
Perceptions of Reality by WeasleysGirl-Yeah
Ron | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: If you squint hard enough, you can still see Harry - or at least a faded Harry, but with his still vibrant green eyes.' Being insane is one thing. Coming out of insanity with a mixing of memories is another. Ron takes that confusing journey.
Another one of those insanity fics but this one reads like a dream. It's confusing and you stumble over it repeatedly until you get to the end and everything clicks into place and finally there's a welcomed breath of relief.
Facts by Mithborien Mornamar
Harry | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: Voldemort is just a name. The-Boy-Who-Lived is just a label. Gryffindor is just a house. And Harry is just a kid.
Yet another short ficlet that delivers quite a punch. The facts are laid out so bluntly that you can't help but accept them. And the ending's a bit creepy.
H is for Harry by Kateri I
Harry, Snape | none | G | one-shot
Summary: AU, Snape discovers something about the Boy-Who-Lived that he can’t ignore or pretend doesn’t exist.
Yikes. My heart bled for Harry in this short AU. Saying anymore will ruin the experience.
Those Forgottten by Oblivious Trace
Minor Characters | Dean/Ginny, Seamus/Hermione | PG | one-shot
Summary: We aren't all meant to be heroes.
OMG. I could not have asked for a more perfectly written piece on HP's minor characters. Everything is fucking real and true and it hurts the way it's told but it's the way things really are, unfortunately. I was silently wailing after each number because the punch lines had my eyes stinging. I read it over just to absorb each part more fully and the pain is so blatant and so very there you can't ignore it. It would be a crime not to read this.
The boy in the cupboard by Under the Oak Tree
Harry | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Tribute fic to the authors of HPfics who've realised that Harry's still stuck in his cupboard and needs someone to get him out.
Oh this was just painful and strangely comforting at the same time. But more painful, really, now we know what happens to Dumbledore in HBP. Angsty Harry after OoTP is seen here with a death wish. This fic hits a little bit closer to home. After all, Harry will always be that boy who lived in the cupboard under the stairs.
Home is the Place Where by Kyra Cullinan
Petunia, Harry | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: Petunia and Harry at the end of the world.
Whoa. I love how this apocalyptic story turned out, from start to finish. The atmosphere is foreboding and inescapable and uncomfortable but there it is. I think this is how it may turn out to be, at the end of all things, Harry and Petunia waiting it out. I believe there's more to their relationship than canon can ever provide us and this is one the most plausible takes on that.
How the Story Ends by sioniann
Neville | Ron/Neville, Harry/Hermione | PG-13 | one-shot
Warnings: angst, character death
Summary: Neville’s imagination makes up for what he cannot remember.
Oh pain. The agony and the sadness in this story is so ruthless and you can't get away from any of it because it's beautifully rendered from Neville's eyes. We see them going mad and we retreat, just like Neville, into made up memories and dreams. Heavy heavy angst to be had here.
Out of the Blue and Into the Black by victoria p.
Harry, Remus, Sirius | Remus/Sirius | PG | one-shot
Summary: Out of the blue and into the black / They give you this, but you pay for that.
All I can is Ack. In a good way. Remus/Sirius but for the most part Gen if you're willing to look the other way. Kinda like HP/Charmed crossover, only with the gay wizards and none of the hot babe witches.
Just Words by Ayla Pascal
Ginny | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: Ginny works in a post-war world where the Dark Lord reigns supreme.
Huh. This Ginny is absolutely dark and empty and hollow. What if Hitler succeeded, eh? Yeah, kinda like that.
Midnight in the Silence by Mary G.
Ron, Harry | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: The days after the Third Task are quiet ones. GoF missing scene.
This made me want to huggle Ron. He is as he is and he's hesitant and unsure how to deal with a broken best mate and he's perfect. There might have been a Harry/Ron in there if one squints hard enough. I did. ^^
One for Sorrow by lilith morgana
Eileen Prince, Snape | none | R | one-shot
Summary: Eileen sings to her baby in Azkaban.
Lovely breathtaking descriptions. Flowing writing style. And the first look we may have of Eileen Prince as more than a random name in HBP. In this she is realized as a flesh and blood character, one that feels, one who acts and loves and aches like we do. It's so right it practically feels like she's a living breathing human being sitting right next to you. Really powerful story.
The Palmer Method by Cedar
Percy Weasley, Lucius Malfoy | none | R | one-shot
Summary: As an initiated Death Eater, Percy Weasley faces the challenge of performing the Killing Curse for the first time in front of Lord Voldemort. Through months of practice he hones his technique, but when the time comes for him to make the kill, it is his character that is truly put to the test.
Meticulous Percy, ambitious Percy, the Percy we all know and hate (?) from OoTP, only now with a darker twist. There's a short sentence in this piece, near the end, that nearly choked me with its brutal coldness (it starts with the word 'Relief'). I didn't doubt for one moment that this Percy is plausible, which tells something about my sanity while reading it.
Somewhat Lighter Sympathy by Hijja
Original Character | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Lord Voldemort, taking advice from the Evil Overlord Guidebook, sends his right-hand man to hire a Muggle professional, who is supposed to take care of the Boy-Who-Lived problem once and for all. Holy. I can't stress enough the fact that you have to read this. We see Harry from the POV of a Muggle hitman. It's an engaging, painful read and you find that you're holding your breath, wishing against hope that the end will not be as you think it'll be. Like OUCH and so much of Remus' chocolate.
Untitled Drabble by pogrebin
Snape, Sirius, Bellatrix | Snape/Sirius, Snape/Bellatrix | no rating | one-shot
No Summary by author
Aughhhhhh. You will be yelling "Those Muggle Bastards!!" by the end of this. And you know this hurts because you know it's believable and Severus and Bellatrix and Sirius in the cold and in bleak desperation and powerless, at the end of all things magical. Again, what I loved most about this is the politics of everything, that it showed how Voldemort really had/has a point.
The Witness for the Defense by After the Rain
Snape, Remus | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Five years after the fall of Lord Voldemort, all of his old followers have been rounded up and killed or sentenced to life in Azkaban. All except one, who was found on a cold winter night with his throat torn out by a werewolf. Severus Snape is called before the Wizengamot to give testimony that may free his most despised colleague -- or send him to Azkaban for life.
Brilliant, compelling read. You will not be able to stop. This was obviously a well-thought out story.
Unsticking the Shadow by pogrebin
Hermione | none | no rating | one-shot
No Summary by author
Another of her fics that deals with the blood politics of the verse. every passage will leave your mind racing and thinking so bloody hard you think your brain might break. Brilliant amidst its flaws.
World's End by bruno
Voldemort | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Even the Dark Lord was amazed upon watching the effects of an atom bomb. The vast power displayed before him held a beauty so incredible, so horrifyingly marvellous, it made his chest hurt and his eyes water -as he wiped the moisture from his eyes, he realised with astonishment that he was crying.
OMG. I can't even find the right words to properly review this story. It feels so wrong to love it as much as I do. Just wow. Apocalyptic fics do that to me somehow. Just that I think I haven't fully recovered from it yet. Severely depressing but you know that it can happen. The tone, the mood, the heavy atmosphere of emptiness everywhere...perfect. It left me groaning and speechless and shivering for a long time after.
Written by zionsstarfish
Draco, Harry | none | PG-13 |one-shot
Summary: Draco, Year Six
Imperfect Draco, bad Draco, just a bit broken and still a bit nasty. It made my chest ache in its most potent portions, I was especially struck by the thestral scene. And the final confrontation was just the perfect mix of hurt and comfort. I loved this Draco voice.
Take Up Serpents by mariner
Tom Riddle | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: After leaving Hogwarts, young Tom Riddle searches for a mentor in the Dark Arts.
Hmm yessss. Tom Riddle post-Hogwarts. Very unique story. Read for yourself.
The Last Mudblood by furiosity
Neville | none | R | one-shot
Summary: The war is over, and Voldemort has won. Harry Potter is dead. Neville Longbottom is a Death Eater, and together with Draco Malfoy they lead a manhunt for Hermione Granger, the last Muggle-born witch. It's really that simple. Or is it?
Dark and bleak and makes you wanna huggle Neville. Cliffhanger ending but worked in this case.
Disturbing/Chilling/Unsettling/Mindfuck Genfics
Season to Taste by nope
Hermione | everyone/everyone | no rating | one-shot
The first line might as well have been the summary. I was going nyaargh at the end of it. And the whole thing reads like a dream, with lyrical prose and visceral imagery. It's blunt and unforgiving and it's like one great big orgy of mad, crazy, insane people. The ending totally scared me like a six year old.
Oubliette by Kate Bolin
Original Character | none | G | one-shot
Summary: Some things are meant to be forgotten. But new students never know that.
I was a bit confused at first because of the strange POV and was only able to get the timeline near the end. I'm still trying to guess the answer to the puzzle and I don't think I'll ever know who it is. So, this is basically a mindfuck fic.
Sometimes Luna plays with ghosts by newtypeshadow
Luna | none | PG | one-shot
Warnings: OotP spoiler (the veil)
Summary: Sometimes Luna plays with ghosts. They don't call her Loony.
This might have been a drabble, I don't know. I do know that for it's length it's quite creepy and disturbing. It makes your mind race like mad. Hello, Sixth Sense, yo?
Et Ne Nos Inducas in Tentationem by Hijja
Draco, Harry | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Your basic Harry-throws-himself-off-the-Astronomy-Tower-and-Draco-interferes-fic, with an ugly twist...
Hijja writes beautiful darkfics. Draco is excellently IC, single-minded with a purpose and ambitious. It's almost scary the way he's remorseless. And then there's Harry. Poor Harry is left alone and there's just too many people who've died, and the way they died...well. Just go read for your sake.
Dollhouse by kashuarashi
Draco | none | R | one-shot
Warnings: Death, insanity, dolls. This is a horror piece.
Summary: An old toy turns out to be the key of Draco's happynes...and sanity.
Have I mentioned how I love it when characters get all creepy and dark and just plain insane? Well this fic is an example of that. The visual writing pulls you into the scene and you can imagine being there in that eerie atmosphere. Plausible Draco.
Breaking Imperius by Sinope
Luna | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: "Luna decided that she could compromise and wish for, not death, but soft, simple emptiness."
Wow. I sometimes feel like Luna is the only one who really understands everything, who has a solid grasp on things, unlike those stubborn Gryffindors and Slytherins who only see black and white. Luna in this story knows gray. And she's creepy and unreal and real at the same time because she knows. Nice look into her character. Go read now.
Bottom of the Well by rhoddlet
Ginny, Ron | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: Parseltongue at the Burrow, Parseltongue in Weasleys.
OMG. I can't describe fully how this fic just kicked my ass while completely mindfucking me. I was groaning ang going OHHHHHAAAHHHH by the end of it and Ron is just...GAH that it gave me the shivers for two whole minutes. Rhoddlet still remains one of the best fanfic writers out there and she manages to envelop everything in perfect subtlety and with this foreboding atmosphere that you know something is just not right. Just pure brilliance.
Holes by lifeinwords
Harry, Draco | none | PG | one-shot
Warning: Another of those angsty gen vignettes that nobody reads. Prepare thyself.
No Summary by author.
This is the kind of fic that deceives with its tone and plants this little seed of doubt at the back of your mind and let it crawl in there util it bursts and you're left braindead. To say anymore will spoil the surprise. MUST MUST READ.
The Truth about Harry by Ivy Blossom
Ginny | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Ginny Weasley has a secret; she can't see Harry Potter anymore. Can you?
It has such a believable Ginny voice that you'll forgive it for its flaws. Even though the whole point of it may seem absurd, you think not.
The Only One He Ever Feared by jjtaylor
Harry, Peter | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: You've got it all wrong. We're not the bad guys.
Oh this fic fucks with your mind so good it'll leave you reeling halfway through. Twisting canon until it doesn't know which way its head faces anymore.
How To Be Dead by circe_tigana
Harry, Ron, Draco | Ron/Draco | NC17 | one-shot
Summary: Healer Ron attends to wizard patients while Harry fights a war that never ends. Wizards don't die like you and I; not your typical kitchen sink drama.
DO NOT SHY AWAY FROM THE MINOR PAIRING (you'll hardly care when it happens anyway). That will be the biggest mistake if you do because this is the mother of all mindfuck fics (it was also my first one). I got massive braincramps when I first came across this and I read it over and over until my brain was all sloshy and useless.
Thestrals by ztrin
None | none | no rating | one-shot
No Summary by author
This is the perfect fic for its length. Sinister, creepy, and very visceral in descriptions.
A nice cup of tea and a lie down by Bernice
Hagrid, Harry | none | one-shot
No summary by author
Deceiving short piece of fiction here. It leads you to believe that it's just like any other conversation fic when it really isn't. Just read to find out.
but with a whisper by moondanger
Minor Characters | none | no rating | one-shot
Summary: Bleak, jumbled post-apocalypse HP ficlet. A bunch of random drabbles trussed together under a name, really. One by one the last survivors disintegrate.
Eerie atmosphere. You can almost see each person disappearing... Beautiful writing.
Newborn by serialkarma
Harry | Harry/Draco | no rating | one-shot
No Summary by author.
I'm a total sucker for dark!mentally-unbalanced!Harry and this fic was the perfect fix.
Firebrand by cupiscent
Harry, Draco | none | Adult | one-shot
Warnings: (themes, language, references to drugs and violence, the cruelty of humanity, death)
Summary: Ginny dies. Harry delivers her mail.
This is probably the MUST READ of all MUST READS, in my opinion. This is the fic that introduced me to the Voldemort-had-a-friggin-point-muggles-are-bastards theory and I have been faithfully subscribed to it since then. Lovely take on this universe.
and the water runs red by remarked
Draco | Harry/Draco | R | one-shot
Warnings: Angst, blood, character death, insanity, implied abuse at a mental ward, self mutilation.
Summary: the voices inside your head are never quiet and are always talking to you and they tell you things that you don't understand so you decide that you must write them out because maybe when you see them they will finally make sense to you.
Yeow. I was like speechless with awe for a good 10 minutes after I read this little ficlet. Brilliant, crazy, gets under your skin creepy. GO READ. I even shamelessly borrowed its structure for my own short story. It's THAT good.
Evil Be Thou My Good by Ruskbyte
Harry | none | R-NC17 | long-shot (features dark!Harry and Hellraiser/HP crossover)
Summary: Nine years ago Vernon Dursley bought an ancient puzzle box. His nephew managed to open it. The entire Dursley family suffered the consequences. Now, in the midst of Voldemort's second reign of terror, Harry Potter is convinced the only way to defeat the Dark Lord; is to call upon an even greater evil. This decided, Harry begins his plans to recreate the Lament Configuration... and to open it... again.
Okay. This is what I mean when I say that canon is something you can take and make into your own--or what is known as fanfiction (but really it is more than just that). This story is the stuff nightmares and horror films (try Hellraiser) are made of. To describe this fic in such words does not actually do justice to it. Suffice it to say that this is a horror piece with visually disturbing imagery. Compelling, powerful read that at times will make you sick and gag with its brutal images. I haven't read anything else quite like it and I'm still deciding whether I'd want to read another one being that I was so shaken and frightened by what I was reading. There's just this sick perverse morbid fascination to keep on going even when I was already sick to my stomach. Nevertheless, the imagination of this fic is pure genius. GO READ NOW.
Funneh Fics
The Ultimate Harry Potter Cliche Catalogue by Clam Chowder
Most Major Characters | Too many/ridiculous to mention | R | Chaptered (1-11)
WARNING: This fic contains extreme sarcasm and may be offensive to people.
Summary: Ever noticed how some stories have remarkably similar plotlines? Or simply no plot at all? Then this is the story for you my friends. A humorous collection of commonly found stories from each genre, in which I point out the bleeding obvious and CAPITALISE completely RANDOM words! Mmmm... full of parody goodness! Now with 40% more sarcasm!
My stomach probably ached for 24 hours after I read this because I was laughing SO hard. This is a parody of Harry Potter fanfiction genres and if you're familiar with most of them, you'll have no problem getting all the jokes. But that isn't a requirement. Must be taken with a good dose of humor, or else you'll just be grumbling.
Naked Quidditch Match by Anya
Most Major Characters | Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione | PG-13 | Chaptered (1-10)
Warnings: language and content, mostly a few obscenities and some mild sexual innuendo. Read at your own risk.
Summary: A game of magical Truth or Dare leads to some dire consequences for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
If this fic doesn't reduce you to mad laughing fits, I don't know what will. Highly recommended even for fanfic beginners. You will NOT be disappointed. My friend (who is not an HP fan and who never reads fanfics) read this and rec'd it on his journal. This is quite possibly the most hysterical piece of mayhem I've come across.
Squeaky's Crudely Drawn Sticks by Squeaky
All Characters | none | no rating | chaptered
Summary: This is my Crudely Drawn Stick Figure version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Enjoy.
This is why I love old school stick figures. Squeaky's comic strip version of the books is simply hilarious. Now also up is her version of The Chamber of Secrets.
The Chronicles of Lucius by Fyrie
Lucius Malfoy | none | PG-13 | Chaptered (1-15)
Summary:Throughout the CoS period, Lucius Malfoy keeps a dia... er... Chronicle of events.
If Lucius Malfoy writing a diary in Bridget Jones style doesn't make you laugh, well... Don't read if deliberate grammatical errors make you cringe, though.
I Suck at Titles by Jane
Trio | Ron/Hermione | R | one-shot
Warnings: *PARODY ALERT* *NOT INTENDED SERIOUSLY ALERT* *DON’T GET PISSY WITH ME ALERT*
Summary: A parody of the worst of HP Fandom. Not intended seriously. It's funny! I'm funny! Read it. Please.
If you've never read badfic before, you probably won't get it. If you've written badfic before, then that's probably worse.
The Slytherin Kama Sutra by Angie Astravic
Trio, Snape | none | R | one-shot
Summary: Sex education at Hogwarts: After Draco Malfoy has a near-fatal encounter with Dark Magic, Professor McGonagall decides it needs to be taught earlier. Note the R rating. Nothing explicit, but quite a lot is implied.
How can one pass up a fic with a title like that? Just the idea of Snape teaching Sex Ed to teenage wizards is irresistible. Very entertaining read.
Fantastic Beasts: A two-parchment essay for Care of Magical Creatures by SB by Mary Borsellino
Sirius Black | none | PG |one-shot
Summary: Sirius writes a book review, after a fashion.
Well it's like the title says. I don't doubt that Sirius could have been capable of writing this essay. Hurray for the anti-propaganda against werewolves!
The Most Grievous and Lamentable Tragedie of The Death of Lord Voldemort: A Small Play in Three Acts by rowen_r
LV, Harry, Snape, Bellatrix, etc. | none | no rating | one-shot
No Summary by author
Hahahaha! Stating the obvious and death by light lamp. Yis. Sporfling is a must.
Plugs and Outlets by Alphie
Arthur, Ron | Ron/Hermione | no rating | one-shot
Summary: Mr. Weasley has a unique talk with Ron about his developing relationship with Hermione.
Yeah. One of those father/son sex talks. Now we know why Arthur's so damned obsessed with plugs and outlets, eh? Kept me laughing like mad, this one did.
Draco Malfoy, Ruler of the Universe by Maya
Draco Malfoy | Draco/some girls | PG | one-shot
Summary: It's not good news for anyone that Professor Trelawney mumbled during the original prophecy. (It was on account of her chronic drink problem.)
Hah! Fanon!Draco at his narcissistic best. Dear Merlin my sides were aching.
Registration by samvimes
Sirius, Remus | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: When they get roped into waiting to register James' unborn son for Hogwarts, Sirius and Remus have a long day's wait, and a small dilemma -- nobody's picked a name yet. Faturing the Patils, Finnigans, Longbottoms, Malfoys, and one Weasley as supporting cast...
This was the most fun read ever. I wish I'd thought of it myself but the author's pretty much done a great job. Entertaining and hilarious at the best parts.
~0~0~
Ow. My fingers are numb. My taste on what is goodfic is mine and probably differs from yours so. heh.
I'm aware that I'm missing out on a lot of great oneshots out there (like Hijja's Trinity fics) but I'm still making my way through them. I'll be updating this list once in a while.
Last updated: January 1, 2006
This list compiles my Recommended Harry Potter General Fanfiction, which means that the following fics are character-centric and/or do not focus on romantic or sexual pairings. 95% of these are one-shots as I have terrible attention span (I don't doubt that there are awesome novel-length genfics out there but I'm rather attached to short fics that pack quite a punch). I also have a penchant for dark, sad, and depressing fics so most of what is listed here are in those categories. Humor fics are listed under Funneh Fics as I possess limited imagination as of the moment.
Format is as follows:
Fic Title by Author
Character/s | Minor Pairings (if there are) | Rating | One-shot or Chaptered
Warnings (if there are)
Summary
My Review
~o~o~o~
General Fiction
To the Ghost by Jintian NEW Added: 1/1/06
Draco, Hermione | implied Ron/Hermione, Ron/Draco | R | one-shot
Summary: Draco, Hermione, and war stories about Ron.
OMG. There are NO words, no fucking words to describe how much I worship this story, how much it completely blew me away. Just WOW. Fanfuckingtastically AWESOME that it just tore me apart and left me with no words. I think there's also this huge gaping hole in my chest now. OUCH.
Untitled Ficlets by callmesandy NEW Added: 1/1/06
Ron, Harry, Draco | Ron/Draco | no rating | one-shots
No Summary by author
Excellent Ron voices here. Very short reads but they show Ron as he is in so few words, his strengths and weaknesses.
Fall From Grace by kimby77 NEW Added: 1/1/06
Ron | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: The brains in the Department of Mysteries caused more damage to Ron than anybody would have guessed. Now he's stuck in a whirlwind of shadow, unable to break free, while his friends remain oblivous.
Creepy look into a post-OotP Ron. JKR failed to give us an account on the possible effects of the encounter with the brains and this one is a take on that. See Ron's fall to the dark side.
The Cupboard by enahma
Harry, Snape | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: After Sirius's death, Harry is sinking into depression. And then, he receives a detention which leads to a shocking revelation. Will he be able to stop sinking deeper?
This was one of the very first genfics I read when I decided to venture from reading slash. It struck me how very possible the scenarios here can be because Harry and Snape were very much in character. The most powerful emotion it'll get out from you is sympathy.
A Thousand Wishes by _hannelore
Neville | none | no rating | one-shot
Summary: Neville gets distracted by a folded paper crane and a particular wish.
Very sad Neville fic. The ending is unexpected but everything else works perfectly.
Tower of Air by cluegirl
Dumbledore, Sirius | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: Sometimes, even when the price is too high, there is no choice but to pay it.
Oh wow. No words can express how deeply I was affected by this story. It's seeing Dumbledore behind the scenes. How does he deal? we ask. And here we see one of the takes on that. Frightening on so many levels and wonderful.
Stop All the Clocks by lazy_neutrino
Harry, Remus | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary:On Harry's sixteenth birthday, he and Lupin are still coming to terms with Sirius' death. But how do you cope when you've lost everything?
Oh this was a painful read. Remus is flawed in his rationale and everything is doomed from the beginning.
A Whisper of Serpents by lazy_neutrino
Snape, Peter Pettigrew | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: The Shrieking Shack changed everything. Snape, Peter. Marauders-era gen.
Lovely Snape voice here, and we see Peter's descent into the dark side. Some passages hurt a little more than they seem, especially when we see the Marauder rift. Most of all, things come in full circle.
The Art of War by Hijja
Draco, Ron | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Wizard's chess in the Slytherin dungeons. Ron and Draco, both with an axe to grind. High stakes, dubious rules and psychological warfare. Painful consequences and strange encounters. If you've ever wondered whether it is a good idea to play games with Slytherins, this is the answer.
Incredible characterizations. What I loved most about this is how the author managed to really get inside Ron's skin and make him so Ron. Draco's cunningness is lovely here. The Ron-Draco dynamic is so perfectly canon and well thought out. Gorgeously written darkfic.
In the Morning She Dances by dried-tears
Luna | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: The petals fall to the ground, and she stops humming. All that they notice is the quiet.
Sad bit of Luna ficlet. Emotionally heavy for its length.
A Boy and His Dog by Zimquist
Harry | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Harry meets a dog that reminds him of Sirius.
Oh, sad, painful read. Harry knows it's coming but everyone's blind faith refuses to acknowledge anything else otherwise. The irony of the black dog in PoA is taken in a new light in this story.
Ashes by lazy_neutrino
Lily | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Sixteen years ago, Lily Potter made the wrong choice. Is there such a thing as a second chance? About as AU as it gets.
A what-if-Lily-made-the-wrong-choice story. Very dark look into Lily's character and the circumstances that may have come about this choice.
A Lever and a Place to Stand by Pogrebin
Padma & Parvati Patil | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: "This is, of course, what Padma is all about. Restriction. Control. Precision. Parvati is about the dissolution of consequence." Hunger and self-destruction and fading into the air.
This is just a shining piece of gem amidst the sea of formulaic HP fics out there. This is one of the most uniquely written portrayals of Padma and Parvati I have come across and involves weaved philosophics and preachings on eating disorders. Really excellent. GO READ NOW.
Aetiologia by lalejandra
Draco, Neville | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary:Finding a way to get his wand to bend enough to stick it through Dumbledore's nose and out one of his eyes was complicated.
Blood was simple.
YES YES YES. This is Draco flesh and blood and pureblood and very SLYTHERIN. No fluff, no reedemed!Draco, just broken and nasty and intelligent and rational and so very in character. The ending made me dance with joy because this is Draco as I see him. The politics of Muggle/Wizarding world was intricately weaved into the Neville-Draco conversations and I'm so glad lalejandra was able to execute this so perfectly because VOLDEMORT HAS A POINT. And all you Gryffindor lot can get off your noble and high chairs and see it from where we Slytherins stand with this excellently written fic.
A Letter from the Cupboard by Doneril
Harry | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: After the war, Harry writes a letter.
Oh wow. This is an excellent portrayal of a post-war Harry. Short yet concise and it tells EVERYTHING. What I loved about it is that it shows Harry Potter as it is--dark and full of death and a war that robs innocence left and right. I've always believed the HP series is more than just a children's book and this fic is a perfect example of it. Excellent Harry voice.
The Almost Legend of Draco Malfoy by Zahra
Draco | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Not everything is about Harry Potter.
Draco is unforgiving, unredeemable, unconscionable, and just plain practical. This is the Draco I know and love and Zahra writes him perfectly--no glamour, just Draco Malfoy who is so much more in his insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
All Too Sweet to Last by Annakovsky
Hermione | Hermione/OC | PG | one-shot
Summary: Sixth year ended abruptly when Hermione blew up Hogwarts, forty-five Death Eaters, and Harry Potter in a blast of blue magical flame that could be seen at a distance of thirty miles.
I'm not a big fan of Hermione in the books nor in the movie but this just pulled me in. You can feel the grief of her having been a hand at Harry's death and how things become strained between her and everything wizardly and magic-y. The ending gives you this hollow feeling and leaves you in despair. Well-written, depressing fic.
Bleak Midwinter by Jolie
Sirius, Snape | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: No. 12, Grimmauld Place, a few days before Christmas. It’s the longest night of the year, and Sirius Black, by now on speaking terms with utter solitude, receives an unexpected and altogether unwelcome visit. It leaves him with the tempting promise of a future - but one that will come at a high price. Struggling with the demons of his past and his present, Sirius is forced to make a hard choice, while hundreds of miles away, his godson is thrashing around in his sleep, troubled by the vision of a giant snake…
This is one of the best Sirius fics i've come across and it delves into his time at 12 GP during OoTP. The reader is witness to Sirius' struggles with his Slytherin cousins, and most of all with himself. The large part of this story is a flashback of his time at GP as a fifteen-year old, out of place and filled with righteous anger at having to deal with being a Black and a Gryffindor at once. Very good read.
A Test of Loyalty by Pasi
Remus | Remus/Tonks | PG-13 | WIP
Summary: Remus Lupin claims to have deserted the Order of the Phoenix for Fenrir Greyback's werewolf pack and Lord Voldemort's service. His new masters want him to prove it.
A compelling read about Remus' time with Fenrir during HBP. I love Lupin's character and his POV in this makes you feel the real-ness of his fear and his being terrified to be at the company of his fellow werewolves. My little Wolfstar heart cried at the tiny bit of Remus/Tonks in it but. Well.
Breathe Out Anger by penknife
Remus | Remus/OC | PG-13 |one-shot
Warnings: Has homosexual instances.
Summary: After James and Lily's deaths, Remus wants answers. It would help if he knew the right questions.
Okay this is one of the reasons why I believe Lupin shines so much more and is so much more than JKR dares to write him as. He is a dark creature and he's also flawed and he has so much potential as a character. In this we see him wasting, hitting bottom, because he's the only Marauder left and one can only imagine how it must have been like for him. This fic tells that story, along with a few others that tie with canon. Beautifully written.
Desk Duty by mosylu
Madam Pince | none | PG | one-shot
Summary:A librarian's job is never done . . . especially not at Hogwarts . . . and especially when a certain toadlike High Inquisitor is nosing around.
I think this is the only Madam Pince fic I've read. Nevertheless, this was just excellent. I was cheering "You go gurl, Madam!" by the end of it. And the twins! Well worth the read and might as well have been a missing scene in OoTP.
Dragons by rhoddlet
Ron | Harry/Ron | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Dragons in the hills of Romania and dragons in the heart of boys. PG-13, warfic.
Don't let the minor pairing scare you because you won't even notice it's there. Rhoddlet's brilliance in storytelling is realized in this. The litany of deaths is all at once sudden and unexpected and Ron deals as he would have, not really fully healing yet but getting there. It is beautifully painful and comforting at the same time.
Everyone Knows by Hannah Marder
Everyone | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Everyone knows that people in the other houses are different. And that their own house is treated unfairly. In Hogwarts' four common rooms, fifth year students discuss Quidditch and struggle to finish their Potions homework, while in the library, Luna tells Ginny her latest theory. This time, she might even be right...
This was such a fun read. The story has a great premise and we are shown how similar and different the four houses are. I especially liked the Ravenclaw scene because it makes so much sense. And then there's Luna, whom I could not have agreed with more. It also helps that a bit of Hogwarts politics (and some stereotype theories) were weaved into the story, told in the eyes of its four houses. Highly rec'd.
Factories that Make Factories by alibi_factory
Goyle, Snape | none | no rating |one-shot
Summary: Black sheep and the simple things in life. Fluff.
God yes. I am so in love with this fic. Goyle is so perfectly portrayed as something more than a dumb thug I love it Iove it I love it. And Snape. His 'extended' kindness and curt replies and his silent appreciation of the woodcarvings and everything else just works like clockwork. Have I mentioned how I am utterly in love with it?
Faded Laughter against her ear. by muse
Ginny, Sirius | Remus/Sirius | no rating | one-shot
Summary: Ginny finds a portrait in the attic.
Sad sad fic. That's all I can say. It has implied Remus/Sirius in it but it's not really the focus of the story.
Bullet with Butterfly Wings by Penelope-Z
Narcissa Malfoy | none | R | one-shot
Summary: Narcissa has no words.
Flowing descriptions, beautiful yet disturbing rendition of Narcissa Malfoy. MUST READ.
Life is a Game of Chess by mysterywalker
Harry, Dumbledore | none | PG-13 | oneshot
Summary: Life is like a game of chess, Albus Dumbledore always thought. Now one of his pawns refuses to play. (OotP spoilers)
Harry finally gets a clue and we see what he is really capable of. Don't read if you can't stand Dumbledore bashing.
Marauders Never Tell by Mithborien Mornamar
Remus | none | G | one-shot
Summary: The Marauders are only inked on outlines, parchment easily burns and nothing lasts forever.
Awww, Moony. I knew there was a fic somewhere with a Marauder's Map POV in it! Short yet powerful ficlet.
On the Brink of Oblivion by xayne
Justin Finch-Fletchley, Draco | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: An unlikely pair of soldiers collect their thoughts before the final battle.
This story has much potential to be something more but the author pretty much tied it around itself successfully. We have some nice Justin-Draco interactions here during the 2nd war. Excellently written.
Perceptions of Reality by WeasleysGirl-Yeah
Ron | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: If you squint hard enough, you can still see Harry - or at least a faded Harry, but with his still vibrant green eyes.' Being insane is one thing. Coming out of insanity with a mixing of memories is another. Ron takes that confusing journey.
Another one of those insanity fics but this one reads like a dream. It's confusing and you stumble over it repeatedly until you get to the end and everything clicks into place and finally there's a welcomed breath of relief.
Facts by Mithborien Mornamar
Harry | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: Voldemort is just a name. The-Boy-Who-Lived is just a label. Gryffindor is just a house. And Harry is just a kid.
Yet another short ficlet that delivers quite a punch. The facts are laid out so bluntly that you can't help but accept them. And the ending's a bit creepy.
H is for Harry by Kateri I
Harry, Snape | none | G | one-shot
Summary: AU, Snape discovers something about the Boy-Who-Lived that he can’t ignore or pretend doesn’t exist.
Yikes. My heart bled for Harry in this short AU. Saying anymore will ruin the experience.
Those Forgottten by Oblivious Trace
Minor Characters | Dean/Ginny, Seamus/Hermione | PG | one-shot
Summary: We aren't all meant to be heroes.
OMG. I could not have asked for a more perfectly written piece on HP's minor characters. Everything is fucking real and true and it hurts the way it's told but it's the way things really are, unfortunately. I was silently wailing after each number because the punch lines had my eyes stinging. I read it over just to absorb each part more fully and the pain is so blatant and so very there you can't ignore it. It would be a crime not to read this.
The boy in the cupboard by Under the Oak Tree
Harry | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Tribute fic to the authors of HPfics who've realised that Harry's still stuck in his cupboard and needs someone to get him out.
Oh this was just painful and strangely comforting at the same time. But more painful, really, now we know what happens to Dumbledore in HBP. Angsty Harry after OoTP is seen here with a death wish. This fic hits a little bit closer to home. After all, Harry will always be that boy who lived in the cupboard under the stairs.
Home is the Place Where by Kyra Cullinan
Petunia, Harry | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: Petunia and Harry at the end of the world.
Whoa. I love how this apocalyptic story turned out, from start to finish. The atmosphere is foreboding and inescapable and uncomfortable but there it is. I think this is how it may turn out to be, at the end of all things, Harry and Petunia waiting it out. I believe there's more to their relationship than canon can ever provide us and this is one the most plausible takes on that.
How the Story Ends by sioniann
Neville | Ron/Neville, Harry/Hermione | PG-13 | one-shot
Warnings: angst, character death
Summary: Neville’s imagination makes up for what he cannot remember.
Oh pain. The agony and the sadness in this story is so ruthless and you can't get away from any of it because it's beautifully rendered from Neville's eyes. We see them going mad and we retreat, just like Neville, into made up memories and dreams. Heavy heavy angst to be had here.
Out of the Blue and Into the Black by victoria p.
Harry, Remus, Sirius | Remus/Sirius | PG | one-shot
Summary: Out of the blue and into the black / They give you this, but you pay for that.
All I can is Ack. In a good way. Remus/Sirius but for the most part Gen if you're willing to look the other way. Kinda like HP/Charmed crossover, only with the gay wizards and none of the hot babe witches.
Just Words by Ayla Pascal
Ginny | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: Ginny works in a post-war world where the Dark Lord reigns supreme.
Huh. This Ginny is absolutely dark and empty and hollow. What if Hitler succeeded, eh? Yeah, kinda like that.
Midnight in the Silence by Mary G.
Ron, Harry | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: The days after the Third Task are quiet ones. GoF missing scene.
This made me want to huggle Ron. He is as he is and he's hesitant and unsure how to deal with a broken best mate and he's perfect. There might have been a Harry/Ron in there if one squints hard enough. I did. ^^
One for Sorrow by lilith morgana
Eileen Prince, Snape | none | R | one-shot
Summary: Eileen sings to her baby in Azkaban.
Lovely breathtaking descriptions. Flowing writing style. And the first look we may have of Eileen Prince as more than a random name in HBP. In this she is realized as a flesh and blood character, one that feels, one who acts and loves and aches like we do. It's so right it practically feels like she's a living breathing human being sitting right next to you. Really powerful story.
The Palmer Method by Cedar
Percy Weasley, Lucius Malfoy | none | R | one-shot
Summary: As an initiated Death Eater, Percy Weasley faces the challenge of performing the Killing Curse for the first time in front of Lord Voldemort. Through months of practice he hones his technique, but when the time comes for him to make the kill, it is his character that is truly put to the test.
Meticulous Percy, ambitious Percy, the Percy we all know and hate (?) from OoTP, only now with a darker twist. There's a short sentence in this piece, near the end, that nearly choked me with its brutal coldness (it starts with the word 'Relief'). I didn't doubt for one moment that this Percy is plausible, which tells something about my sanity while reading it.
Somewhat Lighter Sympathy by Hijja
Original Character | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Lord Voldemort, taking advice from the Evil Overlord Guidebook, sends his right-hand man to hire a Muggle professional, who is supposed to take care of the Boy-Who-Lived problem once and for all. Holy. I can't stress enough the fact that you have to read this. We see Harry from the POV of a Muggle hitman. It's an engaging, painful read and you find that you're holding your breath, wishing against hope that the end will not be as you think it'll be. Like OUCH and so much of Remus' chocolate.
Untitled Drabble by pogrebin
Snape, Sirius, Bellatrix | Snape/Sirius, Snape/Bellatrix | no rating | one-shot
No Summary by author
Aughhhhhh. You will be yelling "Those Muggle Bastards!!" by the end of this. And you know this hurts because you know it's believable and Severus and Bellatrix and Sirius in the cold and in bleak desperation and powerless, at the end of all things magical. Again, what I loved most about this is the politics of everything, that it showed how Voldemort really had/has a point.
The Witness for the Defense by After the Rain
Snape, Remus | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Five years after the fall of Lord Voldemort, all of his old followers have been rounded up and killed or sentenced to life in Azkaban. All except one, who was found on a cold winter night with his throat torn out by a werewolf. Severus Snape is called before the Wizengamot to give testimony that may free his most despised colleague -- or send him to Azkaban for life.
Brilliant, compelling read. You will not be able to stop. This was obviously a well-thought out story.
Unsticking the Shadow by pogrebin
Hermione | none | no rating | one-shot
No Summary by author
Another of her fics that deals with the blood politics of the verse. every passage will leave your mind racing and thinking so bloody hard you think your brain might break. Brilliant amidst its flaws.
World's End by bruno
Voldemort | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Even the Dark Lord was amazed upon watching the effects of an atom bomb. The vast power displayed before him held a beauty so incredible, so horrifyingly marvellous, it made his chest hurt and his eyes water -as he wiped the moisture from his eyes, he realised with astonishment that he was crying.
OMG. I can't even find the right words to properly review this story. It feels so wrong to love it as much as I do. Just wow. Apocalyptic fics do that to me somehow. Just that I think I haven't fully recovered from it yet. Severely depressing but you know that it can happen. The tone, the mood, the heavy atmosphere of emptiness everywhere...perfect. It left me groaning and speechless and shivering for a long time after.
Written by zionsstarfish
Draco, Harry | none | PG-13 |one-shot
Summary: Draco, Year Six
Imperfect Draco, bad Draco, just a bit broken and still a bit nasty. It made my chest ache in its most potent portions, I was especially struck by the thestral scene. And the final confrontation was just the perfect mix of hurt and comfort. I loved this Draco voice.
Take Up Serpents by mariner
Tom Riddle | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: After leaving Hogwarts, young Tom Riddle searches for a mentor in the Dark Arts.
Hmm yessss. Tom Riddle post-Hogwarts. Very unique story. Read for yourself.
The Last Mudblood by furiosity
Neville | none | R | one-shot
Summary: The war is over, and Voldemort has won. Harry Potter is dead. Neville Longbottom is a Death Eater, and together with Draco Malfoy they lead a manhunt for Hermione Granger, the last Muggle-born witch. It's really that simple. Or is it?
Dark and bleak and makes you wanna huggle Neville. Cliffhanger ending but worked in this case.
Disturbing/Chilling/Unsettling/Mindfuck Genfics
Season to Taste by nope
Hermione | everyone/everyone | no rating | one-shot
The first line might as well have been the summary. I was going nyaargh at the end of it. And the whole thing reads like a dream, with lyrical prose and visceral imagery. It's blunt and unforgiving and it's like one great big orgy of mad, crazy, insane people. The ending totally scared me like a six year old.
Oubliette by Kate Bolin
Original Character | none | G | one-shot
Summary: Some things are meant to be forgotten. But new students never know that.
I was a bit confused at first because of the strange POV and was only able to get the timeline near the end. I'm still trying to guess the answer to the puzzle and I don't think I'll ever know who it is. So, this is basically a mindfuck fic.
Sometimes Luna plays with ghosts by newtypeshadow
Luna | none | PG | one-shot
Warnings: OotP spoiler (the veil)
Summary: Sometimes Luna plays with ghosts. They don't call her Loony.
This might have been a drabble, I don't know. I do know that for it's length it's quite creepy and disturbing. It makes your mind race like mad. Hello, Sixth Sense, yo?
Et Ne Nos Inducas in Tentationem by Hijja
Draco, Harry | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Your basic Harry-throws-himself-off-the-Astronomy-Tower-and-Draco-interferes-fic, with an ugly twist...
Hijja writes beautiful darkfics. Draco is excellently IC, single-minded with a purpose and ambitious. It's almost scary the way he's remorseless. And then there's Harry. Poor Harry is left alone and there's just too many people who've died, and the way they died...well. Just go read for your sake.
Dollhouse by kashuarashi
Draco | none | R | one-shot
Warnings: Death, insanity, dolls. This is a horror piece.
Summary: An old toy turns out to be the key of Draco's happynes...and sanity.
Have I mentioned how I love it when characters get all creepy and dark and just plain insane? Well this fic is an example of that. The visual writing pulls you into the scene and you can imagine being there in that eerie atmosphere. Plausible Draco.
Breaking Imperius by Sinope
Luna | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: "Luna decided that she could compromise and wish for, not death, but soft, simple emptiness."
Wow. I sometimes feel like Luna is the only one who really understands everything, who has a solid grasp on things, unlike those stubborn Gryffindors and Slytherins who only see black and white. Luna in this story knows gray. And she's creepy and unreal and real at the same time because she knows. Nice look into her character. Go read now.
Bottom of the Well by rhoddlet
Ginny, Ron | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: Parseltongue at the Burrow, Parseltongue in Weasleys.
OMG. I can't describe fully how this fic just kicked my ass while completely mindfucking me. I was groaning ang going OHHHHHAAAHHHH by the end of it and Ron is just...GAH that it gave me the shivers for two whole minutes. Rhoddlet still remains one of the best fanfic writers out there and she manages to envelop everything in perfect subtlety and with this foreboding atmosphere that you know something is just not right. Just pure brilliance.
Holes by lifeinwords
Harry, Draco | none | PG | one-shot
Warning: Another of those angsty gen vignettes that nobody reads. Prepare thyself.
No Summary by author.
This is the kind of fic that deceives with its tone and plants this little seed of doubt at the back of your mind and let it crawl in there util it bursts and you're left braindead. To say anymore will spoil the surprise. MUST MUST READ.
The Truth about Harry by Ivy Blossom
Ginny | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: Ginny Weasley has a secret; she can't see Harry Potter anymore. Can you?
It has such a believable Ginny voice that you'll forgive it for its flaws. Even though the whole point of it may seem absurd, you think not.
The Only One He Ever Feared by jjtaylor
Harry, Peter | none | PG-13 | one-shot
Summary: You've got it all wrong. We're not the bad guys.
Oh this fic fucks with your mind so good it'll leave you reeling halfway through. Twisting canon until it doesn't know which way its head faces anymore.
How To Be Dead by circe_tigana
Harry, Ron, Draco | Ron/Draco | NC17 | one-shot
Summary: Healer Ron attends to wizard patients while Harry fights a war that never ends. Wizards don't die like you and I; not your typical kitchen sink drama.
DO NOT SHY AWAY FROM THE MINOR PAIRING (you'll hardly care when it happens anyway). That will be the biggest mistake if you do because this is the mother of all mindfuck fics (it was also my first one). I got massive braincramps when I first came across this and I read it over and over until my brain was all sloshy and useless.
Thestrals by ztrin
None | none | no rating | one-shot
No Summary by author
This is the perfect fic for its length. Sinister, creepy, and very visceral in descriptions.
A nice cup of tea and a lie down by Bernice
Hagrid, Harry | none | one-shot
No summary by author
Deceiving short piece of fiction here. It leads you to believe that it's just like any other conversation fic when it really isn't. Just read to find out.
but with a whisper by moondanger
Minor Characters | none | no rating | one-shot
Summary: Bleak, jumbled post-apocalypse HP ficlet. A bunch of random drabbles trussed together under a name, really. One by one the last survivors disintegrate.
Eerie atmosphere. You can almost see each person disappearing... Beautiful writing.
Newborn by serialkarma
Harry | Harry/Draco | no rating | one-shot
No Summary by author.
I'm a total sucker for dark!mentally-unbalanced!Harry and this fic was the perfect fix.
Firebrand by cupiscent
Harry, Draco | none | Adult | one-shot
Warnings: (themes, language, references to drugs and violence, the cruelty of humanity, death)
Summary: Ginny dies. Harry delivers her mail.
This is probably the MUST READ of all MUST READS, in my opinion. This is the fic that introduced me to the Voldemort-had-a-friggin-point-muggles-are-bastards theory and I have been faithfully subscribed to it since then. Lovely take on this universe.
and the water runs red by remarked
Draco | Harry/Draco | R | one-shot
Warnings: Angst, blood, character death, insanity, implied abuse at a mental ward, self mutilation.
Summary: the voices inside your head are never quiet and are always talking to you and they tell you things that you don't understand so you decide that you must write them out because maybe when you see them they will finally make sense to you.
Yeow. I was like speechless with awe for a good 10 minutes after I read this little ficlet. Brilliant, crazy, gets under your skin creepy. GO READ. I even shamelessly borrowed its structure for my own short story. It's THAT good.
Evil Be Thou My Good by Ruskbyte
Harry | none | R-NC17 | long-shot (features dark!Harry and Hellraiser/HP crossover)
Summary: Nine years ago Vernon Dursley bought an ancient puzzle box. His nephew managed to open it. The entire Dursley family suffered the consequences. Now, in the midst of Voldemort's second reign of terror, Harry Potter is convinced the only way to defeat the Dark Lord; is to call upon an even greater evil. This decided, Harry begins his plans to recreate the Lament Configuration... and to open it... again.
Okay. This is what I mean when I say that canon is something you can take and make into your own--or what is known as fanfiction (but really it is more than just that). This story is the stuff nightmares and horror films (try Hellraiser) are made of. To describe this fic in such words does not actually do justice to it. Suffice it to say that this is a horror piece with visually disturbing imagery. Compelling, powerful read that at times will make you sick and gag with its brutal images. I haven't read anything else quite like it and I'm still deciding whether I'd want to read another one being that I was so shaken and frightened by what I was reading. There's just this sick perverse morbid fascination to keep on going even when I was already sick to my stomach. Nevertheless, the imagination of this fic is pure genius. GO READ NOW.
Funneh Fics
The Ultimate Harry Potter Cliche Catalogue by Clam Chowder
Most Major Characters | Too many/ridiculous to mention | R | Chaptered (1-11)
WARNING: This fic contains extreme sarcasm and may be offensive to people.
Summary: Ever noticed how some stories have remarkably similar plotlines? Or simply no plot at all? Then this is the story for you my friends. A humorous collection of commonly found stories from each genre, in which I point out the bleeding obvious and CAPITALISE completely RANDOM words! Mmmm... full of parody goodness! Now with 40% more sarcasm!
My stomach probably ached for 24 hours after I read this because I was laughing SO hard. This is a parody of Harry Potter fanfiction genres and if you're familiar with most of them, you'll have no problem getting all the jokes. But that isn't a requirement. Must be taken with a good dose of humor, or else you'll just be grumbling.
Naked Quidditch Match by Anya
Most Major Characters | Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione | PG-13 | Chaptered (1-10)
Warnings: language and content, mostly a few obscenities and some mild sexual innuendo. Read at your own risk.
Summary: A game of magical Truth or Dare leads to some dire consequences for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
If this fic doesn't reduce you to mad laughing fits, I don't know what will. Highly recommended even for fanfic beginners. You will NOT be disappointed. My friend (who is not an HP fan and who never reads fanfics) read this and rec'd it on his journal. This is quite possibly the most hysterical piece of mayhem I've come across.
Squeaky's Crudely Drawn Sticks by Squeaky
All Characters | none | no rating | chaptered
Summary: This is my Crudely Drawn Stick Figure version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Enjoy.
This is why I love old school stick figures. Squeaky's comic strip version of the books is simply hilarious. Now also up is her version of The Chamber of Secrets.
The Chronicles of Lucius by Fyrie
Lucius Malfoy | none | PG-13 | Chaptered (1-15)
Summary:Throughout the CoS period, Lucius Malfoy keeps a dia... er... Chronicle of events.
If Lucius Malfoy writing a diary in Bridget Jones style doesn't make you laugh, well... Don't read if deliberate grammatical errors make you cringe, though.
I Suck at Titles by Jane
Trio | Ron/Hermione | R | one-shot
Warnings: *PARODY ALERT* *NOT INTENDED SERIOUSLY ALERT* *DON’T GET PISSY WITH ME ALERT*
Summary: A parody of the worst of HP Fandom. Not intended seriously. It's funny! I'm funny! Read it. Please.
If you've never read badfic before, you probably won't get it. If you've written badfic before, then that's probably worse.
The Slytherin Kama Sutra by Angie Astravic
Trio, Snape | none | R | one-shot
Summary: Sex education at Hogwarts: After Draco Malfoy has a near-fatal encounter with Dark Magic, Professor McGonagall decides it needs to be taught earlier. Note the R rating. Nothing explicit, but quite a lot is implied.
How can one pass up a fic with a title like that? Just the idea of Snape teaching Sex Ed to teenage wizards is irresistible. Very entertaining read.
Fantastic Beasts: A two-parchment essay for Care of Magical Creatures by SB by Mary Borsellino
Sirius Black | none | PG |one-shot
Summary: Sirius writes a book review, after a fashion.
Well it's like the title says. I don't doubt that Sirius could have been capable of writing this essay. Hurray for the anti-propaganda against werewolves!
The Most Grievous and Lamentable Tragedie of The Death of Lord Voldemort: A Small Play in Three Acts by rowen_r
LV, Harry, Snape, Bellatrix, etc. | none | no rating | one-shot
No Summary by author
Hahahaha! Stating the obvious and death by light lamp. Yis. Sporfling is a must.
Plugs and Outlets by Alphie
Arthur, Ron | Ron/Hermione | no rating | one-shot
Summary: Mr. Weasley has a unique talk with Ron about his developing relationship with Hermione.
Yeah. One of those father/son sex talks. Now we know why Arthur's so damned obsessed with plugs and outlets, eh? Kept me laughing like mad, this one did.
Draco Malfoy, Ruler of the Universe by Maya
Draco Malfoy | Draco/some girls | PG | one-shot
Summary: It's not good news for anyone that Professor Trelawney mumbled during the original prophecy. (It was on account of her chronic drink problem.)
Hah! Fanon!Draco at his narcissistic best. Dear Merlin my sides were aching.
Registration by samvimes
Sirius, Remus | none | PG | one-shot
Summary: When they get roped into waiting to register James' unborn son for Hogwarts, Sirius and Remus have a long day's wait, and a small dilemma -- nobody's picked a name yet. Faturing the Patils, Finnigans, Longbottoms, Malfoys, and one Weasley as supporting cast...
This was the most fun read ever. I wish I'd thought of it myself but the author's pretty much done a great job. Entertaining and hilarious at the best parts.
~0~0~
Ow. My fingers are numb. My taste on what is goodfic is mine and probably differs from yours so. heh.
I'm aware that I'm missing out on a lot of great oneshots out there (like Hijja's Trinity fics) but I'm still making my way through them. I'll be updating this list once in a while.