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I believe in and admire Severus Snape.

Always have.

NOTEWORTHY HP FANFICTIONS:
RECOMMENDED CATEGORIES: GENERAL, SNAPE-CENTRIC, SNAPE/HERMIONE, SNAPE/BLACK, SNAPE/HARRY, SNAPE/LUPIN, HARRY/DRACO.
Under each CATEGORY, stories are listed in order of recommendation.
(Updated 4-25-08)

GENERAL

The Abyss Gazes Also by tangleofthorns
Summary: "You build your own Azkaban, and you let yourself out."
Rating: R
Word Count: 7,840
My comments: A one-shot that literally stole my breath as I read. A psychological character study of the effects of Azkaban from various perspectives but centered on Sirius, told in thirteen segments. Dark and dazzling.

SNAPE-CENTRIC

Silver and Green: A Quartet by Alena_hu
Summary: "For four Slytherin seventh-years, the sarcastic potions master turns out to be not only the best teacher they ever had, but also the most important."
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~4,700
My comments: A post-DH story that I cannot even begin to be coherent over. This piece shattered me, left me in hurting, bawling pieces, writhing in torment and wonder and loving absolutely every moment of it. This was the story that gave me the carthasis I never got from JKR, and I am frankly terrified of approaching this one again until I've learned to breathe again and stocked up on enough kleenex. To any reader who has ever felt the smallest twinge of sympathy for Severus Snape, this is the one fanfiction you must read. Because it is the best sort of tribute to him, the only sort of tribute that does him justice, and he would have wanted nothing less or more than this.

Teatime With Albus by Dien Alcyone
Summary: "Friday afternoon tea between Severus and Albus. I'm rather proud of this one, please read and review!"
Rating: G
Word Count: 2,264
My comments: A unique piece with an incredibly well-portrayed albeit somewhat non-canon Snape and Dumbledore.

Beautiful End by jill the
Summary: "One-shot. Following the final battle, Snape leaves Hogwarts for good. It's a long walk from the castle to the gate."
Rating: K+
Word Count: 642
My comments: Such a heartbreaking message of hope for a character who has had so little of good in his life. A very precious tribute to Severus Snape. Here is another writer I would heartily recommend, especially to those who want a well-written perspective on the darker characters in HP.

SNAPE/HERMIONE

Pawn to Queen by Riley
Summary: "A somewhat Nietzschean twist on Snape/Hermione. The Potions Master and his best student find themselves entering into a partnership that neither of them could have expected, courtesy of Lucius Malfoy. NOTE: chapter 3 updated again: Hermione's now 18."
Rating: M
Word Count: 57,712
My comments: Thought-provoking prose. It's been a while since I've read it, but I remember it being very entertaining once you fall in.

Everything I've Ever Done by duj
Summary: "COMPLETE! There were likely to be enough cross words when they finally met. For seven years of his teaching, Hermione had had nothing but cross words from him... Life was a puzzle sometimes. SSHG, Nominated for 4th Multifaceteds"
Rating: T
Word Count: 49,853
My comments: Honestly, it's so hard to choose my favorite of Duj's stuff; they're all ridiculously clever and wise and lovable - I recommend every last one. Since I'm a sap and (ironically perhaps) a Snape fan, I've settled for this one because it's extra sweet and full of life lessons.

The Last Word by Kalina Lea
Summary: "Hermione is tasked with bringing Muggle computers to the Ministry, and an e-mail glitch leads to a mysterious correspondence. Who will have the last word? COMPLETE"
Rating: K+
Word Count: 17,436
My comments: SSHG of course, as is the trend, and the relationship and personalities are handled very well indeed. Snape is especially squeal-worthy here. An incredibly well-written and solid six-chapter story. Very entertaining. This author's other stuff is also highly recommended.

The Buried Life by Kalina Lea
Summary: "Harry disappears just before the start of his seventh year, and Hermione and Snape work together to find him. COMPLETE"
Rating: M, or mild R
Word Count: 163,511
My comments: Kalina Lea is a fantastic writer, and if only because of the epic proportions of a twenty-seven-chapter story, she reaches new heights here. Some characters took a bit of getting used to on my part, but once the threshold was crossed, there was absolutely nothing that could stop the full beauty of this story unfolding. This is the sort of magnificence that damsels drunk on romance jump off bridges for - and no, that was not intended to be morbid. But if you go read it, you'll understand what I mean.

SNAPE/BLACK

Two words: Fabula Rasa. Absolutely everything by this writer is worth it, even if you never on this green earth believed it remotely possible for these two characters to have any semblance of interaction beyond that of hatred. Which is how I felt, going in, in case you couldn't tell. And all my doubts and prejudices were blown away. Character treatment gets a ten out of ten, plotting and storyline gets an eight, writing gets an eight, relationship development gets a ten, originality gets a ten. I can't for the life of me choose a favorite of hers to recommend because each time I read a new one, I think to myself, "This is it. The crown jewel," and then I go merrily on my way to the next and am utterly devastated anew. I can say, however, that reading "Misericorde" first was a good choice for me, coming to this relationship as a Snarry fan. That one's told primarily from Harry's perspective, and the reader gets the chance to observe an already established Snape/Black relationship as Harry discovers it. There's a solid plot, there's mind-blowing characterization for all three main characters, and there's a very in-depth examination of human impulses versus control. I knew the story was going on this rec list before I'd finished reading, and I very seldom know; it usually takes me a second or third read before I put anything up here. But it was inconceivable to me that this story wouldn't stand up to any later scrutiny. "Repechage," the prequel to this story, I read next and found myself falling hard for this pairing, worst than it was with Snarry. After eight months of Snarry obsession, it took these two stories written by this one author alone to convince me that Snape and Black belong better than Snape and Harry do. Forgive me for taking sides here; I am trying (incoherently) to make a point. Fabula Rasa is worth your while.

Aside from the first two I read, I will now state here as well as I can why each of the following highlighted stories are my favorites: "Cordelictus" (stunning, evocative, and terrifying in its message, this is without question my favorite when it comes to exploring obsessive love and the darker aspects of what western culture tends to romanticize), "Rat's Alley" (an original, sensual, thoroughly addictive tale that dives into the fanon!Snape cliche and hones it into brilliance, my favorite in terms of plot. If you want a good, meaty story, go no further), "Stone Cold Sober" (this is a long and draining tale, 455K of the rawest, most exhausting and painful emotion holding together a story and a plot that twists and turns in the most unexpected of ways. Three times while reading I thought for sure the end was drawing nigh and then realized there was still a long way to go. This one isn't as tight or polished as the others, less perfect in terms of writing or characterization, but my God, this is a must-read nonetheless because here, in this story, you can see the beginnings of a magnificent writer coming into her craft. The potential for all her later masterpieces are saliently present in this one, and for all its imperfections, it will leave you shaking in awe. It's a sequel to the much shorter, crackish "Under the Influence"), and "Eight Times" (I would rave about how well-structured and well-written and well-characterized this is except that that's no different from any of Fabula Rasa's other works. This is my favorite for its piercingly honest exploration of love, the heights to which love can drive two people to, and the depths to which love can drown them in. There are aspects of obsession and desperation of course, but there are equally aspects of maturity and understanding and strength. The ending has me tempted to label this as Fabula Rasa's most dramatized piece, but I'm not at all sure that would be true. This is why choosing a single favorite of hers is impossible: her writing is brilliant, chockfull of sharp insights that build several themes, and all those themes in her various stories are too interwoven to separate. Fabula Rasa is really a born writer.) I admit I haven't yet read "Hermitage," so that could be another favorite for all I know.

Before anyone goes to read, I should warn you that all the stories I've mentioned and most of the ones I haven't warrant a NC-17 rating. There is smut. There is often violence. There is sometimes gore. Oh, and there is, of course, drama and angst. But for all that, I cannot recommend these stories highly enough.

Slowly, But Exceeding Fine by Ellen Fremedon
Summary: "How to kill a dementor, live with a curse, and let go of an old grudge. Part of the Severus Snape Fuh-Q Fest scenario 140: Snape has a personal health problem he wants to keep quiet."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 28,546
My comments: Not my favorite writing style, but it works very well for a plotty story like this one, told from the perspective of someone who has lost twelve recent years of his life to Azkaban. I hesitate to call this one a love story. There is romance however subtle, there is fine characterization, and there is mature exploration of the adults of HP, but this is more than that. This is a war story that yanks readers into the experience of a harsher, grimmer world where winning against Voldemort must take priority over any individual concerns. Dramatize the style just a little, and this would easily become an epic.

Morte O Merce by Cluegirl
Summary: "Sirius Black must go to strange extremes to deal with the damage of living in Azkaban for twelve years. When Severus Snape learns of those extremes, there is some serious explaining to do. Warnings: Domination/submission, Dubious consent, Graphic sex, Slash."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 10,973
My comments: This is a dark, angry, and merciless story. There are moments of tenderness, moments of beauty, which is what really stands out, but it also spits violence in your face, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone not comfortable with D/s or hate!sex. Yes, when it comes down to it, this is a sex story, but it's not sex for the purpose of smut. The author uses sex to unwrap these characters for us, and wow do Snape and Black blossom gloriously dark across the page. I was eating everything I'd ever thought about these two, forced several steps back to reevaluate my interpretations of them, and any story that can do that, through whatever medium, is very worthwhile indeed.

SNAPE/HARRY

Every Time You Leave by Mia Ugly
My inadequate summary: They spend their lives saying "Goodbye" to each other.
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 21,132
My comments: This is unquestionably my favorite Snarry. The angst is glorious, the dialogue and interaction dazzling. The slow, aching tension builds and builds, and the longing that leaks off the page will make your heart bleed. This is what I read Snarry for, at the height of its potential.

The Rain Keeps Falling by Luthien
Summary: "Harry listens to the rain falling on the roof after everything has ended."
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,315
My comments: Anyone who has been around this side of fandom has probably heard of this story already. It's an astounding triumph of angst, strained and raw and oh-so-glorious. The writing has never failed to bring me to tears every time I brace myself to read it.

The Tea Series by Telanu
My inadequate summary: Snape and Harry find themselves irrevocably attracted to each other and embark on an illicit, secret relationship over the course of two years. Somewhere in the midst of this, Harry unwittingly opens a Pandora's box of Dark Magic, unleashing a terror and destruction that surpasses even Voldemort. But for all that, it's a love story.
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Word Count: Pending... It's a seven-book series, incredibly long.
My comments: I cannot praise or worship this story enough. This is one of the first Snarry fics posted online and holds the honor of pulling many fantastic writers, such as Luthien, into the fandom. It's quite an epic, incredibly emotional, thrilling, heartwarming, tense, and everything good one can think of. There's something here for everyone, whether you like Snarry or not, whether you prefer romance or action or angst. It's a solid, well-told story that proves fanfiction can rise to heights canon never reached for.

If You Are Prepared by Cybele
Summary: "A task he can't refuse. A boy he doesn't want to refuse."
Rating: R to NC-17
Word Count: Pending... Three novels.
My comments: Another stunning accomplishment in the Snarry fandom, ranked right alongside the Tea series. It's composed of three novel-length stories, each one better than the one before. Snape's voice is used to great effect and often serves to lighten what would otherwise be unbearably heavy angst. I love Dumbledore's characterization tremendously, and the other character journeys are also given a lot of thought. Careful writing, creative details, and clever turn-of-phrases and quotes - it all builds a beautifully-constructed, deeply emotional story. I would never in a million years call this a pleasant tale of love, but a wonderful work of literature it is.

In Between Days by Atrata
Summary: "AmbiguouslyTrustworthy!Snape kidnaps ClinicallyDepressed!Harry to keep him safe, but nothing is quite what it seems."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 69,028
My comments: Oustanding work. If you've ever read anything by Atrata, even a single paragraph, you'll know she doesn't pull her punches, nor does she waste her words. Everything she writes is worth keeping forever, and this is no exception. The story is magnificent, every inch tightly-written and pulse-scattering and overwhelming, the plot intricately woven, and her Snape characterization is one of the best and most ambiguous I've found. This is a stunningly talented writer at her zenith. Go read. And then read the sequel, "What If Someday," on her LJ.

Slow Convergence by Iteration by Dracofiend
Summary: "Harry struggles with Occlumency, and Snape. He can but try."
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~9,000
My comments: This was written for the 2007 Snarry Holidays on LJ/IJ. I had trouble choosing between this and "It's Better If You Do" / "It's Best If You Don't" (the sequel) to recommend. The writing and the characterizations in both are superb, of a calibre that very few fanfictions reach IMO, but "Slow Convergence by Iteration" is currently more comfortable for me to read than the darker prostitution situation in the "IBIYD" pair. Really though, when it comes to writing of this measure of power, any plotline, any scenario, could be rendered palatable. Much more than merely palatable, Dracofiend's writing is one of the few truly suited to capturing the complexity and ambiguity of Severus Snape. Yet, unlike Atrata's, Dracofiend's Snape is in fact built on a recognizable streak of moral goodness - it just takes much unveiling to recognize it. If nothing else, read this for the incomparably gorgeous Occlumency lesson scenes. And then read everything else Dracofiend's written. :)

Scratch by Aucta Sinistra
My inadequate summary: Snape trains Harry to defeat Voldemort, and Harry begins to place his trust in the man who needs it most.
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 55,474
My comments: I thought I'd found all of the Snarry masterpieces on the 'net, but this one took me by surprise. The basic storyline is unspeakably cliched, but the storytelling itself is unique and the progression of their relationship is masterfully woven. It doesn't take them long to fall in love, but love does not solve all problems and definitely not theirs. This story features my favorite Snape and Harry characterizations to date; both of them are at once dark and complex and sympathetic and inexplicably human. Difficult to find a romance so well-told as this one.

The Holly and the Ivy by Aucta Sinistra
My inadequate summary: Sequel to "Scratch." Absence makes the heart grow desperate, as Snape and Harry learn in their year apart.
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 20,435
My comments: I'm all over this one, love it miles and miles more than "Scratch," really. It wouldn't exist without the former, but it deepens and intensifies the relationship begun in "Scratch," partly because it includes Snape's perspective which "Scratch" didn't include but mostly because the focus turns ever more to characterization. And as I said above, the characters in this author's hand pulse with life and humanity. That one Christmas scene where Snape slams his goblet into the wall after Harry confesses to a tiny shard of infidelity singlehandedly captured my heart. I defy anyone to remain unmoved when Snape then tells Harry to leave, to not waste his life on an old, embittered man. "You don't understand me. I will hurt you, very much on purpose, to drive you away. Because...because if this continues..." He swallowed. "If it goes on for too long, it will destroy me when you leave."

This Thing of Darkness by Aucta Sinistra
My inadequate summary: Sequel to "The Holly and the Ivy." Just when our heroes have a chance at happily-ever-after, enemies from their past shoulder back into their lives and cause...a lot of destruction. (Right, enough Hollywood for me.)
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 28,951
My comments: There's plot in this one, lots of meaty plot and action and intrigue, but good God, the characters still transfix me, as they did in the last installment. The sheer intensity of this story is enough to drown in. Typically, a relationship as described here, throbbing, inescapable, arguably masochistic on both sides, plummeting towards each other without reason or caution - an insane love like that would turn my stomach, no matter the romantic in me. In reality, I could never truly condone such a relationship, I must admit. But in fiction, when it comes to Snarry, the attraction is exactly that pure, unadultered, wanton love that is blind to anything else but its partner. And Aucta Sinistra carries it off with such flair, such talent, it's irresistable.

Hello, Half-Blood Prince by Sinick and Ac1d6urn
Summary: "It's the end of Harry Potter's seventh year. With the aid of the Order of the Phoenix Harry has defeated Voldemort, and the Wizarding World is now free.
Meanwhile, in a Muggle town a snowy owl finds a fugitive from Wizarding Justice. What news does its letter bring?"
My rating: PG
Word Count: Pending... Six parts, thus far.
My comments: This ongoing project is truly one-of-a-kind. It goes beyond the creative, the brilliant, and it gives a whole new definition to romantic comedy. At the risk of sounding juvenile, there are moving pictures!! The two writer-artists responsible for this definitely spent loads of time putting together the bits and pieces of artwork to go along with the story; it looks incredibly authentic. I found myself staring enraptured as a candle flickered across Snape's photo in the newspaper and giggling hysterically over the antics of Harry-in-love. And Harry's love confession letter that Snape marks in red ink is about as adorable as it gets. This is not to be missed for the world.

The Pandora Incident by AbstractConcept
Summary: "When Snape is thrown from his body, he takes refuge in an unlikely place, and it's up to Harry to set things right again. (Snarry, Post-DH)"
Rating: R
Word Count: 12,810
My comments: A Snarry that takes place about twenty years after the last chapter and manages to adhere to canon, even the infamous epilogue. Harry is an older version of his clumsy nitwit self. Snape is classic snark in a very unexpected physical form (but he's alive!). The two of them, placed in this author's hands, are guaranteed to have any reader in stitches the entire way through. Clever, playful, witty, and drop-dead HILARIOUS, this is just the light-hearted romantic romp one needs to recover from DH.

Conduits of Sorcery by Penumbra
Summary: "It's a Triwizard Tournament year and Harry returns to Hogwarts as one of the Tournament organisers. What he had hoped would be a quiet year with old friends turns to something quite different when Lucius Malfoy shows sudden interest in wizarding sports."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 72,000
My comments: I'd been hearing a lot about this story before I tried it out for myself, and still it lived up to every one of my expectations. It's dense and complex and nuanced, chockfull of all good things about fanfiction and writing and life, and there is so much going on beneath the surface you could read it ten times and pick out something different each time. There's an atmosphere of calm, of maturity, and of sophistication here - an adult's take to Hogwarts, and the vocabulary has me checking Dictionary.Com every ten sentences. The characterization of Severus Snape is quite an achievement here: "Harry knew he was talking to a broken man who had been fixed so many times that there were pieces of his soul missing -- some gone forever, others stuck in Pensieves." And while I don't read Snarry for the porn, the sex scenes in here are breathtakingly intense; nothing like it. ;)

Love, Pregnancy and Camel Riding by Klynie1
Summary: "48-year-old Harry Potter is the victim of an accidental immaculate conception. Warnings: DH spoilers, including the epilogue; Mpreg; awkward sex between two middle-aged wizards."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~27,600
My comments: I'm your average high-horsed, snotty reader who thinks of Mpreg fics as highly as I do vampire fics or prostitution fics, which is to say, I keep my hands clear. Mpreg is IMHO a serious, unnatural, if not flat-out disturbing topic, but somehow in this author's hands, it is the foundation for one of the most entertaining stories I've read in the fandom. This is the perfect blend of romance and comedy and fluff and angst and drama and snark and pure fun. Yes, I said perfect because even though nothing is perfect, it surely doesn't get any better than this. Harry is older, more mature with incredible heart, and Snape is less bitter and more content in his hard-won privacy of the post-war era (and somehow alive). Oh, they go at each other's throats of course, but I would, in the end, call this a heartwarming story. It's a tale of giggles and parodies and lots of happy fun.

The Home Fries Nazi by Pir8fancier
Summary: "When Harry defeats Voldemort, the Death Eaters lose their magic. Snape decamps to the United States, where he becomes a fry cook in a diner. Seven years after Voldemort's defeat, Harry comes to him for advice."
Rating: X
Word Count: 27,905
My comments: Believe me, I know this rec list is getting out of control, but this piece is just so worth it. The introductory scenario might seem quirky if not flat-out bizarre at first, but I urge you to take the bite. This is a very well-thought out gem with smart, tight, subtle writing and incredible wisdom. The mind that shaped this story is a formidable one, well acquainted with the circular nature of life's joys and travails. Gritty and sweet, all at once.

Reconciling Lily's Eyes by Persepolis130
Summary: "Had Harry known bonding with his former professor would lead him to three different countries, a hastily-planned wedding and his pants around his ankles in Snape's sitting room, he wouldn't have quit his day job. Or... maybe he would've..."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 52,232 (Yes, I actually C/P-ed the eleven chapters onto Word to calculate. -_-)
My Comments: A riveting writing style, dryly humorous, supported by astonishingly realistic details and some very sneaky, insightful scenes. Very good character development, written subtly, mentally engaging. Not our usual Snarry: Snape is ugly, the sex is gross, deliberately so I think, yet the whole package still manages to be incredibly compelling. Even though I had some trouble at the beginning with characterizations and romantic cliches, I found myself under its spell without any idea how it happened. The story is very good and a refreshing change from the usual brand of Snarry angst I indulge in.

Penance is the Play by Maeglin Yedi
Summary: "Harry wants revenge. Harry has a plan. But is Harry Slytherin enough to avoid his own trap?"
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 66,509
My comments: I whipped through this one during my first Snarry marathon and have never been able to get it out of my head. It took me weeks to track it down again, but the gorgeous scenes and scenarios simply would not leave me be! Much of it is a bit gratuitous and contrived, especially the beginning, but Maeglin takes her time with the plot, and there are such delectable moments sprinkled throughout that shouldn't be missed: Harry's defense lessons, the dark magic scenes, the moment of truth, etc. Delicious and droolworthy.

A Choriambic Progression by Mairead Triste and Aristide
Summary: "Harry learns a lot over the summer. Smut happens. It's all terribly exciting."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 92,171
My comments: The summary really does not do this story justice. Essentially, Snape is cursed and locked up with Harry, who discovers he's the new-age Merlin. Er. It's really a very entertaining and satisfying Snarry, one of the first ones I read that reduced me to a sobbing mass of fangirl goo. Powerful and earth-shattering describes it pretty well.

No Sex, No Galleons by Ziasudra
Summary: "Captured and convicted as a Death Eater, Severus Snape wanted death. Instead, he found himself condemned to a life of prostitution. Post-war. HBP-compliant."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 15,793
My comments: I can't stand prostitution fics, but this one cuts an exception. It pulses with acid bitterness and unbearable suffering, dark and grounded enough to carry off seemingly implausible scenes. Snape's humiliation is handled delicately, and while I shuddered and ached and cried at the horror of a man like him stripped of his dignity, it was done believably. This is a long and angsty story, featuring characters which have grown and deepened and made to suffer the aftermath of a war.

The Challenge by Cybele
Summary: "Seventh Year Mayhem: Severus gets even."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 16,203
My comments: A very creative piece, like everything else Cybele does. Light-hearted and romantic and fun, while the characterizations remain intact. There are two scenes in particular that drove me to rec it here: 1) Snape is kidnapped and Stunned, and Harry spills his secrets, and 2) Harry recites a Shakespeare sonnet to Snape in public. The awkward adolescent tenderness of that second one makes me want to cry.

Dragon-Blind by Thamiris
Summary: "Harry wants Snape to be kinder, but Snape obliges on his own terms. Set during PoA. This story is also available here and it's dedicated to bonibaru."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 4,059
My comments: If memory serves, this is the very first Snarry I ever read, August of 2007. It's labeled as "PWP, dark, dirty, and dubiously consensual," and oh is it ever. Snarry-on-a-platter, throbbing with hatred and anger and lust, the intensity is overwhelming. My own tastes tend to run on a different vein, but something must be said for the gripping, explosive tension that has since then thrown me headlong into this pairing.

Interpretations by Solvent90
My inadequate summary: Harry falls in love with the Half-Blood Prince only to discover there's more to the man than words scribbled into a book.
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 5,165
My comments: Uh, at least it's a summary? This is haunting and romantic and a very plausible rendition of this unlikely pairing.

The J. Alfred Prufrock Arc by Vain
Summary: "Verses 9: 18 posted. Caught in the midsts of war, conspiracies, and their own inalterable fates, Severus and Harry begin a relationship . . . whether they want to or not."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 149,495
My comments: The writing could be improved, I think, but the storytelling and presentation of events and characters is truly extraordinary. This is a story that evokes the strongest emotions, and I found myself nearly leaping off my seat many a time. The concepts introduced are chew-able and mull-able and probed very thoroughly. A wonderful, well-pieced together tale. A WIP.

Cambiare Podentes: Invocare by Jordan Grant
Summary: "Great power demands great sacrifice. But how will Harry manage to sacrifice all himself, in irrevocable slavery, to Severus Snape?"
Rating: NC-17, or X
Word Count: Pending... Um, it's long.
My comments: This is a long, weighty ride but worth every second you spend reading and then some. I like slavery fics about as much as I like prostitution fics, but again, this is of the highest calibre and explores the boundaries and meanings of lifelong servitude. Nothing cheap or contrived here. Jordan Grant takes her time to weave a touching, exciting story and develop her characters. It is magical and epic and a delicious, meaty read.

Cambiare Podentes: Madurare by Jordan Grant
Summary: "Sequel to Invocare: Now that Harry has been bound in slavery, how will he and Severus mature the spell to full completion? And how will they deal with the consequences of irrevocable enslavement?"
Rating: NC-17, or X
Word Count: Pending... Equally long.
My comments: N/A as of now. I've yet to finish.

Not Quite the Shilling by Annie D
Summary: "Harry's a teacher. It's mostly boring, but he likes it that way. Snape likes it that way, too."
Rating: R
Word Count: 22,814
My Comments: Calm, mature, and realistic with humor fluffing up the suffering of life and romance tinkering at the edges, this is a well-rounded, well-presented account amidst the painful Snarry clichés. The writing makes no pretenses and is very readable, and the plot sometimes has its quirks, but it is the characterization and the development of that characterization that holds me spellbound here. Sneaky authoress at work here, ever so subtly mending a Harry broken by innumerable responsibilities and heavy expectations and weaving a Snape who blooms across the page with all his insidious, resentful, vitriolic nature. There is not one single instant of capslocked!Harry here, and yet he enchants me as few Snarry temper tantrums have. And I dare anyone to tell me there isn't jaw-dropping character development when Snape holds one very civilized conversation with Neville of his own accord. If you're looking for pulse-scattering, look elsewhere. If you're looking for warm, hearty, and uplifting with just that tinge of quirk, it's a click away.

Solvo by Switchknife
Summary: "Written for the Death Challenge. 'One day, Snape doesn't come to teach them classes.' Snape/Harry if you squint; Harry/Ginny if you don't. Warnings: Semi-explicit sexual content, character death and references to violence."
Rating: R
Word Count: 2,243
My Comments: This is not my typical rec, and I debated for a while whether to add this to the list, but Switchknife's writing finally tipped me over the edge. Her power of description and ability to channel emotion is nothing short of astounding, and I would encourage anyone not averse to reading about dark (often sexually explicit) situations to head over to her website and sample any of her one-shots. This one in particular rends me into pieces, gaping and crying and hurting and blown away. In another universe, it would be a very accurate scenario, true to Snape's character. I wouldn't recommend it for newcomers to Snarry however; it does not explore the development of their relationship so much as their characters.

SNAPE/LUPIN

The Blue Door by Snegurochka Lee
Summary: "There is no situation, no opportunity, no sudden, aching desire that a werewolf can't control. Any man who says otherwise is just a man looking for an excuse."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~37,200
My comments: This is one of those masterpieces that I would just tell you to go read and sample for yourself because it's an accomplishment of the highest nature and I cannot imagine anyone not falling under its spell. Truly, I dare to say this is one of the best fanfictions the HP fandom has turned out, dense and captivating and heartbreaking. It's an adultery story, a tale of infidelity and scarred love, but it's also so much more than that. It unveils one of the strongest relationships I've ever seen written; its writing and narrative is superb and clever; and its characterization of Snape is unrivalled. It deals with adult themes and it's not your typically pleasant read, but this would be the first fanfiction I recommend. Also, this author? Easily one of my favorites in the entire fandom. Read anything of hers anywhere you see it. My latest favorte of hers: "The Rose Petal" (NC-17 for non-con and captivity)

Midnight in the Owlery by The Treacle Tart
Summary: "On a sleepless night, Remus Lupin finds himself alone in the Hogwarts Owlery. He scribbles a note on a spare bit of parchment and sends it out into the dark night. What happens when someone answers? RemusSeverus"
Rating: T
Word Count: 9,071
My comments: Beautiful and romantic and believable. A gem for the sap-at-heart. ;) All of this author's one-shots should be given a look or two or fifty.

Worse Things by Mia Ugly
My inadequate summary: In the shadows of war and treachery, they alone know and have memorized each other. Delicious introspection.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 4,270
My comments: Anything written by Mia Ugly should be read, simply for the intensity of emotion. Her style is stunningly evocative, and when she makes up her mind to write a pairing, she weaves a story of such unforgettable human beauty, she makes you fall in love as well. This one is a painfully tender love story and a delicate character study all at once.

HARRY/DRACO

Irresistable Poison by Rhysenn
Summary: "Harry Potter slash. Under the influence of a love potion, Draco learns that poison doesn't always bring death -- there areother ways to suffer and live. Chemical emotion runs feverish as Harry and Draco discover the intoxication of love."
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 121,360
My comments: An intense, captivating story; simply unmatched, to be read over and over again.

The Reader by Aja
Summary: "Death. War. Love. Poetry."
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 11,495
My comments: What is most remarkable about this one is the atmosphere, IMO. There's tension and anticipation and exhaustion and just that tiny sliver of hope. Under the oppressive air of a war era, Draco Malfoy emerges as an unlikely channel for human hope. Very inspirational and deeply moving.

OTHER REC LISTS:

Luthien's Recs and Raves (Very intelligent raving over some marvelous fics in the HP fandom, mostly Snape-centric.)
Beth-H's Recs (Quite an extensive list of HP recs, including gen, het, and slash. Not much commentary, but all the stories on that list are worth a look or two.)
Switchknife's Slash Recommendations (A huge collection of Harry/Draco and Snape/Harry stories, amongst others.)
Eriador117's Snarry Completed Novel/Novellas List (Amazingly comprehensive list of lengthy Snarrys.)
Amanuensis's Fanfiction Recommendations (Though primarily dark, often sexually explicit and controversial, these are HP fics of sterling quality indeed. But do heed the warnings.)
Angela's Slash Recommendations (Well-organized HP rec list of manageable length with some commentary. Multiple pairings.)
The Severus Snape Fuh-Q Fest (I think this one speaks for itself, doesn't it?)
The Snarry Reader on LiveJournal (THE place to go for Snape/Harry.)

More on my Favorites list. :)

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