Hi all! I'm Hannah and I'm from England. I only really write Fairy Tail fics now, although I mostly read Harry Potter ones, because it's hard to find Fairy Tail fics in the style I like (and comparatively easy to find HP ones).

I will read any pairing and any premise - in fact, the weirder the better! I really enjoy fics which throw light onto minor characters or approach the main ones in a different way, or fics which tweak something and let the changes propagate over time. I really like long ones that I can get invested in and am always on the lookout for something new to read, so please do send me recommendations!

I've put some personal recommendations (for Harry Potter; I will add some FT ones when I get the chance) below, beneath a summary of my fics. People who read a lot of fanfiction, and have been involved in this murky online world for a while, won't find anything there they've not already heard of, but if anyone's just starting out and might otherwise have missed some of the famous long stories that ended a few years ago, I've grouped the best ones (in my opinion) here!

I do not currently have any ongoing stories. Check back soon!

My Long Fairy Tail Stories:

The Scars That Make You Whole (Complete) (Lucy/Zeref pairing)

This is an alternative take on the Avatar (and later, Alvarez) arcs of Fairy Tail, which diverges after the one-year timeskip. Instead of going off on a quest with Natsu, Lucy is hired by Zeref to help him reunite Fairy Tail for nebulous purposes. Things only spiral from there. It is an alternate ending for the entire series which took me two and a half years to write (and another two to edit and post).

Highlights from the first arc: Lucy embarks on her epic quest (to drink six cups of tea in one morning without bursting), the truth about what Cana was doing during the timeskip is revealed (hint: it involves whisky), and the battle to save Lamia Scale begins (including such serious showdowns as Motorbike v. Bluenote Stinger, and Sherria v. A Tornado Full Of Wolves).

Highlights from the second arc: Lucy attempts to flirt her way into a heavily fortified tower (goes about as well as you'd think), Sabertooth wage war against the concept of food (goes about as well as you'd think), Invel tries really hard to get his emperor to stop gallivanting around Fiore and come back to work (goes about as well as you'd think), and Zeref tries his hand at psychoanalysis (goes... actually, he's pretty good at it, but he probably should have asked Lucy's permission first).

Highlights from the third arc: Avatar, Crime Sorciere, Sabertooth, and the Rune Knights have a four-way standoff in a diner (with Lucy caught in the middle, as usual), Lucy and Zeref finally start to bond (over their shared love of talking obliquely about Natsu), and Zeref comes face to face with the most terrifying thing he's encountered in four hundred years: his fan club.

Highlights from the fourth arc: Lucy has a run-in with the most successful host in Blue Pegasus (spoilers: it's Laxus), the Natsu Dragneel School of Making Friends gains a new disciple (spoilers: it's Lucy), and Javert - I mean, Gajeel - takes on Fairy Tail's biggest troublemaker in the name of The Law (and The Law is not mocked!).

Highlights from the fifth arc: Arlock gets this show on the road, Gajeel gets to be a responsible Rune Knight, Natsu gets to destroy a mansion, Levy gets a new best friend, Zeref's book obsession gets a facilitator, and Lucy gets dragged along on the worst shopping trip EVER.

Highlights from the sixth arc: the mafia (no, really), a spate of grisly murder-suicides sweeping the city (no, really), a showdown in a possessed junkyard (no, really), Batman (no, really), and in case you thought this was getting a bit far from the source material, Invel and Cana go drinking together (no, really!).

Highlights from the seventh arc: Invel takes offence at Jellal's attitude towards Council Tax, cursed swords prove surprisingly easy to misplace, a long-awaited reunion happens at exactly the wrong time... and it's generally not a good time to be Zeref.

Highlights from the eighth arc: an emotionally challenged genius of magic, a scholar way ahead of her time, a dragon determined to be a hero of justice, a greedy king, an out-of-control Dragon Slayer, a foster home run by dragons, and a whole load of calculus... what could possibly go wrong?

Highlights from the ninth arc: Levy recruits Zeref to help with her project (uh oh...), Invel faces his most difficult task yet as Alvarez's Chief of Staff (preventing his emperor's love life from causing international war), and things actually start looking up for Zeref (no, really, I stop tormenting him for like two whole chapters!).

Highlights from the tenth arc: Emperor Spriggan shows his hand, Rogue bonds with the villain who once saved his life, Jellal discovers why it's generally a good idea to be on Zeref's side, Ajeel proves that he's a hero, August shows how dangerous his magic can really be, Zeref finally gets to be a total badass, and Invel discovers there is no day so bad that Emperor Spriggan can't make it worse. Oh, and the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse might show up once or twice...

Highlights from the eleventh arc: Princess Hisui makes a surprising career move into relationship counselling, Fairy Tail elects a new Guild Master, and all of Vistarion collectively wishes that, if their emperor HAD to break up with someone in dramatic fashion, he hadn't picked a member of the world's most destructive guild...

Highlights from the twelfth arc: the Dark Knight flies again, Natsu and Gray have an emo-off to determine who has had it worse in this story, Gildarts picks the worst time and place to confront his daughter's boyfriend, Brandish can't be bothered with this stupid war, and the kidnapped Dragon Slayers go on an adventure that makes the rest of this arc actually seem sane by comparison.

Highlights from the thirteenth arc: all of space is here, all of time is now, and as the Fire Dragon King and the last of the Heartfilia line come into their powers, one era ends and a new dawn begins.

Highlights from the final arc: Natsu makes up with his best friend, Gajeel wears a suit, Levy rewrites history, Cana somehow doesn't get arrested for kidnap, Jason finally catches up with his wayward reporter, Lucy chooses her future (and the future of the entire world in the process), and I both have my cake and eat it, because after 750,000 words, I think I've earned two cakes.

Kidnapping Erza (Complete) (Jellal/Erza pairing)

This story depicts an alternate timeline where the Tower of Heaven arc never happened - bad weather caused Erza and the gang to cancel their trip to Akane Resort, meaning Erza was never kidnapped and brought to the Tower. Jellal decides he's going to go and kidnap Erza himself... something which he quickly finds is easier said than done. Expect Jellal being evil in a comically over the top way, Erza being totally clueless when it comes to romance, many many misunderstandings, and pretty much every anime romance cliché ever. Yes, I had a lot of fun writing this, why do you ask?

Maiden of the Sky, Master of the Tower (Complete)

This is a prequel centred on Jellal and Wendy, beginning four years before canon when Jellal, on the run from the Council, meets eight-year-old Wendy, who is still hurting from the disappearance of the Jellal who saved her. Thus begins the story of how Jellal infiltrates the Council and executes the Tower of Heaven plot - all with an adorably innocent Dragon Slayer in tow. Expect Wendy being the sweetest thing, Jellal being an evil badass, and me doing my absolute best to somehow reconcile this story with canon before it culminates in the Tower of Heaven arc.

Rise Up Once More (Complete)

This is my first Fairy Tail fic, and also my first attempt at writing a long, regularly updated story. It is a body-swap story which follows on from the filler episode "Changeling", addressing the Phantom Lord, Tower of Heaven and Battle of Fairy Tail arcs while Fairy Tail attempts to survive, undo the Changeling curse, and make Fairy Tail once more the most powerful guild in all of Fiore. Expect a mix of comedy and seriousness, epic battles and long heartfelt speeches, and lots and lots of Laxus. Because he's so freaking cool.

My Short Fairy Tail Stories (and oneshots):

Homeward Hours (Complete) (Lucy/Natsu pairing)

This is a post-canon (ignoring 100YQ) exploration of a world where Zeref survives the Alvarez War and is taken into custody by the Magic Council. Lucy's search for closure in respect of the war's unanswered questions leads her to reach out to her fallen enemy, beginning the lengthy, difficult, and decidedly non-linear process of befriending the still-very-much-cursed Black Mage. Expect Zeref making some friends (usually against his will), an extremely messy and challenging relationship between Zeref and Natsu, and a fair amount of tragedy as Zeref comes to terms with living as an immortal with a mortal family. But occasionally there's a lighter moment, I swear!

[Yes, in my internal categorisation system, this fic falls into the 'short' category.]

Time for a Change (Complete)

This four-part story was inspired by the bit in the Grand Magic Games arc where they genuinely consider going back in time to kill Zeref before he becomes immortal... and it ended up as a Zeref & Natsu family fic. Lucy and Yukino are sent back in time per the plan. Yukino is determined to stop Zeref, whatever the cost. Lucy is determined to stop Yukino from destroying her soul, and/or the space-time continuum. Eight-year-old Zeref doesn't really care what they do, as long as he gets the credit for inventing time travel. Expect Zeref being adorable, Zeref being a badass, Zeref being an insufferable child prodigy, and Zeref being a lonely, conflicted victim of despair. Yes, there is twice as much Zeref in this story as everyone else. Literally.

State of Independence (Complete) (Zeref/Mavis pairing)

I wanted to write a story in which August tells Zeref the truth about who he is. This is the result. It begins in an alternate timeline where Alvarez wins the war, only to find that Fairy Tail have hidden Fairy Heart beyond Zeref's reach. Unable to defeat the rampaging Acnologia, Zeref becomes more and more desperate, and more and more insane, until August can no longer turn a blind eye to the state of the world... setting in motion a chain of events that will take August to his mother's side and beyond. Expect Erza being a mature Guild Master, me writing more Zervis than I've ever wanted to read, and August actually getting a resolution to his storyline.

It Was Like A Little Light (Complete)

Ever wanted to read a story about Zeref and Gildarts? No? Oh well, I wrote one anyway. This short story offers a backstory for Gildarts, portraying him as a child with a great and terrible power that he can't control. His magic destroys everything he touches - be it object or person - and after it causes an accident that kills his parents, Makarov sends him to Tenrou Island, where there's no one around that he can hurt. It's there that he meets the one person in the world who can possibly understand what he's going through. Expect a super-cute young Gildarts befriending lots of animals, flashes of weirdly dark backstory, and Zeref actually being a responsible adult.

He Who Walks Behind The Light (Oneshot)

This is a non-canon (but not a million miles away) Rogue origin story. I've always been irritated by the fact that Sting and Rogue are set up as equals, partners, the Twin Dragons, but then Sting gets all the attention. He's the one who stands up to Jiemma, becomes Guild Master, remains undefeated during the Grand Magic Games, acquires his Dual Mode and defeats Larcade... whereas the only thing that Rogue has independently of Sting is Future Rogue. And not only is Future Rogue not actually him, but *not* becoming Future Rogue doesn't involve any agency on Rogue's part - it's all dealt with by Natsu defeating his future self and taking steps to save Frosch. And what happens when I think a character isn't being treated fairly by canon? I torment them more!

Apophis (Oneshot) (Jellal/Erza pairing)

Erza vs. Irene but with actual physics. And symbolism. And character development. And also way more Jerza than I was anticipating when I sat down to write it.

In the Dust of the Killing Ground (Oneshot)

In short, this story is all of canon from Makarov's point of view in around 6,000 words. I've never really written him before, except as a supporting character to force Laxus's development or to get the plot moving, and I wanted the chance to get into his head and draw out some of the character development that's just about there in canon if you squint.

Stray Child (Oneshot)

Zeref and Igneel in a mediation centre, arguing over who should have custody of Natsu. Probably the most fun I have ever had writing fanfiction. Also, it's genuinely canon-compliant!

Across the Line of Light (Oneshot) (Jellal/Levy pairing)

I absolutely adore this pairing, and no, I don't care that they never even have a conversation in canon. It's totally a legit pairing! This oneshot is set during the ball at the end of the Grand Magic Games, when Levy finds that the reality of the ball isn't quite as romantic as she was expecting, and discovers an unlikely companion in the moonlit gardens, who might also be trying to run away.

My Recommendations - Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Less Wrong [Complete]

I can't physically do fanfic recommendations without mentioning this one. It's very well-known, and many people have many different opinions on it, but my opinion is this: this is categorically the best piece of fanfiction I have ever read. It is hilarious, ingenious, creative, and contains some of the most fascinating characters I have ever encountered. The quality of writing, character development, and wit is simply incredible, and this is quite possibly my favourite story ever, fanfic or published novel. It takes a while to find itself, but once it does, it is truly fantastic.

Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin by The Sinister Man [Ongoing - updates with long chapters about once a month]

This is another long one - currently 1.2M words and only on canon Year 4. Like its Slytherin namesake, PoS is, in a word, ambitious. The scale of the plots, the worlds, the backstories, the thought that has gone into it - it's almost unmatched. It's tense, exciting, clever, and takes the time to build up character relationships without ever seeming slow, because there is so much going on at any one moment. Because of the complexity, it's difficult to sum up exactly what it's about, so I'll just say that I can't recommend this highly enough and leave it at that.

The Pureblood Pretense (and its sequels) by murkybluematter [Ongoing - updates rarely but with long chapters]

This series (book 5, The Malignant Masquerade, has just started) is an AU inspired by the Alanna the Lioness books, but it isn't a crossover and requires no knowledge of the Lioness series to read. What it does is take some themes from the Lioness series and use them as a springboard to create the most incredibly detailed, imaginative alternate Harry Potter universe I have ever encountered. It has fantastic characters, an unparalleled AU world (very different from the original, yet very clearly rooted in Harry Potter lore), and great, inspiring storytelling. Again, because it's so original, it's impossible to describe here, so go and get into it! It updates very slowly, but each update is usually 30-40k words, and they're always well worth the wait.

Retired Prometheus by limeta [Completed on AO3 only]

This is a very different AU in which Voldemort went into hiding after failing to kill Harry as a baby and is now living in Montenegro as a fake American researcher, who has just taken on post-Hogwarts Hermione as his apprentice in a mentoring scheme. This is an accurate summary of the fic's premise. It is also woefully inadequate to describe the hilarious and utterly unpredictable rollercoaster ride that this fic is. And yet amongst all the comedy (cue Snape's parents, Walburga Black, and Grindelwald trapped in a car hanging off the edge of a cliff...) there's a fantastic and highly original story about Voldemort's rise to power and his relationship with one Abraxas Malfoy. You'll either love this fic or you'll hate it, and I was a definite love.

The Many Deaths of Harry Potter by ShayneT [Complete]

This is a time loop story in which Harry discovers that he has the power to live, die and repeat. However, the world in which he's looping isn't the world of the books - Voldemort is pragmatic, vicious, and highly intelligent, and the world Harry has to survive is correspondingly far more dangerous. The story is intense, dark, and one of the most gripping things I have ever read. If you're looking for a serious and exciting read, I would highly recommend this one.

Innocent (and sequels) by MarauderLover7 [Ongoing - updates every other week or so]

There are a lot of good godfather-Sirius stories out there, and I could have mentioned a few I've enjoyed, but I decided to put this one on here mostly because of the first book in the series - which is just shy of 500k and set entirely before canon. The entire focus is therefore on clearing Sirius's name and developing his relationships with Harry, Remus etc rather than trying to run canon at the same time. It's very enjoyable, and a good, solid read if you're looking for a Sirius-centric fic. The sequels are still enjoyable, but they run very closely alongside canon, so can be a bit uninteresting at times, especially since the overall pace is slow. However, I would still recommend them (though not as much as some of the masterpieces on this list).

A Marauder's Plan by CatsAreCool [Complete]

This is one of the most famous godfather-Sirius stories, picking up from the end of Prisoner of Azkaban and being set entirely during Goblet of Fire. It's a very thorough exploration of a world in which Sirius fights to clear his name and be there for Harry, which wraps up the entire rest of canon within 4th year, culminating in a great showdown against Voldemort. It takes the time to develop the politics of the world and build up the character relationships, but as a result, it can be quite slow in places. Overall, it's a great read, although (at nearly 900k words) not for the faint-hearted.

The Debt of Time by ShayaLonnie [Complete]

Another very well-known fic, but another one I really enjoyed, and the only convincing Hermione/Sirius pairing I have ever read. If, like me, you were a bit put off by the opening few chapters - don't be. The story doesn't really get going until the middle (and by far the longest) section, in which Hermione is sent back in time to the Marauders' first year of Hogwarts. The majority of the fic tells the story of the Marauders' (plus Hermione's) school years, and is done very, very well indeed. Incredible romance, and Hermione's development from her canon character to one who is incredibly well-suited to be paired with Sirius is unmatched.

The Cactus and the Toad by mirrormarie [Complete]

This is a Snape-centric story in which he survives the events of canon, and tries to find meaning in life after the war with the unexpected help of Neville. It's fairly short (relative to the other stories on this list, anyway) but an incredibly convincing depiction of Snape starting to open up after Voldemort's defeat and even make a few friends. There's also a sequel, The Gates of Azkaban, which is so different that it barely counts as a sequel (and it is designed to stand alone), but is worth reading in its own right for its alternate-timeline take on the first war.

The Age of Lies (and other assorted stories) by The Divine Comedian [Multiple stories, all oneshots or complete]

The Divine Comedian writes incredible, melancholic oneshots and short stories about the Marauders, some set in the past and some set in the present. The writing quality is exceptional, and the creativity is truly remarkable. Special shout-out for the portrayal of Peter Pettigrew, who isn't depicted as merely a coward who made a mistake, but a dangerous, convincing, and truly twisted villain. My personal favourite is 'The Age of Lies', which is a snapshot from the end of the war told in four parts, one for each of the four Marauders, but I also want to give a shout-out to 'Calibration', in which Remus prepares for his third-year boggart lesson, and 'How to be happy' which... no, just go and read it, but bring your tissues. Also, 'Blackpool', the author's longest story, about growing up in Grimmauld Place, is an absolute masterpiece.

Albus and Harry's World Trip by ZebJeb [ongoing, updates rarely]

This is a brilliant and hilarious story in which Albus is fired at the end of Chamber of Secrets, and Harry expelled... so Albus becomes Harry's private tutor, and they go travelling together, exploring the magic of different countries. It's clever and well-thought-out, but the selling point of this story for me is the way it takes all the standard Evil!Dumbledore tropes and turns them on their head - having an immense amount of fun in the process. If you're tired of Evil!Dumbledore (or just the repetitive themes in HP fanfics in general), definitely give this one a read.

Parallel Journey by InkVirus [complete]

Don't let the bland title fool you - this is one of the most exciting fics I've read on here. It's very AU (literally - the story starts with Harry being flung into a parallel world, featuring alternate versions of all the canon characters) but if you're after something different, this is the fic for you. A powerful and badass Harry teams up with an even more powerful and badass Tom Riddle to protect Britain from a dangerous, cunning, and always-one-step-ahead European empire led by Grindelwald. It has probably the best action sequences I've ever read in a HP fic, and although it sometimes doesn't seem to know where it's going, there is never a dull moment.

Weeping Angel by Impossibleleaf [ongoing, updates rarely]

This is possibly my favourite time travel HP fic I've ever read. During the Department of Mysteries, Harry is flung back through time... to 1896. He knows nothing about this time period, none of his future knowledge will be useful for at least another 50 years, and he has no wise mentor to turn to as Albus Dumbledore is in the same school year as him. To make things even better, because Harry has travelled back from fifth year, he knows nothing about Dumbledore's backstory or secrets, which are woven subtly into the plot. It's very original, absolutely hilarious, and features a fantastically creative cast of characters, from teenage Albus and Aberforth to Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black and a host of excellent OCs. I honestly can't recommend this one enough.

Lily and the Art of Being Sisyphus (and spin-offs) by The Carnivorous Muffin [ongoing, updates rarely, now on AO3 only]

The Lily-verse is very famous, and I was in two minds about listing it as a recommendation, until I took a step back and realized I had not only read the whole thing, but every single spin-off, and was fully immersed in the universe. It's very AU and features a fem!Harry who, as the incarnation of death, is immortal and basically omnipotent (though far from omniscient), who has a complex relationship with Wizard Lenin, the name she gives the horcrux in her head. On one hand, it's completely unique and extremely well-written. On the other, after the incredible first few chapters, it then took about another fifty chapters for me to really start loving it again. The fact that the protagonist can solve every problem with little effort (including but not limited to erasing the memories of other characters when something doesn't go her way) makes the early chapters a struggle, even with Death and Wizard Lenin (two of the greatest characters ever written imo) there to carry the story. However, Lily *does* start to lose, and her failures *do* start to have consequences - it was just a bit of a challenge for me to get that far into the story. But on balance, it was definitely worth it in the end. As well as the main story, there are a bazillion spin-offs - a quick shout out to Bright Eyes, which I enjoyed way more than the main story (but won't make any sense without it), and Wearing The Faces Of Men, a bizarre (but hilarious, and progressively deep) crossover with Pokemon.

A Mentor's Burden by Naidhe [seems to be on hiatus, but a collection of unconnected scenes anyway]

Despite being short and unfinished, this one gets a shout out for being the best premise I've stumbled across in ages. Young Tom Riddle sees Dumbledore set his wardrobe on fire at the orphanage and thinks it's the coolest thing he's ever seen. Cue him becoming Dumbledore's #1 fanboy while also still being mildly psychopathic and impressively in character. It's a great little comedy.

And that's about it from me! Thanks for reading! ~CS