Fandom Stuff

[paraka]

You know, I think it's a sign that you're spending too much time online, when you start dreaming about fandom.

Last night I had a dream, that someone on my flist asked for a volunteer to give Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki a drive to bzzinglikeneon's house in Connecticut.
There are so many things wrong with that statement. First of all, I'm hardly in the SPN fandom, two, I can't ever remember bzzinglikeneon ever mentioning SPN on her journal, although she might have, and three she doesn't even *live* in Connecticut! Also why would Jared and Jensen need rides from random strangers. My dream was long and complicated, and I spent most of it lost in Connecticut, but running across places in Ottawa, and never once did Jared or Jensen actually make an aperance. My mind is a weird and scary place sometimes.

No for some thoughts on HP fanfic.
So, I've gone into a bit of a Snarry reading kick. I'm not really into the HP fandom for quite a few reasons, but I often find myself drawn back to read the occasional Snarry fic. As I've been reading them this time around, it got me thinking about the reasons why I don't obsess about this fandom as I do others.

I don't know why I chose and stuck with Snape/Harry when there are so many different pairings possible in the fandom, but I did choose it, and I honestly don't want to read any other pairing, but I don't think I've been completely sold on the pairing either. I often read fics and feel that there isn't enough of a build up as to why they end up together. And Snape is so often emotionally distant. I'll often read him as being with Harry because he's surprised that *anyone* would want him and isn't about to turn down sex. Or other times Snape is with Harry because he's after power, or he takes pleasure over the fact that he knows Harry's father/Godfather wouldn't approve.

Another thing that really gets me, about Snarry fics is that, especially if Harry is still in school, Harry separates from his friends. Like, it all becomes about Snape and Harry, and Harry spends all of his time in the dungeons. Hell, half the time he seems to become best friends with Draco. It kind of gets me that people change canon way more than necessary.

I don't know, I know there are stories out there that don't do that, but I think I managed to read most of them in the few months I was immersed in the fandom. Now I just wander in, read enough to remember why I'm not really in the fandom, and then go back to SGA.

Comments

[keewick.livejournal.com]

Well, I haven't read these in awhile so I'm not certain they don't fall into some of the categories you listed above, but here are a few Snarry fics I remember liking quite a lot when I first read them. I'll skip past The Tea Series and the If You Are Prepared series though as I'm sure you've already checked both out for better or worse.

The Fourth Year (http://archive.skyehawke.com/story.php?no=11420&chapter=1&font=&size=)

Mobius (http://community.livejournal.com/snape_potter/969969.html)

A Choriambic Progression (http://inkstain.inkquill.com/isf/archive/21/achoriambic.html)

Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails (http://community.livejournal.com/hp_pg/5439.html)

Family Night (http://annezo.net/fiction/Family.html) and its sequel The Morning After (http://annezo.net/fiction/Morning.html)
And Tell Me Who Is Victor (http://switchknife.livejournal.com/124636.html)

Sunrises (http://www.geocities.com/juliatheyounger/1-10.htm) and its sequel Happily Ever After (http://community.livejournal.com/snape_potter/682473.html)

And A Taste of Liberty (http://lamardeuse.dreamhost.com/hp/tasteofliberty.html) which is the only qaf/hp crossover I've yet to stumble across.

I also wanted to pimp a HP series that totally blew me away, even though it fits none of your criteria. It's called the Sacrifices Series (http://lightning.ffstories.net/browse.php?type=categories&id=2) and it's based on a cracky premise (Harry has a twin brother who's really The Boy Who Lived, Lily and James both survived to raise Harry and his brother but are pretty darn twisted by their beliefs concerning good vs evil and what role sacrifices must play to insure good wins out, Dumbledore is sketchy as well - although, I think what we learned about Albus in the final part of canon actually allows for this kind of characterization to be a bit more believable - Harry's sorted into Slytherin and is befriended by Draco and eventually mentored by Snape, -- I told you, CRACKY!!!!), but after the first book (there are seven in all just like Rowling's), the universe really starts to take on a life of its own and I found myself appreciating the sheer scope of it all immensely.

For instance, we get a look at the world beyond Britain, at the Lords and Ladies and governments around the world that affect and are affected by the whole Voldemort situation, we get a look at the history of the magical world and realize that there's more to it than merely witch/wizard affairs, the magical creatures get to come forward and hold one of, if not *the* most important place in this series, especially once Harry's role as vates starts being explored.

On a smaller scale, we also get to meet members of the other houses. I generally dislike Slytherin!Harry fic because if focuses so heavily on Slytherin (the backlash no doubt from peeved readers who were tired of how Gryffindor-centric canon is) and dismisses the other houses and families as easily as canon does. This fic lets us actually meet and get to care about Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, and by Book 7, you can honestly believe that the four houses have honest to god united and that they're stronger for it.

As an aside, I also found this to be one of the few fics I've read that dealt with the effects of emotional abuse in a realistic enough manner that I didn't find myself totally offended in the process. It's painful to read at times, but I really appreciated that the writer never took the easy way out.

Ship-wise, it features Harry/Draco, although not 'til Book 4, and I think it isn't until Book 5 that their relationship really starts to take off. Snape is very much Harry's dad when all is said and done, but nevertheless, I found myself loving their dynamic a lot in this fic, shipper heart aside.

Anyway, I know you made it pretty clear you didn't want to read non-hpss fic, but you're one of the few HP fans I have left on my flist, and I was just so excited about this series that I had to share it with someone. If you don't want to check it out or start it and find it too jarring, I'll totally understand.

[paraka]

Thanks for these, a couple sound familiar, but I'll definitely check them out.

I generally dislike Slytherin!Harry fic because if focuses so heavily on Slytherin (the backlash no doubt from peeved readers who were tired of how Gryffindor-centric canon is)
OMG yes! I went back and started reading the books from the beginning for book 7, but I'm having a lot of trouble getting through them (still haven't read book 7) since, certainly in the beginning, things are too black and white. The only character that toes the line is Snape. Slytherins are given the bad rap, and Gryiffindor is all that is good and pure. J.K. mixes that up in the later books, but the earlier ones are just so... Well you can tell they were written for children.

Anyway, I know you made it pretty clear you didn't want to read non-hpss fic, but you're one of the few HP fans I have left on my flist, and I was just so excited about this series that I had to share it with someone.
:) I know that feeling. I know I don't have all that many SGA people on my flist, and when an old friend recently joined the fandom, I was throwing fic at her. I'll take a look at it, but, more so than the non HPSS aspect is, well, I'll admit, I tend to get bored with HP after a very short time, so I'm not sure if I'd be able to make it through an epic like this, but I'll definitely book mark it.

Thanks again!