tani_recs

Fandom: Harry Potter/Sailor Moon
Pairings/Characters: Remus Lupin, Aino Minako
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: ~20,000
Author: Kihin Ranno
Website: the melancholy of Kihin Ranno
Summary: Remus is tapped to investigate a magical girl in London and finds himself ensnared in a world full of demons, a secret war, and the life of a rather hyperactive thirteen-year-old Aino Minako.
Why: Argh, I love this crossover. The author does an amazing job of mixing the two fandoms and keeping it accurate to canon. This is set during Sailor V's days in London, when Remus Lupin is sent to investigate both her and the strange dark creatures that she battles. The relationship between Minako and Remus, which seems so unlikely at first glance, is done extremely well. I also found this interesting because it addresses a period of that, as someone who doesn't actively seek out Sailor Venus fic, was completely new to me. Add in top-notch characterization of both Minako and Remus, and you have a first-rate crossover that I highly recommend.

Werewolves, Wizards, and Magical Girls of London by Kihin Ranno

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairings/Characters: Draco/Ron
Rating: R
Wordcount: 12,500
Author: 1ightning
Website: Masterlist of 1ightning's fic
Summary: In which Ron is sorted into Slytherin, and it all goes to hell from there.
Why: This story combines two of my weaknesses: good Draco/Ron, and someone (in this case, Ron) getting sorted into a different house. How could I not rec it? "Better When We're Together" covers all seven years of Hogwarts, tracking the way that Draco and Ron become friends and then something more. And it's a characterization that I can completely buy for both of them with a smooth flow into more than friends territory that I was completely convinced. Even though this concept has become a bit of a cliche in the fandom, this story felt really fresh and enjoyable to me.

Better When We're Together by 1ightning

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairings/Characters: Harry, Dudley, Snape
Rating: PG
Wordcount: ~72,000
Author: rabbitandjinx
Website: rabbit and -v-Jinx-v
Summary: When Snape is called to the Dursleys' by an urgent message, he does not find what he expects to find.
Why: I read this a while back when I was in the mood for some fanfic about the Dursleys, and it scratched that itch perfectly. It's a really nice gen story, not necessarily teeming with originality, but executing all of its ideas with skill and thought. I really enjoyed reading it. I think my favorite aspect was the development of a friendship between Dudley and Harry. It was nice seeing them be cousin instead of two people who are forced to live in the same house. Also, there were some fun Snape scenes that I enjoyed reading. Oh, and a pretty evenly paced plot, just enough that I didn't feel bored or rushed. In all, a very well done story. (Just don't let the title bother you.)

Yet Another Snape Meets the Dursleys Story by rabbit

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairings/Characters: Teddy/James
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 12,360
Spoilers for: Deathly Hallows
Author: copperbadge
Website: Sam the Storyteller
Summary: Teddy Lupin never gets too close or feels too much; his godfather's son never does anything else.
Why: I clicked on this out of mild curiosity even though I'm usually only interested in the Albus/Scorpius side of next-gen. Since it's copperbadge, of course I wasn't disappointed. I love the way the author fleshed out the characters, but especially Teddy. I'd never really thought about Teddy's character before I read this, and even if I had I wouldn't have imagined him like this based on the epilogue, but copperbadge really makes it work. This Teddy has definitely entered my personal canon. Oh, and the first chapter has some truly lovely art by elaboration which is definitely worth looking at even if you don't read the story.

The Rules of Being a Godson: story by copperbadge, art by elaboration

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairings/Characters: Harry, Draco, Al, Scorpius, James, Rose
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 27,000
Spoilers for: DH
Author: Maya
Website: Sarah Rees Brennan - Into that world inverted
Summary: “I want to be absolutely clear on this,” Harry said. “You’re telling me that you lost my children in the sewers?”
Why: bibliokat actually brought this to my attention more than a month ago, but it's taken me this long to find the perfect time to read this. You see, I adore Maya's stories, and reading one of them is a huge treat. Once I start, the odds of being able to stop are always exceedingly low. They tend to disappear pretty fast that way, so I tease myself with them, resisting the urge to read until I just can't do it anymore. They are that good. And of course this one doesn't disappoint!

There are so many things to love about this story that I could spend forever going on about in an embarrassingly fangirlish fashion. However, the best thing for me was the way that Maya tied everything up so beautifully. I think this story story has given me the final closure I needed after the epilogue. I still don't like it, but my loathing is a distant thing now because without that epilogue, this story could not exist. Emotionally, this story is perfect, and even though it made me laugh a lot, it also made me think. It cleared up things that I wasn't even aware had bothered me before, like the treatment of the Slytherins and how they must have felt after everything was said and done. Like how Harry's doing with that whole parenting thing when he so obviously lacked a good example of just how to go about the whole thing. Like where Draco's wife when he's seeing Scorpius off to Hogwarts. There just aren't enough words to say how much I enjoyed this story.

Coda to an Epilogue: Twenty Years Later, Or the Kids are All Right by Maya

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairings/Characters: Hufflepuff
Rating: G
Wordcount: ~1,700
Author: Ciircee
Website: Ciircee on Sugar Quill
Summary: The First Year Hufflepuffs find out what it really means to be sorted into Hufflepuff.
Why: I really liked this image of Hufflepuff. Ciircee provides some really nice detail to a neglected House and the result is a thought-provoking story.

To Be Hufflepuff by Ciircee

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairings/Characters: Harry/Ron/Hermione
Rating: NC-17
Wordcount: ~8,700
Author: Resonant
Website: in medias Res
Summary: Harry finds his place in the postwar world.
Why: I'm not quite sure why I like the Harry/Ron/Hermione pairing as much as I do; I'm largely indifferent to other permutations such as Harry/Hermione, Harry/Ron, and Hermione/Ron. Somehow, though, I just love the trio together, and I doubt that anyone could do them better than Resonant. She really has a great grasp on the characters of all three of them, as well as a knack for balancing them. No one character overwhelms the others.

I also really like the situation that Resonant has devised for this particular story. It's one that really strikes home for me and thus did a great job of helping me to empathize with Harry. In addition, the way that Resonant doesn't explain everything that happens, but rather lets her readers put things together on their own was really nice. Just enough detail to get an idea what might happen, but enough room to add on your own imaginative touches. It's really easy to see why this is considered a classic of Harry/Ron/Hermione fanfiction.

Bed and Board by Resonant

Bed and Board also has two sequels: Fair, rated NC-17 and Paternity, rated G. If you liked Bed and Board, you should definitely take a look.

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairings/Characters: Harry/Draco
Rating: M
Spoilers for: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: furiosity
Website: Glass Fairytales
Summary: Nineteen years later, life goes on.
Why: I don't think this rec is particularly spoilerific, so I'm not putting it behind a cut. However, if you're paranoid, please don't read this. Seriously.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Ok, so you're reading. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Life goes on after the end of canon, and since my ship was not sunk completely, here's a little something to celebrate that. I was thrilled to see this posted the day after Deathly Hallows came out. This is the story that every Harry/Draco shipper wanted to see. It takes place directly after the epilogue and explains how the relationship between Harry and Draco came to be and what drove Harry and Ginny apart. I was pretty upset about the epilogue when I finished reading, I have to admit, but this story made me feel 100% better about everything.

Indomitable by Furiosity

Fandom: Harry Potter/Highlander
Pairings/Characters: Harry, Snape, McGonagall, Methos, Connor
Rating: T
Spoilers for: OotP, Archangel
Author: Ushmushmeifa
Website: Ushmushmeifa on Ff.net
Summary: A demon, a sword, and a 500 year old grudge come back to haunt Professor McGonagall.
Why: I don't know much about Highlander beyond the basic idea of the series, so I can't really comment on that aspect too much, although I will say that I highly enjoyed the crossover aspect of this story. The idea that Ushmushmeifa uses to bring the two universes together is one that I like a lot, and the entire thing fit together very well beyond that initial point of contact. The story also made me rather eager to watch the actual Highlander series, so that's now been put on my list of things to do, if that tells you anything.

The Highlander aspect of things wasn't the only thing that was well done. I really enjoyed the characterizations of all the Harry Potter characters in this story. Harry was a highlight for me, but Snape also made me quite happy. In fact, everyone made me quite happy, to be honest. This is one of those stories that is just so solid that it's hard to say that you liked one thing without adding in that you liked another and another until you've ended up listing off everything that it's possible to list off for the story. There really is very little that isn't good about this story.

With Sword and Head Held High by Ushmushmeifa

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairings/Characters: Sirius/Remus
Rating: K+
Author: eloiselovelace
Website: Eloise Lovelace on skyehawke
Summary: Thanks to the magic of wizarding portraiture, a fully-canon-compliant happily-ever-after for Remus/Sirius. Twenty years post-war, Messrs. Moony and Padfoot do not constitute a still life.
Why: This story is short, but perfect, and a wonderful set-up for its sequel, which I will be reccing as soon as I finish typing this. I just love this idea, and the author pulls it off with flair. If you're looking for some fun Sirius/Remus to balance out the depressing, this is a good one for you.

Trompe L'Oeil for Two by Eloise Lovelace