Everytime I think I've found a new fave, I stumble upon yet another talented storyteller!

Tea and Sympathy, by Jocemum
hosted by the OWL, a part of The-Leaky-Cauldron.org

This is a very well written tale that begins right after Dumbledore's murder and is canon-compliant to that point. Hermione is contacted by Snape and convinced he is still actively working for the Order of the Phoenix. Hogwarts is shut down, but Hermione, Ron, Harry, Neville, are Luna are all housed there with the other Professors while the search for the remaining Horcruxes continues. Hermione is secretly assisted by Snape and a bond forms between them. Draco returns to the castle and is secretly housed as well.

The author stays true to the characters while taking the story in a direction that I found deeply satisfying. As a fantastic bonus, she wrote a companion piece called Coffee and Enmity (also hosted by the OWL). This short story fills in a time gap from Harry and Snape's perspective. It is a wonderful, all too brief "Snape mentors Harry" piece that was really pleasing!

I had a great time with these 2 stories!

The author's other works are usually a direct hit.

When looking for another HP fix, a quick way to find another gem is to peruse the author's personal page which lists any other works he or she has created. A Year in the Life of a Charms Professor, another post-HBP story by madamsnape78 hosted by fanfiction.net is just this type of find.

After finishing The Sacrifices Made by madamsnape78, I couldn't help but check out some of her other work on fanfiction.net. Madamsnape78 has several good stories to her credit, the most notably satisfying being A Year in the Life of a Charms Professor, which I read in one sitting this afternoon. I have a deep appreciation for the stories that capture the source of Severus Snape's deepest wounds, and an author's ability to realistically portray the psychological reality the carrier of such wounds would have to live with, without making him a tragic misery case that is so negative and awful that we really wish the other characters would leave him alone and move on.

In A Year in the Life of a Charms Professor, Hermione is said professor and it is 10 years post final battle. Ron perished in this story's war and Hermione is still grieving and having difficulty letting go. Hogwarts is still trying to bounce back as a reputable educational institution, and Severus is persuaded to return to teach potions once again. He is still bitter and broken, but not irrevocably so. Harry, Ginny, Luna, and Neville figure prominently. In this story, being a teacher at Hogwarts is not as restrictive in the lives of the professors as some authors represent it to be, and so Hermione and Severus have means and opportunity to get to know each other. The source of angst in this tale is guilt and unexpressed regret, which I found refreshing, and yet the story delivery is not overly heavy or dark. Madamsnape78 has a knack for storytelling that brings in all of the best ingredients for a good romance without turning to dark or otherwise questionable angles. Her style allows the reader to grant unconditional credibility to the protagonists, even when we are not privy to the source of their pain until we are deep into the story.

Another fun, light romantic read of hers that I also enjoyed was Putting the Magic Back into Magic. Also The Snape Charmer which is a quick, humorous romance that takes place after The Deadly Hallows but disregards the Epilogue. Both can be found on fanfiction.net .

Harry Potter FanFic Review: A Post HBP story

The Sacrifices Made by madamsnape78 (hosted by fanfiction.net)

I found this story back in early September, 2007, when I was seriously grieving the end of the Harry Potter era, and battling my inability to accept the death of Severus Snape. This story filled the void perfectly, although I gave up on it for a time because the lovely madamsnape78 was taking way too long for her updates, and my modern era, instant-gratification-oriented-HP fanfic-fiendish jones-ing sent me scampering off in search of another fix. However, I recently found it again, and was quite happy to see it had been completed, and so I hungrily finished it. It's interesting to see how my needs for fanfic fulfillment can change with the direction of the wind. Back in September of '07, I dug this story because there was minimal character development, and it simply picked up sometime after HBP, and went in a direction that was much more satisfying than The Deathly Hallows went. I've since read so many other stories that have been so much more in-depth in both story and character development that I almost dismissed it as lacking this second time around. However, it is a good read, and It fills the need to see Severus in hero mode without him being so unbearably bitter and obnoxious that it's a challenge to stay loyal to him.

In The Sacrifices Made, I had my need to see Draco in a good light met, got to have Remus in a power role, and the Weasleys as a warm family force, and yet had plenty of angst and character demise to keep things tense. Severus is smart and strong and emotionally obtuse enough to be canon-compliant, but he's still the hero I want him to be. All in all, it's a good weekend read, well structured with a good buildup of emotional tension and sentiment.

One can learn a lot from Harry Potter FanFiction...

Imagine if all of these wonderful, rich characters actually all managed to band together, overcome their differences and topple Voldemort. Life would be grand, and new Ministry of Magic would emerge, an the wizarding community would be rebuilt.

In fact, there could even be a law passed requiring all adult wizards and witches to be married by a certain date, which would require some carefully orchestrated match-making. One incredibly talented writer set her story in the era that Jane Austin tales were set in.

His Draught of Delicate Poison, by Subversa (hosted by ThePetulantPoetess.com and requires free membership) is the delightful tale of all of our favorite Hogwarts students, newly graduated and completely single, being subjected to such a law. I've encountered numerous stories with this theme that were apparently responses to a challenge from one of the numerous fan fiction hosts. While the majority of those stories are laden with angst, this one stays on a lighter vein. All of the characters are receptive to marriage, and many quickly find their mates. This is a Snape/Hermione story but it has every beloved character in it, including Sirius, Lupin, Dumbledore, Draco, Lucius, Bill, and so many more.

Loved it so much, I read it twice!

Another Harry Potter FanFic Review: A Post OOTP story

The Summoning, by Bambu, (hosted on OWL)
This story is another that addresses my unresolved angst about Harry's state of mind after losing Sirius. Bambu's take on the characters' responses to the tragedy and increasing peril is thoroughly fleshed out by the effluent storytelling style of the Bambu. Hermione ultimately takes center stage, and there is a lot of Camelot based folklore embedded into the story. I am not usually attracted to plots that invoke an excessive female power over male power basis: I prefer equality. But this author's eloquent descriptions and thorough depiction of the emotional journey that each of our beloved characters takes is mesmerizing and compelling.

I highly recommend it - but beware! It has not been updated since November, 2007!!

A change of pace...

Paradigm Shift by Rock Lobster and hosted by fanfiction.net is a little ditty in the "Snape mentors Harry" realm that starts shortly after the end of Harry's 5th year (and is OOTP compliant). As most "Snape mentors Harry" fics go, this one follows the implication that the Dursleys are even more abusive than the audience has been led to believe by JKR. It's definitely not a stretch of my imagination, so when this author creates a scenario where Harry is legally emancipated from the Dursleys and cast out on his own 2 months before his 16th birthday, well his already shattered world completely crumbles and the only one competent enough to help is Snape. Admittedly, Snape takes a while to figure things out and gleen a clue about Harry's emotional plight. While we witness the very slow evolution, Harry has some interesting and gut wrenching adventures in the Muggle world as a stable boy and jockey for the local stables near Snape's home.

I think what drew me the most strongly about this fic, was the adept way that Rock Lobster, (who herself admits is way too old for HP, but can't resist, much like me,) manages to weave a completely plausible emotional journey for both Harry and Snape. In this story, Snape's family history is austere but not as horrific as we now know it to have been from books 6 and 7.

I remember when I finished book 5, thinking that poor Harry would never recover emotionally from losing Sirius. I was kind of let down in book 6, when he didn't have to grieve more deeply to unburden himself. This story filled the void of my unmet expectations.

I needs my HP fix!

In my quest for fulfillment of the Hypnbarb variety, I found another Post-TDH gem: Memories of War (hosted by both OWL and fanfic.net). And yes, I'm hooked on another one.

In this story, Severus survives: in the 5 chapters that are complete, we do not yet know how or why. And it's not particularly important. Somehow, both Ron and Harry have perished since the war officially ended, presumably in the pursuit of rogue death eaters. But this is only background as well. The main focus is that Hermione is apprenticing under McGonagall in Transfiguration and that she has confined herself to Hogwarts for safety and sanity's sake. Severus has been given a haven in British Columbia that is completely untraceable and unconnected to the wizarding world, where he can try to have a normal, albeit isolated life away from dangers, prejudices, and grudges. Hermione is the one person from his old life who visits him on an infrequent basis. Slowly, a friendship is beginning to blossom.

Hypnobarb has been dazzling me for months since I discovered Looking for Magic (a post Order of the Phoenix story) and I just took a glympse at this work in progress. She's a really wonderful storyteller, and her ability to limit angst in spite of tremendous threat and near peril throughout the story is top notch. Very fulfilling!!

This story was started and left untouched in 2007, but she's back on it! Check it out!!

Sometimes I Want "The Angst" and Sometimes, I Don't...

Looking for Magic by Hypnobarb, (hosted by both OWL and fanfic.net) is a fantastic Post-OOTP deviation from the norm. In this story, Hermione, along with Harry and Ron, finish their seventh year at Hogwarts without making any progress in the fall of the Dark Lord. Severus is an active member of the Order, Dumbledore is alive, and Hermione is a Death Eater target. As the story progresses, she leaves England for university study at an American university in Chicago, IL, called Avalon. Hypnobarb outdoes herself with her elaboration of the depth of study and cross cultural practices between American wizarding and muggle societies. It's fantastic. Another bonus is that Draco is also attending this university, and is allowed by virtue of long distance from his family to become his own person. Severus and Hermione bond through fantastic research and discovery in which each gets to exploit his and her talents. Numerous new characters are introduced as Order members who bring much to the table and a grand plan to take down Voldemort is underway during Hermione and Draco's freshman year at university. The Malfoys are selected by Voldemort to help him advance his power into the next millennium, and are consequently forced to see the light about his delirium.

Hypnobarb started this story over 3 years ago, and is 115 chapters into a planned 100. I discovered it in early March of 2008, and was glued to my computer screen at every spare moment until I'd read up to chapter 93. From then on, it's been a bi-weekly treat to check in on Hypnobarb's take on the HP Universe. (For highly sensitive personal reasons, she's not updated since early January. My thoughts are with you and yours, Hypnobarb.)

This one's a keeper for those of you who want to have the following satisfaction: Severus is likable and insightful even with his past horrors and sacrifices, Dumbledore is still running the Order of the Phoenix, Lupin is a frequent participant and is becoming a friend to Severus, Hermione and Severus pair up, and there are tons of quite creative uses of magic and magical theory. Hypnobarb, you're brilliant!

Feelin' the need for some old fashioned Jane Austin style storytelling...

Denial, A Harry Potter Story by little beloved (hosted by fanfic.net). This is a Post-TDH story that has gained a ton of attention in the fanfic community, which I've yet to really infiltrate. There are numerous challenges and contests that I see constant reference to, and am tempted to investigate, but I find myself way too impatient to read the story instead.

Denial is a story about forced marriages in the aftermath of Voldemort's downfall. It is mostly DH (Deathly Hallows) compliant, except that Snape lives, and Hermione was the one to save him. Severus Snape is charged with making sure that eligible bachelors and bacheloretts are appropriately paired. As he is married himself, Hermione and he do not begin the story together, but as she marries a young man who is the son of Severus' wife, they become family. We are 16 chapters in and both marriages are in peril, and Severus and Hermione are working together. All behavior is appropriate and regal, as it would be in Austin's universe. I love this style of storytelling... the chivalry and dignity in the characters is quite refreshing. ;-)

I was delighted to find that little beloved was herself inspired by the best Jane Austin style fic I'd read to date, and lost track of, His Draught of Delicate Poison by Subversa. Not only is she filling a desire for more such storytelling style, she named the story I'd lost and wanted to retrieve to review, so double bonus for me!!

Why Do I Read Fan Fiction?

Once I become invested in fictitious characters, I refuse to give up on them until they've resolved all of the angsty, drama-laden woes and issues that need to be tended to. If I must, I'll spend hours of my time imagining alternative story lines to achieve this end. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that there's a massive community of people who do exactly this, and not only do they create their own story lines, but they write them down, and post them online for the world to see!!

The Harry Potter series is the most inspiring source of story I've ever encountered in my life! Imagine the reaction I felt as a veil of secrecy lifted itself from my mind. I am not alone! There are people out there, massive numbers of them in fact, who fantasize the same way I do. AND, they have the nerve to write their stories down and post them.

Ironically, I have never felt the need to write a Harry Potter fanfic of my own, but I have imagined a few scenarios that I would have preferred JK Rowling to have taken the story towards (that's not in any way to insinuate that I was in any way disappointed by her work. She is the all mighty goddess of fiction in my world). The brilliant, fantastic result for me is that I can indulge the need to fill these voids by searching through the numerous fanfic sites and combing through the story lines until I find a story that grabs my fancy.

I have 3 catagories of fulfillment that I turn to when the mood strikes me, which is often! I mostly want to read Snape-centric stories that feature Hermione, The Malfoys, Harry, and Lupin.

Category One: Post Order of the Phoenix stories: This realm of stories is based on our impression of Snape at the end of book 5, when we think he's a pureblood, that there's likely valid justification for his horrible demeanor, and there is a world of possibility that he will be front and center at the downfall of Voldemort. The stories are set anywhere from the kids' 6th year at Hogwarts to several years in the future, where the war is possibly over, or not. Snape is a force to be reckoned with, Hermione is brilliant and an intellectual match for him, Lupin has more power and recognition for his leadership abilities, and best of all, Dumbledore is still alive. Many of the authors in this realm depict Albus Dumbledore as a much more openly manipulative, but still very endearing character.

Category Two: Post Half Blood Prince stories: These are more angst driven, where all opinion of Snape is that he is evil and dangerous, since he's blatantly murdered Dumbledore. Hermione is usually the only one who believes in his innocence, and so the likelihood of a romantic bond between the two of them is stronger and more controversial in this realm. Harry is usually impulsive and headstrong, grief driven and irrational at times. Ron is typically immature and not particularly helpful or sympathetic. Lupin is usually involved. Many of these stories feature Snape as particularly unhappy and waspish, always calculating, and often almost so mean that you want to give up on him. However, I never, ever, give up on him.

Category Three: Post Deathly Hallows stories: These are the ones that disregard or re-write the final chapters of the last book, so that Severus Snape lives on. It is usually Hermione that returns to find him alive and saves him. And then, he must rebuild his life. The plethora of opportunity to take these characters in so many directions is so very satisfying. There could be emotional aftermath that destroys relationships, depression that requires interference from an unlikely source, strange changes in behavior now that there is no Dark Lord to fear or answer to. And of course, everyone is now old enough to have sex!!

As I find the quintessential HP fanfics, I'll post reviews and brief summaries of the gems that I've encountered.

In the meantime, if your Harry Potter book or DVD collection is not complete, click here for a refined Amazon.com listing.

What the hell is fan fiction?

Like many, I have a very active imagination. For as much of my nearly 43 years on this planet as I can remember, I have been creating what I now know to be fan fiction in my mind. It started with Star Trek (First Generation) when I was about three or four and would regularly watch syndicated episodes on TV. In my imagination, I would be beamed aboard the Starship Enterprise to help Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock with some strange mystery that only a small child from my time on earth could assist with. I can still remember the stories I made up.

I kept them all in my head and never, ever, admitted out loud that I did this.

Then came a show called S.W.A.T. that was on in the mid 70's, when I was about eight. Together with 2 of my closest friends, I developed a female persona named Amy Stuart, who was the female counterpart to the character of Dominic Luca. My two friends created female counterparts to the characters of TJ McCabe and Jim Street, and together, we created and acted out incredible adventures that encompassed law enforcement, travel, singing in a band (Beatles and ELO covers), paramedic rescue, and secret investigation, all involving these 3 original female characters and the three male ones from the show. By this stage of my life, the taboo of taking someone else's creations and going in a new direction with them had eased slightly in the discovery that my friends had the same desires. It was a secret I was thrilled to be able to share. And at the ages of eight, nine, ten, eleven, and even twelve, I could get away with it in my conscience. But then I became too old to play such imaginary games.

And then came the dilemma of what to do with this intense desire to make up stories with other people's characters? I liked to write, but I couldn't use these characters with clear conscience in my stories, at least not publicly. And though I had no reason to fear my private notebooks would be violated by snooping eyes, I just couldn't take the risk of writing down these fantasy stories and making them real by committing them to paper. What if somehow, someone who would recognize these characters came across my story and realized I had stolen them?

I developed a coping mechanism of keeping the stories in my head as much as I could. When I had to write them down, I would change the character names, and try not to feel the loss of identity that I so strongly associate with them while I wrote out my new adventures for them.

This has been the case for my entire adult life. I kept with the S.W.A.T. characters in my imagination for years before Pierce Brosnan showed up as Remington Steele. Then, I moved Amy away from Dom Luca and on to a new character based on Remington Steele's persona. Still too worried about being discovered for stealing someone else's character, I finally morphed him into an OC (original character in fanfic land) and named him Bryson Wilde. At this stage of my life, the compulsion to see my stories come to life drove me to write a novel starring both Amy and Bryson. I self published it. (Images of Silence, by D.S. Kirchen)

And then it was done. And then.... well, now what?

Another TV show turned up called Nash Bridges. This cast of characters absolutely enchants me. The fact that the show was filmed in San Francisco was the icing on the cake. The show has been off the air for several years already, but I still make up stories with that cast. Still mostly in my head. But my stories take them out of the SIU of the SFPD, and put them into a whole new genre with a selection of new characters. I could write the story out with new names and no one would know these men were Nash Bridges characters, but I am still too paranoid of getting caught stealing. Besides, no other names truly fit these characters... I've tried!

The irony is, very few people read my stories anyway, and none of them watched those TV shows....

So what to do? do I write the stories with the cast of someone else's characters or not?

Author's Note (A/N in fac fic vernacular): if you haven't already explored the world of fan fiction, the best place to start is fanfiction.net.