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Tweak says, "ickity ackity ook"

Beth H (bethbethbeth) wrote in hp_beholder,
@ 2009-04-29 11:03:00

Entry tags:

beholder 2009, fic, filius flitwick, severus snape, slash

FIC: "Dark-Eyed Wanderer" for odogoddess
Recipient: odogoddess
Author/Artist: purplefluffycat
Title: Dark-Eyed Wanderer
Rating: NC-17 (although most of the story rates lower)
Pairings: Severus Snape/Filius Flitwick, mentions of Severus Snape/Lily Evans (unrequited) and Severus Snape/Lucius Malfoy
Word Count: ~13,800
Warnings: Canon character death, discussion of grief.
Summary: After the first war, Severus is reprieved by law, but not by himself. It takes a special person to make him embrace life once more. Death, however, always waits.
Author's/Artist's Notes: This story took a long time to crystallize, largely because Filius is not a character I had ever before really considered. Thank you for a prompt that took me outside my 'comfort zone,' odogoddess. I feel the better for it, and I hope the result is satisfactory :-)

***

"Dark-Eyed Wanderer"

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	selmak 2009-04-29 01:59 pm UTC (link)
	oh my! I've always been fond of Filius and this is a tasty rare treat! Thank you! It was wonderful! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 09:01 am UTC (link)
	Thank you very much! And yes, there should be more Filius-fic in the world :-) PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

	gingertart50 gingertart50 2009-04-29 02:31 pm UTC (link)
	sobs and wipes eyes That was beautiful! Lovely fic, and a pairing that I would never have contemplated. Heart-wrenching but I'm so glad Snape was redeemed and saved in the end. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: gingertart50 purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 09:02 am UTC (link)
	Thank you! I feel especially pleased that the tale seemed to touch the heart, despite the unusual pairing. PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

slashpine
2009-04-29 03:05 pm UTC (link)

Oh, that's so nice! I love Filius and this is a hearty dose of him indeed. So much about your depiction of him fits perfectly with canon. I'm sure he'd be a magical musician, with an odd and original instrument; that he'd have an affection for overstuffed furniture and pink stripes; and that he'd take an alienated young Snape under his wing - and eventually, his covers.

But even more awesome is the writing in this, and the plot that doesn't scant the "interstitial years" or the ending, but rather, gives them the weight and focus to build on the detailed beginning. Now that's something seldom accomplished when we try to embroider our fandom themes upon the unwieldy length of canon.

And your ending is a stunning capstone to this story's multiple arcs! I love that Snape's Kings Cross is a library, I was hopeful that Filius would be there for him. But then, your working-in of Flitwick's dark deaths-edge charm and the song's lyrics! This was genius! GENIUS! Adorable, surprising, and utterly clever genius, just like Filius himself. You must write more Filius/Severus now, or Filius/anyone. I'm more in love with Filius than ever. *brings you both liquorice cakes*

(Reply to this) (Thread)

purplefluffycat
2009-05-24 09:06 am UTC (link)

Thank you so much! I'm really pleased that my take on Filius rang true for you, and that the various plot-devices and interpretations of canon happenings seemed to make sense.

You must write more Filius/Severus now, or Filius/anyone.

I'll see what I can do ;-) I must admit, I'd never really considered Filius in a pairing before coming to write this, so it's certainly made me think about the possibilities.

PurpleFluffyCat x

(Reply to this) (Parent)

odogoddess
2009-04-29 08:05 pm UTC (link)

My dear mystery author: THANK YOU.

This was such a delight from start to finish, and what a finish! I was resigned to dead Snape (based on the warning) so was beyond glad to see he was given a choice.

The consideration given to Snape's inner, as well as outer, life when he joined the staff was particularly welcome. I've never read a fic that did so with the thoroughness you present here, taking everything, even his mindset, into account. I really appreciate that.

I also love the background you've given Filius here, who is one of the more unappreciated characters. The explanation for his duelling skills, as well as his generally unflappable nature, is genius.

The slow build of their relationship and the ease of it was as comforting to me as it must have been to poor Severus. I'll be re-reading this in future, I can guarantee, on those cold days when I need something to warm and cheer me.

One more thing -- this line? "Keep her with you always, but let the pain leave now."

I was mentally cheering even as I was swallowing a great lump in my throat. Brava!

I look forward to the reveals, in the hopes I am either unfamiliar with your work (and there might be more to read in some archive) or that I am familiar with it, but unaware of other gems you have authored. Thank you again!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

purplefluffycat
2009-05-24 09:12 am UTC (link)

Thank you very much indeed - I'm *so* pleased that you enjoyed the story, and was really touched to see that you'd mentioned it on your journal.

I'm glad that the slow build-up worked for you, here (such an unlikely pairing seemed in need of a fair amount of development/explanation), and that you liked the reasonably extensive bits about Severus' state-of-mind. I was worried that those might make the whole thing rather too serious/dark, so I'm very happy that you felt the overall tone was warm/cheering - that's what I was aiming for, after all! ;-)

Thanks very much to you for your prompts and for giving me an opportunity to exploe these characters together.

PurpleFluffyCat x

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	magnetic_pole 2009-04-29 09:40 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, this fic is so lovely! It has such a gentle way with the characters, letting their personalities shine through deceptively simple language. Flitwick is brilliantly realized. Brava! Maggie (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 09:13 am UTC (link)
	Thank you! I'm pleased that the characterizations came through here, and that my take on Filius seemed to make sense :-) PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

kelly_chambliss
2009-04-29 09:54 pm UTC (link)

All right, it's official: Snape/Flitwick is now one of my favorite pairings. I'd never even thought of this couple before the hp_beholder fest, and now, after two superb stories, I'm sold. You've taken the bare bones present in canon and added sinew, blood, and soul to create a complex and layered Filius who's a joy to read about. His story is so full and multi-dimensional. The charm-gone-bad-Azkaban backstory (with Xenophilius as his partner-in-crime!) makes such character sense, and then it turns out to make such clever plot sense, too -- very nice. (And the performing-cherry party trick -- hilarious.) Your version of the battle scene is wonderful -- I love when good stories fit perfectly into canon.

I find Snape's psychological progression very believable, too.

At the risk of annoying you by simply quoting your story back at you, I'm going to offer a few of my favorite lines -- so evocative and revealing.

Such self-delusions had been ripped like flesh from bone at the loss of Lily
that moth-like tendency to the powerful, continuing until he was badly burned, or until the light itself went out
thinking he would be enthusiastic about their particular variety of contemporary noise just because he wore black and washed his hair slightly less often than most
"I'm sure that using wildlife is against the rules," Severus grumbled from his breathless, cakeless position on Filius' carpet.
it had eaten up his heart piece by piece until there had probably been nothing left to give even if she had decided she wanted it
This was probably the worst way to ask someone to commence intimate relations since Elgin the Elder sent a singing love letter by troll-post
Like a fountain that was once completely dry but had since been filled with bright water

And as a lovely bonus, I also got to learn the not-a-word-of-it-a-lie, totally true story of wizard Mozart. I knew he didn't die. I knew it.

Plus, I think your version of Albus is spot-on: always calculating, always unreadable, often necessary.

One grammar point: you don't need apostrophes with possessive "its" (as in this line [and several others]: cat winding about it's owner's legs, or a snake appraising it's next meal)

(Reply to this) (Thread)

purplefluffycat
2009-05-24 09:19 am UTC (link)

Thank you so much for reading and for your lovely comment! I, too, hadn't really considered Filius/Severus as a pairing before this exchange, so I'm especially pleased that my take on Filius here seemed to make sense to you.

Your version of the battle scene is wonderful -- I love when good stories fit perfectly into canon.

Thanks :-) I tried pretty hard to link-up the significant moments, so I'm glad that seemed to work - it can be fiddly!

I also got to learn the not-a-word-of-it-a-lie, totally true story of wizard Mozart.

Yup, absolutely. ;-)

Also, thanks very much for pointing out the stray apostrophes - I'll fix when I repost.

PurpleFluffyCat x

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	ellid 2009-04-30 06:42 am UTC (link)
	This is lovely, and makes Filius/Severus plausible. Good job! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 09:19 am UTC (link)
	Thank you very much! I'm glad the pairing came across as plausible. PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

	lookfar 2009-04-30 06:57 am UTC (link)
	Oh my my my, this is just wonderful. It has the grand sweep of history and all, plus your Filius is lovely and fleshed out and the sex is hot and Severus is believable and it's touching besides. This is the nicest piece I've read in a long time. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 09:21 am UTC (link)
	Thank you ever so much! I'm glad you enjoyed this fic - and am especially pleased that you thought the sex was hot, as that was something of a challenge to write. PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

sarahetc
2009-04-30 07:00 am UTC (link)

This is so incredibly sweet and good! And I'm so happy at the happy, hopeful ending. And I want to read it over and over again for all the little details of their conversations and the nooks in the lives you built for them. Everything reads to true and real and I love the lapses in the formality of their conversation-- Filius saying "rum business" and Severus resorting to the occasional "yeah." Brilliant and just so enjoyable. Thanks very much.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 09:32 am UTC (link)
	Thank you! I'm especially pleased that you liked the ending and the various little details throughout - they amused me to write ;-) PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

	hak42.livejournal.com 2009-04-30 10:22 am UTC (link)
	Oh, that was wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 12:22 pm UTC (link)
	Thanks, I'm pleased you enjoyed it :-) PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

	(Anonymous) 2009-05-01 01:20 am UTC (link)
	I normally wouldn't read a pairing like this, but it was done VERY well so I'm glad I gave it a try. Excellent story and I'm so glad for the happy ending. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 12:23 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you. :-) It's nice to know that you enjoyed the story even though the pairing isn't your usual cup of tea. PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

	morganlefay1958 2009-05-02 08:50 pm UTC (link)
	This was wonderful! I wondered how you were going to execute it in a believable manner, and you did so spectacularly. Severus so needed Filius and his kind understanding in his life. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 12:24 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you very much :-) I'm particularly pleased that you think this came over as believable - I grant that the pairing does require a stretch of the imagination! PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

featherxquill
2009-05-03 02:47 pm UTC (link)

Oh, this is so absolutely beautiful. I love everything about it - the love for Lily and the comfort with Filius, the gradually changing attitudes of the Hogwarts staff, your wonderful, wonderful characterisation of both of them. I particularly love the contrast between them - Filius with his pastels and cheery smiles and Severus with his quiet simplicity, and the way they complemented each other. I felt Severus' growing sense of belonging acutely - you captured it really well, along with the feeling of everything beginning to unravel again. The goodbye, if I can call it that, was heart wrenching - and just like Severus to be cruel in order to be kind. And the ending, oh, the ending! Sweet and perfect and not too sentimental and just gah.

This was magnificent. Thank you for writing such a wonderful fic.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 02:29 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you so much for reading and for your lovely comment :-) I'm particularly pleased that the characterizations came through as intended, here - especially with the aspects of contrast/complement. just like Severus to be cruel in order to be kind. nods. Just what I was thinking. Thanks again! PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

	terrible_tues 2009-05-03 08:16 pm UTC (link)
	A curtain fic! Ha! And with such an unlikely couple. Congratulations on writing such a convincing and moving fic. I never would have believed this pairing was possible, but you've done an excellent job with it. Filius' back-story is terrific, the magical music trivia is delightful, and the romance and angst are well balanced. Thank you for sharing this. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 02:31 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you very much! I'm really pleased that you found this convincing, especially in light of the unusual pairing ;-) PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

miramiraficfic
2009-05-06 09:04 am UTC (link)

Like Severus, I admit it took me a bit of time to warm up to this story, but once you got to the cherry liqueur and Filius explaining his own stint in Azkaban, I was hooked. And once that happened, there were so many other little details of characterization and observation that I've had to go back multiple times to pick up on the ones I missed. (Plus, Mozart as a wizard makes so much sense!) Great job!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

purplefluffycat
2009-05-24 02:35 pm UTC (link)

Thanks very much! I'm really glad you enjoyed this story, even though it has a slowish/darkish beginning.

so many other little details of characterization and observation that I've had to go back multiple times to pick up on the ones I missed.

It's really nice to know that the little details worked in this context, and I'm pleased you think a wizard!Mozart makes sense ;-)

PurpleFluffyCat x

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	alwaysasnapefan 2009-05-07 09:43 am UTC (link)
	This was so neat! It had such interesting aspects to it, and I adore Filius's past! Haha, it's no wonder Snape fell for him. The two of them were great together. Filius is such a romantic. :-D (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 02:36 pm UTC (link)
	Thanks! I'm pleased you think they make a convincing couple, here :-) Filius is such a romantic. :-D Oh, absolutely! PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

	lyras 2009-05-07 06:35 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, very lovely! Your Filius was so sweet, and this was definitely a Severus I could get behind. I really appreciated the fact that you brought Lily in as well, while also making Severus grow a little. The ending was great. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 02:40 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you very much! I'm glad you liked me take on the characters, here. I really appreciated the fact that you brought Lily in as well Ah, yes - I'm pleased you approved of that aspect; I had a feeling it would be divisive when I wrote it, though. The ending was great. Well, I'm a sucker for happy endings ;-) PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

	atdelphi 2009-05-12 03:29 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, this made my week! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! bounces (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 02:40 pm UTC (link)
	Thanks so much, I'm really pleased that you liked it! :-) PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Now that the reveals are up... odogoddess 2009-05-17 11:06 am UTC (link)
	... I just wanted to thank you again, so much, for this lovely fic. It truly is a keeper. :) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Now that the reveals are up... purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 02:41 pm UTC (link)
	You're very, very welcome. I'm so pleased it hit the right spot. :-) By the way, would you mind if I added you to my friends' list? PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Now that the reveals are up... odogoddess 2009-05-25 04:01 am UTC (link)
	Feel free! I'm here, on LJ and DW, as well. Same name. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	irena_candy 2009-05-17 01:22 pm UTC (link)
	This is such a charming love story; the ending brought tears to my eyes. Your characterization of Flitwick is absolutely wonderful, and it feels so true! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 02:42 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you very much! I'm especially pleased to hear that you felt my take on Filius was effective, here, and that you approved of the ending :-) (Reply to this) (Parent)

summerborn
2009-05-18 10:00 pm UTC (link)

Oh my goodness. What an amazing, moving, incredible story! I was a teensy bit hesitant at first, but I adore the idea of exploring Snape's experience at Hogwarts before 1991, so I hung in there and I'm so glad I did. I was touched, then I laughed, then I cried with Severus, then I cried *for* Severus, then I teared up a little more, then I had a big grin on my face and then I really cried and then towards the end I was so very, very smiley. I'm putting this one on My List.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	purplefluffycat 2009-05-24 02:44 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you so much! I'm really pleased you enjoyed this, and also took a chance on it, despite the unusual pairing. It's lovely to hear that you found the story touching, too. I'm putting this one on My List. I feel honoured :-D PurpleFluffyCat x (Reply to this) (Parent)