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Tweak says, "why are there still monkeys?"

Beth H (bethbethbeth) wrote in hp_beholder,
@ 2012-04-27 13:18:00

Entry tags:

arabella figg, arabella/severus, beholder_2012, fic, het, rating:r, severus snape

FIC: "Steady As She Goes" for shadowycat
Recipient: shadowycat
Author: ???
Title: Steady As She Goes
Rating: R
Characters: Arabella Figg/Snape, various Order members, some OCs
Word Count: 29,400
Warnings: h/c, UST, first time, solo-sex, oral, massage (all fairly vanilla)
Summary: Arabella was in a tight spot when she accepted Dumbledore's offer of help... and then life got interesting.
Author's Notes: Thanks to my speedy betas. Mostly book canon used, though some personal fanon might have slipped in there. Note that canonically (or at least per the HP Lexicon), it is believed that Elfrida Cragg was a typo in the book and that in OoTP, the portrait was supposed to be of Elfrida Clagg. I declare writer's privilege to hereby create a new character whom you shall meet anon. Happy Beholding, shadowycat!

Steady As She Goes

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(Post a new comment)

	gingertart50 2012-04-27 06:56 pm UTC (link)
	What a delight! I loved this oblique look at the Wizarding World through the eyes of a Squib and I'm always delighted when Minerva and Severus are friends, and when Snape gets the ending he deserved. Excellent work, mystery author! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-30 08:34 am UTC (link)
	Thank you. I enjoyed writing it and I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	ymogen 2012-04-28 12:48 am UTC (link)
	This was an awesome read. I should be in bed and sleeping now but could not stop myself from finishing this story. It was interesting to have a story from a Squib's point of view and your character(s) are believably well-rounded and likable (besides Moody etc obviously). (Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-30 08:37 am UTC (link)
	I'm sorry you lost sleep, but that's quite a testimonial. I'm pleased that you found it engrossing and I appreciate your feedback, thank you. (Reply to this) (Parent)

squibstress
2012-04-28 02:36 am UTC (link)

Well, you made me weep, dear mystery author. This is the ending Severus should have had, and who would have thought it would be Mrs Figg to provide it.

Everything was just marvellous--the backstory, the characterizations, the inventive magic (the clock!), and Dumbledore's machinations--all perfect.

You'll forgive me if I borrow this as my new head-cannon for Severus Snape and Arabella Figg.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-30 09:08 am UTC (link)
	I'm especially pleased you liked the details and the ending, thank you. As for this being your new head-cannon, I'm flattered. :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	lash_larue 2012-04-28 04:54 pm UTC (link)
	A most enjoyable and satisfying read that slots well into canon. It felt as if I were reading something that belonged, and it was lovely to see Arabella and ~~Severus~~ Wulfric happy in the end. L (Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-30 09:55 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	snapelike 2012-04-28 10:46 pm UTC (link)
	That was delightful! Such a clever and well-developed back story, great use of everyday magic and a lovely happy end. I really liked your Arabella. Great read. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-30 09:56 pm UTC (link)
	I'm glad you enjoyed it - thank you. (Reply to this) (Parent)

shadowycat
2012-04-29 01:37 am UTC (link)

And they lived happily ever after... :D Thank you, mystery author for this wonderful story! I love your Arabella, and it's so nice to see Severus getting the happy future and loving family that he deserves. Your story is so well thought out and full of such lovely charming details, I smiled all the way through reading it. It's definitely one of the very best gifts I've ever received. Thank you so much! :D

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-30 10:07 pm UTC (link)
	I'm just glad you enjoyed it, especially the details. :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	atdelphi 2012-04-30 03:59 am UTC (link)
	Now this is a happy ending, well-earned, that I can get behind. This is a lovely story, Mystery Author. :-) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-30 10:12 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you. :) I'm glad you enjoyed it. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	wwmrsweasleydo 2012-05-02 02:20 pm UTC (link)
	This is a very lovely story. I've got damp eyes now. Squibs are definitely one of the under-explored groups in canon and this was very interesting. It was still possible to see Harry's view of Arabella in this woman, but also to see how blinkered little boys can be about older women. I love your Elfrida Cragg and the way that you saved Severus. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-30 11:14 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it, especially the societal extrapolations. (Reply to this) (Parent)

kelly_chambliss
2012-05-10 03:21 am UTC (link)

What a fun read -- clever and well-plotted and full of inventive magic and characters. I love the clock and Elfrida and Tufty et.al., and I enjoy Albus's manipulations -- definitely for the greater good this time.
And of course, I love the role Minerva plays; "redoubtable," indeed.

So many fun touches, like washing the "feminine sanitary supplies" (I think this is the first story I've read that mentions wizarding practices in this area, and it's exactly the sort of thing inquiring minds want to know). I also like the idea that a Squib like Mrs Figg might have a certain level of magic; of course this makes perfect sense. You paint a clear picture of the difficulties Squibs would face in such a world, yet Mrs. Figg never loses her dignity and strength.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

psyfic
2012-05-30 11:19 pm UTC (link)

I'm glad you enjoyed the details. Re: Squibs and magic, I always figured Squibs are low in magic, not completely devoid of it since, canonically, Muggles can't see Hogwarts, they only see a mouldering pile of stones in a marsh with warning signs, iirc. Filch works there, though, and has no difficulty. Ergo...

Thank you for your thoughtful commentary. I'm pleased you enjoyed it.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

albalark
2012-05-20 01:56 pm UTC (link)

This was such a lovely and satisfying story, Mystery Author! Thank you for giving us such a believable Arabella and illuminating the details of the magical culture that shaped her.

I really liked the slow and natural way that the romance between Arabella and Severus grew, which made it even more heartbreaking that these two people who had so little other than each other had to do without during the worst of the war.

And thanks for giving us an Albus Dumbledore who somewhat redeems himself. He may have been a manipulative, arrogant shite, but at least he tried to clean up the mess he left behind. You've almost convinced me that he *did* love Severus, at least by the end. :-)

Finally, thank you for giving us a happy ending for them both. They deserved it! Great work, Mystery Author!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-30 11:56 pm UTC (link)
	Aw... I'm glad you enjoyed all the little details and story arc and especially, the characterisations. Somewhat redeemed but still a manipulative arrogant shite is pretty much on target with what I intended for Dumbledore. Thank you for the lovely feedback. It's appreciated. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	cardigrl 2012-05-22 12:53 am UTC (link)
	Oh, VERY nice. I love the clever and imaginative touches you include, but most especially the way you make real a woman who until now we've not seen as other than a two-dimensional cardboard cut-out. And of course, the ending was marvelous! Great job! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-30 11:58 pm UTC (link)
	I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you. :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

songquake
2012-05-27 06:14 am UTC (link)

I'm not sure why I waited so very long to read this one, but it's absolutely WONDERFUL. I love how stranded-yet-competent Arabella is all throughout the story, and how well she and Severus see each other. The matter-of-fact way Arabella accepts her "due" as a Squib is heartbreaking and utterly believable.

And the ways that she works "magic" with herbs and love... GUH.

And Severus is so...himself here, in so many ways. I love the way their rough edges smooth against one another.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-31 04:42 am UTC (link)
	I'm pleased you found so much in it, and especially that you liked it. Thank you for the commentary. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	snapesgirl 2012-05-30 01:48 am UTC (link)
	Delightful story. It is wonderful to see Mrs. Figg fleshed out as a strong and independent woman. The building romance between her and Severus was perfectly paced. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	psyfic 2012-05-31 04:49 am UTC (link)
	I'm pleased you enjoyed the pacing and characterisation. Thank you. (Reply to this) (Parent)