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snarryathonmod (snarryathonmod) wrote in snape_potter,
@ 2009-04-24 07:39:00

Entry tags:

fic, rating: nc-17, snarry-a-thon

Snarry-a-Thon FIC: The Shadow of the Other
Title: The Shadow of the Other
Author: atypicalsnowman
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 27,290
Warning(s): (highlight for spoilers) *HBP and DH happened and yet somehow Dumbledore, Snape and Lupin are still alive. How is this possible? I really have no idea. Slash sex obviously, and also slave!Snape. D/s just to be safe.*
Prompt: Severus survived Nagini's attack only to face another type of doom. A secret he has kept hidden from everyone. A family inheritance trait that ensures he will change into a terrible, dark creature if he does not bond with his life mate by his 40th birthday. Of course, Harry is his mate. How Snape discovers this is up to you. Harry no longer hates Snape but has to come to terms with this new information. It would be nice to see Snape suffering symptoms of his impending change the closer he gets to 40 all the while trying to convince Harry to bond with him. The bonding doesn't have to be a ceremony or anything of the sort, just them getting together, of course, sex can be used as a bonding agent!
Summary: As a creature, Severus has long known he will need to bond with his mate or face being made a slave to the whole of wizardkind. For Harry, however, the news is a shock made more difficult by the awakening of uncomfortable sexual desires.
A/N: I played with the prompt a bit so instead of Snape being a dark creature, he's a creature that wizards presumed were too powerful. Thanks to thesewarmstars who helped me quite a bit with this fic and who did an excellent beta job. Thanks also to whitecotton for writing my summary and for a lovely beta job, as always.

The Shadow of the Other

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	triceybabe 2009-04-24 10:34 am UTC (link)
	oh brilliant@!! Always loved a well written bottom-snape. Good job! (Reply to this)

	snarry_fan7 2009-04-24 10:47 am UTC (link)
	Amazing work! I really like this story a lot. I love how Severus and Harry interacted, and how Harry handled Severus before their bonding. Well done!! happily gets lost in the images of Severus with pointed ears~Sophia (Reply to this)

	japonicastar 2009-04-24 11:30 am UTC (link)
	Wow... Goodness this was purely stunning. Fantastic in Snape's hopelessness and Harry's constant guilt. I think you (whomever you are dear writer) handled this beautifully and I really enjoyed reading it. Especially the part after the bonding. It was perfect. Kudos to you and we are so lucky us snarry lovers who get to read such brilliant fics! (Reply to this)

torino10154
2009-04-24 11:39 am UTC (link)

That was really intense-I really could feel the anguish and confusion Harry was going through-wanting what Severus was offering and yet afraid and upset with himself for it. You really had me on the edge of my seat but the more Harry protested and told himself it was wrong, the more I knew that would be the thing that saved them. You brought tears to my eyes and I have to say I LOVED this, "You truly are a witless imbecile" and then Harry finally figures out Severus is saying he loves him! LOL Perfect. Excellent work.

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	whitecotton 2009-04-24 11:40 am UTC (link)
	Severus with pointy ears? massive sigh What a fantastic story and so wonderfully - nay, beautifully - written. And hot! I think the manner you addressed the moments after the bonding was exquisite and so very Severus sighs. Thank you, Mystery Author, for a treat of a Snarry. clicks 'save' button (Reply to this)

	slashpine 2009-04-24 04:35 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, how fun! Well, in a very angsty way for about 25,000 words worth of angst, in the very angsty way that only Snarry angst can be. And then - LURVE! Pointy-eared ~~Spock~~ Snape lurve. Yayyy for the bottom!Snape, with a Harry who's a perfect combination of confused, determined, guiltily excited, and everything Snape needs. Good thing they finally got that clear! (Reply to this)

antigone_x
2009-04-24 08:24 pm UTC (link)

That "You truly are a witless imbecile" is how Snape says "I love you" is wonderful!!! This was a compelling story and it brought up some interesting questions too. It's a happy ending in the sense that we get our favorite snarky potions master back, and he says that the curse had allowed him to express his need for affection with Harry, but it also makes sense that this sweet, loving *and* snarky Snape is exactly what Harry wanted and which, through his sharp tongued retorts, would placate Harry's guilt by not seeming too enslaved -- that is to say, that it looks like the bond has created the perfect version of Snape for him, which is a little more chilling and a little less romantic. (Not sure I expressed what I was trying to say at all there -- I guess just that it was intriguingly ambiguous to me whether Harry really did escape transforming Snape into his desired version of Snape at the bonding).

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tabakat
2009-04-24 08:29 pm UTC (link)

This fic is too perfect, the angst in it is mixed with just the right amount of tenderness. Snape is his old snarky self at the end and still the open elf that harry loves, and manages to convey to Harry that his submission doesn't have to mean slavery in the way Harry is thinking.

The whole thing is brillant, and triple pluses for pointed ear-elf kink. The only thing wrong with this fic is its finished. I wish I could immerse myself in this world some more sighs. It is however quite self-contained and nicely finished. Though I am disappointed in Dumbeldore too, I can't believe he thought Harry was actually thinking he wanted to keep Snape slavishly submissive. Grr

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	brainorgan 2009-04-24 08:55 pm UTC (link)
	Very well done! (Reply to this)

	shadowess 2009-04-24 09:53 pm UTC (link)
	this was a well written, believable bottom!snape. I'm not much a fan of bottom!snape, but I did enjoy this fic. I loved the angst that everyone had and that the reader wasn't sure if it would actually be a happy ending. Possessive, guilt-ridden and then clueless, Harry is always fun (Reply to this)

	swansong33 2009-04-24 11:46 pm UTC (link)
	This was such a wonderful story! Slave!Snape is usually something I steer away from, but after reading this I think I may have to give it another go. Harry's inner turmoil at what the bond may read from him was very powerful. I just loved every second of this. Great job! (Reply to this)

	galad222000 2009-04-25 02:58 am UTC (link)
	Nicely paced story and I loved pointy elf ears on Snape. Well done. CB (Reply to this)

	polpolaris 2009-04-25 07:49 am UTC (link)
	Wow, I could really feel Harry's panic that he would change Severus somehow. But thankfully, I was (pretty) sure that his guilt over liking submission was a good sign he wouldn't change him. Really great story, loved the ending and the way you took Snape becoming a slave so readable. Cheers! (Reply to this)

bethbethbeth
2009-04-25 06:18 pm UTC (link)

Oh *very* nicely done! I'm usually not much of a fan of the master/slave genre, but apparently I am when it's Snape in the slave role *g* No, seriously - apart from being an engaging story (and hot!), it also says some very interesting things about the line being giving yourself to a lover and giving yourself to a Master. I love how Snape never lets Harry lie to himself about what the reality of the foundation of their relationship is, even if (especially if?) they actually love each other. Well done!

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	nonajf 2009-04-25 08:09 pm UTC (link)
	Wonderful! I loved how you handled the concept of the magically cowed and submissive Snape. Harry's fears of coming to like that rang very true. The outcome of the bonding and the return of the snarky man was great! He was himself, but he revealed the softer side that he'd kept hidden. Beautiful story! (Reply to this)

ivylady
2009-04-26 01:18 am UTC (link)

Great! I love bottom!Snape, and having him be an unwilling slave to his nature was a bonus. I will admit that I wasn't sure what Harry would decide as he seemed to enjoy Severus's submission a little too much, so I'm glad to see that his inherent sense of right and wrong won out. I especially liked the ending, where Harry and Severus get the best of the situation - creative lovemaking and a normal Snape.

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	centaury_squill 2009-04-26 09:22 am UTC (link)
	The high elves sound like a cross between Vulcans and Ferengi with their pointy erogenous ears! Sorry, I'll be serious now. And seriously, it was great that you let Harry's generous, unselfish side win out. You kept things believably in doubt right to the end. I'm so glad Snape got his snark back - he's not Snape without it. (Reply to this)

	the_kinky_pet 2009-04-26 08:23 pm UTC (link)
	This story was moving and angsty (in a good way) and I really enjoyed your Harry's self-doubt. I also particularly liked your Albus as a supporting character. Very well done! Thank you for such an excellent story! (Reply to this)

	the_minx_17 2009-04-26 08:35 pm UTC (link)
	EXCELLENT! Srsly, this is a great story. It sucks you right in and holds you there, making the ~30k fly by. (Reply to this)

	katiebell_0408 2009-04-27 12:07 am UTC (link)
	Awww!! What a sweet ending. I really love this story and agree with Minxie, it went by too fast. (Reply to this)

	leela_cat 2009-04-27 10:51 pm UTC (link)
	I really enjoyed this story. I liked how you took Snape out of character and then brought him back in at the end. And Harry's self-doubts and worry were nicely in character. (Reply to this)

	miepje_neko 2009-04-29 04:59 pm UTC (link)
	It was so sad to see Severus' personality change so much. Snape without his snark just isn't the same. Harry's confusion and fears were very understandable, and I was so relieved and happy when Severus became himself again. Go Harry! Absolutely loved the end :) Excellent story! I'm sure I will reread this in the future. Oh, and the ears?! yum (Reply to this)

winoniel
2009-04-29 09:27 pm UTC (link)

Marvelous story! I really enjoyed the slow build-up of Harry's guilt. He started out believing that he could handle the bond, and was really hit hard at the beginning of the Courtship when he realized how submissive Snape was, and how much he liked it.

The ears were just too, too hot!

The angst, sex, tension, and denouement were masterfully maintained. I particularly liked the gentle ambiguity of the ending--that Harry got the snarky Severus that he wanted, but he also got a Severus that didn't belittle and demean his former student, AND he also got someone that he was searching for all his life--someone who would love and cherish and put Harry first. It makes you wonder if it was fate, chance, or the bond reading Harry's desires that created the Severus that we saw at the end...

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	irana 2009-04-30 12:20 am UTC (link)
	Wow. takes a deep breath This was amazing. I feared for them so much during the story, especially around thew bonding, but wow... that was just deliciously well done. (Reply to this)

thesewarmstars
2009-05-01 03:33 am UTC (link)

Oh, this story does funny things to my insides. Thought I'd make myself sick worrying about how the bond would turn out. And then after, my heart was clenching for Severus as he fumbled for words, trying to ask if Harry truly loved him.

I don't think I've ever enjoyed a slave!fic or creature!fic as much as this one. You did a wonderful job making the scenario plausible in the first place, and saw it through with grace. And hotness, did I mention the hotness? Because, yeah. Hot. Great work!

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	szefi 2009-05-04 12:32 pm UTC (link)
	This was brilliant. You managed to keep me on edge, if Harry will keep Severus in his submissive state. And "You truly are a witless imbecile." - best line ever for 'I love you':-) (Reply to this)

	isabella_prince 2009-05-31 02:38 am UTC (link)
	I really enjoyed this story!! It was awesome, and I love the way Harry tries his best to not take advantage of Severus. Thanks for sharing this! (Reply to this)

	FIC: The Shadow of the Other mac_tunes 2009-06-02 04:45 am UTC (link)
	What a fantastic work! or should I say art? On how a great man would fall to such a depth due to a curse and be cherished well by Harry, even when he wanted to keep Snape that way and yet torn to have the old Snape back. Aw... The image of Severus Snape with pointed ears... I would love a bit of those pointed ears too but I think Harry will disagree. Thank you! Simply lovely! (Reply to this)

	sashatilling 2009-07-27 08:42 pm UTC (link)
	I just read this story and it was fantastic. I felt so sorry for Snape and I am glad that Harry was so good to him and did the right thing. (Reply to this)