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I'm posting this fic rec on Hwyla's behalf, as she doesn't havr an LJ or IJ. It was originally posted as a comment on my entry: "Snape and his women". The rec below is taken verbatim from Hwyla's comment.
Rec for The Birthday Present by excessivelyperky.
EDIT: Totalreadr from LL has asked me to add a prostitution warning, and I'd like to direct you to her comment about sex/romance below. Thanks totalreadr - I appreciate people pointing me to warnings that have been missed.
Also warning for abuse including sexual abuse, and angst.
Elethian also points out that the fic is a massive total of ~800,000 words - see Elethian's comment below.
[...] I thought that since I was reminded of the fic I want to suggest by this subject (Snape's friendships - with Minerva and Poppy in particular) I would post it here in this section. In other words, these posts here are what reminded me of this particular fic. And a great deal of the fic is about Snape beginning to understand what it means to have true friends and truly BELIEVE they CARE for him (not pity him). It is also about the people who care for him, opening their eyes and truly seeing HIS situation.
It's AU since she began it just before HBP (bk6) and finished it just around the time DH (bk7) came out. So, canon up to the end of OotP (bk5). Because of this, Snape's background is different but with a few similarities (pureblood, but grew up on Knockturn Alley, still poor, but I'll let you read it to see the difference in abuse, etc.) And has one of the most original ideas I've read for Snape's 'nasty' disposition.
I read it faithfully, as it came out - week by week (more or less) have reread it several times since then and cried over it many times. No love interests for Snape, no lemony sex - mention of very underage slash with undertones of abuse and also of outright sexual abuse pre-Hogwarts.
Hope some of you might enjoy it! -- Hwyla
The Birthday Present
by excessivelyperky
Warning for prostitution.
Rec for The Birthday Present by excessivelyperky.
EDIT: Totalreadr from LL has asked me to add a prostitution warning, and I'd like to direct you to her comment about sex/romance below. Thanks totalreadr - I appreciate people pointing me to warnings that have been missed.
Also warning for abuse including sexual abuse, and angst.
Elethian also points out that the fic is a massive total of ~800,000 words - see Elethian's comment below.
[...] I thought that since I was reminded of the fic I want to suggest by this subject (Snape's friendships - with Minerva and Poppy in particular) I would post it here in this section. In other words, these posts here are what reminded me of this particular fic. And a great deal of the fic is about Snape beginning to understand what it means to have true friends and truly BELIEVE they CARE for him (not pity him). It is also about the people who care for him, opening their eyes and truly seeing HIS situation.
It's AU since she began it just before HBP (bk6) and finished it just around the time DH (bk7) came out. So, canon up to the end of OotP (bk5). Because of this, Snape's background is different but with a few similarities (pureblood, but grew up on Knockturn Alley, still poor, but I'll let you read it to see the difference in abuse, etc.) And has one of the most original ideas I've read for Snape's 'nasty' disposition.
I read it faithfully, as it came out - week by week (more or less) have reread it several times since then and cried over it many times. No love interests for Snape, no lemony sex - mention of very underage slash with undertones of abuse and also of outright sexual abuse pre-Hogwarts.
Hope some of you might enjoy it! -- Hwyla
The Birthday Present
by excessivelyperky
Warning for prostitution.
Thanks for the warning update - much appreciated and I'll add that immediately. I'm in a bit of a quandary about your comment about the romance though - I might just direct people towards your comment.
I see the early stuff more as abuse, even tho' little Sev gets something in return (his mother's gin). But there are also discussions on how he deals with what he must do as a spy, as well as how others react to it.
By saying there wasn't 'lemony sex' I meant no juicy, sex scenes. I can't imagine anyone wanting those scenes here.
It has been awhile since I reread - and my main attention was on other parts of the story.
And RedDayDawning - thanks for the posting! -- Hwy;a
Sorry, I didn't think through everything needed to post a fic rec. Needs sexual abuse warning as well as a prostitution warning - discussion of the use of sex by spies (and how it is a kind of prostitution) actual prostitution for money and vivid description of a crucio.
On the plus side, the adults are truly fleshed out (I especially like Flitwick and Minerva here). There's a good look into the ways and handling of spies by their controllers. There are tear-jerker segments regarding Snape's emotions and unique ideas regarding the toxicity of potions brewing and a wonderful look at a wizard's opinion on self-help books.I hope I've now covered everything without giving too much away? -- Hwyla
re. your name - thank goodness I was too tired last night to edit the post. I'd removed my contacts and couldn't really distinguish between 'l' and ';'. *g*
By the way - I find it funny to think of myself possibly as Hwy:a (Highway A?) *g* But looking at our posts I now realize I even signed one of them with my REAL name (Holly) I must have been very wrapped up in my thoughts -- Hwyla