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snarrymod (snarrymod) wrote in snarry_games,
@ 2008-04-19 20:20:00

Entry tags:

entry, meri_oddities, team dragon

TEAM DRAGON ENTRY: Meri Oddities "Escaping The Paradox"
Title: Escaping the Paradox
Author: meri_oddities
Team: Dragon
Genre(s): Alternate Universe (*Hover/Click for Games Definition of Alternate Universe*) and Romance
Prompt(s): Learning to Dance
Rating/Warnings/Kinks: NC-17; *Adult content*
Word Count: 35,706
Summary: After Harry is thrown back in time to 1971, he has several choices to make.
A/N: For a specific scene in Snape's 5th year, a lot of the dialogue is taken directly (or paraphrased) from The Order of the Phoenix, Chapter Twenty-Eight: Snape's Worst Memory. The description of Tom Riddle when Harry first meets him is taken directly from The Half-Blood Prince, Chapter Twenty: Lord Voldemort's Request.

Many thanks to my betas: Regan_V, Bethbethbeth, Joanwilder, and Snakeling. Any mistakes after all their hard work are all my own.

"Escaping The Paradox by Meri"

Don't forget to review!

Mod note: POLLS ARE NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE SNARRY GAMES.

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(Post a new comment)

	k9asylum 2008-04-21 03:23 am UTC (link)
	Very possibly the first "time travel" fic that I really enjoyed!!!!!!! Major YUMS all the way round! (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:02 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2008-04-21 03:54 am UTC (link)

I love time travel fics. I believe this is the first one I've ever read where Harry actually travels back as an adult and is older than Severus when they meet. One of the things I liked best is how, despite the obvious changes in their circumstances, both Harry and Severus remained who they really were right down in their cores. For Severus, that meant mitigating most of his character flaws while retaining that which was good in him.
As for Harry, he was too noble to take advantage of a young student regardless of the feelings he had developed for him until the very eve of battle when a life or death situation meant, as Severus so aptly proclaimed, a possible onetime only chance to express themselves fully. And as he did for all of his life, he made the best of what life handed to him even when it turned his whole life on its head.
Well done, Meri.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:04 pm UTC

wicked-vasquez.livejournal.com, 2008-04-23 03:48 pm UTC

	babblingbrook42 2008-04-21 05:35 am UTC (link)
	Bravo! Wonderful story! It was a lovely read – as are all of your stories. I love the way you mixed time travel, young Snape and Professor!Harry together. I know it will be one I come back to read again and again. You masterfully handled the paradox. I never suspected Lily would have a girl. A superb start for Team Dragon!!!! (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:06 pm UTC

	tarteaucitron 2008-04-21 06:03 am UTC (link)
	really nicely paced and nicely chracterized story. i especially liked snape - how much he was the same and how much he was different: how influences worked on him differently for dangerously close to the same effect as in canon. really clever. (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:07 pm UTC

	sooooo good (Anonymous) 2008-04-21 06:37 am UTC (link)
	I completely loved this story. There just aren't enough time travel fics that have believable characterizations in them. I am so pleased with you. If the rest of the snarry games are this good then I am in for a great ride. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: sooooo good -

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:08 pm UTC

	simons_flower 2008-04-21 07:41 am UTC (link)
	I loved this. I've always been a sucker for time travel and this was perfect. Seeing Harry as the Muggle Studies professor was new -- I've seen him as Defense professor -- but it was brilliant, as was landing in 1971 with his parents and Snape as first years. I'm glad he got to know some of his family as well. (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:10 pm UTC

lovesseamstress
2008-04-21 08:26 am UTC (link)

Wow. I couldn't stop reading, and now it's 4 am and I have to get up in a few hours....it was worth it! I loved so many things about this story, but I want to say that it was an especially good example of covering a long time-line. You were able to skip ahead over the years, and let the dialog and current situation fill in the blanks without explaining everything that happened in between scenes. I recently read a H/D story that attempted this without your success, and the difference is glaring. Well done, such good writing and characterization, as always.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:12 pm UTC

	ivybelle 2008-04-21 10:13 am UTC (link)
	I really enjoyed your story - the time travel and the reversal of the age difference was well written and cleverly plotted, making it so easy to fall into your snarry world. (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:12 pm UTC

	hpstrangelove 2008-04-21 10:23 am UTC (link)
	What a way to start the Games! This was wonderful, but with 180+ comments, I don't need to tell you that. I think everyone already summed up my thoughts. Great job. I loved everything about this fic. (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:14 pm UTC

ciraarana
2008-04-21 10:53 am UTC (link)

Lovedlovedloved this fic! How do you do that, always writing the stories that I'd love to read? If I hadn't been a fan of yours before, I'd be it now. ^-^

Seriously, I very much enjoyed the story. Evers since reading DementorDelta's The Living Years I'm a huge fan of stories where Severus is the younger partner. It's just so funny to see the usual roles reverted. Plus, I love to see Severus grow up and fall in love with Harry. I suppose both the reader and Dumbledore could see it coming long before Severus jumped into Harry's lap. And wasn't that just totally in character for the "pushing, thrusting young man"? (Literally and figuratively, yeah.)

Apart from that, I realley enjoyed reading about Harry's relationship with Dumbledore. The many times where Harry understands his old headmaster better, now that he's an adult, even though other times the old man is still a mystery. Liked that very much.

Last but not least, I enjoyed the paradoxes and how they resolved in the end.

Conclusion: an intelligent and highly enjoyable time-travel fic.

Squee!

^-^

(Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:35 pm UTC

	felmyst 2008-04-21 11:31 am UTC (link)
	As always, an amazingly well written. Excellent plot and characterizations...I especially enjoyed the ending. (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 10:35 pm UTC

elvirablue
2008-04-21 01:41 pm UTC (link)

You made me like Dumbledore and James! Maybe it's because Harry's approach to them was (unusually) sensible. And also because Severus suffered less here than in canon. Dumbledore even let Severus win the House Cup for Ravenclaw and James didn't succeed in your version of "Snape's Worst Memory".

The last third of your story, from the Malfoy Manor visit onwards, was my favourite. The library scene was great. Severus actions made me think of James Bond. :)

I loved how poor Harry was trying his best to resist temptation while listening to Severus' complaints about Lily's choice of boyfriend. It was amusing and full of hotness.

The epilogue was wonderful. Sweet and cosy. The chess game, Severus and Sirius as godfathers and Harry's last thought all made me smile.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 11:07 pm UTC

	fitofpique 2008-04-21 01:48 pm UTC (link)
	what a great story! yay! time travel is one of my favourite things to read and this is a really interesting take on it. i think you did a really nice job with characterization here and the pacing was just right. well done! (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 11:07 pm UTC

	nenyaentwhistle 2008-04-21 03:28 pm UTC (link)
	that was exceedingly well done and i liked how you made the time traveling back to the marauder's era something i hadn't read before. it was perfect sunday reading :) (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-21 11:08 pm UTC

entrenous88
2008-04-21 03:38 pm UTC (link)

Oh, this was so good. So, so good. I adore older!Harry with younger!Snape, and this being a time-travel fic to boot, it's something to celebrate.

I opened the window this morning, thinking I would bookmark and definitely read later, as I knew I would find the themes appealing, and I've really enjoyed all of your fics I've read. But damn if I didn't get sucked in and read the whole thing in one go.

And you know what? I tempted to re-read right now. But I really should get back to, you know, everything I had planned to start several hours ago.

Love how you kept Severus *very* Snape-like. He's got self-interest in spades here, with his obvious insinuations that he considers Harry his reward for working against Voldemort.

I like how many things shifted and changed, among them Severus's sorting, his continued friendship with Lily, the Potters' baby girl, even the slightly disarming passing of Trelawney.

Interesting that what stayed static were the Horcruxes! It's rather a nice way of underlining how little imagination Voldemort has, for all of his raw power.

Great work! I know I'll enjoy revisiting this again and again.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 12:37 am UTC

ashenv
2008-04-21 04:17 pm UTC (link)

Meh, I just arrived from a trip and was so thrilled to see the Games started after all and my favorite author has already posted!

Brilliant, that is all I can say, just brilliant! I so throughly enjoyed it, that I have no words. I simply adore Sev as you have written him here, I don't think it was possible to keep him more in character and yet change his life as you did. That was pure Severus, so wonderfully done! Harry as well, he remained true to himself and I loved their interactions and Severus being brilliant, and Harry somewhat clueless. Add good old Alby into the mix and it was a true pleasure indeed, and will continue to be I am sure.

Thanks ever so much!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 01:02 am UTC

	n_morrighan 2008-04-21 10:25 pm UTC (link)
	Absolutely brilliant! I loved the way you handled the paradox . (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 01:02 am UTC

	fluffyllama 2008-04-21 11:12 pm UTC (link)
	Wonderful! Really loved this, and I haven't read a Snape/Harry in ages, but this was just what I needed to get me going again. So looking forward to reading more fics now, thanks to you :-) (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 01:03 am UTC

	shadowess 2008-04-22 04:06 am UTC (link)
	very well written! I loved the slow progression of their relationship. Very interesting take on various events in the new time, some the same, only slightly different. (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 08:47 pm UTC

	mahaliem 2008-04-22 04:38 am UTC (link)
	What a wonderful story! I love young Snape and how you developed his and Harry's relationship. (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 08:48 pm UTC

	ratcreature 2008-04-22 11:06 am UTC (link)
	This was a lot of fun to read. (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 08:48 pm UTC

	sweetmelodykiss 2008-04-22 02:07 pm UTC (link)
	So wonderful, I really loved the time travel. This was excellent! (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 08:49 pm UTC

leela_cat
2008-04-22 02:44 pm UTC (link)

Time travel stories are such fun in this universe. I like your version of the younger Severus here, and the difference that one caring person can make in his life. Especially when Harry takes up his cause with others (like McGonagall) and makes them look at their own prejudices.

One thing that made this story work so well were the little details, like the explanation for Severus' greasy hair. Because, yes, in that kind of poverty it makes sense. Not just that he was too lazy or too anti-social to wash himself, but that he wasn't used to having the soap and shampoo available.

Very nice.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 08:53 pm UTC

	(Anonymous) 2008-04-22 02:49 pm UTC (link)
	"Everybody lies" - I sense someone's been watching House MD... Brilliant! For years I wanted to read something that has Harry coming back "the hard way". Finally! (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 08:54 pm UTC

wicked-vasquez.livejournal.com, 2008-04-23 03:47 pm UTC

meri_oddities, 2008-04-23 09:04 pm UTC

	stormbird 2008-04-22 03:28 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, my God... I've always loved your stories, but this one... Oh, god. I thought it can't be happy end, but you solved everything in a beautiful way. Thank you for this story. (Reply to this) (Thread)

meri_oddities, 2008-04-22 08:55 pm UTC

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