westernredcedar (westernredcedar) wrote in lupin_snape, @ 2009-08-14 00:40:00 |
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Entry tags: | project: august 09 rec event |
REC: To Keep Calendars in the Absence of Time
To Keep Calendars in the Absence of Time by r_grayjoy
Summary: Severus finds that there can be many reasons to keep track of the days, even in a place where time has no meaning.
Rated: NC-17
Post-DH, I've continually struggled with canon vs. AU in Snupin fic, and I know many of you have as well. I love sticking to canon, but after DH, that makes everything rather depressing, right? Well, not necessarily. This amazing fic is an uplifting and deeply romantic post-DH canon compliant story that leaves me full of hope, even though the entire story takes place in the afterlife.
The story begins with Severus finding himself alone and trapped in an afterlife that looks like a bizarre yet oddly normal version of Spinner's End. The opening meditation on his time alone after death is, by itself, an incredible character study. But then, after months there by himself, Remus arrives...
This story is not without its dark, surreal edge, and the writing is moody and lush with a slow build and pace. r_grayjoy does a remarkable job of developing Snape and Lupin as characters who actually grow and change after death. Simply gorgeous.
An excerpt:
"I was killed during the battle at Hogwarts. That would mean we died on the same night. Likely within minutes of each other." Severus balled his hands into fists to stop the trembling that had started in his fingers.
"Don't tell me you're going to get competitive about which one of us died first," Lupin said.
Preoccupied with the implications of Lupin's news, Severus was no longer listening. It wasn't possible. Severus had been in his self-contained afterlife for more than ten months. For three-hundred sixteen days, to be precise. He'd kept a calendar, for Merlin's sake. Yet Lupin claimed to have just come from the battle. It wasn't possible.
"You look like hell," Remus observed, interrupting Severus' circular thoughts.
Severus sniffed. "I was eaten by a snake, you know." The statement was, of course, an exaggeration, and an incongruous one at that. His present appearance had nothing whatsoever to do with the manner of his death. Rather, his recent lack of sleep had left him even more pale than usual, with dark circles under his eyes. Nevertheless, his remark seemed to distract Lupin adequately.
"Really? A snake?" Lupin asked, appearing vaguely intrigued and amused. "Wait, not Voldemort's snake?"
"One and the same," Severus said darkly.
"Voldemort killed you? At the battle?" Lupin asked, his eyes widening as he seemed to put the pieces together in his head. "But why would… Oh god. You were on our side all the time, weren't you?"
"You always were rather slow on the uptake, Lupin," Severus said by way of confirmation.
"Oh. Oh Merlin," Lupin breathed. "That means… Oh, Severus."