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Tweak says, "Oooh, get you!¬"

snarrymod (snarrymod) wrote in snarry_games,
@ 2008-05-05 08:04:00

Entry tags:

entry, team phoenix, thescarletwoman

TEAM PHOENIX ENTRY: TheScarletWoman "Promises to Keep"
Title: Promises to Keep
Author: thescarletwoman
Team: Team Phoenix
Genre(s): Alternate Universe *Hover/Click for Games Definition of Alternate Universe*
Prompt(s): Trial, Miles to Go Before I sleep
Rating/Warnings/Kinks: NC-17; *adult content; hand jobs*
Word Count: ~18,400
Summary: Placed under house arrest before the trial, Severus has to rely on the kindness of strangers for his every need. When those strangers attempt to murder him before the trial, Harry takes over his care and his legal defense much to Severus' utter dismay. Harry shoehorns himself into Severus' life and Severus learns there are some things worth living for
Author Notes: A large thank you, as always to my amazing beta rose_whispers for holding my hand and providing encouragement. Any mistakes left after her nitpicking are my own. And also to the rest of Team Phoenix for helping me to get the ball rolling! Dialogue in the final scenes taken from Deathly Hallows, pg 543-545 of the Bloomsbury Hardcover Edition.

"Promises to Keep by TheScarletWoman"

Don't forget to review!

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

Mod note: If you rec this story, please link to this POST, not the story itself, or the author/team will not get their proper vote tally or feedback. Thank you.

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	jin_fenghuang 2008-05-15 05:21 am UTC (link)
	Awesome fic. I especially enjoyed Harry headdesking over Snape's behaviour (for a change). GO TEAM! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	thescarletwoman 2008-05-21 04:32 am UTC (link)
	♥ Go team indeed! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	athenakt 2008-05-16 11:51 am UTC (link)
	Very well written indeed! Snape's cutting off his nose to spite his face is very IC of him, and Harry's lurking is also quite IC. ;) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	thescarletwoman 2008-05-21 04:33 am UTC (link)
	♥ thanks so much! Yeah, they certainly have their own little quirks don't they? And I really can see Harry constantly watching from afar, no matter how things could have turned out. Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed it! (Reply to this) (Parent)

aliciamasters
2008-05-19 03:22 am UTC (link)

This was a terrific story; definitely a keeper! I loved the beginning and end with Robert Frost, which gave it a cozy feeling. The longing of the story was intense; Harry's longing to free Snape warring with his longing to love him. He would've broken his word either way, so I'm glad he chose the noble course, even though he thought he might lose love.

I can imagine that Severus would make his wounded pride exact a high price from Harry. He had very little left to claim as his own, and I can understand wanting those memories left alone. Had he been free to make a life with Harry, would he want it to be said that Harry was a substitute for Lily?

I loved the moment when he realized he would rather have Harry than Lily. It really made the tone of the story, and the tension between them, more exquisite.

This was a terrific read. Thank you!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	thescarletwoman 2008-05-21 04:35 am UTC (link)
	♥ I'm glad you liked it and that it's in the keeper pile. :D When I saw the prompt, I knew I had to work the poem into the story, it seemed too perfect not to! That's exactly all of Snape's motivations for keeping the memories to himself. g Thanks so much for all your kind comments and I'm glad you enjoyed the fic! ♥ (Reply to this) (Parent)

	leni_jess 2008-05-20 12:18 am UTC (link)
	Very readable. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	thescarletwoman 2008-05-21 04:36 am UTC (link)
	♥ Thanks! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	igtow 2008-05-20 02:07 am UTC (link)
	I enjoyed the balance between the tension and the humour. You had me worried there for a while, but I'm so glad it worked out in the end. Hooray for Gryffindor stubborness! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	thescarletwoman 2008-05-21 04:37 am UTC (link)
	♥ Thank you so much! I think there needed to be a few humourous moments to alleviate all the tension that was mounting. (no pun intended!) Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for stopping by! (Reply to this) (Parent)

	hpstrangelove 2008-05-22 01:16 pm UTC (link)
	I enjoyed this very much, especially Harry's willingness to break one promise in order to fulfill his other. I understand Severus' wanting to keep parts of his life private, but on the other hand, this was a matter of his being sent to prison or being set free. Thanks for making it all work out in the end! (Reply to this)

	angelbabecj 2008-05-31 12:26 am UTC (link)
	I liked this a lot. Especially the occasional bouts of humour, they helped to relieve the tension brought on by the trial and the air of distrust just right. :) (Reply to this)

miriravan
2008-06-08 05:50 pm UTC (link)

I find it very interesting, and not a little ironic, that Snape--a man whose very life has been shrouded in lies and broken 'promises' for years should have a such an issue around Harry's breaking his. It also interests me that Snape *did* leave all his things lying around for Harry to snoop through, *knowing* how much Harry wanted to save him, and how inclined Harry has always been to cut corners and break rules in the pursuit of what he thinks is right. It's almost as though Snape wanted him to 'break his word', but couldn't bring himself to give outright permission to use those memories.

Anyway, I'm glad they got a happy ending. :)

(Reply to this)

	scifiroots 2008-07-15 12:00 am UTC (link)
	happy sigh Wonderful tale. I love the characterizations and the pacing. Perfect level of angst with a thankfully happy ending! =) Adding this to my favorites! (Reply to this)

shyfoxling
2008-09-23 02:30 am UTC (link)

I am going to be contrary here for a second and say: One thing I didn't like, personally, was Rita's articles (in contrast to some other reviews it seems!). Normally I find such things very funny, but somehow they detracted from the narrative in this, IMO. This didn't seem to me like a story that needed comic relief beyond the amusing lines exchanged between Harry and Severus, so I found myself eyerolling and skimming at those parts. The idea is not bad, but I think it might have been better executed as just a few lines read aloud by either or both of them at various points, rather than "quoting" longer passages.

All that said, I really loved this story.

His own experiences with his father had taught him that happiness was not found in the bottom of an amber bottle. Clear perhaps, but definitely not amber.

*snerk*!

To his right, Severus could hear Potter banging his head against the table he had conjured.

This image was really hilarious for some reason.

While Severus had no problem with sex anywhere it came to him, he wasn't about to bend Harry over the kitchen table.

Not if he wanted to eat there again at a later date.

The scene after this was just so great. Such tasty "first time"ness.

Sighing, Severus leaned over the chair to rub Harry's shoulders. The quill fell from Harry's hand and hit the floor, a few ink spatters covering the hardwood floor where the tip hit. Severus continued his ministrations, his thumbs working at a couple of knots between his shoulder blades.

"Do you know what time it is?" he asked softly.

I really liked this glimpse of Severus being really tender.

"My turn to take care of you for once," Severus replied with a small smile.

What a beautiful scene.

He never hears the words 'and I you' replied so softly, it's like a whisper on the wind.

*cry*

Yes, laugh all you want. Yes, I can love, you bastards.

Rawr. No shit. Go Severus!

Once again, Severus was indebted to someone else for his future.

Oh, ouch. I can imagine how galling this must be for him.

"And that you would love me forever," Severus finished to Harry's astonished expression. "I was not asleep. I heard every word." He extended his hand to Harry. "Are you going to break those promises as well, or are you going to come inside?"

With a deep breath, Harry reached across the threshold to take Severus' hand.

*cry*!!!

(Reply to this)

(Anonymous)
2015-02-26 04:43 am UTC (link)

Very readable and yes, I think Harry would do that, and Snape would eventually appreciate it as a Slytherin move, since it saved him.

Point of order - internal evidence suggests that Snape defected to the Order nearly a year before the Potters' deaths. The first clue is that the trees are bare - something which doesn't happen here in Scotland until mid to late November.

Then there's the fact that Rowling has said at interview that the Potters went into hiding just after Harry's christening - which probably took place well before Harry was 15 months old.

Then there's Lily's letter, written just after Harry's first birthday party. She refers to the deaths of the Mackinnons as a recent event, so her letter was written around three weeks after the Order photo' was taken. Moody lists an enormous number of events which took place between the photograph and the end of the war, so it's really not credible that Harry's birthday party was delayed until October and the photo' was taken only three or four weeks before the Potters' deaths. It seems Harry's party really was held round about his actual birthday and the letter was written in early August - and the family are already in hiding, and have been for some time.

It seems that the Potters went into hiding in two stages. Snape conveyed an initial warning in late 1980 or very early 1981, and they went into medium-level hiding. In October 1981 he warned Albus that Voldie was about to strike, and at that point the Potters increased their security and went under the Fidelius.

whitehound/Borolin

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