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snarrymod (snarrymod) wrote in snarry_games,
@ 2008-05-15 08:06:00

Entry tags:

entry, team phoenix, vain

TEAM PHOENIX ENTRY: Vain "To Stay the Shadow"
Title: To Stay the Shadow
Author: Vain vain
Team: Phoenix
Genres: Angst
Prompt: Reckoning & Ashes of Youth
Rating/Warnings: R; *Book 6 & 7 S.P.O.I.L.E.R.S. Please note, this story is NOT Book 7 compliant; AU-ish; language; angst.*
Word Count: ~25,400
Summary: Once upon a time Severus Snape fell in love. And then everything went wrong.
A/N: All the definitions preceding the chapters are taken from "The Devil's Dictionary," by Ambrose Bierce, originally published in newspapers in a serialized version between 1881 and 1906 as "The Cynic's Word Book," and then bound and republished in 1911 under its current name.
Special Thanks once again to the mods for not killing me after email # 3, and especially to my invaluable betas venivincere, alisanne, & ziasudra for beating me with Spelling, Grammar, and Diction Sticks. They are now my personal heroes and made this story a thousand times better; all remaining errors are solely my own. Also, much love to the rest of Team Phoenix for all their help and support. This would never have been completed if not for you guys’ feedback and encouragement. ♥
Plagiarism is no one’s friend.

"To Stay the Shadow by Vain"
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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enname
2008-05-18 03:43 am UTC (link)

That was beautiful, a lovely study in what could and couldn't be. Your subtly adjusted premise into a world where by a few character death reversals was fascinating, and just as convincing as JKR's version. I like how you take all the characters seriously, not just dumping Ginny once she is dead and those ramifications, nor Lily, nor anyone else. It rings so very true in the actions and reactions of Harry and Snape. Throwing that trope of the Snape who sees the 'true' Harry on its head was invigorating, and opens a whole building of possibilities to play with between them and their loves/lives/losses.

I have to applaud Harry for having the sense and maturity to just walk away (even if in some ways he never truly can leave completely) from what would have become an incredibly destructive relationship, no matter that it damaged in the leaving. Many people don't have that ability and no matter what my inner angst-on-toast side thinks about seeing it play out, it would be like slicing both of them open repeatedly with a razor, more so than even now. That tragic clarity Harry has to see that it will never work is... just so clean and painful. Yet I equally love Snape here trying to reconcile (and failing because he doesn't have the time to get near success, if there is such a thing) his need and loss of Lily, his loss of Harry, the hurt and being a .. left over relic. Two steps forward and three steps back. It is not just his brokeness but both Harry and everything else.

I love this for being an uncompromising portrait of two people who cannot, are unable to, and will not compromise or give less in emotions or their needs and desires in life.. gorgeous. I love the openess and lack of resolution of the ending, leaving it at once oddly hopeful but devastatingly closed and ruined all the more for that. So.. thanks. It made my day.

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	vain 2008-05-19 02:13 pm UTC (link)
	Wow. ^_^ Perfect and insightful. You got absolutely everything I wanted to portray and brilliantly and succinctly reflected back the portrait I was hoping to paint. Thank you, not only for reading and reviewing, but for the insightful absorption and assimilation. Your review has made me smile like a loon and really made my day this time around. Thank you. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

enname
2008-05-20 11:56 am UTC (link)

Truly, it was all my pleasure as I have been mulling on your entry for a few days now and it is only growing better. After all, you are the one who wrote it and pulled it together, I only read. So if I reflected back anything correctly then you have but yourself to congratulate. Personally I am still just absorbing the flavour of regret, bitter hope and devastation.

(I always make it a priority to post a comment immediately, otherwise the poor author may be subjected to a minor dissertation upon their own story, especially when the said author fulfills my gaping and inexhaustible thirst for angst, Snarry and the realistic. I am just glad I didn't wait until the stage when you would have got pages of meta :P)

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