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snarrymod (snarrymod) wrote in snarry_games,
@ 2009-09-05 21:47:00

Entry tags:

cauldron, fic

Team Cauldron Entry (FIC): "Anachronism" by Starcrossed
Title: Anachronism
Author: Starcrossed (starcrossdkayla)
Team: Team Cauldron!
Genre(s): Alive and Kicking
Prompt(s): Seeking Knowledge and Doppelgänger
Rating/Warnings/Kinks: NC17, Highlight if you wish to see: *Abuse/Violence, Non-con, Non-Snarry pairings*
Word Count: ~96k total.
Author's Notes/Disclaimers/Betas: A huge thanks to magic_helmet for doggedly convincing me to enter the Games as an Alternate. To whitestar_alpha for cracking the whip and beating this story into shape. joanwilder for her patience, help as my (previous) captain, and awesome French skills. To Lisa for keeping Severus and Harry in line. To researchgirl and gingertart50 for Brit-picking. To yivel for picking up on all the tiny things. To all my fellow Snitches for being great (ex) team members. To everyone else who helped me crank this out in a month. And a lifetime of thanks and kisses to my own Harry who went above and beyond the call of duty in support.

Summary: Upon waking up, Severus finds himself not recovering from Nagini's bite, but healing after a long-term mysterious illness. Not only must he uncover the mystery of the cause of his affliction, but also deal with his lover, who is the very last person he wanted to ever see again: Harry Potter.

"Anachronism"

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joanwilder
2009-09-07 05:16 am UTC (link)

I'm so glad I reread it in one go; reading it the first time, there were so many things that bothered me, things I thought would never make sense, or were poorly characterized, but now, I've seen the light. :)

To write a story this complex and so multi-layered took a great deal of planning, research and imagination. I'm in awe, really. I do love a story that's so rich in description (although I know we haggled a bit about this--from me, that's the pot calling the kettle black!); you created a world where all of my senses were engaged, and I'm so glad you stuck to your instincts on that point. Description to this extent is not every reader's cup of tea, but it is mine, and certainly is yours as well.

What I admire most, though, it that you had to characterize two separate Snapes, present them both from the beginning, and yet somehow manage to not clue the reader in that that were different. As a writer, I can appreciate how difficult this is, and it's a testament to your skill that I never once suspected until you revealed it in your own time. Of course, we only saw that first Snape through the eyes of others or in Pensieve memories, while we learnt the new one along with Harry.

There were so many times in this that I was frustrated beyond belief; I railed against Snape's stupidity and lack of integrity in honoring his prior character and choices, but it all came together in the end; it was because of the second Snape's integrity that he reacted/acted the way he did.

So many other things I want to mention: the original magic, Endell's story, your original characters, the inclusion of canon characters (also deeply characterized), the detail of the runic garden, the portraits, Kreacher, and the sexual scenes that acted out their relationship on a more subliminal level--all of it done so well, Kayla.

I know the length was a concern, but I'm so very glad you let your heart and mind take you where you needed to go, because it's a great story, a compelling one, the proof of which is that I've thought of it for months, ever since the first time I read it.

Doesn't matter to me what team you're on, kid. You did a wonderful job; you should be proud, and ex-Capitan or not, I sure as hell am. Congrats!

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starcrossdkayla
2009-09-08 02:24 am UTC (link)

Thank you! The hardest part of this was showing Snape's rejection of his false-self while not making him seem too crazy. I can just imagine how frustrating that would be to find oneself in a world where everyone claims to know you--but they know a side of you you can't believe you (especially for a paranoid man like Snape). The whole situation with the Escort is meant to reflect that. Our Snape would NEVER hire an escort. Yet, that Snape is the type of person who, if he can't provide a service for this lover, he will find someone who can (even without consulting his lover). I know that the deal with the escort is a bit frustrating, but I feel it needs to be in there as a clue and to be something huge that our Snape just regrets flat out even though everything tells him that he did do it.

Anyway, it was hard. Fun, but hard. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm proud of myself for it. I started learning how to write 2 years ago and I've much improved!

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