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snarryhols (snarryhols) wrote in snarry_holidays,
@ 2008-11-22 10:07:00

Entry tags:

fic, giftee: anya_elizabeth, rated: nc-17

Fic: Requiem At Dusk
Title: Requiem At Dusk
Author: femmequixotic
Giftee: anya_elizabeth
Word Count: ~49,000
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Disclaimer: They belong to Jo, not me.
Summary: Harry would do anything for his son, even follow in Orpheus's footsteps.
Author's Notes: A huge thank you to my two betas and to the mods for their patience. Much gratitude also Neil Gaiman, Lloyd Alexander, C.S. Lewis and the Greek, Celtic and Norse myths that inspired them as well as me.

Requiem At Dusk

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	zephre 2008-11-22 12:52 pm UTC (link)
	ah, what a great take on the Underworld - loved the complexities here, not only in relationships, both in life and after death, but in the world itself. amazing work. well done. :) (Reply to this)

svartalfur
2008-11-22 05:00 pm UTC (link)

That was amazing! You did a fantastic job at melting the different universes. I loved your version of the afterlife, its rules and regulations and its possibilities. Your interpretation of Elysium especially was great. The homophobic guards - priceless! And your portrait of Dumbledore - just wow! That's how I imagine him to be, the old scheming bastard, already at the top of the world again. And Sirius - yes! Not a small feat, including the whole HP universe with Death Eaters, Marauders and Voldemort into a mix of Norse and Greek afterlife myths and make it all fit so well. Absolutely, stunningly brilliant!

I loved your portrayal of the Snape family. Eileen's friendship with the Norns is so fitting, and I really really liked Tobias. I wish he could have been saved, but his fate was wonderfully appropriate.

And how I love your Harry with his rent boys, and your Snape who can't let go. They're perfect!

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	stormbird85 2008-11-22 05:18 pm UTC (link)
	Up to this point it's my favorit in this Snarry Holiday. Congratulations! (Reply to this)

	zephyr_macabee 2008-11-22 08:20 pm UTC (link)
	Lucky anya, to receive such a gift. This was a lovely story, so full of drama, angst and love, and even some comedy. (Reply to this)

	ivybelle 2008-11-22 08:25 pm UTC (link)
	Amazing story. I loved reading it - the care and intricacy of your plot, and your lovelylovely characterisations. Just wonderful! (Reply to this)

torino10154
2008-11-22 09:28 pm UTC (link)

Dear lord, an instant Snarry classic. Where to even begin-Snape keeping an eye on his namesake, refusing to stay in Elysium, Harry coming to rescue Al, so much love for both Eileen and Tobias (who ever thought I'd cry over his death scene!), the family reunion at Dumbledore's, Lily cornering Snape. Gah! I am going to cry again, ok moving on-all the fantastic mythology-cameo by Sisyphus! So many amazing scenes. Wonderful sex between our heroes. And then Al making it across and Harry turning back-oh! Even though I expected Harry to stay, that make it no less emotional when it happened. I have no words enough to say how much I adored every single word. Amazing. Thank you.

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	snarry_fan7 2008-11-22 11:44 pm UTC (link)
	Magnificent work! I love the different mythologies intertwined throughout the story and I really love the interaction between Severus and Harry. The roles all the characters played were great. Well done!!~Sophia (Reply to this)

	black_star_neb 2008-11-23 04:03 am UTC (link)
	I love what you did with this story. It was amazing. Loved the redemption aspect of it, especially with Tobias. Some parts were confusing and I hated that Harry ended up dead but it was an amazing, extremely well written story. (Reply to this)

	thesewarmstars 2008-11-23 11:51 am UTC (link)
	Oh, oh brilliant. Love Snape. Love his parents. Love that he doesn't think he can keep quiet during sex. Did I mention I love Snape? (Reply to this)

cordelia_v
2008-11-23 06:10 pm UTC (link)

This is an interesting and complex attempt to fuse theology and myth (of course, that's a difference without a distinction from most POVs), to create a unique backdrop for this Snarry. Again and again, I found myself wanting to debate the alternate reality of this Beneathworld with you, which is a tribute to how much it engaged me.

Snape and his mother are well-realized here. Indeed, that is almost a give-away, for me. Because if you're who I think you are: no one writes Eileen the way you do.

Anyway, whoever you are: thank you. I enjoyed reading this late at night, during a week when I was very stressed with work. This served wonderfully well, as escape literature for me.

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	anya_elizabeth 2008-11-23 06:49 pm UTC (link)
	Oh my god! gushes This is such a wonderful present! Mythology and guilt and hot sex and long and eeee! Thank you so much, mystery writer! (Reply to this)

	white_rat 2008-11-23 07:22 pm UTC (link)
	Oh wow... I must say I loved this story. Put it in book form and it would be on my shelf right there points I'm distracted at the moment, so I can't say anything more eloquent than that.. adds to favorites (Reply to this)

	jin_fenghuang 2008-11-23 09:58 pm UTC (link)
	This is a wonderful story, I really like how you included and characterized the other characters. Great take on the Underworld, too. Definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing. (Reply to this)

	gingertart50 2008-11-24 03:16 pm UTC (link)
	This is great! What an unusual plot, which together with plenty of action, surprises, great characters (love Snape's parents) and oh! The ending! The ending was heart-wrenching and perfect. Terrific fic. (Reply to this)

meri_oddities
2008-11-24 05:47 pm UTC (link)

Wow. What a fabulous, complex and intriguing plot. I was sucked in and held captive until I could finish it. Now, I want to go back and reread it much more slowly, savoring all the little details.

You do a magnificent Snape. He is very believable and so finely drawn. Harry is lovely, too. I love to see him older and more careworn. I also love your portrayals of the other characters. You made Tobias human. Well done.

I'm usually pants at guessing who wrote what, but there aren't that many people who could pull this off with this kind of skill. I bet I know. *g*

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ivylady
2008-11-24 09:20 pm UTC (link)

OMG! I'm absolutely floored by this story. I love it! I was hooked from the beginning.

Your Severus is such a compelling character, and you layer him very well. He's more nuanced and intriguing than JKR ever wrote him, and I adore him. Harry is wonderful as well--with just enough Gryffindor brashness tempered with maturity.

I never imagined that I would like Tobias Snape. Not only do I like him, but my heart broke for Severus when his father died. It was, to me, one of the best scenes in the story.

The end, with Harry sacrificing himself for Snape, who was sacrificing himself for Harry, was perfect. Al coming to the Underworld after living a long life was just what the story needed. Bravo.

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	estioe 2008-11-25 05:25 pm UTC (link)
	Oh wow! How perfect is this?! This has to be my favorite fanfic in this fest up until now. I am so reccing this when I have a chance! <font size=">Also, I'm pretty sure I know how you are! ;)</font> (Reply to this)

winoniel
2008-11-27 01:20 am UTC (link)

This is so wonderful! You’ve created such an intricate, fully-realized, and rich world after death. The characters retain many of their flaws, but the smarter ones have learned from their previous life, and this 'second chance,' so to speak, is miraculous.

Your Snape is persuasive and convincing, as are Tobias and Eileen, you have really worked through their interfamilial-dynamics, and come up with a superbly redeemable lot.

I was unsure of the story at the beginning, thinking the fic was going to be too dark for me. I have to say that you treated the characters harshly, but gave reasons for their suffering, and used it as a ‘refiner’s fire.’

The ending, with them all welcoming Al back was perfect!

Beautifully conceived and written, I can’t wait to find out who you are so I can bookmark this under your real name!

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nonajf
2008-11-27 04:10 pm UTC (link)

I really liked how you brought the different traditions and mythologies together. The concept of the heriot was very much in the Harry Potter tradition and created a believable need for Harry to confront Voldemort and the Death Eaters again. Your characters were all great, from the canon ones to the originals. (Loved Ratatosk!)

It was sad when Harry had to trap himself in order to save his son and to stop Voldemort, but he did get Severus (and his parents and other loved ones he'd lost).

I really got wrapped up in this world you created!

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orions_stars
2008-11-28 07:17 am UTC (link)

Wow. This story is amazing! Your characters and conception of an afterlife that is really, not so different, are brilliant. Your meshing of different mythologies was masterful and believable. What a great explanation for the Weasleys' tendency to have sons! Thanks especially for your Tobias - I'm a sucker for a good redemption story. You really made me feel for Harry and Severus and Al, and your ending was just right.

One teeny typo: The heroit is a factor

As soon as this is archived someplace, I think it will be in frequent rotation on my reading list. Excellent work!

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aislinnsdair
2008-12-01 10:05 pm UTC (link)

What a truly riveting story! This was as classic a Hero's Journey as any fanfic I've read, with a literal journey into the underworld to retrieve a prize of great worth, the crossing the threshold, belly of the whale, supernatural aid and meeting with the goddess, atonement with the father, magical flight - the whole package presented in a deeply compelling tale. You've written a fascinating version of that underworld, with an interesting melding of the various cultural mythologies, and your characters are wonderfully 3 dimensional. I felt Harry's grief at the loss of his son, and the grim determination to rescue him. Snape was wonderfully in character, and his time with his father so very moving. Al was a fully realized character, nicely developed, as were your original characters. Nice job!

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	f13tch3r 2008-12-02 07:52 pm UTC (link)
	Wow. Epic. Wonderful. A classic. I wish everyone could read this. What you have done by melding these various mythologies into one grand quest story with the many characters we know of the HP world is spectacular. This is by far the best fan fiction I have read in a long time. Thank you. (Reply to this)

	szefi 2008-12-04 01:37 pm UTC (link)
	Have to agree with those saying this is a Snarry classic. Loved the very original concept and plot, as well as the pacing of their relationship. Harry defeating Voldemort and saving the world the third time - it's fate. And omg the sex was incredibly erotic. (Reply to this)

	okydoky 2008-12-16 05:04 pm UTC (link)
	Oh God I loved this. So so so much. I do not even have the words to explain how much I loved this. Brilliant! ♥ (Reply to this)

	andreanna 2008-12-30 12:48 am UTC (link)
	This is really, really brilliant. At first I wasn't sure if I was even going to continue reading it, but then I was ensnared. Fantastic world building (and really entertaining the further I went and recalled my mythologies). Also, hot sex. Thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you! (Reply to this)

	WOW (Anonymous) 2008-12-30 02:05 am UTC (link)
	That was spectacular. The melding of the different mythologies, the characters, the action, the ROMANCE....... Wow! Just wow! (Reply to this)

wow, just wow

amenaneri
2008-12-31 12:03 pm UTC (link)

Awesome story. Really a joy and delight to read. I love how much thought and care went into this story, and research--created an incredibly rich tapestry to play in. And the characterizations were just great. I love that Harry was a mature adult with all of the complexities that living 40 some years with a marriage, successful career and kids gave him. And I love that Snape watched him do all of that, maturing as well until they could actually come together as equals, fully realized.

I loved the completions: between Lily and Severus, between Tobias and Severus, between Eileen and Severus, and between Al and Harry. Really great to see.

The grand reunion at Dumbledore's was also a great scene--somehow it didn't seem like the Maruauders had really matured much, and I loved that Harry chose Severus over all of them. I liked that James held back--a really young man in comparison to his son, who had become a much greater man than he ever had a chance to be. And Albus up to his old manipulations, and Severus not letting him get away with anything.

And finally the grand adventure and quest was just great--well plotted and paced--just incredible work.

What a holiday gift!

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ishtar79
2009-01-11 11:36 am UTC (link)

Oh, this was simply breathtaking! The depiction of the Underworld was so vivid and captivating, and felt fresh and new despite all the versions of it I've encountered in books.

Snape and Harry were just spot-on, characterisation-wise, but I also really appreciated the glimpses into Eilleen, Tobias and Albus Severus. The ending was everything I could hope for, and I wasn't sure which way it would go until the very end.

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	leela_cat 2009-01-12 11:43 am UTC (link)
	This story was simply amazing. You caught me up in your world and never once tossed me out (something I was worried about because I know so much about the mythologies). (Reply to this)

	secretsolitaire 2009-01-17 11:25 am UTC (link)
	Wow, what an amazing fic. The plot dragged me in and wouldn't let me go. Between Harry's guilt and Snape's sense of responsibility, these two really are perfect for each other. Really gorgeous. (Reply to this)

	firefly124 2009-02-20 09:37 am UTC (link)
	Damn, this was amazing! (Reply to this)

	scifiroots 2009-03-28 06:20 pm UTC (link)
	Oh freaking all out amazing! I think it's probably one of my top favorites ever. Too amazing...!! (Reply to this)

hogwartshoney
2009-04-01 09:44 pm UTC (link)

Femme... I saw this rec'd at crack_broom and started reading it last night. It haunted my dreams and when I finished it earlier today there's no quantifying the amount of tears shed. Even now, at least 12 hours later, the tears flow afresh as I try to make sense of how I feel and the way this story affected me.

Death, really, that's it, and the love of a parent for a child so strong that it can, for lack of a better word, conquer it. I know nothing of the mythology and 'real' story behind the world here, and at first the story seemed a bit heavy and dark, and I wondered whether I would be able to get through it. My doubts were cast aside with the telling of the tale, and really, I was riveted. I physically hurt when Al died, when Tobias died, and at the end, as I say, the tears still fall.

There was such a sense of urgency, and danger, and fear throughout this, especially with Harry being so out of his element, and the hesitant way in which he and Severus came together. Their first kiss was so desperate and powerful that I felt it as almost a physical blow when they separated, and then later, when they finally, finally had their chance at the real thing, OMG, just... yes. Juuuuuust yes. It was so visceral and urgent and perfect.

Really liked the cast of characters, too, and the way everyone had their part to play. There's so much to admire and rave about with this, but really, I'll probably need to re-read it many more times, especially when I need a good cry.

Oh, and the end........ the very end..... was perfect and wonderfully sad in a happy way.

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layers of darkness

countesszero
2009-04-11 01:22 am UTC (link)

to see ratatosk, utnapishtim, leuce and harry potter united in one story is surreal and unexpectedly entertaining.

the description of elysium is familiar - not a place where universal wisdom rules and love reigns but a protected territory that insists on bureaucracy but does not scan for even obvious weaknesses of character like intolerance (the guards) or arrogance (the marauders). snape declining the terms of elysium and refusing to become a citizen says more about him than detailed descriptions of his character.

exquisite.

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machshefa
2010-01-26 12:32 am UTC (link)

Here via KIA... And, wow. I mostly read (and write) SSHG, so reading outside my OTP means finding stories and writers that can draw me into a pairing that I'm not yet engaged with. You did that, and more. Your use of voice is stunning, as is the way you weave mythologies into a unique Beneathworld that works. The character portrayals and development are compelling and nuanced, and I found myself riding the roller-coaster with the characters. This is sheer brilliance.

Thank you for writing it... now I must go hunt down every other thing you've ever written :D

Brava!

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	Oh. Oh my. (Anonymous) 2010-09-27 10:53 am UTC (link)
	That was absolutely beautiful. Lovely, lovely rendition of Orpheus and Eurydice, lovely detail, lovely everything, brilliant Snape, and absolutely wonderful language! (Reply to this)

spectacular
(Anonymous)
2011-07-30 05:07 am UTC (link)

what a well told story- and a rich world with a fantastic adventure and phenomenal character development... sigh.

seriously. I coud barely contain my sheer glee at the awkward yet satisfying reunions, the machinations of Dumbledore and Pish... getting to see Tobias redeemed... the weird that was the stuck at the age one died at thing... the hot tension between Severus and Harry... BAMF!Harry and the ultra awesome sword... Tom Riddle, evil as always, the dipping into old lore. I love every piece of this. AND the squirrell. I could go on for awhile, usually I get bored with these attempts at serious adventure plots, but yours was truly genius.

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