The Taste Of Smoke

The Taste Of Smoke by Tani

Summary: There are some things that cannot be forgotten. For George Weasley, the taste of smoke is one of them. Oneshot, 1,218 Words.

Why You Should Care: Because everyone has to grow up, even if part of their charm is that they never really completely do. Fred and George learn that lesson made famous by Ben Parker: with great power comes great responsibility.

Why You Might Not Care: Not as poignant as it maybe could have been. This could have hurt like a slap to the face, and perhaps it would have been better for it. As is, it’s more uneasy than jarring; still effective, but less powerful.

Seven Photographs

Seven Photographs by Casira

Summary: Glimpses of our heroes at the end of the battles and beyond, as they face what’s lost and what’s to come. Oneshot, 8,300 Words.

Guest Rec’d By: Kira

Why You Should Care: Written shortly after the release of DH, casira writes seven separate scenes that, frankly, JKR should have written, and succeeds just as if Jo had written it herself. There’s Remus and Tonks’ death; Minerva and Hogwarts directly after the battle; Hermione’s parents in Australia; George returning to WWW’s alone for the first time; Kingsley and the rebuilding of the MoM via Potterwatch; Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Andromeda discussing post-war plans; and finally, Harry visiting Snape’s grave. In a style very reminiscent of Jo’s, casira really wraps the HP series up well with a touch of everything that made it successful in the first place: brilliant character interaction, gripping action, laughter, family, and sacrifice. A brilliant pre-epilogue.

Why You Might Not Care: If you didn’t like the way DH ended at all, then this may not be your cup of tea.

Weasleys Wizard Wheezes: The Ministry Disapproved Edition (The Liability Remix)

Weasleys Wizard Wheezes: The Ministry Disapproved Edition (The Liability Remix) by SullenSiren (Original by Xylodemon)

Summary: From the desk of Percival Ignatius Weasley, concerning the twins’ latest product line. Oneshot, 3,000.

Why You Should Care: Originally written in 2006 for the Omniocular Non-Fiction Challenge, and recently remixed for Remix Redux 2006. The original was absolute fun, and the new additions in the voice of Percy compliment the original content wonderfully. Catalogue comes complete with images, pricing, order form, and sparling text! Really fantastic multi-media comedic exercise that fits well in JKR’s universe.

Why You Might Not Care: The original was written before DH, and the remix — even though it was written post DH — has complied with that original, so suspend your canon complaints.

Severance

Severance by Anna Fugazzi

Summary: George is left behind. Oneshot, 2,654 Words.

Why You Should Care: There’s fantastic use of repetition here that’s used to bind the subject matter, linking from section to section unobtrusively. It touches on the oft missed, mundane day-to-day of having lost someone that lingers long after the initial grieving is finished. George wants to move on, but can’t — partly because he is himself unable to let go, and partially because his family is having just as much difficulty letting go. They feed each others hurt, and it reflects back and forth to be a constant reminder of what they’ve lost, making it very difficult for anyone to really move on. Beautifully, simply written; it has an almost drabble quality.

Why You Might Not Care: Perhaps you’ve had your fill of stories that deal with Weasleys Dealing With the Loss of Fred. Or perhaps not. I tend to think not.

Five Times Fred and George Got Away With It

Five Times Fred and George Got Away With It by Attilatehbun

Summary: “For once, this is more than a joke, this is something that needs doing. Not that jokes don’t need doing, because they certainly do, now more than ever.” Oneshot, 1,065 Words.

Why You Should Care: Fred and George are wonderful in this fic. Watching them grow up — and yet not at the same time — is perfect. These moments which Attilatehbun has chosen are very real and leave you agreeing that yes, they would have happened. Chararacterisation is spot on, excellent blend of humor and gravity, lovely ending.

Why You Might Not Care: Honestly, I wish that the author had chosen a different title; list-fics are starting to grate on the nerves of the fandom in general — the organisation of this piece isn’t so much a list as it is separate scenes, but the title can’t tell you that. Beyond that, though, it’s definitely one of my personal favourites.

Thanks To: Redonthefly, for reccing this in her journal.

Sixteen Ways to Tell the Weasley Twins Apart

Sixteen Ways to Tell the Weasley Twins Apart by KaydeeFalls

Summary: How do you tell Fred and George apart? Drabble Collection, 1,353 Words.

Why You Should Care: A list-fic on the surface, but actually quite an excellent set of themed drabbles underneath.  They’re all on point, but each one could stand alone as a separate piece, and this list-fic doesn’t fall into the list-fic trap of mediocrity.  Each drabble is interesting, and the last one especially is an eye-opener — left purposely vague so we’re left with a very unsteady understanding about George’s future without his twin (leaving aside the canon details JKR has offered up since in interviews, of course).  Often entertaining and often thought-provoking.

Why You Might Not Care: Well, list-fics of all sorts and shapes and sizes seem to be the meme style that’s out to consume Livejournal.  At some point, even the really, really good ones are going to seem stale because of format.  I’d like to think we’re not quite there yet.

Almost

Almost by AuroraWest

Summary: George returns to 93 Diagon Alley for the first time since the Battle of Hogwarts. Oneshot, 1,471 Words.

Why You Should Care: Yes, yes: it’s another post DH George fic.  I’m reccing this specifically because I think the author does a very good job with George’s character in a way most other ‘George mourns the loss of Fred’ fics don’t, which is by way of saying that some of the twin’s delightful sense of humour manages to shine through his sadness.  At its core it’s quite sad, but there are moments where George is still George, despite having lost Fred, and that’s a hard thing to find in this kind of fic.  In retrospect, this is probably the most accurate portrayal of George I’ve read: life goes on, whether we want it to or not and whether we think it is or not, and sometimes the only way you can tell is the cracking of an inappropriate joke or the reality of dirty underwear.

Why You Might Not Care: Sometimes it’s a little too much in George’s head, if you know what I mean.  Some of what we are told about what’s going on in George’s mind isn’t necessary, and I think those sections could have been cut, either to make a tighter story overall or to spend more time on the character study here that makes this fic unique.

Sometimes

Sometimes by MidnightBlue88

Summary: “Sometimes he reaches for two plates at dinner.” Drabble, 137 Words.

Why You Should Care: It’s the sad, sweet reality of this fic that makes it beautiful — the little honesties of life after war. The author pays a great attention to detail, so that in very few words a whole world is built for George, a world without Fred, and we see him struggling to face what no one else will mention. It’s the rebuilding of a character and it’s heartbreaking.

Why You Might Not Care: This fic is too short and too unoriginal. I think it’s beautiful and of all the Fredless!George fics it’s the best I’ve read, but there’s no new idea here — it’s just the recycled one really well done. And it needs another hundred words or so, just to come to a conclusion. Even so, it’s adorable — George is like a baby deer finding his feet again.

The Best Laid Plans

The Best Laid Plans by Alyra77

Summary: “And after a dinner of Yorkshire pudding, or sausages, or whatever they could force down their throats – hoping that somewhere, Ron and Hermione and Harry had at least a little something in their bellies – the twins would retreat to their cluttered old space and begin to plan.” Oneshot, 1,007 Words.

Why You Should Care: Because I’d like to think that — for all Fred and George’s preoccupation with the ridiculous — they are smart enough to have realized early on in the war that what did happen could happen. I can only hoped they would have talked about it when they still could, and that it helps them both find a measure of peace.

Why You Might Not Care: It’s more of a hopeful reflection than a story, really. I’m not entirely sure the Weasley twins would have had this conversation — I hope they did, but I’m not sure their characters as written by JKR allow for it. I would have made sure to have this discussion, but the nature of most people is to avoid what is hard to think about.

George And

George And by Marginaliana

Summary: George never quite recovers. Drabble, 484 Words.

Why You Should Care: For me, Fred’s death was the hardest. Not because he died, but because George was left behind, alone, as only a twin can be. This is a quiet little piece about moving on with a piece of you missing, and how things are never the same.

Why You Might Not Care: If it’s still too fresh, then wait a little.