Faith

Faith by Lady Apocalymon

Summary: Narcissa has no faith in the dirty, dark world, as her sisters abandon her and outshine her. Only when she sees a spark of light in the world does she begin to find faith in her existence. Oneshot, 4,505 Words.

Why You Should Care: Lady Apocalymon takes a couple of villains and nearly turns them into protagonists with this fic. Lucius and Narcissa seem well within their canon characterisations — their high-brow snobbery and nobility oozes throughout the words in dialogue and action — yet there seems to be a new kind of affection breathed into their relationship. They are courtly, but as unable to restrain their attraction to each other — physical and intellectual — as any other fevered couple in Harry Potter canon. R-rated because of a sex scene near the end.

Why You Might Not Care: To be honest, the sex scene — for me — was the weakest part of the fic. Now, to be fair, there are probably quite a few people who would consider this the best part of the fic; it’s one of those highly subjective things. I prefer a little less throbbing-burning-pounding cliche, personally, but not for nothing is Harlequin a popular form of female erotica. I’ll let y’all decide for yourselves whether it gets the thumbs-up or thumbs-down.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Lilith Morgana

Summary: Last time, things were different. Oneshot, 2,700 Words.

Why You Should Care: Even Lord Voldemort’s highest ranking lieutenants experience the war, and this is a portrait of the Malfoy family and their fall from grace during the second war as told through Narcissa’s POV. It is too easy to forget sometimes that even the villains have something to lose, and sometimes are that much closer to losing it. There is still love amongst the lowest of us, and while the likes of Voldemort — and maybe even Bellatrix — are beyond it, the Malfoys are not. Dark moments in the life of a dark family as the Malfoys do what they do best — survive and escape.

Why You Might Not Care: This will be best for people who like the darker characters, and who don’t eternally hate the Malfoys for weaseling their way out of trouble again. Let’s face it folks, if Lucius Malfoy tortured puppies in front of five-year-olds twirling an old-fashioned villain’s moustache, he’d somehow find a way to buy himself out of it. Again.

Awards: 2008 Hourglass Award, Best Drama — Second Place

Of A Sort

Of A Sort by FernWithy

Summary: A series of stories about the experience all Hogwarts students share: being Sorted into their houses on their first day at school. Novel Length (abandoned), 49,388 Words.

Why You Should Care: FernWithy says in her notes that she considers this idea of hers woefully overused, but I confess I have never read a compilation like this, so for me it’s quite original. It deals a little with sorting and a lot with how the first day of school can very much affect the rest of your educational life. The seemingly benign choices made on the Hogwarts Express have lasting repercussions, some of which we’ve seen even in canon.

Why You Might Not Care: This appears to have been abandoned as she began to attempt the sorting of the Trio Era characters, but I have rec’d it for the strength of the things I think are more valuable — that is to say, the fact that she’s already tackled the characters we haven’t seen being sorted. It’s been about a year and a half since an update, and I sort of wish she’d just ended it with the sorting of Tonks instead of trying to slog onwards. We’ve already seen Harry’s generation and their sorting, so I feel it’s unnecessary. Parts have since been made AU by new canon factoids offered by JKR, but it still stands quite well.

If Not For The Rain

If Not For The Rain by Afterthree

Summary: “Snape knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in the seventh year…” At nine, Severus Snape has a chance encounter with a boy named Lucius Malfoy in the streets of London. Oneshot, 4,519 Words.

Why You Should Care: A brief look at Snape as a young boy, before Hogwarts. A little window into his home life. A shameless plug.

Why You Might Not Care: I have no real claim to bias here, as I wrote it. Uh… well, what’s the use of having a recs site of your very own if you can’t plug your own work? Seriously though, it’s been nominated for the Hourglass Awards, so I guess I must have done something right.

The Metronome

The Metronome by Icarus

Summary: “Lord what?” Lucius laughed. At sixteen, it seemed Lucius had everything, but he knew what was out of reach. An unknown dark wizard offers him the impossible. Oneshot, 7,399 Words.

Why You Should Care: An interesting and thought provoking look at Lucius during his first meeting with the man that would be Lord Voldemort. This author has a keen eye for character, and gives plausible explanation for what first tempts a young Lucius to throw his lot in with Tom Riddle. Unique, because it doesn’t paint Lucius with the broad brush of “Just Another Muggle Hater”, but gives him more personal motivation. Or perhaps it’s just that I really feel for Lucius in this story because I see a lot of myself in this character study…

Why You Might Not Care: If you get bored reading about Lucius, obviously, or if you don’t give a damn what makes him tick. There is some – ahem – “language” in this fic, so be warned. The author gives it an ‘R’ rating, though I’m not sure it deserved it. You also might tear your hair out if you’re a hardcore Lucius/Narcissa shipper, as Lucius displays a clear personal preference for Bellatrix despite his destiny.