The Willingness to Be Duplicitous

The Willingness to Be Duplicitous by R Grayjoy

Note: This link currently points to a locked post in the Friends Only community Erotic Elves.   If anyone knows of an unlocked copy of this fic, please let me know so I can change the link.  It is against C&C policy to link to locked posts, and this was done so in error.

Summary: Those who practice duplicity always suspect it in others. Oneshot, 1,200.

Why You Should Care: This is a spin on the Founders and their breaking that I have never read before — one that intrigues me and starts to poke into my own personal canon and seed. This Rowena is as interesting a character as Salazar, if not more so, and I long to know more about the how and the why of this story.

Why You Might Not Care: The reveal has been shrouded by a flash het sex fic that is somewhat explicit and probably NWS, but it’s all over pretty quickly, and my monitor didn’t steam over once. Not the best NC17 scene ever written by any stretch of the imagination, but since it’s not really the point (and indeed might have even distracted) it can be excused.

Weakness

Weakness by Alyx Bradford

Summary: “This cannot possibly end well.” Oneshot, 6,761 Words.

Why You Should Care: This is a great little oneshot fiction about the coming together of the Founders that also lays the breadcrumbs of the inevitable clash between Godric and Salazar.  The characters are wonderfully three-dimensional (well… you don’t really get much out of Helga’s cameo to be fair) and the thematic elements of this fic are tied right into the centre of it.  In addition, the writing is mindful of the era this is set in, and the dialogue fits this period piece quite nicely.

Why You Might Not Care: It doesn’t win a million points for having an original premis (the Salazar/Rowena/Godric triangle has been done plenty of times before, and I can’t help but wonder why it’s always Rowena in the centre of it — anyone got a Salazar/Helga/Godric fic laying around somewhere?) but the execution is nearly flawless.  Also, warnings for NC17 and NWS material, folks.

Dead Things

Dead Things by AcidPop25

Summary: Helena could always tell their spells apart. Drabble, 638 Words.

Why You Should Care: This is a very interesting sliver in time during the Founders Era.  In only 600 words, AcidPop manages to give us a fairly complete character summary of Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, and Helena Ravenclaw, as well as offering (in even less words) what probably amounts to a very accurate view of Helga and Godric as well.  The interplay between Helena and her mother is well done, and quite fascinating.  This piece drips with style from start to finish.

Why You Might Not Care: Founders fic ahead!  Also, you might wish there was more.  It works very well short — don’t mistake — but at the same time, the author makes it work so well that you just want more.