Darkness and Light

(1) The Potions Master's Apprentice (Harry Potter)

By R.J. Anderson
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th October 2003 (5)
Tags: Novelette
Characters: Severus Snape, OFC
(72K)

I said to myself, said I, I won't bother reading more Harry Potter fic because I'm not into book fic, but R.J. Anderson's written some, so I might as well check it out because I know she writes well. And I was not disappointed.

Here we are introduced to Maud Moody, niece of Mad-Eye Moody, just transferred from Durmstrang to do her seventh year at Hogwarts, and just joined Slytherin. With a unique handicap and an agenda of her own, all her plans turn on their head when her past collides with her present.

I really liked this; it gives us a different view of Snape, and a different view of Slytherins. As Dumbledore says, "Ambition is a potent thing, Maud. It can lead to noble deeds, or devour itself in a selfish hunger for power. Single-mindedness in pursuit of one's ends can likewise be a great strength -- or a great weakness. It is true that Slytherin has turned out more evil wizards than any of the other Hogwarts houses. But--" he handed her a cup and saucer-- "it has turned out some great ones, too."

(2) Personal Risks (Harry Potter)

By R.J. Anderson
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th October 2003 (6)
Tags: Novella, Romance, AU
Characters: Severus Snape, OFC
(178K)

She's done it again. In her 11th Doctor series, she managed to do the unthinkable -- have a romance between the Doctor and a companion, and make it believable. This time she's managed to hook up Snape and a student (Our Heroine, Maud Moody) without us considering it to be ridiculous -- and without removing any of Snape's faults, either.

Yay!

This is contemporary with _Order of the Phoenix_ as the author has revised it to be compatible with that book, so it feels less of a weird AU than "The Polka Dot Plague" did, though this concentrates on what is happening with Maud and Snape, and unexpectedly, with Maud's friendship with George Weasley. As well as enemies, enmities, plots, sacrifices and unexpected miracles.

I loved this.

(2.1) The Thing With Feathers (Harry Potter)

By R.J. Anderson
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th October 2003 (7)
Tags: Short Story, Romance
Characters: Severus Snape, OFC
(37K)

This is a companion piece to "Personal Risks"; regarding a particular scene from Snape's point of view, and what led up to it. Really only worth reading as a codicil to the main story. Very interesting for an insight into what was on Snape's mind.

(2.2) Cold Water (Harry Potter)

By R.J. Anderson
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th October 2003 (8)
Tags: Short Story
Characters: Severus Snape, Remus Lupin
(21K)

This is basically set after "Personal Risks", though the chronology would probably put it somewhere near the start of "If We Survive", since it is set explicitly after "Order of the Phoenix". This is a nice character piece, in which Remus Lupin says something to Snape which should have been said many years ago...

(3) If We Survive (Harry Potter)

By R.J. Anderson
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th October 2003 (9)
Tags: Novel, Romance, Friendship, Spy, Adventure, AU
Characters: Severus Snape, OFC
(411K)

The final one in the trilogy -- while definitely AU, as it deals with the final battle with Voldemort, I'm wishing that it wasn't AU, that this was the real story. But it can never be (despite the fact that the author has left the deeds and actions of Harry Potter her deliberately vague) since one of the main dramatic (and satisfying) scenes in it requires the existence of Our Heroin Maud and her situation with Snape, therefore it can never be. Whereas what happened with Dumbledore here is so plausible and so fitting, that I wouldn't be surprised if that hadn't been what JKR had had in mind in the first place (and if she doesn't do it, then that will be kind of disappointing). Ahem. This starts still overlapping with "Order of the Phoenix" and then continues on, following Maud as she gets her first job, keeps secrets, makes new friends, and plunges into the war with Voldemort. Action, potions, enmity and betrayal; love and friendship, lies and sacrifices. This is really really good.

(3.1) War Wounds (Harry Potter)

By R.J. Anderson
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th October 2003 (10)
Tags: Novelette, Romance
Characters: Mad-Eye Moody, OFC
(67K)

This is set after the last story of the "Darkness and Light" trilogy, _If We Survive_. It follows up some issues with Mad-Eye Moody and the OC Imogen Crump, which means there's no point in reading this unless (a) you've read the previous story and (b) are interested in those two characters. It didn't grab me so much, because I'm more interested in Snape and Maud...

(3.2) Lessons (Harry Potter)

By R.J. Anderson
Reviewed by Kathryn A on 26th October 2003 (11)
Tags: Novelette, Romance
Characters: Severus Snape, OFC
(94K)

This follows on from _If We Survive_, and this is a Snape + Maud story (so yeah, I was interested). This was pretty cool, showing the perfectionist dutiful side of Snape as he blames himself for something he couldn't help. And then... angst and triumph for both of them, as they teach each other lessons and overcome past failures.