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crack_van2006-04-07 11:30 pm
malabud.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2006-04-07 11:30 pm
Entry tags:
The Distractions Series by Elsha (PG to PG-13)
Hi, I'm ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
malabud, and I shall be your ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
crack_van driver for Harry Potter this month. Yes, I know I'm a little late getting started. I just finished reccing Star Wars last month, so it was a bit of an abrupt transition. So, since I've lost a week out of the month already, we better get started. Strap in, 'cause it's going to be a bumpy ride!
Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Theo Nott/OFC
Length: 190,000 words
Author on LJ:sixth_light
Author Website: Elsha's Fanfiction.net Profile, Elsha's Sugar Quill Profile
Why this must be read:
Theodore Nott is one of those Slytherins in the Harry Potter books we know is there, but whom we know very little about. Elsha took the few sentences about him in canon and the hints Rowling gave on her website, and then proceeded to construct a past history and future for him that is simply masterful. Why is it that he alone among the Slytherins can see Thestrals? What about his father, a known Death Eater who is captured at the end of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix? What kind of person is he that he has Draco Malfoy's grudging respect?
At the beginning of the series, Theo is trying to fade into the background, keep his head down, and survive the coming war. However, events and people around him begin to challenge his carefully constructed plans. What happens when he realizes that he loves his father, but hates what his father has done? Or that he cares too much for someone he shouldn't even be talking to? Theo comes to such realizations slowly, but they come inevitably and inexorably. How he deals with these issues is perhaps not so surprising, but his journey is fascinating and a wonderful read.
This story takes place on the fringes of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, with a few appearances by the Trio and other familiar Gryffindors. The focus, however, is on Theo. Since we know so little about him in the first place, he could almost be considered an original character, but he fits within the wizarding world so well that the reader does not realize this. All his personality traits and characteristics are not only plausible, but likely. The other original characters fit just as well. The wizarding world becomes new again to us through their eyes.
This series has been jossed by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but that does not make it any less of a delightful read. Highly recommended.
* * *
About half an hour later she had finished running scales on her flute and was launching into the first part of a Handel sonata when she became aware of someone watching her from behind. She broke off and wheeled around to look at the door, which was open. The Slytherin boy was lounging in the doorframe, looking at her.
"Oh, don't stop on my account." The Slytherin waved a hand. "Go on. It sounded very good."
She blinked. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm not all that interested in watching Quidditch, and you did mention you were off to play the flute, so I thought I'd come and see if you were any good. After all, Muggle-borns may be bad at magic, but there's nothing to stop you playing well."
She tightened her fingers on her flute, feeling suddenly uncertain. "You ... what?" She rather wanted him to go away, but wasn’t quite sure how to put it. "What's your name, anyway?"
"Theodore Nott. Fifth-year." He said it with the air of one conferring a favour.
"Right. Erm. What ... what do you have against Muggle-borns, anyway?" The uncertainty, and the urge to send him away, were even stronger now. But she really had no idea how to do it. The way he was acting, she doubted he'd listen.
"Because you're -- Muggle-born. I mean, obviously, that's not your fault, or anything," he said patronisingly. "But you're not proper wizards. Not like us, anyway. Everyone knows that marrying Muggles -- and Muggle-borns -- dilutes the magic. It should have been stopped centuries ago."
"You can't just ... you really believe all that? Who told you -- why on earth do people believe those kind of things?"
"My family told me, of course. They're right. Actually I'm quite broadminded about it. There are a lot of people in my House who think you Muggle-borns shouldn't be allowed to come here. Like Malfoy, you know him? I'm not so sure about that. My father --"
For the first time he stopped, sounding uncertain. "He's very ... vehement about it all, you know. He ... really dislikes Muggles very much. I agreed with him, but, coming here, there are some of you who aren't so bad … you're almost like us --" He cut off very abruptly. "Anyway, what are you doing? You were playing. Go on."
Anne's patience was worn very thin by this point. He'd just come in here, insulted her, and expected her to keep playing like it was some sort of performance --
"No," she said in a very small voice.
"What?" He looked utterly taken aback. As if the question of her refusal -- or even her opinion -- had not crossed his mind.
"I said no." She raised her head slightly, and met his eyes. "I -- I'm playing for me, and I would prefer it if -- if you left. Please. I don't want to be -- you to stand here and talk to me like -- go. Please go, now. Or I -- I won't play anymore, if you do stay." He was staring, now, but he recovered enough to eye her with a disturbing amount of disdain.
"Fine. Play for yourself, little Hufflepuff. Why should I care?"
With that he was gone. It was several minutes before Anne felt sure enough to start playing again, and then she did not stop for half an hour or more. The music was soothing, distracting. The way he'd looked at her, what he'd said ...
She felt like she wasn't quite human to him. That was more than unnerving.
*
Theodore Nott walked away from the small practice room with a definite sense of unease. He knew he shouldn't have followed the girl, but he'd been bored, not interested in the Quidditch, and she'd been a musician. He liked music. Obviously, however, Muggle-borns weren't worth talking to. He'd known that, but ... she'd almost looked like she might be worth conversing with. Then she'd had to go and speak back to him. The cheek of her! Did she know who she was talking to? He was a pureblood Slytherin, son of a Ministry official, and to be talked back to by a silly fourth-year in Hufflepuff ... then, what had he expected? She was a Muggle-born. They weren't like proper wizards. They weren’t really wizards at all.
Distractions
Discussions
Discoveries
Distinctions
Disadvantages
Disavowals
Stories set after the end of the series:
Family Games
Going Home
Inevitability
A Risk Worth Taking
Degrees of Separation
malabud, and I shall be your crack_van driver for Harry Potter this month. Yes, I know I'm a little late getting started. I just finished reccing Star Wars last month, so it was a bit of an abrupt transition. So, since I've lost a week out of the month already, we better get started. Strap in, 'cause it's going to be a bumpy ride!Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Theo Nott/OFC
Length: 190,000 words
Author on LJ:
sixth_lightAuthor Website: Elsha's Fanfiction.net Profile, Elsha's Sugar Quill Profile
Why this must be read:
Theodore Nott is one of those Slytherins in the Harry Potter books we know is there, but whom we know very little about. Elsha took the few sentences about him in canon and the hints Rowling gave on her website, and then proceeded to construct a past history and future for him that is simply masterful. Why is it that he alone among the Slytherins can see Thestrals? What about his father, a known Death Eater who is captured at the end of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix? What kind of person is he that he has Draco Malfoy's grudging respect?
At the beginning of the series, Theo is trying to fade into the background, keep his head down, and survive the coming war. However, events and people around him begin to challenge his carefully constructed plans. What happens when he realizes that he loves his father, but hates what his father has done? Or that he cares too much for someone he shouldn't even be talking to? Theo comes to such realizations slowly, but they come inevitably and inexorably. How he deals with these issues is perhaps not so surprising, but his journey is fascinating and a wonderful read.
This story takes place on the fringes of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, with a few appearances by the Trio and other familiar Gryffindors. The focus, however, is on Theo. Since we know so little about him in the first place, he could almost be considered an original character, but he fits within the wizarding world so well that the reader does not realize this. All his personality traits and characteristics are not only plausible, but likely. The other original characters fit just as well. The wizarding world becomes new again to us through their eyes.
This series has been jossed by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but that does not make it any less of a delightful read. Highly recommended.
* * *
About half an hour later she had finished running scales on her flute and was launching into the first part of a Handel sonata when she became aware of someone watching her from behind. She broke off and wheeled around to look at the door, which was open. The Slytherin boy was lounging in the doorframe, looking at her.
"Oh, don't stop on my account." The Slytherin waved a hand. "Go on. It sounded very good."
She blinked. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm not all that interested in watching Quidditch, and you did mention you were off to play the flute, so I thought I'd come and see if you were any good. After all, Muggle-borns may be bad at magic, but there's nothing to stop you playing well."
She tightened her fingers on her flute, feeling suddenly uncertain. "You ... what?" She rather wanted him to go away, but wasn’t quite sure how to put it. "What's your name, anyway?"
"Theodore Nott. Fifth-year." He said it with the air of one conferring a favour.
"Right. Erm. What ... what do you have against Muggle-borns, anyway?" The uncertainty, and the urge to send him away, were even stronger now. But she really had no idea how to do it. The way he was acting, she doubted he'd listen.
"Because you're -- Muggle-born. I mean, obviously, that's not your fault, or anything," he said patronisingly. "But you're not proper wizards. Not like us, anyway. Everyone knows that marrying Muggles -- and Muggle-borns -- dilutes the magic. It should have been stopped centuries ago."
"You can't just ... you really believe all that? Who told you -- why on earth do people believe those kind of things?"
"My family told me, of course. They're right. Actually I'm quite broadminded about it. There are a lot of people in my House who think you Muggle-borns shouldn't be allowed to come here. Like Malfoy, you know him? I'm not so sure about that. My father --"
For the first time he stopped, sounding uncertain. "He's very ... vehement about it all, you know. He ... really dislikes Muggles very much. I agreed with him, but, coming here, there are some of you who aren't so bad … you're almost like us --" He cut off very abruptly. "Anyway, what are you doing? You were playing. Go on."
Anne's patience was worn very thin by this point. He'd just come in here, insulted her, and expected her to keep playing like it was some sort of performance --
"No," she said in a very small voice.
"What?" He looked utterly taken aback. As if the question of her refusal -- or even her opinion -- had not crossed his mind.
"I said no." She raised her head slightly, and met his eyes. "I -- I'm playing for me, and I would prefer it if -- if you left. Please. I don't want to be -- you to stand here and talk to me like -- go. Please go, now. Or I -- I won't play anymore, if you do stay." He was staring, now, but he recovered enough to eye her with a disturbing amount of disdain.
"Fine. Play for yourself, little Hufflepuff. Why should I care?"
With that he was gone. It was several minutes before Anne felt sure enough to start playing again, and then she did not stop for half an hour or more. The music was soothing, distracting. The way he'd looked at her, what he'd said ...
She felt like she wasn't quite human to him. That was more than unnerving.
*
Theodore Nott walked away from the small practice room with a definite sense of unease. He knew he shouldn't have followed the girl, but he'd been bored, not interested in the Quidditch, and she'd been a musician. He liked music. Obviously, however, Muggle-borns weren't worth talking to. He'd known that, but ... she'd almost looked like she might be worth conversing with. Then she'd had to go and speak back to him. The cheek of her! Did she know who she was talking to? He was a pureblood Slytherin, son of a Ministry official, and to be talked back to by a silly fourth-year in Hufflepuff ... then, what had he expected? She was a Muggle-born. They weren't like proper wizards. They weren’t really wizards at all.
Distractions
Discussions
Discoveries
Distinctions
Disadvantages
Disavowals
Stories set after the end of the series:
Family Games
Going Home
Inevitability
A Risk Worth Taking
Degrees of Separation