Shifts by FernWithy (PG)

[malabud.livejournal.com]

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks
Length: Novel-length
Author on LJ: fernwithy
Author Website: Fern's Humongous Bighead Site

Why this must be read:

For my last recommendation this month, I decided to go with one of the best Harry Potter fics I've read. In fact, I was quite surprised to find that Shifts hadn't already been recced. (It just recently won an award at the hposcars, so it is fairly well known.) It was the first Remus/Tonks fic I'd ever read and the best by far.

Shifts follows the events of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix from the point of view of Remus Lupin. Just what was Remus doing all that year? From this simple premise, we get a novel-length, canon-compliant fic of wonderful quality.

Although the fic is a Remus/Tonks story, it is not all about shipping. In fact, the relationship grows very slowly and naturally; so much so that the story reads like a gen fic most of the time. When Remus and Tonks finally figure out what the reader has known all along, they do not immediately jump into bed with each other. This is a refreshing departure from the norm for shippy fics, but it maintains the Rowlingesque tone of the story. Aside from Remus and Tonks and their relationship, the focus is often on the friendship in the fic's trio -- Sirius, Remus, and Tonks -- as well as the mystery of the story.

FernWithy has great talent as a writer. She nails the character voices just right, lets the story flow naturally, adheres to canon with exactness, and tells a good tale. All of these talents combine to form a wonderful and compelling story that fits into canon almost perfectly. With the advent of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the reader can see a few minor canon inaccuracies, but these are few and far between. Truly, it is amazing how much she got right by guessing. Not the least of which is the Remus/Tonks relationship! I highly recommend this story.

FernWithy is currently writing a sequel to Shifts, which can be found in progress at her livejournal and at The Sugar Quill. Shades follows the events of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince from Nymphadora Tonks's point of view.

* * *

"Dark creature! Mongrel!"

They wrestled the curtains shut and Mrs. Black fell silent.

"Who painted that bloody thing anyway?" Dora asked.

"Narcissa signed it," Sirius said. "Probably sitting here trying to get Mum to make her the heir. But Dumbledore said Mum had pretty well gone round the bend by then. So the picture... it's just the subject. She was a nasty young bat when I knew her, and a nasty, crazy old bat when she died." He frowned at the curtains, then shrugged the subject off. "Can you both stay for lunch?"

"Kingsley gave me the day," Dora said. "Mostly to help Remus get ready for tomorrow, though he gave me a long go-round at the office about going off to the beach."

Sirius grinned. "How's that project going?"

"Remus told me yesterday that I'd have to be older, but now he thinks I'm too old." She sighed, and as she exhaled, she let herself shrink down to her normal height. Her gray, tightly curled hair stood on end and turned pink. "I think I should just show up as usual."

"I think that might attract attention."

"So I'll do away with the pink hair and put on a dress."

"Honestly, Remus," Sirius said. "Why shouldn't she just do that?"

"The whole point is to be unnoticeable. If a history teacher in an inexpensive suit has a beautiful and inappropriately young wife, the boys will talk. Not a good way to be inconspicuous."

"I didn't know boys gossiped about things like that," Dora said, with some interest. She sat down and put her feet up on the table. "At least not left on their own. And did you say beautiful?"

"And inappropriately young."

Dora put her fingers in her ears, then smiled. "At any rate, I thought I'd become appropriately old for the Ancient One here."

"Very amusing."

Sirius smirked.

Remus sighed. "They don't allow friends to make social calls on campus, but it's a long-standing tradition that teachers' spouses are allowed to join them for lunch. It will make a perfectly workable cover for Dora to bring me Wolfsbane potion. I wish it kept better. I'd just bring it with me in the morning."

"But it doesn't," Dora said cheerfully. "So I get to play. Once or twice a week all year, so that they don't spot the pattern. Not that Muggles would know what to make of it."

"You'd be surprised what Muggles know," Remus muttered.

"Hmmm."

There was a lull in the conversation as Sirius puttered around at the sink, putting together a lunch. He brought them sandwiches and sat down on the other side of the table. "I still think we should tell Harry," he said. "We're keeping too much from him."

"It hasn't occurred to him to worry about this, and he can't do a thing about it," Remus said wearily. "Do you really want to add to the number of things he's worrying about?"

"I don't know how much he'd worry."

"He's Harry," Remus said. "He'll worry. He'll kick himself for worrying, but he'll do it. And he doesn't need to. I've got this one."

"And your sick days?"

"I'm just going to have to drag myself in the day after a transformation."

"Remus is looking forward to this," Dora said with friendly confidentiality. "Can't wait to get chalk on his hands, that one."

"He doesn't do very well covering it," Sirius agreed.

Remus didn't bother to argue. "Still, I have to say--I'm not at all fond of Smeltings."

Shifts