kelly_chambliss

Anyone know the implications of this new Livejournal user agreement we're being asked to agree to? I'm sort of reluctant to click "yes" until I know what powers I'm giving to the Russian overlords. I looked around online for some details or explanations, but didn't find anything other than LJ's own posts.

Thanks!

The Salt-and-Pepper Fest is going on at hp_goldenage. I love reading stories about the HP characters in their so-called golden years, and as usual, this year's fest offers quite a few gems. Check these out:

The Full Measure of Time by Anonymous
(Poppy/Minerva)
A well-characterized story that acknowledges the losses of age without losing the pleasures of living.

An Open Book by Anonymous
(Severus and Minerva)
A thoroughly-enjoyable look how cleverly (and snarkily) Hogwarts might be run if Minerva were headmistress and Severus were her deputy.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Anonymous
(Ginny/Luna)
Older now, Ginny loves her home, and after you read this story, you will, too.

I've finally caught up with reading/viewing at the excellent snapecase fest, and I must say, it's a feast of fine writing and art. I've never seen so many well-written, thoughtful examinations of Severus's childhood, youth, and relationships with his parents. I like stories in which Tobias and Eileen are presented with nuance and complexity, not just as cardboard abusers/victims. And we've got those fics in spades here.

Here are some of my favorites:

( FIC )

( ART )

This story was my entry for the 2016 hoggywartyxmas fest. I've always wanted to write about Tom, the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron, and I really enjoyed looking at the magical world through his eyes.

Title: So Bracing
Author: kelly_chambliss
Characters: Tom of the Leaky Cauldron, Hannah Abbott, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, with cameos from Argus Filch, the Giant Squid, and a cheeky mirror
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~9300
Summary: "Oh, there's a lot to be seen and learnt in a pub," Tom said. "Like a textbook of life, a pub is."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

( So Bracing )

The reveals for hoggywartyxmas happen later today (Severus Snape's birthday, natch), and I've been dithering about how to do a rec post.

The thing is, almost every entry is worth a rec. I'm serious. The quality of the art and writing is always stellar at Hoggywarty, and each year, it just gets better and better. I toyed with the idea of just picking five random favorites from my Sorting Hat, but that approach doesn't really do justice to the scope of excellence of this fest.

So I've decided to do something a little different: I'm going to do a Hoggywarty "Best of. . ." list. The categories are arbitrary; the judgments are personal, reflecting the things I love about these entries:

FIC -- Most Creative Point of View: If This Dog Could Talk (Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank/Aurora Sinistra, OCC [original canine character]).
I love inventive approaches like this one. The narrator is a delight and the pairing ditto. It's also a thoughtful exploration of physical disability in the wizarding world (something I've never seen discussed, unless you count the metaphors of werewolf and Squib), and the author handles it very effectively.

FIC -- Best Use of an Ending Punchline: Butterscotch Mountain (Rolanda Hooch, Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank)
This story is a hoot -- great one-liner after great one-liner -- yet the characterization isn't neglected. Very clever magic, too.

FIC -- One that Made Me Laugh Hardest: The Sexual Education of Magical Flowers (Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood; Neville/Severus Snape)
The humor is pitch-perfect -- the author is really alive to the whimsical absurdity of the magical world. Great Neville characterization, too.

FIC -- Best Character Voice: Reparation (Minerva McGonagall/Horace Slughorn)
This was a really tough choice, since the Hoggywarty stories this year are feasts of expert characterization and voice. But I can just hear this tart, self-aware, confident, dedicated Minerva. One of the best Minerva voices I've read.

FIC -- Most Thought-Provoking: The Cat Cannot Feel Duty (Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore).
This was another tough choice, and I could have picked at least 2-3 others, but this story, with its thoughtful exploration of the animagus process and its careful depiction of a complex relationship, really intrigues me. Beautifully written.

ART -- Most Evocative of Holiday Spirit: Exploding Crackers (Severus Snape, Remus Lupin)
The colors, the details, the cozy room contrasting with the external snow, the shimmering firelight and tree, the characters' expressions. . .

ART -- Best Action Scenes: Great Balls of Snow (Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, various Hogwarts staffers)
An epic magical snowball fight is drawn so well that you can see every movement. Close-ups, far shots, movement of clothes and hair. . .just so good.

FIC -- Best Exploration of Non-Human Cultures: Retiring Minds Want to Know (Minerva McGonagall and a cast of thousands)
I particularly loved the scene between Minerva and an aged house-elf -- Minerva accepts that the best way to help the elves is simply to listen to them, and lucky for us, we get to listen along with her.

FIC -- Best Missing Scenes: TIE
Hiring Defence Against the Dark Arts Teachers and Other Unforgiveable Acts (Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore)
Expert characterizations and insights

1945
(Horace Slughorn, Albus Dumbledore)
Both men just come alive here.

FIC -- Most Heart-Tugging in the Best of Ways: Love Hides in Familiar Faces (Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Filius Flitwick, Horace Slughorn, Aurora Sinistra)
This is a beautifully-imagined, creative story that makes full use of the potential of magic.

ART -- Best Exemplar of the Truth that Something Doesn’t Need to Be Explicit to Be Really Sexy: Excellent Choice! (Minerva McGonagall/Severus Snape)
Romantic, sexy, cozy, inviting, warm, tender. . .all this, and excellent hair to boot.

FIC -- Most Interesting Thematic Explorations: The Remember All (Neville Longbottom/Remus Lupin, past Remus/Severus)
Another category in which I could easily have picked any number of others, too. Here, I love the way this author explores issues of memory, of past selves, of the way our personal narratives construct our pasts and our futures. Very nice characterization of Neville in particular.

ART -- Best Santa Hat -- Just Take It Off (Neville Longbottom/Charlie Weasley)

FIC -- Most Haunting Character Study -- Friends, Teachers, Countrymen
A powerful, well-written look at Headmaster Severus Snape during Christmas of the DH year. The author shows us a man of intensity and complexity -- not always a "nice" person; in fact, often harsh. . .but at bottom, he's a just man.

FIC -- Scariest, Funniest Satire: Election (Kingsley Shackelbolt, Rita Skeeter, Filius Flitwick, Stan Shunpike, and more)
People of reasonable intelligence can be tricked and manipulated, through misrepresentation and outright lies, into voting for dangerous idiots. Who knew?

FIC -- Best Snark and Repartee: TIE
The War of Snape's Nose (Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts Staffers)
Be prepared to laugh out loud at this witty feast.

A Term of Endearment (Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Harry Potter, dozens more)
This fine story covers many years and many characters, and I was swept along with it, reveling in the strong characterizations and the clever insights and the power of a well-placed "Fuck off."

FIC -- Best Rare Pair That Works So Well That You Wonder Why on Earth It's a Rare Pair: Seasons of Love (Pomona Sprout/Aberforth Dumbledore)
A beautifully-rendered story of the intersections of romance and friendship. So many fine lines and character insights.

FIC -- Most Inventive Use of the Restricted Section: Revelation in the Library (Severus Snape/Hermione Granger; Neville Longbottom)

FIC -- Effective Use of an Ensemble Cast: A Christmas Conspiracy (Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts staff)
A fun story of a satisfying Christmas surprise. Love the broom deliveries.

FIC -- Best Post-DH Career: Renaissance (Malfoy family, Severus Snape).
An enjoyable exploration of post-DH Malfoys and the quest for power. I loved Draco's possible new career.

FIC -- Best Long-Term Romance: Through the Spiral of the Years (Minerva McGonagall/Severus Snape)
You'll never disappoint me with a good Minerva/Severus story.

FIC -- Best Long-Term Hatemance: Brotherly Love XXX (Albus Dumbledore, Aberforth Dumbledore)
No, not an incest story, but nonetheless, a compelling story about a complicated and fraught relationship.

And don't forget to check out my excellent gift: See previous rec here.

Today's Snowflake Challenge is to "post recs for at least three fanworks that you did not create." Since I was planning to do a rec post for daily_deviant's Kinky Kristmas anyway, I can do the proverbial "avian-destruction-with-a-single-stone" thing.

Kinky Kristmas was great fun this year, as always, and I still have a lot to read before the reveals on Sunday. As usual, you'll find a wide range of pairings, tones, and kinks. Here are a few of my favorites:

Nine Ways of Looking at a Book by Anonymous pauraque. (Minerva McGonagall/Hermione Granger)
I've already recced my own superb gift, but it deserves another mention. Book fic! Old-lady fic! Writing fic! And beautifully written and characterized to boot.

Unquestionable; Unforgivable by Anonymous purplefluffycat. (Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald)
Another intelligent, well-characterized story that offers a lot of insight into young Albus.

Imagine by Anonymous tjs_whatnot (Luna Lovegood/Alastor Moody)
Even though I love rare pairs, I approached this one with some trepidation, since I don't usually love chan. But the author handles the whole thing brilliantly -- the "pairing" is Luna's fantasy, presented in a way that makes sad sense. The characterization and writing are excellent; one of my favorites of the fest.

Moonbeam in the Palm of His Hand by Anonymous writcraft (Severus Snape/Remus Lupin)
A nice take on the post-war AU trope in which Snape and Lupin survive. The sex is subservient to character and atmosphere, which is my favorite type of kink fic.

My gift has been posted at hoggywartyxmas, and what a fine gift it is! Wonderful Snape-centric gen, with expertly-characterized cameos by virtually all of my favorite staff members and Trio-Era characters. The superb cast includes. . .Hagrid, Flitwick, Sprout, Irma Pince, Argus Filch (and Mrs Norris), Poppy Pomfrey, Slughorn, Neville, Millicent Bulstrode, Hermione, Harry. And the whole is bookended by -- who else? -- McGonagall. Each vignette is told in perfect character voice, and the consciousness of Snape weaves around and unifies all. Go read; it's a treat.

Reawakening by Anonymous

I have finally finished my overdue hoggywartyxmas fic and sent it off to the long-suffering mod.

So now I have a few free minutes to share with you some wonderful fannish treats. Lookee here:

1. Did I mention hoggywartyxmas? One of my very favorite fests, and I'm just so grateful that it's running again, especially in this horrifying year. I need it, big time.

2. The fest fun has already started at


art by akatnamedeaster

All sorts of good stuff there, with the usual intriguing range of pairings and kinks.

3. PRESENTS FOR ME!! Two of my incredibly talented friends, writcraft and mywitch, have been kind enough to create gifts for me, and such is the joy of fandom that they can be your gifts, too. Seriously, if you like good writing and good art and good femmeslash, don't miss these:

From the Night Into the Morning by writcraft

An evocative, thoughtful Minerva/Wilhelmina ficlet that stayed with me long after I read it. I gave Writ the prompt "Mood: Indigo," and she absolutely nailed it. This is "indigo" put into words.

McGonaHooch by mywitch

A gorgeous, detailed black-and-white line drawing of McGonagall and Hooch sharing some holiday cheer. Mywitch manages to make them both smoking hot and almost demure at the same time. So much of what I love about these characters is packed into this delightful drawing.

While you're over at Writ's and Mywitch's LJs, check out their other holiday offerings. Both of them have generously offered to write and draw holiday gifts for their flists, and each day brings new delights. I have yet to see the pairing that Writ cannot write, and ditto Mywitch and her many artistic styles. You'll find an hilarious Winky/Dobby (seriously!) in comic-book style; a festive and hot Severus/Kingsley; a lovely 1920s version of Severus/Hermione, and more.

4. For a good, strong dose of holiday cheer, don't miss mini_fest.

The fest opener is a total winner: Warm Christmas Magic, featuring a beautifully-drawn Minerva. Be prepared for a craving to develop once you've drunk in this delicious art.

One of my favorite HP fests is hp_halloween. Participants write 200-word Halloween-themed drabbles that are all posted on -- you guessed it -- October 31.

This year, there were about 60 entries ranging from gen to standard pairings like Harry/Draco to the rarest of rarepairs, like a fascinating Dudley/Pansy. Femmeslash, het, and slash were all well-represented, and the "old ladies" had a good night overall. Minerva showed up eight times.

I wrote. . .

For my friend iselima, I wrote On Silent Haunches, featuring Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank/Minerva McGonagall. Many thanks to therealsnape for the fast and expert beta.

I received. . .

In return, I received a gift of fabulous old-lady femmeslash, beautifully written and characterized. Check out Yellow and Gold by sdkshelly. Minerva/Pomona.

Here are just a few of the entries I loved:

ravenclawsquill wrote A storm of amber leaves, a wonderfully atmospheric Pomoma/Hooch drabble. Great characters and imagery.

pauraque wrote a really inventive parallel character study called The Fall (Narcissa, Andromeda)

writcraft wrote a powerful, evocative piece featuring Severus/Sirius -- In the Arms of the Adoring Stars.

And check out vaysh's clever take on the future of the Resurrection Stone: Stone Meets Wand.

I could add many more, but you might as well just go and read all the fine entries for yourselves.

This pair of 150-word drabbles was written for the incomparable writcraft. (Her clever friends akatamedeaster and amorette set up secret birthday comm for her last week.)

Title: Good Clean Troth
Author: kellychambliss
Pairing: Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank/Rolanda Hooch
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 300
Summary: Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank didn't care for Quidditch.

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( Good, Clean Troth )