Snapely Holidays Recs

I thought I was going to have plenty of reading time over these last three days, but somehow the hours have slipped through my fingers like water, and I still have far more on the "to do" list than in the "done" category.

I've at least managed to read all the shorter entries at snapelyholidays, though, and here are my favorites so far:

A Book of English Verse (Severus/Narcissa; PG; 1776 words)
For me, it's the language and imagery and literary allusions that make this story special (though the characterizations are strong, too). Who wouldn't love a fic with lines like this? Leave Byron and his ilk to those faithless enough to admire inconstancy and gimlet-eyed caprice.

The Boy With the Thorn in His Side (Severus/Peter Pettigrew; PG-13; 1600 words)
Written in a spare, painful prose, this story offers powerful character insights. The similarities between Peter and Severus are striking -- as are the differences.

The Healing (Severus/Poppy Pomfrey, with Tobias; PG-13; 5900 words)
A well-written and intelligent story with characters I love: a believable, no-nonsense, caring Poppy, a prickly, layered Severus, and a Tobias of nuance and complexity.

The Crystalline Cold of Christmas Air (Severus and the Dark Lord; PG; 2300 words)
An interestingly-written exploration of how Voldemort's past shapes his view of Severus; very plausible and revealing.

Last year's snapelyholidays gave us such a wonderful range of pairings and featured characters: Snape with Filch, Dumbledore, Slughorn, Moody, Regulus, Godric Gryffindor, Lockhart, Percy, Neville (and the usual suspects, of course). At first, this year's fest seemed less diverse, but it's turned out to be just as interesting it its own way.

There are still plenty of intriguing longer fics to read, too. (And my previous fest fic recs are here)