kelly_chambliss

This year's hp_halloween fest was its usual delight. For nine years now, I have spent October 31 kicking back in the recliner to read dozens of Halloween-themed double-drabbles. 2018 was not a disappointment: I loved the range of tones and characters. The works are so short that I get to experience all sorts of pairings that aren't in my usual circle.

My excellent gift came from none other than the fab magnetic_pole. I often put Dolores Umbridge in my list of requested characters, and this year Maggie was kind enough to scratch that particular itch for me with a revealing and complex little story -- a real treat. And very appropriate for our current dark political times. Thank you, M!

Title: The Two Faces of Power
Author: magnetic_pole
Characters: Dolores Umbridge, with mention of Rufus Scrimgeour, Albus Dumbledore, and Alecto Carrow
Rating: G
Maggie's Summary: Sometimes Halloween is a season for masks. Sometimes it isn’t.

The drabble I wrote was for honeymink, new to the fest this year. Among other fun requests, they asked for Albus and Gellert and mist. Here's the result (and my thanks to my fine beta, therealsnape):

Title: Je Ne Regrette Rien
Author: kelly_chambliss
Characters: Albus Dumbledore, Gellert Grindelwald
Rating: PG
Summary: It always starts slowly--just an eddy of mist under the window sash.
Notes: The title comes with apologies to the great Edith Piaf.

Back in the fall, I took part in a fascinating fest, hp_concrit_fest, in which participants were required both to leave and accept detailed concrit. It was an exciting experiment, and I learned a great deal from people's thorough, kind, and helpful responses to my entry.

In particular, I realized that I have become a bit lazy in my characterizations. Since I normally write for people who already like and are very familiar with my favorite characters and pairings, I think I've begun to take a few shortcuts in providing sufficient explanation and background for relationships. Many of the hp_concrit_fest participants wrote primarily H/D or Severus slash; most of them had little experience outside canon with older women characters and/or with Minerva/Severus. Thus they needed much more justification and development of a Minerva/Severus relationship than I am accustomed to providing for fellow Snagonagall fen.

Of course, maybe it's not "laziness" as such; maybe it's just the nature of writing fanfic in a particular subset of a canon universe. In a long-established fandom like HP, we have many well-developed "sub-canons," if you will, that have branched off from the original canon. Thus even if you know the original canon well, coming fresh into a sub-canon can be difficult, like entering an already-established society for which you have to learn the rules. I found myself in a similar situation when reading H/D fics for the fest: since I've read very little H/D, and since I don't have a pre-existing belief in the pairing, I need more preparation (than H/D fans would) before I can enter into the spirit of it.

Anyway, what I'd like to do here is to post my story mostly as originally written. Then, at the end, I'll ask you some questions based on the concrit I received. I'd love to hear your thoughts about possible revisions.

Title: Much Abides
Author: kellychambliss
Characters: Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore
Summary: When Minerva awakens, she find herself near the Forbidden Forest with no idea how she got there.
Rating: PG-13
Word count: ~5100
Warnings/Content Notes: None
Author's Notes: My grateful thanks to that best of betas, therealsnape.

~~~~~

( Much Abides )

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

( My Questions )

Many of you know that when it comes to making visual art, I am the most total and terminal of the totally and terminally inept.

So of course, I decided to create an art work for my April daily_deviant entry.

One of the kinks this month was (basically) "clown sex." Who could resist a prompt like that? Not I, certainly. And it just cries out for something visual.

But damn -- a visual artist, I ain't.

My partner, however, is.

And she loves me (or did before this).

So she agreed to help me create the following, um, piece of "art." The deviant idea is all mine. The Photoshop skills are hers.

Poor thing, she doesn't even like HP.

Open it. I triple-dog dare you.

~ * ~ * ~

Title: As It Sounds
Artist: kellychambliss and Boadicea12
Medium: Photoshop
Characters/Pairings: Severus Snape/Albus Dumbledore
Rating: NWS
Kinks/Themes Chosen: coulrophilia: sexual attraction to clowns, mimes, or jesters; sexual arousal from clowning, miming, etc.; incorporation of clown play into sex
Other Warnings: I've already mentioned Snape and Dumbledore in the same breath as "clown sex." What, you need more warnings?
Summary: When Albus suggests using makeup and a Muggle camera to spice up their sex life, Severus is dubious but willing.

~ * ~ * ~

( As It Sounds )

The reveals have been posted at hp_darkfest, and now I can admit to having written the following fic. I warn you, Albus isn't pretty.

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Title: Things Needful
Author: kellychambliss
Characters: Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall
Summary: A wizarding war is coming. Preparation is all.
Prompt: Image; a copy of the prompt pic is embedded in the story
Rating: R
Word count: ~3000
Warnings: See below
Spoilers (Highlight to read): Coercion, thoughts of sexual threat
Author's Notes: My thanks to my excellent beta, miss_morland, who totally saved this story, and to melusinahp for being such a fine mod.

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( Things Needful )