Whew.

[valis2]

Was on GAFF poking around. (It's a site called Godawful Fan Fiction and commemorates the very worst bits of fic.) I've checked it out before, but for some reason I'm not really into it that much. Anyway, I was thinking thoughts like we all do, and said to myself, "Self, I wonder if my fic is on here?"

So I did a search.

And it came up.

I nearly had a heart attack. Sure, I write SS/OC, which can be the worst Sue-ridden ship in existence, but I really, really had hoped I'd avoided the Curse of the Self-Insert. Certainly I understand that my writing has flaws. No one can write perfectly. And honestly, I've prepared myself as best as I possibly could for the possibility, because you never know, it could appear on deleterius at any time. It's not like I'm expecting it, because I don't think it counts as a "omg i liek rokk and harry poter is my boifreind!!!!!!11!" kind of fic, which is what they usually feature. But still, there are always people who aren't going to agree with your interpretation of canon (and all fanfiction features the author's interpretation, all of it!! No one can write the characters as they were exactly intended except for the original author. It's just like a camera...no picture is without the artist's peculiar view, because we make our mark on everything we influence) and I hoped that I would be ready for the moment when someone reports me and says "Check out her horrid Hermione!!"

Thank goodness, it turned out to be a compliment! It was not being discussed as a badfic; it was part of a recommendations thread! Someone named "Coffee is my Muse" was recommending it to people looking for Snapefics. Wow. I am so surprised, and so delighted, that I've missed the axe again.

In fact, one fic I have thoroughly enjoyed so far is valis2's work-in-progress, The Last Sanguimagus, which features a very convincing Snape paired with an OC. She's posted 54 chapters so far, taking things slow, and I love the way she writes

Yay! I love that Snape is "very convincing"...this makes me so happy. I re-read nearly the whole thing last night, while I was indulging in the heating pad on the couch, and I have to say that even though he is a bit softer than canon!Snape, I still tried to keep him in character.

See, I'm just not certain that canon!Snape would ever have a romantic relationship with anyone, but that's open to debate, of course.

I was also rec'd by someone on PottersKeys as well, the kind blackberry3.14, and having another nice comment makes me feel all glowy.

I am so delighted now.

I also have to say...my goodness, junediamanti, you really are everywhere. Saw a few of your comments there. Well, then again, someone has to defend Snape's character, and you're the best of us for the job. Hee.

*does a partial dance of joy, as neck hurts just a little too much to do the full dance of joy*

And now everything from Mt. Uncle Distillery has arrived. My dried ladyfinger bananas, the banana, lemon, and lime liqueurs...I am so delighted! I can't wait to have a dish of Rice Dream ice cream with banana liqueur and a dash of chocolate syrup. Mmmmm. Must finish chapter 59.

Comments

[julian-black.livejournal.com]

I'm probably the meanest, pickiest, most canon-thumping reader of Snapefics going, and I can't even begin to tell you how much I've enjoyed TLS so far. I was stunned that nobody else on GAFF had recommended it as an antidote, so I took the liberty. And, dolt that I am, I even squeed when I saw that you'd friended me.

...I have to say that even though he is a bit softer than canon!Snape, I still tried to keep him in character.

We usually only see canon!Snape, however, through Harry's eyes, and that's when he's usually at his nastiest.

Not that he's gregarious or a sweetheart when the students aren't around, but I've always suspected that Snape is, at the very least, civil toward his colleagues, and probably better than that to some of them. He couldn't get away with being as cruel and snarky towards staff as he is with students--not for all these years. Even Flitwick, who seems a good-natured sort, would have hexed him into the next century at some point.

In my own fic, I'm looking into Snape's relationships with his colleagues, which we don't get to see much of in the books. I see him as intensely private and reserved, but not a complete misanthrope. Something tells me he has an interesting friendship with McGonagall, and I'm working that out right now.

Your characterization of Snape matches what I've long thought he would probably be like in private, among adults, away from the little "dunderheads."

Enough on that--I'm glad you liked my review.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

And, dolt that I am, I even squeed when I saw that you'd friended me.

Awww...*blushes* Friends are lovely things.

We usually only see canon!Snape, however, through Harry's eyes, and that's when he's usually at his nastiest.

I agree! Someone once put together a set of quotes where Snape was talking to adults in the book...hmm...can't remember where it is now, I'll have to try to find it. Anyway, his best snarkiness is reserved for Harry & Sirius and such. I can't imagine him being that way all the time, just as you said.

I just really, really hope that I can spring a romance on him real sly-like, before he senses what I'm doing and runs away, attempting to hex me over his shoulder.