The Harry Potter Starter Kit

[icarus]

What would you recommend for the dewy-eyed, fresh slash reader, who has just stepped off the train into this wonderous world of Harry Potter slash? (Gen of course is acceptable, too. Het... do we even read het? *Icarus looks puzzled at the mere idea.*)

This hypothetical (actual) reader has no idea what they like or what they want. They've read all the books, and love them. They enjoy slash.

Naturally we would want to start them off with the best available, but gently. (amanuensis1's And Just Plain Wrong is probably not the first item on the list.)

Criteria:

- They would need to be completed fics. We can introduce them to the frustration and joys of the WiP later.

- We need a "sampler" cross-section of various pairings.
Student/Student mixes (Harry/Draco, Harry/Ron, Ron/Draco, Percy/Harry etc.), Student/Adult mixes (Harry/Snape, Harry/Lucius, Percy/Lucius etc.), Adult/Adult mixes (Snape/Lucius, Sirius/Remus, Sirius/Snape etc.) This like a box of chocolates, with many varieties. :D

- We need a mix from PG-13 to NC-17 PWP.

- We need to start with stories that have good solid plots.

- We want humour to start, then angst, then a PWP, etc.

- One-shots and epics welcome.

- Rare pairings are welcome, but since this is an intro, it's probably best to have more than one story in that pairing.

- We're looking for specific recs rather than rec-lists.

- We'll probably avoid the major squicks in the beginning: Incest, Non-Con, Chan, MPreg, Heavy Kink.

What would you recommend?

I'll consolidate this down to a, oh, top 20 or something later in the week, or at least put it in some semblance of an order.



In no particular order (yet) and still missing those fics that I haven't read or don't know the author, since I'll have to read those first to rec them to my friend-of-friend. Bear in mind that I threw away the "must be tame" requirement, and the "stick to popular pairings" requirement as well.

The Lodger - mad_martha, Harry/Draco
Art of War - kennahijja, Gen, Ron, Draco
The Lecture - Grindylowe, Gen, Snape
Call Of The Wild - WolfieTwins, Gen, Remus
A Bittersweet Poison - alchemia and Bugland, Harry/Snape
The Tea Series - Telanu, Harry/Snape
Sytherin Sky - kay_taylor, Snape/Lucius
In A Dream - Nope, Snape/Draco
Transfigurations - resonant8, Harry/Draco
The Familiar - resonant8, Harry/Snape
Circles of Power - mad_martha, Harry/Ron
Irresistible Poison - Rysenn, Harry/Draco
Slowly But Exceeding Fine - ellen_fremedon, Snape/Sirius
Stone Cold Sober - fabularasa, Sirus/Snape
Aftermath - josanpq, Snape/Ron
Civil War - wikdsushi, Harry/Snape
Consequences Of A Weary Mind - wikdsushi, Harry/Snape
Hallelujah series - dien, Snape/Dumbledore
Walking 'Round In Women's Underwear - dkwilliams
Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover - mad_maudlin, Ron/Draco
Beg Me For It - Icarus (cringes - two people included it - cringes some more), Ron/Draco
Minor Arcana - cursive, Harry/Draco, Remus/Draco, Harry/Snape...
Stealing Harry - copperbadge
Lust Over Pendle - ajhalluk, Draco/Neville
Double Or Nothing - ukcalico, Fred/George
The Badger Series - mistful, Draco/Zacharias
Door To the River - miraminx, Sirius/Remus
Discretion Required - ruhgozler, Harry/Lucius
The Way Of The World - scribbulus_ink, Snape/Lupin
A Nick In Time - tiranog
Just Add Water - cybelesan, Harry/Bill
Quill And Ink - cybelesan, Harry/Snape

Later in the list:
If You Are Prepared - cybelesan, Harry/Snape
A World Not So Black And White - amanuensis1

Het Fics.
Apparently The Draco Trilogy is more het than gen. Who knew? So...

The Draco Trilogy - epicyclical
Flame And Shadow - mistful, Ron/Pansy
Roman Holiday - Anna, Hermione/Draco, Hermione/Snape



ETA: I'll kick this off with Mad Martha's The Lodger Harry/Draco, which has an excellent plot, many funny moments, and a "canon" feel.

Then, A Bittersweet Poison, Harry/Snape, which has the most accurate rendering of Harry as a cat and a very convincing Snape.

I'll bend the rules (since part is complete) and recommend Telanu's Tea Series, too. It builds beautifully from being being fairly innocent to extremely steamy. I'll toss in the Coffee Series for good measure, because it's funnier than heck.

Let's see... next... mad_maudlin. Ron/Draco. Hmm... cross-dressing is kind of a mild kink, but Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover stands on the line between ruthless and fun. I'll probably put it further down the list though.

ETA2: Of course, everyone has to read epicyclical's Draco Trilogy (apologies to those who hate it, it is a must ;), and my personal favourite After The Flood.

In the Gen category, Call of the Wild by the Wolfie Twins.

Does anyone know any good Lucius slash?

ETA3: Okay, I've completely given up the ghost on keeping it tame. Some very valid points have been made about what has actually drawn people in to fandom. Most people have been drawn in by "heavy" fics.

So does anyone know any good GredNForge fics? Slash and Gen? I have Calico's incredibly hot Double Or Nothing. Anything else out there?

Comments

[anandangel.livejournal.com]

The Badger Series (http://www.lasairandmaya.com/badger1.html)The Badger Series by mistful.
Draco/Zacharias humourfic, in which there is shrugging. PG, set after OotP.


The Consequences Of A Weary Mind (http://www.societyhappens.com/sushi/fiction/my/hp/wearymind.html) by wikdsushi. Harry Potter's writing skills are, in a word, unique. Professor Snape is about to learn this in a most unforgettable way. HP/SS, NC-17, Humor.


Friend Like Me (http://www.geocities.com/owrai_fics1/hd/friendlikeme.htm) by Lady Vader. Draco's rendition of the Love story that never was. H/D, NC-17, Angst.

Slytherin Sky (http://www.angelfire.com/ego/vigilantgriffin/snape/fiction/kaytaylor-slytherinsky.html) by kay_taylor. Slytherin house in the MWPP era - featuring Lucius, Severus, a strange love triangle, snarkiness, Narcissa, intrigue, slash and a Halloween Ball (oh my!) SS/LM, Rated R, Angst.

Still Life (http://www.livejournal.com/users/monochromal/25299.html) by monochromal. Portraits. H/D.

Tissue of Silver (http://www.silververse.net/hp/tissue.htm) by fearlessdiva. A love story concerning possessed furniture, black silk pyjamas, courtroom drama, premonitions of doom, assassination attempts, Death Eater yoga, absinthe, bare feet and a sensible werewolf. H/D, Rated R.

I have more, but I should probably stop before you get overwhelmed.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

No, keep going. I'm not likely to be overwhelmed. All but two of these are new to me. (I love LJ!)

Thank you!

Icarus

[anandangel.livejournal.com]

All right, then.

I've tried not to be repetitive; sorry if I missed any...

Snape/Lucius:
Sans Merci (http://predatrix.slashcity.org/fiction/sansmerci.htm) by Predatrix. NC-17.

On the Eve (http://www.angelfire.com/ego/vigilantgriffin/snape/fiction/reive-ontheeve.html) by Reive. NC-17.

Everything In It (http://www.livejournal.com/users/nimori/76885.html#cutid1) by nimori. NC-17.

Severus/Harry:
The Love Song of Bastard and Idiot (http://www.subumbra.com/plank/predatrix-lovesongbastard.html) by Predatrix. NC-17.

Hall of the Mountain Kings (http://inkstain.slashcity.net/isf/archive/12/hallof.html) by Tara Tory.

The Rain Keeps Falling (http://www.livejournal.com/users/luthien67/236666.html) by luthien67.

What He Wants (http://debchan.com/misc/whathewants.html) by Debchan. NC-17.

Beech Hall (http://inkstain.slashcity.net/isf/archive/18/beechhall.html) and sequel Without Ceremony (http://inkstain.slashcity.net/isf/archive/23/withoutceremony.html) by auctasinistra.

Scratch (http://inkstain.slashcity.net/isf/archive/23/scratch.html) by auctasinistra.


Harry/Draco:
Invisible To See (http://www.rebeccalizard.net/nlts/stories/invisibletosee.html) by pandarus.

Five Things Harry Potter Doesn't Know About Draco Malfoy (http://www.livejournal.com/users/zionsstarfish/89297.html#cutid1) by zionsstarfish. Gen.

The Tale of the Shining Prince (http://seacouver.slashcity.net/illuferret/prince.html) by Illuferret. NC-17. This is the first of a series (http://seacouver.slashcity.net/illuferret/index.html#hp), but works as a stand-alone.

Kissing Harry Potter (http://www.astronomytower.org/authors/aja/KHP.html) by wayfairer.

Painter's Primer (http://www.astronomytower.org/restrictedsection/fic.php?fic=at:/authors/shatter_glass/PP.html) by shatter_glass.

Your Every Wish (http://www.lasairandmaya.com/youreverywish.html) by mistful. R-rated.

Harry/Ron:
Close Enough (http://www.helenish.net/closeenough.shtml) by helenish.

Hate (http://www.livejournal.com/users/switchknife/86474.html?style=mine#cutid1) by switchknife. NC-17.

Remus/Sirius:

Beyond the Veil (http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1416891) by Helene.

So You Want To Transfigure Yourself A Rock Band (http://www.sprunkers.com/glitter.htm) by mousapelli. NC-17.

At the Water's Edge (http://www.livejournal.com/users/musesfool/470602.html#cutid1) by musesfool.

Wane (http://www.livejournal.com/users/lupercali/10758.html#cutid1) by lupercali.

No One Ever Said It Would Be This Hard (http://obsessivetendencies.net/fiction/remus.html) by throughadoor.

Remus/Bill:
A Journey In Ten Lies (http://notquiteroyal.net/switchknife/fiction/ajourneyintenlies.htm) by switchknife. Also contains Remus/Sirius. Rated R.

Sirius/James:
Aristeia (http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/furies00/Aristeia.htm) by eumenides1. NC-17.

Fred/George:
And In Arcadia I (http://barrendelights.slashcity.net/andinarcadia.htm). Also contains George/Ginny, and Ginny/Tom. NC-17.

These probably shouldn't be handed over until the second or third or eighteenth list (rape, violence, serious mindfuck, etc.), but are fabulous for later:
rushlight's A Fracture of the Mind's Eye (http://slashcity.org/rushlight/mindseye.htm)
cluegirl's Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent (http://www.skyehawke.com/archive/story.php?no=1059)