aragog was secretly a soccer mum

title: The Fall of the House of Black

author: starfishstar

rating: T

tags/content: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Romance, Gothic Romance, a very different way they met again during PoA, finding their way back to each other at last, some drama and angst in accordance with the conventions of gothic romance, but I promise that all is well in the end!

summary: Remus Lupin has heard not a single word from his old friend Sirius Black since Sirius retreated to his family’s ancestral home, abruptly and without explanation, twelve years ago. Now Remus receives an urgent letter from Sirius, begging him to visit the House of Black.

wordcount: 16k

rec notes: God, when this fic promises gothic, it really delivers. Even if that's not your thing, I'd suggest reading this anyway, and letting it become your thing. This is a story where the setting is as much a character as any, lovingly and vividly described, and inhabiting the entire narrative. I love the premise too, and the way the magic is woven throughout. I don't want to say any more because this is one of those fics where you need to find everything out for yourself - go forth!

title: A Duet

author: mustntgetmy

rating: M

tags/content: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Angst, Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Violence, First War with Voldemort, Music, Musicians

summary: AU where Sirius was Sorted into Slytherin and also happens to be a gifted pianist and composer. Remus answers an ad for a music accompanist in a Muggle paper, is shocked to find out Sirius placed the ad, has a moral dilemma about working for a potential Death Eater, ignores said moral dilemma, then falls swiftly in love with the moral dilemma in question. But this is wartime, and even if love survives often people don’t. Expect tragedy, tenderness, complications, but above all, expect music.

wordcount: 24k

rec notes: Heed the archive warnings - this is one of those fics that reaches into your chest and pulls out your beating heart. But is done so lovingly that I can only recommend you put yourself through it too; I read this all in one feverish sitting and I think it speaks to the startling quality of the fic that I remember the exact conditions of this reading, and how emotional I was at the time. The prose is elegant and the characterisation impeccable. I would easily call this one of my favourite fics ever. Also, on a personal level, this fic inspired me to write a gift for the author, which turned out to be for a prompt inspired by a fic I'd written, so this fic will always have a really special place in my heart (which is back in my chest now but it's a tenuous thing.)