Five best in my opinion, at least. I love long fics, to an extent where I rarely read anything shorter than 40K. No, I do, just not that often. So here are the five fics I return to because they feel good, they are a lovely read, and with good plot/characterisation/luuurve and happy end. I actually couldn't decide which of my two favourite long fics were my actual favourite, so they have to share the first place. However, I doubt very much that it comes as a surprise who the authors are.
1.
Compulsion by
arionrhod (Remus/Severus)
Author's Summary: Two champions; one disgraced by scandal, the other hiding a secret. Two very different men, who share a single goal - to become the greatest figure skater in the world. Can they also accept that they share a common passion. each other?
Why you should use time to look at it: (I'm lazy, I simply quote from my comment to Arion ;0)
I was caught up totally in this story, I forgot that I had other things to do, I forgot lunch, and I was 1.5 hour late for an appointment... Arion brings our heroes out as real persons, supported largely by very good and almost epic characterisation. The paragraph where Arion first describes Snape skating - "
Snape was passion, all fiery aggression and suppressed fury bundled into one and then poised on nine inches of knife-sharp steel..." - is so poetic, precise and vivid that I had to go back several times to read it over. I think it might be the most wonderful line about Snape I've ever read, and that in an AU. Impressive.
Also Arion manages to hold the reader's attention through a long story where the end is almost certain, without dragging it into cliché - or rather by using the romance clichées in a very clever way that ends the story in nicely and well wrapped up way. I think this is one of the best fics I have ever read, and it definitely is above any other Snupin fic, in a class of its own.
1.
The Way of the World by
scribbulus_ink (Remus/Severus)
Author's Summary: After the war, Remus tells the wizarding world to sod off and goes to live as a Muggle, and three years later, Severus comes looking for him, wanting to know how to do the same thing.
Why you should use time to look at it: I love this fic. It is like chicken soup, long summer Sundays, like cuddly kittens and warm puppies. Comfort, ladies and gentlemen - although there isn't any H/C in it. Spot on characterisation, classic Snupin conflict, brilliant, fluent writing, and lurrrrve. It is so damned good. The supporting characters feel real, the locations are described so it feels like one would recognise the place if one accidentally found it. Many published writers should eat their hearts out and spice it with envy for not having written as well as
scribbulus_ink/McKay does here.
3.
Finding Love by SilentAuror (Snape/Harry, Harry/Draco, Severus/Lucius)
Author's Summary: A story about several men searching for something and what it means to find it.
Why you should use time to look at it: I'm okayish with Harry/Draco, especially Silent Aurors version. Despite the fact I dislike Potter intensely, SA's Potter is actually tolerable. The story has a good flow, good, rather canon Lucius. One of the very rare long Snucius-fics where Lucius isn't treated as a cardboard psycho. Actually, it is just rare to find long Severus/Lucius at all. God, this pairing is so under-appreciated!!! Oh, and this fic has actual magic in it. Funny how rarely that happen in this fandom. More love to it for that.
4.
The Adventures of Remus J. Lupin, Aspiring Sex God by
snegurochka_lee (Remus/Severus)
Author's Summary: Remus has been told he's boring in bed. He sets out on a mission to spice things up.
Why you should use time to look at it: Oh damn, how I waited impatiently every day for Lee to post another chapter of lovely, hot, intense LMoM Snupin. And OMG! Charlie. Steaming hot dominant Snape... *fans* If there ever was PWP with plot and hotness, this is the one. *melts* Also, the BDSM in the fic works very, very well.
Anyway: Angst, romance, hot sex - and a bit of tongue in cheek. And other places. This fic has it all. Now you go read it. Maybe put a towel on your chair first... ;0)
5.
Seventh Year by
nishizono (Severus/Lucius)
Author's Summary: Forced into hiding after the war, Severus finds himself at Hogwarts, disguised as a seventeen year old student and about to relive the nightmare of his seventh year: Seven long days, seven unexpected allies, seven well-kept secrets, seven burning questions, seven black buttons, and three little words.
Why you should use time to look at it: Brilliant plot, good writing, young Severus/Lucius. Snappy Snape, quite over-confident canon!Lucius. And did I mention the really, really good writing? Even if Marauders and Lucius are not your cuppa, read it for the good story-telling.
Also, a spanking to
kabal42 for taking down his lovely Draco/Hermione BDSM fic,
Muggle Studies. It should have had a place on this list. A grave mistake that the fic is no longer on the web if you ask me.
If you go read, please leave a comment for the author. Old fics need love too!