The hds_beltane reveals are up!

[lomonaaeren]

First of all, thank you so much to the people who wrote stories for me! I received three (one shared with megyal, whom there is no one better to share a story with) and enjoyed them all:

The Messenger by sugareey (really liked the atmosphere and mood in this one)
Family Portrait by khateh (lovely and original use of magic here)
A Beltane Gift by juwel_fic, for me and megyal (a threesome between Harry, Draco, and Snape with strong dynamics and a good Harry POV)

I wrote two, one an original assignment and one a pinch-hit, which I'll probably repost here in a few days:

When In Flight for honorarymaraudr. This was a 17,000-word H/D, with Harry as the Hogwarts flying instructor and Draco as an inspector for the Ministry sent to Hogwarts because of the high proportion of accidents the Slytherin Quidditch players keep having. Beta-ed by ms_mindfunk, who helped especially in the clarification of long sentences and the taking down of italics that really needed to go down.

Kestrel for gingertart50. This is a 25,000-word Harry/Snape. Yes, Harry/Snape. I had a lot of fun writing it because the prompts were so plot-oriented and I liked my characterizations, but I was also writing it during a week when I was busy with work and very sick with sinusitis, and there was a voice in the back of my head all the time yelling, "You can't write Harry/Snape! You've never done it before!" I'm very pleased it turned out as well as it did. Beta-ed by Linda, an RL friend of mine who detests Harry Potter but is an excellent critical reader; I e-mailed her begging for a beta and she said "NO!", then sighed and said, "Send it on." She did an awesome job.

Thanks to everyone involved, especially twistedm, who handled a very difficult fest with grace and dignity.

Comments

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

I LOVED Kestrel! I can't believe that was your first Snarry. I know I didn't comment yet, but I recced it in my lj last week. I just haven't found the words to tell you how much I loved that fic.

The description of Snape's work was amazing and now, knowing it was you, I can see why. You have a way of writing magic, and potions and the passion of a master at work that really hits me.

A really, really fantastic job. You should be very proud.

Now I'm off to read your other fic that I missed.

[lomonaaeren.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was so, so nervous. I've read some Snarry, but I've never even tried writing it before because I couldn't come up with a plot. (That's one of the reasons I loved gingertart50's prompts: they gave me a challenge, but also a skeleton of plot to hang things on and some guide for the character interactions).

As soon as I saw the "unusual careers" request, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. That was the part that ended up producing the wings plot. I'm very glad Snape's passion for it came across to you.

And thank you again! During the actual writing of the story I was fine. At night I lay in bed with my brain going, "ARGH, ARGH, ARGH."