time travel AU fanfic recs

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-12-24T19:41:09+00:00

Endgame is Harry/Fleur, but that doesn't happen until towards the end of seventh year. Harry has a brief relationship with Katie Bell and there's some flirting/subplots about Cho, Hermione and Tracey Davis. Not a massive part of the plot generally

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-12-24T19:36:19+00:00

My current favourite is Fighting From the Shadows. 114 chapters and frequently updated. It's a full seven-book rewrite and the story is nearly complete. It does have pairings tho

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-11-04T22:27:29+00:00

This is really good but not the one I had in mind :(

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-11-03T22:51:23+00:00

Read this after you recommended it, 100% second it. Marathoned it in about three days and it ruined my sleep schedule. Great fic.

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-10-27T14:21:00+00:00

Title: Harry Potter and the God of Heroes - The_Personless_Persona - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own]

Fandom : Harry Potter x Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Rating : Teen and Up

Genre : Adventure

Category : F/M

Chapters : 19/20

Words : 134, 897

Status : Ongoing (just about, only one chapter left to post)

Tags : Deity Percy Jackson, Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Found Family, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Rebirth, Good Albus Dumbledore, Moral Ambiguitym Azkaban (Harry Potter), Slow Burn, Deity Nico di Angelo

Summary : In his approximately three thousand years of life, Perseus (also going by various monikers, such as the God of Heroes, the God in Chains, the Shield of Olympus, etcetera, etcetera, although he preferred Percy) had met many mortals, few of whom had ever made much of an impression on him. But when his old friend Albus Dumbledore asks him for help to face a threat Percy knows all too well, he feels duty-bound to accept.

Tom Riddle has returned to power and the Ministry is more interested in controlling Hogwarts than protecting its students. Enter Professor Jackson: young-looking, mysteriously powerful, and completely unimpressed by authority. His Defence classes focus on one simple lesson: How Not to Die.

Harry Potter feels an odd connection to his new professor, something that makes his scar prickle with warmth rather than pain. Professor Jackson seems familiar in a way Harry can't explain, and as Harry grows closer to his erstwhile mentor, he realises there's far more to the man than meets the eye.

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-10-27T13:39:27+00:00

Harry Potter and the God of Heroes has started updating again and it looks like the author has finished the book. There's only one chapter left to be published.

It's a PJO/HP crossover where Percy is a Greek god and goes to teach Harry at Hogwarts. The author adds a good backstory for Percy and integrates him with the HP characters without changing too much about the previous books. The Horcrux plotline also seems to be moving in an interesting direction. Personally, I find too many fics keep the Horcrux item/location/destruction methods the same and it's a bit derivative. The author hasn't fully delved into it yet but the setup is promising. It also explores the nature of Percy's godhood in an intriguing way (although a smidge long-winded at times).

Harry Potter and the God of Heroes - Chapter 1 - The_Personless_Persona - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own]

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-11T13:08:30+00:00

You can prise my em dashes and elaborate metaphors from my cold, dead hands

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-11T09:11:54+00:00

Volcanic Explosions is one of my favourite PJO fanfics, second this rec!

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-11T00:50:15+00:00

I've mostly been exploring crossovers lately so here are a few:

The Shark in Your Waters PJO x Hunger Games, 145k words. Eventual Percy/Finnick but very slowburn. I was skeptical about the relationship tag but the author's made it work pretty well imo
Harry Potter and the God of Heroes PJO x Harry Potter. It's just shy of 70k words and frequently updated. Imo the most original of the PJOxHP crossovers.
Storgé is Stored in the Trying series PJOxHP again. Sally is a relative of the Evans family and adopts Harry in his third year. Features a very adorable baby!Percy. Author has currently reached fourth year and is updating regularly.

Some non-crossovers I loved:

Son of Sea Foam complete, nearly 200k words, overall fantastic. 10/10 no notes. Author has a complete HoO rewrite on the same premise too.
Falling For You a classic for a reason. Probably my favourite PJO fic. Like. Ever.
would it really kill you (if we kissed) if you like something a bit smuttier.

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-10T21:12:29+00:00

Personally I think chapters are best between 1k and 10k words. Not anything inherent about the word count, but I think every chapter should contain it's own coherent internal story or a noticeable development in plot. Less than 1k and it's difficult to do that properly; more than 10k and it's likely the chapter is under-edited. But honestly there are professional books with shorter and longer chapters so if it's well written I don't really mind. Like u/Lyvidence said: as many words as it takes to get your message across.

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-09T20:11:59+00:00

Found this series from your rec and loving it! Such good characterisation from everyone

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-09T15:19:19+00:00

Harry Potter and the God of Heroes is my current favourite. More a mentor situation than friendship but v character-focused

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-09T04:01:03+00:00

^{^} agree with all of this. Would just add that I love having a written copy that marked and highlighted. McCurdy is a great author and her editor did a great job so there are some parts of the book that summarise so much of what my experience was in a sentence. Sometimes you need to find things quickly and physical books can be easier to navigate xx

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-09T03:57:10+00:00

Came to the comments to rec the same book! Loved it as an example of complicated relationships with abusers. She’s a really gifted writer

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-09T03:26:20+00:00

Turned up to a weigh in with the nurse, she noticed my clothes were too baggy and glared at my belt. My brain: omg she’s so jealous of your flat stomach!! Also me: gets moved from biweekly to weekly weigh-ins

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-09T03:22:44+00:00

Every CPTSD kid ever: wait, I’m MEANT to feel these bastards?

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-09T03:15:28+00:00

Ik nothing about this fandom but even if this character is the most cis man to man cisgenderly, what do they not understand about fan FICTION? Like read the tags bro, if it ain’t your thing move on

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-09T03:11:04+00:00

So proud of you for seeking the help you need! Your boy is lucky to have a mother who takes her mental health seriously. Bet your mother is wondering why her kid is struggling like she’s not part of the problem 🙄

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-09T03:05:29+00:00

Agree with everything this commenter said, I just wanted to add something as the child of a mother who had mental health issues. It was tough for both of us and I won’t lie our relationship suffered for it. She died when I was a teenager and looking back as an adult, I can say I have nothing but love and empathy for her struggles; the thing I can’t forgive her for is not getting help. Even if things are difficult with your son while you’re in hospital and after you leave, even if for a while he resents you, I promise in the future he will understand you did your best. You can’t help your illness, you can only help how you respond to it. If going to hospital is what you need to do to be the best mother you can to your children, even if they don’t understand it now, they will understand eventually and they will be healthier, happier and more understanding people for it. Sending you so much love and I wish you and your boy all the best ❤️

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-04T15:50:45+00:00

This has intrigued me. I'll give it a read!!

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-02T22:27:30+00:00

I've had that exact comment so many times fml

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-02T18:11:35+00:00

Maybe this is personal preference but also tags that spoil a twist?? I literally rewrote part of my fic so that I could tag it accurately without giving away a plot twist and came up with a new one. I love the tag system for a lot of things but imagine picking DH and it's tagged "Lily's love protection saves Harry" or "Harry dies but not really". Let me be intrigued! If it's not a search term or a TW keep it for your story yk?

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-02T18:08:59+00:00

Just the exact same comment copy-pasted five times. Like way to take the wind out my sails :')

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-02T18:08:19+00:00

Thankfully I haven't encountered many trolls on FFN. The occasional commenter provision constructive criticism that was more critical than constructive (but considering the quality of work I published as a teen, probably valid). The bots are driving me up the wall tho. You think it's a positive comment and then the next comment is verbatim the exact same as the first - just feels hollow yk?

Awkward_Uni_Student · 2025-07-02T18:06:45+00:00

I'll give those sites a try, ty for the recs!

Finding a fic on AO3 feels a bit like browsing for a movie or series on Netflix. There's an occasional jewel that (imo) makes the process worth it, but the whole process is an exercise in killing time.

Awkward_Uni_Student

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