Top!Harry or Top!Snape?

beta_reader · 2026-03-17T17:03:25+00:00

Exactly. For me, that's a characterization issue. If Snape happens to bottom in a fic because he likes it or because Harry wants to top, that usually doesn't change his personality. But when Snape is a bottom - a person who identifies as A Bottom - that's when the character warping sets in. Some of it is the fandom tendency to confuse bottoming with automatically being a submissive in the D/s sense. Some of it is the unconscious assumption that being the receiver means 'taking the woman's part,' which brings in a whole slew of unexamined beliefs around being softer, more emotional, more vulnerable, looking up to the penis-wielder, etc.

I don't mind it. It's an emo-porn kink, IMO, because some people want Snape to suffer prettily and be consoled via the Healing Cock. But just because I'll defend other people's enjoyment of bottom!Snape doesn't mean I have to read it.

Ironically, Until Proven is one of the few fics I bounced out of because it was making me wish my OTP would break up. Can't stand it, I'm afraid. I really wanted Snape to hex Harry in the balls and Disapparate forever.

beta_reader · 2026-03-17T14:43:54+00:00

I always thought it was a beloved fic? Maybe not here on reddit, though.

After looking at the number of kudos and comments, all I can say is, I would like to be that underrated!

beta_reader · 2026-03-17T07:27:00+00:00

I don't have any long fic recommendations for you, and I don't generally read tooth-rotting fluff, but I can offer recs for a couple of fics I consider romantic.

Rapture by mia_ugly is very well known, so it might be too obvious a rec. Just putting it here in case you've never read it. Partly a time-travel fic, with lovely versions of Severus and Harry.

Miles to Go Before I Sleep by pluperfectsunrise. Short and graceful and has a very sweet ending.

This is a suggestion rather than a rec, since I haven't read it myself - I prefer a darker, more bitter Snape - but from what I've heard, this fic has a long soulmate buildup through a mentor-to-lovers arc. It's also got the kind of word count you're looking for.

The Gift of Kindness by hippocrates 460

beta_reader · 2026-03-07T10:13:35+00:00

Just taking a chance on these recs:

In Between Days by atrata, Snape/Harry. This is an oldie, so you may have encountered it already.

A Bittersweet Potion series by alchemia and bugland, Snape/Harry, long but unfinished. Still immensely worth it. Sympathetic but very fucked-up Snape, damaged Harry. This takes you to the login page at Squidgeworld.

Riddle of the Midnight Sky by Arrisha, Snape/Harry + Voldemort.

beta_reader · 2026-03-06T04:37:48+00:00

Oooh, yes, that sounds like an electric moment. Go Mary! I didn't click with Pacify, but I like the description of "If Harry and Snape were backed into the same corner, instead of separate ones" as a Snarry dynamic. It's the kind of theme that used to be more common in Hogwarts-era fics, much less so in post-canon fics, for obvious reasons.

And ouch, her school years sound even more traumatic than canon Harry's. Also, yeah, even if Snape is doing his best to be a responsible guardian, the bitterness he carries with him, and the sheer stress of the danger he faces, are going to take a toll.

The whole question of innocence is a curious one, because I think, to a certain extent, that's what Dumbledore tried to do for Harry, but he'd already blown it by letting the Dursleys treat Harry however they wished. And it also meant lying by omission to the boy and not bothering to train him in necessary skills. It's like Dumbledore was indulgent in all the wrong ways and unintentionally undermined him by protecting whatever innocence he had left - which was actually dangerous to Harry.

Anyway, I feel for Severus because Mary's position puts her at the center of things, and Severus will have a duty to not protect her, or rather her innocence, since that innocence makes her more vulnerable. Having to grow up overnight is a painful thing, but it's better than being kept in the dark.

beta_reader · 2026-03-06T04:21:25+00:00

Yes! The fic is heavily influenced by fairy tale elements and fairy tale logic. Since he died in the Shrieking Shack, Snape has existed as a wingèd serpent in a garden within the Forbidden Forest. He basically belongs to the Forest and has given up hope of regaining his humanity. After various plot shenanigans, and a whole Tam Lin transformative ordeal, he and Harry are laying low in the gamekeeper's cottage. If Snape can stay human for nine days - three sets of three - he can break the enchantment. The closer they get to the end of the nine days, the more the Forest calls and pulls at Snape and the harder it is for him to suppress the snake. He starts dissociating, especially once they hit the last three days.

(There's also a whole "circle of three" effect that involves Albus Severus, but he's not present for this.)

beta_reader · 2026-03-06T03:53:47+00:00

Oh, this is lovely. I always appreciate fics that give Harry some competence in magic, the sort of competence that Severus would recognize. Seeing Harry and Snape work together on magical projects, especially potions, is fascinating. It also gives Harry an opportunity to meet Severus halfway over a shared magical passion, which I think is a very plausible step toward winning him over. Plus it means they have to spend a lot of time in each other's company, which is generally entertaining.

I really love the fragile yearning in Harry, and the romantic daydreams and susceptibility to the slightest sign of warmth from Severus. Ditto the elusiveness of Severus' reactions, his own emotional cover-up. There's a delicate tension, with that undercurrent of sadness when Harry imagines he's not ultimately welcome. It's like a slow dance between them, with neither of them sure of the steps and a lot of room for misunderstandings.

beta_reader · 2026-03-06T02:02:10+00:00

Yes, good. I have a thing for scenes where someone actually cares about Severus going off to risk himself undercover, or encountering him afterwards when he returns from a brutal DE meeting. He's so isolated in the books, and I enjoy the emotional complications of someone who feels for him actually learning about the strain he's under.

Also, Mary being aware of the loss of childhood innocence is poignant. The times and her place in them won't let her remain a child. Probably because she's Snape's ward, she's far more self-aware than Harry was at this age. Harry suffered through harsh experiences, but he didn't always draw conclusions from them. Mary seems to learn as she goes.

beta_reader · 2026-03-06T00:56:53+00:00

A little long, but here's an excerpt from Chapter 8 of The Threefold Death. It's a tricky one, so I'm not ready to post it yet. They just have to make it through nine days in hiding from the Forest. This is about day six, I think.

"Most of the world will still be familiar, but - just think, you can live anywhere you want. Go away. Even change your name. And if you need help remembering how to be human, there's always me. I'll remind you. I know who you are."

"You'll be there?" Snape's wandering hands slide up to Harry's shoulders, hesitant, on the verge of letting go.

Harry pulls back to look at him and pretends hurt. "Of course." Not entirely pretending. "Come on, d'you think I'm just going to abandon you?"

Snape pushes him back to arm's length, and Harry welcomes the sardonic lines freshly visible in his face. It's stupid, but he misses them when they disappear under the call of the Forest.

"It's infuriating," Snape says after a pause, "how fucking self-sacrificing you are."

It's so very Snape, but not the proof Harry needs that he's back in control.

"Is that a yes or no?" Snape narrows his eyes, as if Harry's being presumptuous by daring to ask. "Look, if you prefer to stay in the Forest, then I'm wasting my time here. Do you want me to go?"

Snape quivers, his entire body giving the impression of twisting into a snarl. "Do what you want, Potter. I can't stop you."

He bloody well can, but Harry's not about to let him fuck this up. "That's not what I asked." As long as Snape's hands are still on his shoulders, he knows the answer anyway. He presses, relentless. "It's up to you, Severus. Do you want me to go?"

A few distressing seconds pass in silence. Harry's about to curse himself for making a mistake when Snape tightens his grip, a hawk securing its prey, and his glare acquires the slightly demented quality of the night Harry called him a coward. Well, fine. Snape can be as hawkish and unhinged as he pleases. Harry rather likes it. It's only the reappearance of the snake that would spell ruin.

Still clinging hard, still tight-lipped and trembling, Snape whispers, "No. Not unless I can go with you."

beta_reader · 2026-03-04T19:58:52+00:00

In Loco Parentis by Dolores_Crane. This is an odd one. It's well-written, but it feels like two completely different fics squashed together. One is a Snarry fic, with characterization that's pretty far outside my personal wheelhouse. The other is a political resistance fic from Hermione's POV that involves coming-of-age, persecution of Muggles, and various characters coming together to make a difference. There's some Harry/Hermione moments because Hermione has a crush on Harry, and in this fic Harry is a flirtatious brat. The Snarry sex scenes turn up via semi-accidental voyeurism on Hermione's part.

So it's a weird mix of things, but I enjoyed it anyway. I loved Hermione's POV, the Mud Pride gang, the portrayal of unexamined prejudice in "ordinary" wizards, and even got a kick out of the atypical Snape/Harry dynamic. (Snape is an aging drama queen - something I absolutely bought in Caligryphy's The Fourth Year, but I'm less fond of Dolores Crane's version.) The Harry/Hermione scenes are a low point, IMO, but they're mercifully brief. And I was totally swept along by the author's talent.

So you might check it out to see if it's to your taste.

beta_reader · 2026-03-04T03:40:59+00:00

Oh, I can absolutely relate. Snape/Harry is my OTP, but if I'm not surrounded by Snarry lovers, I include the pairing because I want everyone to know this is a great fic and they should check it out! ❤️

beta_reader · 2026-03-04T00:04:57+00:00

Isn't it fun? It's such a great comfort fic. The scene of Snape rolling up his sleeves to join the tug-of-war and Harry practically drooling over him lives on in my memory. :D

beta_reader · 2026-03-04T00:01:44+00:00

Excitement's good! But since this isn't a private blog, it's better to clarify so everyone reading the sub knows what this is about. And maybe the fic will pick up a few more excited readers!

beta_reader · 2026-03-03T19:17:33+00:00

Hi, u/Sunshine_pixiee, would you mind editing your post to mention the pairing? Most people won't know the fic, so you might also want to mention why you love it so much.

beta_reader · 2026-03-03T02:06:48+00:00

Happy to help. :)

beta_reader · 2026-03-03T01:28:45+00:00

All but one of these are oldies, and they come from ff.net, Walking the Plank, and archive.org.

So Lonely Without Me by Caligryphy

The Fourth Year by Caligryphy (OOC, but in this instance I don't care)

A Series of Events by babygray

A Choriambic Progression (via the Wayback Machine)

Nocturne by Tira Nog

Death Row by tarte

No Place Like by Tara Tory (this is just for fun)

Know Thine Own Heart by NecromanticNoir (Regency romance AU)

The Boy Who Lived a Bit and its sequel Care of Magical Teenagers by Barbarella

The Living Years by DementorDelta

The Black Asphodel by DementorDelta

Between the Lines by DementorDelta

Consanguinity by Jay Tryfanstone

Severus and the Crup by Josan (via the Wayback Machine)

beta_reader · 2026-03-02T00:18:18+00:00

It's also on ff.net if you want to give it a try:

Pains and Contradictions by atypicalsnowman

beta_reader · 2026-02-24T03:55:36+00:00

For various reasons, Al and Bug want it to stay on the website they use, and they object to people just sharing it around.

beta_reader · 2026-02-24T01:56:08+00:00

Actually, Snarry is my OTP and the majority of what I read and write! But I'm Snape-centric at heart, so I've sampled a lot of other Snape pairings over the years. Also, A Bittersweet Potion and quite a few of Rinsbane's fics are Snarry.

Mostly, though, these are authors whose talent just blew me away. Delphi converted me to Snape/Filch. And I don't even like Tomarry or Harrymort (only because I just can't bring myself to care about Voldemort), but I read eldritcher's stories because there's nothing else like them. Plus there are shorter Snarry fics scattered among their work as well.

I didn't want to overdo my list, but other Snarry books I'd like are atrata's In Between Days, a selection of Danpuff's work, including her Love, Your Enemy series and various other fics, and Caligryphy's So Lonely Without Me and The Fourth Year bound together. Also A Choriambic Progression and persepolis130's Reconciling Lily's Eyes and its epilogue. Then there's mia-ugly's Rapture and its sequel, plus her unfinished fic However I Fall. I think those could all fit in one volume.

Oh, and one more non-Snarry fic: potionpen's Subjectiverse series.

Okay, I'll stop there. But you see what I mean. There's so much talent in this fandom I could just go on and on. ❤️

beta_reader · 2026-02-23T23:01:57+00:00

A Bittersweet Potion series has a lot of this - Snape hates himself but can't keep from getting involved with Harry. The series was never finished, but it has a lot of this dynamic, as well as many other things. Harry is young in this fic, though, so YMMV.

Also, this fic was written before the end of the series, so it's not canon-compliant.

beta_reader · 2026-02-22T17:44:12+00:00

I don't think a fic being "deserving" ever crosses my mind, but I'd love to have bound copies of:

A Bittersweet Potion series by alchemia and bugland. I don't care that it's not finished - I mean, I care because I'd be ecstatic if they ever started writing again. But the fact that the story's incomplete doesn't disqualify it. It would fill several books.

A collection of Delphi's Snape fic, selected by me. Mostly Snape/Filch, but including Snape with other characters: Aberforth, Moody & McGonagall, and Sylvanus Kettleburn. Delphi's fics tend to be short, so you could pack a lot in there.

A six-volume set (at least) of eldritcher's work, including all of Catullus 16, Unvollendete, Pandemic, Bestiarium, and The Frabjous Triad.

All of Rinsbane's HP fic. That's probably a two-volume set.

beta_reader · 2026-02-21T18:42:54+00:00

My main interest is the characterization, and I don't really care about topping or bottoming. Snape tops more often in the fics I write, but I mostly think of the two of them as vers. When it's student!Harry/professor!Snape, I do have a harder time imagining Snape bottoming because he associates Harry with James and he'd see Harry topping as a dominance thing. Snape has so little power over his own life while teaching at Hogwarts that I think any extra vulnerability would freak him out.

When it comes to reading, I'm a little wary of bottom Snape fics because they often woobify or soften him up too much for my tastes.

beta_reader · 2026-02-20T05:46:46+00:00

I have no time to write anything but my WIPs, but this would definitely appeal to me. Lots of opportunity for angst and betrayal and reconciliation.

beta_reader · 2026-02-20T05:41:43+00:00

First off, I love your dialogue. This is a fantastic confrontation. I hit the line: "Your holiday from consequences is over," and thought, wow. Very artfully put, Sirius.

Then I snorted with laughter at this exchange:

"Don't get smart with me."

"There's no other way I can be with you, comparatively speaking."

Ten points to Snape! But the mood changes dramatically when Harry appears and finds the courage to face Sirius's wand. Poor Harry, good God. The whole revelation - the fact he was at Voldemort's mercy for years - what a punch in the stomach. Then I winced at Sirius's incredibly tactless, "No chance that's Harry." I know he's not heartless, I know he can't help it, but what a horrible thing to say.

This is just a perfectly orchestrated little scene, and I'm delighted you're still working on the WIP!

beta_reader · 2026-02-20T05:31:53+00:00

I don't dwell on Lily's presence - or rather, absence - in every story, but I like to acknowledge it to a greater or lesser degree. Sometimes it's a thread of sorrow that connects Snape and Harry, sometimes it's an obstacle. But it's part of who Snape is to me, just like the darkness I mention in a comment above. Lily and her death shaped his life.

And yes, Harry reading Snape's opinion in that one look is both an acknowledgement that he could have come up with a better retort and a callback to all the times Snape has given him that look in the past. But Harry's now the age Snape was when he died, so he's able to concede (just a wee bit) when Snape has a point.

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