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Birth of the Serpent King
What if Lucius Malfoy had interfered and saved Harry Potter’s life during the third task? The Harry that returns to Hogwarts after the resurrection of Voldemort has been tempered by fire, the Potter Family legacy, and a relationship he couldn’t have ever expected. In the wake of his father’s redemption—Draco Malfoy finds everything he could have ever wanted in the man that was once his enemy.
Words: 105062 complete
Words: 105062 complete
264 pages, ebook
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 16, 2016
I've been recommended this story several times and I really have no idea why I waited so long to read it. Featuring a powerful and fiercely independent Harry, this alternate universe fic begins sometime after the disastrous events of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, with Lucius Malfoy having saved Harry’s life during the graveyard confrontation with Voldemort. Lucius, unfortunately – and predictably – loses his life for it, with his death setting off a chain of events that not only leads to a more independent Harry, but a growing relationship with the Malfoys; Draco, in particular.
I have to say, I really enjoyed this fic. It was plot-fill and focused, with a heavy emphasis on Harry taking back ownership of his own life and, therefore, his own agency. He’s not sitting back and waiting for things to happen to him in this story. Instead, he’s taking the proverbial bull by the horns and doing what others, namely Dumbledore, failed to do for him all along: educate and protect himself.
While there were parts of this fic that I found a bit odd (or, perhaps, out-of-character rather than odd) and fan-indulgent (not a bad thing), I still had a lot of fun reading about them. In fact, I had so much fun that I’ve already started reading another fic by this author. How could I not?
I have to say, I really enjoyed this fic. It was plot-fill and focused, with a heavy emphasis on Harry taking back ownership of his own life and, therefore, his own agency. He’s not sitting back and waiting for things to happen to him in this story. Instead, he’s taking the proverbial bull by the horns and doing what others, namely Dumbledore, failed to do for him all along: educate and protect himself.
While there were parts of this fic that I found a bit odd (or, perhaps, out-of-character rather than odd) and fan-indulgent (not a bad thing), I still had a lot of fun reading about them. In fact, I had so much fun that I’ve already started reading another fic by this author. How could I not?
October 11, 2019
Harry Potter fanfiction, not for everyone read at your own risk. Keira Marcos is one of my favorite authors for fanfiction as well as mainstream novels.
March 27, 2023
I realize the moderately-explicit M/M romantic/sexual content between 15yo Harry & Draco make this not for every Potterverse fan (that is pretty young), but it's a really good story. There are many excellent plot and character elements in its 105K, re. their coming into their ancestral magic and noble responsibilities, including some great house elf developments, and Draco making his own changes and apologies. There are intense, emotional and/or suspenseful moments, thought-provoking ones, and ones full of laughter. It's very satisfying to see Harry taking charge on multiple fronts, with support including Draco and Narcissa, and refusing to be silenced!
This is a less character-bashing fic than the majority of Potterverse AUs by Ms. Marcos, notably re. most of the Weasleys, and even a measure of understanding re. Petunia. Oh, and an interesting background take on the backstory between Sirius and Snape, make that Sirius/Snape, which... I don't hate, and might have eventually bought into if we saw more of them, such as in the might-have-been sequel.
Regardless, Harry here has both enough agency and enough insight to realize he must not simply trust in misguided Dumbledore's plans. Part of why this fic is among my higher-rated from Ms. Marcos is that Dumbledore here matches how I see him: secretive, manipulative, willfully and carelessly blind, yet arrogantly certain that he knows best what's best for everyone (or at least for the Greater Good) — even after being confronted with mistakes he's made.
I wish this tale extended further, but it's mainly Harry learning and growing into his new role, standing up for himself and for what's right both at school and in wizarding society as a whole, starting to establish his legal-adult authority, plus the romance, and indeed, it's satisfying as such. The "boss battle" in whatever form it will/would take is still in his future.
(A Draco-centric sequel was "plotted and about a third written" in 8/2013, but, alas, apparently not [yet] completed. It was still "planned" as of 8/2016, but she was "really not interested in writing them as minors right now" as of 4/2021.)
The SPaG quality is typical for Ms. Marcos: pretty good, though not perfect. One nit-pick in spoiler tags for "skipability".
I feel like saying "content warnings" may turn some away who would enjoy it, but there is the underage issue, plus mention of past abuse, current house elf abuse, and *SPOILER* Harry safely out of his house just means Vernon Dursley has a different target.
The Main Page for the story is at
keiramarcos.com/fan-fiction/birth-of-...
When I first read it (in 2021(?)), it was still posted in 12 individual chapters. As of 11/2022, it's been combined into 3 sections,with one glitch: Chapter 5 currently appears in full in Part 1 as well as in Part 2.
Also, it says "Part 3" at the bottom of the text of Part 2, but it's currently unlinked, so you have to scroll down further, to the standard previous-post and next-post nav links, or go back to the links on the BotSK Main Page or the BotSK category-tag posts list. Part 3, chapters 9-12, is actually at keiramarcos.com/2011/01/birth-of-the-serpent-king-chapter-twelve/ — which she must have done in order to not lose all the many enthusiastic comments posted on the end of the story since 1/2011.
I noticed comments aren't closed on the final section, though they are on parts 1 & 2, so we'll see how she responds to my heads-up. (I checked, and didn't see anyone else mentioning the goofs. Both points should be pretty quickly fixable, and it's not a criticism of her writing in any way, so I dared to post it, along with saying how I really enjoyed the fic.) UPDATE 1/2023: The 3-section-posting goofs reported above seem to have been fixed. 👍
UPDATE 3/'23: I reread the whole story already to refresh my memory (not that it was any hardship, but keeping various AUs straight can be difficult) before reading the mere two chapters of the sequel available in the Evil Author Day community: evilauthorday.dreamwidth.org/3207.html —
Lucius Malfoy's portrait awakens (weighty), and Harry visits NYC with Sirius (mainly fluffy).
This is a less character-bashing fic than the majority of Potterverse AUs by Ms. Marcos, notably re. most of the Weasleys, and even a measure of understanding re. Petunia. Oh, and an interesting background take on the backstory between Sirius and Snape, make that Sirius/Snape, which... I don't hate, and might have eventually bought into if we saw more of them, such as in the might-have-been sequel.
Regardless, Harry here has both enough agency and enough insight to realize he must not simply trust in misguided Dumbledore's plans. Part of why this fic is among my higher-rated from Ms. Marcos is that Dumbledore here matches how I see him: secretive, manipulative, willfully and carelessly blind, yet arrogantly certain that he knows best what's best for everyone (or at least for the Greater Good) — even after being confronted with mistakes he's made.
I wish this tale extended further, but it's mainly Harry learning and growing into his new role, standing up for himself and for what's right both at school and in wizarding society as a whole, starting to establish his legal-adult authority, plus the romance, and indeed, it's satisfying as such. The "boss battle" in whatever form it will/would take is still in his future.
(A Draco-centric sequel was "plotted and about a third written" in 8/2013, but, alas, apparently not [yet] completed. It was still "planned" as of 8/2016, but she was "really not interested in writing them as minors right now" as of 4/2021.)
The SPaG quality is typical for Ms. Marcos: pretty good, though not perfect. One nit-pick in spoiler tags for "skipability".
I feel like saying "content warnings" may turn some away who would enjoy it, but there is the underage issue, plus mention of past abuse, current house elf abuse, and *SPOILER* Harry safely out of his house just means Vernon Dursley has a different target.
The Main Page for the story is at
keiramarcos.com/fan-fiction/birth-of-...
When I first read it (in 2021(?)), it was still posted in 12 individual chapters. As of 11/2022, it's been combined into 3 sections,
Also, it says "Part 3" at the bottom of the text of Part 2, but it's currently unlinked, so you have to scroll down further, to the standard previous-post and next-post nav links, or go back to the links on the BotSK Main Page or the BotSK category-tag posts list.
I noticed comments aren't closed on the final section, though they are on parts 1 & 2, so we'll see how she responds to my heads-up. (I checked, and didn't see anyone else mentioning the goofs. Both points should be pretty quickly fixable, and it's not a criticism of her writing in any way, so I dared to post it, along with saying how I really enjoyed the fic.) UPDATE 1/2023: The 3-section-posting goofs reported above seem to have been fixed. 👍
UPDATE 3/'23: I reread the whole story already to refresh my memory (not that it was any hardship, but keeping various AUs straight can be difficult) before reading the mere two chapters of the sequel available in the Evil Author Day community: evilauthorday.dreamwidth.org/3207.html —
Lucius Malfoy's portrait awakens (weighty), and Harry visits NYC with Sirius (mainly fluffy).
May 13, 2017
Super disappointed with the ending, since nothing was resolved? It was very abrupt. But I loved everything else about this. Harry's magic, the elves and all the politics were fun
June 4, 2015
Couldn't put down! Spent the whole day reading it! It's a perfect blend of The Potter Universe mixed with class structure. It had quite a few funny moments. I enjoyed the fact it used actual characters from the universe even if I had never known them before. I could look them up and they where legit. I greatly appreciated that level of detail this story would go too. I even learned some things about the actual Potter universe that I never knew about. Very well done!
August 11, 2018
Anyone who is a fan of Harry Potter and in particular the Draco/Harry pairing should read this. Seriously, it should be on everyone's list. :D. Fantastic story; I read it a couple of times a year and I never tire of it.
November 3, 2024
Such a comfort read. I love the snark.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews