Laocoon's Children Year One: The Philosopher's Stone

Stealing Harry 'Verse #2

by copperbadge

Fandom: Harry Potter
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Andromeda Black Tonks/Ted Tonks
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The events of the first Harry Potter book, retold through the alternate-universe lens of Stealing Harry.

Genres: Fan Fiction, Fantasy, LGBT

353 pages, ebook

First published September 20, 2004

About the author

See also author Sam Starbuck.
Copperbadge on Tumblr, LJ, and DW, @ouija_sam on twitter.
http://copperbadge.tumblr.com/
http://copperbadge.livejournal.com/pr...
http://copperbadge.dreamwidth.org/pro...
http://sam-storyteller.dreamwidth.org...

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! It follows the friendship between Harry (Slytherin), Draco (Hufflepuff), Neville (Gryffindor) and Padma (Ravenclaw) during their first year at Hogwarts, in a parallel AU to the first HP novel. You definitely need to read the 'Stealing Harry' fic first, though.

It was interesting to see how the story changed after Harry was sorted into Slytherin, and to see how this, when combined with his close friendship with a member of each of the other houses, started to create more inter-house mingling than is ever seen in the canon.

Best Bits:

- Hufflepuff Draco, who must be protected! This poor little cinnamon roll begged to be in Hufflepuff, since he didn't want to draw any attention to himself. It's kind of sad, really, that his mom became a psychotic and verbally abusive b**** after Draco's father was sent to Azkaban for killing Peter Pettigrew and a bunch of muggles (reversing roles with Sirius, in this AU).

- Oliver Wood & the Weasley Twins (granted, they had small roles, but I liked that they were still friendly with Harry despite his Slytherin Seeker status).

- Severus Snape's friendship with the Tonks Family - it's weird and awkward, and I love it!

Worst Bits:

- Peter Pettigrew; I'm sorry, but I just CANNOT see Pettigrew as being someone to instill fear in people. Yes, I can see how Harry fears him in this AU since he was attacked by him when he was younger, but I can't really keep up with this weird, all-powerful Goat-eyed thing that seems to be going on here.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my new favorite fanfics. There’s something just so fresh and healing about a world where Harry actually had people who cared about him growing up. I love the shift in his friend group and his relationship with Severus. Even just how he embraces his parseltongue abilities. I absolutely loved this book. It had the perfect amount of changes to keep things fresh while maintaining the general continuity of the story/series. I cannot wait to read the rest! I will loudly express my praises to all my HP loving friends.

[mayday · Rating 5 out of 5]

i finished this one with tears in my eyes. i know it won't be socially acceptable to do an actual serious retelling of harry potter for at least fifty more years, but if we could have one right now, this would be the one. beautifully, masterfully done.

(also, this is the only universe in which i wholeheartedly love severus snape. THE ONLY UNIVERSE)

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm listening to the canon books and reading these at the same time, and it's so interesting to see what's been done with the story. Truly inventive use of Rowling's world and characters; my only sadness is clearly someone is not a Hermione fan!

[Wetdryvac · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite styles of fanfic: Referencing and relying on very specific elements of source material while going in an interesting new direction. Really well put together.

[Pauline (Polly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved how some original universe stuff was kept but so much of the story line was changed. Love WolfStar and this Snape. Can’t wait to read the next book.

[Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn't enjoy it as much as book one but still enjoyable

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the twists given to canon here and how some of them wind up tying back in, such as subverting the invidious house rivalry and separation, with Slytherin!Harry still being himself, and choosing to stick with his friends regardless.

Hufflepuff-by-choice Draco is more timid, though still raised with some pureblood-arrogant assumptions. We see the misery of his AU homelife in one of the series' side-story shorts, "A Lesson in Hiding", not listed on Goodreads: Lucius in Azkaban, Narcissa viciously unstable, and the house-elves limited in how they can help.

I think Harry, Draco, bolder-than-canon Neville, and Ravenclaw Padma's adventure with Nearly Headless Nick is cleverly original, if a bit macabre.

This Snape is recognizable and plausible, but a more likable character despite his prickliness and demanding teaching methods.

Sirius and Lupin are less center stage now that the story has moved to Hogwarts, but their love is still sweet, and their reactions to Harry's Slitherin sorting and choice of friends are quite in-character. (I hated how both of them died in canon.)

I'm afraid of saying too much re. the central conflict and climax, but there are brilliant twists there, too, like Snape's scars from book 1 being the not-understood warning.