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The Last Enemy #1
The Last Enemy: The Howling Nights
It’s 1975 and war is simmering beneath the surface of the Wizarding world...but at Hogwarts, it’s magic as usual as the fifth years prepare for their O.W.L.s amidst politics, pranks, and other poor choices.
Severus Snape wants to prove his worth.
Lily Evans wants a fresh start.
James Potter wants Lily Evans, though no one is more surprised by this than him.
Sirius Black wants to write himself a new story.
Remus Lupin wants to survive the next moon.
Peter Pettigrew just wants to keep up.
But as tensions bubble over, sides will be chosen, friendships destroyed, families parted, and paths forever altered.
The Howling Nights is the first book of The Last Enemy series, which follows the lives of the heroes and villains of the First Wizarding War from 1975-1981.
Severus Snape wants to prove his worth.
Lily Evans wants a fresh start.
James Potter wants Lily Evans, though no one is more surprised by this than him.
Sirius Black wants to write himself a new story.
Remus Lupin wants to survive the next moon.
Peter Pettigrew just wants to keep up.
But as tensions bubble over, sides will be chosen, friendships destroyed, families parted, and paths forever altered.
The Howling Nights is the first book of The Last Enemy series, which follows the lives of the heroes and villains of the First Wizarding War from 1975-1981.
464 pages, ebook
Published December 14, 2020
29 people are currently reading
424 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
March 13, 2022
I solemnly swear that this is it, fellow Marauders fans. This is the story we’ve been waiting for since The Life and Times had been abandoned.
If you’re looking for an engaging canon compliant story with Harry Potter vibes and fantastic, accurate and believable characterisation of teenage Lily, the Marauders and Snape, look no further. There are no convoluted plotlines or Mary Sue OCs to be found here, instead you get an absolutely gut-wrenching and heart-warming coming of age drama (and laughs!) at the backdrop of the wizarding world overcome with hate, fear and prejudice. The Howling Nights, apparently the first instalment in a 4 book series (*happy dance*), weaves a coherent, captivating story around a few canon tidbits about the Marauders’ 5th year at Hogwarts known from the Harry Potter books and Pottermore, mainly Remus’s struggle with his ‘furry little problem,’ James, Sirius and Peter learning to transform into Animagi because *some of them* are the fucking embodiment of friendship goals, the infamous Whomping Willow ‘prank’ on their nemesis Snape and Lily and Snape’s eventual fallout as demonstrated in the Snape’s Worst Memory chapter in The Order of the Phoenix. The story’s beating heart is the Marauders’ friendship, the sacrifices and mistakes these 15-16-year-old boys, along with Lily and Snape, make as they struggle to cope with their own demons, family trauma, prejudice, privilege, stigmatisation, racism and microaggression in a very believable and effective manner. The author does a fantastic job of creating a naturally flowing narrative, building upon Harry Potter canon and developing a likeable albeit flawed set of characters, which actually gives the brief Marauders exposition, character information and relationship dynamics from the HP books more complexity and nuance. Don’t waste any time on my futile words and go read this gem now.
Counting the days until book 2.
If you’re looking for an engaging canon compliant story with Harry Potter vibes and fantastic, accurate and believable characterisation of teenage Lily, the Marauders and Snape, look no further. There are no convoluted plotlines or Mary Sue OCs to be found here, instead you get an absolutely gut-wrenching and heart-warming coming of age drama (and laughs!) at the backdrop of the wizarding world overcome with hate, fear and prejudice. The Howling Nights, apparently the first instalment in a 4 book series (*happy dance*), weaves a coherent, captivating story around a few canon tidbits about the Marauders’ 5th year at Hogwarts known from the Harry Potter books and Pottermore, mainly Remus’s struggle with his ‘furry little problem,’ James, Sirius and Peter learning to transform into Animagi because *some of them* are the fucking embodiment of friendship goals, the infamous Whomping Willow ‘prank’ on their nemesis Snape and Lily and Snape’s eventual fallout as demonstrated in the Snape’s Worst Memory chapter in The Order of the Phoenix. The story’s beating heart is the Marauders’ friendship, the sacrifices and mistakes these 15-16-year-old boys, along with Lily and Snape, make as they struggle to cope with their own demons, family trauma, prejudice, privilege, stigmatisation, racism and microaggression in a very believable and effective manner. The author does a fantastic job of creating a naturally flowing narrative, building upon Harry Potter canon and developing a likeable albeit flawed set of characters, which actually gives the brief Marauders exposition, character information and relationship dynamics from the HP books more complexity and nuance. Don’t waste any time on my futile words and go read this gem now.
Counting the days until book 2.
October 6, 2022
Can’t stop, won’t ever stop reading Marauders era fanfiction. If you think reading Harry Potter is like coming home, Marauders era fiction is like coming home to a clean house and dinner on the table.
The Howling Nights picks up as the students enter their fifth year at Hogwarts and begin the grueling process of preparing for their O.W.L.s as the politics around muggle-born individuals begins to reach a boiling point
The Last Enemy: The Howling Nights is told from multiple perspectives: James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Severus, and Peter. While The Howling Nights is a multiperspective novel, James and Lily are the clear protagonists as the majority of the novel is told from their perspectives.
What I enjoyed most about The Howling Nights is that none of the characters are shining beacons of morality. Both the Marauders and Severus are at fault for their antagonizing relationship. There are arguments to be made on each side as to who should be assigned more blame, but that’s what makes this story so great.
I loved Sirius’ perspective. I loved the insight into his character, but also his family.
The only other Marauders era fiction I’ve read is All the Young Dudes. So I had to keep reminding myself that this was a different perspective of this era since Remus almost feels like a secondary character at times as he’s barely present until later chapters.
Overall, The Last Enemy: The Howling Nights is the Marauders era fiction I am living for. So far, my headcanon has the events of All the Young Dudes between Sirius and Remus happening at the same time.
The Howling Nights picks up as the students enter their fifth year at Hogwarts and begin the grueling process of preparing for their O.W.L.s as the politics around muggle-born individuals begins to reach a boiling point
The Last Enemy: The Howling Nights is told from multiple perspectives: James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Severus, and Peter. While The Howling Nights is a multiperspective novel, James and Lily are the clear protagonists as the majority of the novel is told from their perspectives.
What I enjoyed most about The Howling Nights is that none of the characters are shining beacons of morality. Both the Marauders and Severus are at fault for their antagonizing relationship. There are arguments to be made on each side as to who should be assigned more blame, but that’s what makes this story so great.
I loved Sirius’ perspective. I loved the insight into his character, but also his family.
The only other Marauders era fiction I’ve read is All the Young Dudes. So I had to keep reminding myself that this was a different perspective of this era since Remus almost feels like a secondary character at times as he’s barely present until later chapters.
Overall, The Last Enemy: The Howling Nights is the Marauders era fiction I am living for. So far, my headcanon has the events of All the Young Dudes between Sirius and Remus happening at the same time.
April 25, 2021
I read a lot of Marauders fanfiction during years, but I must say that out of all of them, this one climbed to the top. It’s just a perfect was to transport you back to the Harry Potter world and I am more inclined to consider this fanfiction canon than the Cursed Child.
The language and style are perfect and the author is mature; you won’t find any of the high school girly nonsense here. Characterisations are perfect; I especially liked the portrayal of James and Lily. I’m eager to read the next part.
________________
Update 25/04/21: Read this for the second time. Now I don't know what to do with my life 'till the second one comes out.
The language and style are perfect and the author is mature; you won’t find any of the high school girly nonsense here. Characterisations are perfect; I especially liked the portrayal of James and Lily. I’m eager to read the next part.
________________
Update 25/04/21: Read this for the second time. Now I don't know what to do with my life 'till the second one comes out.
December 19, 2022
this is genuinely one of the best things i've ever read. the writing? superb. the characterisation? fantastic. the plot? fabulous. i could read this again and again. i loved how all the characters had believable flaws. the dialogue and banter was believable and funny. i LOVE this author's version of lily and james, they're absolutely perfect. i loved every second of reading this, and i can't wait for the author to finish the second one.
February 26, 2022
screaming, crying, throwing up because of how amazing this fanfiction was!!! the quality of the writing? the way ch_darling was able to expand upon the events alluded to in the original series & add a layer of depth to them?? the complex & spot-on characterisations??? the distinctiveness of each pov????? jkr could NEVER, i rest my case.
February 1, 2024
ily jily and ily marauders fics focusing on their years at hogwarts😭
September 23, 2021
wow o que falar sinceramente
Lara, amiga achei os personagens mais profundamente desenvolvidos do que em ATYD e isso é porque a gente tem o POV de todos eles e é tudo muito bem construído narrativamente utilizando as informações canon que a gente tem, o que eu acho muito interessante pq nos momentos em que vemos eles nas memórias eles sempre são mto babacas e a autora brinca muito mais com isso do q a MrsKingBean. Ela arrasa demais também na discussão política, impressionada com o quão realista tudo soa/acontece na história. Enfim, nova favorita mandando imprimir pra bota na parede amém.
Lara, amiga achei os personagens mais profundamente desenvolvidos do que em ATYD e isso é porque a gente tem o POV de todos eles e é tudo muito bem construído narrativamente utilizando as informações canon que a gente tem, o que eu acho muito interessante pq nos momentos em que vemos eles nas memórias eles sempre são mto babacas e a autora brinca muito mais com isso do q a MrsKingBean. Ela arrasa demais também na discussão política, impressionada com o quão realista tudo soa/acontece na história. Enfim, nova favorita mandando imprimir pra bota na parede amém.
August 23, 2024
Now entering my Marauders fic era 😭 Reading a “canon” story with Mooney, Prongs and Padfoot is just perfect perfect perfect !!
December 13, 2025
The marauders hold such a special place in my heart, I forget this wasn’t JKR’s writing !!! So so good
Read
July 25, 2024There’s something about marauders fanfic that keeps me hooked and this one is top tier 😩
July 23, 2025
Zo leuk!!
July 12, 2024
I rarely read fanfiction. I gave this a shot because it was recommended to me by someone who I'd never thought would recommend fanfic, and that someone also said that family members of varying generations loved this fic.
There is a lot to love. The book switches around multiple POVs. CH Darling gave some characters a lot of love when it came to their personalities and character arcs. Lupin's characterization is seamless in how it combines his more tempered disposition with the fact that his friends are far from rule-abiding. Lily has an amazing amount of depth.
The way politics is woven into the story is wonderful, but occasionally it misses the mark. It adds a lot of depth. But there are times when it feels like 2024 social media and not the 1970s. The most obvious example is that calling right-wing policies and views "fascist" is a pretty modern thing. Frankly, it's terminology I've only seen applied this way on Twitter and Tumblr. The politics makes the story richer, but there are times when the presence of the author definitely seeps into the page and shakes your suspension of disbelief. It's a shame because I think fiction is great way to explore prejudice & politics, in a way that's not possible otherwise without being insensitive to real people.
Speaking of which... I feel like Snape's motivation for associating with pure-blood supremacists and wanting to become a Death Eater was barely addressed given his friendship with Lily. It's not that he's generally badly written. His POV is actually written quite well. But he's barely explored. It's not clear how he reconciled his caring for Lily (whether or not that care included respect is another question, but he did care about their friendship) with the other "friendships" he developed. It's the other side of the politics that really felt like it was missing. And while I'm totally okay with Snape not being the good guy, I wish his being a victim of bullying was more fully explored too. The untapped potential with his character was one of the more frustrating things about this book.
I don't want to harp on this being fanfic, but I have to counter what others say about it feeling like a published book. If you go into it with fanfiction expectations, yes it's impressive. But if I picked this up from a shelf at the library I'd have been really disappointed. The writing style isn't bad and it has a lot of potential. But CH Darling can't write transitions, so much so that they skip them altogether. It's not a smooth read. Normally there's a short scene, asterisks, and then another short scene. You get swept up into the plot, but you don't get swept up into the writing like you do with a good book. The deep immersion isn't there.
Overall a really interesting work with a few striking flaws.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
One of my pet peeves was how Dumbledore reacted after James saved Snape in the Whomping Willow. It felt really out of character for Sirius not to get in any trouble for not being more careful, or for Lupin to not get in any trouble for telling his friends about the Willow's secret. In the original series, our MCs got in trouble all the time. It just felt like plot armor here. The teachers in the series are way too nice to the Marauders overall.
There is a lot to love. The book switches around multiple POVs. CH Darling gave some characters a lot of love when it came to their personalities and character arcs. Lupin's characterization is seamless in how it combines his more tempered disposition with the fact that his friends are far from rule-abiding. Lily has an amazing amount of depth.
The way politics is woven into the story is wonderful, but occasionally it misses the mark. It adds a lot of depth. But there are times when it feels like 2024 social media and not the 1970s. The most obvious example is that calling right-wing policies and views "fascist" is a pretty modern thing. Frankly, it's terminology I've only seen applied this way on Twitter and Tumblr. The politics makes the story richer, but there are times when the presence of the author definitely seeps into the page and shakes your suspension of disbelief. It's a shame because I think fiction is great way to explore prejudice & politics, in a way that's not possible otherwise without being insensitive to real people.
Speaking of which... I feel like Snape's motivation for associating with pure-blood supremacists and wanting to become a Death Eater was barely addressed given his friendship with Lily. It's not that he's generally badly written. His POV is actually written quite well. But he's barely explored. It's not clear how he reconciled his caring for Lily (whether or not that care included respect is another question, but he did care about their friendship) with the other "friendships" he developed. It's the other side of the politics that really felt like it was missing. And while I'm totally okay with Snape not being the good guy, I wish his being a victim of bullying was more fully explored too. The untapped potential with his character was one of the more frustrating things about this book.
I don't want to harp on this being fanfic, but I have to counter what others say about it feeling like a published book. If you go into it with fanfiction expectations, yes it's impressive. But if I picked this up from a shelf at the library I'd have been really disappointed. The writing style isn't bad and it has a lot of potential. But CH Darling can't write transitions, so much so that they skip them altogether. It's not a smooth read. Normally there's a short scene, asterisks, and then another short scene. You get swept up into the plot, but you don't get swept up into the writing like you do with a good book. The deep immersion isn't there.
Overall a really interesting work with a few striking flaws.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
One of my pet peeves was how Dumbledore reacted after James saved Snape in the Whomping Willow. It felt really out of character for Sirius not to get in any trouble for not being more careful, or for Lupin to not get in any trouble for telling his friends about the Willow's secret. In the original series, our MCs got in trouble all the time. It just felt like plot armor here. The teachers in the series are way too nice to the Marauders overall.
September 19, 2024
The best canon compliant Marauders Fic you'll probably ever read.
The characters are so well thought out and feel so realistically flawed. The story deals with so many interesting and political topics in such a meaningful way. Also translates basically 1:1 to the real world right now regarding discrimination etc. But there's also a lot of comic relief with passages that make you actually laugh out loud.
The characters are so well thought out and feel so realistically flawed. The story deals with so many interesting and political topics in such a meaningful way. Also translates basically 1:1 to the real world right now regarding discrimination etc. But there's also a lot of comic relief with passages that make you actually laugh out loud.
October 16, 2024
This is it. This is the Marauders fanfic I’ve been waiting for my whole life. This is the fanfic you can safely enjoy even after developing a prefrontal cortex. It’s the perfect mix of sentiment, happiness, and pain for the impending doom. I especially enjoyed little hints at the original books and Harry’s experiences and perception of Hogwarts that makes him THEIR son. This is now a canon prequel, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
Read
January 8, 2024Sadly did not reach my 2023 Goodreads goal so here I am, logging fanfic—2024 goal, rest assured I WILL best you. Anywho, this is good AF. Can't remember if it's this one or the unfinished sequel, but there are some really fascinating and nuanced takes on concepts like grief and forgiveness.
April 9, 2022
definitely loving the format of this fic so far, and honestly probably the most canon-ish one i’ve read. atyd raised me but the howling nights kept me well fed with content.
July 7, 2024
4.25 ⭐️
not enough jily content for my liking and i’m to blame for being so impatient knowing i purposely chose to start this book for the slowburn. i liked lily’s and sirius’ characterization the best, i feel like this fic shed a light on their characters as opposed to most fics where their complexities almost always go unnoticed. will read book 2 definitely
not enough jily content for my liking and i’m to blame for being so impatient knowing i purposely chose to start this book for the slowburn. i liked lily’s and sirius’ characterization the best, i feel like this fic shed a light on their characters as opposed to most fics where their complexities almost always go unnoticed. will read book 2 definitely
November 23, 2025
that marauders obsession is lowkey back and stronger than ever #saveme. but this was soooo good, it truly warmed my jily heart and i'm obsessed with lily's characterization!! one of the best i've ever read
February 28, 2025
Must read voor HP fans!!!! Even doorzetten in het begin, maar trust me it’s worth it ❤️✨
August 10, 2024
I LOVE THIS. AHHHHHHHHH. Guys I might like this one more than atyd 😔😔😔 ITS SO BEAUTIFUL. I LOVE THE MARAUDERS ISTFG
September 22, 2023
One of the best things I’ve read all year. Honestly the characters in this story were captured so beautifully and the world building on top of an already fleshed out world was flawless. 1000000/10 would recommend.
October 27, 2024
god, where do I even start? not a day goes by where I don't think about this series, it's like I have the characters living in my head. I read both this book and the sequel in the span of three sleep-deprived days, and I already want to start from the beginning. I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in a canon-compliant marauders fic with beautiful writing, nuanced characters, and compelling dynamics. not to mention the characterization! every single one of the characters is exactly as I imagined them, even when I first read the original hp series as a seven-year-old. this fic rekindled my love for the wizarding world. it had all the magic and charm of the original series and then some. I fell in love all over again with these characters and their relationships with each other and the world around them.
I don't often enjoy stories with this many povs, as I find it hard to keep track of, but this one is done so well. each character has their own unique voice, and for me lily's really shines through. her characterization is one of my favourite parts of this book, and has earned her a special place in my heart. I really felt her frustration at the unfairness of the world around her. actually, all of the characters achieved this - I laughed with them, cried with them, and celebrated with them throughout the entirety of this series. not once was there a dull moment, and I was constantly anticipating what would happen next.
this series has something for everyone, too. I've always had mixed feelings about wolfstar as a canon ship, but I think that ch handled their relationship perfectly, including enough moments to satisfy wolfstar fans while keeping it realistic. they truly are just two broken boys with a complex relationship, and I think their scenes were written incredibly well.
another ship I had controversial feelings from right from my first reading of order of the phoenix was jily. from what we were given in the original series, james seemed really icky and I, like harry, couldn't imagine how they ended up together. but, "spoilers" aside, this fic made me really adore james and understand him. he's so sweet and funny and awkward. the author managed to give all of the marauders realistic flaws while still maintaining their charm and appeal, which I don't consider a small feat.
I could ramble on about this series forever, but the last thing I want to talk about is the portrayal of "the prank" and snape's worst memory, both of which were done so well. I enjoyed this retelling of the prank more than any other, and at this point consider this series more canon than the cursed child. sirius's character arc is SO GOOD and they even made me sympathize with peter?!!
anyways I love this book and dark marks with all of my heart and I hope that you will too!! please consider reading, it's worth every moment. I recently coerced my younger brother into reading it, which he did with much reluctance and now he can't put it down. it's the marauders prequel I always wanted from jkr. this fic has made me cry on multiple occasions just thinking about all these characters have been through and what's to come. it has perfect jily moments, bittersweet wolfstar, the sweetest friendship between remus and lily, regulus pov!!!!, hilarious banter and character moments, and sooo much more.
please please read it and let me know what you think!! I can't wait for book 3.
I don't often enjoy stories with this many povs, as I find it hard to keep track of, but this one is done so well. each character has their own unique voice, and for me lily's really shines through. her characterization is one of my favourite parts of this book, and has earned her a special place in my heart. I really felt her frustration at the unfairness of the world around her. actually, all of the characters achieved this - I laughed with them, cried with them, and celebrated with them throughout the entirety of this series. not once was there a dull moment, and I was constantly anticipating what would happen next.
this series has something for everyone, too. I've always had mixed feelings about wolfstar as a canon ship, but I think that ch handled their relationship perfectly, including enough moments to satisfy wolfstar fans while keeping it realistic. they truly are just two broken boys with a complex relationship, and I think their scenes were written incredibly well.
another ship I had controversial feelings from right from my first reading of order of the phoenix was jily. from what we were given in the original series, james seemed really icky and I, like harry, couldn't imagine how they ended up together. but, "spoilers" aside, this fic made me really adore james and understand him. he's so sweet and funny and awkward. the author managed to give all of the marauders realistic flaws while still maintaining their charm and appeal, which I don't consider a small feat.
I could ramble on about this series forever, but the last thing I want to talk about is the portrayal of "the prank" and snape's worst memory, both of which were done so well. I enjoyed this retelling of the prank more than any other, and at this point consider this series more canon than the cursed child. sirius's character arc is SO GOOD and they even made me sympathize with peter?!!
anyways I love this book and dark marks with all of my heart and I hope that you will too!! please consider reading, it's worth every moment. I recently coerced my younger brother into reading it, which he did with much reluctance and now he can't put it down. it's the marauders prequel I always wanted from jkr. this fic has made me cry on multiple occasions just thinking about all these characters have been through and what's to come. it has perfect jily moments, bittersweet wolfstar, the sweetest friendship between remus and lily, regulus pov!!!!, hilarious banter and character moments, and sooo much more.
please please read it and let me know what you think!! I can't wait for book 3.
January 11, 2023
Fanfics aren't supposed to become a usual on my goodreads, but I've been CRAVING Marauders era stuff after ATYD, and I just couldn't help myself considering how people were talking about this one.
Now, I must agree with some of the other readers about how incredibly slow The Howling Nights start off. The first chapter is sadly quite tedious to get through, and I was afraid that the whole story would continue on like this. However, after a few chapters, it got easier to read as there was less background information being thrown at you, while the story started to pick up. I do understand the importance of establishing what's happened in the characters' lives and from which point in time the story starts with, but I do feel like it was a bit overdone. If you're searching up Marauder fanfics to read, you clearly already know enough about them going into the story.
Another thing that bugged me a bit at first, which is probably more on me than the author, is Remus first few chapters. Remus is honestly my favourite character and the one's POV that I enjoy the most, so I just really wanted to quickly get to his first chapter. But when I finally got there, I wasn't sure if I liked how he was written. The internal thoughts and insecurity talks with himself didn't feel like him at all, just because of how it was written. He didn't feel completely like Remus Lupin. But getting further into the book, I forgot about my concerns and started to enjoy it all more and more. I especially liked seeing Lily and Remus' friendship bloom over time, really sweet and intriguing.
Speaking of Lily, I must say that I'm still a bit conflicted about her chapters and the author's take on her in their fanfic. I find the constant "high school girls" drama to be quite exhausting. Of course, the whole school has to be slut shaming her, making rumours about her, having petty ass fights that takes months to resolve and what not. I understand that it's an important part of the whole "I want to run away from school Professor Dearborn" thing, but I'm honestly so fucking tired of seeing stuff like this in movies and books.
But there were, of course, some really nice chapters with her POV that I just couldn't stop reading. All the stuff where she's figuring out Remus and his secrets are always a blast, and the scene where she talks to James behind the tapestry and starts to actually see who he is was so refreshing.
I have more thoughts on other characters' POVs, but I'm not here to write a newspaper, so I'll try to conclude my thoughts.
The story starts off a bit wonky but manages to land pretty solidly. It had me hooked quite a bit around the middle, and I'm certainly ready to continue on to the sequel. It's clear that the author has put a lot of work into this, and I highly respect that.
Now, I must agree with some of the other readers about how incredibly slow The Howling Nights start off. The first chapter is sadly quite tedious to get through, and I was afraid that the whole story would continue on like this. However, after a few chapters, it got easier to read as there was less background information being thrown at you, while the story started to pick up. I do understand the importance of establishing what's happened in the characters' lives and from which point in time the story starts with, but I do feel like it was a bit overdone. If you're searching up Marauder fanfics to read, you clearly already know enough about them going into the story.
Another thing that bugged me a bit at first, which is probably more on me than the author, is Remus first few chapters. Remus is honestly my favourite character and the one's POV that I enjoy the most, so I just really wanted to quickly get to his first chapter. But when I finally got there, I wasn't sure if I liked how he was written. The internal thoughts and insecurity talks with himself didn't feel like him at all, just because of how it was written. He didn't feel completely like Remus Lupin. But getting further into the book, I forgot about my concerns and started to enjoy it all more and more. I especially liked seeing Lily and Remus' friendship bloom over time, really sweet and intriguing.
Speaking of Lily, I must say that I'm still a bit conflicted about her chapters and the author's take on her in their fanfic. I find the constant "high school girls" drama to be quite exhausting. Of course, the whole school has to be slut shaming her, making rumours about her, having petty ass fights that takes months to resolve and what not. I understand that it's an important part of the whole "I want to run away from school Professor Dearborn" thing, but I'm honestly so fucking tired of seeing stuff like this in movies and books.
But there were, of course, some really nice chapters with her POV that I just couldn't stop reading. All the stuff where she's figuring out Remus and his secrets are always a blast, and the scene where she talks to James behind the tapestry and starts to actually see who he is was so refreshing.
I have more thoughts on other characters' POVs, but I'm not here to write a newspaper, so I'll try to conclude my thoughts.
The story starts off a bit wonky but manages to land pretty solidly. It had me hooked quite a bit around the middle, and I'm certainly ready to continue on to the sequel. It's clear that the author has put a lot of work into this, and I highly respect that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2025
Llevo tanto tiempo buscando un fanfiction centrado y protagonizado por Lily Evans que casi me desmayé al encontrar esta historia. ¿Cómo puede ser que Lily en esta fandom sea un personaje con tan poco protagonismo en su propia historia? Todo es gracias principalmente al personaje de Lily y su sacrificio. Literalmente que ella es la Lucy Gray de Harry Potter, persiguiendo toda la historia y sus personajes incluso cuando ella no está.
Pues a pesar de todo eso, encontrar una buena historia protagonizada por ella es muy difícil. ¡Y especialmente donde Jily sea la pareja principal! Y que no se me malentienda, normalmente prefiero que Wolfstar sea el romance principal y Jily algo más secundario, pero últimamente solo se puede encontrar increíbles historias de Jegulus. ¡Y amo Jegulus! Peeeeroo, creo que la gente debe recordar que el romance de James Potter y Lily Evans es lo que mueve toda la historia. ¡Su amor y sacrificio es lo que da la vida al mismísimo a Harry Potter!
Lo peor es que las historias en la que están protagonizadas por Lily ella suele ser una doña perfecta, una pick me...No me suele gustar mucho como la representan, y creo que esto se debe a que este tipo de personaje se veía más en los principios del 2010 al 2015 que es donde hay más cantidad de fanfics protagonizados por Lily. ¡Pero esta historia, del 2020, crea una Lily Evans muy humana! Y menos mal, porque tenía ganas de encontrar una buena historia centrada en ella, pero los fanfics antiguos no me gustan como la representan y en los nuevos es prácticamente imposible encontrarla como protagonista.
¡Gracias a la autora por crear esta historia! Será una saga de cuatro libros, desde 1975 al 1981, y en este primer tomo nos cuenta la historia de los Merodeadores y su generación en su quinto año. Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, e incluso Severus tienen puntos de vista. La escritura de la autora me recuerda a la obra original y la caracterización de los personajes es bastante buena, especialmente la de Lily. Mediante ella podemos ver lo que supone ser una nacida de muggles en una época en la que el odio y la discriminación aumenta considerablemente.
¡Y el potencial de Jily! Estoy genuinamente emocionada por ellos.
Creo que lo único que no me ha gustado es el hecho de que Lily no tenía amigas. Vemos una buena relación con Mary, pero no con Marlene Mckinnon, quien sí aparece pero no se lleva especialmente bien con Lily. Esto me ha entristecido un poco ya que estoy acostumbrada a que Lily, Mar y Marlene sean muy unidas, pero al mismo tiempo ha sido una perspectiva nueva. También me esperaba más de la relación de amistad de Lily y Remus, pero eso es porque estoy acostumbrada a otras historias y a desarrollos diferentes.
Después del final de este libro, debo leer su segunda parte y espero más de Lily y James quienes han sido los que me han conquistado en esta historia.
Pues a pesar de todo eso, encontrar una buena historia protagonizada por ella es muy difícil. ¡Y especialmente donde Jily sea la pareja principal! Y que no se me malentienda, normalmente prefiero que Wolfstar sea el romance principal y Jily algo más secundario, pero últimamente solo se puede encontrar increíbles historias de Jegulus. ¡Y amo Jegulus! Peeeeroo, creo que la gente debe recordar que el romance de James Potter y Lily Evans es lo que mueve toda la historia. ¡Su amor y sacrificio es lo que da la vida al mismísimo a Harry Potter!
Lo peor es que las historias en la que están protagonizadas por Lily ella suele ser una doña perfecta, una pick me...No me suele gustar mucho como la representan, y creo que esto se debe a que este tipo de personaje se veía más en los principios del 2010 al 2015 que es donde hay más cantidad de fanfics protagonizados por Lily. ¡Pero esta historia, del 2020, crea una Lily Evans muy humana! Y menos mal, porque tenía ganas de encontrar una buena historia centrada en ella, pero los fanfics antiguos no me gustan como la representan y en los nuevos es prácticamente imposible encontrarla como protagonista.
¡Gracias a la autora por crear esta historia! Será una saga de cuatro libros, desde 1975 al 1981, y en este primer tomo nos cuenta la historia de los Merodeadores y su generación en su quinto año. Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, e incluso Severus tienen puntos de vista. La escritura de la autora me recuerda a la obra original y la caracterización de los personajes es bastante buena, especialmente la de Lily. Mediante ella podemos ver lo que supone ser una nacida de muggles en una época en la que el odio y la discriminación aumenta considerablemente.
¡Y el potencial de Jily! Estoy genuinamente emocionada por ellos.
Creo que lo único que no me ha gustado es el hecho de que Lily no tenía amigas. Vemos una buena relación con Mary, pero no con Marlene Mckinnon, quien sí aparece pero no se lleva especialmente bien con Lily. Esto me ha entristecido un poco ya que estoy acostumbrada a que Lily, Mar y Marlene sean muy unidas, pero al mismo tiempo ha sido una perspectiva nueva. También me esperaba más de la relación de amistad de Lily y Remus, pero eso es porque estoy acostumbrada a otras historias y a desarrollos diferentes.
Después del final de este libro, debo leer su segunda parte y espero más de Lily y James quienes han sido los que me han conquistado en esta historia.
October 31, 2024
“Give my love to the other lost boys” - Lily Evans
Perhaps unfairly, I’m going to review this book to the same standard as the other books I’ve read - even the Harry Potter books, although this is fanfiction.
I do think the author has done well here. If we take this book as a continuation of the Harry Potter novels, it continues the trend of getting darker in tone, and dealing with more political themes - in this case, an amalgamation of the Nazi’s growing mistreatment of Jewish people, and the anti-immigrant rhetoric of Donald Trump and Nigel Farage. The author uses multiple POVs of characters affected by bigotry,
: Lily Evans, a muggle-born girl grown hard by the prejudice around her; Sirius Black, a character who challenges his racist family; and Severus Snape, a disenfranchised character who is being radicalised throughout the story. This is done very well and each character has an interesting viewpoint.
I chose this fanfiction over others because it doesn’t glorify James Potter’s bullying behaviour, nor does it demonise Snape, and this is done very well. The author remains canon compliant throughout and I appreciate how dark she allows the characters to be. She doesn’t shy away from the bad things the characters have done - instead, she makes that a significant part of the novel near the end. I’m hoping the second book continues this trend.
Finally, like the Harry Potter novels themselves, she makes the characters cosy and their interactions plain fun sometimes. She does capture the “sitting by the fire” slice-of-life normality of the books brilliantly, particularly when the characters are just chatting with others. Although, I do feel the books could do with an editor! The first third is a little slow, but when the story gets going it gets going well!
A well-earned four stars, after being three and a half for about 60% of the story.
Perhaps unfairly, I’m going to review this book to the same standard as the other books I’ve read - even the Harry Potter books, although this is fanfiction.
I do think the author has done well here. If we take this book as a continuation of the Harry Potter novels, it continues the trend of getting darker in tone, and dealing with more political themes - in this case, an amalgamation of the Nazi’s growing mistreatment of Jewish people, and the anti-immigrant rhetoric of Donald Trump and Nigel Farage. The author uses multiple POVs of characters affected by bigotry,
: Lily Evans, a muggle-born girl grown hard by the prejudice around her; Sirius Black, a character who challenges his racist family; and Severus Snape, a disenfranchised character who is being radicalised throughout the story. This is done very well and each character has an interesting viewpoint.
I chose this fanfiction over others because it doesn’t glorify James Potter’s bullying behaviour, nor does it demonise Snape, and this is done very well. The author remains canon compliant throughout and I appreciate how dark she allows the characters to be. She doesn’t shy away from the bad things the characters have done - instead, she makes that a significant part of the novel near the end. I’m hoping the second book continues this trend.
Finally, like the Harry Potter novels themselves, she makes the characters cosy and their interactions plain fun sometimes. She does capture the “sitting by the fire” slice-of-life normality of the books brilliantly, particularly when the characters are just chatting with others. Although, I do feel the books could do with an editor! The first third is a little slow, but when the story gets going it gets going well!
A well-earned four stars, after being three and a half for about 60% of the story.
November 5, 2024
5 stars 🌺🧹
The characterization in this is just chiefs kiss and actually canon so if you have any doubts about reading this fanfic, well don’t lol.
I was pretty bored in the beginning which is normal you know, it’s not really because of the world building… because.. well… you already know the lore (you’re not like “OMG they fly on brooms?) but it’s more because you’ve got to get used to the characters (depending on the fanfics you read obviously, this feeling is entirely subjective) But once you get past that 25-30% mark, it just feels like it was meant to be.
You just fall in love with the writing and the characters. Yes, my James Potter was a bully. But for the good cause so respect my man. Sometimes it’s hard to agree with his actions but then you remember they’re like —what — 15? If I were a witch, I would HEX anyone lol just for fun and because I can. #victimturnintobully
Jily…. I could write a whole ass 100 pages long essay about them and how they’re the most logical couple in the whole series (marauders and HP) A muggleborn and a pureblood??? WELCOME BACK ROMIONE! James and Lily just make sense you know. And I can’t wait to see them as a couple, in love and clingy.
Anyway, here’s to me being obsessed with the mauraders and failing my exams! (kidding so far I passed everything)
🦌💐
The characterization in this is just chiefs kiss and actually canon so if you have any doubts about reading this fanfic, well don’t lol.
I was pretty bored in the beginning which is normal you know, it’s not really because of the world building… because.. well… you already know the lore (you’re not like “OMG they fly on brooms?) but it’s more because you’ve got to get used to the characters (depending on the fanfics you read obviously, this feeling is entirely subjective) But once you get past that 25-30% mark, it just feels like it was meant to be.
You just fall in love with the writing and the characters. Yes, my James Potter was a bully. But for the good cause so respect my man. Sometimes it’s hard to agree with his actions but then you remember they’re like —what — 15? If I were a witch, I would HEX anyone lol just for fun and because I can. #victimturnintobully
Jily…. I could write a whole ass 100 pages long essay about them and how they’re the most logical couple in the whole series (marauders and HP) A muggleborn and a pureblood??? WELCOME BACK ROMIONE! James and Lily just make sense you know. And I can’t wait to see them as a couple, in love and clingy.
Anyway, here’s to me being obsessed with the mauraders and failing my exams! (kidding so far I passed everything)
🦌💐
October 25, 2024
this. is. EVERYTHING
the best characterisation of james and lilly i’ve seen so far.
(this and the second book “dark marks”) they both are such complex, marvellous characters here. it baffles me how anything less could be enough for me. from now on, the last enemy’s james and lilly are their only versions that i can ever imagine
speaking of the other characters, sirius here is OUTSTANDING. his portrait here has also become my favourite portrait of his. remus, on the other side, feels weaker as a character but that problem has something to do with atyd version of him that i hold very closely to my heart. nothing can top him there for me!
i also appreciate the range of povs we get here. severus’s and peter’s chapters might not be my favourites but thanks to them we get to see the story from all sides.
couple of regulus’s chapters came as a surprise but what a pleasant surprise it was! i once again appreciate the commitment that the author has to telling us a full story.
so what is left? the writing is great, the character developments are great
the drama of it all? jilly? perfect
i’m looking forward to the final parts of this story!!
sending all my love and support to the author💋
the best characterisation of james and lilly i’ve seen so far.
(this and the second book “dark marks”) they both are such complex, marvellous characters here. it baffles me how anything less could be enough for me. from now on, the last enemy’s james and lilly are their only versions that i can ever imagine
speaking of the other characters, sirius here is OUTSTANDING. his portrait here has also become my favourite portrait of his. remus, on the other side, feels weaker as a character but that problem has something to do with atyd version of him that i hold very closely to my heart. nothing can top him there for me!
i also appreciate the range of povs we get here. severus’s and peter’s chapters might not be my favourites but thanks to them we get to see the story from all sides.
couple of regulus’s chapters came as a surprise but what a pleasant surprise it was! i once again appreciate the commitment that the author has to telling us a full story.
so what is left? the writing is great, the character developments are great
the drama of it all? jilly? perfect
i’m looking forward to the final parts of this story!!
sending all my love and support to the author💋
April 11, 2024
I would never compare two splendidly amazing marauders works but while ATYD is like the Bible, this is like a...cookbook? The kind you see on a stand years after you leave your hometown and you reminisce about your disastrous versions of the recipes when you were 15?? ATYD is to be WORSHIPPED on, while this is more cozy and familiar. It's like you know these characters by the back of your hand and this book just makes you go, "haha, that's exactly what James would do," etc. These are characters you already *adore*.
I love love love this whole thing. Mwah. Best read this month.
I love love love this whole thing. Mwah. Best read this month.
July 26, 2024
I don't usually log fanfiction on goodreads, but C.H. Darling might just be redefining my marauder-era headcanons. This book, set in the marauders' sixth year really does them justice as complex, flawed, and utterly human characters, and I love me some complex character work. It made me feel. Can't wait for the rest of the books. Even if you're not usually into fanfic, easy entry recommendation, this one. It's been ages since I binged a book in a day, and I've missed it. It's back baby. Let's goooo!
July 5, 2025
THIS is what a mean by a good fanfiction. This is the Marauders book I have been searching for. The characterizations, the dialogues, the writing? Chef's kiss.
See, the thing about reading a canon compliant fanfic is that you already know everything that is going to happen. So you are not there for the plot, you are there to read other people's takes on the plot. And C.H. has a marvelous take on the plot. Honestly, this is the GOAT of all Marauders fanfics. I aspire to write like this.
See, the thing about reading a canon compliant fanfic is that you already know everything that is going to happen. So you are not there for the plot, you are there to read other people's takes on the plot. And C.H. has a marvelous take on the plot. Honestly, this is the GOAT of all Marauders fanfics. I aspire to write like this.
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