Cauterize

Fanfiction
Title:	Cauterize
Author(s):	Lady Altair
Date(s):	March 24, 2008
Length:	1,648 words
Genre:	Angst, Gen, One-Shot, Post-Canon, Tragedy
Fandom:	Harry Potter
External Links:	on fanfiction.net
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You may be looking for Cauterized, the X-Files story.

Cauterize is a short-but-popular Harry Potter fic focused on Dennis Creevey. The story has over 1,700 reviews and roughly 8000 faves on fanfiction.net. It has a very simple, but stark, summary: "Of course it's missing something vital. That's the point." Dennis Creevey takes up his brother's camera after the war.

An Excerpt

"Days after the battle, Dennis Creevey finds Colin's camera exactly where it was left, in perfect condition in his brother's room. And he leaves it again, because he is young and it is nothing but salt and lemon in a fresh and painful wound."

Reactions & Recs

Spoiler Warning: This article or section contains spoilers about the conclusion and themes of this story. If this bothers you, proceed with caution.

"An amazing, emotional oneshot, which will bring tears to your eyes. It covers just what the cost of war is, and how much it takes away from those who are left behind. It is truly one of the best oneshots on fanfiction.net. That's an objective 'best' too - It's just over 1600 words, long, but has over 1300 reviews, and over FIVE THOUSAND favourites. For reference; most good stories have a words:favourites ratio of 10:1."

Rec by fireball900

"Photos as a method of catharsis. A Haunting one-shot that will make you re-evaluate all Harry Potter fanfiction, if not fanfiction as a whole. It make the most of what is not a happy ending (for those in-universe), and converts the pain into something tangible. Lines like "Of course it's missing something vital. That's the point." really drive the message home. It feels like a short story and is a wonderful way to cut through saccharine glurge and sugar overdose. Yet, at the same time, reading it while depressed (which is how I first read the fic) still allows for the work to protrude an almost triumphant feel by the end."

"I'm really struggling to choose a favourite scene, so I'm going to say the last one. The idea that Dennis would complete Colin's work and leave it at that, without taking over is poignant, and works really well.

I also really appreciate your view of the wizarding world post DH. The idea that people can be injured and yet, still be happy is something that wasn't touched on after the battle scenes, and yet survival and moving on are such integral parts of human nature.

Definitely a favourite."

An early ff.net review

"but yeah, this was an awesome idea. gave me chills at certain parts- you really confront the idea that j.k. sort of skimmed over and that i think a lot of us would rather comfortable ignore, very artfully dealing w/ scars here... george's was just brilliantly conceived and written- deserves to be the cover. draco's was also great- loved 'firm' astoria here and draco toting the diaper bag- ha- and the image of white/black in there. hannah's was really original (she's overlooked a lot; and the her/neville idea j.k.'s presented intrigued me). molly's and arthur's... so sad. lavender, here, again, is brilliant, as in your lav/remus au, but here charlie (not single!) and her pair off wonderfully- it's sweet, and very brazen and believable charlie and just- so good. the idea of lavender's tattoo was also really cool, and wonderfully described- 'the tiny, elegant chains of precious metal' of names- almost arrogant and so perfect.

i'll admit, katie's freaked me out- which i think you were going for, picking such a liked character and keeping her convincingly 'sweet and friendly'... and describing her injuries so vividly- definitely jars the conception of the 'happy ending'.

it isn't neccessarily easy- your conception of the wizarding world post-voldemort is messy, but i will say more 'real' feeling than i felt in the dh epilogue- all's well... but not *quite*."

lyin, March 2008