A Surfeit of Curses

Fanfiction
Title:	A Surfeit of Curses
Author(s):	Heidi8
Date(s):	November 2000 and on wards, archived at FictionAlley between July 16, 2001-August 25-2001
Length:	ten chapters, incomplete
Genre:	het
Fandom:	Harry Potter
External Links:	at FictionAlley, it was also Diagon.org
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

A Surfeit of Curses is a Harry Potter PG-13 Hermione/Draco story by Heidi8.

The first chapter was posted in November 2000 at HP_Paradise.

It was the first story uploaded to FictionAlley, and was used as a "test" case.

The fic's beta readers were Ebony, Cassie & Gwendolyn Grace.

The story at FictionAlley ends at chapter ten, and appears to be incomplete.

Summary

"In SoC, what begins with Draco coming back to Malfoy Manor after the end of 4th year swirls into a series of flashbacks, a visit with Hermione Granger in search of Rita Skeeter, and a surprise discovery in Diagon Alley."

"A series of discoveries and events turns Draco Malfoy's world inside out in the weeks after the end of the Triwizard Tournament."

Chapters

Chapter One: "A series of discoveries turns Draco Malfoy's world inside out in the weeks after the end of the Triwizard Tournament."

Chapter Two-Ten (these chapters have the same summary at FictionAlley): "Travails, travels, traumas and teachers with vendettas, focusing on Draco Malfoy during 3rd and 4th years, and beyond - featuring Snape, Hermione, a cub reporter named Cassandra and a few kneazles named Figg."

Chapter Seven: "In which Hogwarts goes to the Yule Ball, we learn what the spectators saw at the second and third tasks, how You Know Who explained the Priori effect to the Death Eaters and exactly what Draco's final exam in Dark Arts was like. Plus, Simon's in this part. Note: I've been inspired by Al (and his review promise for Snitch!) to pledge that for every ten reviews I get on Fanfiction.net between now and April Fool's Day, I will buy one set of the Schoolbooks and donate the books themselves to a local children's literature charity - a double donation! So even if you're reading this elsewhere, go review it over there. Thanks!

Chapter Nine: "In this chapter, Draco spends time playing Quidditch, meeting Hermione at the library, visiting Surrey and traveling to France in an eggplant."

Chapter Ten: "You can find Chapter 10 of Surfeit of Curses, in which Draco visits the South of France and Hermione does a spot of traveling - and does anyone learn anything more about Alexander? - it's at http://www.schnoogle.com/authors/heidi/SOC10.html (you can review on the FictionAlley Ezboards (if you have questions about the EZboards, just email me!)"

Disclaimers

At HP_Paradise

The chapters have different disclaimers at HP_Paradise.

Many of the chapters have this disclaimer: "Disclaimer: The characters in this section all belong to JK Rowling, but if her people want to come after me, I can defend myself under both New York and Florida law."

Some chapters have this disclaimer: "Disclaimer: The characters in this section all belong to JK Rowling, but if her people want to come after me, I can defend myself under both New York and Florida law. Almost the entirety of this work is from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, but the copyright's expired on her work, so there is no copyright infringement. Consider it an homage, not plagiarism!"

At FictionAlley

The disclaimers are all the same at the story's posting at FictionAlley.

"Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. It also contains characters, places and things from other works - each chapter contains a note listing them at the end."

Some Tuckerization

At this time, giving friends cameo roles in fics, tuckerization, was a normal part of the Harry Potter fandom. FanFiction.net at that time even had a category for Harry Potter authorfic. This genre was later banned by FanFiction.net.

Several BNF Harry Potter fans were given cameos in this story. One was Cassandra Claire:

A red-haired witch waved at him from one floor down. He waved back, not really recognizing her, and for some reason, she yelled up at him, "You're Draco Malfoy, aren't you?"

He yelled back, "Of course, why do you want to know?" She gestured to him that he should wait a moment, popped into an office, and back out again, her arms full of papers, then bounced up the slope to him. "Hi. My name's Cassandra," she said in an American accent. "I'm here on a journalism internship for the summer, and my editor thinks you might be the right person to help me out with a story."

Draco bit his lip and wondered at her question. Usually, Lucius liked him to stay out of the papers, and had only allowed him to talk with Rita that past year on background, and only approved of the quotations regarding the Hippogryff incident because he had been directly involved, and a lot of people already knew it. "Was it cleared with the publisher first?"

"Huh? Oh, you mean with your father. Um, no, it's a pretty new assignment, about the next generation in various prominent wizarding families, and I'm not supposed to even start on it until I finish my story on the new leather robes that Cuoio del Wizard is selling for the Fall season, so, what do you think?" Now it was his turn to say, "Um." Should I let this girl put me into an article? Can I trust her not to misquote me, like Rita did? "If you get my father's assent, I can't really say no, can I?" And if you don't get his say-so, I'll be dead in a moat if I even talk to you without making it off the record, so... "But until you do, I can't say anything to you that might end up on the record."

Cassandra gave him a big smile and thanked him before turning around to head back down the ramp. But before she left, she spun back around and said, "Something about you makes me think you need a very good schnoogle. Maybe next time we meet!"

Some Accusations of Plagiarism

"A Surfeit of Curses" was alleged to have plagiarized from published novels, that text from published novels is alleged to have been incorporated directly either with no citation, or with a disclaimer at the end of chapter noting the novel was used for "inspiration."

One example from Chapter Six, other examples are here: Heidi's Homages or, "I Can't Believe It's Not Plagiarism!", August 9, 2006.

"Never did Draco find anything so difficult as to keeping himself from losing his temper when he was suddenly disturbed while absorbed in a book. People who are fond of books know the feeling of irritation which sweeps over them at such a moment. "It makes me feel as if someone had hit me," he had said once. "And as if I want to hit back. I have to remember things quickly to keep from saying something ill-tempered." The temptation to be unreasonable and snappish is one not easy to manage, but around Lucius, it had to be done." -- A Surfeit of Curses, Heidi, Chapter 6, as it was posted at HP_Paradise.

"Never did she find anything so difficult as to keep herself from losing her temper when she was suddenly disturbed while absorbed in a book. People who are fond of books know the feeling of irritation which sweeps over them at such a moment. The temptation to be unreasonable and snappish is one not easy to manage."—The Little Princess, Francis Hodgson Burnett, Chapter 6

Fan Comments on the Story

Well, like I said, I'm just gonna kinda review my whole impression of it all together, since I just read it all. First of all, this is the only fic I've read that actually made me believe that Draco and Hermione could actually be friends in the time period that's already been written out. I loved how you use parts actually from GoF and make them fit with the plot, and make it seem that Draco actually cares for Hermione. I notice he's doing a lot more of that lately. Heh. And that threat in...um...I think chapter 7, where she says she'll kiss him right there, I wanted him to refuse to tell her, just to see if she'd actually have done it? Would she? Hmm...something for me to think about.

Alexander. Ah, Alexander. What to say. He is so confusing. We will find out more about what he's talking about on the tapes, n'est-ce pas? Hmm...not sure if that was used right. I seriously don't know what to think about all that. And what about Karkaroff? He obviously knew him. But what happened with Charles? Too many questions, not enough answers. I won't waste too much space here just making myself more confused and curious.

And is something gonna happen with the Marauder's Map? Oh...wait...if Harry's really dead, and Hermione's sending him the map...then somehow, Voldie's gonna get it, and, at the least, Wormtail'll know how to operate it, and that'll just make it so much easier for him to take over Hogwarts...and it'll all be Hermione's fault!! And then Draco'll save the day, and everything will be good, except that Ron will be dead, because...because...I need to make realistic predictions and something bad has to happen, but I refuse to think that Hermione or, even worse, Draco will die. *scratches head* I think it's too late for me to have a keyboard and a very rantable topic.

All in all, very good, very confusing, and makes me way too curious. Hmph. Now I have to go and figure out what's gonna happen until I know what happens.

Why do I like this story? The storyline is intriguing, and the writing style is excellent. So many twists and turns occur that you're not sure who to believe after a while, or who to side with. Unexpected friendships, and unexpected loves come about in this amazing tale that, unfortunately, is still in the process of being written! I hope you all enjoy this wonderful tale which was really the first fanfic I ever really enjoyed.

I totally agree with Beanie! "Surfeit of Curses" is one of my favourite stories in the world. Unfortunately, it hasn't been bloody updated in almost two years and I really should poke Heidi (who is one of the co-owners of TLC and FictionAlley) about it. It's one of the most intricate fanfictions I've ever read and made me want to cry when I read it. It's unbelievably real in descriptions - especially in Draco's relationship with his father, which is terrible - and . . . yeah, go read it. Now.