Veela Magic
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Veela Magic |
| Author(s): | Lasair |
| Date(s): | 30 May 2002 – Last updated 29 July 2003 |
| Length: | Abandoned WIP at 11 Chapters / 56,576 words |
| Genre: | Drama, Slash |
| Fandom: | Harry Potter |
| External Links: | Veela Magic at FictionAlley Archive |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Veela Magic is a Harry Potter fanfic by Lasair. Started before the release of Order of the Phoenix, it is set in Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts and features eventual Harry/Draco and side Fleur/Cho.
The story is an abandoned work-in-progress, remaining incomplete at 11 chapters. The latest chapters was published shortly after Order of the Phoenix was released, making the story AU.
It was beta read by Maya. Veela Magic was posted at FictionAlley and at Lasair's website, Lasair and Maya's Fanfiction and Ramblings.
Author's summary:
In Harry's fifth year, Voldemort's devious new plan to take power is set to take the wizarding world completely by surprise. But has Voldemort's spy in Hogwarts made a mistake by trying to recruit Draco Malfoy? Has Voldemort double-crossed his minions, and are they as committed to the Dark Side as he thinks? Angst, guilt and mysterious plots abound. Warning: SLASH. (Eventually Harry/Draco, some Fleur/Cho.)
Author's Comments
My readers hate Cho with the passion of a thousand fiery suns, think Harry was dropped repeatedly on the head as a baby, like Draco, like Hermione, and veer between admiration and hatred of Fleur.Interestingly enough, Cho seems to be the most-fancied as well as the most-hated.
My readers are either femslashers who just give the H/D a cursory glance, or H/Ders who are disappointed by the complete lack of H/D so far but have been drawn in against their will by the femslash.
After nine chapters, I have many readers saying "I have no idea how H/D is possibly going to happen. Are you sure this is a H/D fic?"
verdant05 has a theory that the theme of women using their sexuality for evil purposes makes readers deeply uncomfortable, some to the point where they can't enjoy reading it. This makes me feel seriously avant-garde. Time to move to Paris and become a cynical Irish expatriate writer.[1]
Fanart Based on Veela Magic
- lasair's fleur by reenka
- lasair's harry & cho by reenka
Recs and Reviews
Lasair is probably the only other person who seems to see Harry/Draco in the context that Draco is quite clearly in love with Harry, rather than just liking the thought of Harry and Draco together, although she claims she likes Harry/Draco because she thinks a relationship between them would really work. So far, Veela Magic is seven short, readable, funny, concise chapters that nevertheless convey a complicated plot and lots of wonderful angst. Fleur Delacour is in Hogwarts, rooming with Cho Chang, who is sad for Cedric Diggory, while Harry just wants to apologize to Cho (and maybe more?) and Draco can't keep his eyes off Harry. Another definitive story, though not quite as much as the others, and also promising to be a definitive Fleur/Cho piece.
Personally, I see VM as primarily (at least so far) a Dark Arts-ish sort of fic so far. There is a dynamic of something between Harry and Draco, but it's hardly as much THERE as the Cho/Fleur is. *grins* I think I like Veela Magic mostly for the femmeslash and the fantastic character development of Cho--she's far from the studious and slutty girl fanfiction sometimes has her to be--Fleur is perfect as well, being every bit the manipulative veela-blood. One shivers over how she almost effortlessly charms Cho, and also marvels over how circumstance played its part to convert Fleur and Cho to the Voldemort's side. Two very similar girls brought together by some stroke of fate. That is what I feel VM's mostly about, (at least so far), and I enjoy reading about it too. When the Harry-Draco theme/elements are brought into the story, it'll only make things more complicated and lovely to read about. ;->
I read all ten chapters (so far) of VM last night. I put dinner off for four hours so I would get as much done before I started going incoherent from hunger. I didn't even go to sleep when I began to get tired because I still had more to read (and then dinner after that, and then more to read.)What can I say about this fic that will in some way make real the sheer sense of amazement I felt for it? I like a lot of fics, but I rarely love them.
I love Veela Magic. It joins about two other fics I do love, and in some ways I find it more enjoyable to read. Lasair's prose is clear and precise without swamping the reader in emotionality or clunky exposition, her characterisation sparkles - her Ron, her Hermione and her Harry I do all like, even if I want to slap Harry upside across the head for being such a boy at times. Also brilliant is her trio dynamic, because it's one thing to write three characters well; it's an entirely different thing to write them interacting well.
Fleur and Cho are three dimensional - we can understand their ideologies, their beginnings, even if their actions don't always play sympathetically with the readers. Even her Dumbledore is great, and by golly, if I started writing about the Eighth Wonder of the World that is her Draco, I would never stop. Suffice to say, I have a great and t00by love for canon!Draco, the insufferable, self-centred petty little brat that he is, and Las wonderfully extends canon!Draco into a well thought out fifth year, with all the consequences of GoF in mind for him. If JKR doesn't do her fifth year like this, I will cry.
Veela Magic is near perfect, and even the few issues I have with it aren't really worth mentioning. It has some brilliant characterisation, some beautiful prose, snappy dialogue, a meaningful plot which combines said characterisation, story evolution and the considerations of canon into one uniformly engrossing epic whole. It is quite possibly the fic I wanted to write, but far, far better.
It is the fic I am currently most anxious for, and the one I cannot rec enough, and it goes straight to the top of my "If You Have Not Read These Fics, You Are A Damn Foo'" list.
[Note: lasultrix is indeed one of my friends, but really. That has absolutely no bearing on me liking her fic.]
-- nothingbutfic, 17 June 2003 [5]
Ooh, it's got Fleur and Cho and tons of yummy UST. And there's also this really intricate plot with Harry and Draco and the wizarding world coming to an end and a bunch of Veelas locked in a basement under the rule of Peter Pettigrew, but ooh, look at the pretty Fleur/Cho!-- Anna Maria, 2003 or before [6]
Captivating work, with a truly suspenseful and brilliantly orchestrated plot. I don't want to spoil it for you, but let's just say that Voldemort gains a new supporter in Cho Chang, who begins to pursue the hapless Harry to fulfill a well-hidden desire for revenge... Leaving Draco Malfoy, the proverbial snarky bastard, jealous and aching and not really understanding what he feels--and trying to foil Chang's advances. (There's a lot more here--incredibly strong, well-written female characters--with both Fleur and Cho absolutely drool-worthy. I was unfortunate enough not to have a small bucket under my desk, so... yes. Let's just say I won't read the next chapter without one--you'll need one too, for all that drool! Damn these Veelas!)-- switchknife, 2004 or before [7]
References
- ^ Lasair (lasultrix) at LiveJournal. Considering VM feedback..., posted 26 May 2003.
- ^ anna_maria quoting Lasair (lasultrix). In which Lasair and Anna Maria debate Extremely Important Things, posted 13 March 2004.
- ^ mark356 at LiveJournal. Harry/Draco recs for nunki!!, posted 27 February 2003.
- ^ deerlike at LiveJournal. Comment on "Hm?", 03 March 2003.
- ^ nothingbutfic at LiveJournal. Fic rec: Veela Magic., posted 17 June 2003.
- ^ Anna Maria. Anna Maria's Fic Recs: Harry Potter Femslash at Fainting In Coils, archived 03 July 2003 by the Wayback Machine.
- ^ switchknife. recommendations :: other femslash at Switchknife's Slash Recommendations (accessed 21 August 2022). Archived 12 April 2004 by the Wayback Machine.