Weakness and Power

Fanfiction
Title:	Weakness and Power
Author(s):	ThreeOranges
Date(s):	08 December 2001 – 06 June 2002
Length:	18 chapters; 45,858 words (Abandoned WIP)
Genre(s):	drama, slash
Fandom(s):	Harry Potter
Relationship(s):
External Links:	offline; previously at FanFiction.Net
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Weakness and Power is a Harry Potter fanfic by ThreeOranges. It is an extremely rare—possibly unique—example of a Snape/Quirrell novel.

The story was posted as a serial WIP on FanFiction.Net beginning in December 2001. At the time of what was probably its final update in June 2002, it was 18 chapters and over 45,000 words in length. It remained online but not updated through at least March 2005, and was later deleted from FanFiction.Net.

The title is a reference to a line spoken by Quirrell in Philosopher's Stone: "There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it..."

Author's summary: "After the events of PS/SS Snape reflects on Professor Quirrell. Some mild S/Q slash, Snape POV."

Story

The story is told from Snape's first-person point of view. It begins after Quirrell's death in the climax of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, but focuses on Snape's reflections on his past with Quirrell and what led them to this point. It goes back to when Quirrell was a student at Hogwarts and Snape his teacher, and explores the pair's changing relationship through Quirrell's decision to become a teacher as well, to the events that led him to Lord Voldemort.

There are minor deviations from later canon, making the story a slight AU. Quirrell's first name is "Septimus" in the fic. (His canonical first name "Quirinus" was not announced until March 2002 via the Trading Card Game.) Additionally, Snape is depicted as five years older than in canon, starting as a Hogwarts teacher at 26 instead of the canonical 21 (which was not firmly established canon at the time the story was written).

Quirrell, whose precise canonical age is still unknown, is written as being 19 to 20 years old during the events of Philosopher's Stone. ThreeOranges writes in the story's author's note: "Rowling stresses that Quirrell is "young": I think that he'd probably have no real experience of Voldemort's reign of terror, which is why I made him such a prodigy here."

Reception

Recs & Reviews

It starts when Quirrell first comes to Hogwarts, and it chronicles his school days, how he becomes a teacher, and how his relationship with Snape evolves. It's amazing in the characterizations and depth of emotion, especially since the author makes both Quirrell and Snape flawed, but easy to sympathize with. Wonderful work.

-- Kay, c. 2002

[...] an example of first-person POV at its best, IMO-- I love the way ThreeOranges layers Snape's thoughts at the time of the action with Snape's hindsight 'now.' Neither viewpoint is completely reliable, but between them they put the reader so solidly inside Snape's head that we understand the horrible decisions he makes, and why he makes them. I want to throttle Snape for being such a short-sighted, foolish, utter bastard in this this story, but at the same time I want things to turn out well for him (despite knowing they can't.)

-- ellen_fremedon, 21 September 2002

A forbidden romance, slippery abuses of power (who is the predator and who exactly is the prey?), the consequences of willful blindness, a very different face of evil, and holy wow! She makes me believe oh too well, this pairing.

-- kai, 2003 or before

After the events of PS/SS Snape reflects on Professor Quirrell. Some mild S/Q slash, Snape POV. This fic made me alternately detest and symphatise with Severus. Not for those of weak constitution.

-- sevter, 2005 or before

Well-done Quirrelfulness in fanfic was enough, really.... the fact that the Quirrelfulness also came with Snape Slash was only icing on the cake. Being strange, I love that pairing, although I have rarely seen it and even more rarely seen it done well.

The characterization is bang on; in this fic is one of the more Snapelike Snapes I've seen in fanfic in general. He kills his relationship with poor little Quirrel by means of his own abrasive personality, and it's wonderful

Quirrel is pathetic, but adorably so, though most of it. Once he gets Voldie on the back of his head, though, he's absolutely delightful.

Everything about this fic makes me happy. *tosses a bucket of yayness at the readers* Now go read it. ^_^

-- cygnebleu, 04 August 2002

Feedback

I specially came to Internet-cafe today to write this :-) I couldn't sleep night yesterday after I finished reading the story. I don't have words! It's really a brilliant, exceptional, utterly distressing story. I don't think there are many like this out there. God, Severus, what have you done?! Destroyed such a loving, wonderful, promising person and turned him into that abomination... and finally brought him to his death. It's so upsetting, I can't describe how much. It was all so good when Snape visited Septimus at his parents - and then Severus' jealousy ruined everything. And the worst thing that I *can* understand how Severus felt, when someone whom you promoted and helped suddenly surpasses you.

Your plot is brilliant! It's devastating to see how the small thing - Severus' messing up with Quirrell's potion - brings such terrible consequences.

Severus as you write him - he's awesome; he's flawed and insensitive and destructive - and at the same time my heart goes out for him because he destroys, out of egoism, someone who could make his life worth living.

[...] You know what I would wish for? What if after Quirrell's death Snape somehow realized how much he lost - and managed to make some potion to bring Quirrell back alive - without Voldemort - and they would live happily together... Not going to happen, will it? :-)

I wish you continued this story. I'm dying to read more! But I guess I understand. It's painful to read - I can't imagine how painful it is to write it.

-- Juxian Tang, 10 May 2003

I normally don't read Snape/anyone, but the lure of a Quirrell story was too strong to resist (he doesn't get nearly enough attention), and I'm glad I read this. It was amazing. Snape in tweed... oh my word, that was funny. But you didn't make Snape too sweet. Lots of people do that, but you've got him at just the right level of bitterness and meanness. [...] Your characterisation of Quirrell is brilliant. I know how hard it is to portray minor canon characters in a way that's both consistent with what we know and fuller, more rounded. You've done an excellent job, and I applaud you. [...]

-- Elwing Alcyone, 09 August 2003