It's pretty much the same reason anyone would suffer through a text like Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis: an evil, unlikeable protagonist can nevertheless be complex and interesting. This doesn't happen often in fanfiction, but it does happen (Ruskbyte has done a couple.)

 

Traitorous tried and didn't quite succeed (in my opinion), while Control came much closer (though whether Harry is actually evil is arguable).

 

"Control"-Harry was an asshole. Granted, an asshole with good cause for it, and god did I love reading that fic, and even more so loved how fucking insane Bella was in her moments of lucidity (that makes sense in my head). I'm not sure if he could be classified as outright evil though. I really wish that hadn't been abandoned.

"Traitorous" was.... eh. Probably because of the very start, but I didn't like it all that much.

 

Traitorous wrote a believable dark Harry. Unfortunately it did so by writing a Harry idiot enough to be led around by a pair of tits.

 

Personally, I've always found pure evil Harry to be the vessel of various power fantasies that teenagers indulge in, which is probably why that fic sucks so much dick.

Control though, Control had a sense of self awareness that kept it from devolving into the auto-felatial form of Envolped in Darkness. It's the slight difference in the narrative structure that made all the difference, sure we get Harry talking like a mallgoth, but only in his own fucking head. Because the author knows that if he spouted any of that overly dramatic violent shit at anyone else they'd laugh in his face (except Hermione, who was busy getting mentally scarred).

 

Yeah, that would be my main point of contention. I get that Harry was rightfully feeling indignant about certain things, but he just fell waaay too easily for Daphne Greengrass in this story. The whole 'reasonable application of the Unforgivables' was also a tad too overdone; the friend who wants to jump off a cliff, and you Imperius him to not do it.

I was fully expecting to read how the Killing Curse was used on cows and pigs so that the meat itself wouldn't be ruined. Oh and mustn't forget about the Cruciatus and its usage with comatose patients. I think those two were the dumbest excuses I have ever read, I wish I could remember in which fanfic I saw it first.


Oh and that whole bit with the Atrum effect didn't help either. Because people who use dark magic should be ever so even more special, that they feel a connection with each other, that they feel more comfortable when sharing space.

Spoiler

"Dark magic." The words were whispered so that Harry doubted even Sanguini heard them. "You've gone deep into it, these last few months, haven't you? See, I can feel it. Anyone who's done it enough can feel it from anyone else. I'm sure you noticed. You feel different about me," he indicated himself, "and him," he indicated Sanguini. "Because we've both done at least as much Dark magic as you have, probably more. Did you notice it, golden boy?"

"Stop calling me that," Harry growled.

"It's a nice little system. Dumbledore will never know that you've been doing this because he refuses to perform even the slightest bit of Dark magic. Neither will any of your friends. But I can tell you, Potter, that there are a lot of us in Slytherin who have noticed. You reek of it. Even Snape is being nicer to you, probably against his will. It's has a name, but I can't remember..."

Sanguini was nodding. "A masterful summary. It is called the Atrum Effect. No one knows quite what causes it, or why light magic users do not feel a similar connection, but those of us who have used Dark spells feel a certain affinity for each other." He smiled sympathetically at Harry. "Now that you have delved into the darkness, you will never again feel the same kinship with your friends as you once did, unless they choose to dabble in it as well, as you have."

What a load of shit.

And this bit:

Is especially hilarious, even within the context of the scene I took it from.

 

Wow, 'The Unforgivables aren't unforgivable, just misunderstood' is still a thing people write and expect to be taken seriously?

Did it also say how 'any spell can be used to kill' and then give the example of levitating someone over the edge of a cliff or summoning a knife from behind a person?

 

Nah, nothing like that.

To be honest, it reminded me a bit of the Sith from SW, because Daphne at one point, in the story, talks about how nearly everyone who uses dark magic is more in tune with their emotions, and thus they lead better, fuller lives in comparison to those that practice only light magic.

 

Harry Potter and the Two Flowers

Not the best summary in the history of Almost Recced stories, but it's rather decent. Basically Fleur grew up with an OC adopted veela for a sister (convoluted back story there). Obviously every man that ever sees them is DTF and they are scarred over a situation that happened early in Beauxbatons (mostly the OC there). Getting some rather glaring "Fleur/Harry/OC" vibes but it hasn't been bad in that regard. (The story is listed as Harry/Fleur)

If you can make it through the first chapter (they don't explain why or how Dumbledore's been giving Harry lessons, but dudes a stud for a upcoming fourth year) then you might end up enjoying this fic. I'd say the writing is a 3/5 with some plot elements ranked higher. In my opinion, if this story would have originated on DLP, it would have been significantly better, but the guy does have some of our flair for action-oriented fics if not our dedication to being clear and concise with the back story.

A lot of you will find this a 2/5 or below, but I'm willing to bet a few enjoy it, even if it's the very definition of a guilty pleasure.

 

It's been recc'd either here, or in the Fleur/Harry Community thread. It may be technically listed as Harry/Fleur, but they quite clearly come out and say Harry/Fleur/OC in the summary.

Personally, I couldn't force myself through the first chapter, but ymmv.

 

+1 for Harry driving the Knight Bus like a Boss.

 

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/9735652/1/
Salvation in Shadow.
Fast paced dark!Harry. The first chapter is an atrocity but it gets surprisingly better further in. Decent time waster.

 

This is utter trash but I CAN'T STOP READING.

 

I think this is in the library actually. A decent fic that does the whole sociopath and multiple PoVs thing better than the other similar recs earlier in this thread.

This is so ridiculously B movie it's amazing. The two beautiful but virgin brides is a little much, but it's entertaining if you don't think too much.

 

due to the (maybe) praise of you lot, I'll give it a second try. Him driving the Knight Bus may be the main thing motivating me.

 

That was the one thing that I've never, never seen before.

 

I think I remember one instance of Dumbledore and Harry fighting to the death at Privet Drive, escaping on the Knight Bus while still fighting, then being driven into an ambush where they continued to fight until Dumbledore dies from a Voldemort gargoyle or unspeakable horror animagus transformation stabbing him through the chest and tossing him off a cliff.

Sounds really bad written out like that.

 

That's why I deleted it.

Fairly well-written though, just 'cause it's me.

 

I mean, I didn't stop reading so I have to agree.

 

This is somehow the most enticing thing I've heard about a story in months, if not years. I skipped the story in my browsing due to the summary, but I will be reading for sure now.