Title: There is Nothing to Fear [Series]
-Having the Right Enemies
-Men Who Are Resolved
- I Have Killed a Man for Wounding Me
- According to His Own Nature
- What a Very Nice Fire
- Sufficient Courage
- The Removal of Masks
- Seemingly Irrelevant
- The Prince's Part
- When All Grows Dark
- Any Other Virtue
- Out of That Story
Author: Callmesalticidae
Rating: T
Genre: AU
Status: Each of the above stories is complete but the author is actively working on the series
Library Category: The Alternates
Pairings: None. Perhaps James/Lily
Summary: Tom Riddle was sorted into Gryffindor. There is nothing to fear.
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1087368

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This is an interesting series that follows the premise that Tom Riddle was sorted into Gryffindor and becomes an even more frightful villain because of it. Being pro-muggleborn and creature activist, he attracts those like the marauders to his cause in the shadows while Tom Riddle stands strong as a moderate politician against these 'radicals'.

What makes this story great is how it goes off the rails early and starts massively changing things but in a realistic way. Harry is still born in this timeline, but in a very unique way, and out of Britain. The world is far worse off.

I'm curious to see what the author has planned. 4/5 with the potential to become 5/5.

 

I think you meant still born here.
The set up of the series is poor and featured a dark!Indy!Harry bearing the name Tom Riddle. Wizarding world is heavily bashed and treating muggles as a source of authority/knowledge/inspiration marks this story down in my book.

Characterization was mixed.

I expect the story would be a lot better if it were in novel format, especially from Part 9 or 10, with the other parts being used as flashbacks.

Spoiler

The good:
James and Sirius' arcs stood out to me. Potter and Snape swapping places in running to Dumbledore for help provided an interesting study of both of their characters vis-à-vis canon. Sirius was similarly cast into the place of being misled. Malfoys were written decently too, but a lot of interesting interactions between Dumbledore and Malfoy were avoided with a convenient dragon accident.

The bad:

EDIT 1: Giving Riddle Gryffindor's sword made no sense. As far as I recall, it could be called out of the hat for acts of bravery in the face of hopeless odds. Tom Riddle challenging Dumbledore didn't fit in with this.

Remus' piece, while poignant, was too info-dumpy. It would have been better to rearrange it amongst the various chracter PoVs. McGonagall being somewhat out of Dumbledore's influence wasexpected, but the voice was too hostile.

Widespread knowledge of the Hallows and their meaning. Hallows are too prominent in this fic.

A weaker Dumbledore. A Dumbledore not stamping his authority. All of these are fundamentally unkind to Dumbledore. This is compounded by the (what I feel to be) lack of suspicion of Riddle.

Tom Riddle has been heavily altered from canon. I am unsure of the extent to which this is a part of the plot, so I'll wait before commenting further.

EDIT 1: The earlier parts of this story rate a 1/5. It gets better once it moves beyond Tom PoVs.
I would rate it 2/5 (Average story, -1 for muggle loving and poor Dumbledore), maybe (unlikely) 3/5 based on future development.

 

Good news, novelfans! There is now a full novel in this setting,
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27111157/chapters/66202159

It is Hermione-PoV, with a Beauxbatons raised Hermione that has been smuggled out of Riddle's Britain as a child. Harry Potter is lurking on the sidelines in disguise, and still appears to be prophetically and plot relevant, which might assauge the rule 1 purists. Gentlemen of culture should also note that the story appears to be heading for a Hermione/Fleur pairing.

To be more serious, the story is listed as 12/27 chapters which indicates it has been planned in advance (hallelujah). The change in PoV means that Riddle can be an awe-inspiring unstoppable force similar in tone to the short stories, without it becoming overplayed or melodramatic at greater length. Unless the author seriously fumbles it from here, it is hard to see how this ends up below 4/5 for me.

You do not need to read the short stories first. They can genuinely function as bonus content for seeing an interesting Riddle do things that are otherwise only implied or alluded to. For maximum hype, probably read them after the novel.

 

I've read all of the oneshots, and I'm about halfway through the Hermione story. It's properly good. There is Nothing to Fear is a very well thought out AU that has internally consistent characters with fantastic inner voices (even if the dialogue needs something to be desired in places) and top tier world building. The author borrows fanon concepts pretty heavily, taking various spells, background characters and concepts directly from other fics, (Notably Victoria Potter & Blood Crest) which are thankfully always cited. This makes the wizarding world feel very fleshed out and developed in a way that most fics don't come close to. It absolutely deserves its place in the library, but I wish that it had gotten more attention.

5/5.

 

This may be the worst review I've ever read on any platform, ever. It may come as a shock to you, but a character can have a central place in the plot without it being "Harry Potter in xyz skin". There is exceedingly little personality overlap between the canon HP and this universe TR.

The set of stories is both well planned (foreshadowing pays off many years later) & well written. Tom Riddle is still very Tom Riddle, just with a Gryffindor twist (exactly the point of the story). I like the storytelling style a lot. The wordbuilding is very meticulous and it feels like you're looking into a universe that has rich stories. Not just looking through the perspective of a single person.

4.5-5/5

 

From my recollection, Tom Riddle was edgy as hell without buildup/setup - hence the desire for contiguous parts.

I was quite plain in my bias for wanting a better Dumbledore and less muggles.

I would have never touched it had I known Hermione was going to play a major part later.

EDIT: Reading through parts 1 and 2, the rating was definitely harsh. I'd put it at a 3/5 or 4/5, well-written.