Charmingly Euphemistic

"Turn" is archived in various places including here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/879852

"Turn" is a fanfic, specifically a Harry/Draco epilog compliant fanfic.  I like HPDM, but I don't read many epilog compliant fics, because the epilog does not (to say the least) inspire me.  There is inevitably the sadness of Harry leaving his wife and children after a long period of unfulfillment, and often some Ginny bashing on top.  I just don't enjoy going there.   This one, though, had one of my favorite tropes - an alternate timeline.  This trope is right up there with time travel in my books.  I love the concept of something changing at some point in the timeline and then watching everything play out.  Having the main character come back to the main timeline (or the present in the case of time travel) and continue on with the benefit of his experiences is icing on the cake.

The point of departure is right after Harry uses Sectumsempra on Draco.  In the alternate timeline he doesn't just shrug and say "my bad", but rather visits Draco in the hospital and decides to save him from Voldemort's evil designs. 

This fic was posted over a period of a year and a half, and has both the virtues and the failings of such a long-term project.  It totals 323,000 words (about two long novels' worth).  The relationship is very slow-burn, and has time and space to develop.  On the downside, it did drag a bit in places and some parts felt repetitive or superfluous.

The concept of TURN (Take the Unknown Road Now) was really lovely. Both Harry and Draco have to make a leap of faith in each timeline, in different circumstances.  Always there is the sadness of what the character gives up as well as the happiness of the new path.

I adored the snakes, one in each timeline.  At first I was sure Misu could never live up to the delightfulness that was Frankfurto, but she won my heart eventually, with her talking in her sleep and her prosthetic tails. 

Harry, Draco, and Misu at the end of "Turn"

Art for this fanfic provided by yuuyami-artist, here:

http://yuuyami-artist.deviantart.com/art/TURN-Drarry-After-Epilogue-400319588