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Stealing Harry is set in an alternate Harry Potter universe where Sirius Black did not go to Azkaban, but bought a house on Privet Lane to keep an eye on Harry and runs a bookstore in town with Remus Lupin. Fan fiction like this is great, because it gives the fan an opportunity to explore What Ifs. As with a lot of fan fiction, this also means exploring romantic pairings that didn’t exist in the original work. In this case: Black and Lupin.
Having arrived on the scene too late to do anything, Sirius finds Pettigrew already dead, possibly at the hands of Lucius Malfoy, who is promptly sent to Azkaban with a Dementor’s kiss. Sirius knows that Harry must stay with the Durselys, thanks to the protective power of blood relatives, but wants to keep an eye on him anyway. It isn’t long before he realizes the Dudley bullies Harry non-stop and that the Dursleys lock Harry up in the cupboard under the stairs. This is the last straw, and Sirius and Remus take Harry away from the Dursleys once and for all. Sirius sells his house and moves in to Remus Lupin’s flat near the bookshop with Harry, since it’s safer. Dumbledore isn’t happy of course, and cautions the two men to be extra careful since they no longer have that strong protection that Aunt Petunia provided as Lily’s sister. (In this story, Remus is a very distant cousin of James Potter, so the protection spell still works; it’s just not as potent.) Remus and Sirius learn how to raise a child together, gaining some help from the Weasleys and even Severus Snape, all while Remus is convinced that Peter Pettigrew still lives. If he’s right, then they will have a lot more to worry about than making sure Harry is prepared for Hogwarts.
For Harry Potter fans looking to read a story where Harry escapes the Dursleys before he even learns of Hogwarts, this is great. For those who wish that Harry and Sirius had more time together, or who think that Sirius and Remus would make a good couple, or who would like to see another side of Severus Snape; this book is for you. I enjoyed the sweet romance and the character development in this book. One of the best things was something that J.K. Rowling tried and (in my opinion) failed to do in the original books: it redeemed Snape. As this is a work of fan fiction, you will not be able to find it in a bookstore or at the library. Simply search for it and more at the Hugo-nominated website ArchiveOfOurOwn.org… (lisätietoja)