#maymarlow

Summary: In a world where Voldemort's victory brought forth the golden age of pureblood supremacy, young Harry - an average Durmstrang student - grows surrounded by the same propaganda that has become the gospel truth of the Wizarding World. Injustice is a norm and racism is not only accepted, but actively encouraged. Embracing the status quo becomes harder when Harry finds himself in a train station where the living should not dwell, and a dangerous friend who goes by the name "Tom".

Alternate Universe/Dark - [Harry P., Tom R.], Merope G., Albus D. - 59 Chapters, Words: 396,631, Rated Mature

Read it on AO3

Status: WIP (last updated October 11, 2019)

Review: From its premise to the story’s narrative, The Train to Nowhere reads nothing like the original series. Yet somehow, from all the fanfiction I’ve read, this is one of few stories that feels closest to the original Harry Potter series in terms of its set-up. Let me explain.

In the original series, J. K. Rowling set up a series of questions that were meant to be answered in each book. For example, with Chamber of Secrets the reader asks: Who’s Dobby’s master?, Who opened the Chamber of Secrets?, What is Slytherin’s monster? and so forth. In Train to Nowhere, we have the same thing: Why can Harry come to the train station? What is the Gone Tribe? How can Harry defeat Tom?. This set-up of cascading questions really helps direct the flow of the story and helps the reader descend into darkness alongside the characters in the story.

The story also has other highlights that help make the tragedy of Harry’s life bearable. We have nuanced characters with distinct voices that talk, feel and act like real people would. There’s never a moment where the reader is just told something about the characters - instead the person’s history, desires and problems are allowed to unfold on their own. 

I also love the story’s world building and find my excitement (and slight apprehension) to mirror the way I felt when I was first reading the books. The story is long and nowhere near done, but even in chapters where no action is happening - there are so many other things there to keep you interested. I for one, can’t wait to see where the narrative will go and just how Harry, Ron and Hermione will take a stand.

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle Characters: Tom Riddle, Harry Potter, Mr Borgin (Harry Potter) Additional Tags: Time Travel, flower shop, MoD!Harry, 1940s Summary:

Unsatisfied with his post-war life, Harry decides to get to the root of all of his problems when that root was still working at Borgin and Burkes shop in the late 40s. He’s the Master of Death, damn it, he can do what he wants for once in his life.

Tom Riddle isn’t particularly happy about working at a small, dingy shop for magical artifacts, no matter how interesting those artifacts are. He’s even less happy when an insufferable stranger sets up the most obnoxious flower shop right across the street.

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Train To Nowhere - May Marlow Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Harry Potter/Original Male Character(s) Characters: Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter, Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger Additional Tags: Fanmix, Inspired by Fanfiction, Fanfiction of Fanfiction, May Marlow Summary: