Stealing Harry, officially referred as "Stealing Harryverse", is an Alt Fic fan fiction written by copperbadge, formally known as Sam The Storyteller.
The work is very popular among Remus/Sirius shippers, though others enjoy it as well. Sadly, though Stealing Harry is complete, its sequel, Laocoon's Children, was a Dead Fic for a very long time. However, the author compiled and completed the series on Archive of Our Own here
Stealing Harry provides examples of:
- Abusive Parents:
- Vernon and Petunia are in charge of raising Harry but lock him in a tiny closet and allow Dudley to bully him relentlessly. Witnessing this treatment is what motivates Sirius to forcibly take custody of Harry and give him a happier life.
- Narcissa has lost Lucius to Azkaban and is left in disgrace. She doesn't take her situation well and takes her frequent, unpredictable bouts of anger out on poor Draco.
- Adaptational Badass: While no slouch in canon, Nymphadora Tonks is much more accomplished thanks to her expanded role, including becoming the second-year D.A. instructor instead of Lockhart and killing the basilisk.
- Adaptational Villainy: Peter Pettigrew is far worse here than he ever was in canon, and stronger as well. He's the main antagonist of The Philosopher's Stone rather than Quirrell, who is just his Dragon.
- Ascended Extra: Many minor characters that were only mentioned briefly in JKR's books are given bigger roles in the Stealing Harryverse. For example, Padma replaces Hermoine as The Smart Guy of Harry's group.
- Big Bad Duumvirate:
- Bellatrix and Peter Pettigrew in the first story.
- Expands to Peter, Quirrell, and Voldemort in the second, as per canon.
- Big Brother Bully: Though his cousin, not his brother, this trope fits Dudley to a tee.
- Big Friendly Dog: Harry thinks Padfoot is this. Padfoot is also a hit with other children, who love to play with him.
- Blessed with Suck: Remus is a werewolf as in canon, which means that he has to deal with painfully transforming into a slavering beast once a month, discrimination from other wizards, and strange dreams of another universe where things went very wrong (i.e. the canonverse). On the upside, he is mostly impervious to starvation, curses, and injury, and possesses an amazing healing factor. The disturbing dreams that he gets tend to show up when Harry is in trouble, allowing Remus to predict when something bad is going to happen.
- The Cameo: Two from Good Omens. A 'Mr. Fell' is mentioned briefly, having been one of Remus' paramours before he got together with Sirius. Crowley is also mentioned.
- Changeling Fantasy: Well, it is based on Harry Potter, but Harry finds out about being a wizard sooner in this fic.
- Crossover: With canon, in that Remus has dreams about his canon existence.
- Cheerful Child:
- Despite years of living with the Dursleys, Harry is still a bright and inquisitive child. He gradually becomes more open and cheerful under Sirius and Remus' care.
- Neville, once he starts living with Andromeda and Ted.
- Dead Fic: Laocoon's Children, the sequel, which leaves off in the third book and was officially confirmed dead before the author moved the series to AO3.
- Everyone Can See It: Andromeda assumed Remus and Sirius were gay together years before they actually were.
- Experimented In School: Sirius, with James. Though not as far as he says.
- Forgets to Eat: Remus. As a werewolf, he's impervious to essentially everything, so being hungry doesn't affect him. Combined with his inability to hold down a job, this leads to him nearly starving to death.
- Good Parental Substitutes: Remus and Sirius. Also, Ted and Andromeda Tonks.
- Green-Eyed Epiphany: How Sirius realized he liked Remus. Too many "old book collectors" for his taste.
- Happily Adopted: Harry, after Remus and Sirius "kidnap" him from Petunia and Vernon Dursley.
- Also Neville, after his gran is killed and he moves in with the Tonkses.
- If It's You, It's OK: Sirius likes girls. Remus is his exception.
- Intimate Healing: Sirius tries this on Remus. It works as intended, but Remus feels completely betrayed once he's actually more than half-concious.
- Kissing Under the Influence: Sirius and James, when they were younger.
- Little Boys Love Stuffed Animals: Harry. His only toy when he is with the Dursleys is a toy frog he found and refused to be parted with.
- Made of Iron: Lupin. Being a werewolf has blessed Lupin with incredible healing abilities and resistance to most curses. He can take a Killing Curse full-on with only a splitting headache afterwards.
- Meaningful Name: Almost everyone, sticking to JKR's canon.
- Meaningful Rename: Harry's alias as Professor Snape's nephew is "Parvus Rana", which means "small frog."
- Mr. Fanservice: Sirius, to the point where he's seen as one of the most eligible bachelors in the wizarding world, and much speculation is made about his dating life. They all seem to overlook his "valet" Remus Lupin.
- Nigh-Invulnerability: Remus. His weaknesses are fire, silver, beheading, and other werewolves. Which means he is protected from the Killing Curse.
- Papa Wolf: Both Remus and Sirius.
- ShrinkingViolet: In this continuity, Draco Malfoy is a shy, timid boy that tries to avoid attention.
- Shout-Out: To the ancient Roman sculpture Laocoön and His Sons, which is also called the Laocoön Group. In The Aeneid, Laocoön is silenced from telling the truth about the Troyan horse by the gods, who sic snakes onto him.
- Sssssnake Talk: Harry, just like in canon.
- Took a Level in Badass: Unfortunately, Peter Pettigrew.
- Tuck and Cover: During the attack on the Burrow, Remus physically blocks Harry from several curses, since they don't affect him as a werewolf.
- Wouldn't Hurt a Child: Remus.
- "Hit him?" the man [Remus] asked. "I'd as soon hit a child."
- Would Hurt a Child: Bellatrix, Peter Pettigrew... Let's just say basically all the bad guys.
