T. S. Eliot famously said, "Good writers borrow. Great writers steal."
Except he never said that. Or at least, we have no evidence he did.
What he did say, was:
Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different.
I am neither a good poet nor a great one, but I am a mature one, and I've been around long enough to know to steal from the best, as I have done here. I can't claim to have made of any of my pilferings something better, but I do hope it is something different.
Here's my official confession:
This story's title is shamelessly stolen from a chapter heading of the most wonderful babyfic ever written, Circumstances of a Small and Accidental Nature by the immensely talented dueltastic (available under their username on Dreamwidth). If you haven't read it, go do so now. I'll wait.
The "Shed-Stop" Potion" and the idea that Severus used it as a defence against Polyjuice is admiringly filched from MMADfan, who introduced it in her fic, Death's Dominion, which is the most remarkable and brilliant Deathly Hallows corrective I think I've ever encountered. I won't wait for you to read it now (because it's quite long and deserves your undivided attention), but I'll come and find you if you don't at least give it a glance at some point (it's on AO3). You'll thank me later.
YOU ARE READING
Severus Snape and the Unbelievable Postwar Outcome
FanficSeverus reluctantly returns to Hogwarts. He finds much has changed, not least himself.
