The Overlooked

Title: The Overlooked
Author: ChristineX
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Snape/OFC (Celeste), Voldemort, Dumbledore
Warning: PG-13, character death (Snape), child, war
Length. Novel
Status: Completed



Snape discovers the existence of a magically gifted young woman who never received an invitation to Hogwarts. But as the final confrontation with Voldemort approaches, can Snape protect her from those around her...including himself?


FF


Another OFC story. Can't believe it. Well, the story deserves the rec. It highlights how Snape is torn between making a life for himself and the war effort. I thought the end was a bit depressing. He never got to know his son. I'd have loved it if the end diverged from canon.

Secrets

Title: Secrets
Author: CrimPsyche
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: Mycroft/Lestrade, Sherlock
Warning: PG-13, violence
Length: Medium
Status: Completed


After a rather painful night, Mycroft Holmes and Sherlock Holmes are kicked out of their home. Without money, their only choice is to live in a downtrodden flat. With Mycroft struggling for enough money, they live on a week-to-week basis. However, when he meets a rather handsome officer at the coffee shop where he works, will Mycroft be forced to swallow his pride and admit that, maybe, just maybe, he needs help? 


AO3

Is Mycroft a good or a bad brother? Neither, I suppose. Yes, he is responsible, he seems to love Sherlock, but he also resents him somewhat.
This is like a meta fic of their relationship.

Both Sides Now

Title: Both Sides Now
Author: QED_221B
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: Sherlock, Mycroft
Warning: PG-13, child abuse (Mycroft), violence
Length: Medium
Status: Completed


Mycroft and Sherlock didn't meet until Sherlock was 7, Mycroft lived with his abusive father. Sherlock doesn't learn of the abuse until years later


AO3


This story highlights different aspects of Sherlock and Mycroft's characters.
Sherlock's a brat. And a bastard. Then he's adorable. Then protective. And an idiot. Mycroft claims he isn't, though.
Mycroft appears weak, which was at first rather distracting. A tad OoC one might think. Well, then he is hopeful, just to get all his hopes crushed. Then he forgives Sherlock.

I haven't seen a story that illuminates their relationship from so many different angles.

This Is Where I Began

Title: This Is Where I Began
Author: dioscureantwins
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: Mycroft, Sherlock, Daddy Holmes (Sherlock), OMC (John, Mr Talbot, Mr Mancini), John, Mommy Holmes
Warning: R, character death (Daddy Holmes, Mr Mancini), illness (Mummy Holmes), non-con (Sherlock), drug abuse (Sherlock)
Length: Novel
Status: Ongoing


The only evidence remaining is the expression on his face. Now he remembers it was different from his usual scowl of disgust at the utter dullness of the whole human race – with the exception of John of course. In fact it’s the expression that immediately crops up in his mind at the thought of Daddy’s face. A look of quiet benevolent fondness, not cast around without discrimination but almost always there while looking at his mother, Mycroft, himself.



AO3


There are too many great lines not to quote them. And I think they actually tell more about the quality of this work than any of my praise would do. It just... explains so much, and in so much depth about Mycroft and Sherlock.

“I do hope you will find a John of your own one day Sherlock, because we all need a John."

"He could have been so much more but he chose not to.”

“I … I know I should love him, I want to love him but he’s making it really hard for me. Why does he have to resemble you so much? He’s like a clone and sometimes I feel each day he lives he saps your strength. He’s going to make you die on me.” (Mummy Holmes to Daddy Sherlock about Sherlock)

 “You’re not him,” she says. “You’re nothing but an impostor."

 "I love you. I want to love you. But you’re making it so hard for me. You’ve always rejected me, right from the start. You didn’t want my milk … You squirmed away from my breast with a look of disgust on your tiny face. Your lovely tiny face. And whenever I bent over your cot to pick you up … you were just lying there … looking at me with his eyes … but no kindness … “ (Mummy Holmes to Sherlock) 

 The loss of Mycroft. That’s what the school uniform signifies.

 That night he had crept into Mycroft’s bed to be close to a body he could trust to do him no harm.

 Sherlock wants to reach out to him, to lay his small hand on Daddy’s big long-fingered one to tell him it’s all right, he won’t tell Mummy what he’s seen.

 But it would help if you’d change your attitude, if only a bit. For Christ’s sake, Sherlock, I’m not yet sixteen. I’m nothing but a schoolboy myself and all these worries get heaped on my plate. Mummy is no help at all. She just tells me to arrange everything as I see fit.

 "That’s just stupid and you know it, Sherlock. Or you should ask Mycroft if you don’t. He could explain it well enough. In the real world one doesn’t choose the gardener over the estate. Those fairy stories only happen in novels.”

It is  very sad, a very detailed fictional universe. One of the best works I've ever read.

Brother Mine

Title: Brother Mine
Author: Wind_Ryder
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: Mycroft, Sherlock, OMC (Sherrinford), OMC (Kent)
Warning: PG-13, illness (Sherrinford - psychopathy), character death (Kent)
Length: Medium
Status: Ongoing

Mycroft Holmes knew there was something wrong with his older brother. He could see it in the way that he moved, the way that he smiled, the way that he spoke. To everyone else he was a perfect child: happy, grateful, and kind. But Mycroft knew better, and he would do everything he could to keep his younger brother as far away from him as possible.

Sometimes though, he fails.

AO3

A brilliant series which shows us a sweet little William who is very much in need of protection. The characters are believable, and it is a good interpretation of Mycroft's "the other one" comment in S3.
Definitely worth a read. There's a certain darkness lurking at the edge but it's not too uncomfortable. For now, PG-13.

Same author as:
Finally
Something New

Harry Potter of Baker Street

Title: Harry Potter of Baker Street
Author: Dayja
Fandom: Sherlock/Harry Potter (crossover)
Characters: Sherlock, John, Harry
Warning: PG, childfic
Length: Medium
Status: Ongoing


Sherlock Holmes discovers family he never knew he had, and John Watson finds a child living in the cupboard.


AO3


A nice crossover. I love how Sherlock trains Harry like a pet to react to another name. It's just... really funny at times. And John's hilarious, the way he accepts this madness.

Same author as:
Drowning

Crazy for Love

Title: Crazy for Love
Author: prettyvk
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: Sherlock/John, OMC (James Moriarty), John/Mary, Molly
Warning: PG-13, character death (Mary, Moran), childfic
Length: Novel
Status: Completed

It starts with five words.

“Is my father really dead?”

Or maybe, that’s how it ends.

AO3


Might turn into a series! Update: It did. Sequel's up.

This is by no means as bad as it sounds. I really had discarded it the first two times I found it, and the third time I was bored enough... to shoot the walls. So I gave it a go.
James is a difficult child to hate, and a difficult child to love. At first, he seems too... perfect and developed for his age. Then we get into his issues, and his limits (like when playing the violin). It's a clever approach.
I still disliked Mary - what's interesting about inserting a boring person into John's life to make him boring and occupied? ... I was really glad Sherlock found a purpose in James. I wish there was somebody like that for Sherlock in canon, too... That's another story, though.
For now, I have to say: An excellent read.

Other works:
Ink Your Name

Nature and Nurture

Title: Nature and Nurture
Author: earlgreytea68
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: John/Sherlock, Mycroft/Greg, OMC (Oliver)
Warning: R, slash, childfic
Length: Novel
Status: Ongoing


The British Government accidentally clones Sherlock Holmes. Which brings a baby to 221B Baker Street.


AO3

Lovely. I love earlgreytea68's works. They always are very expressive, fluffy but with a very honest attitude. Heart-warming.
Baby Oliver is really cute. I am a bit wary of childfics with babies. Often they are depicted all wrong, all unrealistic. This is not too far-fetched.

There's a spin-off about how Oliver wants to go to Eton, and how John shows Sherlock a bee museum, pardon, apiculture museum.

Same Author as:
John Watson's Twelve Days of Christmas
Scotch
The Bang and the Clatter
Saving Sherlock Holmes

Naked, Stripped, and Raw

Title: Naked, Stripped, and Raw
Author: Nikoshinigami
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: Sherlock(/John), John/Mary, OFC (child)
Warning: PG-13, injury (John), character death (Mary)
Length: Novella
Status: Completed


Time passes, John moves on in love and life, but no matter of distance or separation can ever truly make him say goodbye to Sherlock Holmes.


AO3

For the records: I think John very cruel until the last part of the last instalment. It feels wrong. If he truly loved Sherlock, he'd have said goodbye, he'd have released him instead of burdening him with John's indecision.
It's a difficult fic.

 I'd have to say I'm going to my dealer. I can't change what I don't like about my life. It's more than just being lonely. You were more than just someone to pay the other share of the rent. I can't replace you the way you replaced me. But I can stop it from mattering for a few hours at a time.

I mean, that sums it up pretty well. It's difficult. And it's very true considering season three. In more than one way does this story resound with what we got last season. It makes for a horrible premonition...

"Grow up! Will you just grow up!"
"What for? So I can be like all the other friends you have? I'm not like them! I'm better than them! I am better than her!"
"I. LOVE. HER."
"So what are we doing out here!?"

This author is killing me. God. There are so many raw emotions floating about.
I mean, let's face it: John does not stick around anymore. He seeks out Sherlock at times but they are not as close as they once were. While John enjoys Sherlock's company, he actively decides against him. So why is he still accompanying him? This story leads to the same question: What are they doing there? Stress on they. I hate it when John is indecisive. I hate it in general when people run with the hare and hunt with the hounds instead of choosing what they want and face the consequences. It's cowardly.
John's a coward throughout this story. He stops being one in the epilogue, I think. When he stops reacting and starts acting.


Same author as:
The Circle of Fifths
Two of Every Kind
The Ichor of Talos

A Study in Lullabies

Title: A Study in Lullabies

Author: shooting-stetsons

Fandom: Sherlock

Characters: John/Sherlock, OMC (baby), Jim/Sherlock, Mycroft, Lestrade

Warning: PG-13, genderbender( fem!Sherlock), child abuse (Sherlock)

Length: Novella
Status: Ongoing

In which Sherlock Holmes is a woman with an infant son.

AO3

Read it. Now.

Sherlock with a child is something that has been done before, but not often. Here, John knowingly enters the strange relationship they develop. From the beginning, he suspects that he will end up  as a father without actually "having gotten" some. Yet, he moves in.

You really feel the love between them, and the love they feel for the baby.

To Everything, There Is a Season

Title: To Everything, There Is a Season
Author: shadowed_sunsets
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: Sherlock, Mycroft, Mommy Holmes, Lestrade
Warning: R, drug abuse
Length: Medium
Status: Completed

Act I: This is the story of Sherlock and Mycroft's childhood together, back when Sherlock still looked up to and his world revolved around his brother. When Sherlock lived like he wanted to and only his brother understood.
Of course, it couldn't last forever; no matter how much he wanted.

A take on Mycroft and Sherlock's childhood, written pre- series 2, in vignette's from Mycroft's POV.

Act II: Having decided he doesn't need anyone and can survive perfectly well on his own, Sherlock strikes out into the world. He hits a few bumps and lows before finally finding the one person he's really been looking for all along.

Sherlock's journey through uni, meeting Greg Lestrade, and then stumbling upon John Watson.

AO3



This is Sherlock's journey from childhood to, well, John. It's not detailed, but the author shows us the scenes that changed his life for the worse. And better, at times. It's a roller coaster ride and I love it. I just do.

Howdy

Title: Howdy
Author: Juxian
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Lupin/Snape, OMC(Howdy)
Warning: PG-13, slash, injury(Snape)
Length: Medium
Status: Completed


Snape and Lupin separately decide to adopt a child. And they stubbornly want to adopt the same child


At AO3

There's another, very similiar story to this where both want to adopt Teddy. This is less dark, though, but very insightful and full of compassion. Snape is rather vulnerable, but also prickly and snarky. It's a good mixture, especially with Remus' soothing personality.


Same Author as:
Forbidden Thoughts
Lukewarm

Hope I Made You Proud

Title: Hope I Made You Proud
Author: the_ones_that_ran
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: John/Sherlock, OMC (Hamish)
Warning: PG-13, character death (Sherlock)
Length: Short
Status: Completed


After the death of his father - the world's only consulting detective - thirteen-year-old Hamish reflects on his unique upbringing at 221B Baker St., and his very own definition of family.


At AO3

Damn, I hate seeing Sherlock die. And yet I am always captivated by John's grief. A vicious cycle, I tell you.
Well, didn't particular care for Hamish, but this makes it on my list of stories worth to be read.
The love Sherlock had for his small family is heart-warming, really. It's not OoC or depicted in a sugary way.  Made his death even harder for me.

Promises

Title: Promises
Author: hastings
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: Mycroft, Sherlock, Mommy Holmes, Siger Holmes
Warning: NC-17, non-con(Siger/Mycroft), child abuse, murder (Mycroft), character death (Siger), childfic
Length: Short
Status: Completed


Everything Mycroft has ever done has always been for Sherlock.


At AO3


Dark. And I love Mycroft in here, he's so lost, so fixated on his younger brother.
And their family is so screwed up, it hurts to read it. Mycroft's struggling through it and is confused, has nothing but Sherlock in his life that anchores him.

Proxy

Title: Proxy
Author: CherryBlossomTide
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: Mycroft, Sherlock, Mommy Holmes
Warning: PG-13, attempted murder, illness
Length: Short
Status: Completed



No good deed goes unpunished.


At AO3


Rather angsty Holmes-family story. I've seen a lot of vicious!Siger Holmes stories with either a mentally incapitated or indifferent Mommy Holmes. This, though, is a nasty mommy. Liked Mycroft in here. Somehow, I ended up a Mycroft fan down the Sherlock road.

What Comes Undone

Title: What Comes Undone
Author: Songlin
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: John/Sherlock, OFC (Rosalind)
Warning: NC-17, het, pregnancy, genderbender, self-harm/injury (Rosalind), mention of femslash
Length: Novella
Status: Completed


Sherlock Holmes was not the kind of woman a man brought home to meet the family. She wasn't even the kind of woman most men brought home, full stop. But that never seemed to stop John.


At AO3


A cute story about fem!Sherlock and John living together, falling in love together and... staying together.
Pregnant!Sherlock was nice, too, bitchy, loving and yet brilliant.

And than there Were 3

Title: And then there Were 3
Author: Aussieflower
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: Sherlock/Irene, John, OMC (Nero)
Warning: R, mention of het, pregnancy
Length: Medium
Status: Completed


Irene and Sherlock have new obstacles in their way that test their relationship more than before.


At FF


This is actually the sequel to Him and Her. I am currently reading that one. Shame on me, I started out with And than there Were 3. While they seem a bit OoC, Irene and Sherlock are portrayed beautifully as a couple in a functional dysfunctional relationship. I rather liked daddy!Sherlock.

Too Much to Hold

Title: Too Much to Hold
Author: Sparkle_Free
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: John/Sherlock, OMC (child - Julian)
Warnings: PG-13, disability/mental illness (autism, down syndrome), adoption (guardianship), mention of slash
Length: Novella
Status: Completed


John becomes guardian of an old friend's autistic son, and learns something about Sherlock's diagnosis along the way.



At AO3



Wonderful story - I never was much into autistic!Sherock, just didn't fit IMO. This story, though, made me reconsider it. There is some merit in it. And if you like drama, Johnlock and childfic, here you go.

What Will Survive of Us

Title: What Will Survive of Us
Author: shiva_goddessof
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: John/Sherlock, OC
Warning: PG-13, mpreg, omegaverse, 
Length: Short
Status: Completed



Sherlock gives birth to their first child.



At AO3


An interesting development; John traumatized by the birth and the complications. How Sherlock is Sherlock and still comforts him.

Winter's Child

Title: Winter's Child
Author: ImpishTubist, Canon_Is_Relative
Fandom: Sherlock
Characters: John/Sherlock, Lestrade, OMC
Warnings: R, character death, injury, illness, mention of child abuse, mention of drug abuse, mention of slash
Length: Novel
Status: Completed


Five years after they meet, Sherlock and John adopt a baby boy.

At AO3


Fuck the description, it does not reflect the great story underneath it.

This story is heart-crushing. I don't know if I'll ever be able to read a Sherlock fanfiction without comparing it to this masterpiece. There are happy moments in which you rejoice with the characters, and there are sad moments that sting so much you think your lung was pierced in the process. Even now, I am fighting with tears. Don't want them to be shed. To me, this is a must-read, one of the works a fan should know.

This is R-rated because of the intensity, the emotional impact it causes.

While I - to this date - am unaware of Canon_Is_Relative, ImpishTubist is one of the finest writers out there I know. Works by that author I can recommend:
They're Gonna Be All Right  ( Lestrade/Sherlock)
The Coming of The Night (Lestrade/Sherlock)
A Memory that Never Forgets
The First and Only Convention of the Scotland Yard Matchmaker Committee
The Fall of Gods
An Age of Silver