Wicked Goddesses

Ultima Ratio by Winterblume

Summary: Ultima ratio - the last resort. At last the day of the Final Battle against Lord Voldemort has come. Harry, Ron and Hermione fight bravely against their nemesis - but then something goes wrong. And Hermione finds herself alone in a precarious situation.

For our first Harry Potter Rec, we Goddesses couldn't make up our minds which story to choose because we love them all. In the end, we chose one of the most epic work in progress fics out there. At 675K+ words, this is by far the longest and most detailed fic any of us have come across. And not only does it feature our favorite girl, Hermione, but it also features a delicious Tom Riddle.

Yeah... You read that right. Tom Riddle. As in Lord Voldemort. 

You see, in Ultima Ratio, our muggleborn gets herself tangled up with the most vile, cruel, and dark wizard ever known.

Creepy? Maybe.

Strange? Perhaps

Dark and Sexy? Fuck yes.

So, now... here are our opinions on the aforementioned mind-fuck.

((((Note: Banana Flavored Eskimo is still extremely sick, so she was not able to get her review done. Please keep her in your prayers.))))

~Deep and Devastating~

From the beginning this story is a one of a kind read. I personally found the first chapter chilling as Voldemort seems to accomplish the impossible by fooling/defeating Harry in such a unique and plausible manner. I loved the thought put behind each and every part of this chapter. Ultimately it ended up being heartbreaking and incredibly exciting all at the same time.

Honestly... how many authors are capable of making you sit upon the edge of your seat, crazy with anticipation, while your wiping away the tears in your eyes?

Anyways, what really did it for me in the chapter was how Voldemort's actions immediately took me back to the body possession at the Ministry of Magic back in Order of the Phoenix. So many 'what if?' questions popped into my head. What if Harry hadn't of been able to push Voldemort out? What would have happened in the war then? What if he had learned to develop Occulemency better?..etc, etc.

I love when Authors bring me back to a point in canon and make me think of all the possible ways things could have gone differently. So I obviously immediately began to read faster. I wanted to reach the later chapters because I was wondering what other subtle details Winterblume had noticed in canon and managed to twist to her advantage.

Let me tell you, she doesn't disappoint. 

However, I refuse to tell you as finding those sorts of things is like a treasure hunt. To me anyways.

Over all, I truly enjoyed this story. It's well worth devoting the time to reading. It is a bit angsty at times, but the super awesome action sequences definitely make up for those moments. It was especially a great read because Winterblume manages to create an original time travel scene as well as an awe inspiringly detailed plot-line. There are very few authors who can claim that they put as much hard work and thought into their stories to ensure that they are unique.

The only downfall I found to this story was that the author's spelling/grammar went lax at times. It was obvious that she posted without taking the time to re-read her chapters and correct mistakes.

~Keelhaulrose~

First off, I'd like to say that I have not yet managed to work my way through all of Ultima Ratio. I have skimmed it, but the chapters are long (which I think is a bonus in every aspect other than my cell phone doesn't let me read more than 5,000 words per chapter because I think I'm the last person on earth without a smart phone) and as a mom, employee, and the main cleaning and cooking bitch of the household I don't have much time to sit and read long stories. It's not complete yet, either, and something people will quickly realize about me is that I hardly ever reading a story that isn't complete, because once I get into a story is usually the time the author decides to go on a super-extended vacation to Tahiti or something and never update again. However, the author seems to be updating regularly, so the chances of this one actually getting done at some point or another are quite high. 

And I love finished stories.

From what I have read of the story it is a very interesting story. I will never claim to be a fan of Hermione/Tom Riddle Jr. pairings, and I love Hermione with just about anyone as she's my girl-crush, but this one works out well and realistically. There's no scene at the very start where Hermione proclaims her undying love for he-who-will-become-he-who-must-not-be-named, it seems like quite the opposite. 

She travels back in time, remembers that Tom Riddle turns into a total douche that makes the guys on Jersey Shore seem like the type to bring home to dad, and gives him the cold shoulder without throwing an Avada at his head. 

It is a romance, however, so something does start to blossom, which is very much in-character for Hermione. Another good point about this story, it keeps everyone as in-character as possible considering where the story is going. Things don't happen in the blink of an eye, however I do find it a little lengthy. Things don't move too fast, but they do seem to drag a little at points. Details are explored, and while that is great, sometimes details can be skipped over and it doesn't detract from the story. The story also makes the reader take a good long think of what life must have been like at Hogwarts before Tom Riddle officially changed his name.

The down and dirty of it is that Ultima Ratio is worth a read.

~Michelle Amethyst~

Ultima Ratio written by the talented Winterblume is one of the most thought out fics I’ve read in a long time. Her plot is complex and rich in details that should never be overlooked, as they seem to crop upat different points in her story and things just click into place and you have an “Aha!” moment. I love reading stories where its abundantly clear that the author put a lot of effort, time and thought into their work. Winterblume gives a reader everything one could as for: danger, intrigue, romance, blood, power and conflict. The story is also one of the longest I’ve ever encountered on the site (currently at 675,866 words and counting) and I’m a whore for wonderfully long fics (it saves me from running to the bookstore every week).

To say that I’m a sucker for a good Tom Riddle/Hermione fic is quite the understatement and I’ve seen this fic floating around the fandom and could not bring myself to read it (it shows signs of ending tragically and I hate when that happens) until my fellow goddesses asked that I put my reservations aside and review it. So I did. And here I am now, impressed with Winterblume’s talent and ability to write a story that fits into my favorite genre so well; adventure.

If anyone has read my fanfic profile page it clearly states that Im an action/adventure junkie with an abhorrence for angst. I also harbor a secret (not so secret now) love of fluffy fics. This story is no where near fluffy and there are moments of angst but in my mind that action makes up for it.

I enjoyed the story and was intrigued by the method of Hermione’s time travel. The idea behind it was original (wont say much on it- don’t wanna give anything away), if still a bit confusing, and it never hurts to be original. I loved Hermione’s clashes with her evil Household’s teacher, Professor Legifer (think wizarding home ec) and her internal rants about women’s rights. I also really liked Hermione’s unwavering goodness, even to students that had harmed her.

I still don’t know if I’m going to like the ending, and I still have a hard time wading through some of the uncertainty that Wonderblume has written in terms of Tom and Hermione’s relationship (there are certain things that seem impossible to come back from) but this story is definitely worth perusing if you in search of a well thought out, well played, long fic that has our Hermione in the sexy clutches of a potentially evil bastard.