Manacled

by SenLinYu

Harry Potter is dead. In the aftermath of the war, in order to strengthen the might of the magical world, Voldemort enacts a repopulation effort. Hermione Granger has an Order secret, lost but hidden in her mind, so she is sent as an enslaved surrogate to the High Reeve until her mind can be cracked.

Fanfiction for Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling.
Words: 370,256

Genres: Fantasy, Fan Fiction, Romance, Dark Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Dark, Romantasy

925 pages, Hardcover

First published August 19, 2019

About the author

SenLinYu grew up in the Pacific Northwest and studied classical liberal arts and culture. They started writing in the Notes app of their phone during their baby’s nap time. Their collected online works have garnered over twenty million individual downloads and have been translated into twenty-three languages. They live in Portland with their family. ALCHEMISED is their first novel.

Reviews

[mel ☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

reread — upgraded to 5 stars ✩⋆

so we’re all collectively suffering again this time of year by reading dramione fics huh?

* * *

first read (2021) — 4.75 stars ✩⋆

this ✨dramione✨ fic is one of the most depressing things i've ever read and i fucking love it.

everyone- and i mean everyone was raving about this on tiktok so i was like ehh okay i'll read this. it's dark? depressing? soul-crushing? everyone died? voldy and the death eaters won the war? hell yes.



my shipping status is a mess okay? bear with me.
➵ movies: harry x hermione // there's a reason why PoA is my favorite.
➵ books: ron x hermione // that slowburn, friends to lovers, bicker like an old married couple dynamic? fuuuuck yes.
➵ fanon: DRAMIONE ALL THE FUCKING WAY // the enemies to lovers, complex anti-heroes that only have a soft spot for the person they love and has a grey moral background just hits different.

✧ p l o t

↳ it has been at least 2 years since Voldy won the war and killed Harry Potter and tortured everyone from the Order. after 16 months of being in solitary confinement Voldy discovered that Hermione is hiding something from her memories.

he decides to put her in the breeding program where the surviving females of the Order act as a "surrogate" for his death eaters because the fertility rates are low amongst the purebloods. Hermione is assigned to Voldy's right-hand man who is none other than Draco-fucking-Malfoy aka the High Reeve aka Voldy's General.

so yeah anyways, i fucking loved this. there's no point in sugar coating anything. this was, as Ronald would say, bloody brilliant. this didn't even feel like a fanfic because the writing is that good. and @SenLinYu and @AVENDELL bishhhh i fucking love y'all thank you for creating this masterpiece and the most beautiful, yet haunting fanfic/fanart i've ever seen.

➵ TW: rape, attempted rape, violence, torture, mass murder, war, physical and mental abuse, just- EVERYTHING. this book is really dark right off the bat so keep that in mind.

p.s. this is gonna be a long ass review because i have so much emotions and i need to let it out so thx for listening to my ted talk in advance ♡

\\ WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD AND MY INNER NERD IS GONNA COME OUT IN THIS REVIEW DON'T JUDGE ME //

･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･ PART I: HANDMAIDS TALE 2.0 ･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･．

➵ November 2004 - March 2005

of-fucking-course this book starts with Umbridge "accidentally" leaving Hermione in solitary confinement for 16 months. that bitch. you know, i've always wondered what it was like if Voldy won the war. like what would happen ya know? but then-

"Then [Lucius Malfoy] cast a curse that turned Ron's blood gradually into molten lead. Hermione watched as the curse slowly crept through Ron's body, destroying him from the inside out... They had left Molly for last. So she'd watch all her children die... Remus had lasted hours longer than anyone else. His lycanthropy kept healing him until he just hung there, unresponsive. Finally, someone shot the Killing Curse at him out of boredom."

i aLwaYS WoNDereD whAT wOulD HapPEN iF voLdY WoN okaaaayy well shit. i never imagined it that way sheesh. and apparently Voldy avada kedavra'd Harry 6 times, hung his body up the Astronomy Tower so the Order survivors can see his rotten corpse, all the surviving females are forced to be a part of this "breeding" programs as "surrogates" for the Death Eaters because most of the pureblood females are infertile or barren and they need to procreate more purebloods so...

... yeah. this book is d-a-r-k, DARK.

my girl Hermione was so broken in this part. she lost some of her memories from the war, she was sold to Draco, had depression, anxiety, agoraphobia, ptsd, and survivor's guilt. she's also raped by Draco for 6 months (5 times a month because of the breeding program) and is being tortured by Legilimency (where someone invades your memories and apparently it hurts like a bitch), almost raped by Graham Montague, and had her eye gouged out by Draco's wife, Astoria (don't worry, he and Astoria never did anything they hated each other).

yeah... our girl has been through a lot here. and Malfoy? hated him (calm down i only hated him in this part when i didn't know wtf was going on). i just wanted to-



but also... not because High Reeve Draco is scary af.

listen. i knew something was up with him because we get glimpses of the real Draco. and his reaction when he needs to "breed"? yeah not a normal reaction. i can tell he was in pain and he was just holding it in. i knew something was up. and i was right!! when i found out what i found out- THE PAIN OH MY GOD.

anywho this part ends with Hermione getting pregnant and she gets into a coma and her memories start coming back.

･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･ PART II: DRAMIONE >>> THE ORDER ･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･．

➵ flashback; March 2002 - July 2003

ok ok. this is where shit really begins. so this is the part where EVERY. TEA. IS. SPILLED. we finally find out what the fuck happened and why she lost certain parts of her memories.

so we find out that Hermione is one of the main healers and dark curse specialist, so she's in charge of healing practically everybody. she's a "nOn ACtiVe MEmBer" of the Order who "doesn't fight" (lol). this begins with Kingsley and Moody secretly selling her to Draco because he offered to be their spy and he wanted her for some reason.

honestly this was my mood the whole time:




everyone was my hurting my babies and that is unacceptable.

Harry, Ron, Dumbledore's Army and the rest of the Order GOT👏ON👏MY👏NERVES. let's talk about these idiots for a sec ok? they think war is just good vs. evil, light vs. dark. there's no in between. they ignore gray areas, they want to stay in the "light" because love defeated dark in the first war so it would probably work now right? lol no.

this kind of mindset might work in the pg-13 Harry Potter world but not in the rated r world. they really think using expelliarmus and stupefy would win a war? that's funny. and Hermione, the only one with common sense, knows they need to step up their game by using dark magic because COME ON!! they're at war and Harry, Ron and the rest of the Order are treating this whole thing like a normal duel it's annoying.

"Whether you win a battle or lose it, all I see is the cost. Sometimes it seems like you and Harry don't realise how few lives we can still afford to lose. This war is bigger than Harry and his family getting to be normal afterward. What do you think will happen to the Resistance if we lose? What about the Muggle world?"

y'all see this ⤴ all i see are facts. the whole time i was screaming LISTEN TO HERMIONE!!! but did they listen? no. and because of Hermione advocating for dark magic, she's ostracized and treated as a nuisance by her very own best friends!! they never thought about her and made her feel so alone asdjkhfsldkjgl it was so frustrating!! Harry and Ron even called Hermione a bitch... a BITCH. can you believe that? ugh i just wanted to-




HERMIONE CARRIED THIS WAR AND THEY ALL WOULD’VE DIED EARLIER IF IT WEREN’T FOR HER!! she was just so under appreciated here and was treated like a child and it made me so angry. they all died because they didn’t listen to her. i said what i said.

it's just so sad when the intensity of her love was not reciprocated from the very people she thinks as her family and she would die to protect them but her so-called “family” didn’t even hesitate to use her during a dangerous mission, not caring if she dies. she felt so alone and had no support from these "friends" until... Draco-fucking-Malfoy.

↠ ˗ˏˋ ♡ R O M A N C E ♡ ´ˎ˗
the parallels guys!! the parallels!! the hate to love? forced proximity? the realization that they're the same through emotional connection disguised as angry proclamations which then leads to them slowly caring for one another but denies they care for each other but shows that they do care for the other by training them combat because they don't want them to die or by healing them whenever they're hurt? ugh.

Draco really went from « i hate you. you're pathetic. i don't care if you die. lol you feel alone and depressed? good » to:

"You're mine. You swore yourself to me. Now. And after the war. You promised it. I'm going to take care of you. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. You don't have to be lonely. Because you're mine."

and

"I have warned you. If something happens to you, I will personally raze the entire Order. That isn't a threat. It is a promise. Consider your survival as much a necessity to the survival of the Resistance as Potter's. If you die, I will kill every last one of them."

and you know what? he fucking did. he really razed the Order. we gotta respect a man who keeps his word. and that scene where Harry used Hermione to rescue Ron, not caring if she dies or not and treating her like she's expendable but Draco was like not today bitch and almost ruined his cover but he doesn't care so he slaughtered everyone because he actually cares if she lives??


art by @avendell

⤴ THIS scene? yeah. we love to see it.

and that scene where Hermione finally showed off her badassery and how powerful she is by blowing up the lab in Sussex killing thousands, casting a powerful patronus charm which is a MO'FUCKING DRAGON that then burned 99.9% of all the dementors (also, love how her patronus is a dragon because Draco was described as a dragon so she probably thought about Draco while casting the patronus because she's happy with him 🥺🥺), and killed dark creatures with her knife??

THAT'S MY QUEEN 😤✊

i just love how both of them would literally do anything just to keep the other safe and when they finally got together, it was so passionate and sweet ugh them whispering « i'm going to take care of you. i'm always going to take care of you » to each other rejuvenated my soul.

･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･ PART III: SPAIN WITHOUT THE S ･ﾟﾟ･｡｡･ﾟﾟ･．

➵ June 2005 - and beyond

sooo now that we know wtf happened... haha ha awkward

okay first of all can we just talk about Draco's pain for a sec.

! ! ! CAN YOU IMAGINE LOOKING FOR THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE FOR 3 FUCKING YEARS NOT KNOWING IF SHE'S DEAD OR GETTING TORTURED BUT NEVER GIVING UP AND THEN YOU FIND OUT SHE WAS IMPRISONED BY UMBRIDGE THIS WHOLE TIME AND THEN SHE'S BEING SOLD OFF AS A SEX SLAVE FOR YOU AND THE FIRST TIME YOU SEE HER IN 3 YEARS YOU ARE FORCED TO RAPE THE WOMAN YOU LOVE AND PRETEND TO BE THIS COLD ASSHOLE?? HUH?? CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT ! ! !

right. anyways. this was painful.

honestly, i'm just glad once Hermione remembered what happened, she never gave up on Draco and showed him how much she loved him even though... you know.. everything that happened in part 1. they both started healing and loving one another again, but Draco was planning to die all along so that broke my heart because i 100% think this would have a bittersweet ending but thank god it did not.

Hermione and Draco went through hell and back and i'm glad my babies finally get to live in peace in their own slice of heaven with Aurore, James and Ginny. and Topsy!! can we give a shoutout to this house elf who is one of the few creatures that survived after hitting Draco? yes.

* * *

this book WRECKED me and i am still not okay.

i'm so attached to these characters and now... i'm done? just like that?? tf am i supposed to do now huh?



honestly, even though the writing was tedious at times and the beginning was hard to get through because it really was depressing af so i had to take a break from the darkness for a few days, the character/world-building, depth, romance and character development were SO good. i just- i love everything about dramione in this book.

p.s. i know a lot of people don't like, or even despise dramione but you can't deny the excellence of dramione fanfics especially this one. oh, and High Reeve Draco is the best Draco by the way don't @ me on this.

lastly, if you're gonna read this, good luck dude.




dramione fics i want to read:
#1: manacled ➵ 4.75 stars
#2: isolation ➵ tbr
#3: the fallout ➵ currently reading
#4: the auction ➵ tbr
#5: breath mints/battle scars ➵ tbr

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodbye to the best fanfic of all time. Thank you for this masterpiece SenLinYu 💕

-

∞ ⭐ A Masterpiece - the most heartbreakingly beautiful story I've read in my entire life 💔


Word Count: 370,502 | Chapters: 77


Trigger Warning (18+): This story is extremely dark with scenes that show rape, sexual assault, self-harm, violence, torture, gore, and character death.



I have never read anything that's moved me as deeply as Manacled. This dark story dives deep into the terrible nature and psychological effects of war. The trauma and loss experienced by these characters are unfathomable, and due to the phenomenal writing, you'll find yourself sucked into this world and grieve alongside them.

It's easy to lose yourself to this story. I've read it twice now, and each time I sob uncontrollably during multiple scenes and am left feeling emotionally damaged for weeks. Fair warning, if you are an empathetic person, you may experience second-hand trauma.

But for all those who are wondering, there is a Happily Ever After (HEA) ending, but it's not quite like the fairytales. It's basically the best you could hope for, all things considered.


Summary:


"Once upon a time... there had been a girl who fought. Who believes that books and cleverness and friendship and bravery could overcome all things.

But now - that girl was gone.

She'd been all but killed during the war."


It's been 8 years since Dumbledore died and 2 years since Voldemort won the Second Wizarding War. Harry Potter is dead. Everyone part of The Order was killed - all except Hermione Granger.

After spending 16 months in sensory deprived solitary confinement, Hermione is brought out for a medical exam. Due to low fertility rates amongst purebloods, Voldemort enacted a breeding program where surviving females of the Resistance with strong magical signatures will act as 'surrogates' for important pureblood families.

However, during Hermione's exam, the healers discover an anomaly. While imprisoned, Hermione managed to isolate and magically protect parts of her mind where she no longer can remember or access certain memories surrounding the war. Voldemort believes Hermione is hiding Order secrets and tries to use legilimency to crack her mental shields, but is unsuccessful. The healers assure Voldemort a magical pregnancy is key to corroding the calcification of magic around her memories, so Hermione is assigned as a surrogate to Voldemort's most trusted general, The High Reeves, aka Draco Malfoy.

This story is broken up into three parts. The first and third sections are two years post-war where Hermione is living as a surrogate with Draco, and the second section is a series of flashbacks that recount Hermione's lost memories during the war.


Dark Alternate Universe | Voldemort Wins | Death Eater Draco | Healer Hermione | Forced Pregnancy | Imprisonment | Memory Loss | Flashbacks | Espionage | Mystery | 18+



My Thoughts:


How does one describe perfection? Where do I even begin? I could honestly write an entire essay about this story, but I'll try to keep things simple.



Regardless of the dark themes, Manacled is the most beautiful story I've ever read. This is a wartime story. It's horrifying and bleak, with very few moments of happiness. Yet somehow, in the darkness, two broken people find their way to each other and cultivate a passionate love that stands the test of time. Even though the world has failed them, they refuse to fail each other. The circumstances surrounding their love are tragic, yet their devotion to one another is beautiful.



The world-build is f*cking insane! Of course, since this is a Harry Potter fanfic, a lot of the groundwork was laid out by JK Rowling in the original books. However, SenLinYu takes it to a whole different level. The amount of depth and description surrounding topics like magical pregnancy, the manacles, legilimens and occlumency, runes, potions, spells, healing magic, unbreakable vows, and the use and long-term effects of dark magic is astounding. I am blown away at SenLinYu's creativity to seamlessly expand upon the fantastical world of Harry Potter.


*SPOILERS AHEAD*


The moral quandary of what actions are and are not acceptable during a time of war will have you questioning everything you thought to be true. I have never read a book where I felt such confusion over the main character's actions. Throughout the entire story, Hermione and Draco both make decisions that go against 'good' morals. For example, Hermione willingly whores herself out for The Order and uses dark magic in order to heal injured Resistance members. Draco kills thousands of people and hurts the woman he loves all to maintain his cover with Voldemort to destroy him and ultimately save Hermione. For both Hermione and Draco, the ends justify the means. Their questionable and somewhat unforgivable actions saved the entire world, so at what point do we excuse evil if the outcome is good?



Hermione is the strongest fictional character I've ever encountered. Since the beginning of the war, Hermione did what was necessary and the things no one else was willing to do. She became a healer because there were no healers to aid The Order. She left to study abroad in Europe for two years to learn as much about war injuries to better assist The Order. She started using dark magic to find counter curses to injuries inflicted by Death Eaters. Without hesitation, Hermione agreed to be owned during and after the war by Draco Malfoy so The Order stood a chance against Voldemort. And finally, Hermione hid and forgot her memories of Draco to protect him.

Every single thing Hermione did, was to protect the people she loves - even if that meant losing herself in the process. Hermione wanted to win the war and save a world she knew she could never be a part of. The selflessness, courage, loyalty, and devotion it takes to do all these things, especially when your friends turn away from you . . . I'm in awe.

And at the end of this story, the only reason the 'light' side won was because Hermione’s light went out. She gave herself to the darkness and found salvation in the dark with Draco Malfoy.



Draco is such a fascinating character. How far would you go to protect the ones you love? While Hermione wants to save her friends and the world, Draco is driven by a possessive instinct to save what he believes is 'his'. First, it was his mother who was tortured by Voldemort and then killed in an accidental fire. Then, it was Hermione. Draco is willing to sacrifice himself physically and morally to the 'dark' side, to not have any needs or wants of his own, to protect the person he loves. Unfortunately, because of his circumstances, the only way he can protect his love is by succumbing to evil.

Draco is not a hero to anyone but Hermione. Even after the war, Ginny observes that Draco doesn't care about anything in the world except Hermione. But Hermione says,

“Love isn’t always as pretty or pure as people like to think. There’s a darkness in it sometimes. Draco and I go hand-in-hand. I made him who he is. I knew what his runes meant when I saved him. If he’s a monster, then I’m his creator.” - Chapter 76

Everything Hermione does is for the world. But everything Draco does is for Hermione because she is his world. There is no line he wouldn't cross to protect Hermione. We may not forgive Draco for the terrible things he did; however, we can understand and justify his actions.



My favorite moment was when Hermione burns the Sussex lab to the ground! What a BOSS! Not only does it just show off her incredibly brilliant mind (she literally created a new area of magic to make the bombs), but it shows she would go to the ends of the world for Draco. And as proof of her love, not only is she able to cast a corporeal Patronus, but it changed into a dragon for Draco. ❤️



Overall, Manacled is a literary masterpiece. The world-building is genius, the characters are complex, the storyline is heartbreaking, and the moral quandary is thought-provoking. My heart repeatedly broke, but somehow by the end, it was put back together - albeit with some cracks. This story has a way of making you feel things you never knew you could. Absolutely a MUST READ whether you read fanfiction or not.



Favorite quotes:


"If I'd known what pain you'd cause me, I never would have taken you. But, at this point, I suppose I deserve to burn. I wonder if you'll burn too."-Chapter 23

-----------------------------

She didn’t know how to fix herself anymore, and no one else seemed inclined to even notice she was breaking.” - Chapter 38: Flashback 13

-----------------------------

"You're like a rose in a graveyard, I wonder what you could have turned into without the war." - Chapter 40: Flashback 15

-----------------------------

"I have given myself to this war, Ginny. When it's over - there won't be anything left of me." - Chapter 46: Flashback 21

-----------------------------

“I can’t—I can’t do this again—,” he gasped. “I can’t care for someone again. I can’t—I can’t take it.”

Hermione rested a hand on his cheek and felt his tears slide across her skin and down her wrist.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, Draco.” She said the words again and again. She was apologizing for everything. - Chapter 48: Flashback 23

-----------------------------

“You are not replaceable,” he said. His hands were shaking as he gripped her. “You are not required to make your death convenient. You are allowed to be important to people. The reason I took that fucking Vow was to keep you alive. To keep you safe." - Chapter 52: Flashback 27

-----------------------------

"When he kissed her, it felt like the beginning of something that could be eternal." - Chapter 53: Flashback 28

-----------------------------

“You’re mine. You swore yourself to me,” he said in her ear, as he slipped out of her and dragged her tightly against himself. “Now. And after the war. You promised it. I’m going to take care of you. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. You don’t have to be lonely. Because you’re mine.” - Chapter 54: Flashback 29

-----------------------------

“With Draco, she felt alive. like she was breathing again after years of forgetting how to do anything but survive." - Chapter 55: Flashback 30

-----------------------------

" 'Someone will come for you. Someone always comes for you."

No one came.

Everyone was dead. She'd seen them die. No one was going to come for her.

The walls of her cell were all she had.

Everything else was darkness." - Chapter 63: Flashback 38

-----------------------------

"You don't get to have everything, Granger. There's a point when you have to realize you aren't going to get everything you want, and you have to choose and let it be enough for you."


"I don't want to choose. I always have to choose, and I never get to choose you. I'm so tired of not getting to chose you." - Chapter 67

-----------------------------

“Love isn’t always as pretty or pure as people like to think. There’s a darkness in it sometimes. Draco and I go hand-in-hand. I made him who he is. I knew what his runes meant when I saved him. If he’s a monster, then I’m his creator.” - Chapter 76

-----------------------------

"She was a non-active member of the Order of the Phoenix and she did not fight." - Chapter 77

——————————————


My Current Dramione Fanfic Rankings

⭐ = Must-Reads
🌶️ = Best Smut


Novels (150,000+ words):

1. Manacled - SenLinYu ⭐
2. Remain Nameless - HeyJude19 ⭐🌶️
3. Cruel and Beautiful World - Lena Phoria
4. The Disappearances of Draco Malfoy - Speechwriter ⭐
5. Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love - thisisselfcare ⭐
6. Various Storms and Saints - ViridianAtNight
7. Isolation - Bex-Chan ⭐
8. Bring Him To His Knees - Musyc 🌶️
9. The Auction - LovesBitca8 ⭐
10. All You Want - SenLinYu 🌶️
11. Breath Mints / Battle Scars - Onyx_and_Elm 🌶️
12. The Right Thing To Do - LovesBitca8
13. Beginning and End - MightBeWriting
14. The Gloriana Set - ThebeMoon
15. Love In A Time Of The Zombie Apocalypse - RizzleWrites
16. All The Wrong Things - LovesBitca8
17. Hunted - Bex-Chan
18. The Fallout - EveryThursday (DNF)


Novellas (less than 150,000 words):

1. Hot For Teacher - MotherOfBulls ⭐🌶️
2. Apple Pies and Other Amends - ToEatAPeach ⭐
3. Thirteenth Night - Nelpher ⭐
4. Sex Ed - MrBenzedrine89 🌶️
5. Still Life - monsterleadmehome
6. A Second Look - RiverWriter
7. The Best Of Me - MrsRen
8. Silencio - AkashaTheKitty
9. Wait and Hope - MightBeWriting
10. Between Certifiable and Bliss - HeyJude19
11.Atonement - Lunamionny
12. Incomplete - Niffizzle
13. Love and Other Misfortunes - SenLinYu
14. An Indefinite Amount of Forever - MotherOfBulls (sequel)
15. Making Amends - slytherin_prince27


Short Stories (less than 50,000 words):

1. Movements, Contrived and Improvised - HeyJude19 ⭐
2. Best Shot - AccioMjolnir ⭐
3. The Library of Alexandria - SenLinYu ⭐
4. The First Rule of Fight Club… - LadyKenz347
5. Until The Ink Runs Dry & Indelible Ink - AccioMjolnir
6. Break For Me - Ada_P_Rix 🌶️
7. Call It What You Want - HawthorneWhisperer
8. Under The Wings of The Shadow - AccioMjolnir
9. The Watergaw - smokybaltic
10. Amends - thelashjedi


One Shots (less than 15,000 words):

1. Your Lonely Calls To Me - SenLinYu ⭐
2. The Unbearable Tedium of Romance - smokybaltic
3. For Her - dirtymudblood
4. Because You’ll Like it - BedtimeFantasies 🌶️
5. Stupid Games - SenLinYu 🌶️
6. A Patient Man - LadyKenz347
7. Between Pages - DarkoftheMoon
8. An Unlikely Companion & An Unlikely Family - happy_valley
9. Potions, Perfume, and Apples - ellywolf111
10. Les Pelerins - PacificRumbaud
11. Like A Dagger To The Heart - hxllowsandhorcruxes
12. Fantasy - krissyxkat 🌶️
13. Head over Dragonhide Thigh High Heels - rubykrishna
14. Coming Down - nikitajobson and raven_maiden
15. A Matter of Practicality - OlivieBlake
16. Mistletoe - CatmintandThyme
17. Elevator - its_banannaz
18. Preface - ephemeraltoxic
19. Red or Green - SenLinYu
20. Friends - poppyclocks

[⚔Irunía⚔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

★ If an assassin’s blade ★ were made into a man,★ it would take the form of ★ Draco Malfoy★

Not me being stupefied by the fanfic written better than half of the published books I read last year.

On the cover of the Daily Prophet was a picture of Malfoy calmly disemboweling Graham Montague in the middle of the St Mungo’s waiting room.

A̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶m̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶a̶g̶r̶e̶s̶s̶i̶v̶e̶l̶y̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶f̶i̶c̶ ̶d̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶G̶R̶ ̶f̶r̶i̶e̶n̶d̶s̶'̶ ̶t̶h̶r̶o̶a̶t̶s̶ ̶b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶T̶H̶A̶T̶ ̶G̶O̶O̶D̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶I̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶r̶t̶b̶r̶o̶k̶e̶n̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶by myself

“So many schemes,” he said as he straightened and tilted his head back, appraising her with cold, mocking eyes. “Then again, I’d feel disappointed if you weren’t entertaining at least one plot to try to kill me and escape. I can’t wait to see what you’ll come up with next.”

What did I learn about myself when I finished reading this story? I'm not dead inside. 💀

Finally, Malfoy was standing over her, his face white, his eyes glittering with rage, “I have warned you. If something happens to you, I will personally raze the entire Order. That isn’t a threat. It is a promise. Consider your survival as much a necessity to the survival of the Resistance as Potter’s. If you die, I will kill every last one of them.”

One of the most soul-wrenching, beautiful and epic love during wartime stories with a superb plot that I've ever laid my eyes on.

“You’re mine. You swore yourself to me,” he said in her ear, as he slipped out of her and dragged her tightly against himself. “Now. And after the war. You promised it. I’m going to take care of you. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. You don’t have to be lonely. Because you’re mine.”

P. S. If you want to be blown the fuck away, it's better to dive in the story without reading too many any spoilers... though my tags are full of them and for that I'm not sorry.

P. S. NOT hinting at anything, but there is the link to the story you might want to download:

Manacled

While I'm off to crying myself to sleep. I refuse to review this particular book properly. 😭

[Maditales · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last line breaks my heart every time I reread this book

[chan ☆]

876 pages??? damn right i’m adding it to my read shelf.

i also hate to admit this was very good.

[rina (hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢୭ৎ⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

warning~ this review will contain my full uncensored controversial opinion + explicit language (↓)

trigger warning: rape

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢୭ৎ⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

( finished. ) 𓆩🍀𓆪 . . . 1 8 / 0 5 / 2 4 ! this is the worst fucking book (if it can even be called that) i've ever fucking read. how the hell does this have a 4.65 avg rating ?

RAPE
[ verb ]
to force someone to have sex when they are unwilling, using violence or threatening behaviour.

"manacled" by senlinyu is a dark harry potter fanfiction set in an alternate universe where voldemort has won the war. the plot centers on hermione granger being enslaved (a sex slave) and used as a breeding tool by draco malfoy under voldemort's repopulation mandate. the story explores themes of power, control, and survival, and features intense depictions of violence, self harm, suicide, death, abuse, torture, gore, psychological manipulation, and trauma. the graphic depictions of rape and torture throughout the book are excessive and gratuitous, serving no purpose other than to shock and unsettle the reader + infuriatingly being used to add "angst."

i'd like to preface this by saying i've never been a dramione shipper, and i don't usually dabble in dark romance or fanfics so (1.) this was out of my comfort zone (2.) i didn't actively seek out to read this, but came across it multiple times which was enough to pique my interest. i went into this aware of its content, but nevertheless i am still coming out absolutely appalled, horrified, disgusted, disturbed.

"manacled" takes the beloved harry potter universe and characters (which i grew up with) and transforms it into a grotesque, dystopian nightmare that completely butchers every single character but more specifically: hermione. this story is not just dark; it's disturbingly bleak and needlessly brutal. frankly, i am offended, not only bc the author created such horrendous characters which share nothing in common with the original cast, other than their names, but also because this book fucking sucks.

“ for anyone wondering, this story is not being improvised. it is long and complex and the plot was carefully laid out months before i started posting it. i'm not writing emotional torture-porn or throwing in elements for shock-value. there is a reason for everything. ” - senlinyu (the author)

then pray tell, what exactly is this ?

“ i'm being raped and my body is enjoying it, she thought bitterly and wanted to curl away. ”

“ he'd healed her, far more than he needed to. he didn't even want to rape her. ”

“ malfoy wasn't kind; he simply wasn't cruel. he wasn't as awful as he could be. he possessed the meagerest shreds of decency. ”

“ she couldn't let her mind rationalise into falling for her rapist simply because he wasn't as much of a monster to her as he could be. ”

i'm giving you the cold hard truth, THIS IS TRAUMA PORN. the portrayal of draco and hermione's "relationship" is utterly irredeemable. there's nothing romantic or redemptive about a narrative that forces a victim to bond with her rapist. the justification of draco's actions and the twisted depiction of hermione's suffering being framed as a love story is morally repugnant AND FRANKLY, STUPID.

moreover, the writing itself is mediocre at best. i recognize that this is fanfiction, so i won't critique the writing too harshly. the plot is dragged out over unnecessary, lengthy chapters filled with repetitive and graphic scenes that desensitize rather than engage. this fanfiction fails to offer any meaningful commentary on the themes it exploits and instead sensationalizes violence and abuse. + it is 1000 pages ?? although the world-building is commendable, the story's foundation is built on a disturbing and problematic premise. the concept of a genocidal monster winning the war and using characters who were children in the original books as pawns in such a grotesque manner feels incredibly icky to me.

this perpetrates rape culture. it's not some dark tropey book filled with angst. it is not a "harrowing tale," this is plain cold hard rape being glorified, being excused. i know that this is a theme that's prevalent in dark romance, but i refuse to sit here idly and say "that is okay." this is not okay, and i will die on that hill.

you want me to sympathize with a rapist ? i’d much rather eat my own arm.

the overwhelming praise it receives from some corners of the fandom baffles and concerns me. this fanfic is a stark reminder of why critical thinking and responsible reading are more important than ever. this should never have seen the light of day, and it is infuriating that this will be traditionally published ( 0★ ).

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢୭ৎ⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

warning~ spoiler section (↓)

throughout act 2 and act 3, the story reveals draco's rationale behind his repeated rape, assault, manipulation, and mental abuse of hermione. the narrative suggests that draco's actions were driven by a twisted sense of protection. the claim is that if draco hadn't acted as he did, hermione would have been in a far worse situation, as he wouldn't have been able to get her to safety. his cruelty was supposedly a facade to prevent voldemort from discovering his true intentions through legilimency. once hermione was pregnant and draco was freed from voldemort's direct control, he became "nicer," indicating his abusive behavior was a calculated measure to maintain his cover. the story attempts to justify his actions by portraying him as a reluctant participant who was also victimized and coerced into this behavior. he had no choice. but it's okay because he is not a sadist. he loves her. he does it clinically. and do not forget that he doesn't want to do it, SO IT MAKES IT OKAY. right ?

rape with a reason is still rape. rape with excuses afterwards is still rape. rape with miscommunication and memory issues is still rape. rape is still rape. rationalizing these actions by claiming they were done out of necessity does not absolve the perpetrator of the crime. no amount of post-facto excuses or explanations can mitigate the severity and impact of such violations. so don't sit there and try to convince me otherwise.

major applause to the author for writing something that resonates with many, but i personally didn't like this one bit. i really only finished this so that i could give a full unbiased opinion. i was fully expecting the ending to be hermione earning her freedom and killing off draco, which would have been much more suitable and rather poetic, but no this bitch gets pregnant and has his child. dipped my toes into dark romance, and now, never doing that again hehe fun.

TL ; DR : this is an affront to the harry potter universe and to good taste. i think that we as a society should kill off all these possessive men. #staysafe

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢୭ৎ⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

⌗ ◌ 🍶𓂃 𓈒𓏸 pre-review
﹙started﹚ㅤ𓈒ㅤׂ 1 4 / 0 5 / 2 4 ⊹

thank yew to irha for listening to me verbally destroy this atrocity.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Harry Potter Version of the darkest timeline. I could not stop reading, forgot to drink, eat and sleep.

[Yun · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

I don't read much fanfiction these days. In fact, it's been more than two decades since I've last indulged. But I still remember vividly the joy of finding stories that bring to life characters and worlds I thought had reached their conclusion and of which nothing more was forthcoming. The chance to experience everything one last time and to have it develop new multitudes never before seen is a thrill beyond compare. And Manacled totally delivered, surpassing even my wildest expectations.

I went into this not expecting much. I'd previously never read any Harry Potter fanfiction. In fact, until this story crossed my awareness, I'm not even sure I'd ever contemplated their existence. And it's certainly never crossed my mind that Hermione and Draco could be a pairing. So the emotional force with which this story hit me really took me by surprise.

I loved that this story made Hermione front and center. As a bookish gal myself, I couldn't help but love Hermione in the original series. And if I were being honest, I think the one thing I found lacking there was that it didn't feel dark enough to me. Yes, bad things happened, but by and large, everything worked out for everyone. So this story took my favorite character and moved it in a direction I'd been secretly longing for.

And make no mistake, this was dark. When you think about what being on the front lines of any war, let alone a war with magical capabilities, would mean and what sort of sacrifices would be required of everyone, I feel like this book captured it. Probably every trigger warning you can think of is in here, so please tread carefully.

But the darkness didn't snuff out the readability and addictive nature of this story. Even though this was such a long read, I absolutely inhaled it. It had the sort of immersiveness that made the imaginary world within feel so real, the actual world outside dimmed in comparison. I thought about the story constantly, perpetually waiting for next moment I could forsake my responsibilities just to read a few more pages.

I was left in awe. This was so well plotted and so well written, taking not just what already existed in the series, but also adding to the lore and fleshing it out to such a degree, I don't think I will ever look at the original series the same way again.

My only complaint is that this is a bit too long, especially towards the end. The epilogue went on and on for what seemed like hundreds of pages, spelling out in excessive detail how everything turned out for everyone. It even included scenes decades later of children growing up, which was ridiculous in the original series and is still so in this one. But since this is fanfiction, I understand the appeal. If the goal is to revisit a beloved world one last time, then some wallowing is to be expected.

Fanfiction has always been a bit looked down upon, as if being the original creator of a lore somehow equates to being the best and only storyteller of it. But I scoff at such a notion and this story proves why. Fanfiction can help elevate the canon they are based upon to more lofty and imaginative heights, and I'm all for that.

I can see why this story got an offer to be traditionally published (with all the Harry Potter elements removed and reworked, of course), and I'm definitely adding Alchemised to my TBR. I'm going to wait a bit until this version isn't so fresh in my mind, and then I'll dive into this tale again from a fresh perspective.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧

[lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

”I always have to choose, and I never get to choose you. I’m so tired of not getting to choose you.”

im going to need a couple days or weeks or years to recover from the emotional turmoil i went through reading this

im so in love im so in pain im so in awe and i may never recover

[lila · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you’re planning to pick this up, i have only one piece of advice for you: breathe in. breathe out. try not to cry. try not to howl with the injustice of it all in the end.

“I’m going to take care of you.” She held his hand tighter and pressed it against her chest. “I’m yours, as long as you want me.”
His hand slid up to cradle her face. He stared at her, his silver eyes intent. “Always. As long as I live.”

this was long. dreary. dark. mad. but i loved it with all my heart. i drank up all the craziness and it was so delicious.



this was draco + hermione “i’ll kill for you” “i’ll die for you” “i’ll take care of you” “i’ll do anything to keep you safe” perfection. i loved how they ran away together 🥹 they truly gave somewhere only we know vibes. they’re so dear to me i can’t express it in words.

“Let’s love each other forever, Draco.”
She felt him kiss the top of her head.
“Alright.”

the first part was certainly the darkest, but after that it almost seemed hopeless to me at times. in the war time. the part that hooked me the most. i always did love the angst ❤️‍🩹 i adored how draco and hermione found each other in the middle of the night and became each other’s everything. their shelter, their loves, their lives. how draco’s only condition was “save her” and he did everything to follow through on that promise.

both of them were so lonely, so broken inside, but then they found each other. they found themselves together.



hermione granger. the dreamer. the broken. the brave. the lonely. how she wanted to save everyone, everything, even at the cost of her own life was so so heartbreaking. all i can say is, no one deserved her except for draco. no one. she kept breaking herself to save everyone. even though no one truly acknowledged her opinions, no one cared about about her enough. she still stayed so strong, so brave, so unmoving in her beliefs. and draco was her safety net, the one she leaned on. 😩

Mine. She could feel it in his touch, but he didn’t say it.
Mine.
His eyes weren’t like a wolf’s. They were a dragon’s, deadly and possessive. He stared at her as though she were all that mattered in the world. It made her blood burn.

draco malfoy. he was the epitome of “he set the world on fire around him but never let a flame touch her”. he was all ice outside and never showed a single emotion, but he was fire inside fr - he burned for hermione. all because he didn’t trust himself to feel anything. and when he did, he loved so deeply. possessed so madly. it was glorious.



the way he didn’t believe he deserved her at all. the way he was so tortured and ruthless. the way he would comfort her, the way he’d save her, the way he’d kill everyone in the entire world and damn them for eternity if it meant keeping her safe. it was ⚡e v e r y t h i n g⚡

“Perfect.” “Beautiful.” “Mine.” “Mine.”

this was killing me and keeping me alive at the same time and i could not stop reading. it was so addictive and just ✨P A I N✨ all over.



draco and hermione were so fucking perfect for each other i swear. they were the DEFINITION of soulmatism. they would die for each other, kill for each other, would do anything to save each other - at the cost of anything. they were each other’s forever in a way that was so beautiful to see, end of. they were it for each other.



Draco sat frozen.
Hermione watched him and recognised the expression in his eyes as he looked down at the little person who was clinging tenaciously to him.
Possessive and adoring.

the way draco was with his daughter?? 😩 stop that was too cute i think it just broke me a little. after so many years of never getting what he wanted, who he longed for, he finally had everything he deserved and more. and please, the way they couldn’t believe it when they were safe even for a minute because they’d gone through so much - they deserve the world.

“Love isn’t always as pretty or pure as people like to think. There’s a darkness in it sometimes. Draco and I go hand-in-hand. I made him who he is. I knew what his runes meant when I saved him. If he’s a monster, then I’m his creator. What did you think was the source of all his rage?”

the sacrifices they made for each other. the sacrifices hermione made for the world were so fucking shattering and in the end, she was nothing but a foot note i was crying 😭 aurore truly spoke nothing but the truth. history was always written by the heroes, after all. and the unsung heroes, the one who truly did all the heavy-lifting, they’re left forgotten in the shadows of it all. it’s so fucking unfair but it is the way it is.

She was a non-active member of the Order of the Phoenix and did not fight.

😭😭 stop. when she did everything to save the world. stop. not me languishing so much over all of them.

bottom line; i love them. officially a dramione convert.

[rose — omigod, can u let me do what i need to do? · Rating 1 out of 5]

the most famous dramione fic on ao3!! i tried reading it 2x before but never made it past the first few paragraphs but... idk why lol i think it was the prose? i gave it a second chance bc i'm now used to the shitty prose fanfic authors have + it's summer break and i was bored and wow. i could sort of see why it was hyped up so much because the first 60 chapters were super entertaining and interesting.

i only have a few problems with the start, such as voldemort conveniently forgetting about hermione, the last of the 3 biggest thorns in his side, for 16 months until he has to be reminded. like let's all be serious his ass would never forget LMFAO not to mention how the entire plot falls apart if you think about it for over 2 seconds. this entire war was fought so they could genocide a certain group of people whom they hate for being dirty and stealing their magic etc etc but now they're like, "great idea guys let's have kids with these people we despise so much and think of as trash!" like... what? the whole point of being a "pureblood" is to have the aforementioned pure blood, which you keep pure by. you know. not procreating with non-purebloods.

there's also the fact that WOW this is super dark. at the start i was like !??!?! the entire time bc i had no idea how this man draco was going to redeem himself, and i was intrigued to find out how exactly that would happen! but the way his redemption went really disappointed me. there's nothing wrong with a dark story, don't get me wrong, it's just the way this was all handled at the end.



but before i get into that... the romance itself starts out so weird and contrived? i'm talking about the ACTUAL start of their relationship. draco hasn’t seen her in 6 years. let me repeat that. HE HAS NOT SEEN HER IN 6 YEARS. THEY HAVE NOT INTERACTED AT ALL. and OUT OF NOWHERE he is like yes i want hermione as my whore give her to me now. ???? why does he even want her???? he has absolutely no reason to give a shit about her and this is just an insanely weird request with no logic behind it. they DO NOT KNOW EACH OTHER.

the only reason as to why it's here is because the author wanted her main couple to get touchy-feely with each other without actually having to build up tension and romance between them. why not start out their relationship by giving him the runes & make it so the reason why he reaches out to the order is because he wants one of their healers because he can't find any other healer who can help him and... stuff? that makes a whole lot more sense than this super contrived start

draco is so fucking weird too. like, telling hermione to strip and bang him on their 3rd meeting after 6 years? in what world does that make a girl like you LMFAO i was heated for her when she had to apologize for not wanting to do that afterwards. that's so unattractive and slimy like you can't even defend that incel shit

another thing that doesn't make sense is that she cries a lot about how she’ll be owned by draco after the war but earlier it’s pointedly stated he didn’t force her into an Unbreakable Vow. there is NOTHING forcing her to maintain this deal after the war’s done LMFAO he’d be tried and she could easily take that chance to expose him and get him off her back. but for the sake of moronic drama, draco and hermione and other people in the order who know of the arrangement have the IQs of flip-flops.

the fact that she's a virgin also leaves a bad taste in my mouth. i hate this trope of virgin fl's x experienced ml's either way but it's worse in this fic because her one and only body is draco and then he ends up raping her ~30 times. like hellooooo?? even if he wasn’t happy about it he’s still a rapist. a rapist is defined as a noun, meaning a person who commits rape. what is rape? it is defined as: "the crime, typically committed by a man, of forcing another person to have sexual intercourse with the offender against their will." or another, a verb [with object]: (typically of a man) force (another person) to have sexual intercourse with the offender against their will. draco fits both those definitions!

back to my main point here. i hate that the only person she’s experienced is her rapist. but of course, it's a law in fiction that the fl has to remain pure and virginal for the experienced and hot ml - even when he's her literal rapist.

not to mention how NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT HOW DRACO HAS SLEPT WITH PROSTITUTES? UM... LMFAO? like the author even went out of her way to confirm this because she thinks it's so so so cute and fuzzy that hermione is the first person he's slept with where there's actual love! girl get your dumb fucking head out of your ass there is nothing you can say to justify a man frequenting prostitutes 😭😭😭 the vast, vast majority of prostitutes aren't prostitutes because they want to be and because of the monetary aspect it will never be 100% consensual. tldr he was a sick fuck even before he was like "damn i gotta rape my gf? oh well ig LOL"

before i really get into the meat of this fic, there's also some cringy moments i just couldn't deal with. for example, there's a moment right before she gets her memories back where he kisses her, she kisses back, he clowns her for it, she cries, and then starts to slam her head into a window to kill herself. i know this is a dark story and it's super duper sad and whatever but i was like ??? am i meant to take that seriously? read that back to me and tell me that's not hilarious like WHAT. another smaller one is when she was like "i am a tree" when astoria was watching her. shit had me laughing

moving on...

time skip to when he sees her again, and with hindsight, i really don't understand why he’s unnecessarily a bitch to her at the start. i'm supposed to believe that he was obsessively in love with her and promised to be her protector 24/7 but when it actually matters he's being a massive dick and makes fun of how he rapes her? the whole "voldy will see it all so he has to pretend" excuse doesn't work for me because literally what stops him from just not speaking to her at all and excusing it by saying he's disgusted by mudbloods and doesn't want to interact with them? the author wants to say it's because draco wants her to hate him which literally makes 0 sense because.... he rapes her. constantly. she'll hate him either way.

but the author was dropped on the head as a child and so you have hermione batting her eyes at draco and swooning over how he looks like a fallen angel BEFORE she has ANY of her memories and right after he's just raped her twice. what the FUCK? i get that he's the male lead, but he just fucking raped her. it's so disgusting and i can't believe no one else has mentioned this before

the entire rape thing had me like 😐 because there's such an easy way around it. like this man is supposedly head over heels in love with hermione but he didn't try and find a way around having to rape her? seriously? idk about you but if i was in his shoes i would've exhausted every possibility to not have to rape the girl i love. one of the ways is pretty gross but i thought of it the second i read chapter 7; jack off in a lil cup, wingardium leviosa the spunk, send it straight into her 🐱, and be done with it! no need for rape. and if voldy has any complaints, BAM hit him with the "i don't want to defile myself with a mudblood." IT'S THAT FUCKING SIMPLE. the point is not to rape your slaves, it's to get them pregnant.

OR. he even mentions — as he teaches hermione occlumency — that if someone tries to legilemines or whatever her she can conjure up a fake memory. why didn't he teach her to do that so they could just fool old voldy? this man did not try hard enough at all. the fact that in the past all he did was ramble about how we was gonna take care of her… girl does raping her and talking down and mocking her when she’s at her lowest sound like taking care of her?

this man did not at all try to get out of it and. like. if you were told to rape a total stranger, you'd try your utmost to get out of it, wouldn't you? raping someone is one of the worst things you could ever do to another person. you'd go above and beyond to not have to touch that other person even if you didn't even know they existed until that moment. and if you're forced to try and rape your LOVER, that's a different story altogether; you'd be desperate to not hurt them in any way and you'd definitely exert more effort and resources to not rape them. but draco doesn't do anything and i was like does this dude genuinely WANT to rape her?

the rape isn't even handled well. it is literally just an accessory to make the story more tragic, with it's only purpose being that and to beget a dramione child. when hermione got her memories back and was angry at draco, i was like !!!! yes!!!!! do not forget how his fake ass treated you!!!! i was so vindicated but that is literally all we get and after that moment all his rape and maltreatment of her disappears into thin air and both hermione and draco forget all about it.

the entire time i read this story, i was just thinking, "how the fuck can you even have a happy and healthy relationship after all this?" well, apparently, you get one by pretending draco never raped hermione or did anything to her at all. bitches defend his ass too as if feeling bad about it all makes him innocent. if i have to kill someone and i'm sad about it but i kill them anyway i'm still a murderer. feeling bad does not take back your actions LMFAO like you still did the shit you did

she forgives him asap, with her fuck ass asking him, “how’ve you been? :3” you know what he’s BEEN doing? raping you. like??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?? and then all she does is get sad over his marriage and how she wants to touch him and how she'll never see him again? i wanted to smack that woman so hard. i was so heated that my face was just contorted into a disgusted expression the whole time i read scenes where hermione pined pathetically after him.

suddenly, the months of abuse are gone and have evaporated from her empty skull. the reason why? the writer can't linger on it. if she does, draco will be painted in too bad a light and then there will be no happy ending. so once rape has served its purpose of bringing enough grimdarkness and sadness to the narrative, she discards it completely. you can do this with other things, but rape? something so serious and real for so many people? with a topic like that, you HAVE to be adept and careful with how you handle it, but senlinyu was just like. nope! don't care!

and the absolute fucking NERVE of him to still be a dick to her after everything he’s done to her. BITCH. i was so pissed like you do not get to be a piece of shit to the woman you’ve raped and given an unwanted child to. that man should've been at her feet, licking the ground she walks on the entire time. i wanted to cry out of anger when i saw hermione whining after draco despite everything. like i had to pause and walk around my room when her stupid ass was like “noooo ur mine:(“ STAND THE FUCK UP WOMAN

and none of the fans of this shit fic wanna talk about how he goes out of his way to demean her when he doesn't need to. this man who's supposedly in love with her, to the woman who saved his useless fucking life. are you serious? there is ZERO excuse "oh he wants to show he hates her" he can do that by just making a face and covering his nose and being like "ew filth" LMFAO like? demeaning her AND raping her = unforgivable. literally unforgivable. there is no excuse.

when her ass told him to stay. AND SHE APOLOGIZES TO HIM? GIRL. HE RAPED YOU WHAT THE ABSOLUTE FUCK ARE YOU APOLOGIZING FOR? HE SHOULD BE THE ONE GROVELING HOLY SHIT

UGH my entire point is that the rape has no lasting ramifications on either of the characters. like, great! he has somewhat of an excuse for his actions! doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be any consequences. like. hermione can still understand why he had to do what he did but still be wary of him. just because she understands doesn't mean that magically she won't feel the effects of his abuse anymore. just because he had a flimsy excuse for what he did doesn't take away from the fact that he DID rape and abuse her. she should not be so cozied up to him bc imagining the man who won’t shut up about he’s gonna take care of you rape you 30 times? LMFAO

senlinyu wants to be like "no... no i didnt glamorize rape omg how could anyone say that..." you can say whatever you want girl like the proof is right here. think it bodes pretty dismally for us as a society that this fic is so popular, especially because it's popularity is coming in a time where we seem to be sliding further into conservatism and media that brutalizes & sexualizes female pain.

a central theme of this fic is the effects of trauma and we get into a lot of nitty gritty detail over it; it is not a chapter of manacled unless hermione is crying or having a seizure. senlinyu has previously established how willing she is to delve deep into the psychological effects of everything the character's have gone through, but when it matters most, we get... nothing. going through what hermione went through would give her lots of trauma to work through. you can't just transition from being absolutely terrified and disgusted by your abuser to being head over heels overnight. she gets panic attacks and seizures from having to touch grass (i'm not kidding, she fell to her knees because she had to go outside) but when it comes to her rapist she's totally fine! that's absolutely not how it works. even if she loves him, she should have to deal with the fact that the man she loved and trusted did so many horrible things to her.

the writer has already constructed these rules for trauma and mental health earlier on in the story but she ignores all this when everything is unveiled. hermione LITERALLY was spasming and flailing around on the floor because she was too scared to go outside, but to have her show even the slightest amount of discomfort around her rapist and abuser? perish the thought! that's so completely unreasonable!

it just oversimplifies everything they've gone through so they can have their HEA and it doesn't feel earned in the slightest. like i said earlier, the rape is only there to add another sprinkle of tragedy. it's like how chefs add parsley as garnish to a dish. when you choose to center your story around such a heavy topic like rape you should execute it a way that makes sense, not trivialize it like the author does here.

give me at least something! like, why can she kiss this man so easily and have sex with him again so fast? i was at a loss for words when i read it for the first time because this man was abusing her and making her life hell for 6 months but it's conveniently glossed over because the writer knows good and damn well that a relationship like this would NEVER be able to work out. and there's nothing on how she’s having a literal rape baby? ginny is the only sensible character in this entire goddamn story holy shit i hate her in canon but when she was calling draco out i was like yes... YES SPEAK YOUR TRUTH! DON'T LET THEM SILENCE YOU!!!! her ass deserved all the glory hermione didn't get that's for damn sure. hermione's stupid ass deserved to be erased from history and the author thought she ate her ending up but i think the historians did everyone in the wizarding world a solid. and the fact that dramione just have a kid who interacts normally with the wizarding world nullifies this ending because nothing stops the child from just publishing a tell-all memoir about her parents. don't even tell me the wizarding world wouldn't eat that shit up because this is the single most popular het fic ever published on ao3. but ofc you have senlinyu doing mental gymnastics to explain why akshually their child wouldn't want to clear their name because she wants to have her sad ending.

the only reason i finished this was to see if the other surrogate girls got their revenge, and... they don't! there's a sentence that stuck with me because it was so haunting and it was when the death eaters were all talking about their surrogates and one was like "oh i broke mine completely LOL i bend a finger and she's ready for me and she loves to blow me now and i make her do it everyday at breakfast" girl i was sick to my stomach reading that but they don't even get that. just more tragedy porn

my last thing is that i really think this fic could've greatly benefited from a few chapters from draco's pov. i don't need a whole thing where he details his entire life story, but just his reaction to seeing the girl he loves begging him not to hurt their child and having seizures over it, having to hold her down and let voldemort destroy some of her most treasured memories, watching her deteriorate in front of his eyes. there is so much potential angst and character building you could milk from it all but we get NOTHING. especially since what happened to his mom traumatized him so much and now history is repeating itself with the only other person he’s ever loved???!?! like hello this is such a missed opportunity!!!!! i would've thrown this fic a bone and at least given two stars if we'd gotten draco pov chaps

tl;dr read if you like rape being used as a shiny little accessory!

[Lucie V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG.

What.
Thefuck.
Was.
That?

All of the fucking stars. All of them. 😭 This was THE BEST THING I'VE EVER READ. The most heartbreaking, yet beautiful story ever. 😭

“Let your Gryffindor die, Hermione. Don’t try to be brave. Don’t try to be clever. Just keep your head down.”

✅✅ Morally grey characters 🖤
✅✅ Fleshed out and complex characters
✅✅ Angst and dark vibe
✅✅ Plot
✅✅ Hate-to-love / Tension
✅ Pace
✅ Twists
✅ Amazingly well-done flashbacks
✅ Writing
❗️❗️ Trigger warning: on-page rape, torture, mutilation, gruesome killings, and self-harm. Mention of attempted suicide. This is a very dark dystopian fiction.

Resignation and hopelessness had entwined themselves with her soul since the moment she watched Harry die.
After watching most of the people she loved die in agony, she’d known her turn to suffer was lying in wait.
Now it had come.

Definition of a book hangover: the way you feel after obsessively reading Manacled for 2 days straight, and now have to go on with your life, but cannot because 95% of your brain is still busy thinking about Manacled and Dramione and your emotions are fucked up and don't know how to go back to normal.

One upon a time… there had been a girl who fought. Who believed that books and cleverness and friendship and bravery could overcome all things.
But now-
-that girl was gone.
She’d been all but killed during the war.

Harry died at Hogwarts' battle, Voldemort won and killed almost all the members of the Order. Hermione has been a prisoner since Harry's death, with no contact with anyone, and no access to her magic. Being one of the only living Order's members remaining, she holds important secrets that would allow Voldemort to finally eradicate the Order, but her memory was affected by her 16 months of captivity, and now she can't remember. She is sent to the High Reeve, Voldemort's right hand and most efficient killer, so he can work on her and bring her memories back.

I have read a lot of FanFictions when I was a teenager and didn’t have much money to buy “real” books. This is not a FanFiction. It’s a fucking masterpiece that completely wrecked me.

Survivor’s guilt, she tought, that was the Muggle term for it. Such a paltry description. It didn’t capture even a fraction of the breadth of agony in her soul.

I was not ready for this. I was so not expecting a fanfiction to be this addictive and amazingly well written. I started reading the first chapter two days ago before I went to bed, just to see what all the fuss was about, and here I am, having read over 1200 pages in two days, having sacrificed a few hours of sleep, and wondering how the hell I was supposed to survive this FanFiction with my heart intact. I know that I will obsess and think about this fiction for a looooooong time.

“It was always the last thing she said to him.
The moment before he apparated away, as he stood in his Death Eater robes, she’d say it rather than goodbye. She’d catch his chin in her hand and stare up into his eyes.
“Be careful. Don’t die.”

I felt SO MANY emotions while reading this story. The angst-lover in me was more than well-fed with this dark and dystopian adventure. There is so much angst, hurt, and despair, but also courage, passion, and love weaved through all the darkness and hopelessness. The way the story unfolded with the flashbacks allowing us to finally understand how Hermione and Draco got into this situation, was out of this world! I am not usually a fan of flashbacks, but I am giving a standing ovation for the way it was done in this book.

The first part of the book is the darkest. Read the trigger warnings before you jump into this one because it gets pretty dark and twisted. There are many scenes with physical abuse, rape, torture, anxiety attack, suicidal thoughts, and gruesome killings.

“I always have to choose, and I never get to choose you. I'm tired of not getting to choose you”

The second part is a series of 38 flashbacks that finally show us how Hermione and Draco survived during the war, and what sacrifices they had to make. It's also the part that brings everything together. The part that allows us to understand why they ended up being this way and why a hate-to-love relationship between them could feel natural and logical, against all odds. The attention to the details and the connections between the "present" and the events shown in the flashbacks is insane. I was flabbergasted.

Malfoy wasn’t kind; he simply wasn’t cruel. He wasn’t as awful as he could be. He possessed the meagerest shreds of decency.

I was never a huge fan of Harry Potter FanFictions for some reason, so I did not read a lot of them, but this one is just phenomenal. I always loved Hermione much more than Harry (she clearly is the MVP in this series), and I also found Draco to be much more intriguing and complex than Harry, so having this Dramione epic story was everything that I didn’t know I needed. This story is the ultimate and most perfect dark Malfoy redemption story there is.

He was cruelest when he was vulnerable.


She had never hated Draco Malfoy before.
He had simply been an indoctrinated bully, a symptom of a disease which others were responsible for. Now – she hated him. For what he had become. For what he had done

Seriously this story is heartbreakingly beautiful and just tragically heartbreaking at the same time. The fantastic plot and the pace made it SO addictive! It’s been a long time since I had the “one last chapter” syndrome that bad. I had to refrain so many times from skimming in the second half of the book because I was just so anxious to know what would happen, but at the same time, I wanted to enjoy it while it lasted because I was so afraid of the way it would end. There was a 50/50 chance of having a happy ending or a tragic one, and I couldn't know for sure until the epilogue.

“Just live, Hermione.” His voice was shaking. “That's all I am asking you to do for me.”


“He pressed his lips against her forehead. “You’re better than anyone,” he said quietly, the words brushing against her skin. “This world doesn’t deserve you at all.”

The hate-to-love relationship between Hermione and Draco is one of the best I've read in my whole life. I was a little skeptical at first: how can she possibly develop feelings for him after he's killed so many of her friends? After everything that he's done and said? How can he love her after despising her for so many years? How on Earth could that possibly happen without feeling forced and unrealistic? But the way their story developed, and the way their feelings evolved makes so much sense once you get to know this new version of Hermione that is just exhausted by the war and this new version of Draco that is full of self-hatred.

“I’m sorry—I’m sorry—I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for everything I did to you,” he said, his voice hoarse and broken. “I love you. You left, and I’d never told you.”

Seeing how Hermione felt all alone because she was one of the only members of the Order advocating for the use of Dark Magic when fighting against Voldemort's army, and how it created a rift between Harry, Ron, and herself broke my heart. She was willing to do anything to save them, and she was repaid with contempt and insults. Also seeing how Draco was one of the only one who really saw her and her worth, and discovering what he was willing to do to save her felt comforting and tragic at the same time. Seriously, I've had so many feelings while reading this fiction, it was a freaking non-stop roller coaster.

You are so much more than what the war has made you into.” Her voice shook slightly.


Her fingers stopped at the onyx ring, and she stared at it, replaying their past.
Blinding pain and burning devotion in equal parts.

Discovering why Draco had become such a ruthless and cold killing machine, and how he saw no hope of redemption for himself was painful. The author did an AMAZING job with him and with this darker and more ruthless version of Hermione, and I love this broken version of them so much more than the original version. Seriously, this one Fanfiction is better than the whole series.

You are without a doubt the most exceptional asset the Order possesses.
I am sorry for that.

I know the author had a part of the job already done for her since this is a FanFiction and she used the world-building and characters that JK Rowling created, but the way she gave a new life to Hermione and Draco leaves me speechless. The writing level of this Fanfiction is way above the level of many published novels I’ve read. I am still shocked that this jewel is free and was written by a fan and not a published author. This is, hands down, one of the best stories I've read. Ever.

There are so many quotes that I adored and sometimes I just had to take a break to absorb all the intensity and feelings and to reread those few lines that meant so much for the characters... I am totally fangirling about this fiction. It's even worse than when I discovered Twilight when I was 14 years old.

I want to make the world I wanted to live in.


She was a non-active member of the Order of the Phoenix and did not fight.

OMG. That last line broke my heart. 😭😭😭



Fanart by ksenita_art



Avendell also created such gorgeous and intense artwork to go with this Fanfiction, it made everything even more captivating and dark.

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[Anasofia’s library · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t get past chapter 58. This book was the most slowest thing I’ve ever read. It didn’t even feel worth it. Overhyped honestly. AND GUESS WHAT? it wasn’t even the triggers that got me. I didn’t mind those. It was the fact that the book was BORING.

[NAT.orious reads ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS, each a shard of my heart ★★★★★

This book is for… mature Dramione fans who can handle dark narratives. TW: mental, physical and sexual abuse. War. Torture. The whole plate basically

⤐ Overall.
This story. My goodness, this story. It maimed me, mauled me, made me hope and fear and grab my chest to calm my beating heart. I'm honestly doubting whether any of the 800 books I've read in my life made me feel and cry the way this book did. There were tears rolling down my cheeks as I was writing the pre-review. No review in the world will ever do this story justice. I'm not even going to try.

After finishing Manacled yesterday evening I sat on my bed, unmoving, tears streaming down my face. This book destroyed me on some level. It proofs that we NEVER know the whole story and that history is ALWAYS written by winners, clueless historians and pretentious scientists. It was the last sentence of this book that tore me apart:

‘The Hogwarts Trio, Christmas 2002. Harry Potter with friends Rond Weasley (See: Weasley, Ron, chapter 7) and Muggle-born witch Hermione Granger. Granger left England at the start of the second Wizarding War to study healing abroad. She survived the war but died during imprisonment while a surrogate in the Repopulation Program. She was a non-active member of the Order of the Phoenix and did not fight.’

The pieces that are me will never fit together as they did before reading this. Hermoine was an active member and she did fight. More than anyone will ever know.

⤐ What’s happening.

‘I wish you luck, Miss Granger. You are a better friend than Harry Potter will ever deserve.’

Despite what the history books of the future will write about Draco and Hermione, it is save to say that, in this fanfiction, they are just as much heroes of the Second Wizarding War as all the other people who lie beneath the ground or were torn to ash and dust, remembered, forgotten, honoured or cursed.

Harry is The Boy Who Died. He was killed by Voldemort who now rules Britain and is attempting to stretch his realm beyond the limitations of the isle. But that's not his only plan. He wants to repopulate the isle and is using female war prisoners as sex slaves for his loyal and most trusted Death Eaters in order to replenish the population. Among them Hermione, with distinct loss of memory, no allies or friends, the last living member of the order. She is given to the High Reeve, a figure that has provoked almost as much fear as the Dark Lord himself. His name is Draco Malfoy.

_____________________
5 STARS. Absolutely loved it. Memorable read that I'm likely to return to. Takes up space in my mind long after I've finished it. Oftentimes a particularly insightful read. Will recommend it with my last breath.

[m · Rating 5 out of 5]

they’re finally somewhere only they know!! (I can’t breathe)

[isa · Rating 1 out of 5]

holy SHIT. women are cooked. we are so fried. what are we doing.

no amount of flashbacks, hermione’s explaining, harry and ron bashing, or anything you can name can make me believe this could ever be okay. there is a term for what this is, and it’s “rape porn.” this is ALL this is. i get dark fiction to some extent and all, but this is something entirely new. if draco doesn’t want to rape hermione like it’s claimed, then he fucking wouldn’t. if he loves her like it’s claimed, then he’d die instead of hurt her.

hermione “loves” him because of stockholm syndrome. a lot of times mischaracterization to this level is because of self-inserting and i really REALLY hope this isn’t the case here.

this story is supposed to be “sad” and “dark” and “break you” but i really feel like this could’ve been a one shot and done the same thing. hermione gets raped FIVE TIMES a month for a period of time so she can be surrogate for draco malfoy’s baby on top of being tortured by his pureblood family members and his ACTUAL girlfriend (including astoria gouging hermione’s eyes out ???).

i need you people (women) to wake the hell up. i do not care that this is fiction. this is… like, crazy. i don’t even have words for it. imagine the worst pairing you can think of, and imagine them in this situation. i am 10000000% sure you will not see this fanfiction the same after doing that. please, for the love of god, please stop promoting and reading misogynistic rape porn where a woman is handed over to her oppressors and forced to surrogate a baby, and then die. the only message this sends is that women are baby machines.

i cannot think of a single reason to read this. i would not recommend this to anyone with a gun to my head. as a rape survivor, this fic and the support behind it AND the fact it’s mostly women is actually sickening. this has happened throughout history and even today to women, but you all are fantasizing about it and romanticizing it. if you headcanon hermione as black or bipoc while reading this, a special “fuck you” to you for that, as an indigenous person.

if you resonate with this story in any way, i genuinely hope the best for you as someone who has been raped a handful of times. please, please, please do not read this again or at all if you’re looking at this review to see if you should read (for some reason). hermione almost gets raped by greyback at malfoy manor in deathly hallows, and personally i think that’s enough of that plotline for me as that alone makes me want to squirm.

once again, rape survivors, i am with you and please get the help you need in any shape or form if you are able to. if not, please find anything to do except read this fic and romanticize your own traumas. i would offer my dms on twitter but god knows i’ll be attacked for leaving this review.

stay safe, and please don’t read this fucking fanfic. i’ll say it outright again, it is misogynistic rape porn.

[B(ea) · Rating 4 out of 5]

fuuuuuckkkkkk i’m NOT CRYING I’M NOT EMPTY INSIDE I’M NOT IN PAAAAAIIINNNN

[manas (traveling) · Rating 3 out of 5]

➳ cheers to my first introduction to hogwarts ☆

“i’ll take care of you,” she whispered. “i’ll do everything i can to be a good mum. there’s a potion i can make when you’re older. then—then i’ll be able to go outside with you sometimes. you won’t be trapped with me. when you grow up and want to go, i’ll let you go, i promise.”

this is my first introduction to harry potter. i have NEVER read the books or watched the film, so i am unsure how to feel about this. right now i am right at a 3 rating, and this could be subjected to change. while it is nice that i went into the story blind and with no prior knowledge, i also feel like this was jarring for me as i did not have the same emotional attachment to the plot/world. this is an objectively well written story, and i can see why many people enjoy/love it. i am somewhere in the middle of my feelings for the book.

“you did everything you could. more than anyone should have ever asked.” “i’d rather die in your arms.”

“my entire life is comprised of emotional fallout.” he looked feral. “sometimes—i don’t have the capacity to handle any more of it.”

“you have done more than anyone should have ever asked from you. let me save you now. please, take the risk of believing that i can.”

i will not go into the boring details and explain the synopsis and break down characterization as i am not the best person to do so. there are so many better reviews that will do justice to that HAHA. i have read many five star and one star reviews of this fan-fiction and i can see both sides of the argument. i don't think you NEED to be acquainted with the characters before reading this, however, i do believe it can help your enjoyment or emotional reaction/response of the narrative. since this follow draco and hermione, as the main leads, i think that the story was adequate enough for consumption. while a lot of people say this is DARK romance, i personally don't think the romance is at the forefront and is rather a side plot. i am however, glad i did not listen to anything or anyone before reading, because i do believe i would've lowered my rating even further.

she was a non-active member of the order of the phoenix and did not fight.

“if you don’t want me to kiss you, you should say so now.”

“i thought we’d both suffered enough that we’d get to have each other”

“but”, he said after a minute, “at this point, i suppose i deserve to burn. i wonder, if you'll burn too.”

lastly, my besties keep asking if i cried... i am sorry to say—i am a cold hearted bitch. no matter how hard i force my self to shed tears for anything, they don't come. i instead look constipated. i would not read this if you are TRYING to cry, but rather go into it with an open mind and you may enjoy the plot? i would probably never read this again though, if i am being honest with everyone.

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Her hand pressed against her stomach, and she gave a low sob. “I don’t want to choose.” Her voice was rasping, and it hurt to speak. “I always have to choose, and I never get to choose you. I’m so tired of not getting to choose you.’

WOW!! This was an absolute masterpiece and is so deserving of all the praise it has received. I am completely blown away and cannot stop talking about Manacled to literally anyone who will listen. This was my first experience reading fan fiction and I am amazed by how spectacular this was. 🤯 Especially considering it’s not a published novel or even considered to be an official “book.” It feels crazy to say this, but this may just be the best thing I have EVER read! The list of trigger warnings is LONG and should be taken seriously. BUT, if you can stomach the content, this is a must read book for every Harry Potter fan. If you have not already done so, PLEASE do yourself a favor and read this near perfect work of fiction while you still can!

PSA… after 2024, Manacled will no longer be available to read online. The author received a book deal and will be reworking the story and removing JK Rowlings world and characters in order to publish this as a marketable book. I am so happy for her! She is so so deserving of a book deal and I will 1000% read her published work when it is released. BUT, I am already so sad that this version of Manacled will be lost to the world. 😫 I might even have to read it again before the end of the year. It’s THAT good. Friends, this is your sign to download Manacled to your Kindle STAT. 🏃🏽🏃🏽‍♀️

Infinity stars and all the feels for Manacled. 🌟💕 I will never recover.

Senlinyu, you are a Queen. 🙌🏻 Can’t wait to read everything you write for the rest of time. Amen.

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: Buddy reading with my sister-in-law. 😊 My first ever fanfic!! This is easily one of my most highly anticipated reads of the year. Really hoping it lives up to the hype! 🤞🏻

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

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[Melanie (meltotheany)]

“I always have to choose, and I never get to choose you. I’m so tired of not getting to choose you.”

apparently i wanted to start 2025 off in the most unhinged way possible (going back to my earliest internet roots reading hp fanfic). but i was very influenced from booktok telling me i had until dec 31th, 2024 to download this (which also made me extra curious to read before this gets reworked and traditionally published).

i do not think i am going to rate fanfiction on here, but this is one of the best i've ever read, truly. senlinyu is a really good writer, and story teller, and i was inhaling this every night unable to stop until way past midnight for the first five nights of the new year. with equal time spent kicking my feet, screaming, and rolling around my bed like a maniac.

i can't wait to read whatever senlinyu does with this story without the cursed nostalgia ip that truly started enemies to lovers for me.

blog | instagram | youtube | wishlist | spotify | amazon

[Penny Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

... well. *ahem*

Some people love dark romance. I am not one of those people because either:
1) the fall-out isn't handled well / believably and I get frustrated with the lack of realism and repercussions, or
2) the fall-out is handled well and I'm exhausted by the realism and repercussions.

This book fell into the #2 category and, let me tell you, I was EXHAUSTED by the last 1/3 of the book.

I recently had a discussion with my oldest about how I (personally) rate books and whether I rate them as a publisher or an author or a reader or both or what. Reader trumps all, and if I love a story and get swept away, it doesn't necessarily matter whether the prose if perfect or if there's repetitive word choices, etc. I'll give that book 5 stars because it has succeeded.

But sometimes I read a book and I give it 5 stars because I'm so impressed by it as an author-- the depth and intricacy of the plot and character development, but I didn't necessarily *love* the story.

I did not love this story. I loved parts of it, scenes, sections. But some of it was just too much and my brain wouldn't let me disassociate and lose myself. Call it self-preservation. The beginning of the book is very much this way. The middle part of the story was phenomenal, and I was able to read it fluidly. But then, in the end, we were back to reading it at a distance so I could find out what happened without getting too involved.

All of that said, if you enjoy Dramione fanfic and don't mind dark elements, but you haven't read this one yet (or are afraid to) then you REALLY need to read it. It's so passionately written, a story crafted with the purest love for the characters.

I may not have loved this story, but I certainly did adore it.

[Reggie Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this 10 stars I would. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time (or probs forever).

I picked this book up out of the blue not thinking I was going to enjoy it, but it ended up altering my brain chemistry & became one of my favorite books of all time. It was tragic & beautiful & I lost count at how many times I completely sobbed. As heartbreaking & difficult as it was to read at times, it was also written incredibly carefully & beautifully. These characters are everything.

So glad I picked this up- especially when I did. It was addicting, it moved me, & I will never be the same.


**SPOILERS BELOW**

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FIRST!! This book was so incredible that I think it’s ruined a lot of books for me moving forward. I’m sorry, but I dare someone to give me a book with a better enemies to lovers. It was absolute perfection. I hated Draco & then fell madly in love with him.

To go along with that, I loved how I questioned Draco’s actions (& even Hermione’s at times) for it to then start to make sense in such a beautiful & twisted way.

DRACO & HERMIONE together is my fave but also separately. Their characters were so complex. I loved it. I feel like most men in a fantasy enemies to lovers books are way too similar. Draco is a different breed. He’s soooo different & fascinating.

I think I fell in love with this book so much because even though the characters were put through things I can’t imagine, I saw a sliver of myself in Hermione & my husband in Draco.

The ending of this book was the best mix of happy & sad. Aurore & Draco & Hermione are my favorite trio. My mom heart couldn’t handle the epilogues. And Ginny getting the final kill was ICONIC. I NEED AN AURORE & JAMES BOOK NOW.

[cherie ^_-★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars ⭐
⤷ mini spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

“She was a non-active member of the Order of the Phoenix and did not fight.”



ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
welp! i guess i’m a heartless bitch now because this—despite all the warnings about how devastating it would be—didn’t hit me nearly as hard as i expected 😭 i went in fully prepared to sob my way through, especially since i’m (unapologetically) one of the biggest crybabies EVER, but nope! not a single tear was shed 😐 that’s not to say it wasn’t dark and emotionally heavy, so please check the trigger warnings beforehand. on the bright side, i did manage to finish it in four days right before the month ended, so i deserve to give myself a pat on the back 😌

anyhoo, my biggest struggle with this was the pacing. i knew it would be slow given the length, but it draggeddd 🫩 things were happening, but at the same time, it felt like nothing was happening if you get what i mean 😭 it was also really repetitive for the most part, and i often found myself bored and struggling to stay motivated.

the romance fell flat for me too. the enemies to lovers and the possessive MMC tropes were written well, but for some reason i just didn’t feel ANYTHING 😭 maybe it’s because i was never a dramione shipper to begin with (i've always been a harmony/harmione shipper 🫢)? 🤷🏻‍♀️

on top of that, the way the characters were portrayed in this didn’t sit right with me. it made hermione seem so weak and harry come across as a jerk 💔 i know it’s a fanfiction for a reason, but i just couldn’t separate them from the characters i grew up with in the movies, and that’s totally on me.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
this was… definitely an experience! 😮‍💨 i didn’t hate it, but i didn’t love it either, which is such a bummer because i was hoping it’d be my newest obsession ☹️ oh well! at least i can say i’ve finally read manacled—and honestly, that feels like an accomplishment in itself 😭

────────── ⋆⋅end⋅⋆ ──────────

pre-read
i’m about to tackle the longest—and probably most devastating—book i’ve ever read so wish me luck…! 😅

(i decided to switch from Alchemised to this instead since i’m a huge Harry Potter fan and feel like i’ll connect with it more).

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return)]

“You’re like a rose in a graveyard. I wonder what you could have turned into without the war”🖤

“He’d set fire to the world around him but never let a flame touch her” 🖤



The HP story diverges from canon following the conclusion of Order of the Phoenix- inspired by The Handmaids Tale as well..

I've waited far too long to start this one... 😩

[AboutEstelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

« She was a non-active member of the Order of the Phoenix and did not fight. »
Merci Clara 😭

[꧁ ༺Minne༻ ꧂ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If he’s a monster, then I’m his creator.”

All the stars in this universe and it’ll never be enough ✨✨

Maybe it’s a good thing GR got rid of DMs because I would’ve lost a lot of friends from spamming Have you read Manacled?

I’m going through a tirade of emotions right now. I feel so volatile. I just wish I could curl up into a ball and not feel for a second. It’s too much.

THIS BOOK WAS PURE AGONY.

I don’t think I ever got to fangirl the way I wanted to after Alchemised because I wrote the kind of review I thought would be helpful for first time readers. Because that book had me screaming "SOS save my soul" during the first 40%. In this one, I’ll just be talking about my feelings, reading experience, and also the differences between Manacled and Alchemised, without any spoilers, of course. Everyone needs to experience this for themselves. This review is even longer than usual, so I’m really sorry in the advance 🙏 Please feel free to skip over parts where I’m nothing but a blubbering mess.

I think most people know by now that Manacled is set in the Harry Potter world, while Alchemised is inspired by Manacled.

I’m beyond glad I read this. On one hand, it’s different from Alchemised in ways that matter to me. The book structure, names, places, and even the magic system in Alchemised are changed. The villain feels more like an enigma, and there’s added lore woven into that story - which I actually missed here. It added another layer to the story. On the other hand, it’s much easier to see the influence of The Handmaid’s Tale here. I also felt far more connected to the side characters, even the ones who only appear in flashbacks. Their personalities and motivations felt clearer and more real to me. Overall, this was a smoother read than Alchemised. It was easier to fall into this world, probably because the language and terms are familiar thanks to its direct connection to HP, and the story feels more straightforward at the beginning.

Seeing as I read Alchemised first, I know my opinion is a bit biased. I can’t tell if this felt easier because it actually is, or because I already knew what was coming. But I do get the sense that reading this first might have made Alchemised more digestible, not because they’re the same story, but because of the foundation this provides. That said, I wouldn’t recommend reading this if you haven’t read the HP series and plan to. It’s not a good introduction at all 😭 Alchemised might be the better option in that case since it stands more on its own, if that makes sense.

This story is literally a cocktail of everything I usually hate in romance. Rape, cheating, OW drama, an unhealthy amount of angst, a secret relationship, and a very ugly start to the romance. BUT THEY ARE THE VERY THINGS THAT MAKE THIS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. This book is everything. Everything. Everything.

What made it even more unsettling for me is that these are characters I adore. Watching beloved characters from my childhood endure this level of suffering is a little traumatising to be honest. And I won’t lie, this book kind of makes Harry look like shite 💩 so if you love him, please leave your adoration at the door and brace yourself a little. I think I might need to read the HP series again to remind myself of the right order of things and the series’ real ending.

When it comes to the premise, it remains the same as Alchemised. There was a Great War in the Wizarding world. Voldemort won. Hermione is the last surviving member of the Order of the Phoenix, and Draco has become the High Reeve, Voldemort’s right hand and executioner. When Voldemort personally examines Hermione, he invades her mind through Legilimency and immediately encounters blocked memories. He deduces that Hermione is hiding something of importance. The problem is, Hermione herself doesn’t remember. Her memories from before the war are gone.

What secret is so powerful that even its owner can’t access it? This becomes the story’s greatest mystery.

Hermione was never my favourite character in Harry Potter. I liked her by association (please don’t cancel me 🙏😘), but this completely changed that. How was she written even more beautifully here? I felt everything. Her loneliness, her exhaustion, her inner conflict, her pain. I hate how everyone treats her. They call her a bitch. Yet, she’s the kind of person who protects everyone else at her own detriment. It just makes you want to scream but who protects you? Why does she only feel valuable when she’s expendable? She goes through more than any fictional character should. And her quiet strength really moved me. She also infuriated me at times, but mostly I wanted to hug her, cry with her, soothe her, be her friend, tell her everything would be okay. I’m just glad she had Draco. I’m glad they had each other. What is it about two lonely broken people falling in love? It didn’t even feel romantic. It felt like survival, like they needed each other to breathe.

I initially avoided this because of some narratives I saw on social media about how the book is written for those who have a “rape kink”. And now I’ve read it I think I have an entirely different perspective. The way those scenes are written is not titillating. They aren’t overly graphic and the emotional weight we feel from the MCs is nothing but nauseating. It highlights the horror without glorifying it. It also shows the psychological impact and the dissonance that can occur between the victim’s body and mind in certain circumstances. It’s horrific and it’s meant to be. For me, it wasn't sensationalised. It’s portrayed as one of the many horrors and consequences of the world the characters live in. Not even your favourites are safe. And when the full truth starts to unfold, when all the separate pieces finally come together, It’s like dying a second time. It’s so heart breaking. It’s messed up. The angst. Bloody hell the angst. I don’t even know if this is healthy. I can’t remember if it was this bad in Alchemised. but somehow it feels worse this time. Why does it hurt even more the second time around?




I don’t know how it’s possible but I truly love this even more than Alchemised.

It’s crazy that I only realised, while writing this review, that we never get things from Draco’s perspective. How maddening would that have been. It would’ve been double the torture. Seeing how Draco is with her when they first meet, he is so DESPICABLE that I felt personally attacked. I wish I knew what was going through his mind. Despite being familiar with the story, I hated him. Oh lawd, I hated him with the heat of a thousand naked suns. Again, I wish we could send emotions to fictional characters, and that all negative emotions were received as coal or something even more useless. Because at least coal can be used as fuel.

I love how war is discussed here. There’s so much nuance to it. Some characters are idealistic, while others are realistic to a fault. It’s not just about good and bad. At the end of the day, it comes down to choices and consequences, and what one is willing to sacrifice.

And the epilogues! (same as in Alchemised) They were love. I’m not easily surprised by book endings anymore, but I was here. It was perfect for the story. It literally played out like a movie scene in my head. I’m just in awe of how this was written. The story is so complex and long, and while I did notice how wordy, messy and sometimes redundant (especially towards the ending) the writing can be, it never becomes confusing or nonsensical. I still found it pretty easy to follow. It only asks the reader for patience and endurance.

I don’t want this book to have a sequel, and yet I do. No matter what, I love it in every form and iteration. Go read this. Do it for me. Do it for yourself, but mostly do it for me. I beg you.

I know that I don’t need to reiterate this to my friends, but I still want to say that these are my subjective thoughts and feelings. And I believe if a book is not for you, that’s okay. Give it a proper thrashing, tear it to pieces, if that makes you feel better. You gave hours of your life to it. But I don’t believe insulting/shaming other readers or abusing the author is the way. It’s okay to not understand why others might enjoy certain content. It’s okay to not understand everything. If we did, we wouldn’t have different experiences, and what fun would that be? That said, respect and a safe space are things I think we at least owe each other as readers.

And now I’m going to gorge myself on all the Manacled fanart I can find.















🚨 ​This next one is for people who have read the book. Keep scrolling ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️











































I FEEL SO STUPID PEOPLE. THE CLUES WERE THERE. I should’ve known:

“Where did you learn to heal?" she asked, thinking back on all the spells and diagnostics he'd known immediately.”

“You—have a natural talent for healing. In another life, you could have been a healer," she said”

















Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･

This is me trying to reread without rereading. Alchemised marked my soul 😭💘​

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

In what may go down as one of the worst decisions I've ever made, I read this immediately after Crescent City #3 in an effort to avoid a book hangover. Which I now know is a lot like drinking 15 Jager bombs to ward off a hangover from a glass of wine. I am unwell.

This was arguably one of the best, most well-constructed, and intelligent fantasy books I've ever read. It is also one of the most devastating. I typically read to escape and my brain clears its cache after every couple of books so while I might have deeply enjoyed a book while I was in it, it's typically unlikely I'll remember many of the details a few weeks down the road. This will not be the case with Manacled. I'm pretty certain it's already started replacing the original HP cannon in my head.

There is so much to rave about with this book especially regarding the character development and plot but the things I find myself most impressed by are the meticulousness with which the system of magic was laid out and the absolute and shocking credibility of the romance between two traditionally non-romantic characters. It was immaculate. I want to say that I would read anything this author writes BUT I frankly don't know that I could afford the necessary accompanying therapy.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

From darkness to hope, heartbreak to resilience — this trilogy is a wild, emotional ride 🪄⛓️🖤

📖 Book: Manacled
🖋️ Author: SenLinYu
🌟 Rating: 4.15 ✧
⛓️ Genre: Dramione fanfiction / Dark romance / Dystopia
🪄 Summary: Set in a post-Voldemort-defeated alternate Harry Potter universe inspired by The Handmaid’s Tale, this trilogy follows Hermione as she navigates imprisonment, memory loss, and an oppressive dystopian system. Through twists of fate, stolen memories, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with Draco, she must find her strength, uncover hidden truths, and fight for both love and survival.



─── Manacled: Part One - 3 ✧ ───

♡ What I loved most:
• The dystopian atmosphere: it was dark, chilling, and immersive — this society’s cruelty was haunting yet captivating 🕯️
• The Harry Potter references: the clever nods and hidden layers made it feel like a canon-adjacent continuation ⚡
• The cracks in Draco’s facade: even cold and strict, his glimpses of care made his character achingly real 🧊
• The ending: it gave us a sliver of hope after relentless darkness, setting up Part Two beautifully 🌒
• The emotional depth: the fear, claustrophobia, and fragile hope were written with such precision 💔
• The beautiful prose & artwork: they elevated the reading experience, making this feel far from “typical” fanfiction 🎨

✘ What I didn't love:
• The overwhelming darkness: the slow pacing and constant anguish made it feel heavy and at times exhausting 🖤

───♡─────────────

୨ৎ Overall:
Part One is intense and heavy, but undeniably well-crafted. While the darkness weighed on me, I could already see the brilliance beneath, and I knew I had to continue. 🌘



─── Manacled: Part Two - 4.75 ✧ ───

♡ What I loved most:
• The timeline jumps: so vivid and layered; each shift made the story achingly immersive 🕰️
• The shocking reveals: they were emotional and powerful, hitting me over and over 💔
• The clever concept & execution: the prose was beautifully haunting and original 🧠
• The seamless Harry Potter integration: it felt like canon, heartbreakingly expanded ⚡
• The character depth: it was true to canon but fully realized, believable, and complex 💫
• Hermione’s relationships: so many heartbreaking and tender bonds before the dystopia fell 🖤
• The enemies-to-lovers slow burn: it was painful, messy, and unforgettable 🔥

“‘Malfoy always comes for me.’”

• The love story & nostalgia: so sappy and poignant; my heart hurt beautifully 🕊️

“‘I always have to choose, and I never get to choose you. I'm tired of not getting to choose you.’”

• The emotional intensity: this book was a tragedy, a revolution, a memory stitched with hope 📖

“Someday I am going to love him in a moment that isn't stolen, she promised herself.”

───♡─────────────

୨ৎ Overall:
Part Two is extraordinary. Layered, emotional, tragic, and romantic, it’s a story that lingers long after the last page. My heart ached in all the right ways. 🌌



─── Manacled: Part Three - 4.75 ✧ ───

♡ What I loved most:
• Hermione regaining strength: seeing her rise after so much suffering was deeply satisfying 🌸

“‘You’re like a rose in a graveyard. I wonder what you could have turned into without the war.’”

• The raw, beautiful sacrifices: Draco and Hermione’s devotion was gut-wrenching and pure 🩶

“‘I have warned you. If something happens to you, I will personally raze the entire Order. That isn't a threat. That is a promise. Consider your survival as much a necessity to the survival of the Resistance as Potter's. If you die, I will kill every last one of them.’”

• The rich, layered present timeline: knowing their full history made everything more impactful 🧩
• The prose & execution: it was gorgeous, clever, and immersive ✨
• The resolution of threads: every side plot and emotional layer was addressed thoughtfully, making the ending feel complete 💌

───♡─────────────

୨ৎ Overall:
The conclusion delivers an emotional, intelligent, and deeply moving payoff. This trilogy as a whole is unforgettable: tragic, original, and heartbreaking in all the best ways. I’m so glad I read it. ✨

xoxo, until the next book 🪄⛓️🖤

[molly lou]

No word in the English language can truly encapsulate the experience of this fic. I am ruined.

[margo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cannot stand dramione bitches who like this fic, its so bad 😭😭