I was just minding my own business, not even thinking about Harry Potter when Facebook bombarded me with fan fiction groups. I chanced upon this one who the posters push at everyone’s face. And naturally I got curious. I have not touched the Harry Potter franchise since finishing the books and the movies. I am vaguely aware of the fan fiction that surrounds it but have generally stayed away because, well, there are so many things to read and not enough time! Also, well, we all know what’s up with the author.
Anyway, I relented. I downloaded the file and was immediately thrown off balance. Wew. This is not your typical trip to reminisce about Hogwarts. The story is harsh, unrelenting, and incredibly human. What SenLinYu did with the Harry Potter world is just short of epic.
Manacled is heartbreaking from the first page. You are immediately thrust into a nightmare. It’s the worst dream of a Potterhead. Voldemort prevailed and Harry died including all of the Weasleys. Of the inner circle, only Hermione Granger is alive and was imprisoned with her memories purposefully erased. The hopeful spark that typically sits at the heart of the Potterverse and the warm hallways of Hogwarts are no longer there.
THis is a brutal, unvarnished examination of survival, loss, and power. Stay away if you’re squeamish about violence. There are some scenes that are genuinely nauseating and I left it for about two days before I decided to get back to it. Torture, rape, forced reproduction, and broken minds attempting to regain some semblance of wholeness are all present. It’s unsettling, but probably that’s precisely what makes it so hard to stop.
I think the writer took care so this story doesn’t merely shock for the sake of shocking. It’s clearly crossing the boundaries between moral compromise and trauma. Power (and versions of it) is displayed as it truly is, both ugly, complex, alluring, and destructive. This has incredible emotional depth. Buckets of tears and hiccups filled the days when I was rushing through it. I forced myself to take a quick break between chapters to catch my breath. I had to rethink about my moral boundaries before immediately getting back into it.
Hermione was rebuilt here but even in the most terrible situations, Hermione remains herself. She is obstinate, intelligent, contrarian, and broken by everything she has been through. Yet she still clings to what she perceives to be a choice.
Draco here is a jumble of contradictions. (Did I mention that it’s a Dramione ship which is apparently all the rage for the past 10 years lol). It was hard for me to see Draco turned into a sort of hero lol. Well not exactly a hero but you read it to judge) It’s heartbreaking to watch them traverse this dystopia, but it’s also strangely hopeful because it illustrates how people still seek connection even in the face of a destroyed world.
People have praised Manacled as the best fanfiction they have ever read, surpassing many published novels, in my experience. And truthfully? They’re not incorrect. The writing is incisive. The structure is brilliant, with its disjointed memories and gradual revelations. The stakes are frighteningly real. It’s a twisted epic in and of itself, not just a dark alternate universe. It is understandable why it has become so popular outside of normal fan circles, and even appearing on BookTok and Goodreads.
And yeah, it’s long. The PDF version clocks in at 1,018 pages. That puts it in the same territory as Les Misérables or War and Peace. WTF. It’s longer than Order of the Phoenix by a good 150 pages. So don’t expect a quick read. This is a full-body plunge. You will lose days.
Where to Look for It (Read at Your Own Risk)
Searching for “Manacled” by SenLinYu on Google will bring up Manacled on Archive of Our Own (AO3). There is also a version hosted on Archive.org if you prefer PDFs, such as the Manacled.pdf file I downloaded from archive.org. Completely free and simple, even for offline reading.
Seriously, I’m still amazed it’s free. Just steer clear of the shady bootleg print copies floating around. If you loved it, consider tipping the author on AO3 or checking out her upcoming rewrite, Alchemised, an original novel based on this fanfic for a more official, non-fandom experience.
I think Manacled is worth every broken nerve if you’re looking for a story that’s equal parts brilliant and devastating. Again, READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL. If you’re planning to read it get ready to feel a little ruined. I wish you luck in putting it down. You could spend an hour staring at the wall after becoming emotionally dehydrated.
