Freudian Slip

Freudian Slip is an early novel-length Harry/Ron fanfic by Arianne aka Adelaide.
Author's summary: "..in the real world, the magic is different."
The story was started before the publication of Order of the Phoenix and is set during Harry and Ron's fifth year at Hogwarts. The story is split into two "installments". The first, told from the first-person POV of an older Ron, follows Harry and Ron's burgeoning romantic relationship while Harry has a persistent illness, thought to be the flu. After ten chapters, it is revealed that Harry's illness is actually an aggressive form of lymphoma. The second installment is told from the POV of Draco Malfoy and follows Draco's own cancer diagnosis and his and Harry's treatments.
Chapter 14 of Freudian Slip was posted on July 15, 2003.Cynical Terror: Updates, archived 20 January 2004 by the Wayback Machine. As of 2004 and 2005, Arianne's Yahoo group listed Chapter 15 as "upcoming", but stated:
:"I know a lot of you out there are waiting for the next chapter of FS, but I have been INSANELY busy as of late, and have, sadly, slipped out of the HP fandom. I am not saying that I am no longer updating FS, because I would like to finish it. I am saying, though, that I won't be updating it anytime soon."take_the_slip at Yahoo! Groups, archived 12 February 2005 by the Wayback Machine.
Freudian Slip was posted at Arianne's website as well as the Harry/Ron site Potty and the Weasel. One fan's search for the fic in 2017 inspired the post "On deleting fics, going pro, and poetry and dreams".
Arianne had a page on her website for fanart for the story created by lissy (Fiendling), Britt (parvati), and Darcy (dmbdragonfly). A fanlisting was started in March 2003 by Kym (crittergal).
==Background and Plot==
The first installment begins during the trio's fifth year, narrated by Ron when he is "quite a few years older". It begins with Ron exploring his hidden talent for painting and his feelings for Harry, who has been sick with what is thought to be a common cold. Ron and Harry eventually get together and explore their relationship, while Harry seemingly recovers then relapses. The installment ends with Chapter 10, with Harry hospitalized and diagnosed with cancer, for which there is no magical cure.
Arianne included an author's note in Chapter 11 responding to readers' comments about Harry's cancer reveal. She stated: "As of late I have received quite a few emails, concerning chapter 10 of FS. Now, they were by no means ‘negative’ responses, but a tad frustrating nonetheless." She wrote that the plot was inspired by her personal experiences around people with cancer, and "I think some of the most wonderful stories involve the human struggle, and how they work and persevere through problems, and how it changes their character."Freudian Slip, Chapter 11: “GENESIS 22:1 - 19”, archived 21 October 2004 by the Wayback Machine.
The second installment is told from Draco Malfoy's perspective. Draco survives the Killing Curse apparently due to having Harry's shirt button in his pocket, which saves him but transfers Harry's cancer to him as well. Draco and Harry undergo chemotherapy together at Hogwarts. An original character named Darcy (named after the author's friend dmbdragonfly) is introduced, who has AIDS and ultimately dies. Chapter 14 ends with Harry and Draco forming an uneasy friendship as Harry undergoes experimental potions treatment, as he is not improving from chemotherapy.
==Sample Fanart==
See also: Freudian Slip fanart at Cynical Terror
File:Freudian Slip Pinstriped Harry by Fiendling.jpg|"Pinstriped Harry" by lissy (Fiendling) for Chapter 9, "Prelude to Pavor".
File:Freudian Slip art by parvati.jpg|"Ron comforts Harry" by Britt (parvati) for Chapter 10, "The Parting Glass".
File:Freudian Slip art by dmbdragonfly.jpg|Manip of Harry and Ron as Miki and Kozue from Revolutionary Girl Utena,Described as as "skirty manipulation" on one version of Ariane's fanart page (archived 16 January 2004). Compare Miki and Kozue art from L’Apocalypse:2 (VHS, 1997), posted by Empty Movement 28 May 2018. art by Darcy (dmbdragonfly). "Missing scene" from Chapter 9, "Prelude to Pavor": "This is the inside joke that WILL NOT DIE!"
==Recs and Reviews==
The story was recced at Crack Broom on August 14, 2007, but the post has since been deleted.Memorable Harry/Ron Entries, Harry/Ron memories at crack_broom on LiveJournal. "2007-08-14: "Freudian Slip" by cynical_terror (a.k.a. Arianne)" (Dead link).
==References==
Category:Slash Fanfiction
Category:2002 Fanfiction‎Category:2003 Fanfiction‎