Alteration's actually way more interesting than people give it credit for, but yeah - the fast travel thing and self-buffs do kill the narrative momentum if that's all you're doing.
The thing is, Alteration in lore is about changing the nature of things. Not just yourself. So instead of thinking "what spell do I cast before combat," think about what she's doing to the environment or enemies. There's Paralyze, obviously, but also the transmutation spells - turning iron to gold, leather to steel. In a fic, that's not just "she casts a spell and gets richer," it's her reshaping matter. That's powerful thematically, especially for a Nord mage who's probably fighting against the idea that magic is un-Nordic.
Telekinesis is another one people sleep on. Yeah, it's "move stuff," but in a story it reads as precision and control - she's not blasting enemies with fire, she's disarming them mid-swing, throwing them off balance, pinning them. That's a different kind of threat. More tactical.
And honestly? Mage Armor and the Alteration perks that boost it are genuinely interesting if you lean into the cost of them. She's not just buffing - she's maintaining a constant magical shield that requires focus and stamina. That's a vulnerability. If she gets distracted or runs out of magicka, she's exposed. That creates actual tension.
For your Stormcloak fic specifically, there's something neat about a Nord using Alteration to prove magic isn't just flashy destruction. It's control, precision, will imposed on the world. That fits the character arc way better than "Nord mage does what every other mage does."
