I would definitely read that. Seems like it would be a good story to have little romance subplot, just because its an easy way to add stakes to a story.

Mystery would do that as well, though.

 

You had me at "half-formed wood poltergeist that keeps throwing sour apples at him."

 

Dumbledore discovers a piece of magic that allows you to capture and store the free wandering part of someone's soul after they have made a horcrux. Except being soul magic and feeling there must be some horseshoe opposites allegory here about dark and light magic requiring significant sacrifice, this magic requires someone to willingly sacrifice themselves to perform it.

So in Harry's first year when Voldemort is possessing Quirrel, Dumbledore decides that he will sacrifice himself to contain Voldemort's soul and prevent him from being able to be resurrected via this route in future.

So no Voldemort (sort of) and no Dumbledore.

 

Would Skeeter be the greatest threat then? (Along with the general public.)

 

Second year would change dramatically without Dumbledore, firstly Lockhart isn't gonna get hired since Dumbledore only did so because he wanted to expose him as a fraud, Mcgonagall wouldn't hire him.
Then there is the Heir of Slytherin situation, which not only has decent chance to succeed and unleash Horcrux Riddle on the Wizarding world, but also almost certainly would close Hogwarts, since Fudge originally only allowed it to stay open as long as it did, because he had trust in Dumbledore's ability to handle it.

Pettigrew would also still be hiding as a Rat, Sirius still be in Azkaban, Crouch Jr would still be with his Father, and other Death Eaters like Greyback would still be free.

Honestly there is a lot you can do with a premise like that, from Harry goes to another school, to Harry has to deal with a number of Dark Wizard each powerfull in their own way, but still substantially weaker than Voldemort. Without a master soul Voldemort Harry also doesen't have to necesarrily be with the Dursleys anymore.

 

After debacle with Chamber of Secrets, Lucius Malfoy and his old circle figure out that Voldemort is still around and trying to return for sure. However, realising that Voldemort was never for pureblood agenda and was only working for himself, Lucius Malfoy and his associates decide to get rid of him for good.

Jump to 4th year graveyard scene, Harry vs Voldemort duel. Priori Incantatem happens and while Voldemort is busy with Harry his death eaters kill him. But horcruxes* you may ask. Answer is his old Death Eaters found and destroyed every single one of them. They tried to also kill Harry at that moment but Harry escaped.

While Harry returning to Hogwarts and telling everything to Dumbledore , there is declaration of Voldermort's return. Dark Marks appear in many places with declaration of war against ministry. Lucius Malfoy and his associates, suffered most in the reign of Voldemort, being his unwilling puppets under imperius, pledges their support against Voldemort to Minister Fudge.

At this point Lucius and co. is in sort of damage control mode. Their main plan was to anounce return of the Voldemort with death of Harry Potter, but now plan switches to discrediting Harry Potter.

Death Eater attacks rage every week. Harry's image of "Boy Who Lived" and his standing on wizarding perception is completely destroyed since Voldemort isn't vanquished apparently. Dumbledore is accused for creating myth of Harry Potter. Meanwhile, Death Eaters are working hard to arm Minister Fudge with as much authority and legal powers as possible while trying to make a puppet out of him for themselves.

That's it. It is a setup for weird funhouse version of 5th book. Dumbledore and co is trying to expose Death Eaters and convince people Voldemort is gone for good while Death Eaters are spearheading the fight against Voldemort in a war they conduct both sides.

*I decided to disregard scarcrux for this, but if you want something extra here are two other options

• After his newly resurrected body got killed by his death eaters, Voldermort's soul is barely keeping it together and latches to scarcrux. Effects of this on Harry may vary.
• Voldemort is a spectre once more. Planning for another way to return while his Death Eaters are vexed by his survival. Now they are geniune for their desire to fight against Voldemort.

 

That's a really solid premise for a story in my mind. There's been a ton of discussion over the years about how it's implausible for a close to canon Harry to fight Voldemort on an even footing, but the Tom Riddle from the diary only has a few years on him.

 

So this is kinda derived from the HP Twists thread,

But Harry Potter. End of fourth year.

Harry is cleaning out the Dursley's attic. Dudley comes upstairs to torment Harry. They find an old board game: Jumanji. Harry get's pulled into the game.

Twenty-five years later, Voldemort rules the world and Scorpio and Rose find the game. Out pops an insane Harry who has spent the past years in the world of Jumanji. They have to finish the game while running from Death Eaters so that Harry can go back and stop Voldemort before he wins.

But first...they have to find Dudley to finish the game.

 

Just a little AU I've been pondering...

Spoiler: Spoilered for Length

First Year: After waking up in the hospital wing and hearing Dumbledore explain that Snape had actually been reluctantly looking out for him all year, Harry decides that Snape may be a bastard, but he still deserves a thank-you for saving Harry's life during the Quidditch match where Quirrell cursed his broom.

Tracking the potion master to his office before the leaving feast, Harry tries to thank him. Snape, being Snape, says something rather caustic and asshole-ish in response. An angry Harry demands to know why Snape hates him so much. Snape explodes. In a particularly vicious rant, Snape reveals that he doesn't hate Harry for being a shitty potions student, or for being famous, or for being a Gryffindor. Even Harry's distinct resemblance to James Potter is little more than an irritant to him.

He tells him that the true reason Severus Snape despises Harry Potter is that Lily (a once-a-generation talent, a brilliant, beautiful, iron-willed genius of a witch who outplayed the Dark Lord himself) gave her life for the lazy, timid, thoughtless, mediocre, utterly unworthy crotch drippings of James Potter (who for all his faults in Snape's eyes, could still rightfully boast of having a modicum of talent, skill and dedication). Snape almost gleefully declares that Harry continuing to breath while Lily rots in her grave is one of the greatest tragedies and injustices of the war with Voldemort. Finally, a tearful eleven-year-old Harry flees Snape's office.

From that point on, becoming worthy of his parent's sacrifice gradually metastasizes into an unhealthy obsession for Harry. It consumes his life, destroys his relationships, and leads to a much more isolated, but also much more ruthlessly capable Harry; one who might even give school-age Tom Riddle a run for his money. I think it would be really interesting to explore how Harry's obsession with power (albeit a much less outright evil form of it than Voldemort's) warps his priorities and character over time. I think it would be particularly interesting if Harry never even considers "going dark" the way Riddle did; If instead he elevated the Gryffindor traits of courage and personal honor to the kind of fanaticism that would make an Imperial Commissar from Warhammer 40k proud.

TL;DR: basically Harry becomes Powerful!Harry by (realistically, imo) working his ass off to a blatantly unhealthy degree, obsessing over being worthy of his parents' sacrifice, and eventually becoming a ruthless, terrifying Paladin-like wizarding warrior who embodies the trope 'Good Is Not Nice'.

 

Here for it. Adderall!Harry. Grinder!Harry. Studies_for_The_SATs!Harry

 

That sounds excellent, as realistic a way as any to turn Harry onto a powerful, capable wizard.

One thing I'd say is to not make him too isolated though. Don't have him be the loner everyone hates, just have him be pretty distant but in speaking terms with most folk. A constant parade of "people aren't important, I don't care if they don't like me" just gets tiresome.

 

If you make him charismatic enough he could end up with a posse of like-minded people who form a band of borderline fascist paladins looking to met "justice" against their perception of wrongdoers.

 

I started writing this one for the twisted tropes but it went a bit beyond that, so it fits here better. Basic idea was Harry hiding his money from the Dursley's because he thinks they'll steal it from him.

What if they find out about his money because Gringotts send a quinquennial statement on his 5th birthday (assuming the account was opened on the day of his birth). They gain access to the money, but with strict rules about what they can use it for - your classic "managing on behalf of a minor" situation. They manage to justify using it to send him to a fancy boarding prep school in order to not have to deal with him. Harry goes to Hogwarts several years later as a well educated, socially well adjusted and outgoing boy, best friends with Justin Finch-Fletchley.

 

Seems like the start of a muggle wank fic.

 

In what way is "educated, socially adjusted, and outgoing", along with having a pre-Hogwarts best friend, a muggle wank? I mean, they're just basic personality traits, not arcane muggle-only technological advantages or something.

Though, on the other hand, "well adjusted and outgoing" being mysterious and alien concepts to the average DLP-er would explain quite a bit...

 

I didn't say it by itself is muggle wank, but rather that is seems like the start of one, though usally it's Hermione who's Harry's best friend, but another Muggleborn like Justin isn't that rare either.

Like I wouldn't be surprised if Harry and Justin appeared in Hogwarts got sorted into the same house and then continued to compare everything negatively to their old school, with a lot of complaints about the safety and how Snape would have been fired in the Muggle world. Maybe even throw in complaints how Hogwarts isn't teaching them subjects like Math and English.

 

Certainly you could launch into a muggle wank fic from that start point if you want. Or alternatively you could use Harry being reasonably highly educated for an 11 year old, and spring board into highlycompetent!Harry and powerful!Harry. Having a similarly well educated best friend driving him on to perform better. That sort of thing. Or take the socially well adjusted and go down a political!Harry route, having him making friends across all the Houses and getting around his problems that way.

 

A spot of inspiration that came to me when thinking about the "Ron the Death Eater" fanfic trope.

What if Ron was captured by snatchers immediately after ditching Harry and Hermione in DH? When they figure out who they've got, Ron is dragged before Voldemort himself. Then Voldemort threatens to have his people do horrible, unspeakable things to Ginny unless Ron tells him what he wants to know about Harry, and does exactly what the Dark Lord commands (side note: What kind of fucking retards send their only daughter to live in a school openly run by murderous, sadistic terrorists who know that her entire family are sworn enemies of their regime? And who almost certainly know that she was Harry's girlfriend? I mean, seriously Weasleys, were you trying to give Voldemort the perfect hostage?).

Choosing family over his friends, Ron tells Voldemort everything (with Voldemort's proficiency with Legillimency and Ron's proficiency at... what, maybe chess? - there's basically no chance that he can get away with lying to the Dark Lord). Furious about the Horcruxes that have already been lost, Voldemort moves quickly to secure the cup and the diadem. Ron is forced to take the Dark Mark, and is used to bait traps for his family, friends, and fellow Order members, as well as being sent to Hogwarts to infiltrate the student resistance and bring it down. For symmetry's sake, add in a scene where DE Ron pleads with Voldemort to spare Hermione when he goes to trap and kill Harry.

TL;DR: Ron-centric psychological horror/thriller story where newly-minted Death Eater Ron Weasley discovers just how low he can go, and struggles to walk the line between seeing his family tortured and murdered in the most horrific ways Voldemort can contrive, and betraying everything and everyone he once believed in.

Could be a fun concept to see a quasi-realistic Dark!Ron fic play out.

 

A literal 'Ron the DE' that is actually rather realistic? Yeah, I want me some of that.

 

We've always wondered about Hogwarts and its lack of classes like English, math, etc. So here's a plot bunny.

Harry in his 70s. Kids are all grown up, getting married or in relationships. Still sweet with Ginny, etc. But he's finally feeling the age, wanting to step down from Auror work. So he turns around and look at his old home, beloved Hogwarts.

Oh, it isn't falling apart or anything. It's got renovated over the years, a small but steady increase of students, the death toll is low. But it can be so much BETTER.

So he, at the suggestion of Neville, left the Auror office and joined Hogwart as part of the managing staff for educational reform.

The story is the political and bureaucratic struggles to turn things around. Can dwell into the recent past (post Canon future) for actual action or extra intrigue.

The end goal is to make Hogwarts reach its full potential. To be the premier school of magic of witchcraft and wizardry it has always claimed to be. To have a Hogwarts that actually have around over a thousand students (each house in the 200+ student range; 20-30 students joining a house each year).

There are also more Professors and classes, teaching English, Math, Arts, Biology, Physical Education, foreign languages, and have artificing (i.e. magical engineering) courses. Some essential and some as selective courses. But most importantly, a Hogwarts that take care of its students.

For shit and giggles:
The title of the story is Make Hogwarts Great Again.
Harry's title when he first joined the school is the Hogwarts High Inquisitor.
Resurrecting the triwizard tournament in Harry's fourth year back.

Epilogue:
Harry watches his grandchildren come to Hogwarts and beam with pride.