Basically, I'm pretty sick of seeing Auror!Harry in 90% of Post-Hogwarts fics out there. Just because we want to do or be something when we're 15 doesn't mean we're locked into that profession for the rest of our lives.

Has anyone read/written anything where Harry has a more original or underused profession?

 

Well, according to Jo, he did become an Auror after Deathly Hallows, so most people like to imagine what it is he does in his day to day life after school.

 

Off the top of my head, there's Wizard for Hire by DarkSyaoran.

It features a Harry who basically does a bunch of odd jobs at the request of his clients. The fic is still fairly short with a few snippets here and there but it has a very good quality to it and Harry's character is highly enjoyable to read.

 

DAMN THOSE WIZARD COPS!

 

There's an Unspeakable!Harry fic where he travels to Albania to get to the bottom of the dark rumors and presence there once and for all. He discovers the Rogue Encampment and Tristram there, and fun stuff happens.

 

...In Albania?

 

Link please Anarchy

 

I've always wanted to read a fic where he becomes the DADA teacher, at least for a few years. That's always felt more natural than him becoming an Auror.

 

I read a story where Harry is a Barrister, and a couple of others where he goes into business or becomes an investor. I've also read some horrible stories where Harry is basically a stripper or some other denizen of the night.

Also a few assassin fics.

 

Why would you read any of those stories?

 

Auror, DADA teacher, Quidditch player, Unspeakable, Cursebreaker are the most common. Add "permanent holiday/travelling" and that pretty much encompasses every post-Hogwarts fic. Though there are a few with him working as a different profession in the Ministry e.g. Lost Time by Amerision.

 

It is the sort of thing people would expect Harry to go for, to be honest.

Hence why they're (over)used.

 

I am merely aware of the existence of these stories. Most of the time this stuff is clear from the summary. I'm not that bored that I'd actually read them.

 

Strange, considering you prefaced all of yours with "I've Read", which does seem to imply that you've read them.

 

Ah. Well, being honest, I did read the Barrister one. A couple of chapters. I've seen the summaries for the rest. I should have been clearer.

 

Well I read this recent one where he becomes a consultant for this secret government organization. He helps them in their problems while dealing with other special people in the world. It's damn good so far and looks to be keeping up on it's quality.

 

It's my experience that Harry takes other jobs if the story puts him in the muggle world or in a crossover.

In Refiner's Fire he worked with a tile shop and learned to make artistic mosaics. That and the well-made muggle OC girlfriend were the best parts of that fic.

In the Avengers crossover fic that seemed to inspire Roarian's much better example, Harry was a mechanic. ('Cause Harry's really good with his hands, and is able to make Tony Stark's engine perform like no other...)

Doghead Thirteen wrote a crossover with the Biggest Catch where he had his own fishing boat. It might be named after Hermione (no, I don't think it's 'the Sea Bitch', but good guess).

Another of the Caer Azkaban lot wrote one where he and Dean Thomas run a shoddy beach resort bar. This seems like a proper reward for the life lived in canon, but it doesn't make for a dynamic background for epic adventure.

That's really my point; Harry is an Auror, or Master of Death, or a Quidditch star, or Defense Professor, or the Headmaster because those are the jobs that keep him in the action.

 

I prefer Curse Breaker to lead into adventure stories.

 

Yeah, this is typically what I've run in to. Though I recall, sometime ago, reading a fic where Harry was a Healer. There was a little bit of dialogue referencing Harry's "saving people thing" in regards to his choice of being a Healer. I wish I could remember that fic...