In key areas, especially the judiciary system, it's way behind the real world.

 

That doesn't fit Dumbledore's character : he considers protecting his students a priority above all else. Also he was the one who banned corporal punishment at Hogwarts if I remember correctly (although that could be fanon). My personal theory is that any interference from Dumbledore's part might amount to coercion, and the blood protections require full consent on Petunia's part to work right. Really, anything else is very irresponsible (not to mention cruel) on Dumbledore's part. But then, he did get the Order to interfere after Harry's fifth year (Really Dumbledore, fifteen years too late, don't you think?) so that theory doesn't make complete sense either.

And that still doesn't forgive Dumbledore just leaving Harry on the Dursley doorstep with only a letter as an explanation. The whole situation is just a gigantic clusterfuck. Best to call it a plot hole and move on.

Most of what we "know" about their judicial system is fanon.

 

And in some areas it is more advanced than the real world.

The magical world seems to have total gender equality and free universal healthcare (we don't see people paying for St. Mungo's).

 

Britain has free healthcare too, and gender equality. So, nope, Wizarding Britain is not more advanced.

---------- Post automerged at 15:16 ---------- Previous post was at 15:14 ----------

I am only talking canon here. Torture as a punishment, people executed on the minister's order, kiss on sight orders, the executive trying to get rid of Harry through a mock-trial, Hagrid getting sent to Azkaban on the minister's order... the list gos on and on.

 

Bullshit abour the first part. Bye bye

 

Good authors make bad cliches great entertainment. That said, no one is infallible. I read things I wrote last year and cringe, and I'm sure most of you do the same.

As for the OP, the only cliches that make me stop are:

- Over-the-top abuse. Being smacked repeatedly in the first chapter by Vernon's meaty fist pretty much covers it.

- Ridiculous angst. I don't mind Harry crying over Sirius' death, but being suicidal about it is rather extreme, doubly so for Cedric, Harry's mother/father or any other character who may be offed during the story. Alternatively, someone dying that's important to the main character and they don't even notice.

- Piss poor bad guys. Cruciatus!Voldemort, Babyvoice!Bellatrix, myfatherwillkillyou!Draco, Manip!Dumbledore etc.

- Writing a letter in the first chapter, usually to a romantic interest. "I've never thought about it before, but Ginny really has grown into a beautiful girl. Nevermind if she's my best friend's little sister, or that she's thirteen and wouldn't know a dick from a corncob, I must write my soulmate a letter immediately!"

- Lily and James portrayed as evil or flawless. Harry thinking negatively about his father over his abuse of Snape. Blaming Sirius for leaving him at one year old (or when he dies).

- Any plot divergence that negates any conflict from canon. Ex: Pettigrew caught before 3rd year. Similarly, any divergence that negates the conflict, yet it still shows up in a contrived way. Ex. Pettigrew caught before 3rd year (resulting in Sirius being cleared) but Voldemort's still reborn by someone else.

- Harry to Azkaban for reasons.

- Turncoat!Ron and Hermione. 4th year "I'm a dick with ears" Ron. Over-the-top jealousy. "You're CHEATING with that book!" Hermione.

-Batshit!Luna/Trelawney. No explanation necessary.

-Any of the trio picking on Hagrid, Dumbledore or any professor not named Snape or Sybill EVER.

-Romantic interest's POV for half a page at the beginning, followed by no more mention of the character until Harry reaches Hogwarts/links up with his sextoy.

- Fruitless attack on Hogwarts Express. Dementors, Death Eaters, flying squirrels, whatever.

- Finding out about important things (Crouch as Moody, Sirius is a good guy, Harry and the prophecy) WAY before there is any reason for them to know. Usually followed by training montage.

- All inheritances. All trips to Gringotts within the first chapter.

-Animagus potion.

- "How can I swim or dance? I've never been to the beach or out on a dance floor! I'll need someone's help because I couldn't possibly figure these things out by myself."

- Trunks. Extra wands. Magical contacts. Usually, time turners. Deux Ex Machina in general.

-The Power OF LOVE.

-A notebook with an important message from Harry's mom, who apparently kept detailed notes of her Hogwarts years as well as details regarding James and Severus, the first rise of Voldemort and/or the founders (sorry, Newcomb).

- Harry dies. Crossover begins. (sorry, Taure).

- Mentor!Snape unless he's an unwilling participant and Harry hates him with a passion.

- Good guys suddenly and inexplicably being bad. See: Molly, Ginny, McGonagall.

- Quoting canon word for word because the author couldn't think of another way to write that scene.

- Ridiculous fucking disclaimers. "This is my first time writing Harry Potter fanfiction even though I've written sixteen Naruto one-shots and a few Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Telletubbies crossovers. I'm really fond of JK Rowling's portrayal of Hermione and Snape's characters, and my best friend, who I met in our u-18 church softball league, challenged me to write a romance. I know its a bit squicky, but no, I don't think its weird that an eleven year was impregnated in the first chapter."

 

Yeah, I don't really see that many fics where Hermione turns on Harry, too much fanwanking about her character in general, and it seems not many people are capable of imagining such a scenario where it might happen.

But as far as Ron is concerned, yeah, it's awful how often people fall into Ron bashing all too eagerly. More so after that recent JKR thing about how things might have worked out better for Hermione with Harry.

 

I can't stand fics which are poorly disguised soapboxes to talk about issues.

Harry Potter and the Mysterious Curse of the Girl Who Lived, obviously a "Muh Trans" fic. Nice cause, but its not subtle about that being the center piece of the story, so I don't bother with it.

Are their any Gender switches of Harry or other main/supporting characters where the story is done well?

and the key point about Dumbledore's age is that what he considers abuse and unacceptable abuse may be different from us. He did take Corporal Punishment out of use.

---------- Post automerged at 02:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:50 PM ----------

This is 90% of fanfiction. We need a smiley that gives the middle finger.

Why? Literally nothing is set in stone in regards to that.

:fire

The second is actually quite reasonable. McGonagall actually had Harry take dance lessons of a sort IIRC.

Okay, you just plain hate Harry Potter.

Things can be different.

Things can be different, hell canonically Molly actually believed some of those dumbass rumors.

Link?

 

To be fair, the people who liked their antics in the Wizengamot the most were Fred and George, who in the books were the creators of incredibly mature items such as U-No-Poo.

 

Knoq. The shopping trips are stupid. Do you want to know why? Because they've been done in the books. Better than you or I will in our fanfics. They established things in the book, that there is a bank, what the goblins are and what they do.

Going back there again, with nothing new to tell, is pointless. Writing pointless scenes bogs the story down and fucks up your pacing.

Other than that, welcome to DLP. We think Snape is a cunt. He's an amusing cunt, sometimes, but still a cunt. Any fic that portrays him as anything else violates Potter Law and as such, is heresy.

And we don't take kindly to heresy in these here parts, boy.

 

I didn't think I will ever agree with Knoq, but I do agree with him about Snape.

Yep. People can change. It's called characterization. You know, that thing that makes characters evolve and they seem more human as a result. Also, not all people here dislike Snape. I don't mind him, so that "we" of yours is incorrect.

This is called personal preference. You don't like Snape. I get it and I understand why you do. But thinking otherwise isn't a crime. If Knoq enjoyes Snapes character, it's perfectly fine. That's no reason to say it's heresy. I certainly don't remember signing any document about having to dislike Snape when I joined this forum.

I don't mind Snape, because second fanfiction I've ever read was that totally awesome adventure story, where Harry solved a mystery and killed Voldemort along with Ron, Hermione and Snape. It was called "Harry Potter and the Pyramid of destiny". As I said, awesome story. It's such a shame it wasn't ever translated into english. It's probably most popular Czech story. There is no reason to dislike it just because of Snape, though.

 

Sure people can change. Like how Snape is alive at one point and then dead. Change.

 

Actually, no. There's right and wrong. Twilight is bad. You may not say otherwise. Snape is a dick. You may not say otherwise.

As for development. He was a jerk as a 15-year-old and unlike James, he never stopped being a jerk.

 

You guys misinterpreted my post. Think what you will about Snape. I don't care. I was defending Knoq's right to have his own opinion on him.

edit: I am done. From now on, I will stop posting and only watch.

 

Miscommunication for the sake of (romantic) drama.

Everytime drama occurs that could have been easily solved by:
-someone entering a room a second earlier/later
-asking for clarification on what someone meant when they overhear them
-overhearing a conversation from the start/until the end
-stating/asking the bleeding obvious
-not just assuming someone is saying something to spare their feelings.
- etc.

I add a strike. If a situation is not resolved within three strikes, it's out and I close the fic.

Worst offender had to be 'The Fifth Element' where the H/Hr situation had more strikes than the average French year.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_the_United_Kingdom

"Healthcare in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter, meaning England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales each have their own systems of publicly funded healthcare. A variety of differences exist between these systems, as a result of each region having different policies and priorities. However, each country provides public healthcare to all UK permanent residents that is free at the point of need, being paid for from general taxation."

 

Wizard medicine is significantly better than muscle međíčįňě

 

Starfox, you missed the part where Muggles have to pay taxes to get free healthcare, wizards don't as far as we know.

 

"Moste ancient house of etc"

Pretty sure Sirius used this as a satirical description of his family's attitude; not as the actual title. Anywhere I see this I just feel as though the author can't read between the lines and isn't worth paying attention to.