So many fics have a Harry that's not really ambitious. Who's content to be mediocre and "normal" - this gets on my nerves.

Where is that Slytherin ambition the Sorting Hat was going on about in the first book? It's nowhere, nowhere at all of canon and much of fanfiction.

Writers tend to get around this hurdle using cliches such as "Harry is the heir of the founders and inherits power so he doesn't actually need to seek it", or "Harry has this incredibly rare talent no one else possesses and doesn't need to seek any power" - another rather stupid plot device that allows the writer to keep a meek, average Harry that never had to work for his own skills.

What are your favorite fics with a Harry that's intelligent and ambitious? Where he actually works to get away from mediocrity?

I personally liked fics along the lines of Joe's trilogies, the Denarian trilogy, The Skitterleap, Magicks of the Arcane, Emperor (some parts of it), etc.. but I'm looking for more to read!

More AU and/or darker, the better! Mentor fics, perhaps? I would prefer no slash.

 

Santi's BWL?

 

"With you at my side" has a smart and ambitious Harry with an equally smart and ambitious Hermione.

 

forging the sword i guess and demons feign, merlins pain features a smart harry

 

Great suggestions, but I've read those too! Something along the line of Santi's BWL would be awesome.

 

burgundy blues

---------- Post automerged at 08:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:33 AM ----------

this is the summary,
Harry and Hermione are 'child prodigies'. Destiny managed to throw them together and they form a bond far stronger than any seen in the wizarding world. They use their intelligence to bring innovations into the world that have not been thought before.
you should feel bad:facepalm

 

It got a nice amount of magical theory, some nice world building with foreign magical cultures, and doesn't retell canon with cosmetic changes. Good enough in my book.

Edit: Also, it is finished. No fear of the author abandoning it in the middle of the plot.

 

I could barely read till the end of chapter 2, its so full of clishes and fanon bullshit

 

It basically says that Wizards are morons and needs two child prodigies from outside their culture to show them that. Another muggle world is better fic.

 

The Birth of Evil by DisobedienceWriter.

 

I'm assuming you've read Jbern's stuff?

Bungle in the Jungle

Turn Me Loose

To Fight The Coming Darkness

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I just finished Hogwarts Battle School and it was AMAZING. Any other suggestions?

 

Santi's the bwl updated