Is it just me or does anyone else get annoyed with Harry characterisation in non Harry centric fics? Yet to read a good non Harry centric fic where he has a good characterisation. Sure you are writing about Ron, Hermione, Draco or whoever but that doesn't mean you can change Harry character and ruin his character. For example take Hermione centric fics they make Hermione the hero and have Harry do nothing. This is what I noticed when I was reading starfox fics the other day.

 

I'm not sure, what you mean, since his character traits do change from book to book. He had a evolving character trait and he also act irrational at times. So his character can take a drastic change, if Hermione starts seeing his arch nemesis in school Draco Malfoy or someone he doesn't like for an example. Even Ron can act emotionally and react differently to say Harry or Ginny. If she started seeing Malfoy during school.

 

What I mean is having Hermione or whoever be the hero who defeats Voldemort and the Death Eaters and totally sidelining Harry who is the actual hero. Non Harry centric fics do this of sidelining Harry even though he is the hero.

 

The whole point of a non-centric Harry fic is to make another character the hero. Complaining about that is like seeing a fic advertising DM/HP and complaining Harry is gay.

 

Obviously fanfiction doesn't have to adhere to canon, but I understand OP's point. It's annoying when a fic goes out of it's way to treat Dumbledore's character like shit, so why would taking a massive dump on Harry's character be any different?

It's like fics where Ron and Hermione are bashed by completely removing their accomplishments. Transfiguring matchsticks into needles? Harry's the main character, might as well have him get it first. Troll attacking Hermione? Harry could have dealt with it on his own, no need for Ron. Giant game of chess? Harry's awesome, obviously he can win a simple game of chess. Logic puzzles? Hermione's annoying, just let Harry solve it.

Now obviously all these things can be done without actually bashing Ron and Hermione - but it still takes away from their characters a bit. If you like either of them, that would definitely end up detracting from the story.

 

I tend to agree the whole point of a non Harry centric fic is to give other characters a chance to shine like have Ron be the hero for once or Hermione. It's like complaining a fic is Draco x Harry, when the cannon pairings are Harry/Ginny or Ron/Hermione when Hermione is paired with another male character. Fan fiction can take many paths for the story or plot. I get his point but disagree with the premise of his argument.

 

Fan fiction can take many paths, but that doesn't mean you can't criticize a story element.

This isn't really OP's point, but it's something I firmly believe - you don't need to make one character less impressive in order to make another character more impressive.

I don't care if you're making Draco, Snape, or Hagrid the protagonist- if you change a character and as a result make them less compelling, without adding anything to the story, that is shitty writing.

 

The problem with Harry when viewed from an active protagonist perspective is that when you get passed his "destiny", his status as a living McGuffin, and his knack/willingness to get himself in harms way/save the day (seriously, Harry potter's survival instinct level: depressed lemming); he is an incredibly average teenager.

So if you don't throw things at him (which you won't in a non-HP centric story), his lack of drive, curiosity, smarts, ambition, and social graces kind of makes him look... mediocre. And that's because Harry is the hero because his name is on the tin, not the other way around.