If it was me, I'd do a few things:

Make the characters older
Voldemort rebirth entails all seven horcruxes being brought to life at once, ie. by the end, whatever Harry hasn't destroyed is Voldemort -- with differences in each being from the time period he created the horcrux in.
Dumbledore doesn't see Harry as a child, and so he confides in him the prophecy, thus--
Harry (and others) see the need for rapid growth and learn as much as possible
Harry has multiple relationships while in college, ends up with Hermione/Ron/Harry love triangle
Harry dies at the end

 

Step 1) ctrl + c/ctrl + v
Step 2) Send to publisher's
Step 3) ?????
Step 4) Profit...

I'm terrible at young adults and preteen stuff. I'd do the above and then write what I really want to write.

 

I like to think that I would have stayed more open to taking notes from people. I have no idea about the practicalities, but it certainly reads like JK's editors stopped doing their job after she got huge.

I think that allowing writers to "stay true to their vision" is a very much overrated concept. Too often it means sticking with the original idea without making any attempt to perfect it. It feels like in the later Harry Potter books we're reading raw ideas; first drafts. Not bad ideas, as such, but things that could have been much improved by small changes and some critical analysis.

For example, any editor worth their salt ought to have looked at the fourth book and said "Why are there two magical cups of significance in this book?" The Goblet could have been a trophy held by the winning school until the next tournament and, of course, the Goblet itself selects who can compete for the glory of holding it. Just think how much more significant the title "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" would have been if it was the very same cup that brought him into the hands of Voldemort at the end of the book.

I know it's a small thing, but it's always bothered me. I can think of literally no reason to have a secondary important magical object in that book. It was like an indication that the plotting would be much less tight from there on out.

 

That makes so much sense that I'm ashamed for JKR's sake.

If the goblet of fire was the trophy, it would have tied everything together. It would even suggest that the goblet was almost alive- watching over the competition at the center of each task (first task- grab the cup and bring it safe out of the arena and it disgorges an egg; second task the goblet selects the hostages much like the champions; third task is calling the champions from the center of the maze- who needs a Point Me then?).

It would be haunting Harry's and the other champions' dreams and appearing in the background like a threat in every way.

... and if it were to later be revealed as a Horcrux, it would explain alot.

 

I'd probably keep it exactly the same. Fuck my little niggles and annoyances, I can be irritated after I'm a multi-millionaire. When they're all published? Well, there're a good few fanfictions that were never written either that I could steal...

 

The one problem that I see with introducing any fanfic elements is that a lot of them are built around what was already written, if you were to rewrite using those elements you would have to add a lot of additional information to balance it out so the readers understand what's happening.

One of the reasons I love reading and writing fanfiction is that I don't have to think up a background or basic structure for a lot of stuff since the foundations were laid by JK. This becomes a problem though if you were to move it to a new universe and just add or remove things.

 

The "rewrites" some posters have would make excellent fan fiction that I want to read.

I have to say, Rhaegar I, why the hell are you censoring yourself? Put your ideas out there. Some people here give tough but constructive critique which is always useful if your goal is improvement rather than a self-satisfying pat on the back. A vocal few are nothing more than trolls one ball sack short of being able to do anything useful. Ignore.

Now that I've got that off my chest, my own changes to the books:

First and foremost I would make Voldemort a more compelling villain and alter the horcruxes so they aren't so easy to find and destroy. Why wouldn't he place one in Albania or China or in an Amazonian rainforest?

Then I'd kill Ron in book 2 as J.K. originally planned. Move Neville to the role of Harry's best and actually supportive friend with his own character growth.

I'd probably expand the trio's roles, maybe make the series more like GoT with multiple povs. Same for Fred and George and add more girls to the mix. Personally, I favor Tonks, Greengrass, and a Lestrange addition.

I'd ratchet up the maturity level as well as the violence that comes from being in the aftermath and then midst of a war.

Perhaps, give Draco Malfoy a character growth and arc where he isn't so incompetent and basically dumb. Make him and Lucius, who somehow owns the Ministry but make such basic mistakes, as actually formidable.

Have Bellatrix kill Molly and be like, "Bitch what were you going to do? Clean me to death?"

Yes, kill the damn epilogue unless it was a bunch of moments like, "And Harry was like there's no way I'm marrying the first girl I shagged just because I'm desperate for family. And Hermione's like there's no way I'm marrying the first guy I shagged just because I like a man who is inferior to me in every way and still belittles me. And Draco was like, "Wow, I'm pretty happy. I got a hot wife and didn't have to go to Azkaban for attempted murder."

Also what is up with the Hogwarts curriculum? I'd add a ton of classes and make the school, the finest in all of Britain and whatnot, more like one of those specialized high schools where everyone is studying their ass off.
Maybe the school is under some time spell so that the students can even learn basic math, science, and writing skills.

And make the Tri-wizard tournament more like a nine schools from around the world participating with two competitors from each school. Although it would be a nightmare to write, I guess.

Dresden is mentioned a lot by previous posters, is it highly recommended?

 

Why are you on this board...go read it. Start with Storm Front and don't come out of your room till you finished Cold Days. You should be caught up before Skin Games comes out in December.

 

Fair enough.

For one thing, I would lay down exact Rules to Britain. Some things, namely Time Turners, would be removed entirely.

Next, I would not under any circumstances place Harry in an abusive home. Abusive homes only belong in stories where the abusive family ends up in jail or dead.

I would probably turn Slytherin into more than just a "everyone is evil" house. Seriously, if it was so evil, why not just get rid of it?

I would probably have POVs from each House. I would make it clear each House has its good guys, its bad guys, but at the end of the day they do have a common quality of their respective Houses.

I think making it an actual War is in order. So people we actually care about die.

Quidditch is either destroyed or reformed so it makes sense. Seekers make the Game stupid.

Character Depth, for a lot of them. Voldemort, for example, could use some depth beyond hypocritical Pureblood extremist stance and desire to kill Harry Potter.

Am I the only one who is at least a little interested in the Political aspects of the HP world? Dumbledore has two major positions besides Headmaster: perhaps exploring one or both of them is in order.

Also, I would either get rid of the insane corruption or actually explore some of the intricacies behind it.

BTW, could someone please explain what the hell the Dresden Files are?

 

Dresden Files is an incredible read, and since it's focus is on adult, the characters feel more human and relatable, and more interesting. Really, it always annoyed me a book abiut a boy going from a pre-teen to an adult, and sex isn't mentioned even once. It's understendable why not, but still annoys me. The only big critic I have against Dresden Files is hat the universe decided to make Dresden the greatest example of Fuck You. Call me old fashioned, but I like when my heroes have good things happening to them at least once for a decade, and we all know how much Dresden deserves it.

 

You know I think reading GoT made me think that politics can be done in an interesting manner in fiction. I definitely think that J.K. built this fascinating world and we get a bare glimpse into (Ministry, Unspeakblaes) which is probably why there is much fan fic.

Also, I totally agree about Quidditch. I'd have preferred dueling or something where players build magical talents.

Ok, you're making it sound like the most awesome book that I never heard of. I'll get Stormfront since I'd like to read something less YAish in maturity.

 

HBP is the first time I was unhappy with what JKR wrote. More of that in DH, though I can't deny the movies did a pretty good job of making me enjoy it (sans Ron leaving, his Parseltongue mimic, and the epilogue, which nobody will make me like. Ever.). Terrible romance, Harry accomplishing crap all despite the events of the previous year and a handful of months (Cedric and Sirius), and the main characters acting quite different to what I'd previously expected of them.

Essentially, I'd rewrite from book six and have Harry actually learn and develop into a good wizard (not necessarily a prodigy, but someone considerably more competent than he eventually was), even if he still has to win via dues ex machina due to the enormously age and experience gap. Ginny would be characterised properly, beyond "Quidditch is awesome, Hermione isn't" grrrl power. We shan't speak of the monster in the chest business. Or follow the hints from the first five novels and write Harry/Hermione.

Malfoy would either be redeemed (unlikely, as it was nice to have someone Harry's age be the opposite - I think that's referred to as the 'foil'?) or another Slytherin character would be involved someway to help Harry. Since not a single Slytherin was actually a good person (each either 'evil' or simply biased and prejudiced in their own way), you have to wonder why it exists.

Remove any and all references to Voldemort torturing his followers for lolz (if there even are any). So incredibly tired of reading that.

Agreed. The first book is average at best. Second a bit better. Book three was interesting, but book four was where the first I-can't-put-this-down moments began and continued up until Changes. I wasn't fond of Changes and large parts of Ghost Story, but that's still a solid six or seven novels of almost constant and pure enjoyment. (Yet to read Cold Days.)

 

I'd scrap off the entire OOTP angst and set up the stage for Harry to take up the mantle of the HERO. Make him more competent and inject character development into the trio and the DA.

Would kill off Ginny in the Ministry and set stage for a 'real' horcrux hunt in the year 6. And Voldemort wouldn't be as stupid as he was in the books when it comes to Harry.

The final confrontation would be with DA and Harry controlling the scenario and a collective effort to take down Voldemort rather than a backfired killing curse.

If JKR wanted to portray the bonds of friendship and sacrifice properly, she'd have taken this way.

And I'd keep Dumbledore alive just to even the odds. Dumbledore taking care of the entire Inner Circle legion, at the same time helping the DA and the Order.

And are Aurors so dumb that they can't even realize what the 'right' thing is and what they were sworn to do?

 

I'm not terribly familiar with the education system in the UK. Is there a point inbetween 11 years old and going off to Uni. where children change schools? In Canada we moved from middle to high school at around 14/15. If there's a similar break, start Hogwarts then.

• Cut the Epiloge
• Remove the Horcruxes and alter Vold's immortality into something more far reaching (deal with higher powers, creatures from other dimensions kinda deal)
• Hallows stay and Harry acquires them sooner (say end of book 6)
• Harry is less the everyman after GoF, accepts his role as 'hero/champion'
• Albus becomes a real mentor in book 6, instead of the home movie variety.
• No one ever holds the Idiot Ball. The adults are all competent, the kids are reasonably competent, no one ever does something mind numbingly stupid.
• Voldemort, Dumbledore and Harry each get at least 2 fight scenes to really show off just how much better they are from the rabble.

Really, the biggest difference between my HP and JK's would be that I wouldn't stop at Voldemort. Having his immortality come from an outside source, with a more sinister agenda, means I can break the series into two parts. The Hogwarts Saga, which culminates with Voldemort dead, and the *insert creative name for Post-Hogwarts* Saga, with Harry battling an even greater threat. First saga aimed for young adults, second one for a more mature audience. Keep some of the more light-hearted elements that made the series popular in the first saga, and let the darkness come out in the second. I can't be the only one that'd love to read about a more mature, more cynical, and more badass Harry Potter, fighting and killing creatures from beyond the vale. Right?

 

I'd add magical robots.

 

Gotta make it Luna-centric.

 

Well I thought up something. Would anyone Americanize it? Like keep attitudes and actions fairly similar but change the locale? Why not somewhere else, like Australia or Canada?

 

Honestly? As an Canadian-American (American-Canadian?), I would probably set it in one of those two countries (most likely America), as I know nothing about how Britain works. It would certainly be a nice change from the usual Fantasy Worlds that involve either Britain or a British-like place.