Oh, is that what it means? I never knew that (and I am a native speaker).

Probably best to stick to the facepalm similies in the future, it conveys the same message without breaking forum rules about use of proper english.

If I could change any part of canon, it's be year 5. I'd have it so that Harry wasn't angsting so much throughout the year, and he was more mature. It was realistic, but I didn't want to read a realistic life of a 15 year old boy, I wanted the magic of the previous books. I'd have it so that he was more actively preparing for Voldemort, and more capable of Occlumency.

Imagine, Harry is taught by Snape and actually learns Occlumency, becomes proficient at it, and then the ending is the same, and its revealed that Voldemort managed to get around Harry's Occlumency, which Dumbledore couldn't. It would also enforce the fact that Voldemort was now more than Dumbledore could handle, and there was more pressure on Harry as a result of it.

 

Maybe if dumbledore wasn't trying his fullest and voldemort was helped by the connection and the fact that he could access harrys mind when he was emotional or sleeping, emotional dreams/nightmares would easily allow voldemort access to harrys mind

 

Things like introducing the legend of the Hallows in the first few books, making Voldemort and the Death Eaters more nuanced as a movement, having Harry take more of an active interest in his studies (or at least showing him working at his Defence skills in sixth year). There's probably about a million little changes I'd make here or there. Harry reflecting more on the nature of the wizarding world and its problems would have been nice.

The biggest thing is that I'd have had Harry sacrifice himself by physically lunging at Voldemort and taking the both of them through the veil in the Department of Mysteries. As much as I liked the Chapter in which Harry is walking to his death I think the veil would have served as a much more effective equaliser - it calls back to the death of Sirius and allows Harry to defeat Voldemort by doing more than merely owning the right wand. You can also have the cool image of Harry walking back out - two men enter, one man leaves, and Harry is literally walking away from Death to live a long life and name his kids after all his loved ones.

 

-) Actually, Harry angsting so much in the fifth year is natural, with the amount of crap he had to put up with. Dumbledore's communication blackout, suffering from the aftereffects of the Third Task without any councelling, the Ministry's slandering campaign against him, Fudge's cangaroo court, Hogwarts student once again turning against him, Umbitch and her detentions with Blood Quill, Dumbledore avoiding him without explanations... It's a miracle he didn't start to cut himself, or go on rampage (I've read a fanfic or two about Neville snapping and starting a Hogwarts version of school shooting, but let's face it - Harry has much more reasons to fly off the rails).

-) I think Harry could learn Occulmencly if he was taught by somebody he trusted, like Remus Lupin. Asking Snape to be his teacher was a disaster waiting to happen.

 

That's an oddly appropriate typo—if, of course, you stretch the definition some.

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Another thing I'd tweak . . . is the ending of the first book. In hindsight, and although it was written for children, having each stage of the passage to the Philospher's stone play to one of their major strengths is way too contrived.

 

1) I did say it was realistic. I just didn't enjoy reading it. If I would change something in canon, it'd be the least enjoyable part to a much more enjoyable one.

2) Who said Remus knew Occlumency? Fact of the matter is, Snape is the one Dumbledore chose, which would imply that he was the one most capable of choosing him (other than Dumbledore). If Harry had learnt Occlumency, and it still meant nothing, that would make the scenario much more scary and threatening.

Also:

:facepalm I'm stupid.

 

Re. Lupin and Occlumency, I think it was fanon bleeding in. You know, what with Lupin's inner wolf stopping a legilimens or something.

Unless Pottermore has also said something to that extent, of course.

 

The only people we know to be able of using Occlumency were: Lord Voldemort, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Barty Crouch Jr., Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.

 

Dumbledore's inability to get Slughorn's memory implies Slughorn also knows it.

 

Good point.

 

Oh, and Bellatrix was the one who taught Draco Malfoy, so her too. So:

Lord Voldemort, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Bellatrix Lestrange, Horace Slughorn, Barty Crouch Jr., Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.

 

I wonder though, since we have Snape, Bella and Barty as being able of using Occlumency, might it be possible that Voldemort taught it to some of them and therefore it is plausible that he taught other Death Eaters such as Lucius?

 

If that utter idiot Draco who wears his rotten heart on his sleeve can learn occlumency, then anyone can learn it. If it's so rare, then veritaserum would be used much more as conclusive evidence. It's not really much to assume Remus would have learned it.

 

Barty Crouch could not block Dumbledore's veritaserum though. Also, Bellatrix definitely doesn't seem to have the right temperament for occlumency. Do you need to know occlumency to teach it? All Snape did was use the legilimens spell, so maybe legilimency is all you need to know.

Also, how many legilimens are known in canon? I just recall Dumbledore, Voldemort and Snape.

I'm pretty sure its stated in canon that within the Order, only Snape and Dumbledore knew occlumency. Which is why stories where everyone, up to and including the first years that come to Hogwarts seem to know occlumency irritate me to no end. Occlumency is an obscure talent, most people should not have even heard of it.

 

Nothing helps focus the mind more than the threat of the imminent death of your family.

Draco Malfoy is many things, some good, most bad, but he is not faint-hearted.

 

Or a a utter idiot. He is mostly competent, with his biggest flaws are his arrogance (he thinks himself as a genius when he is clearly average to me) and condescencion towards his 'lessers'. About Occlumency, all except Draco and Harry, are incredibly competent wizards, at least, and the other two had excellent reasons to learn, and weren't children.

 

I'd like to improve the romance no matter who Harry ended up with. It was by far the weakest aspect of the story and a little more buildup to the Hallows and elaboration on their powers.

 

I'd make the Death Eaters at least a bit more sympathetic, so you could understand where most of them were coming from - even the worst racism of our time always has an explanation, however ridiculous. Leading from that, I'd make the Death Eater government have an approval rate above 0%; at the very least, there should be some nice, hysterical types on the front page of the Daily Prophet weeping about how their child's magic was stolen by some dirty Muggle.

As well as this, I'd make the very end less neat. Sure, Voldemort's dead, but the Death Eaters still control the entire government. And they now know who all their enemies are. Sure, there'll be a lot of infighting, but it's not like they'd immediately give up twenty minutes after Voldemort's death.

 

Harry's little stunt doesn't make everyone immune to Voldemort. In the end, Harry or someone else quite simply has to murder Voldemort. No squirming out of it, no bullshit. The moral at the end, is that it is fuck all stupid to defend yourself with anything less than lethal, crippling force when your are being explicitly threatened with the same. Cry more Britbongs. In addition, the Battle of Hogwarts would be a bloodbath, plain and simple. It wouldn't have to be explicit, beyond McGonagall telling all students of age that if they stay, to expect no quarter and give none. And maybe some other teachers have a little shock, look at her, then body-language agree. Hagrid, and several others, including either Minerva or Flitwick, are killed. Some after taking down quite a few themselves. Some not so much. Give Percy and the two older brothers a little bit of extra time on screen, stomping their way around.

Have a scene with Death Eaters and Dementors working in tandem, with Dementors flying forth, being halted by several Patroni, and then green glows, and bolts of Killing Curses amongst others flying through them into the general melee and breaking up some of the Patronus casters.

I would show Voldemort taking the field, and giving a demonstration of just why Dumbledore was so important to have around, with Voldemort just crushing his way through any who dare to stand in his way to claim Hogwarts and eliminate Minerva and the Deputy.

I would have had the giant spiders only appear to side with Voldemort, but then turning and attacking absolutely everyone, and carrying off a giant or two. Neville gets killed, much of the Golden Trio is severely injured, more than half the staff has been massacred, and not a few Death Eaters have joined the pile of corpses. Also, instead of odd and dreamlike reinforcements arriving through the Room of Requirement, I would have the Ministry, Diagon Alley and half the country rise up in either revolt, suppression, or disappear, with reinforcements popping in all around the grounds of Hogwarts and flying in on Brooms, for both sides. And after the Hogwarts shield is forcibly taken down, people start Apparating directly onto the grounds.

Oh and a nice little scene in the 7th movie. Charlie is chilling around, then Mrs.Weasley sneaks up with some scissors, clips them threatenlingy, and Charlie gulps. A nice fun little scene.

Also, instead of a nice full look at Voldemort's face for several movies, we just see a dark shadow under a hood with glowing red eyes, and a description from Harry. Until Voldemort dies.

Oh and keep the Riddle from CoS. He was much handsomer.

Oh and the Golden Trio just steal shit from Supermarkets, using the Cloak and Bathroom Apparition. There done. They get to have good eatings.

tldr, write Harry Potter as a boy, instead of a girl.

Which means 1000% more discussions of Tits and Asses. And many more rumors about Hermione.

 

I would have Harry not freak and try to save Malfoy when he casts sectumsempra at him, and not rescue Malfoy when in the Room of Requirement. Harry's knack for forgiveness was the indirect cause for the war starting early.

Also get rid of the romance. Harry caring about Ginny makes no sense after he ignored her for 90% of canon before.

Skip Bill and Fleur's wedding entirely - you honestly have time to spare for that useless waste of space?

I always thought it was weird that neither Harry nor Hermione thought to take more than one (their own) wand with them.

I agree on stealing stuff from supermarkets. That would have been a nice touch.

Also, I thought Neville should have stayed a wimp. Just because. We need some baseline for what qualifies as "wimp" in the HP universe.