Challenge #2:

Summary: Pre-Hogwarts; when Harry jumped at the trash cans and apparated, he didn't end up on the roof. He ended up in the school library and it, and reading, became his sanctuary after that. I would prefer him smarter than cannon Harry, but that just means not incredibly stupid. The books he would read would be more fantasy or sci-fi, he wouldn't really be looking for knowledge, but at some point pre-Hogwarts, he realizes that he has done magic, but for some reason decides that his magic all happens through rituals. His understanding of magic and rituals leads him to think that the intense concentration on doing something was a small ritual that let him 'teleport' or whatever word he uses, and the same with his hair growing back, etc. He decides, maybe based on some of the stories he's read, that the more involved a ritual is, the more powerful it is, and starts designing and performing different rituals. I don't want him all powerful, maybe he sucks at wand-magic, come hogwarts time, but I DO want him to use the rituals to his advantage.

He could become smarter, faster, stronger, able to talk to animals other than snakes, able to command muggles with just his voice, etc. One thought I had was that sacrifice could be a key concept in some of the rituals, the smaller ones he sacrifices energy for, later on maybe he sacrifices blood, but I thought that just before hogwarts, maybe after his letter but before he goes, he performs a ritual that involves him sacrificing a snake that has been his pet and friend for a few years.

From there the story could go two ways:
1) it was a huge sacrifice for him, and something he will always feel bad for having done and blah, blah, blah light!Harry.
2) yes, it hurt to lose his only friend, but the benefits of that ritual outweigh whatever the friendship was worth.... with him going down a darker path.

Mainly for the darker path version, I thought he could have sort of a fetish for rituals, them being 'his' magic, and he could find actual rituals that others have used, maybe some voldie has done, etc.

Keep in mind though, the rituals he does WOULD work, mainly because he doesn't know they shouldn't. I know it's a cliched idea, him being able to do things because he doesn't know their impossible, but it's an idea I like.

 

hmmm.... I like the idea that he does rituals but, something about the story throws me off. I can't seem to put my finger on it. Overall I like the idea, if just because it's not something I have seen before.

 

Well, the only reason I posted it is because I've never seen anything like it before.... there ARE stories where he uses AD&D type magic or something, but I haven't seen any with rituals pre-Hogwarts.

If you can think of what you find wrong with it, let me know..... I won't write it, but if we could fix that first, someone else might pick it up, which is what I'm hoping....

 

I like it, but instead of using the cliched idea of him being able to do things because he doesn't know their impossible so could you simply have him being
a natural at ritual magic. At designing his own rituals. He could even have found a book on ritual magic that some wizard had dropped around the school and some student thought it was a library book...

 

It's probably just me, or that I'm just a fan of Dark but good harry or whatever. I don't know but, I do have a suggestion. Harry should perform a binding ritual with the snake at some point, making it his familiar. I figure sacrificing a familiar is bigger than just any old snake.