So I was reading through another thread and I was hit by inspiration to make a Rise and Fall of Dark Lord Harry story. My question is should I start with him at his height or should I start at the beginning of his ascent. If I do this, would anyone be willing to help beta this?

---------- Post automerged 12-10-2009 at 12:12 AM ---------- Previous post was 12-09-2009 at 11:54 PM ----------

Any other ideas would be helpful

 

Here's an idea: Die in a house fire.

 

not very productive...

 

Its this part that is the problem if that help's, no one minds reading a dark Harry gaining power but few here will read this if Harry ends up loseing it all at the end.

 

I've always felt that an author's story should be his'/her's alone. So go make that decision by yourself - it'll feel more satisfying in the long run, imho.

As for beta-ing: write something first. Then beta.

Hope I'm not being too condescending or patronizing.

 

Yes, I would read it (provided that it was well-written enough, but that's a given) but I would expect the fall to be something worthwhile - overwhelmed by numbers and deserted by one of his most loyal followers just on the verge of victory in a epic battle scene. Otherwise, it just wouldn't be worthy of your time, and mine.

But if you have some ideas you're welcome to bounce them off of me. Send me what you've concocted thus far in a private message.

 

I would actually love to read a story where a Dark Lord harry falls and loses his power. As Averis said, as long it is written good enough it would be a great story.

 

Wrong. Many here would read it if there was a 'fall'. The "Harry-is-the-emporer-of-the-universe-and-does-nothing-but-crucio-minions-and-drink-wine-out-of-a-bottle-stuffed-up-Daphne's-vagina" scenario offers no conflict and has become more than boring.

 

I agree. The fall is what makes the idea unique and interesting. I would read it as well.

 

My first impression is that the story would be best told as a character study in a manner analogous to the moral corruption common in political fiction. Harry should lose something of himself (innocence, morality, friendship, humanity, self-respect) as he acquires power. Then, as he loses power, he should gain something much more important--salvation. (I'm speaking of salvation in an abstract, not religious mumbo jumbo, sense). Merely watching a train wreck (the fall) would only be uninteresting and unpleasant--watching bad things happen for a purpose, less so.

A possibility for such a story, though one requring a deft authorial touch, would be to tell the story linearly, third person, but open each chapter with a first-person narration by present-day, post-fall Harry. The narration would give you a sense of what kind of person he became after the fall (it also lets you foreshadow events to happen). It would provide contrast to what he's becoming in the story proper. Also, if a reader can see that in the end Harry's a sympathetic character, you have more freedom to turn him into an utter bastard in the story. A novel that uses this type of structure to good effect is Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind. You should read it if set out to write a story like this.

Good luck.

 

I'm going to have to concur with Tragedian here and ask you to die in a fire.

Firstly, this is not the place to discuss fanfiction related issues. That would be the forum called "Fanfic Discussion" further below.

Secondly, your thread title sucks Oz's sweaty, fatty balls. Put something in there that tells us what the thread is about.

TLDR: Die.

 

Hey, write what you want - don't go dying in any fires unless you want to. Though I have not read a story involving Harry rising and falling as a Dark Lord, but, if executed erroneously, somebody's going to an Old Shame hanging out in their written stories collection.

Onto the actual question posed at the start - I'd say that writing his slow fall with flashbacks or passing references to his ascent would be interesting enough if married with the first person view. Writing as Harry goes down in flames could open up all kinds of interesting stories - an enemy of his tries to kill him, and the reader doesn't really know why because Harry made that enemy during his ascent, which the reader doesn't see.

Or something better than my lofty ideas. Good luck...

 

Riley sent me the idea he had, but I'll be blunt and tell you all that it kind of sucked. No offense Riley, because I like you, but naw. Just naw.

But here's the idea I had: copy-pasted directly from my Sent Messages.

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Something that just popped into my head: (provided that horcruxes do not exist) 6th year remains the same except for the horcruxes. Dumbledore allows himself to be killed by Snape (because of the Unbreakable Vow Snape took to help Malfoy). Harry, Ron and Hermione run off together in search of a way to beat Voldemort - and the clues that Dumbledore left them (Tales of Beedle the Bard) lead them on a chase for the Elder Wand.

As the war spreads across England, they set off on a quest to find the Elder Wand (you wanted a Holy Grail type quest, so we'll pretend Dumbledore never had it) believing it will give Harry the power to succeed. Harry and Hermione are determined to find the Elder Wand, but Ron's family is in the line of fire and he's angry that the three of them are (in his own mind) shirking their duty and leaving everyone to die. Eventually the tension between Ron and Harry reaches a breaking point, and Ron leaves. Hermione blames Harry, but refuses to give up on their search for the Wand.

They apparate around the world asking questions (Luna's father? Viktor Krum? Even Grindelwald?) and eventually find out wh the last person to have the wand is. They find the guy, who has unwittingly come across the wand and literally has no idea of the power it holds, and they attempt to steal it from him. The man fights back, and Harry is forced to use dark magic (stuff he has been studying behind Hermione's back) to save himself and Hermione. However, in the process he loses control and kills the man - who, admittedly, was just trying to protect himself. Aurors show up to the scene and recognize Harry, who immediately realizes he's in deep shit - he grabs Hermione and the Elder Wand and gets the fuck out of dodge.

Hermione is suitably pissed off at him for killing the man, and suspects that he's going dark. They argue late into the night, and finally Harry calms Hermione down enough to go back home. They return to England, only to find that the Ministry has fallen to Voldemort's control, and (thanks to the Marauder's map) Voldemort is standing in Hogwarts' Great Hall. As quickly as possible, they make their way to Hogwarts. Awesome battle insues, Harry straight dominating all but the most powerful Death Eaters with Hermione watching his back. For kicks, you could go with Ginny or Ron dead at the scene in order to make Harry go crazy. He pretty much massacres an entire room of Death Eaters with all eyes on him, and then duels Voldemort taking him out (maybe with Snape's help?).

Everyone is aghast at the power Harry has shown. Hermione approaches Harry, who is battered but still standing, and when he turns his back, she disarms him "for his own good". Aurors approach, and Harry uses his own wand to escape as far as he can. Forced away from the exit, he heads to the Headmaster's office and, finding the Floo network disconnected, makes his final stand there. He takes as many Aurors as he can with him, but eventually succumbs to sheer numbers and his wounds.

And now I just wrote your outline for you, haha. I got a little carried away, but I think something more along these lines would suit you. Let me know what you think about that, and by all means, feel free to write it.

 

The plot line is not all that great, but this part is especially upsetting. I find it extremely hard to believe that someone could attain the elder wand without understanding what it is.

 

...guess what happened to Dark Lord Harry.

 

I dunno I thought Averis' wasn't bad, really. Needs a lot of work, but as a premise it was interesting.

As for the OP's request, I concur with the things people have said. We want Harry to win the day, really. Not die because he was an evil bellend.

 

Outline was about Dark!Harry, not Dark Lord Potter.

A proper lord would try something like instigating a rebellion, try to be sympathetic about a subject he cares nothing about in order to gain popularity, remove enemies who know what he's up to, ETC.

 

Back in my early days of FF reading, when I read utter drivel, I read a fic similar to this premise, it was without the rise but had his descent. Cant really remember it but it was HPFF (Early days like I said) It was called The Rise of Lord Titus


Summary:

"At the height of the war against Voldemort, it is becoming more apparent with each passing day that the Order cannot win. Harry Potter decides that to win, he must fight fire with fire, leading to the greatest conflict of the century"

It's short and shit, but if you feel you cannot come up with any ideas yourself and still find you want to write it, this might help.

 

Well, despite all the naysayers in this thread and the fact that I posted in the wrong section which, I admit was stupid, I have taken Averis's idea and am proceeding to run with it. I am hoping it turns out good enough that you guys will try to read it. Sorry to those who want me to die in a fire but I have no intentions on doing so.

 

This. I think that in terms of dark!Harry stories, of which I admittedly have read little, character nuance is much more important than the sheer audaciousness of the events portrayed (though both can be done if you were a particularly decent writer).

I find it highly unlikely, given the bureaucracy and incompetence of the canon!Ministry, that Harry would be pursued and fought to the death by a ton of Aurors, especially after a battle like you just described and after defeating Voldemort and what seems like his entire force of Death Eaters.

Furthermore, if Voldemort had taken the Ministry, he would've either dismantled, severely handicapped or reformed the Aurors into his own fighting force - the second being altogether more likely - resulting in gross ineptitude and allowing Harry to escape. Depending on the severity of his injuries, and of course, how much of a super!Harry he is.