I was trying to think of the smallest possible PODs that would have far reaching consequences if implemented.

I've found one I already briefly mentioned, but I'd like to revisit it:


Mr. Weasley does not win the lottery and his family does not visit Egypt. Sirius does not see Pettigrew in the newspaper and does not escape Azkaban.

As Sirius has not escaped, Pettigrew has no reason to leave Ron's side and remains with him. This has further consequences, as Pettigrew does not seek out Voldemort, who remains weak and powerless in Albania.

Moving further, in canon when Wormtail was working with Voldemort in Albania, he encountered Bertha Jorkins and learned about the Triwizard Tournament and the fact that Barty Crouch Jr. is alive. This does not happen here and Barty remains a prisoner in his own home.

Obviously, this prevents even more things. When the Triwizard Tournament happens (that can't be removed as it was probably in the planning stage for years) Harry is obviously not chosen the the Tournament proceeds without incident, no Dark Lords are resurrected.

No Voldemort returning means no Dumbledore calling for action, means no ministry refusing to believe the truth, means no Umbridge at Hogwarts.

Finally, no Second War, no Slughorn at school, no searching for Horcruxes, no Deathly Hallows and no sacrifice.

So with this small change, Mr. Weasly not winning a lottery, we've basically completely erased the plot of books 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Of course, this would be boring as shit, so what can we do introduce other, interesting events?

I'd like to read your ideas, folks!

 

Lupin doesn't forget to drink wolvesbane
Harry learns of the order of the Phoenix from old newspapers
Sirius incapacitates werewolf!lupin easily due to practise

 

I don't think Lupin would even be at school, wasn't he brought to Hogwarts precisely because Sirius escaped. And Sirius does not escape from Azkaban so he still rots there.

 

At that rate it would be likely that Dumbledore dies of old age before Voldemort manages to get resurrected.

 

Or timeskip so we can read about adult Harry & friends dealing with Voldemort?

 

Hmm, alternate book three plots...

Maybe focus on the aftermath of the Chamber of Secrets more.

Since Lupin probably wouldn't get the DADA position if its not for Black how about the DADA teacher for this year is someone who Lucius has sponsored to the school board. He's a competent teacher but he has somewhat questionable opinions. At the same time Hogwarts is dealing with the media frenzy from the Chamber of Secrets being opened last year, perhaps use this as an opportunity to introduce Rita Skeeter a year earlier.

Harry after blowing up his aunt, gets met again by Fudge who instead of just making sure he's ok uses the opportunity to get a photoshoot with Harry before Dumbledore arrives and whisks Harry off.

The problem is, we need a central mystery for the year.

 

When you said ideas I thought you meant other Points of Divergence
:facepalm

 

There has to be one great Harry as Headmaster story.

 

I honestly think this would be the best way to proceed from that plotline. Heck you could start the whole story with a two line scene of Mr. Weasley going home after just an average day of work and not winning the lotto.

 

I would think that in the near-term (i.e. sometime in or around Book Four) Barty Crouch Jr. still manages to escape from his father; by the Quidditch World Cup the Imperius Curse is having less and less effect on him. After all, he regains enough control to swipe Harry's wand and cast the Dark Mark.

Some level of Death Eater activity would also certainly occur (again the Quidditch World Cup). It follows to a certain extent that the events of the Quidditch World Cup actually follows as canon. I don't think Sirius escaping Azkaban or Pettigrew's flight to parts unknown does anything to change those events much.

In the alternative, Crookshanks is practically an animagus detector so Pettigrew could try to flee in third year anyway, just without Sirius around to give Harry a quasi-parental figure. It's a bit of a stretch but it's not outside the realm of possibilities.

Considering Lucius was kicked out of the Board of Governors after the Chamber of Secrets affair, I think that scenario is particularly unlikely especially when you take into consideration that he probably used up all of his political capital with that organization by threatening them in order to get Dumbledore sacked.

 

Why not have Lucius become Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor? After dropping the book in Ginny's bag before 2nd year, he proceeds into the store -- the real reason he was there -- to declare that Gilderoy is not only a fraud, but that the board has decided not to accept his application.

It's something I've never seen before and could potentially change a lot of things. Shit, you could go as far as Lucius being thrilled the Heir of Slytherin opened the Chamber of Secrets (though, of course, he'd never show that emotion). Dobby would still be there (perhaps even more fervently) warning Harry of the danger. Who knows what havoc Gilderoy could create if he stayed out of St. Mungo's?

You could:

1. Pin the diary incident on Lucius, thus validating the condemnation of him by the board and the Ministry, perhaps even landing him in jail earlier.
2. Have Ginny die in a somewhat similar way to Forging the Sword, with Lucius directly involved.
3. Lucius Obliviates Ron, resulting in the backlash that puts Malfoy in the hospital (and Draco truly becomes dark/wants to kill Harry and Ron).
4. Ron is the one put in St. Mungo's. Harry and Hermione want revenge.
5. Harry turns to someone else for help, as he'd never ever ever EVEREVER seek Lucius' assistance. Flitwick?
6. Dark!Ginny (who is still fascinated by Harry)
7. Gilderoy for Minister of Magic

... some of those sound like crack. The 7th sounds like my favorite kind of crack.

 

I do like the idea of Dark!Ginny. Might be an interesting twist to her character. As for Lucius Malfoy. I've always been disappointed in his role is fics. Someone please show us why Voldemort put him in a position of leadership!

 

I've read a #7 that wasn't crack, although it was Gilderoy Lockhart-controlled-by-Diary kind of thing. Ginny might have been in a coma? Lucius was Lockhart/Voldemort's sniveling buttboy? I don't really remember much else about it. Like the title for instance (so helpful, I know).

 

Goblins being the antagonists.
Or perhaps neutrals, but later siding with the dark side for selfish reasons.
I always imagined Harry visiting Gringotts, and his first meeting with the goblins left Harry with a bitter taste in his mouth; something they stated or implied.

Gringotts getting raided or Harry building a humans-only bank could be good.

 

Regarding the last and third to last plot bunnies, I've written vestiges of both. Gone, No Goodbyes has an entire goblin city in Africa and An Alternate Prophecy (in WbA) is told in large part from Lucius' POV (although, be warned, its also fem!Voldemort and, once I'm done with my anthology entry, will become Harry/fem!Draco). Lucius is a bad guy you actually cheer for, as he's fighting an even bigger bad guy (read: girl).

'Course, anyone who knows me knows I finish fanfics never. Still, a good 100,000 between the two.

I've seen a few good dark!Ginny's but most haven't held up. Remember one that was Harry/Nymphadora and Ginny couldn't take it and murdered her. It was rather skillfully done for 2000 era fanfic.

 

I don't see Lucius wanting to place himself directly at risk of a Basilisk. I especially don't see him wanting to be right under Dumbledore's nose during the whole incident. From Lucius point of view, you never know when. But a good one. It would however be realistic of him to not actually pick on Gryffindor's too much, not as much as Snape, and while I might see some favoritism, I also see Lucius as holding his son to very high standards. And from what we know, Draco was a fairly competent Wizard.

Boring. In fact, make half the plot be purely an Ex-Death Eater, who doesn't have Dumbledore's trust, teaching at the school with the blessing of the other Governor's. The other half, be from Lucius perspective of investigating the Muggleborn's and half bloods, and attempting to find a way to get blood samples so that he may determine any possible magical lineage in any of them.

And otherwise walking a damned tight rope of subtle insinuations regarding Muggles and occasionally Muggleborns, and teaching the class within reasonable stone's throw of his best ability in order to stay on the staff and continue operating. In fact, include the Governor's as wanting an inside look/closer tabs on the school after the incident with Quirrel, say he was the first one to outright fucking die from the curse while in school grounds. And Lucius uses it.

Then, push the Chamber of Secrets plot into 3rd year, coinciding with Hagrid becoming a teacher and Sirius Black escaping. Should be rather interesting.

Boring

Doesn't make any sense. Lucius is, unfortunately, twice the wizard on his worst day as Lockhart was on his best. Perhaps more.

I don't think Lucius would be stupid enough to attack, without due provocation, a Weasley right under Dumbledore's nose. Unless its a Twin.

Hmmmm, the reason the grabbed Lockhart was that they bumped into him. I think however, it would do Lucius some good to DEMAND to go down with Harry to the Chamber...

Hmmm.....okay how bout this.

So Lucius does let the Basilisk be released, while providing the students a reasonable education(its impossible for him to fuck up harder than Lockhart. Just winging it and teaching a smattering of spells, creatures, and counter-curses along with a more legitimate dueling club...), all in a bid to oust Dumbledore. Once it basically works, he starts attempting to get rid of the book, attempting to locate it, but doing so without raising eyebrows is nearly impossible.

Then Ginny gets captured. Lucius makes up some spiel about how taking a Pureblood is too far, even if it is a Weasley, or some such, or is pressured into it. Having had suspicions about Harry ever since his parseltongue became public, he resolves to track him down. He finds them.

Then he, along with Harry and maybe another teacher(after Draco attempted to join his father, maybe Lucius broke his pimp cane across his ass), they confront Riddle. Riddle, not being Voldemort full, is in fact dueled to a near standstill or simply has to work for it. Teh important bit is that Lucius hears and is conscious for, Riddle's spiel about himself and finds out, if he didn't already(I think he did canonically, and just had other priorities that got in the way of caring. Like living and breathing. ), but for this we will say he is ignorant.

Anyways, let's say Riddle get the drop on them, and just barely, just fucking barely inches out Lucius Malfoy, we can blame environment and such, whatever. And say the the fight between Harry and the Basilisk happens like canon....sort of..., after he gets the sword and the phoenix blinds the beast, Lucius manages to escape the bindings. And before Harry can be injured, Lucius Malfoy manages to throw an Avada Kedavra that connects and prematurely ends the fight.

At this point, everything clicks, the unusual strength of personality of the Diary, his Mark having feeling return to it, Lucius has realized what the Diary really is, and it scares the hell out of him. For he had only heard such things in old tales, secret legends, and extremely dire warnings and family secrets. He doesn't know the name "Horcrux" but he knows the concept, the idea, and of course the fact that the Dark Lord is likely still around. And he knows what must be done to destroy one. And the idea the Voldemort, made one, most likely more than one, appalls him, even if it his Dark Lord.

He stands on the precipice. And makes a choice.

meh

It's not like he could do worse than Fudge. In fact, just accepting Dumbledore and Harry were telling the truth and BAM, better than Fudge.


And now I can't even remember the Plot Bunny I wanted to suggest myself.:facepalm

@Xandrel's suggestion.

So what if Harry is in his 20's by the time Voldemort comes back? Voldemort could use someone else's blood for the ritual, and play a very quiet waiting game, and maybe Dumbledore has in fact died of old age, in relative peace. So nobody is alerted to Voldemort's return, save Harry getting weird ass dreams. What would be the consequences of Voldemort making the secret return he wanted, and without the Blood Protection of Lily playing a role?

What if say a woman from a Albanian village is very late term, is wishing quite hard to have the baby, but due to reasons, the baby doesn't quite survive its first night...except it does and was only dead for 5 minutes and with little to no apparent damage. We will say for convenience's sake, that since it wasn't a simple transferal of consciousness, but another form of magic, and thus for the first 3-4 years, the baby is relatively normal, but as he grows( or she, although Girl!demort frankly terrifies me, even though I have read many delicious a crackfic with that premise)the memories and identity return mostly in dreams until the 'conversion' is complete.

And new-Voldemort decides to go with it, and ends up going to Durmstrang....

And Harry is 39 years old(long practicing Occlumency to get rid of his weird ass'd dreams, for stories sake, we will say Voldemort does too) when rumors and whispers of another Dark Lord arising in Eastern Europe begin.

And Draco is 40 years old (he is apparently older than Harry) when his Lucius and several other former Death Eaters gather their sons....

 

Okay, I attempted a 3-In-1 Plot and I think it came out alright.

Well, I'll let you judge.

Early June, 1991 - Lucius Malfoy begins planning Dumbledore's downfall and puts in motion several plans to ensure it.

June, 1991 - Malfoy meets with Gilderoy Lockhart and convinces the man to apply for the Defense position at Hogwarts. Some Galleons exchange hands and Lockhart agrees. Lucius, being on the Hogwarts Board manages to secure Gilderoy's position as the Defense Professor.

Early July, 1991 - Quirrell learns that someone already got the Defense position. Voldemort is furious, but decides that Quirrell will simply get his old position as the muggle studies teacher.

Mid July, 1991 - Arthur Weasley wins a lottery at the Ministry and the Weasleys go to Egypt. Sirius Black sees their picture with Scabbers in the Daily Prophet and escapes Azkaban to protect Harry.

July 31st, 1991 - Harry is visited by Hagrid and they later go to Diagon Alley. Quirrell breaks into Gringotts but fails to get the Stone, as a result he is possessed by Voldemort.

Early August, 1991 - Lucius Malfoy sends two trusted thugs to Hermione's house and has them give her Tom Riddle's Diary before Obliviating her and her parents of the incident.

August, 1991 - Hermione discovers the Diary's special properties and begins learning from it, while Tom slowly begins to control her.

September 1st, 1991 - Harry gets to King's Cross escorted by Hagrid. He meets Ron on the train and the two bond over Quidditch and sweets. The Dementors board the train searching for Sirius Black, but are repelled by Snape. Harry sees Snape's doe Patronus. Harry and Ron are both sorted to Gryffindor. Hermione is sorted to Ravenclaw due to the Diary's influence.

September 12th, 1991 - The incident with Neville's remembrall is averted as Sirius Black is spotted in Hogsmeade and the Dementors interrupt the flying lesson. As a result, Harry does not become the new Seeker. The presence of Dementors at Hogwarts force Voldemort to change his plans regarding the Troll.

October 31st, 1991 - Hermione opens the Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk petrifies the Grey Lady and Filch. Voldemort realizes someone has his Diary and decides to investigate. Meanwhile Sirius breaks into the Gryffindor dormitories searching for Pettigrew but doesn't find him.

Early November, 1991 - Sirius Black is widely blamed for the attack, a theory Lockhart keeps supporting.

Mid November, 1991 - Justin Finch-Fletchley is petrified by the basilisk. Lucius Malfoy begins calling for Dumbledore to take action and starts a public campaign against him.

Early December, 1991 - Quirrell finally concludes Hermione has the Diary. Voldemort decides against stopping her, as he realizes he has a chance of getting his body back that way.

Mid December, 1991 - Lockhart starts the Dueling Club. Harry and Ron join and Harry's Parseltongue ability is revealed. While some suspicion falls on him, most people still believe it is all Sirius Black's doing.

December 25th, 1991 - Harry receives the Invisibility Cloak for Christmas from Dumbledore. He explores at night and meets Moaning Myrtle, who shows him the Room of Requirement.

January 5th, 1992 - Inspired by Snape's actions on the Hogwarts Express Harry and Ron begin learning the Patronus Charm in the Room of Requirement.

February 14th, 1992 - Lockhart holds a Valentine's Day celebration. Harry gets some cards from fans, but the day is otherwise uneventful.

Late March, 1992 - The Basilisk petrifies Penelope Clearwater. Due to the public demand thanks to Lucius' campaign Dumbledore is removed from the school.

Early April, 1992 - Without Dumbledore at the School, Quirrell makes a move for the Stone. He is able to get to the Mirror, but is unable to retrieve the Stone from it. Furious, Voldemort has him destroy the Mirror and the Stone is lost.

April, 1992 - Voldemort fully switches tactics to the Diary and nudges Hermione to write more in it.

Early May, 1992 - Harry and Ron finally manage to create corporeal Patronuses.

May 24th, 1992 - Dobby arrives in Hogwarts, having been ingorant of Malfoy's plans until now. He tells Harry that they should take an interest in Hermione before disappearing.

Late May, 1992 - Harry and Ron interrogate Hermione and Quirrell intervenes by taking control of her and taking all three of them to the Chamber of Secrets. Lockhart, who has seen the encounter from a safe hiding place, attempts to escape Hogwarts but is stopped by Sirius and forced to reveal what he saw.

Sirius then begins searching for Harry and encounters Myrtle who tells him where Quirrell took the children and takes him to the entrance of the Chamber which remains open. He descends into there and finds that Fawkes has already gotten there. Quirrell attacks Sirius and the two duel. Harry and Ron meanwhile, using Fawkes' help manage to defeat the Basilisk and destroy the diary.

Voldemort is furious, reveals himself and attempts to kill them all. Fortunately Dumbledore arrives and forces Voldemort to abandon Quirrell and escape.

Harry and Ron explain to Dumbledore that Sirius saved their lives and Dumbledore hears him out. The truth about Pettigrew is revealed, but unfortunately the rat has escaped during all this chaos and most likely followed Voldemort.

Still, Dumbledore has enough evidence to prove Sirius' good intentions and manages to convince Fudge to have him interrogate Black under Veritaserum. Fudge is unwilling to believe Voldemort is alive, but concedes that Black was innocent. Fudge then uses the event to paint himself as a wise Minister who is fixing the mistakes of the previous Minister Bagnold.

All the basilisk victims are revived with a mandrake potion and Hermione is found to have suffered no permanent injuries because of the Diary.

Meanwhile, Voldemort and Pettigrew have met and are on their way to Albania.

 

Well, not he would get a copy but a outdated backup from Horcrux. I am sure that he would not be happy about it.

 

We don't know that. We have no way of knowing if there would be two of them.

 

Considering that Voldemort is able to possess other people, it would not be farfetched to say that he would be able to possess his own, outdated, body and take complete control of it.