Every since I started to read fanfiction, I have always wanted to write THE story. You know the one. Great plot, no loop holes, and alot of positive reviews for it. I also came to realize that this is next to impossible so I am asking for your opinion on a few things.

1)If Harry went back in time (don't worry, its actually a cool idea and not one of the lame ass ones) would there be more then one of him?

2) If Harry was to go back in time and there was another version of himself there, would it create a paradox so that the second Harry would have to go back in time too?

3) Would the first Harry be able to kill Voldemort if he technically wasn't the one that the prophecy in the new world was refering to?

4) What if he had really screwed things up in his old world by fucking up his sixth year and then only made his past worse because no one really believed him with a new Harry there and alive?

-Anything else that you could think of would be well appriciated if you wish to see it included in this new story that i'm planning! Message me if you would like to know more about it!

Thanks alot!

 

I'm glad to see a new writer within the community.

Questions:

1.) Of Course! This was demonstrated in the third book, PoA.

2.) It probably wouldn't force anything to happen. It is mentioned that the past selves must not see their future selves. If you had seen your future self already, then you, in the future, would know that you had to see your past self. If not, then it would know you had to hide yourself because your future self (when you were in the 'past' as the 'past self') did not show themself.

Altering these events (appearing to your past self when you yourself did not see your future self) would probably create some interesting paradoxes. The result would be left up to the author, but my favorite is the 'merge' - gives Harry some extra power/memories of the future. Unless you use the theory that a series of events occur that would force you to perform an action anyway, not obeying this law would just create some cool situation.

3.) Probably. Since the Harrys are the same, I'm guessing that they all have the capability to defeat all Voldemorts. Should one kill Voldemort, all Harry's thereafter would be releieved of the burden of the prophecy. This is only my view on it, though.

4.) Melodrama. I'd have Harry just merge with his other self and change events without telling anybody else. I'm all for Loner!Harry the AntiHero.

Good Luck and don't hesitate to PM for help.

 

I would like to caution on the use of 'multiple' Harrys. I've read a few stories using that particular concept and everyone of them has been crap, mostly because the story strays so far from in relation to cannon HP that it becomes a bit ridiculous to read. For clarity by cannon HP, I mean basic characters, and characteristics. Such as Dumble being a minipulative a$$.

 

1) Yep, just read PoA
2) It's up to you. One of the theories of time travel holds that there is a different universe for every outcome of every event ever. If you were in universe a, the outcomes of an event would either result in universe b or c (a no longer exists). If you are from universe b, and you travel back in time to exactly that same event, you would be in universe a. From there, you could go to universe b again or change the event and universe a would become universe c(where you don't go back in time). You would then both be in universe c, which is why in PoA Hermione had to make sure they didn't change what happened.

3) Probably, they're technically the same person (same soul)

4) Emo!Harry isn't fun, spare us and yourselves that disasterpiece.

 

1)If Harry went back in time (don't worry, its actually a cool idea and not one of the lame ass ones) would there be more then one of him?
Yep, read PoA again and you'll get a good idea of how HP timetravel works.

2) If Harry was to go back in time and there was another version of himself there, would it create a paradox so that the second Harry would have to go back in time too?
I'd assume so, since the story is in a linear fashion and not subject to too much free will, otherwise Harry wouldn't have gone back in time in the first place and that would create a paradox. Like the going back in time and killing your grandfather theory.

3) Would the first Harry be able to kill Voldemort if he technically wasn't the one that the prophecy in the new world was refering to?
Since all Harrys are the same Harry, the only difference being the timeline they are in, I'd assume that all Harrys could kill Voldemort but then the past Harry would have to go back in time to kill Voldemort so it'd just be a waste of time really. (He'd still have to kill Voldemort but he'd also have to go back in time to do it otherwise the universe may implode)

4) What if he had really screwed things up in his old world by fucking up his sixth year and then only made his past worse because no one really believed him with a new Harry there and alive?
I REALLY want to see a fic like this, where he goes back and completely fucks up the timeline so bad that his future is even worse than before. It'd be like going back and saving Dumbledore, only to have everyone else killed in a gas explosion.

 

1)If Harry went back in time (don't worry, its actually a cool idea and not one of the lame ass ones) would there be more then one of him?
This is demonstrated in POA
2) If Harry was to go back in time and there was another version of himself there, would it create a paradox so that the second Harry would have to go back in time too?
Probably
3) Would the first Harry be able to kill Voldemort if he technically wasn't the one that the prophecy in the new world was refering to?
This is the whole point of me replying, my theory is that both Harrys would be able to kill him, only the one from the actual timeline (the one Harry goes BACK to) will have the link, or maybe the link will be restored? but the point is that ALL Harrys would be able to kill Voldemort.... So... Why not create an army of Harrys? Lets say a few dozen of Harrys running around killing everyone? Could be interesting...
4)What if he had really screwed things up in his old world by fucking up his sixth year and then only made his past worse because no one really believed him with a new Harry there and alive?
I actually think i read a ic where this happend... He tried to change the bad and ended up with the worse due to some unseen consequences, he ended up going back in time AGAIN an tried to play it as close to the first timeline as possible, so that he wouldnt screw it up again...

 

Time travel is a tricky business. There are really only two common uses in fiction:

1) Static - this is the theory where nothing can be changed, so if time travel is possible, whatever happens is what already happened. Thus in PoA, Harry and Hermione went back and helped out because they always were going to. According to this theory, it would be impossible to change the future to something else. Using this theory, it is potentially possible, if planned carefully, to have multiple Harrys in one time - as they all would experience the same personal timeline.
Parallel Universe Corollary - sometimes the theory goes that traveling back in time creates an alternate universe where the future is different. If this one is in use, multiple Harrys would not be possible, as each time travel would create a brand new universe/timeline.

2) Dynamic - this is the theory that the past CAN be changed. Unfortunately at this point, it gets much more complicated.
Instant Change - this version of time travel means that as soon as a change in the past occurs, the future is immediately affected, meaning the potential change or disappearance of the time traveler. The paradox is dealt with by saying that the time traveler is either different or gone, or possibly irrelevant.
Gradual Change - this is the version used in Back to the Future. Changing the past causes the future to change slowly, but unavoidably. Thus the "fading away" of the traveler or a photo is possible.
Protected Change - this is the version where the time traveler is immune from any changes in time, and will return to a changed future where he/she is completely different and has thus potentially "overwritten" the copy.

The important thing is to be consistent - try not to contradict yourself.

-J