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Odd Potter Realization
09-26-2009, 08:39 PM
I was just reading a Potter fic and responding to the author's note request for info on the timing of the speaking of the prophecy (it seems to have
happened before Harry was born but after he was conceived), when I noticed something that I've never seen mentioned in a Potter fic. Subtracting nine
months from the time of Harry's birth means that he was conceived sometime around Halloween 1979.
Given all of the symbolic/mythic connotations of that day, if Harry truly was conceived on Halloween, then you could get some good epic fic mileage out of the
fact. Perhaps he was the first descendent of the Peverell line to be conceived on that day, and thus destined to reunite the regalia of death.
Of couse, since I don't recall Rowling ever mentioning anything about Harry's date of conception, I assume that my theory is likely as AU as my theory
about Snape being Dumbledore's bastard child turned out to be (stupid Dumbledore and his stupid gayness, ruining my brilliant research and suppositions
about the cover-up of an innapropriate student/teacher relation with the fact that he never would have had any interest in the student in the first place).
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"Anyone can be a winner if their definition of victory is flexible enough." - The DM of the Rings XXXV
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Okay, so, I'm not a Potter fan, really. I've read the first book, forced myself to read the second, tried to pick up the third, and eventually gave
up. I don't know what it is, but Rowling's work just leaves me 'meh'.
That said.
The line "Stupid Dumbledore and his stupid gayness", etc, has brightened my day considerably. 
--sofaspud
-- "Listening to your kid is the audio equivalent of a Salvador Dali painting, Spud." --OpMegs
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I dunno. I liked Shepherd's point. That's a pretty good hook for...well. Something. It's one of those ideas that could be awesome if a
fanfic author with magical powers of non-suck ran with it.
Personally, though, when it comes to reading between the lines of canon, I like the theory a buddy and I came up with. Alcohol may have been involved. I
forget.
See, it's apparent to us that all the Harry Potter books are merely the collected delusions of a very troubled boy. You see, clearly Harry's relatives
are right. He is a freak. He's mumbling about magic all the time and attacking his family with a stick. They've had to lock him up in
his room for everyone's protection.
Especially after that time when he was 12...he got into the kitchen somehow, and stabbed his uncle with a carving knife. While screaming something about a
giant serpent...
Mr. Dumbledore from the local council's social services department has been understanding about the case during his regular visits. But the authorities
have concluded it's probably best for all involved that young Mr. Potter remain in his relatives' care for the time being. The council is trying to
arrange for proper psychiatric treatment, but the UK's National Health Service isn't the swiftest body around...
-- Acyl
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Sounds like the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer which left the viewer with the unsettling suspicion that the entire series was just the delusions
of a girl in a mental institution. Or maybe this Haruhi
Suzumiya fic.
Which is not to say it's not a good idea. I think it might be a first for Potter fic.
-- Bob
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Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
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Isn't that also similar to the ending of St. Elsewhere? (So, at least, I've heard; I gave up on TV years ago, so although I don't know
anything bad about a lot of shows, it's mostly because I don't know anything about them.) For that
matter, I saw a cartoon somebody'd drawn that took the same approach to Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: the whole show was a delusion of
autistic Frankie as she stared into a snowglobe showing the "Foster mansion."
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Oh, I doubt it's an original idea. This sort of thing has been done before. The St. Elsewhere bit is a particular favourite of mine.
It's just, y'know, the specific images. Applying this to Harry Potter is...really bad.
Like, see. For example, Harry's relatives know that they really shouldn't bother him when he's going to his happy place.
(They can tell; that's when he sits on the floor rocking back and forth, making train noises.)
It's a pity about the neighbour's cat, though. They won't let the poor animal out of the house anymore, not after young Harry followed the creature
around all day calling it 'Professor'.
Oh, and yes, his broomstick is an actual broomstick.
Don't ask about Potions. Just don't.
On a similar token, Butterbeer is a yellow liquid. Try not to speculate where young Harry got that liquid, and what it actually might be.
Anyway, see, I actually admire folks like Shepherd, they can make...pretty cool and logical extrapolations from canon. My mind just goes in, uh, other
directions.
-- Acyl
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You know, I just realized that this really belongs in Other People's Fanfiction. So I'm going to move it.
-- Bob
---------
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...and my shoes began to squeak.
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Quote: Acyl wrote:
Anyway, see, I actually admire folks like Shepherd, they can make...pretty cool and logical extrapolations from canon. My mind just goes in, uh, other
directions.
I'd be more impressed with myself if I could turn any of my great ideas into actual stories. Sadly, although I have had many awesome
fanfiction ideas over the years, my actual writing is about as exciting as VCR instructions. OTOH, I count myself slightly superior to all of those people who
read books and say "I can do that" when, in reality, no they can't.
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"Anyone can be a winner if their definition of victory is flexible enough." - The DM of the Rings XXXV
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Shepherd Wrote:I'd be more impressed with myself if I could turn any of my great ideas into actual stories. Sadly, although I have had many awesome fanfiction ideas over the years, my actual writing is about as exciting as VCR instructions. OTOH, I count myself slightly superior to all of those people who read books and say "I can do that" when, in reality, no they can't. This is what a collaboration is for - you come up with the plot, and your co-writer makes it look pretty.
(No, I'm not volunteering. Too many other stories on the go... and my writing style is too "wordy" for this sort of plot.)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
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Quote: Shepherd wrote:
Quote: Acyl wrote:
Anyway, see, I actually admire folks like Shepherd, they can make...pretty cool and logical extrapolations from canon. My mind just goes in, uh, other
directions.
I'd be more impressed with myself if I could turn any of my great ideas into actual stories. Sadly, although I have had many awesome
fanfiction ideas over the years, my actual writing is about as exciting as VCR instructions. OTOH, I count myself slightly superior to all of those people
who read books and say "I can do that" when, in reality, no they can't.
You, too? I can come up with bunnies, the occasional quote, and the few scenes that really define a fic, but I can't do any, and I mean
*any*, of the in-between. If there are any scene writers seeking plot, spelling/grammar/format correction, and phrase turning services, I'm your man, but
ask me to write anything else...
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.
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The only pure Potter fic I feel I need to write has taken the form of my new .sig, being used for the first time on this post coincidentally enough.
- CD
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
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"...Neviles the ressurection potion..."
HAH! Nice! I gotta remember that one.
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It's important to remember, first take your potion off the heat, then add the porcupine quills. Porcupine optional. See also the popular Diskworld drinking
song.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
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Quote: You, too? I can come up with bunnies, the occasional quote, and the few scenes that really define a fic
Yeah, that sounds kind of like me, except for the "few scenes that really define a fic" part. I come up with cast lists, equipment
specifications, and historical background -- I created a multi-page spreadsheet that includes colonization dates and ethnicities for a crumbling interstellar
civilization -- but aside from the most general sketch, I've got no plot for a story using all this.
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Quote: DHBirr wrote:
I come up with cast lists, equipment specifications, and historical background -- I created a multi-page spreadsheet that includes colonization dates and
ethnicities for a crumbling interstellar civilization...
(O_O 
Mind if I proposition your for some assistance?
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No objection, but there're no guarantees how useful my OCD-fueled background creation will be to another writer (perhaps I should say an
actual writer).
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Cool! I got the basic framework of the world of DSKS all but figured out (Thanks very much to everyone's input! You guys are PRICELESS!), but I need a bit
of help in putting it together in the form of a 'finished product.' E-mail me at (username) at gmail dot com and I'll tell you all about it.
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To move this back (closer to) on topic, I was just reading Searching For The Power (recced already in the New Fics thread), and I saw a bit in Chapter 22 which
made me think.
Quote: "Well Harry," Hermione began. "This is your incentive to date as many girls as possible. Whatever small bit
of feelings you might have for them should help you keep him out, and if he is weakened then you are probably more than a match for him. But you really need
to work on your control."
The 'feelings for individual people coming together to power a greater goal' idea suggested a crossover/fusion which Should Be: Persona.
I could see it being an alternate final year, where Harry gets the Wild Card ability as the Power He Knows Not, and spends a year of classes training, getting
to know classmates he never bothered talking to before, and fighting off Death Eater attacks, only to combine all his Social Links to form The World and
destroy Who-The-Heck with it at the end of the year.
(In the Good Ending, he survives doing it, too! Somehow, the whole "Master of Death" thing has to tie into that.)
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.
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