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Original poster

Help me solve a moral dilemma (for my Harry Potter Fan Fiction)

73 replies

GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 21:18

I've recently re-picked up a Harry Potter Fan Fiction series I started writing about a decade ago. I'm in the middle of book 4, but have vague plans for all 7. I completely own that they are almost completely devoid of plot (I have long since accepted that I am good at characters who have little episodic lives and suck at over-arching plot. It is what it is.) but I'm enjoying it and a handful of people on a fan fiction site seem to like them, so...

I'm currently thinking ahead to books 6/7 where my main character embarks on a relationship with an ex-student. Initially, I had planned for him to be offered a part-time Quidditch coaching job so he'd be around in book 7, but I'm now thinking that them having a relationship whilst he was technically a staff member would be rather morally questionable. Is there a possible situation where they would say "since it's a pre-existing relationship then go ahead by be discreet", or is this a definite no? If he was told to take the job or keep the relationship he'd chose the relationship, so maybe I would have him offered the job right at the end of book 7 for next year when she would have left. What do you think?

If I'm not going to down the Quidditch coaching job route, I obviously want another way to have them together sometimes during that book, more often that just Christmas and Easter. So I'm thinking that it could be a rule in 7th year that students have more freedom coming and going from the castle. They could be allowed to go home for weekends and go out to Hogsmede when it's not a Hogsmede weekend. I feel like this is a resonable thing to happen because all the 7th years would be of age. Also, since Harry etc never did 7th year, that could be why this was never mentioned in the Harry Potter books. Harry never really paid much attention to what older students were doing, so it's possible this could have been going on whilst he was at Hogwarts and he just didn't notice. Thoughts on this?

OP posts:
Morfin · 11/05/2022 22:01

Yes please to the PM. (And I hope you have given sufficient thought to those in my ancestors house)

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 11/05/2022 22:03

I think its Canon that staff have to be at least 21

Seeing as HP was set in the 90s, it was turned a blind eye to them
Now its considered abuse of trust.

Cliftontherocks · 11/05/2022 22:06

Can you pm me a link?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Books
picklemewalnuts · 11/05/2022 22:09

I'd love a link too, please!

Original poster
GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 22:13

Morfin · 11/05/2022 22:01

Yes please to the PM. (And I hope you have given sufficient thought to those in my ancestors house)

Link sent! (And @Cliftontherocks and @picklemewalnuts )

The eventual Head Boy in the 7th one is a Slytherin. I really like him - I’d like to make him more of a main character but I just have too damn many of them (my eternal problem!)

OP posts:
Original poster
GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 22:16

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 11/05/2022 22:03

I think its Canon that staff have to be at least 21

Seeing as HP was set in the 90s, it was turned a blind eye to them
Now its considered abuse of trust.

He’d be 23, if my calculations are correct.

Yeah, I think I’m going to steer clear of him being a teacher, although I still might have him get the job for the following year right at the end of the last book.

OP posts:
AppleKatie · 11/05/2022 22:18

I’d like a link please!

I think 7th years would be allowed to hogsmeade at weekends. With apparition licenses and the trace gone though, there’s a tacit agreement that they could go anywhere in the uk. I imagine Minerva is very strict about being back for curfew though!

MintyCedricRidesAgain · 11/05/2022 22:21

I'm not a Harry Potter expert, but I also write fan fiction and I absolutely bloody love the attention to detail going on here 😁!

Original poster
GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 22:25

AppleKatie · 11/05/2022 22:18

I’d like a link please!

I think 7th years would be allowed to hogsmeade at weekends. With apparition licenses and the trace gone though, there’s a tacit agreement that they could go anywhere in the uk. I imagine Minerva is very strict about being back for curfew though!

Link sent!

I like the idea of it being implied but not explicitly said that they can go wherever when they’re “in Hogsmede”. I can imagine McGonnagal sitting everyone down at the start of 7th year and laying down the law and saying that if you break the rules you could end up having the privileges withdrawn for everyone…

OP posts:
Original poster
GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 22:28

MintyCedricRidesAgain · 11/05/2022 22:21

I'm not a Harry Potter expert, but I also write fan fiction and I absolutely bloody love the attention to detail going on here 😁!

Attention to detail is my middle name! I may or may not have made a list of the entire year’s third year options so I know exactly who is in which class at any given time…

I also made a list of every single current Hogwarts student right at the start. Any seventh year who didn’t get mentioned in the first one then got recycled into a first year for the next one!

OP posts:
AppleKatie · 11/05/2022 22:30

Thanks! I think She’d go down the ‘in the outside world you are of age, and legally able to do as you please but in this castle you are my students and as such you will all -yes even you stebbins- set a good example to the younger students.

NellWilsonsWhiteHair · 11/05/2022 22:31

GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 22:16

He’d be 23, if my calculations are correct.

Yeah, I think I’m going to steer clear of him being a teacher, although I still might have him get the job for the following year right at the end of the last book.

Show quote history

This feels reasonable - it seems that you're keen on this as being a job where this character ends up eventually, rather than it just being a logistical way of enabling proximity? It's a neat tying-up-loose-ends outcome.

I agree, find a plausible way for him to be in Hogsmeade rather than actually working at the school. Teacher/student relationships are one of those things that can make me abandon even a really well-written fic, it's just too icky and too imbalanced and too implausible*; I've never really found anything which got around the latter two for me, and there are only a handful which didn't ick.

  • in terms of plausibility, I obviously could find it credible that some less scrupulous teachers Slughorn might go for this; but what's not plausible for me is that any relationship I'd respect could be conducted in those circumstances. There'd be widespread justifiable disapproval and it would end up all Romeo and Juliet and ugh.
ThingammyBob · 11/05/2022 22:32

Can I get the link too please Smile

AreYouDaveGorman · 11/05/2022 22:33

Ooh can I have a link too please? This sounds great.
I definitely think Hogsmeade is the beat bet. I'm trying to think if any Quiddich/sporting shops were there. Or could he just live there (and he apparates to wherever else he needs to go for work)?

oneform · 11/05/2022 22:39

GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 21:53

@IstayedForTheFeminism and @Tryingandhoping2020 I’ve PMed you a link.

Could I please have this too

Ponderingwindow · 11/05/2022 22:42

Personally I think part of the fun of fan fiction is that you can break the rules, but if you want play this nice and proper, I would just have him open a shop in Hogsmeade. Simultaneously give all the 7th years unlimited weekend visits or at least more visits than just the larger school ones since so many of them are of age anyway.

You could also write an 8th year. With the war interrupting education, many students decide to repeat the year. The school relaxes the rules for the older students.

Original poster
GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 22:42

AppleKatie · 11/05/2022 22:30

Thanks! I think She’d go down the ‘in the outside world you are of age, and legally able to do as you please but in this castle you are my students and as such you will all -yes even you stebbins- set a good example to the younger students.

Yep, that sounds like her! Trying to think who my “Stebbins” would be - I know for sure who it was in the year above!

OP posts:
Original poster
GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 22:46

NellWilsonsWhiteHair · 11/05/2022 22:31

This feels reasonable - it seems that you're keen on this as being a job where this character ends up eventually, rather than it just being a logistical way of enabling proximity? It's a neat tying-up-loose-ends outcome.

I agree, find a plausible way for him to be in Hogsmeade rather than actually working at the school. Teacher/student relationships are one of those things that can make me abandon even a really well-written fic, it's just too icky and too imbalanced and too implausible*; I've never really found anything which got around the latter two for me, and there are only a handful which didn't ick.

  • in terms of plausibility, I obviously could find it credible that some less scrupulous teachers Slughorn might go for this; but what's not plausible for me is that any relationship I'd respect could be conducted in those circumstances. There'd be widespread justifiable disapproval and it would end up all Romeo and Juliet and ugh.
Show quote history

I think I like the Madam Hooch job for him as a way which he can still be involved in Quidditch without it being a big deal that he no longer has the coordination to play himself, especially as she is planning to play Quidditch professionally when she leaves Hogwarts.

Yeah, I think you’ve all talked me out of him working at Hogwarts whilst she’s still there (and provided many plausible and viable alternatives). I wan their relationship to be liked and respected, and I think the age gap will already make that difficult for some people (such as my brother!).

OP posts:
Original poster
GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 22:49

My only issue with him working in a shop in Hogsmede is that Hogsmede weekends would be very busy for him, even though they would be the most obvious time for them to spend time together. So maybe living in Hogsmede intentionally for proximity (he moved back in with his parents post-accident, so maybe this is his first venture into living alone again) but some other Quidditch related job (salesman, scout, reporter etc) is the way to go.

OP posts:
chocolateoranges33 · 11/05/2022 22:59

Can I have a link too please! This is definitely something I want to read 😊

Original poster
GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 23:00

FieryPitOfMordor · 11/05/2022 21:51

With the updated information - Quidditch journalist / commentator? Gives him an excuse to attend the matches.

Just seen this and thought a commentator would be a great idea as my current commentator is in the year about my main character so would be gone by 7th year. I thought maybe he could come a commentate for a match or two, but then I remembered that after his accident he had to learn to talk again and still speaks with a stutter.

On that note, should I write the stutter with all the extra times he says a sound at the start of a word, or should I just mention when he’s first reintroduced that he has a stutter and the just write his speech “normally”? I know there will be times he gets frustrated with himself being unable to find words/get words out, so it’s not like you could forget about the stutter if I didn’t write it.

Also, I want to show his stutter gradually improving through the year and a half you know him - any ideas how this could come across if I wasn’t writing out the stutter?

OP posts:
MintyCedricRidesAgain · 11/05/2022 23:54

GetTheGoodLookingGuy · 11/05/2022 22:28

Attention to detail is my middle name! I may or may not have made a list of the entire year’s third year options so I know exactly who is in which class at any given time…

I also made a list of every single current Hogwarts student right at the start. Any seventh year who didn’t get mentioned in the first one then got recycled into a first year for the next one!

Show quote history

Brilliant!

I once spent 45 minutes trawling through a book to check I hadn't imagined a mention of marzipan pigs.

I got a Kindle after that!

AppleKatie · 12/05/2022 05:54

I would write the stutter. I don’t think I would ‘read it’ if it wasn’t obvious on each line.

HolyHiVisOfStEvenEdge · 12/05/2022 06:28

I would write the stutter. It could then be a device where he noticeably stutters either more / less when he’s with her (more because he’s more nervous with her as there’s more at stake; less because he’s more comfortable with her, trusts her more than most etc).

Shelby2010 · 12/05/2022 10:30

This is so fascinating!

Maybe he first appears at the matches as a slightly shadowy character. It turns out he has special permission to commentate on the matches into a magic recording device. He’s using this to either improve his stutter or try and find a spell that will filter out the stutter so he can eventually do live commentating.

She finds out & starts trying to help, thus giving him a slight vulnerability that will balance out the age difference.