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

[GetTheGoodLookingGuy]

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?

I think letting the students go into Hogsmeade in free periods would be the way to go.

My kids go to Hogwarts (boarding school) and they are year 13 and now allowed into the nearest town whenever they are finished with lessons. Younger years are only allowed in on a weekend day. So I can totally see Hogwarts doing the same.

Quidditch supplies shop sounds like a good idea for your character being in Hogsmeade.

Oooh, I like the recording device thing. I think I'm pretty set on them reconnecting at the Yule Ball, though (she's gone with the afformentioned Slytherin soon-to-be Head Boy, just as friends, because she's champion and needs a date, but everyone knows the afformentioned Slytherin soon-to-be Head Boy should be with a fellow Slytherin - except the two Slytherins themselves). Perhaps this could be something he works on throughout her 7th year, providing another way to give them time together.

What time do you think curfew would be? In OotP we're told that fifth years could wander the corridors until 9pm, so I've built on that and given first and second years an 8pm curfew, and 8:30 for third and fourth years. So I'm thinking maybe 9:30 for sixth years and 10pm for seventh? Or 10 for sixth years and 11 for seventh years? 10pm for both? 9:30 and 10 on weekdays, later on weekends - by which I mean Friday and Saturday nights. And for 7th years allowed out of the grounds is it the same ruling - you must be back in your common room by X time, but no additional rules about when you're back within the grounds so long as you make common room curfew?

I think the Quidditch supplies shop is a good idea, except for the fact that it would be too busy for him to have time off on Hogsmede weekends so they couldn't spend them together. So maybe a flat in Hogsmede but Ministry/commentator/scout job.

Quidditch supply shop. Hogsmede.

Replica kit, posters, books, etc etc

I’m loving the discussion on this thread. Can I have the link please?

Also, unrelated but related to the 4th year book I’m writing right now, how do you think witches and wizards would travel with babies/small children? Apparating/floo whilst holding the baby? How old would a child be before you’d let them travel by floo powder by themselves (as in travelling to the same place as you but getting into the fire by themselves) or you sat them on the back of mum or dad’s broom? Would people just stick to muggle transportation with babies?

Papoosing. Leaves the arms free for spell-casting and holding onto broom.

Can't let them travel by Floo until you can be sure they will say the destination correctly.

Could I have the link too please? This sounds amazing ⚡

PMs sent, @PleaseStopExplaining and @digitalstowaway

So many people have asked for a link I’m worried I’m overselling it! Honestly the beginning of the first one is pretty dire. 😂Persevere until perhaps chapter 6 or 7 and it gets better!

I think one of my main issues is that my main character is less of a protagonist and more of just a narrator who happens to be there when things are happening to other people. I’m currently trying to figure out how much of another character’s story belongs in my main story and how much should be in a sort of companion-fic. So far this Other Character has had the majority of two chapters from her point of view, and there’s another event which doesn’t involve the main character at all that I’m not sure if I should include in this story or not…

If you went down the journalist for Quidditch route could she interview him for the school paper and they stay in touch? Might be a bit 50 shades esq!

I think you could get an attachment for a broom like a "broom seat".

Apparate yes and it always makes the babies throw up.

No to floo as choking risk or you do a bubble spell on them?

I wouldn't worry too much, a lot of the fan faction isn't well written and your grammar at least seems fine. I'd create a magical papoose which allows small children to apparate with their parent = maybe a papoorater? Then after the age of 2 they need to use a port key.

Considering there is some weird erotic stuff with the giant squid in something I read, I think you'll be able to post anywhere. but yes, unless you're the french - parent teacher relations are taboo.

Well I read about 10 chapters last night. It's great little spin off! Well done.

Any chance of a link

Could he set up a local quidditch team in hogsmead?

I always imagined there was a charm that kept the baby on the broom, like a car seat charm.

and I think they apparate holding the child, and wizard children just get used to it. There were too many weasleys though so they had to do floo that’s why we don’t hear about that

Could I have a link please? Sounds really good!

What about a non teaching roll, apprentice to, is Hagrid still around?

Someone to look after the magical creatures, maybe living in the forbidden forest?

How about someone who brings Norberta back from Romania to see her hatching place? She needs to be kept in Hogwarts grounds for some reason and who ever brings her is a guest for a while.

Nothing to add for the fanfiction/HP aspect but I wouldn't write the stutter. It's too prescriptive for the reader's imagination and can easily come across as singling out the person. For the same reason accents are usually not written out in books. It would be more organic to once in a while mention how he's been working on improving his stutter, which also gives room to show character development. And if at somepoint your character has a particular stressful moment you can emphasise that by saying that his stutter got worse/came back - possibly with a short written out stutter if you feel that would work. Two birds one stone: you remind the reader of the stutter and you show he is nervous without spelling it out.

If he is 6 years older than her, and the young woman is only seventeen I feel a little bit uncomfortable about it. Even if they meet outside of school and he is not in position of power or responsibility, she is still at school and he is a proper grown man. If she was 17 and he was 18/19 then maybe it would not be too bad.

Make them both staff? She could be the new coach for her house team and he could the coach for Syltherin? Although that would possibly mess up every single other storyline you have going on.

Yeah, I’m really torn on this one. I don’t want to single him out of be insensitive to people who have similar difficulties, but at the same time I’m struggling to see how I can show him getting frustrated with himself for not being able to get the words out without writing the stutter. And it would be hard to subtley show that his stammer is worse when he’s nervous/stressed and better when he’s relaxed if it’s not written out - I’ll either have to not mention it, or mention it all the time.

Yeah, I thought this might be people’s reaction. The age gap is closer to 5 years than 6 - she’s old for her year (October 13th) and he has no established birthday so could be young for his year and the gap could be as little as 5 years 6 weeks or so. There’s no way I can change the gap because it’s already established that he was a 7th year when she was a 1st year.

Can I ask if it would make a difference if she was 18 and he was 23, almost 24? Because that would b.e the equivalent in our world since people come of age at 17 in the Wizarding world. So perhaps their parents (they’re both muggle-born) would be less accepting than people in the Wizarding world?