As an entrepreneur and investor I’m constantly running through “what if” analyses. In my off time it seems I do something similar, but there I let creative others come up with new variation. What this looks like is Harry Potter fan fiction, where you already know the characters and story arcs, but where each time you start a new story, you get a different “what if” scenario to play out.
Harry Potter is the most popular fictional universe for fan fiction. As of the middle of 2023 there are 845,000 Harry Potter themed stories posted on fanfiction.net. Which are the best?
The best of the best:
- Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality – Harry is book smart and clever. So is Voldemort.
- Following the Phoenix – When one fan fiction story is so popular it can have its own fan fiction.
- Harry Potter and the Secret of the Patronus – A fan fiction sequel to HPatMoR. (NOTE: Starts good but goes sideways eventually)
- The Arithmancer – Hermione is a maths whiz. She’s the hero of this series.
- Lady Archimedes (sequel)
- Honour Thy Blood – Beginning in the graveyard, Harry fails to reach the cup to escape but is saved by an unexpected person thought long dead. (Daphne)
- The Green in the Grey – Harry Potter may have been abandoned at the end of the war but he will rise to be more than any could have imagined. (Tonks)
- When the Roses Bloom Again – Harry seizes an unexpected opportunity to save his godfather, only to find himself back in time. (Minerva) [Mature]
- A Chance Encounter – Harry meets a different family on way way to Year 1’s train.
- A Champion’s New Hope – Harry looks to different friends for support after both Ron and Hermione refuse to believe that he did not put his name in the Goblet. (Daphne)
- A Dance of Dementors – What if there were two kinds of Dementors: ones born in nature and ones created?
- A Dark Lords Rising – Harry is raised by Tom Riddle. (Daphne) (WARNING: DARK)
- A Different Halloween – Harry and Hermione meet as toddlers
- Angry Harry and the Seven – Harry is smart, knowledgeable, sticks up for himself and, worst still, is betrothed. (Daphne)
- Blindness – Harry, but blind.
- Burnt – Harry is disabled.
- Come Find Me – Hermione is targeted by Death Eaters, she ends up banished, expelled from Hogwarts, her magic bound, she and her parents are obliviated, but one person remembers her.
- Daphne Greengrass and the Importance of Intent – Harry Potter and me while sitting in an empty Hogwarts classroom using Harry’s idea, Daphne’s design, and most importantly, our intent. (Daphne)
- Daphne’s Letter from the Future – Daphne sends herself a letter back in time. (Time travel)
- Fairborn Adventures – 25-year-old Unspeakable Harry Potter finds himself thrown back to the year 1975. (Marlene) (OP) [Mature]
- Fleur De Lis – Harry Potter is 17 years old when the Triwizard Tournament comes to Britain while his brother, Justin Potter, may be the Boy-Who-Lived. (Fleur)
- Forty One Times Dead – Harry has an annoying habit of dying before his time. (OP)
- Fixing Past Mistakes – Harry didn’t appear at Hogwarts causing concern.
- Growing Legacy (sequel)
- Granny Morgaine – The battle against the basilisk opened the path to a destiny Harry would never have expected. (OP)
- Hadrian Potter- The Snake like Lion – Harry is raise by Lord Black.
- Harry’s Private Army – Harry is bored, so he creates a small army of household pests he found in Grimmuald Place. (OP)
- Harry Crow – Harry is raised by the goblins.
- Harry McGonagall – Harry is raised by Minerva McGonagall
- Harry Potter McGonagall – (sequel)
- Harry Potter: Air Elemental – Harry finds a new power over air.
- Harry Potter and the Four Heirs – Merlin, not happy with how the future unravelled for the life of Harry Potter, intervenes early.
- Harry Potter and the Daft Morons – Here is a Harry who knows how to think and reason.
- Harry Potter and the Wastelands of Time – Take a deep breath, count back from ten… and above all else – don’t worry! It’ll all be over soon. The world, that is.
- Harry Potter: Unspeakable – Harry is an unspeakable.
- Harry Potter and the International Triwizard Tournament – A disillusioned Harry Potter begins to unravel his potential as the wizarding world follows the Triwizard Tournament. (Daphe/Fleur) [Mature]
- Harry Potter and the Rune Stone Path – 10 year old Harry finds his mom’s notes on runes.
- Harry Potter and the Phoenix Wand – When Harry accidentally breaks his wand he is engulfed in Phoenix flames and finds himself back in Ollivander’s. (Time travel)
- Harry Potter and the Tribe of Mystics – Who are the Mystics and why are they interested in Harry Potter? (Susan/Daphne) (OP, but he works for it)
- Harry Potter and the Unexpected Power – Harry meets an unexpected visitor at school. Quite unexpected.
- Harry Potter – Three to Backstep – Hermione and Daphne Greengrass die during the final battle and are sent back in time. (Daphne) [Mature]
- He’s Not Dead Yet – The Ministry of Death is not happy with Harry.
- Hermione’s Prophecy – The night before the troll attacks Hermione in the lavatory, Hermione hears a prophecy about herself
- Hermione Granger is Stupid – Hermione gets help from two people she least expected and realizes she’s in love with the wrong guy.
- How to get engaged to Hermione Granger – Romantic fluff and fun.
- Inspected By No 13 – Total fluff. Ridiculous. Fun.
- It Could Only Happen to Harry – After defeating Voldemort in his final year, Harry requires a rare ritual to save his life. [Mature]
- Lady Black, Lord Potter – At the reading of Sirius Black’s will several shocking revelations leave Harry Potter and Nymphadora Tonks reeling. (Tonks)
- Like Grains of Sand in the Hourglass – Tonks is accidentally sent back in time. (Time travel / Tonks)
- Marry You – Harry and Daphne find themseves trapped in a hasty marriage after a drunken night. (Daphne)
- Music Beneath the Mountains – Harry is raised by the Goblins.
- Novocaine – Harry has a meeting in Gringotts that changes his life. (Daphne)
- Playing Defense – Athena Potter, daughter of Harry and Ginny, wants nothing more than her parents to be happy.
- Reclaiming the House of Black – Sirius takes a stand and reclaims his house.
- Regulus Black – How would everything play out for Harry Potter, Sirius Black and the magical world if Regulus Black survived.
- Reluctant Ally – Harry meets Hermione at age seven.
- The Amalgamation Agreement – ‘Don’t think of it as a marriage contract, think of it as … an amalgamation agreement.’ (Daphne)
- The Eight Futures of Harry Potter – Harry’s dead again, but instead of passing on Death gives him an option; view eight possible futures.
- Lady Archimedes (sequel)
- The Last Peverell – Being the Master of Death made life difficult. (FemHarry)
- The Legacy Preservation Act – Last Heirs of noble bloodlines are forced to marry. (Daphne)
- The Legacy – A book left by Sirius opens Harry’s eyes as he delves into the mysteries of magic. (Daphne)
- The Marriage Contracts Redux – A rewrite of ‘Harry Potter and the Marriage Contracts’ (Daphne)
- The Potter Alliance – Susan Bones has many questions for one of her class mates. (Susan)
- The Potter Coven – Hermione is determined to help Harry tackle it all. [Mature]
- The Reluctant Champion – Raised in magic by a loving family, trained by one of the best Aurors the DMLE (Daphne)
- The Survivors – Daphne Greengrass is a Healer working at Saint Mungos, and her life inevitably changes when none other than Harry Potter rolls into her Hospital ward. (Daphne)
- The Wandsmiths – Todd Ollivander can’t seem to shake his feelings for the new apprentice at his father’s wand shop. (Ollivander)
- The World Without Me – Harry won the war against Voldemort but at a terrible price. Fawkes gives him another chance in a new world. (Time travel-esque, Alternate reality)
- Tied for Last – WARNING: dark, manipulative, but if you can get past that, quite an interesting twist for Hermione.
- What We’re Fighting For – Harry is believed dead. Hermione Granger is a very lonely young woman without a single friend. [Mature]
- You’re my Density – Harry loses his temper at his trial. (Time travel)
Long stories worth reading:
- 30 Minutes That Changed Everything – Harry made a mistake 150 years ago or so and now the human race no longer exists.
- A Clandestine Reality – It had always been a subject of discussion that Rose hadn’t inherited the famous Weasley red hair…
- A Dark Year – Daphne Greengrass had a simple plan, lay low and make it to the end of the year in one piece. (Daphne)
- A Different Messenger – Harry is saved from the Dursleys
- A Fresh Bouquet – Poppy Evans. (Time travel)
- A Kiss Can Save The World – What would change if Harry asked Hermione to the Yule Ball?
- Abandon – Harry and Hermione are 22 and burnt out. They decide to take a holiday, travel, figure things out.
- About a Girl – A mishap deages some students.
- Apprentic James – Harry is apprenticed to Ollivander. (Wandlore)
- Back to the Beginning – Harry wakes up in his four year old body. (Time travel)
- Back to the World – Seven years after the fall of Voldemort Harry doesn’t know what to do with his life. (Gabrielle)
- Better Be Slytherin! – Harry is sorted into… Slytherin
- Challenging the Impossible! – Just before the final battle, Harry intervenes in a Death Eater attack that will change his life. (Daphne)
- Champion’s Date – What could happen if Fleur asked Harry to be her date for the Yule Ball? (Fleur) [Mature]
- Contractual Invalidation – Pureblood tradition doesn’t always favor the purebloods.
- Daddy’s Boy – Harry is raised by James, who survived Halloween.
- Days to Come – Harry Potter was hoping after having won the war and got the girl he would find some peace. (Daphne)
- Deal or No Deal – Hermione meets Fred and George on the train instead of Harry and Ron.
- Even This – While hunting for Horcruxes in 1997, a freak accident lands Harry back in his 13 year old body, back in the year 1993. (Time travel)
- Fantastic Elves and Where to Find Them – Harry thinks he’s a house elf.
- From Father to Son – Ignotus Peverell was dying… there was one more thing he needed to do.
- The Handbook of Elf Psychology – sequel to Fantastic Elves and Where to Find Them!
- Harry & Gabrielle – It’s all in the title. (Gabrielle)
- Harry Potter: Dark Memories – Voldemort didn’t just give Harry some of his powers that night. He gave him all of his memories.
- Harry Potter and the Beast(s) and Draco – The old enemies become unexpected allies in a fight against the Ministry, Death Eaters, and a dead man’s hatred. (Daphne)
- Harry Potter and The Black’s Family Legacy – Harry Potter disappears the summer after the fourth year.
- Harry Potter and the Book of Souls – Armed with a curious book that will help him on his path, the story follows Harry as he builds new friendships. [Mature]
- Harry Potter & Death’s Ultimatum – When Ron stormed out of the tent, Hermione went after him to stop him and disapparated with him.
- Harry Potter and the Deus Ex Machina – It was a normal day, until newly turned 8 year-old Harry Potter decided to make a wish upon the dog star.
- Harry Potter and the Lightning Scar – Harry is raised by Sirius and Remus, in America.
- Harry Potter and the Manipulator of Destiny – Harry finds that Dumbledore has been less than honest or helpful with him, takes control of his own life.
- Harry Potter and the Metamorph – Harry discovers an ability that he needs help with. (Tonks)
- Harry Potter and The Old Friend – Harry is raised by Amelia Bones. (Susan)
- Harry Potter and the Pool of Time – After falling into the Dark Lords trap in the Department of Mysteries, Harry and his friends desperately try to escape. (Time travel)
- Hermione’s Plan – Hermione resolves to do what she should have done in the first place.
- Hermione Granger and the Serpent’s Renaissance – Salazar Slytherin is reborn as Hermione Granger. (WARNING: not complete)
- I Need You – Hermione’s parents pulled her out of Hogwarts.
- It’s Not Just A Stick: A Wand Crafter’s Story – Harry meets Hermione before Hogwarts, and they learn wandcraft together.
- Ladies’ Man – After the last battle, Harry finds himself sought after by many girls, but only one really has his love. [Mature]
- Lily’s Changes – When Harry is killed by Voldemort in book 7 he wakes up at Kings Cross Station and meets Lily instead of Dumbledore, and she’s really angry with him.
- Luna Lovegood and the Dark Lord’s Diary – Luni gets Tom’s diary instead of Ginny.
- Masters of Death – Harry Potter and Amanda Maxwell, his girlfriend and lover, are starting their first-year at Hogwarts.
- Meeting Your Maker (Literally) – Harry Potter is not happy with his lot after the war has ended. He decides he needs to go back in time to fix it. (Time travel)
- More Than A Beam of Light – A chance encounter changes some things in the life of our young hero.
- Mysterious Thing, Time – Harry and Dumbledore go back the moment it all began. (Time travel)
- No Thanks – Harry doesn’t go home with the Dursleys
- Nope, I’m Gone – Harry leaves when his name comes out of the Goblet of Fire.
- Oh God Not Again! – Another time travel riff.
- On the Way to Greatness – Another Harry sorted into Slytherin story.
- Paint It Black – Iris Potter was given the solemn duty to protect her young male counterpart the next reality over from the forces of evil.
- Proud Parents – An OP Harmony story. (WARNING: not complete)
- Ravenclaw’s Computer – Harry’s discovered the legendary Ravenclaw Diadem in the Room of Requirement, and it works.
- RuneMaster – Harry switches to runes. He’s quite good at it.
- Ruthless Devotion – What if Harry Potter had help from those that were also morally flexible and deeply devoted? (Tonks)
- Sacrifices to Be Made – Harry’s 16th birthday he makes a decision that changes his world.
- Simply Irresistible – Draco gives Hermione a makeover. (Dramione)
- Sorting to Hogwarts – Rediculous, OP, etc. but fun.
- Souls Abound – Two Voldemorts?
- Summer Camp – Harry meets Hermione at summer camp. [Mature]
- The Abyss Between – Charlus Potter has been proclaimed The- Boy-Who-Lived; his twin, Harry, is dismissed as a squib.
- The Answer Is Silence – Harry Potter is terrifying.
- The Boy Who Planned – Harry makes a plan for the Triwizard Tournament.
- The Dance – Many girls ask Harry to choose them as his date for the Yule ball, but he chooses the one that surprised him the most. (Daphne)
- The Grass Is Always Greener – Harry saves Daphne Greengrass
- Time to Put Your Galleons Where Your Mouth Is – Harry is reborn as Sirius’ older brother. (Time travel)
- The British Reformation – An “old friend” is sent to look after Harry after Sirius dies.
- The Fourth Champion – Harry Potter was thought dead, but isn’t.
- The Green Girl – Hermoine is sorted into Slytherin. (Dramione)
- The Lion Tamer – A Slytherin tames a Lion
- The Lion’s Pride (sequel)
- The Lion’s Roar (trilogy)
- The Snorkackic Trio – Luna and Hermione visit Harry during the summer.
- Things We Do For Love – Harry falls for Daphne and has to win her over
- To Shape and Change – Snape goes back in time. (Time travel)
- What’s a Little Death between friends? – Harry tumbles into an experience he never expected, and he doesn’t go alone.
- Witch Daughter – During their stay in the tent, Harry discovers a secret Herminone had kept. [Mature]
- Witch Way (sequel)
- With Whom To Dance? – Harry finds a different date for the Yule Ball.
- Unseen – Short but incredibly sweet.
Quick, short, fun stories:
- A Boy and His Cloak
- A Different Yule
- A Little Child Shall Lead Them
- A Long-Awaited Letter
- A Love Story
- A Muggle’s Guide to Hogwarts
- A Plan of Deepest Subtlety and Cunning
- A Turn in Time Saves Nine
- Aches and Accents (Katie Bell)
- Alliance of Convenience (Daphne)
- Answer me this
- Before You Go
- Brief Encounters (Daphne)
- Calculation
- Carried Away
- Dancing in the Green
- Definitely Not Overreacting
- Don’t Let Her Be Dead
- Don’t Win a War if You Can’t Take a Joke (Daphne)
- Dragon Date – incredibly creative premise
- Fair Trade
- Gentleman in Navy Blue
- Goldie – told from the snitch’s perspective
- Great Things (Ollivander)
- Hagrid’s Fame
- Hagrid’s Umbrella
- Harry Potter and the Connection Reversed
- Harry Potter and the Half-Arsed Tournament
- Harry Potter and the Unexpected Guest (Daphne)
- Hermione’s Logic
- Hermione Granger doesn’t do pranks
- Heterochromic (Daphne)
- Heterochromic Alternative (sequel-esque)
- Home Is Where the Heart Lies
- How A Slytherin Gets What They Want (Daphne)
- How Harry Turned Hogwarts Around
- How Silently She Sings (Daphne)
- How The Sorting Hat Destroyed Hogwarts
- I’ve Always Wanted to Use that Spell
- Ice Cream (Daphne)
- Imperiussed
- is this hell? (Regulus)
- Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad
- Lad in Queen’s Blue
- Lady in Powder Blue
- Life does a turnabout
- Little Black Dress
- Love, Hermione
- Magical Contracts
- Make A Wish
- Marriage in Mind
- Mass Production
- My Daughter, A Witch
- No! (Daphne)
- Not Dumbledore
- Pests
- Protego and Prejudice (Andi and Ted)
- Public Display of Affection (Dramione)
- Quaffles and Broomsticks (Angelina)
- Ravenous Plot Bunny – The Tri-Wizard Tournament
- Revelations
- Riot and Wonder (Daphne)
- Sex Education – Hogwarts’ Style [Mature]
- Show Me Heaven
- Spa of Requirement
- Starting Over
- Tattoos (Daphne)
- That Idea?
- That Moment When (Dramione)
- The Bet (Daphne)
- The Great Taboo Turkey Shoot
- The Greengrass Vignettes (Daphne)
- The List
- Tired
- To the Highest Bidder (Daphne)
- Twin Trees (Daphne)
- The Name’s Malfoy
- The Philosopher’s Red Herring
- The Power He Knows Not
- The Sum of All (Daphne)
- The Wandmaker’s Escape (Ollivander)
- Traditions
- Wand-Shots
- War Games
- Whatever Happened to the Likely Lad?
- When did the Ice Queen get so flirty? (Daphne)
- White to Move, Mate in Two
- Why, I Never!
- Yes, She’s a Girl
And quite a few others that are entertaining, which made it on my Favorites list, but not as good as those above:
- A Dramatic Reading
- A Persistent Snake
- A Wizard’s Guide to ‘Banking’
- Ad Infinitum
- An Inconvenient Truth
- Clean (Dramione)
- Dan Granger
- Dark Lord Potter Part 1
- Dimension Hopping for Beginners
- Evil Be Thou My Good
- filling in the pieces
- Harry’s Fortieth-Birthday Visitors
- Harry Potter: IronWizard
- Harry Potter and the Agent of Death [NOT COMPLETE]
- Harry Potter and the Purification Device (part 3)
- Harry Potter Gains His Freedom
- Home Schooled
- If Looks Could Kill
- In Another Life (Dramione)
- Letters and Lunches
- Paradox (Dramione)
- Poison Pen
- The After Life
- What the Room Requires (Dramione)
- Where in the World is Harry Potter?
There are over 800,000 others too. As you venture into those, do note that most of the stories are written one chapter at a time. If the story is not marked “Complete” then it may just suddenly stop, and many writers take years to finish their stories while others abandon the stories mid-way. Similarly, the story might be marked as complete, and it is, but it ends on a cliffhanger with a sequel that is itself still in progress, or worse, nothing but a teaser.
My biases… obviously Hermione wakes up, drops Ron, and she and Harry live happily ever after. Unless… the enigmatic Daphne Greengrass tells Harry otherwise (Daphne being mentioned all of twice in canon, but nonetheless a popular character in fan fiction). Or occasionally Fleur, Tonks, Susan, or back in time with Marlene or even a teenage Minerva. The point is to explore the “what if” variations. You thus won’t find too many Harry/Ginny stories in this list.
OP = Over-powered. Sometimes the authors go a bit overboard given Harry such powers that vanquishing Voldemort is as difficult as snapping his fingers.
