Harry Potter Fanfiction: Headcannon Vs. Fannon.

Harry Potter is a great series, with an epic-sized fanbase. Of course, with any fandom, there are fans that want to extend the stories through materials such as fan art and fanfiction. With most things, there is a bunch of shorthand that seems to be a language of its own. Some examples are 'head cannon' and 'fanon.' Head cannon is something that you as the reader make up as you read a book. Stuff like coming up with little backstories of secondary characters that don't get much 'screen time' in the book, and explanations for plot holes in the stories that just never get resolved. On the other hand, fanon is something akin to what fans establish in fanfiction that repeats in other stories. Harry Potter is so accessible to fans that everything from fan art, fan fiction, and heck even things like Wizard Rock bands have cropped up during the height of the popularity of Harry Potter. I am going to focus on aspects of fanfiction for Harry Potter.

Main Plot Types:

1. Super-Powered Harry: This is the classic plot for HP fanfics. Harry (usually during 4th or 5th year) gets a surge of power either through a ritual, totem item, or latent DNA from a great wizard (i.e., Godric Gryffindor, Merlin, or the other founders) and single-handedly wins the war against Voldemort. The main problem I have with this one is that you'll wind up writing yourself into a corner because no matter how much tension or raised stakes you come up with, everyone knows that Harry will ultimately win in a single blow.

2. Super Genius/Smart Ass Harry: This is another one that irks me. Harry suddenly has insight into everything, can solve any problem, and will always be right. His methods are unheard of in the wizarding world as he solves everyone's problems because he's just way too smart. Now this can be done well with elements like time travel or simply discovering a book of lost knowledge. Yet most of the time it just comes out of left field as suddenly he just goes, "Screw it! I'm smarter than Hermione now!"

3. The Boy Who Bangs: Pretty much self-explanatory.

Fanon Stories:

This is a murky subject as it seems like most fan fiction authors agree on something and it becomes adopted into fanon.

1. Daphne Greengrass: She's not really touched upon in the books so she's a bit of a blank slate, but most of the descriptions of her are as follows: Blonde or black, long straight hair, icy blue eyes, and thin. She also has an Ice Queen demeanor and her family has taken a neutral stance on the light and dark side of magic.

2. Luna Lovegood: She's the character that is usually regulated to the role of 'exposition fairy.' Wherein, she's the one that, due to being from a long line of seers, can give detailed histories to Harry about the problem that he's facing and be able to tell him how to go about his plan, when he has no idea what's going on.

3. Neville Longbottom (snicker): While he does have a crucial role in the book series, in fan fiction he is suddenly the new member of the trio as Ron is usually dumped because (at least with most of the stuff I read) no writer seems to really like Ron. Also, in some instances Neville becomes the 'Boy Who Lived' in an AU setting where Harry is introduced later.

4. Tonks (just Tonks, no first name, no sir): At least with the fics that I read, she seems to take on both the roles of a surrogate sister and mentor in the ways of defense.

Fan fiction is a great expansion to head cannon that most of us have. I love how well-written stories can explore aspects of the stories that don't get much light shed on them, or goes in an alternative path that opens a new world of storytelling. That and with fan fiction, you finally get to see Harry wind up with the girl or guy that you always saw him with. Harry/Tonks for ever!