Harry Potter's birthday is coming soon.

[krules]

> > Geoff:
> > Canon gives enough information to know that his birthday is, as
> > you suggest, 31st July, and that his year of birth is 1980, hence
> > he is 32 this year.
 
> Corey:
> Oh okay, that's cool.  Wonder if he has to catch any dark wizards?  
> What does canon mean?

Kemper:
Canon is a list sacred text that people base their truth/faith.  In this case, in this case canon refers to the 7 HP books and the 2 companion books.  HP canon is NOT the movies.

Fanon is fiction written by fans.  though, fanon may also be one's personal speculation that one has dwelt upon so long that they actually think they read it in the books.  

For instance, canon shows Hermione has made some morally questionable decisions from books 2-7.  In DH, she states wiping away her parents memories of her.  Canon does not state whether her parents gave consent.  But!  Based on her other decisions in canon, my personal fanon (that's all in my head) has Hermione ripping her parents' memories of her out of their heads.  I'd like to point out that Kloves and/or Yates had the same impression of the canon.  Validation!
But!  Her reprehensible behavior (in this instance) is in my head and in a movie.  It is NOT canon.

Also not canon: whatever the author says about the text.  If it's not written into the story, it's not canon! So, even though canon hinted that Dumbledore was gay, canon never made it evident no mater what JKR says.

Kemper