Fanon "ruining" canon (detailed)

[Ebony]

No: HPFGUIDX 9802

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Trina " <lj2d30 at g...> wrote:
> I don't think the fanfic is sullying my canon (spelled it right 
this time! <vbg>) vision of the characters or possible events.  I 
consider it more like a parallel universe, telling a "what might have 
been" in the Wizarding world. 

*Exactly*, Trina.  Fanfic does the same thing that our posts here 
do.  The "what ifs" are fun to contemplate.  

When you read a fanfic that actually plays out something that you'd 
always wondered about, and does it well, it's like a shock of 
lightening.  I read PoU chapters 1-12 in three hours last July.  
Devoured is more like it... it provided possible answers to the three 
nagging sensations that the fourth book left me with.  Those were:  
1)  "Ron's safe for now, but I'm still worried about him for some 
reason.  Why do I get that feeling?"  
2)  "I see R/H forming sometime in the future, but *why* won't JKR 
write H/H?  Deep down I'd really like that better.  I know there's no 
arguing with the author, but it just seems *right*."
3) "There's something more to Harry than meets the eye.  It goes 
beyond Lily's sacrifice, beyond Prioro Incantatem, beyond 
Dumbledore's protection.  What is *up* with this kid?"
In one fell swoop, Lori answered all of my questions.  And the 
amazing thing is--the fic was mostly written before GoF.  Coming into 
after reading Book 4, nothing at all jarred or seemed to contradict 
canon.  

As for fanon ruining canon, I'm not sure if "ruin" is the word I'd 
use.  If your views are solidly formed by canon, then no fanfic can 
change them.  

Also, most of the better fanfics like those on the PoU list are quite 
tangential to canonical storylines.  They might happen, but then 
again they might not.  

They answer questions that JKR may never get around to explaining.  
The following fanfics addressed questions that have always intrigued 
me, and are among my favorites:  

-Can the much-maligned Draco Malfoy be redeemed?  (Cassie, DD/DS)  

-Will the truth about Sirius' innocence ever be known?  (Penny and 
Carole, ASA)  

-Who and what *is* Harry Potter?  (Lori, PoU and sequels)  

-What is post-Hogwarts wizarding education like?  (John, SoT)

-What was going through Hermione's head while dating Viktor Krum?  
(Samantha, *Masquerade*)

-George Lucas and JKR's similarities have been noted--what would 
Harry, Ron, and Hermione have to say about the Star Wars saga?  (B. 
Bennett, *A Certain Point of View*)

-Will romantic tensions upset the perfect balance of the Trio?  If 
so, how?  (parker, *Rumours*)

-Why did Peter Pettigrew betray the Marauders?  (Hyphen, *Rat's Tale*)

-If the Harry Potter books were not fiction, how would this affect 
our world?  (Dadgrid, *The Granger Interview* and *The Letter*)

I read fanfic for the same reason that I read these lists.  The Harry 
Potter novels left a million threads hanging and a million questions 
in my mind.

The best fanfics are not *all* about giggling over romantic 
pairings.  (That's just the icing on the cake.  ;-))  The best 
fanfics reconcile unresolved canonical issues.  In fanfic, a dead 
character like Lily can rise from the grave and a live character can 
die or mysteriously disappear.  The reader can get inside the heads 
of little-known Weasleys and Slytherin Seekers, walk around, and stay 
a bit if he or she likes.  

Very good posts and essays do this as well.  They're interesting.  
But IMNSHO, they're not nearly as fun to ride.  

I'm very passionate about essay writing (such as posts here) and 
creative writing being different means to the same end.  Others 
disagree... perhaps that's where the line between pro-fic and anti-
fic fans can be drawn.  Not that it's a battle line.  Just a distinct 
difference in preferences.

> Trina (only 83% obsessed, but giving thought to writing fanfic 
> herself)

How'd you get an 83% and you haven't written fanfic yet?  :::backs 
away from Trina warily:::  

Here's my advice:  as Nike says, "just do it".

--Ebony