Hello guys!

Say, who don't like to go further into the rabbit hole of the wizarding world on occasions, even if it is not the official one? I'm well aware there are a number of people who don't care much for it because it is not "canon", but if you just like a good story, I know of some honorable mentions for you, because But there ARE some darn good fanfictions out there!

Here is my top three, all of which is leagues ahead of the Cursed Child, IMAO.

There was this American, George Norman Lippert who is a fan of the franchise. He wrote his own stories about "James Potter", next generation, you know, just to please his wife and kid(s), and posted it online for a second opinion before he showed it to them: With over 20,000 reviews and a 4 star rating on goodreads, the James Potter series gives new meaning to fan fiction. A reader wrote the following: "The biggest question I had after immersing myself in this amazing epic over several sleepless nights was why the tale isn't widely recognized as the best Harry Potter fic written."

They can be found here. There's a small promo video, but if you scroll down, you'll see a small white "skip video" if you so desire. I've thrown myself head first over everything I can find having to do with that series, and it's well worth a read.

There is this fanfiction called "Being Gilderoy Lockhart" about a man who fell asleep while reading the second book and woke up in the body of Gilderoy Lockhart and has to "play the part" while he also tries to figure out what the hell's going on, that's a great story. And yes, thank Merlin, the story makes sure to emphasize the actual wizarding world and how the different familiar faces - is familiar but not necessarily looks anything like the movie actors. :-D

I read this fanfiction which took Merlin from the tv show and "sent him into the future", taking the place of Harry Potter (who don't exist) as the main character. I thought it would suck, most crossovers do, in my opinion, but the writing is great, the humor and atmosphere of the story is pretty much in tone with the stories of the books, with some odd twists and turns to keep everything "new". Since Merlin after all isn't Harry, we get a whole new outlook on canon characters and events, and the non-canon characters introduced is in my opinion solid and fits into the world of Harry Potter. He/she who's writing it competently explains the hows and whys in regard to Merlin's magic from the show differ from the wand-wielding spell-casting common to wizards in the modern era and competently made it fit, and his abilities tuned down so that even when he on rare occasions does something incredible, the fact that he is incapable of solving every problem by himself and that there are problems he is ill-equipped to meet exactly because his magic is different is always emphasized. He is no god among wizard-men.

As I said, I was skeptical at first, but now I'm relieving Christmas Eve with each new chapter. (He/she is not quite finished with the second story in the series.) Here is the first and second stories.