The one that I don't mind is actually Hadrian. Nice and Roman, it goes with a lot of the other Roman names used in the magical world.

Harrison jut makes me think of Harrison Ford.

 

I don't see what is the problem is with the name Harry. Every time an author changes it so the character has more relation to 'X' plot, he only achieves to make me suspicious. In general, when an author changes Harry's name I know there's going to be a Lordship of some kind, Knockturn Alley, Gringotts, 'Dumbles', Dork Lord, wandless magic, martial arts and running in the mornings. Not necessarily in that order.

My biggest Pet Peeve is, exactly, what I wrote above. I don't like the name changes. And absolutely dislike, a lot, when the author starts using monikers when referring to Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort, Death Eaters, character bashed nº 23. When talking about the first two, and especially Voldemort, the author not only gives a moniker, he inserts a monologue about said characters. @Cinduri already explained this, and I gave a 'Thumbs Up'. When I read something like that, nonjon's A Black Comedy comes to mind.

If there is an extent use of 'Dumbles', 'Moldy-Shorts' and Death Munchers, the fic is going to be bad, unless it's a crack fic.

 

I apologize if this has been covered already, but it bothers the hell out of men when Vernon rapes Harry. I realize that this is, at its core, a plot device. It is used to worsen the situation which our favorite hero has been placed in, thus making our character immediately sympathetic no matter what actions he does after the aforementioned event (I find this particularly predominant in fics featuring Evil!Harry, Severitus, Slash, and Bashing) by appealing directly to the audience's sense of pathos.

However, the reality of the situation is Vernon considered Harry to be, if you'll excuse my language, a piece of shit. The only emotions that Vernon associates with Harry are anger, hate, disgust, and fear. If Vernon truly raped Harry, that would mean that he had an inclination towards not only men, but to boys who are underage. Dudley, would most likely be the object of his Uncle's affections instead of Harry's.

Psycologically - rape is an act of dominance, or one of desperation prompted by the loss of control and Vernon (if we are going by Canonical Characterization) is a person who already believes he is dominant over Harry. Furthermore, he always desires to be in control. The very act of rape itself would be proof that the man had lost the control and normalcy he so desperately tries to maintain.

I just hate it for the laziness it presents in the fandom, I suppose. It is basically an excuse not give reasonable character development. And it is is also, perhaps, because it is always used in the fanfictions stereotypes which have been used hundreds (if not thousands) of times. And really, the act in itself is foul. When presented in a fanfiction it should be presented with thoughfullness and tip-toeing, so as not to offend someone. And the use of rape in this manner shows a particular lack of thoughtfulness or tip-toeing.

 

My pet peeves are numerous and usually change from day to day, depending on what heinous trainwreck I've been exposed to recently, but right now, I dislike stories in which characters refer to Pure-bloods as "Lords" or "Ladies". Other than Dark Lords (i.e. Voldemort or Grindelwald), I see no reason why a wizard, let alone a prepubescent one like Theodore Nott, should be called a "Lord". Who died and decided to make all the Pure-bloods peers and nobles?

All the Purebloods are old-fashioned, bigoted sometimes in their antecedents, and resemble the gentry only in their tendency to inter-marry. Unless authors feasibly explain why Pure-bloods have noble titles (like Taure, perhaps, in Alexandra Potter), I see absolutely no reason why they should be called "Lords". In fact, part of Voldemort's charisma and power is that he can declare himself a Lord, thereby overlording his followers, and get away with it.

 

This. Even in-universe, Lucius Malfoy is referred to as "Mr. Malfoy". While this comes from Harry, who is an unreliable narrator, it's also the only thing we have to go off of.

As far as we know, nobody actually has any titles unless otherwise stated (such as Dumbledore being the Supreme Mugwump), but, again, this is probably people trying to make things seem more ye olde fashioned than they actually are.

 

Someone needs to make a fic where Dumbledore tells Harry that Voldemort represents a clear and present danger

 

If Harrison is an old name, then surely Harry by definition is older. Isn't Harrison just "son of Harry"?

Although Harold is the name of badassdom. Harold Godwinson and his men marched from the south of England to the north, beat up an entire army, then immediately without rest marched back down south and almost beat another army. If Harald hadn't invaded we'd have kicked those French gits off our island.

 

My petpev is the balanced badguy.

This usually comes in when the author makes Harry and his friends superpowerful, much more than in canon and usually through some powers ie elemental ect.

So as to have them not just walk over the Death Eaters and Voldemort the author gices them more powers as well...

Thus canceling out the benifit of having the powers in the first place.

This is most evident in the 1 million+ word fanfic by LouisXIII where Harry had amazing power but then Voldemort, Malfoy Sr and Bellatrix evolved into their final forms of badassery.

 

There are various ways to make the idea of Lords and Ladies fresh, I think. I tried several of them in Alexandra Potter:

1. Link them to the Muggle nobility historically.

2. Severely limit the number of people who hold titles. Importantly, not all prestigious magical names are nobility.

3. Vary the attitudes of the population to aristocracy. Some people think it's important, but a large number of people pay it no mind, considering a defunct system (like IRL). Most often, people with titles won't be addressed using those titles, except in formal situations.

4. Don't tie titles to direct political power.

5. Don't tie titles to huge wealth and/or manors.

6. Keep titles an entirely social phenomenon, and entirely unmagical. You inherit a title legally, not magically.

Basically, making the nobility system a lot closer to how it is in modern Muggle times.

 

I have to 100% disagree with Taure.

Titles should:-

1) Come to you magically on your birthday and with a increase in power

2) Come with either a library or preferably a magical deposit of knowledge

3) A sword

4) Direct polical power that out weighs everyone else combined

5) A vault

6) Multiple Marrage contracts but only to hot chicks

7) Make Dumbledore subserviant to you.

 

Eh? Would you rather the protagonist steamrolled the big bad, then? Seems like a pretty anticlimactic conclusion to the story if Harry gains all this ultimate power and then crushes Voldemort in five minutes. My better, in my opinion, to scale up the baddie appropriately - the hero isn't the only one who can improve.

 

There, fixed that for you. :facepalm

 

What I want to see is a throwdown. Harry and Voldemort as equals. I don't want to see Harry outsmart Voldemort and eek out a win because he was more clever, or just incredibly lucky or whatever.

I want to see two cats in a sack.

 

No I want to see Harry equal canon Voldemort who is already very powerful.

I dont want him to gain the ability to stop a heart with a snap of his fingers only for Voldemort to have the ability to regrow hearts in 2 seconds.

 

Harry comes to us from the Old Norse name Haraldr, from Proto-Germanic *harja-waldaz, meaning "army commander." For the first element, compare with the modern German word heer "army". That element by itself gives us Harry, so historically, the two names have always been both separate and interchangeable. The second element is from Proto-Germanic *waldan, which gives us Modern English wield.

I've always felt that this was quite the apt name for Harry, given his role as the leader of Dumbledore's Army.

 

Do you think JKR knew the etymology of "Harry"? I think she just chose the first common name she thought of. Supposedly, LMB did not know the meaning of "Miles" when she named her protagonist.

 

She didn't pick the name. The idea of "a boy called Harry Potter goes to wizard school" is what she started with.

 

No, I don't. I'm pointing out a happy coincidence.

 

Mentioned this in another thread - but something that's absolutely annoying is the "Greater Good" cliche.

It was bad enough in canon - but at least JKR left it in the past. Not so in ff-world.

Need help out of a plot corner? The Greater Good.
Need to cover over a plot hole? The Greater Good.
Need a reason for Harry to hate Dumbles or Dumbledork (as it is often written in these types of fics)? The Greater good.

If it's explored in a semi-intelligent way, I don't mind it. However, I think I've seen maybe one or two fics like that. The rest are pretty much a joke.

 

I disagree with you actually. The way that Rowling used it in cannon defined the character of Dumbledore. Prior in the series, he had been painted behind a background of perfection, and it was only in the seventh book that she realized this. The truth of the matter is that the motto of "The Greater Good" shows exactly WHY he was regarded as such a great leader. He is willing to make those decisions for the betterment of the many. I can't see how he won the war against voldemort (or stalled him), if he wasn't willing to make some tough choices.