May be more of a pet peeve than a cliche, but I hate the "Portkeys have to be rubbish" crap.

Look, they were old bottles, flat tires, and dirty sneakers because the Ministry laid them all around Britain and didn't want someone running off with the damn thing. Yes, something inexpensive and disposable makes sense. Like the Kettle and the coat hanger, but things that belong in a rubbish bin don't.

 

It seems to me that there's a cliche about Smart Harry having to be sorted into Ravenclaw or Slytherin, I guess because of the attributes of those Houses. I hate this. Personally I'd like to see an alternate house Smart Harry who's in Hufflepuff or Gryffindor with the latter starting in first year not post-LV's return (sort of like what enembee did with his non-BWL Gryffindor Harry in The Divining Light and Conlaodh's Song).

 

Oh my god read this story.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3557725/1/Forging-the-Sword