If you were JK Rowling, what would you change?

[Divvie]

I would have dropped or at least significantly downplayed the "Snape's eternal love for Lily" angle (with the cheesy "after all this time?" - "Always" lines).
And I would have let Snape live - and slip away from Hogwarts/Britain and/or the Wizarding World to find some peace of mind ...

I would have made Dumbledore devise a cunning backup plan to ensure that Snape didn't have to be so isolated after having to kill Dumbles - someone in the Order who would know and provide moral and practical support as Headmaster. I really thought it was rather cruel to put Snape into an such an untenable position without redress.

I would also have developed the Slytherin students as more complex characters than they are shown through the Harry-filter.

I most certainly wouldn't have matched Ron & Hermione as a couple.

And yes, I am sure everyone and his/her dogs will disagree with me there, and yes, I understand the intention of JKR's story arc the way she did it - I just don't care for it.

[ArryGrotter]

After a brief read through this thread, I have to say that I am surprised by the number of people who heavily disagree with some of Jo's choices. I personally have few issues with the texts, but this has really made me realise the polarity of fans' opinions.

[Pearl_Took]

Originally Posted by ArryGrotter

After a brief read through this thread, I have to say that I am surprised by the number of people who heavily disagree with some of Jo's choices. I personally have few issues with the texts, but this has really made me realise the polarity of fans' opinions.

That is because, IMO, the books are not perfect.

Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed them enormously. And I love JKR's characters. Indeed, I love them more than the magical setting.

But I'll be honest ... I enjoy the fanfiction just as much.

Fanfic enables me to imagine alternative scenarios for characters I find really interesting, like Snape and Sirius ... and Harry himself, actually. Canon doesn't altogether satisfy me. Which is why I'm grateful that JKR herself has a positive attitude towards fanfic, it allows me more leeway in her playpen.

And it is her playpen. I fully acknowledge that.

[Kings_Cross]

Hm, hard to say. I'm not really a fan of "head canons" which seems to be most of what this thread is. But like someone said, tightening up the timeline/dates would be good. I also wouldn't mind the elimination of the giants/Grawp.

JK knows these characters better than anyone so I feel odd trying to meddle with it. But then again, I'm not into fan fic or anything like that. I'm a canon-gal myself

[Goddess_Clio]

Originally Posted by Peakes

At this point, Voldemort believed that Snape was the true master of the Elder Wand; he would have been wary of the Killing Curse (a) not working and (b) possibly even rebounding on him. I think this is why he has Nagini do his dirty work in this instance.

I'll buy this explanation, but I still maintain that it was massively cavalier of Voldemort to walk away before Snape had died if only to make sure. Who knows, it could have taken hours for Snape to die as a result of his pummeling from Nagini so Voldemort (in his mind) wouldn't become master of the wand for hours after Snape's attack. I suppose that if I had been Voldemort in that instance I wouldn't have left until I was assured that Snape was dead. I'd want to be doubly, triply, quadruply sure.

Originally Posted by Divvie

I would have dropped or at least significantly downplayed the "Snape's eternal love for Lily" angle (with the cheesy "after all this time?" - "Always" lines).

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of sappy love and there were some good eye-rolling moments ("Always" comes to mind )

And I would have let Snape live - and slip away from Hogwarts/Britain and/or the Wizarding World to find some peace of mind ...

That would make a very interesting ending for Snape. He could move to Australia or something and might even be able to find love again. Awww, I'm picturing such a lovely life for Snape now... I'm sad he couldn't have it.

I would have made Dumbledore devise a cunning backup plan to ensure that Snape didn't have to be so isolated after having to kill Dumbles - someone in the Order who would know and provide moral and practical support as Headmaster. I really thought it was rather cruel to put Snape into an such an untenable position without redress.

I think McGonagall would have been a good choice; she has an existing relationship with Snape as professors and seems to respect him on some levels, they worked in the Order together and while she is quick to turn against him in HBP after he allegedly murders Dumbledore I think if she had gotten the story from, say, Dumbledore's portrait she would come around to see that Snape really was working for the Order the whole time. (It would be hard to explain Snape's reasoning and rationale without divulging his love for Lily though.)

I would also have developed the Slytherin students as more complex characters than they are shown through the Harry-filter.

Yes.

I most certainly wouldn't have matched Ron & Hermione as a couple.

And yes, I am sure everyone and his/her dogs will disagree with me there, and yes, I understand the intention of JKR's story arc the way she did it - I just don't care for it.

I could take it or leave it. The Harry-era ships really don't interest me at all so whether Ron and Hermione ended up together or Hermione ended up with Krum and Ron with Luna or something doesn't really matter to me.

Originally Posted by ArryGrotter

After a brief read through this thread, I have to say that I am surprised by the number of people who heavily disagree with some of Jo's choices. I personally have few issues with the texts, but this has really made me realise the polarity of fans' opinions.

Some of my critiques aren't born of heavy disagreement with Jo's choices necessarily, it's that there wasn't enough time spent on some things to develop them (Ginny as a character and Harry and Ginny's relationship) while other things had too much time spent on them for very little pay off (Grawp and the whole giants story which ended up not mattering that much in the grand scheme of the series). We got a whole chapter about the giants in OOTP which, to me, is so long and boring that it bogs the entire book down right in the middle of other things going on that are interesting.

[MerryLore]

Originally Posted by Goddess_Clio

I think McGonagall would have been a good choice; she has an existing relationship with Snape as professors and seems to respect him on some levels, they worked in the Order together and while she is quick to turn against him in HBP after he allegedly murders Dumbledore I think if she had gotten the story from, say, Dumbledore's portrait she would come around to see that Snape really was working for the Order the whole time. (It would be hard to explain Snape's reasoning and rationale without divulging his love for Lily though.)

I don't see this at all. McGonagall would have believed DD and supported Snape, but her personality was much too direct and forthcoming. She never could have kept the secret, IMHO, plus she would have been in Snape's office daily, advocating for the students and demanding he clamp down on the Carrows.

I can't see anyone being able to know the truth.

One thing i would have done differently is tell Snape about the Elder Wand. I also would not have killed Fred. Percy, maybe, after that tearful "I'm sorry."

[Th3Phoenix89]

I would definitely avoid Killing Dumbledore
He's my favourite character after all