More outline work for Try Again.

1 files changed, 150 insertions, 13 deletions

diff --git a/outlines/try-again.mdwn b/outlines/try-again.mdwn
index 284ff64..adb2ef3 100644
--- a/outlines/try-again.mdwn
+++ b/outlines/try-again.mdwn
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ This is my take on the reptilia28's "Don't fear the reaper" challenge:
 >
 > * When Harry asks what was supposed to have happened, Death goes off on a rant
 >   saying how he was supposed to have killed Voldemort, found his soulmate
->   ("Some Granger girl...") and lived to be a centennial age. But since Harry
+>   ("Some Granger girl..".) and lived to be a centennial age. But since Harry
 >   keeps getting into life-threatening situations for one reason or another, he
 >   keeps dying before that happens. Harry is surprised about the soulmate part.
 >
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ Here's my outline so far:
   * Because he's not alive, Voldemort can be permanently destroyed by a simple
     exorcism. On any fragment of himself.
 
-  * The prophecy applies to some dark lord in Canada. He was vanquished, as per
-    prophecy, in 1984 by someone else.
+  * The prophecy applies to some dark lord in South Africa. He was vanquished,
+    as per prophecy, in 1984 by someone else.
 
     * The dark lord Tom Jerry Aspheart.
 
@@ -63,6 +63,16 @@ Here's my outline so far:
 
     * By poisoning him with Aconite.
 
+  * Why is Harry getting a special chance to keep his memories this time?
+    He's reached the limit for mortal reincarnations. This time he has to go
+    back as an official "employee" of fate, obligated to keep his memory, have a
+    healthy long-term relationship with Hermione including children, and survive
+    to at least age 134.
+
+  * It's his last chance; if he fails, they'll just rewind time to before the
+    first blood purity war and use someone else; Harry and friends will never
+    have existed.
+
 * Because I need a villain, this is going to be a manipulative Dumbledore story,
   will all the clichés that entails.
 
@@ -98,7 +108,7 @@ Here's my outline so far:
   them to be a loving family for him.
 
   * Dumbledore left charms to keep them mad, but they are overpowered by Harry's
-    compultions.
+    compulsions.
 
   * Dumbledore never notices, as he never checked up on Harry anyway.
 
@@ -109,6 +119,33 @@ Here's my outline so far:
       ("for an adventure, like camping!") as part of the scam to keep Dumbledore
       in the dark.
 
+* Some early interactions with Hermione?
+
+  * Harry wants a childhood, and with the Dursleys under compulsions and
+    cooperative, he's damn well going to get one.
+
+  * Harry excels at his studies instead of being held back to Dudley's level,
+    and is transferred to an accelerated program, where he meets Hermione.
+
+  * Harry practices Occlumancy as "meditation" because it helps him "keep his
+    thoughts organized". Hermione might as well get interested in this, too.
+
+  * Harry fakes some accidental magic around Hermione, mostly to make her not
+    feel like a freak.
+
+  * Harry is present when Hermione gets her letter, but is not recognized by
+    McGonagall because he has already permanently altered his appearance.
+
+  * McGonagall does not approve of telling someone not in the family, so Harry
+    is sent home.
+
+  * Hermione of course immediately tells Harry everything, as she recognizes
+    that he has also performed "accidental" magic.
+
+  * They go to Diagon Alley together and find the books about him. They all talk
+    to the Goblins together. These meetings go a long way towards preventing
+    Hermione from viewing adults in the magical world as trustworthy.
+
 * Harry shows up to Hogwarts after some sort of permanent appearance alteration.
 
   * Metamorphagus? I'd rather not, to be honest. Permanent transfiguration
@@ -343,7 +380,7 @@ Here's my outline so far:
 
       * Harry and Hermione get this whole lecture from the Goblins about how
         "some races need someone to rule them, or they devolve into chaos and
-        violence."
+        violence".
 
         * Dobby goes to work for the Goblins.
 
@@ -382,7 +419,7 @@ Here's my outline so far:
     * Harry eventually just settles on the plan "I'll show up for Arithmancy,
       and I'll do the work for Arithmancy, and I won't show up or do the
       homework for Divination, and I'd like to see them punish me for attending
-      class."
+      class".
 
     * After a few faceoffs, Dumbledore eventually has to cave in the face of
       objections from over half his staff.
@@ -474,7 +511,7 @@ Here's my outline so far:
 * Fourth year: Dumbledore has organized the Triwizard Tournament, primarily as a
   mechanism to restore some of Britain's fading glory.
 
-  * The defense teacher actually is Moody this time. He's too paranoid to do a
+  * The Defense teacher actually is Moody this time. He's too paranoid to do a
     particularly good job, but he's better than Lockhart.
 
   * Crouch Jr. escaped, but didn't go after Moody. We hear about the murder of
@@ -527,6 +564,17 @@ Here's my outline so far:
 * Fifth year, Fudge is now convinced that last year was a setup by Dumbledore to
   humiliate him and drive him out of office.
 
+  * Hermione is a prefect, but Dumbledore has prevented Flitwick from naming
+    Harry as a prefect.
+
+    * Hermione objects strongly, especially when she discovers that Ron and
+      Draco are also prefects.
+
+    * Flitwick makes it very clear to everyone that even though Harry does not
+      have a badge, Flitwick himself will issue any point deductions or
+      detentions that Harry asks him to, sight unseen. Harry is thus an
+      "unofficial" prefect.
+
   * He sends Umbridge in to keep an eye on Dumbledore.
 
   * This time there's no particular animosity between Umbridge and Harry.
@@ -539,18 +587,28 @@ Here's my outline so far:
     * Umbridge foolishly targets Susan Bones with the blood quill this time.
       Amelia Bones finds out, and things do not end well for Umbridge.
 
-  * Now halfway through the year and without a defense teacher, Harry decides to
-    try more Goblin integration and gets them to send a defense teacher.
+  * Now halfway through the year and without a Defense teacher, Harry decides to
+    try more Goblin integration and gets them to send a Defense teacher.
 
     * Dumbledore is disgraced and desperate at this point, so he latches on to
       the idea.
 
-    * What follows is one of the bloodiest and most effective defense classes
+    * What follows is one of the bloodiest and most effective Defense classes
       Hogwarts has ever had.
 
+      * Students showing up to their next class missing a limb becomes a regular
+        thing.
+
+      * Fortunately, it's all healed relatively easily.
+
     * At the end of the year, parents and the board absolutely *demand* that
       Dumbledore find someone else.
 
+      * Goblins tell Harry and Hermione "should you ever wish to continue your
+        education with us, the Goblin nation will be happy to accept you". They
+        thank them politely, and tell them they will consider that after
+        Hogwarts.
+
   * Harry and friends do well on their O.W.L.s.
 
 * Sixth year: without the Dementors policing Azkaban, several prisoners escape
@@ -558,9 +616,22 @@ Here's my outline so far:
 
   * Lestranges, Carrows, possibly one or two others?
 
-  * Snape teaches defense, and is predictably shitty.
+  * Harry is officially granted the prefect position this year.
+
+    * The previous male Ravenclaw prefect for his year has nothing but respect
+      for Harry; there is no animosity and indeed the "unofficial prefect"
+      stance of the previous year was in part his idea.
+
+  * Snape teaches Defense, and is predictably shitty.
+
+    * After both the Christmas and Easter breaks, we hear about some students
+      not returning to Hogwarts because the Goblins offered to tutor them
+      instead.
+
+    * Harry and Hermione got this offer at the end of last year, but didn't
+      recognize it for what it was and stayed at Hogwarts.
 
-  * Slughorn is teaching potions; without the looming threat of Voldemort, Harry
+  * Slughorn is teaching Potions; without the looming threat of Voldemort, Harry
     was not required to convince him to return.
 
   * The escaped prisoners have Dumbledore keeping Harry confined to the castle,
@@ -595,6 +666,21 @@ Here's my outline so far:
 
   * Some interaction with the younger Weasleys? Love potions, perhaps.
 
+    * Ginny dosing them gives us one more way to show Hermione that magical
+      society is disgusting.
+
+    * Of course, Dumbledore covers up what's going on.
+
+    * Harry manages to get the situation public enough to really embarrass
+      Dumbledore.
+
+      * At Slughorn's party, Harry and Hermione switch the love potion dosages
+        so Ron is attracted to Ginny and Draco is attracted to Ron.
+
+      * The resulting extremely public fight results in both Ron and Draco
+        losing their prefect badges, and the disgrace of Ron and Ginny for
+        participating in a love potion campaign.
+
   * Over the year and the following summer, there are attacks by the escapees.
 
   * The international community takes notice and officially quarantines Britain
@@ -604,7 +690,23 @@ Here's my outline so far:
   his actions so far, and it comes together too quickly for him to realize
   what's happening.
 
-  * Immediately after the sorting feast, Draco activates the vanishing cabinet
+  * Snape still teaching Defense.
+
+    * A record low N.E.W.T.s in Defense were earned last year. Not counting
+      students who were in S.M.U.T., it was in fact *zero*.
+
+    * Harry continues to run S.M.U.T., and recruits enough help to offer it for
+      all year groups.
+
+    * Students take to referring to Harry and Hermione as Professor.
+
+  * Hermione is named head girl, but Neville is named head boy. Most of the
+    school, including Neville, think this is a joke.
+
+    * Everyone knows that Harry is sleeping in the other half of the Ravenclaw
+      head suite with Hermione.
+
+  * Immediately after the Easter holiday, Draco activates the vanishing cabinet
     and signals to the escapees.
 
   * The Goblins have been prepared for this, and have a way to intercept the
@@ -612,12 +714,30 @@ Here's my outline so far:
 
   * Purebloods meet basilisk. Basilisk wins.
 
+  * Harry takes advantage of the confusion to stun Dumbledore in the back.
+
+    * Having access to the cloak and ring already, Harry is now once again
+      the Master of Death. He's expecting to be a part of the fight against the
+      blood purists; as he doesn't yet realize how prepared he's left the
+      Goblins for this fight.
+
+    * The Goblins cart Dumbledore away to answer for his part in the bigotry
+      against nonhumans.
+
   * A great many Wizengamot representatives were part of the planned attack.
     There is a huge power vacuum, paralyzing government.
 
   * The Goblins immediately place armed guards throughout Wizarding society,
     taking the place of the (confused, panicing) aurors.
 
+  * Here we see Goblin-run werewolf armies subduing the British wizards, Veela
+    using auras to dominate the populace and establish order, house elves
+    rebelling against their masters and going to work for the Goblins en masse,
+    etc.
+
+  * Without Dumbledore, the Order is flailing about and unable to respond in any
+    adequate manner. They are quickly defeated.
+
   * Goblins apply for recognition with the ICW as an interim British government.
 
   * As soon as the ICW approves, the Goblins start interrogating *everybody*,
@@ -631,11 +751,28 @@ Here's my outline so far:
       Wizards in the worst possible light and arranging for assistance in the
       reeducation and integration of the Wizards.
 
+  * Sirius, as it happens, has been conspiring with the Goblins for some time
+    now; he's really mad at pureblood society for denying him a childhood,
+    murdering his friends, and preventing his own justice for so long.
+
+    * Sirius never told Harry because he has seen Harry as a child, not a
+      co-conspirator.
+
+    * He just wants Harry to grow up in a Britain where there can be no more
+      Voldemorts.
+
   * Hogwarts is shut down as "a hotbed of bigotry and intolerance".
 
   * Harry and close friends are vetted and named the first Human citizens of the
     "Reformed British Magical Empire".
 
+    * Goblins ask Hermione if she wants to help setup educational standards for
+      their reeducation camps to turn the pureblood wizards into respectable
+      people.
+
+    * "Politeness and Open-mindedness Reeducation Network". Turns out that the
+      Goblins can't name anything, either.
+
   * We end the story with Harry, horrified at what he's done, making motions
     towards fleeing to Australia with Hermione and a few others.