From d6b9558179ce3377d937f4bd09f1f43a87060a71 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Julian Blake Kongslie Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:50:43 -0800 Subject: A huge outline that I just typed out for a new story, "Try Again". --- outlines/try-again.mdwn | 467 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 467 insertions(+) create mode 100644 outlines/try-again.mdwn diff --git a/outlines/try-again.mdwn b/outlines/try-again.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5cfd1a7 --- /dev/null +++ b/outlines/try-again.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,467 @@ +[[!meta title="Try Again"]] + +This is my take on the reptilia28's "Don't fear the reaper" challenge: + +> ## CHALLENGE OUTLINE +> +> * Harry is killed at 17 during a fight with Voldemort. He's sent to his +> Death's office (explained later) and finds out that this isn't the first +> time that this has happened. +> +> * Harry's Death (who can have a human name) is mad at his arrival. Apparently, +> people dying before their time is a black mark on the various Deaths' +> records, and Harry is getting perilously close to getting this particular +> one fired. +> +> * 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 +> keeps getting into life-threatening situations for one reason or another, he +> keeps dying before that happens. Harry is surprised about the soulmate part. +> +> * Death gives Harry a paper to sign that allows him to retain his memories +> (the previous times, he wasn't given this option for some reason). Harry is +> deposited to a previous time of the writer's choosing. +> +> * Eventually, Harry gets it right. He kills Voldemort, gets the girl, and +> lives to a ripe old age of whatever. And Death doesn't get fired. +> +> ## MISC REQUIREMENTS +> +> * Harry had to have died at least three times before this one. +> +> * The memory keeping contract must be included. +> +> * Death must refer to Hermione as "some Granger girl" when Harry's soulmate +> turns up in his rant. +> +> * Obviously, must be H/Hr. +> +> * Have fun. +> +> OPTIONAL: +> +> * Dumbledore's manipulations can be a factor in Harry's premature demises. + +
+ +Here's my outline so far: + +* Death has no idea who Voldemort or Tom Riddle are. They just aren't important. + + * Upon investigation, it turns out that Tom Riddle died while he was attending + Hogwarts. Cause of death: Horcrux creation. What's left behind isn't really + alive in any meaningful sense. + + * 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. + +* Because I need a villain, this is going to be a manipulative Dumbledore story, + will all the clichés that entails. + + * Dumbledore will never believe that Voldemort is gone. + + * Dumbledore is stealing Harry's money. + + * The Weasleys are in on it. + + * In large part I'm still going to keep Dumbledore/Harry interaction to a + minimum. + + * Harry undoes manipulations as he discovers them. + + * Harry does everything he can to keep a low profile and prevent Dumbledore + from noticing and raising the stakes. + + * Primary source of action is going to be unforeseen ramifications of + Harry's actions. Turns out that the 90s are just a shitty time to be at + Hogwarts, even without a Dark Lord out to kill you. + +* Return date: pre-Hogwarts; age 6 or 7? + +* Voldemort is defeated entirely pre-Hogwarts on this next go around for Harry. + Mostly off-screen; I want it to be a completely minor obstacle. + + * Harry's first action upon getting reset: Find adult Wizard and steal wand. + + * Harry's second action upon getting reset: Cast single spell at scar; defeat + Voldemort. + +* Harry doesn't leave the Dursley's, but without remorse he straight-up imperios + them to be a loving family for him. + + * Dumbledore left charms to keep them mad, but they are overpowered by Harry's + compultions. + + * Dumbledore never notices, as he never checked up on Harry anyway. + + * Harry puts on a show of pretending to dislike his living conditions for + Dumbledore. + + * In the weeks prior to his Hogwarts letter, Harry moves into the cupboard + ("for an adventure, like camping!") as part of the scam to keep Dumbledore + in the dark. + +* Harry shows up to Hogwarts after some sort of permanent appearance alteration. + + * Metamorphagus? I'd rather not, to be honest. Permanent transfiguration + appeals to me more, as metamorph Harry sort of wants to be its own huge plot + point. + + * No scar. + + * No James-hair or other strong resemblance to his father. + + * Snape still hates him, but he's trying very hard to distance himself from + the storybooks. + +* Harry does something about the storybooks; suing for damages seems + appropriate. + + * Lots of money-revenge from Harry where he gets the Goblins on his side by + letting them keep all the money they can get out of people. + + * Setting up for a Goblin revolution courtesy of Harry. + + * Death told him he needs to stay alive because his purpose in life is to + "play a pivotal role with regard to the last Goblin rebellion". Harry + takes this to mean he is either meant to prevent it, or meant to minimize + the bloodshed. + + * Harry spends the whole story trying to keep the Goblins happy, giving them + more ways to make money, fighting for equal rights, etc. + + * The whole reason he goes to Hogwarts this time around instead of fleeing + the country is because he wants to stay near the Goblins and try to keep + them appeased. + + * Punchline of the story: The Goblins rebel, which they wouldn't have been + able to do without Harry's monetary and political support, and proceed to + brutally conquer Wizarding Britain with Harry as their posterchild. + + * Harry is not amused when this happens. Fortunately, the Goblins have + already recognized him as a citizen of the Goblin nation, so he's safe, + and his friends and the small proportion of Wizards who aren't wholly + prejudiced are allowed to integrate peacefully under the new Goblin + regime. + +* Harry sorts into Ravenclaw along with Hermione. + +* Quirrel isn't possessed, but still tries to steal the stone. Let's face it, he + was evil to begin with, or else Voldemort wouldn't have been able to talk him + into the possession scheme. + + * Turns out being possessed by an insane and technically dead spirit isn't + really all that good for you. Unpossessed Quirrel is competent. + + * Harry has to intervene. + + * Steals the stone himself very early on, but Quirrel and Dumbledore don't + know this. + + * Quirrel eventually takes some students hostage as part of his bid for the + stone, including Harry. + + * Harry defeats him, while trying very hard to not make himself look + dangerous or Horcrux-possessed to Dumbledore. + +* Harry does not get on the Quidditch team his first year. + +* Harry gets the cloak first year, but realizes it has tracking charms and such + on it courtesy of Dumbledore. + + * He gets the Goblins to fix it. + + * And leaves it in their care. + + * And tells Dumbledore he sold it to them, just to fuck with him. + +* Pettigrew is dealt with first year. + + * Harry captures him, mails him to French DMLE, figuring that Britain is too + corrupt. + + * France determines that Black is innocent, publishes this everywhere, parades + Pettigrew around in the ICW. + + * As a result, Dumbledore loses his ICW position, and France takes over + leadership of the European magical states. + + * Sirius is freed, and immediately co-opted by Harry into helping him bring + down the British Ministry politically. + + * The Black fortune was largely exhausted, but there are lots of properties + out for rent that haven't been paid for properly. Sirius, on Harry's advice, + turns debt collection over to the Goblins and allow them to keep most of the + profits. + + * Many purebloods, notably Malfoy, lose quite a lot of money and power. + +* Second year we still get basilisk attacks. + + * The diary is already dead, but Lucius had communicated with it beforehand. + + * Draco is instructed to release the basilisk. + + * It doesn't help that he isn't a parselmouth and has no real control over it. + + * Students die. So does Lockhart. + + * Hagrid still arrested without due process. + + * Harry, being a parseltongue, manages to assume control of the basilisk and + divert it from its rampage. + + * He doesn't want to kill it, but it can't stay in the school. + + * Harry doesn't know the spells used by Slytherin and Riddle to put it back + to sleep. + + * Harry gives it to the Goblins, who assure him that they have access to + parseltongue Goblins and will use it for bank security. + + * The Goblins issue a statement (at Harry's request) saying they were paid + to defeat the basilisk and have done so. + + * This lets Harry stay somewhat anonymous, which he greatly desires. + + * Also good press for the Goblins. + + * And we know why Hogwarts stays open. + + * Dobby, basically the same as canon. + +* Also second year, we need some political movements in the background. + + * Sirius has taken his seat on the Wizengamot, and is doing his best to get + revenge on those who wronged him. + + * Goblin rights are supported because hey, they helped him get revenge, and + it's something that would've pissed off his parents. + + * Along with international pressure from the ICW, he successfully campaigns to + have Dementors removed from Azkaban. + +* Third year, the Dementors are running amok. + + * Turns out that forcing the immortal soulless killing machines to leave the + island full of food may have been a bad plan. + + * No Dementors near Hogwarts to begin with, but there is talk about them in + the background. + + * Harry signs up for runes and arithmancy and care. Flitwick does not allow + Hermione to sign up for everything, so she takes the same as Harry. + + * Harry, feeling like this is going to finally be a calm year, decides to sign + up for Quidditch. + + * He plays Beater. + + * He's OK, but not spectacular. + + * Dementor attacks! + + * Hogsmeade weekend, resulting in evacuation interrupting Harry's first + date with Hermione. + + * Quidditch match, resulting in serious injury to some players. + + * Harry isn't the one to solve the problem this time; ICW authorities step in + and contain the Dementors. + + * They're shipped off to Canada, where they hunt their natural prey: + Bigfoots. + + * The British populace starts to become more polarized. + + * A faction bemoaning the incompetence of the British Ministry. + + * A faction blaming the foreigners for creating the problem to begin with. + + * Snape outs Lupin at the end of the year. + +* Over this summer, Harry attends the Quidditch World Cup with Sirius. + + * Ireland is not playing. + + * Bulgaria wins this time. + + * No deatheater attack. + +* 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 + particularly good job, but he's better than Lockhart. + + * Crouch Jr. escaped, but didn't go after Moody. We hear about the murder of + Crouch Sr. in a newspaper. + + * Harry, having put a lot of thought over the years into how bad the security + around the cup was, gives the twins a laundry list of ways to get names into + the cup. + + * He is expecting them to enter themselves, which he thinks would be a + laugh. + + * They decide to enter his name, which they think would be a laugh... + + * ...as well as the names of several dozen other students... + + * ...and Snape... + + * ...and Fudge. + + * Obviously, every one of these names comes out of the cup. + + * Harry takes the opportunity to "research", primarily to create an excuse for + his superior spellcasting abilities. + + * More events, in order to better differentiate between the contestants. + + * Harry very carefully arranges to get through the first events unhurt and in + the bottom half of the contestants. + + * Harry sells his egg to the Goblins. + + * Fudge does a terrible job, only marginally better than... + + * Snape completely fails at every event, having literally every single + Hogwarts contestant independently sabotage him. + + * Harry takes Hermione to the ball, and they have a good time. + + * Harry does not summon anything from outside the field until the last event. + + * When he summons a paid-for Goblin bodyguard... + + * Who proceeds to cut a bloody swath through the maze, allowing Harry to + easily win the tournament. + + * Harry uses this to further prop up the Goblins, by giving them the + publicity and the prize money. + +* Fifth year, Fudge is now convinced that last year was a setup by Dumbledore to + humiliate him and drive him out of office. + + * He sends Umbridge in to keep an eye on Dumbledore. + + * This time there's no particular animosity between Umbridge and Harry. + + * Harry swallows his distaste and sucks up to her. + + * Harry manages to trick Ron into starting Dumbledore's Army, then turns him + in. + + * 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. + + * 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 + Hogwarts has ever had. + + * At the end of the year, parents and the board absolutely *demand* that + Dumbledore find someone else. + + * Harry and friends do well on their O.W.L.s. + +* Sixth year: without the Dementors policing Azkaban, several prisoners escape + with the help of Crouch Jr. + + * Lestranges, Carrows, possibly one or two others? + + * Snape teaches defense, and is predictably shitty. + + * 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, + except when he sneaks out. + + * Encounter in Hogsmeade; the escapees really do blame Harry for the death of + their Lord. + + * Once it becomes clear that Crouch Jr. is alive and acting as a mastermind, + the aurors begin to ramp up for Blood Purity War Part Two: The Bloodening. + + * Dumbledore becomes really loud about insisting that this means Voldemort is + back. + + * Harry really does start a defense organization this year. + + * Hermione insists he calls it the "Student-run Magically Useful Training" + sessions. This probably helps attract members, to be honest. + + * Gets some sort of special allowance from the Ministry. Off-duty aurors + help with training. + + * This year is spent with Harry preparing for what he sees as the final battle + to end the blood supremicists. + + * Harry learns that the Malfoys are in contact with the escapees. + + * Harry manages to plant the clue about the vanishing cabinet for Draco to + find. + + * Harry contacts the Goblins about what is going on, and pays them to help. + + * Some interaction with the younger Weasleys? Love potions, perhaps. + + * Over the year and the following summer, there are attacks by the escapees. + + * The international community takes notice and officially quarantines Britain + "to prevent the escape of unsavory elements of society". + +* Year 7. Harry is only barely involved; this is pretty much the end result of + 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 + and signals to the escapees. + + * The Goblins have been prepared for this, and have a way to intercept the + vanishing cabinet's traffic. + + * Purebloods meet basilisk. Basilisk wins. + + * 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. + + * Goblins apply for recognition with the ICW as an interim British government. + + * As soon as the ICW approves, the Goblins start interrogating *everybody*, + holding them to the standard "are you as tolerant and unbigoted as Harry + Potter?" + + * Needless to say, a great many people fail, and are slated for + "reeducation". + + * The Goblins introduce themselves to the Muggle government, painting the + Wizards in the worst possible light and arranging for assistance in the + reeducation and integration of the Wizards. + + * 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". + + * We end the story with Harry, horrified at what he's done, making motions + towards fleeing to Australia. + + * He is discretely notified that the Goblins are fine with this, but don't + really realize that he's fleeing. + + * The Goblins want to know if he would like to be named their ambassador to + Australia. -- cgit v1.2.3