Loose Cannon is my first fanfic, and it's taken on a life of its own. I started it with a vague outline, but I quickly discovered that the best scenes and subplots write themselves. I've lost count of how many times the characters have surprised me with a plot twist, and I've learned to trust where they're taking the story. But this means I can't say with confidence who the final pairings will be. I'd intended Harry/Hermione, but I'm not going to shoehorn them into a relationship that doesn't work, so I'll just have to see what they decide.

One of my biggest frustrations with HP canon is that the main characters experience years of trauma, and then they immediately pair up with the British equivalent of their high school sweethearts, which seems like a recipe for stunted emotional development. Personally, I experienced huge emotional growth during my university years, and I wanted to depict something analogous. I've also woven in elements of a spiritual path, including transcendence of the conventional sense of self, which IMO is invaluable for overcoming past trauma.

Roster of Original Characters

star* indicates Muggle

Albert Barnes* - Hermione's cousin, twin to Jenny

Alex Barrington - British/American witch, Transfiguration specialist

Alistair - Vampire proprietor of Penumbra, former Gryffindor

Allie Hobbs - Holyhead Harpies starting Seeker

Althea - Shop assistant to Benedict Thimble

Andrew Gilstrap - Montrose Magpies starting Seeker

Annie - School friend of Ryan Bellamy

Aurora Black - Grimmauld Place portrait and murderess, sleeping with Jamie

Banthora Black - Grimmauld Place portrait who becomes a grandmother figure to Harry

Benedict Thimble - Official tailor to the Chudley Cannons

Bruce - Chudley Cannons flying trainer

Buzz Stebbins - manager of the English national Quidditch team

Candice* - Server at the Muggle pub near the Cannons training grounds

Carl Wainwright - Tutshill Tornados starting Seeker

Cassia Dexter - Mind Healer, author of Be Your Own Niffler: Finding the Treasure Within

Catherine White - Restored member of Black family

Celia - Teenage Squib who writes to Harry for advice

Chad Brewer - American "shock jock" radio host

Charles Selwyn - Lydia's brother-in-law

Charlotte Dunning - mother of Rob Dunning

Claire - French fille de joie

Claudius Runnion - clothing manufacturer and entrepreneur

Connor - Lyle’s best mate, werewolf

Daniel Granger* - Hermione’s father

Darren Rogers - Chudley Cannons starting Chaser

Darius Sprott - Chudley Cannons team manager

Davina Hampton - Light Arts instructor

Desmond Travers - Lydia's father

Dominic Runnion - clothing manufacturer and entrepreneur

Ekantika Singh - Wigtown Wanderers starting Seeker

Elizabeth - A witch Harry takes home

Elliott Black - Restored member of Black family (descended from Squib)

Emily Granger* - Hermione’s mother

Eric* - Laetitia's fiancé

Ernest Prewett - Proxy member of the Wizengamot (Light)

Errol Reddington* - Former classmate/bully of Hermione

Esme (Travers) Selwyn - Pure-blood princess, Lydia's older sister

Estella (Runnion) - clothing manufacturer and entrepreneur, daughter to Dominic

Fiona Dunning - School friend of Owen and Jill Barrowmaker, a war widow, later Harry's girlfriend

Gary Wisenborn - Chudley Cannons starting Beater

Gemma Rees - Chudley Cannons reserve Seeker

Gene Dunning - father of Rob Dunning

Gillian - Chudley Cannons art director

Harper - Auror trainee

Healer MacAlister - Chudley Cannons team healer

Helena Strauss - A witch Harry takes home ...

Ian Harkness - Chudley Cannons reserve Seeker

Isla Preston - Caerphilly Catapults starting Seeker

Jamie Potter-Black - Harry's rogue portrait

Janet Lindhurst - Chudley Cannons starting Keeper

Jasper Fleet - Quidditch reporter

Jenny Barnes - Hermione's cousin, twin to Albert

Jerome Wither - Wimbourne Wasps starting Seeker

Jill Barrowmaker - Owen’s wife

Jocelyn - See Maryann

Julian Barnwistle - Appleby Arrows starting Seeker

Kammy - Lydia's house-elf

Kate Barrowmaker - Owen's daughter, twin to Liza

Kieran Sheppard - Ballycastle Bats starting Seeker

Laetitia Weston - Fashion model, friend of Harry

Lara - Chudley Cannons staff assistant

Lisa Black - Fourth cousin to Harry, by way of a disinherited Black family squib

Liza Barrowmaker - Owen's daughter, twin to Kate

Lodie - Black family house-elf, granddaughter to Kreacher

Louisa Gesso - Portrait artist

Lucinda Bellamy - Ryan’s mother (née Spoonwocket)

Lyle - Chudley Cannons reserve Beater

Lydia Travers - Pure-blood princess, great-niece to Death Eater Ursinus Travers

Lythian - Centaur, former boyfriend to Luna

Magnus Travers - Lydia's grandfather, Lord of the Wizengamot, brother to Death Eater Ursinus Travers

Margaret Black - Restored member of Black family

Marina Lind - Estonian lingerie model

Maryann - See Jocelyn

Marjorie Tuttle - Chudley Cannons head coach

Marvin Black - Restored member of Black family, son of Elliott

Matthew Dunning - 5 year-old son of Fiona and Rob Dunning

Merrick Bode - Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Murdoch - Auror trainer

Nikki Battisto - American radio sidekick

Nitta - House-elf serving the Malfoys, daughter of Kreacher

Octavia Wind - Hermione’s mentor at the Ministry

Oscar Abbott - Member of the Wizengamot (Light)

Owen Barrowmaker - Chudley Cannons reserve Seeker

Paul - American radio engineer for Chad Brewer, tattoo enthusiast

Penelope* - Muggle who Harry spends two nights with

Phil Routledge - Puddlemere United starting Seeker

Pinelle - Black family house-elf, estranged wife of Kreacher

Ragnok - Director of Gringotts London

Randall Runnion - clothing manufacturer and entrepreneur, son of Claudius

Rebecca - Helena’s friend, dates George Weasley

Redblade - Gringotts goblin

Reginald Baxter - Member of the Wizengamot (Dark)

Reginald Hem - "Fashion observer"

Renée Vickers - Chudley Cannons starting Chaser, then Seeker coach

Rob Dunning - deceased husband of Fiona Dunning, Unspeakable

Romulus Wynter - Lord of the Wizengamot (neutral)

Rutherford Stroop - Wizarding radio host specializing in history and cultural trends

Ryan Bellamy - Chudley Cannons starting Chaser

Sandra - Chudley Cannons legal staff

Sarah Trent - Pride of Portree starting Seeker

Selden Puttick - Banchory Bangers starting Seeker

Silas Yawton - Chair of the Pratt's membership committee

Simon Longclaw - Harry's tutor, werewolf

Sophie Tavernier - French fashion model

Speartooth - Gringotts goblin

Spencer - Former Chudley Cannons starting Seeker

Stephen Finial - Interior decorator

Susanna Montfort - Chudley Cannons head of publicity

Sylvan Burke - Works for the Registrar General, spurned suitor of Lydia Travers

Tertius Squint - Optimancer

Thaddeus - Chudley Cannons publicity staff

Mrs Thwip - Harry's private secretary, employed by the Cannons

Titus Kilbourne - Chudley Cannons reserve Beater

Trapskin - Gringotts goblin

Trevor Underhill - Falmouth Falcons starting Seeker

Typhon Black - Machiavellian Grimmauld Place portrait

Suresh Dhawan - Chudley Cannons starting Beater

Sylvester Chiffle - Montrose Magpies team manager

Valerie Dwyer - comedy improv performer in Chicago whom Harry dates while visiting there

Vanessa Waite - Friend of Helena Strauss, threesome participant

Vera Chappell - A witch Harry takes home (AKA "The Sorceress witch")

Vicki* - university student, friend of Penelope, dating Draco Malfoy

Victor Squabble - Chudley Cannons team solicitor

Walter Bellamy* - Ryan’s father

Wendy Brewer - Holyhead Harpies reserve Chaser, Ginny's girlfriend

Woodbridge - Auror trainer

Xanthus Fawley - Lord of the Wizengamot (neutral)