I'm a retired (since 2004) mortgage banker in Texas. I "discovered" and fell in love with the Harry Potter universe in 1998. I've read the first five books multiple times. I've read the sixth book once. I've read 31 chapters of Deathly Hallows (and the epilogue.)

Obviously, I am not impressed with the series from book six on. In my opinion, book six was written because JKR had a contract forcing her to complete it. Book seven was, again in my opinion, a depressing disaster. Fred Weasley's death was gratuitous and unnecessary to complete the series.

I "discovered" fanfiction in 2000. I prefer longer stories - 30,000 words. Even allowing for the amateur status of most authors, most fanfiction is atrocious. There are, however, a few gems buried in all the muck. Of the 700,000 fan stories on the HP universe, perhaps 1,000 are professional level (just about anything from Bobmin356 or Abraxan.) Another five or six thousand are highly skilled amateur level. There are also several thousand that, with even a modicum of editing, could be gems.