I really am a chemistry professor, and the father of three daughters, now in their early thirties, who introduced me to Harry Potter fanfiction. We have been Harry Potter fans since the first book came out; now we are Harry Potter fanfiction fanatics.

My favorite character is Hermione and all of my stories will focus on her and her relationship with Harry. I was rooting for a Harry/Hermione romance in the books but I am not opposed to Harry/Ginny. I would have preferred to have seen it develop gradually though. I was shocked at how minimal the Harry/Ginny scenes were in DH, considering that they end up together. One kiss and then he pretty much avoided her. The strangest part was that he didn't want to be with her after the battle. How is that an example of two people who are supposedly falling in love?

I was dismayed at the deterioration of the Harry – Hermione relationship in HBP and the post-HBP stories that I wrote had as their primary focus the restoring of that relationship. I was relieved that in DH they became closer than ever. It is now clear that the entire seven book series was the story of the pair of them and their devotion to each other. Had JKR not decided to make it a platonic relationship, it would have been an incredible love story. Oh well, that’s what fan fiction is for.

The fiasco in HBP proved to me that Ron is completely wrong with Hermione. He doesn’t understand her and makes little attempt to. Constant bickering is not a symptom of unresolved sexual tension or hidden feelings for each other. It just means they don’t get along very well. They’d be miserable together. Even though in DH he made a serious effort to be nice to her (just because that’s what the guidebook says to do), they still wouldn’t be compatible in the long term.

JKR created a fascinating world and filled it with intriguing characters. Her plots show an incredible imagination. Unfortunately, she gives us very poor examples of romantic relationships. Repeatedly, love is illustrated as springing from bickering, dislike, jealousy, or occasionally lust. It might be argued that this aspect is presented in an overly simplistic fashion because this is fundamentally a series of stories for children, but with all of the murder, torture, and betrayal permeating the stories, particularly at the end, that reasoning just doesn’t wash.

I personally believe that the epilogue of DH was tacked on as an afterthought, in order to close the door on the possibility of more books being written. It also had the unfortunate effect (inadvertantly, I hope) of severely constraining fanfiction that attempts to be canon compatible. I expect that there will be a large number of 'canon compatible - except for the epilogue' fanfics written.

My Stories

I began writing Soul Searching at the end of July, '05, shortly after Half Blood Prince came out. It is primarily a story of the gradually deepening friendship between Harry and Hermione, set against the backdrop of the search for horcruxes during the summer after sixth year.

The sequel to Soul Searching, End Game, continues the story into the trio's seventh year at Hogwarts, up to and including the final confrontation with Voldemort.

Greater Love is a one shot dealing with a single scene from one possible outcome of the Harry Potter saga.

Trust is an attempt to 'fix' some of the illogical things that happened in Books 5 and 6, and also have Harry act more responsibly. And fall for the right girl.

Hermione's Realization; Ginny's Insight is a two-part attempt to explore what might happen if both girls became interested in Harry at the same time.

Dear Ginny is another post Half Blood Prince tale told in an unusual style. It consists entirely of letters to Ginny during the summer after Harry's sixth year and the year following.

Hermione's Plan is another full length story that begins where Half Blood Prince ended, this time from Hermione's point of view. Hermione concludes that she made some major errors of judgment during the past year, and determines to set them right.

The Ritual is a more light-hearted exploration of how Harry and Hermione react to being put into a 'revealing' situation. It is definitely the most adult-oriented of my stories.

The Road Not Taken is the first of my post Deathly Hallows stories. As the title implies, it has a different ending than the epilogue to the book.

Conversations in the Aftermath is a series of conversations between Harry and Hermione taking place after the final battle in which they discuss their relationships. Follows canon except for the epilogue of Deathly Hallows.

Notebooks and Letters is a full length story that begins after Book 4 - Goblet of Fire. In this story an adult Hermione tells her daughter what 'really' happened in Books 5, 6, and 7 through their reading of her old journals and letters.

(I Want a Girl) Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad is a humorous one-shot, somewhat AU, in which Gryffindor House examines the question of what girl is most like Harry's mother. I suspect that you can guess what the answer will be. Challenges a certain fanfic cliché.

Choices is a somewhat AU (follows canon through Book 5) post-Voldemort story. Harry finds himself somewhat distanced from his two best friends, due to their blossoming romantic relationships, and must deal with the resulting loneliness along with other decisions.

There’s No Place Like Home? Escape From Oz covers all seven years at Hogwarts, and afterward, by inserting additional scenes into the books. These reveal a Harry who gradually becomes disgruntled with the British wizarding world, and lead to a considerably different ending than the published Epilogue.

What If? … Another Goblet of Fire Alternative examines the possibility that Harry might have asked Hermione to the Yule Ball, and then at her suggestion actually taken Ginny instead of Parvati. This leads to a considerably different Yule Ball experience, and results in additional changes to the story down the line.

The Way We Were is my entry in the 'Travel Back In Time To Change Things' genre of fanfics. It begins with Harry and Hermione, more than 60 years after the Epilogue of Book 7, looking back and thinking about what they wished they'd done differently in their lives, and then being offered the opportunity to do just that.

What If? … An Alternative to Order of the Phoenix and Beyond continues where its predecessor left off, as Harry (along with Sirius and Hermione), spurred by the Ministry of Magic’s threat to expel him and snap his wand, leaves Britain for a more hospitable climate. This decision has far-reaching consequences.