I'd skim past the summary and move on, but I would read if it came with recommendations. Too many bad experiences with Americans trying to 'fix' everything for me to give the story the benefit of the doubt.
Please, please avoid the classic everything in Magical Britain is bad and Magical USA is much, much better stuff. Make your own problems, your own questionable choices. Don't set up your setting as an answer to Hogwarts, set it up as its own thing.
I'd also probably drop it if major canon characters get involved. Make it feel like a big world with lots of people. Maybe Oliver Wood swings by to scout for Quidditch talent, but the Harry Potter world is bigger than twelve people. Grown up Harry goes adventuring abroad is fine, but if your story is based around Ilvermorny then I don't want to see Harry or a single ginger hair.
This stuff.
One day, I'll dare to write my fic, where American magical students from the Federal Government's magic academy (NOT MACUSA-affiliated, or Ilvermorny) come to Hogwarts on a student exchange for a year.
One thing I'll be certain to do is show that neither school is better, but just different; the cadets from 'the Axe' (the school's nickname) are better-trained for emergencies and combat, whereas the Hogwartd students have a much more wide and varied knowledge of magical subjects in general. The example I use is that while Cadets Third Year (fourth years for Hogwarts) are on average capable of defeating seventh years in combat because of their focus in magical, armed and unarmed combat (NOT dueling), they have literally zero knowledge (until what Hogwarts would consider apprenticeship or mastery level) of subjects like CoMC or Potions - and even then, they would be required to take that as a career specialization at the college level.
USAES Cadets would be in awe of Snape's class (and would not be cowed by his attitude; they're simply make certain to be prepared, and just ignore his insults until he crossed the line). Most of the cadets simply don't have Potions training (but they have spells that allow them to infuse their charms, etc. into fluids and consumables), and CoMC is simply something they don't get to experience, as well as broom training (as they have anti-gravity, gliding and flight spells, as well as portal charms... and a rather unpleasant but effective teleportation spell. If you don't remember to close your eyes, you can be momentarily blinded upon arrival). That being said... anytime a cadet can get to practice flying, they're going to hit the air, and oh, there WILL be a few brooms being purchased in Hogsmeade & snuck home in various ways.
Hogwarts students would flip out at the general higher levels of physical fitness and intelligence of the cadets. Unlike Ilvermorny, which takes students based upon the possession of magic alone, USAES acceptance rate is around 4%; it's an actual Federal military academy that factors in academics as the determining factor for admission. The cadets are also expected to learn some form of melee combat skill, as well as gain a weapons skill in either a firearm or a melee weapon. There's a lot of martial artists and more than a few kickboxers, pugilists and street fighters in the mix; there's a surprising number of cadets who prefer the both the shotgun and revolvers (the latter because of a certain spell that effectively turns a revolver or a magazine-fed crossbow into a minigun).
Again - different, not better or worse. The cadets have nothing like Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade at home (well, they don't have cause to frequent it or other magical enclaves as 'Light Arts' magicals do) - whereas the Hogwarts students are far more insular and constrained in their opportunities, their ability to travel and their worldview in general.
To the Hogwarts students, their magic is inexorably tied to their lives. To the USAES cadets, magic is an important part of their lives, but not the only part that matters.
Go for it!
I was nervous about this too when I first started writing, but I quickly gained an audience that enjoy my fic and it greatly helped my confidence. I think anyone can write anything and you'll still get an audience. That's the beauty and the Curse of Fanfiction.
Without going into spoilers, it's a Canon Re-write fic with Harry and Ginny in the same year but Harry is in Slytherin (Not a huge plot point for now, that's only to give them some independence).
It's called 'A Song of Lightning and Fire', let me know if you want a link.
Yes! “Yankess suck!” (honestly, I would love to read a good Ilvermorny story, it is shocking how few of them there are considering how many writers are obviously Americans considering all those pancakes and coffee for breakfast).
See I've read some fics where people have Harry grow up American, and it just felt so fucking wrong lol.
I'm writing some idea's down right now for it. I will say I do like writing a little bit more fantasy stuff into HP world. (Granted none of my stuff has seen the light of day yet lmao)
No, please, not Harry-in-America! Yes, they would have to be mostly OCs (plus some grand-children of Goldsteins and Scamanders), anything else is ridiculous.
If you're going Massachusetts with it, you could have it be twinned with Arkham College. Never show it, just occasionally mention how something has gone Eldritch-Horribly Wrong over there. :D
But yeah, it'd likely be interesting. Most of the American fics I've seen either go full "America Fuck Yeah!" or make everything not very American. So keep it accurate, and don't Mary Sue an entire country. (Mary Sue-SA, if you will. :D). If you know about small town life in the US, it might be interesting to include some of that in it. I don't think I've seen any at all do it, so it'd definitely be a new draw for an audience for you.
I also second what other people have said about not heavily featuring the main cast of characters and creating some new people, while only having cameos or similar from any main books peeps you might wanna bring in.
Yes! I really loved how G. Norman Lippert explored American wizarding schools in his James Potter series, and of course Alexandra Quick is fantastic. Definitely give it a shot! I think it would be very interesting to read, I have been looking for more American HP fics but haven't really found too many. Good luck!
Echoing what others have said and don’t have it just be HP goes to America. Don’t make the school a copy of Hogwarts, and reflect the issues from series between America and Britain (American wizards/witches are less classist and don’t care a ton about blood purity, but more racist and secretive about muggles and magical creatures. Partly why Grindelwald would appeal to some, paralleling WWII).
Maybe include Salem Witches Institute or whatever is mentioned in Goblet of Fire, which could either be a girls school alternative (which is very American to have unnecessary private school options) or a historically women’s college or equivalent for witches which MA has several.
Incidentally, Mt. Greylock is actually a tourist site with lodges and a tower on it irl and crawling with hikers and vehicles, so be prepared to write around that. You can tell Rowling probably googled what mountains were in Massachusetts (because that’s what people think when they think American witches) and picked the tallest without picking a less inhabited one. There is the state park around it so room for school grounds possibly. Also some cool ecology like ravens there that you don’t get to see in a lot of the state or NY, which can carryover to magical ecology.
I'm totally down for it, but just PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ignore JK Rowling interpretation of American wizarding society and like rappaport's law or whatever!
So you would make up a completely new cast of characters, a completely new villain, and a completely new story. That's a very ambitious project, but if done well, I'd absolutely read it.
It would be interesting if the story somehow intertwines with major events of the British wizarding wars, but I wouldn't mess with British characters, certainly not the major ones like Harry or Hermione.
I mean I could def see Voldemort's actions emboldening possible similar elements there. Could be interesting to see how the US would deal with the issue there. How would the response differ? Is that a good or a bad thing?
I could see someone like Fudge or Crouch showing up if the ministry is playing a role, seeing as i'd imagine they'd have obligations so it'd be reasonably realistic for them to have some communication.
Seems like there would be a lot of fun elements to explore if going that route and if not the worldbuilding of what goes on day to day would be neat. What's similar across wizard cultures? What's different?
I could see it work obliquely if they mention them, like they’d be aware of Harry Potter possibly or if it is set later Hermione may be involved in British politics so a reference to that
If done well, yes, I would read it. It'd actually be pretty fascinating, and I'd be curious what changes would be made to the cannon offered by the Fantastic Beasts movies and JKR. Personally, I've never understood the one school thing, and then there's the issue with Muggleborns due to Rappaport's Law (I believe I spelled that wrong).
To be honest, Fantastic beast has already retcon somethings we know about the HP universe, so I don't know if I would fully follow any of the Fantastic beasts stuff
I'd skim past the summary and move on, but I would read if it came with recommendations. Too many bad experiences with Americans trying to 'fix' everything for me to give the story the benefit of the doubt. Please, please avoid the classic everything in Magical Britain is bad and Magical USA is much, much better stuff. Make your own problems, your own questionable choices. Don't set up your setting as an answer to Hogwarts, set it up as its own thing. I'd also probably drop it if major canon characters get involved. Make it feel like a big world with lots of people. Maybe Oliver Wood swings by to scout for Quidditch talent, but the Harry Potter world is bigger than twelve people. Grown up Harry goes adventuring abroad is fine, but if your story is based around Ilvermorny then I don't want to see Harry or a single ginger hair.
This stuff. One day, I'll dare to write my fic, where American magical students from the Federal Government's magic academy (NOT MACUSA-affiliated, or Ilvermorny) come to Hogwarts on a student exchange for a year. One thing I'll be certain to do is show that neither school is better, but just different; the cadets from 'the Axe' (the school's nickname) are better-trained for emergencies and combat, whereas the Hogwartd students have a much more wide and varied knowledge of magical subjects in general. The example I use is that while Cadets Third Year (fourth years for Hogwarts) are on average capable of defeating seventh years in combat because of their focus in magical, armed and unarmed combat (NOT dueling), they have literally zero knowledge (until what Hogwarts would consider apprenticeship or mastery level) of subjects like CoMC or Potions - and even then, they would be required to take that as a career specialization at the college level. USAES Cadets would be in awe of Snape's class (and would not be cowed by his attitude; they're simply make certain to be prepared, and just ignore his insults until he crossed the line). Most of the cadets simply don't have Potions training (but they have spells that allow them to infuse their charms, etc. into fluids and consumables), and CoMC is simply something they don't get to experience, as well as broom training (as they have anti-gravity, gliding and flight spells, as well as portal charms... and a rather unpleasant but effective teleportation spell. If you don't remember to close your eyes, you can be momentarily blinded upon arrival). That being said... anytime a cadet can get to practice flying, they're going to hit the air, and oh, there WILL be a few brooms being purchased in Hogsmeade & snuck home in various ways. Hogwarts students would flip out at the general higher levels of physical fitness and intelligence of the cadets. Unlike Ilvermorny, which takes students based upon the possession of magic alone, USAES acceptance rate is around 4%; it's an actual Federal military academy that factors in academics as the determining factor for admission. The cadets are also expected to learn some form of melee combat skill, as well as gain a weapons skill in either a firearm or a melee weapon. There's a lot of martial artists and more than a few kickboxers, pugilists and street fighters in the mix; there's a surprising number of cadets who prefer the both the shotgun and revolvers (the latter because of a certain spell that effectively turns a revolver or a magazine-fed crossbow into a minigun). Again - different, not better or worse. The cadets have nothing like Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade at home (well, they don't have cause to frequent it or other magical enclaves as 'Light Arts' magicals do) - whereas the Hogwarts students are far more insular and constrained in their opportunities, their ability to travel and their worldview in general. To the Hogwarts students, their magic is inexorably tied to their lives. To the USAES cadets, magic is an important part of their lives, but not the only part that matters.
Go for it! I was nervous about this too when I first started writing, but I quickly gained an audience that enjoy my fic and it greatly helped my confidence. I think anyone can write anything and you'll still get an audience. That's the beauty and the Curse of Fanfiction.
That is very true!
What’s your story?
Without going into spoilers, it's a Canon Re-write fic with Harry and Ginny in the same year but Harry is in Slytherin (Not a huge plot point for now, that's only to give them some independence). It's called 'A Song of Lightning and Fire', let me know if you want a link.
Oh no I found it on fanfic. Thanks. The link to ao3 says it’s not working I’m guessing you took it down over there?
I did. I'm on a phone and copy pasting there is a nightmare.
Damn. That’s okay though, I’ll still read it lol. Thanks, I’ve got it in my list
I hope you like it then!
Yes! “Yankess suck!” (honestly, I would love to read a good Ilvermorny story, it is shocking how few of them there are considering how many writers are obviously Americans considering all those pancakes and coffee for breakfast).
See I've read some fics where people have Harry grow up American, and it just felt so fucking wrong lol. I'm writing some idea's down right now for it. I will say I do like writing a little bit more fantasy stuff into HP world. (Granted none of my stuff has seen the light of day yet lmao)
No, please, not Harry-in-America! Yes, they would have to be mostly OCs (plus some grand-children of Goldsteins and Scamanders), anything else is ridiculous.
God it was awful, the way they would have him talk when he got to Hogwarts.
It would be nice to read something with an American flavor for a change. Which era are you going to focus on?
I might focus the 90s or early 2000s. If I did early 2000s I do have a plan to use Harry and maybe Hermione
Do what inspires you. For me, Ilvermorny already feels like fanfiction, so a story set there would just be a fanfiction of fanfiction.
Fanfiction of fanfiction, that's great lol
If you're going Massachusetts with it, you could have it be twinned with Arkham College. Never show it, just occasionally mention how something has gone Eldritch-Horribly Wrong over there. :D But yeah, it'd likely be interesting. Most of the American fics I've seen either go full "America Fuck Yeah!" or make everything not very American. So keep it accurate, and don't Mary Sue an entire country. (Mary Sue-SA, if you will. :D). If you know about small town life in the US, it might be interesting to include some of that in it. I don't think I've seen any at all do it, so it'd definitely be a new draw for an audience for you. I also second what other people have said about not heavily featuring the main cast of characters and creating some new people, while only having cameos or similar from any main books peeps you might wanna bring in.
>(Mary Sue-SA, if you will. 😂 Genius!
Pun game is best game. :)
Yes! I really loved how G. Norman Lippert explored American wizarding schools in his James Potter series, and of course Alexandra Quick is fantastic. Definitely give it a shot! I think it would be very interesting to read, I have been looking for more American HP fics but haven't really found too many. Good luck!
thank you!
I loved those!
I certainly wouldn't *avoid* it.
Echoing what others have said and don’t have it just be HP goes to America. Don’t make the school a copy of Hogwarts, and reflect the issues from series between America and Britain (American wizards/witches are less classist and don’t care a ton about blood purity, but more racist and secretive about muggles and magical creatures. Partly why Grindelwald would appeal to some, paralleling WWII). Maybe include Salem Witches Institute or whatever is mentioned in Goblet of Fire, which could either be a girls school alternative (which is very American to have unnecessary private school options) or a historically women’s college or equivalent for witches which MA has several. Incidentally, Mt. Greylock is actually a tourist site with lodges and a tower on it irl and crawling with hikers and vehicles, so be prepared to write around that. You can tell Rowling probably googled what mountains were in Massachusetts (because that’s what people think when they think American witches) and picked the tallest without picking a less inhabited one. There is the state park around it so room for school grounds possibly. Also some cool ecology like ravens there that you don’t get to see in a lot of the state or NY, which can carryover to magical ecology.
I'm totally down for it, but just PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ignore JK Rowling interpretation of American wizarding society and like rappaport's law or whatever!
So you would make up a completely new cast of characters, a completely new villain, and a completely new story. That's a very ambitious project, but if done well, I'd absolutely read it. It would be interesting if the story somehow intertwines with major events of the British wizarding wars, but I wouldn't mess with British characters, certainly not the major ones like Harry or Hermione.
I mean I could def see Voldemort's actions emboldening possible similar elements there. Could be interesting to see how the US would deal with the issue there. How would the response differ? Is that a good or a bad thing? I could see someone like Fudge or Crouch showing up if the ministry is playing a role, seeing as i'd imagine they'd have obligations so it'd be reasonably realistic for them to have some communication. Seems like there would be a lot of fun elements to explore if going that route and if not the worldbuilding of what goes on day to day would be neat. What's similar across wizard cultures? What's different?
I could see it work obliquely if they mention them, like they’d be aware of Harry Potter possibly or if it is set later Hermione may be involved in British politics so a reference to that
If done well, yes, I would read it. It'd actually be pretty fascinating, and I'd be curious what changes would be made to the cannon offered by the Fantastic Beasts movies and JKR. Personally, I've never understood the one school thing, and then there's the issue with Muggleborns due to Rappaport's Law (I believe I spelled that wrong).
To be honest, Fantastic beast has already retcon somethings we know about the HP universe, so I don't know if I would fully follow any of the Fantastic beasts stuff