#harry potters godfather

[cowboylikemac]

QUESTION…? | S.B

“ have you ever kiss somebody in a crowded room ?”

sirius black x reader

Including : post-break up , angst

word count : 1K+

The Gryffindor common room was too warm, too crowded, too familiar.

You had been avoiding places like this—the places that made it too easy to remember. But tonight, Lily had insisted, and you were tired of making excuses.

So here you were, tucked into the corner of the couch, pretending not to notice him.

Sirius was across the room, slouched in an armchair, laughing at something James had said. He looked as he always did—relaxed, effortlessly charming, untouched by the fact that the two of you weren’t speaking anymore.

You, on the other hand, were still figuring out how to breathe normally in the same room as him.

“Are you okay?” Lily murmured beside you, voice low enough that only you could hear.

You forced a small smile. “Yeah.”

She gave you a look. The kind that said she knew you were full of shit but wouldn’t press.

Marlene leaned over the back of the couch, interrupting. “Alright, I have a question,” she announced, grinning. “What’s the worst kiss you’ve ever had?”

A round of groans and laughter rippled through the group. James made a dramatic retching sound. Mary Macdonald pretended to gag.

Someone threw a pillow.

“Terrible question,” Remus muttered, shaking his head. “Why would you want to relive that trauma?”

Marlene ignored him, turning to Lily first.

Lily considered for a moment. “Fifth year. Hogsmeade. Some Ravenclaw who thought snogging meant suffocation.”

Marlene winced. “Oh, brutal.”

They went around the group, each story worse than the last. You were half-listening, nodding along, until Marlene suddenly turned to you.

“Alright, your turn.”

Your stomach twisted.

You should have laughed, brushed it off, said something forgettable about some boy you barely cared about.

But instead—without thinking—you glanced at him.

And he was already looking at you.

The room felt too small, too loud, too much.

Sirius’s expression was unreadable, but his fingers had stilled where they had been absentmindedly spinning his ring. A tell. One you used to know well.

Your throat felt tight.

“Pass,” you murmured, looking away.

Marlene groaned, but the game moved on.

You were done participating, but Sirius’s gaze still felt heavy on your skin.

You told yourself not to look.

You failed.

He was still watching you, something unreadable flickering in his storm-grey eyes.

It wasn’t fair. That he got to look at you like that, like he still had the right.

Like he wasn’t the one who had walked away.

You stood abruptly. “I need air.”

You didn’t wait for a response, slipping out of the common room before anyone could ask questions.

The corridor was quiet, the cold stone walls grounding. You pressed your hands to them, inhaling deep, steadying breaths.

But of course he followed you.

You heard him before you saw him—the soft click of the door, the familiar way his boots scuffed against the floor.

You didn’t turn.

He stopped a few feet away. “Are you going to keep running from me forever?”

His voice was quieter than you expected. Like he didn’t want to startle you.

You let out a breath, your fingers tightening against the stone. “I’m not running.”

He hummed, unconvinced. “Right.”

Silence stretched between you. The air between you was thick, heavy with everything left unsaid.

Sirius sighed. “Why did you look at me?”

Your stomach twisted.

You shook your head, your voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know.”

But you did.

Because it had never been bad with him. Not once. Not even in the beginning, when you were just friends who flirted too much. Not even when you were in too deep to deny it anymore.

Not even now, when it was over.

“I have a question,” you said softly, staring at the stone floor.

Sirius inhaled. “Okay.”

You swallowed. “Did you ever kiss me in a crowded room just to make everyone second-guess themselves?”

A pause.

His voice was quieter when he answered. “Yeah.”

The memory was still sharp, even now. The way he had kissed you that night at the Three Broomsticks—not because he had to, not because anyone dared him to, but because he wanted to. Because he couldn’t stand the space between you any longer.

You still remembered the way people had looked at you after. Like they had just realized what had been in front of them all along.

You took a shaky breath. “Do you remember ever whispering secrets to me in the dark?”

Sirius let out a quiet, hollow laugh. “Yeah.”

All those nights curled up on the couch in the common room, sharing secrets no one else knew. His childhood, his family, his fears. How he had told you—one night, half-asleep and unguarded—that you made him feel safe.

Your throat tightened.

“Did you ever leave me just because you thought you could?”

This time, the silence was loud.

Sirius exhaled slowly, like he was bracing himself.

His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke. “I didn’t leave because I wanted to.”

You turned then, finally meeting his gaze. “Then why?”

His jaw worked. His hand flexed at his side.

Then, quietly—almost hesitant—he said, “Because it scared me.”

Your breath caught.

Sirius swallowed, his fingers running through his hair, like he didn’t know what to do with himself.

“I’ve never had something like that before. Something real. And I—I thought I’d ruin it. Ruin you.”

Your heart ached.

You shook your head. “You didn’t ruin me, Sirius. You just hurt me.”

Something flickered across his face. Regret.

He took a step closer, slow, careful. “Do you think—” He stopped. Swallowed. Tried again. “Do you think we could ever go back?”

You let out a slow, shaky breath.

“I don’t know.”

Sirius nodded, exhaling through his nose. Accepting it.

But then, softer—more hopeful—he said, “Can I ask you a question?”

You hesitated. Then, “Yeah.”

He took another step closer, close enough to touch.

“Did you ever love me?”

Your breath hitched.

Because of course you had. You still did.

But you weren’t sure you could survive another heartbreak like that.

So you just whispered, “Yeah.”

And then, before you could change your mind or overthink what you just admitted— or before he could pull you back in—you turned and walked away.

masterlist !

tags : @lydiascabinsix @lydiasfalling @laufeysvalentine

[arliedraws]

AU in which Harry was always the Master of Death and goes into the Veil after Sirius and guides him back out.

[sparsilees]

casual reminder that sirius black’s last words to his godson were “harry, take the prophecy, grab neville and run!”.

it’s not mistaking harry for james, as the movies showed. and the last words he ever uttered were a taunt, daring bellatrix to do better.

in the heat of the battle, sirius ensured harry and neville were well out of the line of fire before jumping into the fray himself—he died knowing he’s kept harry safe until the very end as best as he could.

[potterheadlovespotter]

Harry would have been a daddy's boy this, Harry would have been a mommy's boy that, no. Harry would have been Sirius' boy.

He will spoil him rotten and always be his favorite parent, the bonus parent.

[siriusblackdevotee]

adult harry is like "btw I used to have a crush on u lol"

and then Sirius is like "...huh"

*flashbacks to James saying the exact same fucking thing*

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Sirius Black was the best adult in Harry's life and I'm forever salty that we didn't get to see more of him

So, I love Sirius Black. He's a complex and interesting character that I love dearly. He's handsome, smart, brave, not as reckless as some fanon make him out to be, and above all else, he tried his best to be a good godfather to Harry.

I truly believe Sirius could've been an amazing father figure (more than he already was) to Harry if given the proper chance. And he's a much better parent to Harry than Arthur and Molly Weasley.

Here are some quotes along with my ramblings to prove it.

So, what I'm going to cover here are some quotes from Sirius and Harry that show their dynamic and how much Sirius cared and tried to be there for Harry. Also, I think Molyl and Hermione are wrong about Sirius seeing Harry as a James replacement.

“He came back to the country just because my scar twinged. He’ll probably come bursting right into the castle if I tell him someone’s entered me in the Triwizard Tournament —”

(GoF, page 290)

Harry wrote to Sirius at the beginning of GoF about his dream with Voldemort and his scar's reaction to it. Sirius left everything immediately to return to Britain — a place where he is hunted down and is a wanted man. All because he wants to be close to Harry, so he can spring up to protect him if the need arises.

Harry is correct in his assessment here.

“Poor old Snuffles,” said Ron, breathing deeply. “He must really like you, Harry. . . . Imagine having to live off rats.”

(GoF, page 534)

Ron is absolutely right. Sirius loves Harry more than pretty much anything. He would and does go incredibly far for Harry. I don't think Molly and Hermione are right about how Sirius sees Harry as James. He just doesn't.

He doesn't treat Harry as an equal to him, but as someone he needs to protect. Someone he is responsible to protect.

He stays around Hogwarts, eating rats in GoF so he can better protect Harry. He wouldn't have done the same with James because he treated James as an equal, not as someone he needed to protect.

“It’s not my fault you haven’t been told what the Order’s doing,” said Sirius calmly. “That’s your parents’ decision. Harry, on the other hand —” “It’s not down to you to decide what’s good for Harry!” said Mrs. Weasley sharply. Her normally kindly face looked dangerous. “You haven’t forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?” “Which bit?” Sirius asked politely, but with an air as though readying himself for a fight. “The bit about not telling Harry more than he needs to know,” said Mrs. Weasley, placing a heavy emphasis on the last three words. Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George’s heads turned from Sirius to Mrs. Weasley as though following a tennis rally. Ginny was kneeling amid a pile of abandoned butterbeer corks, watching the conversation with her mouth slightly open. Lupin’s eyes were fixed on Sirius. “I don’t intend to tell him more than he needs to know, Molly,” said Sirius. “But as he was the one who saw Voldemort come back” (again, there was a collective shudder around the table at the name), “he has more right than most to —” “He’s not a member of the Order of the Phoenix!” said Mrs. Weasley. “He’s only fifteen and —” “— and he’s dealt with as much as most in the Order,” said Sirius, “and more than some —” “No one’s denying what he’s done!” said Mrs. Weasley, her voice rising, her fists trembling on the arms of her chair. “But he’s still —” “He’s not a child!” said Sirius impatiently. “He’s not an adult either!” said Mrs. Weasley, the color rising in her cheeks. “He’s not James, Sirius!” “I’m perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly,” said Sirius coldly. “I’m not sure you are!” said Mrs. Weasley. “Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it’s as though you think you’ve got your best friend back!” “What’s wrong with that?” said Harry. “What’s wrong, Harry, is that you are not your father, however much you might look like him!” said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes still boring into Sirius. “You are still at school and adults responsible for you should not forget it!” “Meaning I’m an irresponsible godfather?” demanded Sirius, his voice rising. “Meaning you’ve been known to act rashly, Sirius, which is why Dumbledore keeps reminding you to stay at home and —” “We’ll leave my instructions from Dumbledore out of this, if you please!” said Sirius loudly.

(OotP, page 88-89)

This above quote is a long one, but I love it. I mean, this shows a big contrast between Sirius' approach to parenting and Molly's. Sirius, while not seeing Harry as his equal, does see Harry as a capable wizard who deserves to know the full picture. Sirius knows Harry would be in more danger when ignorant and wants him as safe as possible. He thinks Harry deserves to know things that pertain to him, and I have to agree with him here. Keeping Harry in the dark is what eventually cost Sirius his life.

Molly, on the other hand, is intent on keeping Harry, Hermione, and her kids ignorant. She has the same intention as Sirius: to keep them safe. But she tries to keep them safe emotionally, even when this ignorance can and does place them in physical harm's way.

And Sirius is right. Harry is capable. And a 15-year-old shouldn't be treated the same as an 11-year-old child. And let's be real, Harry was never a regular child with how he grew up, and I think Sirius sees his maturity and treats him accordingly. Sirius actually gave Harry advice to not approach danger in GOF and Harry listened to him because Sirius treated him with respect, which works best with Harry who never really had parental figures.

“I don’t know,” said Sirius slowly, “I just don’t know . . . Karkaroff doesn’t strike me as the type who’d go back to Voldemort unless he knew Voldemort was powerful enough to protect him. But whoever put your name in that goblet did it for a reason, and I can’t help thinking the tournament would be a very good way to attack you and make it look like an accident.”

(GoF, page 334)

This is an expert from the Fireplace conversation Haryr had with Sirius before the first task. Sirius shares his theories with Harry because he needs him to know who to watch out for. Because everything he does is to keep Harry safe. And this is the same approach Sirius wishes he could take with Harry in OOTP. Because he knows it works. Keeping Harry informed means that if he does put himself in danger, at least he would inform Sirius about it; Which would allow Sirius to protect him.

I'm not copying all of them, but Sirius' letters to Harry throughout GOF are so caring and sweet. Harry deserved to have more of his godfather in his life:

Nice try, Harry. I'm back in the country and well hidden. I want you to keep me posted on everything that's going on at Hogwarts. Don't use Hedwig, keep changing owls, and don't worry about me, just watch out for yourself. Don't forget what I said about your scar. Sirius

(Gof, page 240)

This treatment encourages Harry to actually share everything with him and ask him for advice. Something he doesn't do with Dumbledore ever. (Harry actually doesn't like or trust Dumbledore all that much until book 6, it's usually Hermione who trusts Dumbledore fully)

“Sirius — how’re you doing?” ... “Never mind me, how are you?” said Sirius seriously.

(GoF, page 331)

Sirius again, shows his responsibility towards Harry's well-being over his own (both here and in the above letter).

Sirius is the only adult who actually talks to Harry about the Dursleys with sympathy:

“But if they do expel me,” said Harry, quietly, “can I come back here and live with you?” Sirius smiled sadly. “We’ll see.” “I’d feel a lot better about the hearing if I knew I didn’t have to go back to the Dursleys,” Harry pressed him. “They must be bad if you prefer this place,” said Sirius gloomily.

(OotP, page 116)

We know Sirius would love nothing more than for Harry to stay with him. He's lonely and bored at Grimmauld and would love to have Harry there. But at the same time, he doesn't want Harry expelled from Hogwarts and is trying not to be hopeful for it.

Sirius understands the Dursleys are awful, he just know the full scope, but it's more of a reaction than we get from most adults in this series. To me, it looks like Sirius is annoyed by how limited he is in helping Harry. He can't really do much about the Dursleys or their status as Harry's guardians.

“So you want me to say I’m not going to take part in the defense group?” he muttered finally. “Me? Certainly not!” said Sirius, looking surprised. “I think it’s an excellent idea!” “You do?” said Harry, his heart lifting. “Of course I do!” said Sirius. “D’you think your father and I would’ve lain down and taken orders from an old hag like Umbridge?” “But — last term all you did was tell me to be careful and not take risks —” “Last year all the evidence was that someone inside Hogwarts was trying to kill you, Harry!” said Sirius impatiently. “This year we know that there’s someone outside Hogwarts who’d like to kill us all, so I think learning to defend yourselves properly is a very good idea!” “And if we do get expelled?” Hermione asked, a quizzical look on her face. “Hermione, this whole thing was your idea!” said Harry, staring at her. “I know it was. . . . I just wondered what Sirius thought,” she said, shrugging. “Well, better expelled and able to defend yourselves than sitting safely in school without a clue,” said Sirius.

(OotP, page 371)

I love this scene as well. Sirius cares for Harry's safety first and foremost. Harry being safe is his top priority at every given point. And he's reasonable and logical and treats Harry like someone to protect, not like a friend.

Like, Harry when he has a problem and needs advice throughout books 4 and 5, he calls Sirius. He's Harry's go-to parental figure for advice, and Sirius takes his rule seriously. He gives the advice he honestly thinks is best and ensures Harry's safety and continued survival to the best of his ability.

“It matters because we don’t want to draw attention to the fact that Harry is having visions of things that are happening hundreds of miles away!” said Sirius angrily. “Have you any idea what the Ministry would make of that information?” Fred and George looked as though they could not care less what the Ministry made of anything. Ron was still white-faced and silent. Ginny said, “Somebody else could have told us. . . . We could have heard it somewhere other than Harry. . . .”

(OotP, pages 476-477)

Again, Harry's safety is Sirius' first priority above everyone else. Harry's happiness and privacy also take precedence over most other things. He doesn't want Harry under even more scrutiny from the ministry and the Wizarding World and protecting him from that is just as important to him.

To me, it feels like people who say he treats Harry like a James replacement didn't read the books....

“It must have been the aftermath of the vision, that’s all,” said Sirius. “You were still thinking of the dream or whatever it was and —” “It wasn’t that,” said Harry, shaking his head. “It was like something rose up inside me, like there’s a snake inside me —” “You need to sleep,” said Sirius firmly. “You’re going to have breakfast and then go upstairs to bed, and then you can go and see Arthur after lunch with the others. You’re in shock, Harry; you’re blaming yourself for something you only witnessed, and it’s lucky you did witness it or Arthur might have died. Just stop worrying. . . .” He clapped Harry on the shoulder and left the pantry, leaving Harry standing alone in the dark.

(OotP, pages 480-481)

And I love this too. How he tries to comfort Harry and make everything easier for him. When the rest of the Order were gossiping about how dangerous his connection to Voldemort is, Sirius is honestly trying to get Harry to worry about it less.

He might be lying here, but he is right about sending Harry to sleep after a sleepless night like they had. And he is right about Harry being in shock and needing the rest. I just, really like how much Sirius cares. Harry just doesn't have other adults in his life who care for him like Sirius does.

But some part of him realized, even as he fought to break free from Lupin, that Sirius had never kept him waiting before. . . . Sirius had risked everything, always, to see Harry, to help him. . . . If Sirius was not reappearing out of that archway when Harry was yelling for him as though his life depended on it, the only possible explanation was that he could not come back. . . . That he really was . . .

(OotP, page 808)

This. Scene. Just kills me.

Like, Harry understands how much Sirius cares about him, and how Sirius always puts him first. He knows the only way Sirius won't drop everything to come and when Harry calls for him is if he can't.

Because Sirius escaped Azkaban when he realized Harry might be in danger from Peter, not for his own safety, but for Harry’s. Sirius dropped everything and moved to live in a cave and eat rats when Harry's scar hurt. He stuck around Hogwarts and Hogsmead during the Triwizard Tournament, when it was crawling with ministry officials because Harry might need him. He was willing to do so much for Harry. And Harry knew this.

I think, given time, they could've had an amazing dynamic, and I wish we had more of Sirius and his care for Harry. That we saw more of his approach to parenting Harry.

[honora-antares]

*Severus, on his way to meet Regulus for an outing with toddler Draco and baby Luna, is ambushed by reporters*

The Daily Prophet: How does it feel to be voted the most hated man in the Wizarding World right now? 📸🎤📸

Severus: In this country full of neanderthals, I wear it as a fucking badge of honor. ✨️

The Quibbler: What about the rumors that you're a worse Godfather than Sirius Black? ✒️📜

Severus: WHO TF SAID THAT!?!?! 💢

*Meanwhile, Sirius is diving nose first after a laughing Harry who has fallen of his broom 20+ feet off the ground*

[padfootswhiskers]

sometimes i'm going about my day and then i remember voldemort couldn't possess harry because his love for sirius was so powerful that he wanted to die just so he could see sirius one more time

[nightingale2004]

Fem! Severus Snape hcs pt.2

Personally, I feel like it would be an ugly duckling turn swan situation

Her bullying wouldn't have been as extreme but still extreme, and the 'prank' still would've happened

Is often ignored not just because of her gender but also because of her status in both the Wizarding world and just society in general

Would be a combination of terrifying yet enchanting like a siren drawing you in with her song or a mysterious enchantress

She would be such an older sister in Hogwarts years to all the younger students in her house

She would be a strict but caring mother and mother figure

Since she is head of her house, she makes sure all of her young snakes look presentable and are staying out of trouble

If she sees a hair out of place, something on her students face, or anything on her students' uniform out of place, she will go full mom mode and fix them up to the point of embarrassment

If she sees her snakes acting disrespectful or out of place, then she will scold them the same way a mother will, which ends up with apologies and gifts for their mother

Gilderoy Lockhart has tried and failed to flirt with Sev and impress her. (It ended with him being blasted to the other side of the classroom by her wand)

Minerva would've seen Sev as a daughter figure to her and would've taught her many things about being a woman

Minerva was the one who taught Sev how to accept who she was as a woman and how to never let herself become smaller in a man's world (a queen teaching her princess 😍😍😍)

She is always two steps ahead of everyone

Despite being silent and invisible. She used this to her advantage and has used these skills to benefit herself and the order and knows a lot of secrets

Every student (regardless of house) see her as strict and a bit unfair, but they also see her as a bit of a mother figure and feel oddly protected but at the same time endangered in her gaze

Has a hard sharp stare that will have your soul leaving your body

Narcissa taught her about makeup and has given Sev her old and extra clothes

Give this woman a cauldron, and she will rule the world

She gives advice when her students need it most

Narcissa and Charity have definitely painted Sev's nails black

Bellatrix is secretly jealous of Sev. Not just because of her looks but how Voldemort sees her

Her voice would be comforting when it's calm, but when her tone changes to anger, to means death

She would still be a mad genius and our sarcastic queen

No doubt, in my mind, she would have a few student admirers

She always carries a mysterious aura

Draco will see her as a mother figure and is possessive if her when other students try to get her attention

Would wear pants and skirts when she was younger and still does to this day

Has Morticia Addams vibes

She still does dramatic entrances

Has eyes in the back of her head (not literally)

Minerva taught her how to dance properly, and now she moves like a ballerina

Is very protective of her students

She saw Lily and Petunia as her sisters and would often imagine that she was their sister and living with them

She has scars from the prank but hides them

Wears long sleeves and boots (low heeled and flat)

She tries to keep her hair from getting too long, but when it does, she ties it up in a ponytail, bun, messy bun, or half up

Her features like her roman nose, pale skin, black eyes, and hair are still there, but she has similar features to Maleficent with her sharp bone structure

[momo-t-daye]

For @superfallingstars Snapetober 2024 prompt "Garden"; toddler Draco getting some lessons in the garden from Sev

Draco thought it was downright pathetic the way Gryffindors whinged and whined about Professor Snape being scary. Professor Snape had to follow a syllabus that was Dumbledore-approved. Professor Snape didn't get excited and go off on tangents about all the ways a plant could kill you or parasites could eat your brain, Professor Snape had to teach the same lessons year after year and was probably quite bored. Severus, who DID get excited and go off on tangents about all the ways plants could kill you or parasites could eat your brain, had terrified/trained Draco out of sticking random objects into his mouth at a very early age. He might be scary, but he was a very effective teacher.

Text reads:

-and the seeds are chock-full of cyanide! Do you remember what cyanide does for us? That's right! It shuts down cellular respiration and you die from histotoxic hypoxia! But that's not all, every leaf has our old friends oxalic acid and urushiol, which can mess up your kidneys and ruin your day. Even worse, the sap is incredibly phytotoxic and the blisters will hurt for years. Isn't gardening fun, Draco?

[blvnk-art]

Teddy listening to one of Harry’s many adventures

[itsriotmotherfuckers]

When Harry is born, Sirius is dead terrified of holding him. He will do literally anything to avoid it. He spills hot coffee on his arm when Lily offers the first time, playing it off as an accident. He lies that he hurt his elbow in a battle when James tries to hand Harry over. He casts a wordless, wandless spell on his arm to cover it in rashes, saying he shouldn’t, just in case it’s contagious, when Remus tries to pass Harry to him. He comes up with excuses every single time. He lies to Lily, to James, to Remus, Peter, Mary, Marlene, Dorcas, Emmeline, Frank, Alice, and everyone else who comes into contact with Harry and him.

Everyone, after two months of this, assumes that Sirius just doesn’t like babies and isn’t willing to say it to them, for some reason. When James finally corners him, handing him Harry because “he’s your godson! You can’t go your entire life avoiding him. How do you expect to bond with him if you won’t even let him hold your finger?” Sirius awkwardly holds the kid, every muscle in his body tense, tears in his eyes, shaking, genuinely petrified. James takes Harry back and finally presses Sirius until he spills.

Sirius adores Harry. He doesn’t love kids, generally, but his nephew, his godson, is the exception. That doesn’t change the fact that he is terrified of the idea of hurting Harry. He’s so scared that his upbringing has permanently fucked something in his brain up and, if he gets into close contact with a kid, that something will be triggered. He’s terrified that he, if presented with an innocent, sweet, adorable child, could become the monsters that raised him.

[arliedraws]

OHhhhhh wait, AU where Sirius doesn’t go to Azkaban and DOES get custody of Harry right away, but the first few weeks, Harry is just inconsolable. Wasn’t a colicky or fussy baby, but since his parents’ murder, he asks for them constantly and wails when they don’t come.

And Sirius, trying to hold it together, tells him, “I know, I know, I know… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry...”

[sparsilees]

Harry is a clever and competent wizard

A recurring theme in fandom I find endlessly tiresome and disappointing is the portrayal of Harry as an academically struggling student who’s lamentably hopeless at Potions and middling in all other subjects aside from DADA, and who, alongside Ron, is in constant need of Hermione’s guidance. It’s present almost everywhere. It’s reinvented canon. And it’s shoved down new readers and non-fans’ throats alike. Please, there’s an HP wiki available for your perusal. Don’t go about consulting popular fics and the Hermione-biased movie director’s visions to draw your ideas of Harry and Ron’s psyche!

It’s doubly aggravating when this depiction is used to highlight Hermione, Draco, or so-and-so classmate’s magical Einstein-levels of genius and reinforce the false narrative that Harry’s singular claim to brilliance lies in Quidditch, and that he’s got nothing more than fluff and snitches between his ears on top of being oblivious to the point of idiocy. That apart from excelling in Defence, he doesn’t have much upstairs... (And even then a minority of the fandom portray DADA as akin to gym class where it’s all honing muscles, muscle memory, and reflexes, with Harry framed as an archetypical gymbro on top being a himbo. What?!)

So we’re just going to overlook his devastatingly biting wit and clever asides? Or brush aside how he repeatedly demonstrates his ability to perform well under pressure? His keen intuition and how he carefully retains seemingly insignificant, misfit puzzle pieces until the eureka moment strikes and he seamlessly integrates them into the bigger picture?

Take these two examples from Philosopher’s Stone with an intrepid tiny Harry:

Harry was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn’t have anything to do with work, though. He watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent him letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy . . . never . . . but — Harry suddenly jumped to his feet. “Where’re you going?” said Ron sleepily. “I’ve just thought of something,” said Harry. He had turned white. “We’ve got to go and see Hagrid, now.” “Why?” panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up. “Don’t you think it’s a bit odd,” said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, “that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it’s against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don’t you think? Why didn’t I see it before?”

Quirrell cursed under his breath. “I don’t understand . . . is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?” Harry’s mind was racing. What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, he thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it — which means I’ll see where it’s hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I’m up to? He tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around his ankles were too tight: he tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored him. He was still talking to himself. “What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!” And to Harry’s horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself. “Use the boy . . . Use the boy . . .” Quirrell rounded on Harry. “Yes — Potter — come here.” He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry got slowly to his feet. “Come here,” Quirrell repeated. “Look in the mirror and tell me what you see.” Harry walked toward him. I must lie, he thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that’s all.

Bravery alone wasn’t enough to overcome his troubled upbringing with the Dursleys, or Quirrelmort, or Diary Tommy, or the final leg of the Horcrux hunt — it required a combination of mental agility, resourcefulness, and cunning to evaluate the situation, outsmart his opponents, and tip the odds in his favour. Harry needed to survive. To survive, he needed something other than mere guts. Harry’s ability to think on his feet and leverage his intelligence to gain the upper hand in challenging scenarios remains a testament to his brilliance and his remarkable presence of mind. He isn’t the foolhardy, impulsive Gryffindor who leaps into danger headlong without prior planning everytime.

(For that matter, Gryffindor are more than their “bravery” which has somehow been twisted into being synonymous with “reckless” — Sirius being a prime example of this, when in GOF he was urging Harry caution in their communications, despite the fandom conveniently only zeroing in on the depressed, cooped up version of him in OOTP, sigh. Bravery is fortitude, pluck, tenacity, strength of moral fibre, resilience, and heart as well.)

Some other less-mentioned examples of his quick mind: Harry wondering about Snape and Karkaroff being on a first-name basis; remembering Nicholas Flamel just from a long-ago glance, and again, Stan Shunpike despite their single encounter; Harry coaxing out Slughorn’s secret (no, it wasn’t all the Felix Felicis); Harry putting himself in Voldemort’s shoes, and Ron and Hermione deferring to his superior, albeit scary, knowledge; and Harry frightening Ollivander with his deductions about the wands. (It wasn’t solely Hermione’s brains that enabled their chances of survival in DH, let’s ditch that false narrative.)

The most laughably contrived bit in fanon is the unfounded notion that Hermione lets the boys cheat off her work to coast by in class. Fanon is wrong on both counts. Hermione would sooner report the boys for cheating than allow them to copy off her, and Harry isn’t anywhere close to scraping the bottom of the barrel in class, and neither is Ron. The handful of instances in canon where she looks over their assignments and helps correct mistakes isn’t cheating. Her input is akin to getting a second pair of eyes or a beta reader to ensure their work is up to snuff — heaven forbid a student help out a friend by suggesting some tips and tweaks. (Or attend tuition or retain a personal tutor or three.)

The ‘that’s why Harry isn’t a Ravenclaw’ jokes get pretty stale once you realise a large portion of the fandom genuinely think he isn’t a smart kid or has never read a book of his own volition/interest in his life. But Harry enjoyed reading his new books late into the night before starting Hogwarts (he found Hedwig’s name in A History of Magic, after all). Admittedly, studying is a feat in and of itself when you have zero access to books, but some cunning can turn around your luck!

Nevertheless, Sirius had been of some help to Harry, even if he couldn’t be with him. It was due to Sirius that Harry now had all his school things in his bedroom with him. The Dursleys had never allowed this before; their general wish of keeping Harry as miserable as possible, coupled with their fear of his powers, had led them to lock his school trunk in the cupboard under the stairs every summer prior to this. But their attitude had changed since they had found out that Harry had a dangerous murderer for a godfather — for Harry had conveniently forgotten to tell them that Sirius was innocent.

‘Oh, Potter can’t differentiate between a salamander and newt’s eyes.’

‘Asking him to skin shrivelfigs is a tall order since he can’t wield a dagger properly.’

‘He used shredded jobberknoll feathers when the recipe called for a fine powder. Poor Hermione will have to take over yet again to save his stupid arse.’

It’s these many variations and renditions of Harry’s alleged, often exaggerated, ineptitude in fandom content and making a monkey out of him, which I come across more often than not, that are an instant turn-off.

The widespread idea that Harry’s success in the subject can be attributed solely to the Prince’s book is misguided and further undermines his intelligence — and this jaundiced belief that’s crystallised itself as canon, of Harry and Ron putting on a double act as stupid slouches in class and therefore deserving of Snape’s derision and the Slytherin’s put-downs, is a far cry from the truth. Snape’s opinion of Harry’s intelligence or ability should be taken with a grain of salt, given that Harry has been described as a bright and talented child since his first year, by the Professors, Dumbledore, and the Sorting Hat. Even the resident megalomaniac described him as “not unintelligent”. You know what’s actually canon?

1) Snape’s biased approach towards Harry and Neville caused them to have an unwarranted fear of failure and reprimands. The Potions classroom was a hostile and unwelcoming learning environment for these two boys.

2) Harry is pretty confident when left to his own devices in class in OoTP before Snape flushed his effort down the gutter.

Exhibit 1:

Snape, meanwhile, seemed to have decided to act as though Harry were invisible. Harry was, of course, well used to this tactic, as it was one of Uncle Vernon’s favourites, and on the whole was grateful he had to suffer nothing worse. In fact, compared to what he usually had to endure from Snape in the way of taunts and snide remarks, he found the new approach something of an improvement and was pleased to find that when left well alone, he was able to concoct an Invigoration Draught quite easily. At the end of the lesson he scooped some of the potion into a flask, corked it, and took it up to Snape’s desk for marking, feeling that he might at last have scraped an E. He had just turned away when he heard a smashing noise; Malfoy gave a gleeful yell of laughter. Harry whipped around again. His potion sample lay in pieces on the floor, and Snape was watching him with a look of gloating pleasure. “Whoops,” he said softly. “Another zero, then, Potter . . .” Harry was too incensed to speak. He strode back to his cauldron, intending to fill another flask and force Snape to mark it, but saw to his horror that the rest of the contents had vanished. “I’m sorry!” said Hermione with her hands over her mouth. “I’m really sorry, Harry, I thought you’d finished, so I cleared up!”

Exhibit 2:

“After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me,” Snape went on. “I take only the very best into my N.E.W.T. Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying good-bye.” His eyes rested on Harry and his lip curled. Harry glared back, feeling a grim pleasure at the idea that he would be able to give up Potions after fifth year.

Exhibit 3:

Ron found it quite easy to ignore as they spent most of Saturday and Sunday studying for Potions on Monday, the exam to which Harry was looking forward least and which he was sure would be the one that would be the downfall of his ambitions to become an Auror. Sure enough, he found the written exam difficult, though he thought he might have got full marks on the question about Polyjuice Potion: He could describe its effects extremely accurately, having taken it illegally in his second year. The afternoon practical was not as dreadful as he had expected it to be. With Snape absent from the proceedings he found that he was much more relaxed than he usually was while making potions. Neville, who was sitting very near Harry, also looked happier than Harry had ever seen him during a Potions class. When Professor Marchbanks said, “Step away from your cauldrons, please, the examination is over,” Harry corked his sample flask feeling that he might not have achieved a good grade but that he had, with luck, avoided a fail.

Whereas in Ch 15 of OoTP, Snape had marked Harry’s essay on moonstones as Dreadful and claimed it to be a realistic expectation of OWL grading:

“I have awarded you the grades you would have received if you presented this work in your O.W.L.,” said Snape with a smirk, as he swept among them, passing back their homework. “This should give you a realistic idea of what to expect in your examination.” Snape reached the front of the class and turned to face them. “The general standard of this homework was abysmal. Most of you would have failed had this been your examination. I expect to see a great deal more effort for this week’s essay on the various varieties of venom antidotes, or I shall have to start handing out detentions to those dunces who get D’s.” He smirked as Malfoy sniggered and said in a carrying whisper, “Some people got D’s? Ha!”

And yet, Harry did very well on his OWLs before he even got a whiff of the Prince’s book.

Astronomy A

Care of Magical Creatures EE

Charms EE

Defense Against the Dark Arts O

Divination P

Herbology EE

History of Magic D

Potions EE

Transfiguration EE

Harry and Ron studied (!) both days of the weekend before Potions OWLs (!) without Hermione (!), and still Harry wasn’t sure he’d secure a good grade yet ended up scoring an EE. Exceeds Expectations, which y’know translates to: Surpasses Expectations, So Much Better than Expected, Rather Brilliant.

Unless you believe that anything less than the top percentiles is rubbish, Harry is not a ‘certifiable dunce’. There’s no denying he’s a competent and clever wizard and easily punches above his weight when he’s properly motivated and applies himself. Intelligence is a genetic trait, and Harry comes from nerdstock.

If he could achieve those grades whilst serving 7-hour torture sessions with Umbridge, suffering from Voldemort and Snape tearing into his mind, and putting up with the government slandering him in his second most important school year, running on fumes and sheer will (constantly disruspted sleep routine? Ugh!), then yeah, remove all those crutches, and he’d be raking in straight Os for most of those subjects. (It sort of sounds like ‘excuse our mental health and and anxiety’ for us if we perform poorly in exams, but not for Harry ‘he’s an idiot throwing teen tantrums’. Someone give me a hammer.)

“You’d need top grades for that,” said Professor McGonagall, extracting a small, dark leaflet from under the mass on her desk and opening it. “They ask for a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s, and nothing under ‘Exceeds Expectations’ grade, I see. Then you would be required to undergo a stringent series of character and aptitude tests at the Auror office. It’s a difficult career path, Potter; they only take the best. In fact, I don’t think anybody has been taken on in the last three years.”

Did he earn the grades? Yes. The Auror program ran aptitude tests, too, and only took the best, yes? Not because he’s a hothead with a daredevil streak and impulse issues, yes? Not because his dream was to be an Auror since his third year, or that he was only exceptional at fighting, or some such nonsense. After all, Barty Crouch Jr, he of the impeccable OWLs record, saw something worthy of Auror material in Harry and planted the seed in his mind. (Reminder: Barty also said Hermione should consider joining the Aurors too because her “mind works the right way”.)

And Moody thought he, Harry, ought to be an Auror! Interesting idea . . . but somehow, Harry thought, as he got quietly into his four-poster ten minutes later, the egg and the Cloak now safely back in his trunk, he thought he’d like to check how scarred the rest of them were before he chose it as a career.

If Harry was incapable of telling up from down in Potions, the Prince’s annotations would have been like casting pearls before swine. Worse still, Harry’s supposed lack of know-how would have caused more harm than good. The book only helped to refine the skills and knowledge he had cultivated over five years of study. Having a comfortable learning environment, an encouraging teacher, and superior instructions allowed Harry to maximise his potential and excel in class. (This phenomenon of underachiever-to-star pupil can happen in real life and is not unique to Harry. It happens with neurodivergent students with slightly different needs, students who require a more personal teaching style, and students stunted by an unhealthy learning environment. When their needs are met and supported, they tend to thrive and reach their potential.)

To put it into perspective, imagine taking an average kid whose expertise in cooking extends to making beans on toast and putting them in a professional kitchen. Imagine asking this kid to fillet a salmon and very finely slice lemons for garnish, tasks that require careful hands, finesse, and patience. If the kid can’t distinguish between a paring knife and a boning knife, they don’t stand half a chance. They’re liable to mess up the fish from the get-go. They might use a petty knife for everything and present a terribly executed dish; or they might cleverly choose a smaller knife but misuse it, not knowing that the flexibility and sharpness of a blade vary depending on their purpose, and end up seriously hurting themselves. Either way, filleting a fish is best left to seasoned home cooks and the pros.

In contrast, Harry is identical to a proficient home cook who knows the ropes but lacks some finesse and the fancy carving and plating skills of a trained culinary student. He has a firm grasp of the necessary theory and techniques and knows how to prep ingredients correctly, but may fumble the ideal application of said techniques, lacks an inborn zeal for the craft that lends to creativity, and overlook the finer details, particularly when he’s weighed down by fear of censure and humiliation. His level of success hinges on variables such as his confidence, familiarity with a recipe or method, and the type of environment he’s in. Talent is like a little seed; when nurtured, it will flourish.

Slughorn’s NEWT class was small, admitting twelve students out of a fortyish-student batch. No Gryffindor apart from the Golden Trio made the cut, and they were joined by the lone Hufflepuff, four Ravenclaws, and four Slytherins. Essentially, only a dozen students achieved an EE or O to qualify for NEWT Potions. Fanon will tell you most of the Slytherins have been tinkering with cauldrons in their diapers, but canon shows that only two other Slytherins, besides Draco and Blaise, made the grade. So, how are we still perpetuating this incorrect interpretation that Ron and Harry were barely keeping up academically when they’re more adept than half their year?

Harry and Ron aren’t academically inclined or driven by an obsessive urge to pore over books most hours of the day for fun, so what? Let them joke around and play chess and cards and broom race in the rain without bringing their brains and academics into the equation. Let Harry be a proper child/teen when he’s not busy hunting clues and crushing evil plots. Stop making the sum of HJP be “Powerful Himbo” or “Saviour Complex and Running on Luck”, which is pretty disrespectful towards a character who has shown himself to be so, so competent and well-rounded.

It’s such a huge thorn in my side that both Harry and Sirius (of all people, when he’s twinning with James as the insultingly effortless mavens during their time at Hogwarts!) habitually have their intelligence questioned and maliciously devaluated, or blown off entirely. So I had to sit and get this chaotically demonstrative commentary off my chest. Thank you, if you’ve read till the end!

[changetheprophecy81]

Remus: had been around for 12 years, didn't bother to check up on Harry even once

Sirius: had just escaped from azkaban to ensure Harry's safety, made it a point to pop into Privet Drive first to just get a glimpse of him

Fandom: SiRiUs wAs tOo rEcKlEsS, rEmuS wAs tHe OnLy gOod pArEnt hArrY hAd

[siriusblackdevotee]

Peak prongsfoot moment was the quote "never saw one without the other"

Or when Sirius just offhandedly mentioned he was bored and James was like "oh no, padfoot is bored, I must entertain him! Oh look, Snape!" and then they bully the poor kid together

Or when Sirius ran away to James's family

Or when James names Sirius the godfather to his kid (after convincing Lily, somehow)

Or when during wartime where Voldemort is a powerful, threatening figure, James rejects Dumbledore's offer to be the secret keeper, the only wizard capable of rivaling Voldemort's magical ability, because he wanted it to be Sirius. Then Sirius rejected the offer, offered Peter instead and James complies easily (again, after convincing Lily, somehow)

Or when Sirius straight up loses his shit, breaking down when he finds James (and Lily) dead. And then instead of taking care of the orphaned kid, he immediately goes after Peter to kill him

Or when, despite having the ability to break out of Azkaban, Sirius stayed there because he lost James, his will to live in other words

Or when Sirius only decides to escape when he finds out Peter, the (other) man responsible for James's (and Lily's) death was still alive and well, which he did not like. Literally got revived to avenge James

Or when Sirius offered Harry to live with him, immediately attached to Harry and trying to form a bond with James's remaining tie

Or when Sirius acknowledges Harry's needs, cautions him with his safety, lashes out at Harry when they can't meet even if it puts himself in danger, 'continuously risking everything' for Harry, runs to the department of magic because Harry was in danger and ultimately dies there

Or when Harry thinks of Sirius only during the 'parents shouldn't abandon their kids' conversation with R*m*s. And Voldemort not being able to possess him because of 'his love for Sirius'

They make me so sick. I have to throw up.

Edit: someone had pointed out-

Or when a girl was crushing over Sirius but Sirius was too busy looking at James to notice