Fanfic advice?

[ginnyrules27]

Hey guys *waves* sorry about being AWOL from the site--real life can be a witch with a 'b' sometimes. Anywho, I'm toying with writing a new fanfiction and I've hit a snag that I'd love some help with.

So the story is a Criminal Minds/Harry Potter crossover--Criminal Minds being a procedural television show about FBI agents who hunt down serial killers, bombers, and other criminals. If you can name it (and it's illegal) they'll catch you. My problem is: how do I deal with the time setting? Harry Potter, despite never addressing it in the books, is set in the 90's while Criminal Minds is set in the early to late 2000's--so our time--and a lot of its charm has to deal with the technology of the current era.

I'd really love some advice or thoughts. I'm halfway tempted to just forget about the fact that Harry Potter was set in the 90's until I remember that if I do that, then Chamber of Secrets gets ruined because of the whole 50 years between Chamber openings.

[RandomPasserby]

Theoretically speaking the BAU did exist in 1992 but that would mean the team being Gideon, Rossi, Max Ryan and random other people.

I'm actually more curious as to how you're overcoming the difference in continents.

[ginnyrules27]

Ah! Thank you--I forgot that the BAU was around in the 90s. However, the fact that Hotch will play an important part in the story sort of counteracts that. Sort of a back at square one thing.

So the premise of the story is that Harry and the Dursleys are in D.C because of a business meeting of Vernon's. He brings Petunia and Dudley along and then has to bring Harry because insert reason here. Either Figg couldn't watch him or Vernon thought that it might seem unnatural for them to leave Harry by himself. Since Harry can't go two weeks without something bad happening to him, they come across a dead body. Enter the BAU.

For the Hotch part, I'm toying of making him a cousin of Harry's on Lily's side. Since we know nothing about Lily's parents (other than they're dead) and that Petunia is the only family Harry allegedly has, it would make sense for Dumbledore to focus on the family he knows Harry has rather than see if there's any other family in other countries. I just really want Harry away from the Dursleys!

[RandomPasserby]

Actually you may be able to get Hotch in there. The Boston Reaper case was 1995 and it was Hotch's first as Senior Agent. We don't know exactly when he joined the BAU but it's not inconceivable that he was there in 1992 although he would probably have been the most junior agent on the team.

I mean he wouldn't have a kid, but being the most junior member of the team (and the hints that he was an abuse victim in his childhood too) would probably lead to him having to interview the kids.

[ginnyrules27]

...RandomPasserby, you're a genius and my personal hero. Since we know that Harry's school years follow the 90's (first year started in '91 since that would be ten years after the death of Lily and James), knowing that Hotch was there helps so much!

I was planning on setting it during the summer before Harry's fifth year but I think having Hotch be a junior agent helps a little. Plus, as shown in the pilot, he's a little more cheerful when he was younger and that's going to be something Harry needs.

Now I need to marathon Criminal Minds to nail down Gideon's and Rossi's personalities along with Max Ryan's. We know Morgan works for the BAU but I doubt he'd be there in '92. It'll be fun to bring him in though.

[RandomPasserby]

I suppose the only advantage to setting it post 4th year is Harry showing some PTSD like symptoms after having witnessed Cedric's death. And possibly him really not wanting to go to America because Voldemort's back.

But tbh you could get PTSD from pretty much any of Harry's end of year antics (and actually having Harry offhandedly mention that he sort of burnt Quirrel to death would be interesting) and him being younger would certainly make the Dursleys being unable to leave him more obvious.

And more interesting in the long term. The Weasleys would turn up to rescue him but he wouldn't be there, Dobby wouldn't be able to warn him to stay away from Hogwarts. And I doubt Dumbledore would be happy that the blood wards weren't doing there thing since Harry was in America.

And now I'm going to end up marathoning Criminal Minds.  

[ginnyrules27]

Yeah, Harry being younger solves a bunch of problems I didn't know I had until I started actually thinking about the story. And really, with the exception of possibly third year, you're right. Any one of Harry's antics would result in PTSD.

Though those Dementors are nasty, and you'd probably end up with something if you had to face your worst fear a hundred times over.

Another good angle with Harry being younger is it gives me time to build up a relationship with Hotch only for Harry to try to pull away after Voldemort comes back and how it would affect Hotch. If Harry's 14, it wouldn't have that much impact because they don't really have that relationship.

The only problem with Harry being younger is on Hotch's side. When does he meet Haley? That'll be an important part in the story.

Ooh, good point about the blood wards. Could the blood wards still work with Hotch because he is of Lily's blood but not as direct as Petunia? Or would it be safer for Harry to be in another country as opposed to being in England?

Heh, I just chuckled at the image of the Weasleys flying the car to Number Four only to find Harry's not there.

[RandomPasserby]

He and Haley met in high school. Hotch was the worst third pirate in Pirates of Penzance so he could talk to her. I'm guessing they were high school sweethearts and probably married at some point during the time Hotch spent as a prosecutor.

Having them meet prior to Sirius also means that Harry doesn't have a godfather in the picture. Considering that Harry's reaction to an adult not being abusive towards him is basically 'glom on' to some extent (he wants to go live with Sirius having met him about half an hour ago) that would work better if he met Hotch first.

Actually, if this is 1992 that means it's prior to CoS which means Harry hasn't really properly met and spent time with the Weasleys. So he'd be even more willing to attach himself to Hotch a bit more.

I think the blood protection is tied to Petunia and Number 4. That is, Harry has to spend time with his Aunt Petunia under the roof of Number 4 for it to work. TBH at no point apart from Book 1 do we see the blood protection do anything. But we also have no indication that Voldemort attempted to expand over the Atlantic so America might be safer.

[ginnyrules27]

Oh that's right! I forgot about that part--see, need to refresh my knowledge of Criminal Minds. So Haley and Hotch would be married in '92 but she wouldn't be pregnant with Jack yet. That could work, especially since Haley and Hotch would have to deal with Hotch's work schedule if they take in Harry (what am I saying 'if'? If I met the Dursleys and saw Harry with them, I'd steal Harry away and go live in Fiji or some nice place where there'd be no Dursleys allowed!).

Harry's still going to be a little suspicious of Hotch, well maybe that's not the right word but you're right. Harry does want to live with the first adults who don't treat him like scum (always happy to spend time at the Weasleys and accepting Sirius' offer even though an hour ago, Harry thought him to be a mass murderer out to kill him). I think the FBI agent would be a better choice.

Oh god, I'm trying to picture Hotch getting the call about the rouge bludger during the Quidditch game and Lockhart vanishing the bones in Harry's arm. Well more like letter unless Garcia could make a cell phone work with magic (I know 90's tech was blech but we are talking about the government here. Even if it's just a Nokia, it could work?)

The blood protection was useless with the exception of book one and Harry dying for everyone in book seven. Other than that, we saw nothing about how the protective nature of the blood protection worked. Honestly, since there's nothing in canon that showed Voldemort tried to expand, America would be safer for Harry.

[RandomPasserby]

I think he'd have more trouble getting a signal in Fuck It, Scotland.

I'm not sure what would happen if the Dursley's abuse of Harry was unearthed while they were in a foreign country. Which seems like it would happen if they were interviewed as witnesses to a crime, if only because they wouldn't want anyone to talk to Harry. Ten seconds on google says 'extradition' especially given the special relationship that the UK and US have had. On the other hand that's handled on a case by case basis and requires governments to talk to eachother.

This is where I think you can fudge things. Presumably there's a US Department of Magic (Honestly I'd ignore anything JKR says about magical America, I can point you towards some significantly less racist and more nuanced views written by actual Americans) and I'm guessing the Boy Who Lived thing might be a worldwide phenomena simply because previously impossible thing. I mean I think there'd be a whole lot of scepticism but generally, it seems like the sort of thing which would get you at least noticed by a foreign government. If Hotch was either vaguely related to Lily Evans or they could claim he was (I can get them close enough to be first cousins), protecting a worldwide celebrity for the price of letting a few FBI agents into the know about magic seems like a good deal.

In the interim if Harry happens to fit the profile of the unsub he could be taken into protective custody. Or if the unsub revisits the body they could claim that all of them might be in danger.

[ginnyrules27]

Heh, Fuck It, Scotland. I don't know why, that just tickled my funny bone for a minute.

Extradition could work but usually that's used for major crimes, like being a bomber or something. I remember one of the issues the United States had with dealing with Bin Laden was that we didn't have an extradition treaty with Pakistan. Child abuse, while horrible, wouldn't be something that would warrant extradition.

I typically avoid anything JK Rowling does after the Epilogue anyway. The only magical school I actually like the sound of is the Salem Institute and I'm pretty sure that's Fanon. But it wouldn't surprise me if there was a US Department of Magic or something along those lines. (Would their leader be a President or would the President be the leader of both the magical and muggle world?). My thought was Hotch being first cousins with Lily Evans, though that would also make him first cousins with Petunia as well. That'd be an interesting meeting, especially if Hotch knew about his relationship.

Harry would probably be a worldwide celebrity--I mean, the whole Boy Who Lived stuff would have spread to every magical place on the planet as everyone was probably paralyzed that Voldemort would try to take over their country next. I'm trying to picture Hotch and Gideon being introduced to magic and I'm laughing my head off right now.

I'm liking the protective custody angle, though I think all the agents would get sick and tired of the Dursleys within a few minutes of being around them.

[RandomPasserby]

I figure the President is head of both magical and muggle worlds apart from possibly some of the Native American tribes who refuse to acknowledge him as the magical leader. I'm guessing there would be a Secretary of Magic the same way there's a Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Defence as well as magical government at a state government level.

The way I thought about it is that Hotch's paternal grandfather fought in WWII. While in Europe he had an affair with and impregnated an English woman, he then returned to the US where he was either already married or got married and had Hotch's father. In England the child, a daughter, eventually married someone with the surname Evans and had Lily and Petunia. Now if Lily and Petunia's grandmother had correspondence or otherwise with the surname Hotchner on it which she'd given to Lily and Petunia's mother it's possible that Petunia (who would likely have their parents effects) would know.

Reid being introduced to magic though, that would be hilarious.

[ginnyrules27]

I can totally see the President being the head of the magical and muggle worlds--and feel very sorry for them at the same time. At least the British Prime Minister doesn't have to deal with the magic side of this country until it affects the muggle side. I also like the magical state governments--if the mayor of DC is a muggleborn witch for instance, it'd be more likely for her to see Harry than it would for the President. I'm just trying to figure out how to alert them to Harry's being in the US.

Probably the best thing with the name Hotchner on it would have been a birth certificate--if she was single, it probably wouldn't look as bad as it would her being an unmarried woman having a baby and not knowing who the father was. Heck, maybe the child has the last name Hotchner. Now I'm picturing Petunia being introduced to Hotch, heck just hearing his name would probably get a reaction. Poor Harry though-he's not going to trust Hotch right off the bat since here was a family member of his that could have taken him away from the Dursleys.

Not that Hotch knew but kids are irraational sometimes.

Oh Reid would be hilarious. Would Reid be at the BAU in the 90's? I know he's in his late 20's in the first season so I doubt it. It'll be fun to bring him into the action though.

[physicssquid]

I've never seen Criminal Minds, so I don't know how old Hotch would be, but I do have a problem with the idea of his paternal grandfather being the grandfather of Lily and Petunia, and that is the fact that America didn't get involved in fighting in WW2 until December 1941. Depending on when Hotch's grandfather arrived in England, his daughter would not be older than 17 or 18 when Lily was born in 1960, and Petunia was older than her sister. And that's only if Hotch's grandfather was one of the first to arrive in England and got a girl pregnant within days of his arrival, leading to his daughter being born sometime in September 1942, at the earliest.

[ginnyrules27]

physicssquid, I know the actor who plays Hotch was born in 1966, so he's about 14 years older than Harry, who was born in 1980. However, in the show, Hotch was born in 1971--making him about 9 years older than Harry. That's according to the wiki I just found--for the sake of the story, I might go off of the actor's age rather than what they put in the show because of the fact that I think Hotch was probably working for the D.A's office when he was 20.

Regrettably, despite having a grandfather who served during World War II, I don't know much about it. Maybe that's because my grandfather was lucky enough to stay stateside during the war (he was Army Air Corp), so I don't know if people tried to join other forces to help with the fighting. It'd be honorable if they did, but that's doubtful. Maybe instead of cousins, Hotch, Lily and Petunia are half-siblings but that's a road I almost don't want to go down. I will if I have to but I much prefer the cousins angle.

However, if I were to go down the half-siblings angle, since Hotch would be younger than Lily, it's possible that Lily's father and Hotch's mother had an affair (Lily's father possibly traveling to the States for business).