I wish I knew how to communicate the idea that to our generation, Harry Potter is at least as much shared mythological framework as it is actual text.

@starkatt By showing people epic-length fanfics that are better than the original published work.

Like the one I found on Tumblr once where Harry is a Squib, but because McGonagall refuses to go easy on him he becomes good enough at theoretical magic to lead Dumbledore's Army anyway

and an inspiring enough leader that he can mobilize his classmates to kill Voldemort in the end

and afterward he and Hermione become advocates for Squib rights

@DialMforMara okay I'd like a link to that.

@starkatt I'm not finding it easily, but this is apparently a pretty common plot on AO3.

Meanwhile, my Harry Potter tag (http://dialmformara.tumblr.com/tagged/harry-potter) is full of other entries in the mythic cycle. Mostly "what are the muggle-born students up to", but also some "what's it like to be a Jewish wizard" and "Hermione is always right except when emotional; Ron is always wrong except when joking" (http://dialmformara.tumblr.com/post/164759767848/erinthesails-lyriumpomegranates)