Some examples of canon-compliant fanfic are The Life and Times, which is a fanfic that tells the story of James and Lily Potter’s relationship at Hogwarts, and The Shoebox Project, which is a fanfic that depicts the friendship and romance of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin during their school years.
Alternate Universe (AU)
These are fanfic that change or diverge from the canon in some way, creating a different scenario or outcome for the characters and the story. AU fanfic can be based on a single point of divergence, such as a character making a different choice or a different event happening, or they can be based on a completely different premise or setting, such as a different genre or time period. AU fanfic can also mix and match elements from different sources, such as other books, movies, or fandoms, creating a crossover or a fusion.
Some examples of AU fanfic are Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, which is a fanfic that reimagines Harry Potter as a genius and a scientist, and The Changeling, which is a fanfic that swaps the roles of Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger, making Ginny a muggle-born and Hermione a pure-blood.
Missing Moment
These are fanfic that fill in the gaps or the blanks of the canon, providing additional scenes or perspectives that were not shown or told in the original work. Missing moment fanfic can be based on the canon events, such as the battles, the holidays, or the epilogue, or they can be based on the off-screen or off-page events, such as the characters’ thoughts, feelings, or actions that were not revealed or described in the canon. Missing moment fanfic can also provide insight or backstory for the characters, such as their motivations, relationships, or secrets.
Some examples of missing moment fanfic are The First Day, which is a fanfic that shows Harry Potter’s first day at Hogwarts from different points of view, and The Prince’s Tale, which is a fanfic that expands and elaborates on Severus Snape’s memories and emotions in the final book.
Fix-it
These are fanfic that attempt to correct or improve something that the fans disliked or disagreed with in the canon, such as a plot hole, a character death, or a pairing. Fix-it fanfic can rewrite or undo the canon events, or they can provide an alternative or a continuation to the canon ending. Fix-it fanfic can also address or resolve the issues or the conflicts that the fans felt were not handled well or satisfactorily in the canon, such as the character development, the representation, or the morality.
