Skip to content

MuggleNet

  • Site
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • History
    • Meet the Team
    • MuggleNet Live!
    • Press
    • Publications
    • Special Projects
    • Volunteer with Us!
    • Year in Review
  • Podcasts
    • Alohomora!
    • Full Circle
    • LITHAPPENS
    • Potterversity
    • Promptly Potter
    • SpeakBeasty
  • Harry Potter
    • Book Quotes
    • Book Series
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Film Series
    • Hogwarts Library
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • Fantastic Beasts
    • Book
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Fantastic Beasts Film Quotes
    • Film Series
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • The Quibbler
    • Owl Post
    • Bathilda’s Notebook
    • The Department of MYTHteries
    • The Dirigible Plum
    • Into the Floo
    • Muggle Studies
    • The Pensieve Papers
    • The Three Broomsticks
    • April Fools’
    • The Quibbler Vault
  • The Daily Prophet
    • Book Trolley
    • Editorials
    • Event Reports
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Features
    • Giveaways
    • Listicles
    • Merchandise Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Television Reviews
    • Theater Reviews
    • Wizolympics
  • Muggle World
    • Charity
    • Exhibitions
    • J.K. Rowling
    • MinaLima
    • Quadball
    • Studio Tours
    • Theatrical Play
    • Theme Parks
    • Wizarding World Digital
  • Fans & Fun
    • Crazy Caption Contest
    • Fan Focus
    • Fandom
    • Fandom Sortings
    • Fandom Timeline
    • Fun Lists
    • Games and Trivia
    • GNOMEs
    • Potter DIY
    • Potter Weddings
    • #PotterItForward
    • Rosmerta’s Recipes
    • Song Parodies
    • Wizard Rock
    • Wizarding Wordle
  • Site
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • History
    • Meet the Team
    • MuggleNet Live!
    • Press
    • Publications
    • Special Projects
    • Volunteer with Us!
    • Year in Review
  • Podcasts
    • Alohomora!
    • Full Circle
    • LITHAPPENS
    • Potterversity
    • Promptly Potter
    • SpeakBeasty
  • Harry Potter
    • Book Quotes
    • Book Series
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Film Series
    • Hogwarts Library
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • Fantastic Beasts
    • Book
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Fantastic Beasts Film Quotes
    • Film Series
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • The Quibbler
    • Owl Post
    • Bathilda’s Notebook
    • The Department of MYTHteries
    • The Dirigible Plum
    • Into the Floo
    • Muggle Studies
    • The Pensieve Papers
    • The Three Broomsticks
    • April Fools’
    • The Quibbler Vault
  • The Daily Prophet
    • Book Trolley
    • Editorials
    • Event Reports
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Features
    • Giveaways
    • Listicles
    • Merchandise Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Television Reviews
    • Theater Reviews
    • Wizolympics
  • Muggle World
    • Charity
    • Exhibitions
    • J.K. Rowling
    • MinaLima
    • Quadball
    • Studio Tours
    • Theatrical Play
    • Theme Parks
    • Wizarding World Digital
  • Fans & Fun
    • Crazy Caption Contest
    • Fan Focus
    • Fandom
    • Fandom Sortings
    • Fandom Timeline
    • Fun Lists
    • Games and Trivia
    • GNOMEs
    • Potter DIY
    • Potter Weddings
    • #PotterItForward
    • Rosmerta’s Recipes
    • Song Parodies
    • Wizard Rock
    • Wizarding Wordle
  • Editorials / The Daily Prophet

The Power of Fanon

by Mikaela Renshaw · July 27, 2019

First, you may be wondering, what is fanon? The word itself comes from a combination of “fan” and “canon.” Canon means the content of the actual work the fandom is based on. For example, anything that shows up in the actual Harry Potter books is canon. The theory that Mrs. Norris is actually Filch’s Animagus wife would be a headcanon. It’s not present in the actual text and is only believed in the heads and minds of fans. Fanon is what happens when a headcanon becomes so popular and widespread within a fandom that it is often upheld as canon despite not actually being confirmed in the books.

For example, Remus Lupin loves chocolate. I see this fanon all the time. The vast majority of Maurader fan fictions have some joke or throwaway comment about it. But fun fact, Remus is never seen eating chocolate in the books. Yes, he does have it on hand a lot, but it’s given to someone else. And while normally you could assume someone who always has chocolate likes to eat it, it’s not a normal situation. Remus is a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor going to a school that he knows will have Dementors. Keeping that in mind, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to learn that he picked some chocolate up as a precaution. Also, ironically, there’s a possibility that he can’t even eat chocolate given his werewolf status. After all, we all know that chocolate is bad for dogs.

 

 

And yet, despite all of this, the fanon perception persists. In this case, it’s mostly harmless. Whether or not Remus Lupin loves chocolate doesn’t actually alter his character in any significant way. However, sometimes fanon can cause major perception changes, forever altering the relationship between a character and the fandom.

A classic example of this is Dumbledore. If you go back to the early fandom, Dumbledore was very much the wise, beloved mentor figure. However, as time moved on, a theory rose up in the fandom. What if Dumbledore was secretly manipulative and had engineered Harry’s adventures to create the perfect tool for defeating Voldemort? This theory really picked up steam after the seventh book came out, and it was revealed that he knew Harry was a Horcrux all along. Then came speculation that he deliberately placed Harry with the Dursleys – an abusive family – so that Harry would be more grateful for the wizarding world and thus more willing to die for it.

It’s not that there’s no textual support for any of this. But none of this was ever confirmed in any Harry Potter canon. This theory is and only ever will be fanon. That hasn’t stopped its spread though. And while not every fan agrees with it, Dumbledore has still fallen far in the fans’ regard. It’s rare nowadays to find someone who’s not at least somewhat critical of Dumbledore.

 

 

Another example is Snape. Snape loved Lily. This is confirmed in canon. What’s not confirmed is that this love was romantic. Yes, it can absolutely be read that way, but it can just as easily be read as platonic. And yet, the fanon regarding this relationship is so strong that when someone pointed this out to me, I literally had to go back and reread the books to see if it were true. There’s never any romantic confessions. Snape never even says “I love you.” He calls Lily his best friend, and there is the famous “always” line, but that just shows he still cares for her, not that he was in love with her. Harry’s Patronus is born out of love and grief as well, but no one’s going to argue that his love is romantic.

Think about how this piece of fanon changes our perception of Snape. The entire fandom image of him as a bitter, friend-zoned, self-proclaimed nice guy is based on this. His relationship with James changes. Most of the fandom interpret Snape as being jealous that James got the girl, but honestly, most of Snape’s bitterness seems to be towards their bullying, antagonistic relationship and the fact that James once saved his life. Even the line about James fancying Lily only seems to come up because Snape is trying to distract Lily from what he’s said and done and focus on James and his actions. Of course, this all begs the question of whether or not Snape not being in love with Lily makes his actions worse, better, or the same. Does romantic love excuse some of his choices where platonic love wouldn’t? Or does the fact that he’s not bitter about being friend-zoned make him more likable? That’s up to you.

 

Source

 

Sometimes, fanon can be a good thing, offering greater insight and analysis of a character. It can be used to flesh out minor characters who don’t get much screen time. Sometimes, it’s just funny. However, we have to be careful not to let fanon lead us into the trap of thinking that only one interpretation is correct, causing us to disregard all others. The best part of fandom is our freedom to explore. So don’t let fanon limit you.

Social:

  • Next story All Seven “Harry Potter” Books Make Amazon UK’s List of Most-Read Books This Week
  • Previous story New “Harry Potter” Merchandise – Funko Pop!s, Advent Calendars, and More

MuggleNet Archive

Important Dates

May 2025

Thu, May 15

Pomona Sprout's birthday
Recurs yearly

Fri, May 16

Stanislav Yanevski's birthday
Recurs yearly

Viktor Krum

Sun, May 18

Miriam Margolyes's birthday
Recurs yearly

Pomona Sprout

Mon, May 19

Geraldine Somerville's birthday
Recurs yearly

Lily Potter

MuggleNet podcasts are sponsored in part by Secretlab.

Thanks to its research-backed ergonomic design, including a proprietary 4-way adaptive lumbar support system, the Secretlab TITAN Evo Harry Potter Edition will comfortably support you even when you’re up to no good.

Did You Know

After Fred Weasley died, George Weasley was no longer able to conjure a Patronus.

Potter History

October 2, 2000 – Production begins on the film version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone.

Potter Quote

“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

MuggleNet is an unofficial Harry Potter fansite.
Please email us if you have any questions or concerns.
© 1999–2025 MuggleNet.com. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | COPPA Policy | Terms of Use | Feedback


MuggleNet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and Bookshop.org's affiliate program, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and bookshop.org.