Alice Bennett
What does the 2024 popularity of Harry Potter on Archives of Our Own (AO3) reveal about the current state of online fan culture?
Whilst music lovers were disappointed with Spotify Wrapped 2024 last year, perhaps fanfiction site AO3 can offer something more interesting.
The website broke down the most popular ships of 2024, and the number one spot goes to – no surprise – a Harry Potter pairing. A total of 12,516 fanfictions featured Sirius Black and Remus Lupin (or “Wolfstar”) last year.
Potter, Tumblr And Slash Fics: A History Of Fanfiction
Slash fics – referring to same-sex relationship stories – are a quintessential part of fanfiction culture. Sites like A03 are filled to the brim with love stories about gay men like “Wolfstar”. These are also known as m/m fics.
Harry Potter has also always been one of the most popular targets for authors to put their own spin on. The series continues to be the number one written-about book on Fanfiction.net, for example. At 849K fanfictions, it vastly overshadows its runners-up, Twilight (223K) and Percy Jackson (80.8K).
These top three are classic examples of Tumblr-era fanfiction. Other staples of older, 2010s Tumblr-era fanfiction ships include “Destiel” (Dean and Castiel) from Supernatural and “Johnlock” (John and Sherlock) from BBC’s Sherlock (sorry for the visceral flashbacks, ex-SuperWhoLock fans).
Some of these characters have remained consistently popular; Destiel, for example, is at number 11 on AO3’s list. However, the landscape has changed slightly, with newer pieces of media like Baldur’s Gate 3 ranking highly.
However, it’s hard to find an Intellectual Property (IP) that is as culturally intertwined with fanfiction as J.K. Rowling’s global phenomenon. When thinking about fanfiction, pairings like “Dramione” (Draco and Hermione) immediately come to mind (cue the edgy fan edit video featuring an Evanescence song in the background).
Those who have been chronically online since old-school YouTube and Tumblr may also associate it with “My Immortal”. Written in 2006, the infamous fic featured romances between the gloriously edgy and cringe-worthy narrator (Ebony Darkness Dementia Ravenway) and Harry, as well as Draco Malfoy.
The series’ history with fanfiction is inescapable, as it is associated with the most infamous caricature of fanfiction as well as some genuinely well-written stories, as recommended by some BookTok creators.
In 2024 and beyond, Potter-inspired fanfictions clearly continue to live on and are still immensely popular.
Nostalgia And The Staying Power of Potter
It might be surprising to some that Harry Potter remains so prevalent within online fandoms. The series is decades old and Rowling is slowly eroding its reputation with her tirade of transphobia. Yet, its relevance has endured. It’s unsurprising considering the fandom’s presence on TikTok. Could this imply a trend of separating the art from the artist?
“It offers a way to interact with childhood memories of magic without benefitting Rowling herself”
Nostalgia seems to be an underlying theme of AO3’s Fanfiction wrapped. We already know that the capitalisation of nostalgia has been a huge part of mainstream media (hence all of the remakes and sequels in recent years). So, it’s not surprising that readers flock to older IPs like Rowling’s.
Another major reason that the Potter fandom endures on these websites is that it offers a way to interact with childhood memories of magic without benefitting Rowling herself (via purchasing merchandise, for example). So many Potterheads are queer, so this provides an alternative way to channel their passion for the series.
Where Are The Sapphic Stories?
There’s a noticeable gap when it comes to fanfiction written about queer women (f/f or “femslash”). Despite queer girls in popular culture having a big year (with public figures like Chappell Roan, Renee Rapp and Doechii dominating pop music) – the fanfiction world remains male-centric. It’s apparent on AO3’s list and is obvious to anyone familiar with this corner of internet culture.
Again, modern fanfiction is heavily related to escapism and nostalgia. It therefore might be a reflection on how mainstream media (especially older IPs) revolves more around male protagonists.
“Oversaturated with queer male love stories”
Sapphic fanfiction certainly exists – “Supercorp” from Supergirl comes to mind – and is a genre within its own right. There is also clearly an appetite for more wlw (women who love women) stories, at least in mainstream media. It is evident in the discussions around the queerness of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s characters in Wicked this year, the success of movies like Bottoms and – again – the rise of sapphic stars like Chappell Roan writing about compulsory heterosexuality and lesbian yearning.
However, it’s interesting that a subculture so closely associated with female and femme writers – many of whom are queer – is so oversaturated with queer male love stories, especially since authors have more material now than ever.
It’s surprising that relatively more recent TV shows like Killing Eve aren’t taking over with some Eve/Villanelle smut, for example (this does exist, but why isn’t it more popular?). Although, it doesn’t seem like more modern films and shows can always achieve the same level of readership as series like Harry Potter.
The Future of Fanfiction and Sexual Liberation
Whilst sapphic stories are underrepresented in mainstream media as well as fanfiction, a popular Tumblr essay could provide an explanation. “Why Do Fangirls Always Make Them Gay?” is an essay by user drinkthehalo. It argues that through m/m fics, female writers can experience a relationship where they are “treated like an equal”. They can write these stories “without being bound to gender expectations”.
“Girls aren’t making them gay… Girls are fantasising about being equal”, they conclude.
However, with increased queer representation in popular media and a new appetite for more wlw stories, perhaps authors can de-centre men and experience this sexual liberation and gender equality through more f/f fanfiction in 2025.
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Featured image courtesy of Mari Potter via Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
Alice Bennett
I'm a recent masters graduate from the University of Nottingham and aspiring writer interested in writing about everything from neurodiversity and LGBTQ+ issues to films and gaming.