The Board of Governors could also be portrayed as more hands - on in fanfiction. They might be actively involved in the day - to - day running of Hogwarts, not just making big - picture decisions. For example, they could be the ones to directly handle student discipline cases instead of leaving it all to the professors and the headmaster.
The Board of Governors could also be involved in financial matters in fanfiction. They would ensure that Hogwarts has enough funds for repairs, new equipment, and staff salaries. Maybe they have to deal with a situation where the school's budget is tight due to some magical disasters that damaged parts of the castle.
A lot of fanfictions play around with the Dursleys' relationship with Harry. They could be depicted as having a sort of begrudging respect for Harry. For instance, when Harry starts to show real courage and power, the Dursleys might start to see him in a new light. This is different from the original story where they mostly just try to suppress Harry. Also, some fanfictions might give the Dursleys magical abilities of their own, which completely changes their dynamic with Harry and the wizarding world.
In the original series, Hedwig is mainly a faithful owl companion. But in fanfiction, she can be much more. She could be a magical entity with her own backstory and motives. For instance, some fanfictions might explore her origin in more detail, like she was bred from a special line of owls with unique abilities.
They could be portrayed as having a bit of good in them. For example, they might be under some sort of dark spell that forces them to act as they do, and if that spell is broken, they could be more like guardians of the wizarding world in a different way.
Well, in a lot of Harry Potter fanfiction, elves are sometimes given backstories that weren't explored in the main series. They can be shown as a more diverse group. There could be different types of elves with different appearances and cultures. Some fanfictions might even have elves interact with other magical creatures in new and interesting ways, like teaming up with centaurs to protect the Forbidden Forest from dark wizards.
Often, Durmstrang is depicted as a more mysterious and perhaps a bit darker school. Its students are shown to be more proficient in the Dark Arts compared to Hogwarts students.
In Harry Potter fanfiction, Merlin can be depicted in many ways. Sometimes he's a benevolent figure, guiding the protagonists from the shadows. Other times, he might be a more complex character with his own motives and secrets. He could be presented as the originator of certain spells or magical techniques that are either lost or only partially understood in the main Harry Potter story. And his appearance might be described as a majestic figure draped in robes and surrounded by an aura of ancient magic.
In some fanfiction, inquistors are shown as more corrupt than in the original books. They might take bribes or abuse their power for personal gain. For instance, an inquistor could let a known dark wizard go free in exchange for a valuable magical artifact.
In many Harry Potter fanfictions, 'constant vigilance' might be shown through characters like Moody (or Crouch Jr. pretending to be Moody). For example, he constantly warns the students to be vigilant against dark magic. This could be depicted as characters always being on the lookout for signs of the Dark Lord's return or any dark magic activity in the fanfic world.
Often, it's depicted as a unique magical gift. For instance, a character might have a healing factor because they were born under a special astrological sign that gives them this power.