Obliviate

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger
via Wikipedia

What happens when you write parallel worlds? You, your MC, and your readers select a favorite....and then you have to deal with the one left behind. To be sure, there must be some good in the universe you started with, for example, a loved one...unless you subscribe to the usual theory of high mortality rates for parents and caregivers in YA fiction. Barring that convenience, how do you explain away a character's entire world?

JK Rowling has an answer. (Doesn't she always?)

"Obliviate."

For me, the best of scene of Harry Potter 6.5 was a Hermione moment. The one where she "Obliviates" her parents. In one selfless, excruciating minute, she removes herself from their memory, wiping her image from every photo, so they won't mourn if she never returns. (It's a trick I wish I could use for my MC, but never will.)

Hermione's fix only works on the people left behind though, not the character doing the leaving. But I suppose she could siphon off her memories and store them for the Pensieve....(Another JK Rowling gem!) Better save a back-up file for those.

In fact, I think switching universes is a bit like switching software programs. Except when you have too many applications open, things start crashing (laundry backs up and plot holes expand). Trade universes for countries or states and you'll see many people deal with the dilemma on a regular basis. The price of being a Pomegranate...

Related articles

• Harry Potter series from Hermione's point of view: (mublag.boinkor.net)
• Emma Watson: I Know Hermione Better Than I Know Myself (huffingtonpost.com)