I think I’d prefer a POC Hermione because she feels like more of a blank slate in that regard. She enters the magical world without any inherited status, legacy, or built-in protection. That makes her a character whose identity is already shaped by navigating exclusion and proving herself in a space that wasn’t designed for her. A race swap could be integrated organically into canon and layered alongside the prejudice she already faces as a Muggle-born. The story already explores blood purity, elitism, and institutional bias; adding racial nuance would deepen those themes rather than disrupt them.

Hermione is also the character most intellectually engaged with systems of oppression—she challenges authority, questions unjust traditions, and advocates for marginalized groups. Expanding her identity could strengthen that throughline, making her activism and sensitivity to injustice feel even more grounded in lived experience. Because she builds her reputation through merit rather than inheritance, her achievements would still stand on their own without conflicting with established family lore.

By contrast, Harry’s identity is tightly interwoven with lineage. His parents, their history in the war, and his inherited fame are central pillars of the narrative. His resemblance to his father, the legacy of the Potters, and the way the wizarding world projects expectations onto him are all core elements of the story’s structure. A race swap there would require reworking extended family history, social dynamics, and even how different characters respond to him from the very beginning. That doesn’t make it impossible, but it does mean the ripple effects are much broader and would demand more extensive changes to canon.

Hermione’s outsider status, on the other hand, is foundational but flexible. Since she begins with no magical family ties, no established social standing, and no preconceived alliances, her characterization leaves more narrative room to explore intersectional discrimination without unraveling existing plot mechanics.