Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality

tuftears linked me to this Harry Potter fanfic a couple of months ago.

I do not have a history of reading fanfic. But I've been over my "deriding fanfic" phase for several years now, and Tufty's review was enough to get me to at least click the link.

Then the story was enough to hook me within pages.

The story is a kind of alternate-universe Harry Potter, differing from the original in several key respects. This Harry Potter is a scientific-minded genius and an adherent to the philosophy of rationalism. This does not result in the stereotypical "scientist who derides magic as impossible". It results in the boy wizard who approaches magic, and everything else, from the perspective of scientific inquiry. The story is well-written, smart, funny and surprising. Definitely recommended! :)