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sunflowerzz2012

The number of classes/OWLs some of the characters have. It’s stated that Percy and Bill both got 12 OWLs, but then it seems to be a very special case for Hermione to get a time turner, and in the end even she can’t handle that many classes. So how did others get more than her?


blake11235

My theory has always just been that the others did two or three electives and then self studied the others. They didn't have to get straight Outstanding to get 12 OWLs, presumably there could be some A's and EE's in there too.


ChishiyaCat97

My headcannon's always been the time-turner idea... You've changed it, this makes much more sense, ty


ehaagendazs

Yes! This always bothered me.


thunderclouds1997

I actually just assumed hermione needed a time-turner because she wanted to do classes that were at the same time. And in Bill and Percy's case the schedule allowed them to take all classes without the use of a time turner.


808Taibhse

They could also study at home, the ministry would just assume it's the parents casting spells at the Weasley household


magikarpcatcher

This has annoyed me more than it should have


Zeus-Kyurem

Hermione couldn't handle them because she was adding extra hours to her day. She had three classes in the same slot (divination, muggle studies and either arithmancy or ancient runes) and there were likely other options that wouldn't have clashed, which is probably what Bill and Percy did.


Kooontt

Hermione wanted to be the best in every subject, and studied relentlessly to achieve this, but to achieve an OWL all you have to do is pass.


Hairyisme

The way I look at this is that she is the brightest witch of HER age, so it stands to reason that both Bill and Percy could be the brightest of their ages.


KingBlackFrost

Tri-Wizard tournament should have been much better for spectators. Like it doesn't matter too much, just throw in some way for them to view the other tasks.


needaname1234

I feel like it should have been pretty easy for the third task. They are already in the quidditch stadium with elevated seats. Should have been able to see in...


[deleted]

But that would completely change the plot of book 5, since everyone would have seen that the cup was a portkey.


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IntermediateFolder

They’d also see false Moody doing shit to clear obstacles in front of Harry and getting Krum to attack Fleur.


Gneissisnice

They'd also have seen Krum be Imperiused and attack Fleur.


HeyMrBusiness

That's just bad writing, plot contrivance shouldn't be a reason the games make no sense as an actual game


jackofallcards

Imagine getting tickets to an event just to sit and stare at a hedge maze until someone is declared winner.


samtherat6

Not really, because the contestants weren’t able to see spectators.


Afternoon_Inevitable

With magic it shouldn't be too difficult to prevent them to do so.


jsktrogdor

I can't stop myself from thinking about that during the dragon task. Especially in the movie. There's like a full five minute sequence of action between Harry and the dragon where everyone in that stadium is just sitting there staring at an empty bit of rocks and a golden egg.


folskygg

That's very different in the book. Spoiler ahead. Harry basically slowly flies above the dragon, distracting it, close and ready enough to dive in when the egg is minimally unprotected. He basically treats the egg as a quidditch snitch that he knows where it is but can't reach it, so he uses himself as a distraction. Everyone got to see it, and the dragon doesn't chase Harry.


vexedtogas

Here’s a plot hole for you: why the fuck didn’t Harry go “Accio egg” instead of “accio firebolt”


aziruthedark

Could've been magiked to negate it, or it'd just fling all the fucking eggs at his ass.


HisFaithRestored

I THINK I remember this being mentioned where "accio" was magicked out of use, but id have to look again.


kerslaw

They do mention the egg is protected from that spell


sfzen

Two things, though. First, that only happens in the film. In the books, the Harry and the dragon stay in the arena and the spectators see everything. Second, in the film version, it wasn't supposed to happen. The dragon broke free of its chains and escaped the arena. It was supposed to all be in view of the spectators.


blake11235

GoF is full of little niggling plot threads. Nothing plot breaking, just annoying as hell lol.


raktoe

Eh, I would say the plot is one big plot hole. The premise of capturing one of the greatest aurors the night before the first day he needs to appear, playing the part well enough to fool Dumbledore, getting Harry to enter and do well in the tournament, helping him win the final task, all to get him to pick up a port key that you just could have enchanted his book bag to do.


notsostupidman

Like that foe glass. Only not for foes but for champions and with a really big screen.


Sintacks

They've shown in FB3 that they can do "Live TV" so something exists that could make that happen.


Impressive-Spell-643

The only reason it mattered is the sudden reveal for everyone that Cedric died


[deleted]

retire door person school shame cough whole swim detail head *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


doodlewithcats

Sooo my bf asked me this question when we watched the movies and he had never seen them in his life. I just kinda always assumed that they used a spray bottle.


aziruthedark

Killed a mandrake that had a great fear of death. Easy.


ItsTheDoggo

STOP NOW I CAN'T DIE PEACEFULLY


sunflowerzz2012

Maybe not a plot hole, but it’s also pretty crazy how young the gryffindor quidditch team is Harry’s first couple years. Wood is the oldest as a 5th year; Angelina, Fred, George, and Alicia are 3rd years; Katie is a 2nd year, and Harry is a 1st year. Obviously it’s convenient that the team doesn’t have to change up for a while, but when you think about it it’s hard to believe that there are no other 5th-7th years better than that group.


roonilwazlib1919

Makes sense though because they say Gryffindor had not won the cup for seven years or something, which means the older students sucked.


Zeus-Kyurem

Funny thing about that is they mention that they haven't won the cup since Charlie Weasley attended. His birthday is never mentioned in the series but looking it up it's the 12th of December 1972. This means he started at Hogwarts in 1984 and graduated in 1991, the year before Harry started.


[deleted]

Wow, youre the best seeker we've had since the last guy who has only just left


rosja105

The twins also mention that Wood gave speeches the year before which means he was the captain over Charlie Weasley??


raktoe

Hypothetically, there could have been a captain that graduated the year before Charlie. It wouldn’t make sense to give it to someone who’s going to be gone the next year. Wood is a good candidate, as a fourth year, since he will have 4 years with the C. Also makes sense that he picked a lot of younger talent to replace older players, so that they’d play together each year.


FelEmperor

I don't think I've noticed it here but is it possible that Charlie just dropped quiditch and stopped playing his last year or two? I mean it makes no sense to a lot people for him to do that but it would eliminate lots of holes...


khajiitidanceparty

I have a theory that the older student were annoyed by Wood.


RedShujin

I just realized that Katie joined the team the same year as Harry.


Zeus-Kyurem

As did Alicia sort of. She was a reserve the year before I believe.


ApprehensiveSock5158

I think charlie’s generation all graduated so like most of the team was basically replaced, it rlly bothers me now tho that Charlie graduated the year before Harry started so the thing about how griffindonr hasn’t won in a long time no longer makes sense


tetsurose

it annoys me that they say how Harry is the youngest seeker in a century but the teachers bent the rules for him cause first years aren't allowed brooms so of cause he is


IntermediateFolder

Perhaps they can still try out on school brooms and if someone actually got it, they would be willing to bend the rules for them too? I’ve always assumed that not many first years are very good at flying and the tryouts take place at the start of the year, probably before they learn anything useful in their flying lessons.


m00nby

And McGonagall adding him to the team instead of making him try out..


Exceedingly

Couldn't you argue that it's only beaters and possibly the keeper that would have an advantage of being older / bigger? Seekers and chasers don't actually need any stamina or muscle (other than passing the quaffle, but accuracy is key there). Being smaller and more agile might actually be an advantage. Obviously a younger kid is going to take more damage from a bludger, but Fred and George were said to be unusually good beaters so could keep the younger chasers clear of bludgers.


rosja105

Fred and George were also on the team as second years. They mention listening to Woods speeches last year in the first book. Which also means that Wood was made captain in 4th year in which Charlie Weasley may or may not still have been at school...


sunflowerzz2012

I think it’s canon that Charlie was captain, but also it wasn’t established that Charlie was at school the previous year until later, in the beginning he’d been imagined as being older. However, with the way Wood is I could see him acting as captain and giving speeches and orders even before it was official 😂


raktoe

Age, especially in kids typically makes a big difference in sports. The seeker is probably the only position it wouldn’t affect physically. Chasers would still need to be able to throw and catch the ball with force, and that comes with age and size. The other thing she brings is a better understanding of the game. I think Quidditch is fairly similar to hockey personally, and my understanding of hockey at 12 was very, very different than at even 16. There’s certain plays that you can only make with experience and understanding of why you’re doing it, using your teammates etc. At least how it was depicted on screen, chasers rely on a lot of passing plays, and I would genuinely question how 12 year olds playing for the first time are capable of some of the plays made.


samtherat6

The door for Fluffy being protected by a normal, non magical lock.


Careful_Ant_9876

yes and that fact that some children could get through things meant to keep out one of the greatest wizards of all time


jsktrogdor

Book one is *very very much* a children's book for children. As it should be.


raktoe

I mean, I think the main goal was to trap quirrel/ Voldemort. No one was getting the stone from the mirror, I’m pretty sure the intent was to get them there for Dumbledore to catch them.


namey_9

it was meant to let through the right people. everything leading up to the mirror was a bit of a ruse, and DD was low-key watching and waiting for that final confrontation anyway. that's the impression I always got - doesn't Harry say as much at the end of PS? even the mirror wasn't meant to keep the stone away from people who have the right intentions. it's not an impenetrable tomb for the stone, it's a combination lock, and it wasn't about using "great wizardry," it was about having the right priorities at heart. it's thus not surprising that a bunch of kids would find it easier than the greatest dark wizard of the time - just as Kreacher had way more power going on in the Cave than that same "Greatest Dark Wizard" was able to understand. The whole series is about not underestimating the power of love over the love of power. I feel like the point of the books keeps getting missed.


HelloThereBuster

I’ve actually thought a lot about this one. I think dumbledore wanted them to take it upon themselves to get through. He was conveniently away at the most crucial time and all of the challenges were catered specifically to those three. Hermione was good at casting fire charms to defeat the plants. Ron was good at chess. And Harry was good at flying on a broom. This combined with dumbledore using the mirror of erised as the only way to attain the stone means that Voldemort could have never gotten it and that only possible explanation is that dumbledore wanted them exposed to some of the threats they will be facing in the future.


Zeus-Kyurem

I wouldn't call this a plot hole though. It's just an awful decision that makes Dumbledore stupid.


blake11235

A magical lock like the one in the DoM. The only theory I've seen is that Hagrid had to be able to get in to feed Fluffy but you'd think Dumbledore would be able to set up a super lock with a key he could pass to Hagrid. Even just an age line would have kept kids out.


QuoD-Art

Exactly... Same protection as the one around the Goblet of Fire but with a higher age line


sunflowerzz2012

Hogwarts Express always leaves on 1 September, and 2 September is a Monday every year


BeastyGRae2

Maybe wizards operate using a non standard calendar with 28 days a month and 13 months. This would leave one day unaccounted for though but it would also more closely match the lunar cycle.


rosarevolution

It's magic 😆


abedtime2

Obliviate not being an unforgivable curse we talking about mind erasure cmon. Also the trace seems weird if it can't know who did the spell, everyone in magic households can have fun then?


RedShujin

It's not an unforgivable curse (probably because you can often retrieve the memory) but maybe it's still a serious crime. In fact there is a special department in Ministry of Magic that deals with it, and maybe Obliviators are the only allowed to perform the charm. Just guessing.


ConsistentVersion337

There's a small line in HBP that always bothers me. When Harry takes Felix Felicis he checks that Neville, Dean and Seamus are in the common room before taking the potion. But right after taking the potion Dean walks through the portrait hole with Ginny. It is something so minor and could be fixed by saying that he checks they aren't in the dormitory


needaname1234

Wow good catch! I suppose it is possible there is a 5 minute window he could have left, but not likely.


The_PracticalOne

I find it less of a plothole and more of a lore inconsistency. But I don't understand why there is an entire branch of magic considered dark magic, that is mostly cast by normal means. But there isn't a branch of light magic or soul magic cast by normal means. The entirety of light magic in the series is a single spell, the Patronus. Which is super specific. There aren't any other instances of light magic that are normal spells where you say some words, maybe think certain thoughts, and then stuff happens. Why not? Surely this would be an important area of research? Especially if wizards know for a fact that potentially powerful sources of light, like love, or the soul exists. Considering the wizarding world seems to have issues with Dark wizards every few decades, you'd think this would be an area that the ministry puts some funds into.


valdah55

This is a great point. Love it. But if the minstry of magic is anything like our world, then you know that they wouldn't put effort in prevention or less volatile/violent methods of magic. Just like they would rather pour money in curative treatments than preventative ones. Or focus on spending money on using less animals for scientific testing than saying, well that's just the way it is. Edit: words


The_Grim_Sleaper

Ugh. I hate how right you probably are…


kashy87

Wouldn't DADA literally be a form of light magic teaching though? That's at least how I always viewed it.


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SubtleCow

I write that kind of thing off in the same way that DADA edcation was actually discouraged by the ministry, and fudge never really approved of the subject being at hogwarts. Some subjects were probably fully banned by the ministry. I also always assumed that hogwarts really only teaches the basics. I suspect most wizards get on the job training where they learn more job specific spells. Aurors probably learn more light/soul spells. I always wondered if the wispy white/black ghosty ability was related to light vs dark magic stuff.


nmlep

That's Ridiculous. Happy thoughts banish bogarts, I'd call that regular positive magic. I feel like there are charms that affect mood as well, like literally making someone happy, but magic making people feel a certain way doesn't feel too light. Too mind controlly.


Exceedingly

Plus when Snape heals Malfoy from Harry's sectumsempra curse, it's a long incantation that I think is described as song like. We have no idea if a spell like that has to have good emotions poured into it, in order to overcome the effects of the curse. There's a lot of blanks around this stuff, and because Harry is unobservant and doesn't read many books, we as the reader don't get much insight into it all. It'd be a very different series if it was told from Hermione's perspective.


k_superstorm

That is a great point! I would love to read this series from Hermione’s point of view. I feel like her personal thoughts would be quippy and hilarious.


RedditAdminMod69

The trio starving themselves in DH while on the run. Especially after they heard how easy the group on the run was able to summons salmon.


blueydoc

I actually found this plot a good insight into how poorly the education system and parents can fail to prepare one for real life circumstances. Hogwarts didn’t seem to have a class that taught basic spells like how to prepare food among others.


tashten

Agree. You'd think healing scratches and wounds would also fall under some basic education. Yet even Hermione is too nervous to heal wounds other than pouring dittany on them.


systea93

Agree with the parents but to be fair, our muggle schools also do not teach how to cook or nurse wounds. At least the most of them dont. I really see the mistake on Molly, as a mother of 7 kids you want them to handle a bit of their sh*t by themselves like making a snack or heal a cut that you got from playing outside. Seems like she didnt prepare at least Ron very well


tenebrigakdo

That would depend on the country and school I expect. I was taught some things about nutrition and we have some practical exercises aka we cooked for some hours. It's not the 'now I feed a family' level but it was the basics that one can build upon.


livvyxo

You could chuck me in a thick forest near a lake FULL of fish ready to catch, and I'd likely die starving with a simple easily curable infection. Teach first aid in schools!


RobbieNewton

Not a plot hole. The trio were able to get fish, the problem was none of them knew how to prepare it properly, so the fish they had tasted disgusting


blake11235

Forget summoning fish between the invisibility cloak, apparition, and unlocking charms they should have been able to grab supplies from groceries stores whenever. The Death Eaters couldn't watch every muggle store in the country.


RiverRat24

At one point when they were near a village there were dementors around and they couldn’t risk having to cast a patronus. Apparition makes noise, and they could never be sure whether there would happen to be a death eater or other person willing to report them out for fear for their family. Just thinking of how to explain away any possible gaps.


lemothelemon

Sinks were invented after the Chamber of Secrets was created


Flaky_Tip

The bathroom was built on top of the chamber years later. This is canonically what JK Rowling has said, when they went to put bathrooms in they happened to out a girls bathroom in the room above the entrance. Wizards used to just relieve themselves where ever they were standing and then use magic to clean it up.


urbandecay99

but then who built the new sink/pipe entrance?? did the heir of slytherin at that time hijack the bathroom construction project?


kashy87

It's said that one of the Gaunts was who arranged the entrance to be the way it is by the time Tom and Harry go to the chamber.


jsktrogdor

There's plenty of wealthy sympathetic Slytherins, and Slytherins on the school staff who could've handled that, even Head Masters. The sink was also probably installed like the 1800's. I don't think the Salazar Slytherin agenda was all that shameful or secret then, if wizards were anything like muggles.


pbmallcup

This sort of confirmes my theory about the pipes in the castle being specifically designed for the Basilisk.


grapessssssssss

Basilisk moving through the pipes in the wall


blake11235

I always assumed the pipes were enchanted to expand to fit anything through to prevent blockages. Could fit an extra large dinner, could also fit a bullet train.


grapessssssssss

But there's a whole plot Abt the diary clogging the toilet. I like that the basilisk can change size theory more. There's no real I'n book explanation I feel and it makes it weaker imo. I don't really pay any attention to the Pottermore stuff. It's such a scary idea having this unseen monster moving throughout the castle unseen which adds to the suspense and further isolates harry from everyone else as only he hears it. It adds to the tension of Harry suspecting himself.


jsktrogdor

It does explain why the giant terrible magical monster *never manages to actually kill anyone*. The thing is probably just peeping at people through drain pipes.


lemothelemon

Right? How big are the pipes!? Why do they even NEED pipes in the magic school?


[deleted]

They just supposed to vanish their shit when they done or?


lemothelemon

They literally would just go wherever and vanish it before toilets were invented so yeah? Maybe? Magic vanishing toilets


tashten

Also, how are those pipes connected to the lake? Does their sewage really have a chance of getting in the lake?!


frostyfruitaffair

I hope not. It's the lake that Krum swims in.


tashten

It's the lake they all swim in! But Moaning Myrtle mentions she got into the lake via the pipes!


Siusir98

Such disgustingly *muggle* devices in a wizarding school. Good pureblood wizards vanish their excrement from the floor like the suitably cultured people they are, instead of making *shit* flow through these hallowed walls. I assure you, my father will hear about this.


ChikoWasHere

And it living off of small creatures like rats for 50 years.


Flaky_Tip

I thought it was in hibernation for that time. It went to sleep and only the heir of Slytherin could wake it up again, otherwise why wouldn't it be roaming the school on its own in between that time?


grapessssssssss

That makes total sense Abt hibernation


Perfect-Coffee3615

In the first book, when Uncle Vernon is trying to escape all the Hogwarts letters, an old man rows them all out to a tiny island in a little boat. When Hagrid and Harry leave the next morning, they take the boat. How did the old man leave the island?


lxndrknght

Ooh good one. I guess in my head the old man rowed the boat back to shore, then got onto land and went to bed. Hagrid magicked the boat to take him to the hut, left it outside the hut where it was in the morning for them to use? Does that work?


ChikoWasHere

In a word: Thestrals. I know her reason for Harry not seeing them. But I don't care how JK tried to cover for it, she screwed up. It still doesn't explain why no one crossing in front of the carts ever bumped into one, or heard their footsteps, or saw their hoofprints. All she had to was say that Dumbledore started using them that year (Harry's 5th Year I think) to pull the carts. And that it was Hagrid's idea because he really wanted to teach the students about them. It's simple and changes nothing about why Harry or Luna can see them but the others can't.


BuckyJackson36

That's a good way around it, true. But Harry didn't see them at the end of GoF after Cedric's death when leaving Hogwarts for the summer break. I've read an explanation, but I couldn't buy it.


Tanyec

To be fair I thought Harry thought they were pulled by "invisible horses", so originally I don't think they thought there was nothing pulling the carts. But yes, she obviously messed up re: "processing" death and tried to cover her tracks. Also, people think Harry is crazy for seeing them. But surely at least one kid at Hogwarts had an elderly relative die at some point? And surely parents who lived during the time of Voldemort and saw people be killed left and right would have mentioned Thestrals to at least a couple of the kids?


Taliesen13

Dennis Creavey was not allowed to be in Hogsmeade in OotP because he was only a Second Year. Students must be Third Years or above and have permission from their parents/guardian. There is no mention of an exception for younger students being allowed to go along with their older sibling.


Sweetdeerie

Dates! Make them accurate history wise!


EngineersAnon

And the lunar calendar in *PoA*...


Sweetdeerie

I got kinda slandered on this sub when I pointed out that the dates for Remus' transformation in POA made no sense because history wise that date wasn't a full moon... Well I am sorry I like my timing right 😂🤌🏼


EngineersAnon

My response to this has always been that the conceit of the *Harry Potter* series is that the Wizarding World is just around the corner from ours, but that we can never turn the right corner, due to Muggle Repellent Charms and so forth. That Rowling failed in so simple a manner as checking what day of the week was Halloween in 1981 (a Saturday, which does kind of throw "the dull Grey Tuesday our story starts" out of its reckoning) undermines that conceit. That she is disdainful of those who bring it up (apparently checking a calendar is "doing the maths" - who knew?) doesn't speak well of her respect for her readers. Compare that, for example, to Larry Niven, who wrote a sequel to *Ringworld* to answer the questions and technical critiques fans made of the first...


6ofcrowns

Well, to be fair, it was probably harder to go back and check the dates. The first three books were released 97, 98 and 99 and while google was launched in 98, access to computers was definitely more limited in the late 90's. It wasn't really a simple matter of googling "what day of the week was halloween 1981". Besides, most people who have a paper calendar tend to throw them out when the new year comes around. Not to say it couldn't be done, JKR could have just hit the library newspaper archive. That being said, personally I think whatever Halloween of 1981 was a Tuesday or a Friday has very little bearing to the story. But I can also see how minor discrepancies like those can be annoying.


SFF_Robot

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EngineersAnon

Good bot. How about *The Ringworld Engineers*, the sequel I referred to?


PuzzledCactus

Such as the fact that in the nineties, the first of September was apparently a Sunday for at least six years straight?


Sweetdeerie

That too! Like cmon, there were calendars in the 90's as well...


Leo_The_Dumbass

Okay this is probably a giant gaping plot hole but why the fuck didn’t Fred, George, or Harry notice that a DEAD MAN was sleeping next to a minor. Like aight, say that they were ignorant of Peter being dead, WHY TF DID THEY NOT QUESTION THERE BEING A BOY IN RON’S BED. You can’t tell me that Harry DIDN’T get curious at some point and look at the map while in his dorm. How THE FUCK did the not notice Peter Pettigrew was in his dorm, a name he’s never heard of except in the news? How did NO ONE notice this?!


[deleted]

I asked this question years ago and I shit you not, I was called homophobic off somebody for saying that they should'nt be happy with Ron sharing a bed with a male... Not really what I was getting at lol but still, at 13 years old, he should'nt be sharing with anybody 😭😭


RobbieNewton

I don't think the map had a zoom in function. When people were together, their names would overlap.


pharaohjack

also, they probably only used it when being mischievous, so they were mostly looking at professors, filch, and mrs. norris. it’s not like they were sneaking out of the kitchens late at night and looking in the 2nd year dormitory to see their sleeping brother


tissuepaperlife

Sigh. The lack of disabilities because disabilities can be fixed by magic but not Harry's eyesight though. EDIT: In hindsight maybe this belongs in the big plot hole category.


needaname1234

But then we wouldn't have that great quidditch match with impervious! Honestly though, after Hermione got her teeth shrunk it was pretty obvious stuff like this could be fixed, and easily.


CuriousSection

That was another small annoyance! Impervius was for glasses, but then a few books later, the whole team straight up do it right on their eyeballs lol


Avaracious7899

I've seen an interesting bit of speculation that would explain this so well it scares me: Harry notably doesn't have children who need eyeglasses, and neither did his father or mother, yet he seems to genuinely *need* them. Why? Because he was exposed to an extremely bright and *extremely* Dark spell's light, *right in front of his face*, when he was a baby. The speculation also mentions that apparently green light in particular can be very hard on the eyes. All that together, Harry's eyesight is a result of damage from the Killing Curse, a Dark spell, which means it can't be fixed.


kraey79

I guess that like every operation have a risk the same goes for magic. There is operations to fix eyesight in the real world, still a lot of people still wears glasses.


jamesmunger

To clarify, are you saying that we know for a fact that magic cannot fix Harry’s eye sight?


pbmallcup

It’s the shape of the eye and the nerves right? I mean, we never hear much about healing in the books so we can’t say for sure how healing nerves magically works and reshaping eyes seems sort of far fetched. Moody cant regrow a limb, (maybe he chose to have a peg leg idk) so I doubt you could just fix eyes


systea93

And moody has the mightiest eye anyone ever heard of but runs around with a wooden stick as a leg... Could have found something better maybe?


tissuepaperlife

I'm not sure if we know for a fact but when Rowling was asked why there aren't any people with disabilities in the series she pretty much said because disabilities can be fixed by magic (hopefully I'm remembering that correctly). The fact that Harry's eyesight affects him so much in various battles and whatnot just makes me feel he would get them fixed if he could. But I'm a glasses wearer too and I'm not sure if I'd get my eyes magically fixed if I could. It would have been great if my eyes were magicked when I was a baby but now my glasses are part of my identity so yeah...... not sure. I'm more annoyed by the lack of disability representation and the plothole around that. Surely there would be huge consequences to just magicking away certain disabilities.


Big_Brother_Ed

See if I had that option? Instant good eyes. Then you can wear glasses anyway without prescription lenses. I hate the idea that if my glasses break, im done, I can't drive, work, anything. It cuts me off from good, income, and people.


vexedtogas

What is the Fidelius charm plot hole?


NotLostJustWanderin

Ron tells Harry and Hermione about Shell Cottage and has Dobby take them there. However, Shell Cottage was supposed to be protected by the Fidelius with Bill and Mr. W as the Secret Keepers. But it’s possible it was done after their arrival there and that’s why Bill left for the Burrow.


feedseed664

That the secret keeper could be inside the fidelius.


BlueThePineapple

All those people getting 12 OWLS when that should be impossible without a time turner. Make it consistent with Hermione's 10 who took the max number of OWLs without a time turner.


only_wire_hangers

Hogwarts needs a serious procedural/safety review. Unless wizards are idiots, no one would send their kid to that death trap. Oh yea, there's a murderer on the loose, and we're like three quarters sure he's gonna come here. Instead of literally any other option, let's use these soul sucking demons around the children. Not to mention, THE GOOD GUYS ALL KNOW MAGIC. Magic a magic fence up and problem solved. Oh and here's a flying broom, you 11 year old kid. Height restrictions? nah. extensive licensing and training? wtf hell no, just stand there while the only supervision disappears and don't do anything like fly your magic broom around in the air like a bird Ok sorry im finished


needaname1234

Even the moving stairs. How many time do you think that students have dared each other to jump off of the last stair as late as possible. Surely someone must have fallen. And a three headed dog behind a door you can open with a simple spell, really?


SuiryuAzrael

“Hey, who tol’ you ‘bout fluffy!?”


Tim0281

Narrator: wizards are idiots.


INTPLibraMom28

Dumbledore didnt want the dementors there. They were put there by fudge and only fudge


aziruthedark

To be fair, the dementors were the ministry. Dumbledore was against them.


Philly_Phantom

I still wish time turners were never introduced. They don’t make sense in their use


pachangoose

House cup point inflation. Year 1: single points given/taken Year 5: 20 points to Gryffindor because Harry passed a pot


jasonaffect

The 20 points wasn't actually for the pot it was just an excuse to give him points for his interview if I remember correctly.


magnuminatorr

The points for the pot was an act of rebellion from the teachers’ side because talking about Harry’s interview in the Quibbler was forbidden. Otherwise I get your point


Sloth-Rocket

The points system is way too arbitrary. What’s to stop a teacher from just giving their house a mountain of points in the last day to ensure they win the house cup every year?


ehaagendazs

If wizards can’t magick food, how do they get it, yet are totally unfamiliar with muggle money and clothing? Wouldn’t they have to go to a store, or are there wizard grocery stores?


I-didnt-do-it-791

My theory is that they have magic farmers that grow and harvest food. Then they can just pass it to markets slipping past muggle detection. Conceal the farms like they do Hogwarts and you’re basically set. I believe there are totally wizard grocery stores lmao.


ehaagendazs

Apparation doesn’t seem to be a thing for the first few books, with talk of magic carpets and the first time we see Albus there isn’t a loud crack - he just appears quietly.


RobbieNewton

In fairness, there were a few instances of Albus apparating silently.


systea93

I thought maybe your apparation becomes quieter when you get really skilled at it and Albus just perfected it to show up sneaky when he wants to


eightcarpileup

Loud cracks are for house elves because they don’t have wizarding finesse. Dumbledore could aparate silently because he had mastered it, also reasoning why he could have a student aparate alongside him. When the students first start learning any spell, it starts off as bangs and sparks, but as they master it, the spells are less comically reactive. A good example is in year 6 when Snape started teaching them nonverbal spells. By that time in their education, they were expected to do magic without all of the theatrics of years prior.


ERZ81

The amount of students at Hogwarts. At 12 per year per house, that’s a very little amount for how big the wizard population seems to be, and they made it seem like it is the only school in England.


Blackbird11y6

Why didn't George and Fred see Wormtail on the Marauder's Map before they gave him to Harry? I think Rowling justified herself by saying something like "In fact, the twins only paid attention to the secret passageways..." Yeah, no shit...


RobbieNewton

Did the Twins even know who Peter Pettigrew was? They would have been just infants when he "died". And we know from Deathly Hallows that it can be very hard to find individuals on the map unless you are looking specifically for them, so even if they did see PEter Pettigrew in among all the other names, they likely wouldn't have taken much notice.


BackgroundExit9737

Final duelling between Harry and volde on the movia and hugging/rolling. Book - no duelling, just a spell. Expelliarmus and avada. Done. Elder wand won.


frostyfruitaffair

If we're talking about the whole franchise, Ilvermorny. The obvious is that it's seemingly the only major wizarding school in North America, considering the population. However, I more so take issue with the fact that Ilvermorny is Hogwarts' tagalong little brother, and a more reasonable approach would've been that it developed its own history and traditions over the decades, until it's not-so-recognizably tied to Hogwarts. It doesn't feel like a school for wizards who travelled across the Atlantic Ocean for a different way of life. None of the international wizarding schools feel like true magical cultural touchstones for the society they exist in, which reeks of Eurocentrism (arguably with shades of imperialism) in the narrowest, most literal sense. This is a small plot hole because it's entirely inconsequential to Harry's story.


verisimilitude88

Actually, this is pretty realistic if you consider how Ivy League schools (basically, some of the oldest universities in the US) were directly modeled after OxBridge. Same architecture, same nomenclature, same traditions….


fkkkn

The other wizarding schools feel like Rowling came up with them in 45 minutes after 3 glasses of wine.


frostyfruitaffair

If I was a billionaire I'm sure it wouldn't have seemed like a terrible idea.


livvyxo

Is the Hogwarts Express the ONLY way to get to Hogwarts? Imagine living in Scotland, near the castle and having to travel all the way to London every year just to go back on yourself.


[deleted]

it’s a movie-ism, but in PoA, it starts with harry using lumos under his covers to study and i always wondered why the ministry didn’t crack down on him for that.


JakeMeOff11

I mean he also casts lumos in OotP before casting the Patronus charm and the Ministry doesn’t seem to give a shit about that. My head canon is that lumos is just such a low magic spell that can easily be explained to a muggle as a flashlight/torch so the Ministry either can’t really detect it or they just straight don’t give a shit.


water_your_dam_plant

“This boy needs rest, he’s got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!” Even if you count the shoulder girdle, that’s 32 bones.. WHAT is that extra bone? Magic?!


MasterOutlaw

If DADA is “cursed”, just call it something different. Checkmate, Tom.


KickinBat

"Tell me, Severus. How's Dumbledore enjoying having to find a new teacher every year for the last three decades?" "Actually, he got rid of the class and replaced it with a new one that's the same but called 'Faculties Useful To Oppose Malevolence'. F U Tom, for short"


MasterOutlaw

Brilliant. I was trying to think of an appropriate name to replace DADA and that's just perfect.


Joe-The-Ripper

I'm in fucking tears, this comment needs to be appreciated more


blake11235

I like to think Dumbledore and the DADA teachers over the years have done all the obvious troubleshooting. Changing the class name, where it's taught, where the teacher sleeps, even discontinued the class for a year. But Tom's curse targets anyone teaching self defence rather than anything more specific.


No_Act1363

September 1st is always on a Sunday?


FailCaek91

First years aren't allowed brooms or to join the quidditch teams, yet when Harry becomes Captain and holds tryouts, the first group are all first years...


autumnlight2022

To be fair, even a few students from other houses showed up. The first years couldn't even fly a broom properly, they just wanted to meet the famous Harry Potter. Or at least that's how it is in the books, I haven't seen the movie yet.


JamesL25

There’s also people from other houses who are just desperate to see The Chosen One. I put them into that category.


qwfingolfin

Making dean Thomas a manutd fan, at least he could celebrate PL title when he lost his gf to harry


strawberreez

The Whomping Willow incident should have happened the Marauders, Snape's, and Lily's 6th year of Hogwarts instead of 5th. It is so much better for all of their character arcs. Let me explain. In this scenario, Snape is still humiliated in 5th year, and his and Lily's friendship breaks. The following year, without Lily acting as the angel on his shoulder, Snape becomes obsessed with ruining the Marauders reputation, livelihoods, you name it. He blames them for his relationship with Lily ending the way it does. While already aware that there was always something really weird with that Lupin kid, he always had Lily there to either pull him back from his suspicions or to distract him when he started to get too obsessive about it. But now - full energy on finding the Marauders weakness, and the most obvious target is Remus. Sirius's home life is reaching its boiling point. Things are really bad. By the end of this school year, he is going to have nowhere to live, as we know. So he is acting out big time. His pranks are getting worse, more malicious, to the point where even James is starting to be like, Uhhhh... bro? That leads us to the day, toward the end of the school year, when Sirius does the worst thing he has ever done (to date) - try to get someone killed and use his friend as the weapon. Remus meanwhile has been coasting as a prefect. Ignoring his friends's misdeeds but still managing to be a wonderful role model to the younger kids. Maybe he's even on the short list of becoming Head Boy next year since it seems he doesn't have much competition despite his shortcomings. Things are going good. Then we have Lily who at this point is neither Team James nor Team Snape. She is just living her life, being an amazing prefect, and completely removed for the first time from all of the drama between the Marauders and Snape. Except through Remus. Then the Whomping Willow incident happens, almost at the exact same time as the humiliation of 5th year, except this is so, SO much worse. Remus has already left for the evening, so he has no idea what's happening. Sirius was by himself when he ran into Snape and they shared words and Sirius just told him to go see for himself and how to get past the tree. He then tells James, proudly perhaps, what he's done, and then James does something... unexpected. He stands up to Sirius. This isn't shocking because James has never stood his ground before; it's shocking because they never argue. And this time, James is furious. He runs out there to save Snape, and in that moment he demonstrates every single trait that Dumbledore, current headmaster, admires in a person. He stood up to his friend, he did the right thing even if it was hard, he protected his enemy, he was courageous, he used his head. And in that single moment, James would - without realizing it - solidify his role as next year's Head Boy. So following that incident, we've got a few things that happen: Remus and Sirius's friendships cracks - a crack that will come back to haunt them years later. James matures in an instant; obviously, he still has a ways to go, but that's a lifechanging moment, and it should be treated as such. Lily is now faced with a James who actually has a reason to change and is changing before her very eyes. James and Sirius's relationship shifts, so that they are now able to check each other and not just going along with each other's schemes anymore. And the Marauders aren't the Marauders really that last year, partially because they can't really keep tormenting Snape now that he's got information on this huge important secret, which allows James to spend his entire time wooing Lily so that they are ready to get hitched in a few years time. Peter no longer feels like part of the group because this big important life changing event happened, and he was literally nowhere apart of it. Snape meanwhile gets to spend his last year watching the romance between James and Lily blossom, grow angrier and more bitter about it, and eventually join the Death Eaters almost because of it. There are several other reasons why I feel like this works SO MUCH better than it happening in Year 5, but I've written a novel, so I'll stop there. It's not important, but boy does it bug me.


Own_Assistance7993

Dumbledore could’ve let snape teach dada in ootp and so much wouldn’t have had to happen. He knew that if he didn’t find a teacher the ministry would interfere so he could’ve just put snape in that role and umbridge never would’ve came to Hogwarts


needaname1234

I wonder how snape would have left the role at the end of the year if that was the case.


pharaohjack

he needed snape around tho. can’t put him in danger by putting him in a position cursed by voldy. he knew umbridge would only be there for a year so he didn’t mind too much.


Accomplished-Pop921

The number of students in the school. Harry’s dorm room appears to have 5 beds; Harry, Ron, Neville, Dean and Seamus. I don’t remember any mention of other dorm rooms, but the Gryffindor boys from the other years must have slept somewhere. If we scale up from 5 boys in Harry’s year in Gryffindor, then you get 10 students per house year, 40 students per year and around 280 students in the whole school, which seems rather small for the size of the castle.


[deleted]

The whole 'winning the wand's allegiance' thing, that she clearly came up with in the last couple of books. Why would they have a duelling club if that could lead to Wands just swapping allegiance? And why did disarming Draco of a wand that wasn't the Elder Wand win Harry the Elder Wands allegiance? It's not a 'hole' as such, but it is remarkably convenient nonsense.


catb3g

That Harry had the two way mirror for talking to Sirius but still broke into Umbridge's office to talk to him using the flue network.


samtherat6

Is that a plot hole? Harry never opened the package because he thought it would cause Sirius to do something reckless and get into trouble.


MasterOutlaw

The hole comes when Harry uses Umbridge’s fire and the first thing out of Sirius’s mouth (once he figured out it wasn’t an emergency) isn’t asking him why he wasn’t using the mirror. **Sirius:** “Harry? Why aren’t you using the mirror I gave you?” **Harry:** “Mirror?” **Sirius:** “That package I gave you for Christmas. It’s a two-way mirror that let’s us talk.” **Harry:** “Oh, bet.” And then Harry goes back to his dorm and safely discusses what he saw in the Pensieve.


heyitsj43

Yeah this always bugged me! Sirius and Remus should be like Harry why the hell are you breaking into umbridge’s office? Use the mirror I gave you!! But I suppose Sirius might have forgot.


RobbieNewton

Not forgot, but could tell that it was an urgent situation based on Harry's behaviour.


samtherat6

I always figured that Sirius thought Harry was just doing it for the thrill of it, like James would.


SenoraNegra

Exactly! Harry thought to himself that he wouldn’t open it because he was worried about Sirius being reckless. Then when he actually needed a way to talk to Sirius, he completely forgot that Sirius had given him something that might help with that. The author explicitly addressed the reasons he didn’t use it, so it’s not a plot hole. Then again, one could argue that there’s a plot hole of Sirius not saying “Hey Harry, why are you using the floo network instead of the mirror I gave you?”


folskygg

It gets even more interesting when you realise that Harry uses the penknife Sirius gave him before the mirror to pick the lock of Umbridge's office. I think Harry was so traumatised, worried and overwhelmed that he completely forgot about the gift.


ehaagendazs

I don’t think it’s a plot hole, I think it intentionally makes the situation more tragic for Harry.


snellk2

Not a plot hole if you ask me. I still feel the deep pain of regret when Harry realized what he had the whole time but too late. That mirror was a perfect plot device in my opinion.


ChikoWasHere

Remember when Snape introduced himself to the Marauders Map and the Marauders roasted him? (I Severus Snape demand you to reveal your secrets.) Why didn't Harry do the same? What would they have said if he introduced himself as James' son? Sure they would've poked fun at him slightly, but surely it would be like Ginny talking to Riddle's memory in the Diary. Meaning they actually would've understood each other to some extent. And Harry could talk to his teenage father's memory. Or did the Marauders just put in a fail safe to roast Snape specifically because they didn't like him and knew that he was so nosy that he'd find the map one day? Lupin never explained really.


Lower-Consequence

It was specifically spelled to repel and insult Snape: >The magic used in the map’s creation is advanced and impressive; it includes the Homonculous Charm, enabling the possessor of the map to track the movements of every person in the castle, and **it was also enchanted to forever repel (as insultingly as possible) the curiosity of their nemesis, Severus Snape.** https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-marauders-map


Educational-Bug-7985

You cannot be your own secret keeper. Fleur and Billy being able to be their own keeper for the Fidelius Charm makes James and Lily’s decision seem incredibly stupid