The magical world of Harry Potter captivated our minds from the very moment we turned the first page of the first book. The adventure of a young wizard going to school for the very first time and learning the ins and outs of magic was one heck of a premise. Thanks to the writing skills of J.K. Rowling, we all got to experience, through the eyes of Harry, what it would be like if we got to go to Hogwarts. And even though the last of his tales has already been told (or so we’ve been led to believe), we still can’t help dreaming about the world he lived in.
But maybe the world of Harry Potter has been fooling us this whole time. Maybe the story of the Boy Who Lived is not all that it appears to be. It wouldn’t be the first time that dreams prove to be nothing more than air. Poetic words aside, there are some severely messed up things about the Wizarding World that most people don’t even consider.
You might have believed certain things in the Harry Potter series were true, especially given the way they were portrayed in both the books and the movies. Let us assure you that certain tidbits within the universe are decidedly false. Give these pieces of information a little bit of thought, and you will come to the same conclusion. Read on if you want to learn the truth about everything you thought you knew about the Harry Potter universe.
Students At Hogwarts Can Write Essays
We frequently see Harry, Ron, and Hermione writing with a quill on some parchment while at Hogwarts. It appears that they are assigned essays as part of their classes. But how exactly are young wizards and witches taught how to read and write?
Harry, Hermione, and other Muggle children went to Muggle school for a little bit, so they should know the rudiments. But how did Ron and kids born in a Wizarding family ever learn if this is their first time at a school?
Healing Magic Can Fix Anything
We see the marvels of modern medicinal magic several times throughout the course of the Harry Potter series. Spells and potions can heal enormous injuries like gashes and broken arms. But if that’s the case, why can’t anybody heal Harry’s poor vision?
Glasses should be a thing of the past if magic exists. Are we supposed to believe that magic can regrow an entire arm of missing bones, but it can’t give someone 20/20 vision?
Sentient Portraits Are Just A Silly Gimmick
The paintings and pictures around Hogwarts are mostly used for comic relief in the story. However, they present a sticky problem if you think about it. Pictures are taken of still-living wizards, and they act like their real-life counterparts. Are they copies? Do they know they are stuck in a bordered picture?
Certain paintings in Dumbledore’s office act as if they know the circumstances of their life. What is that even like? Is it a comfortable existence? Would any witch or wizard have their picture taken if they knew what it was like?
Wrongful Convictions Are Possible With Magic Around
With the awesome power of magic at your fingertips, you would think wrongful convictions would never happen. Just ask Sirius Black if that’s the case. Black was accused of obliterating Peter Pettigrew and betraying Lily and James Potter. He was then found guilty and sentenced to Azkaban.
Imagine if he volunteered to take Veritaserum, a truth potion, and he revealed that he had nothing to do with the crime. That is just one way we can think of that magic should have prevented his imprisonment.
Hogwarts Teachers Are Certified Educators
Teachers in the real world go through training in order to become qualified instructors of young children. You might have thought that Hogwarts professors go through the same process, especially after encountering a teacher like Professor McGonagall.
But for every McGonagall, there is a Gilderoy Lockhart or Professor Trelawney. Apparently there is no higher qualification for teaching at Hogwarts than saying yes to the job.
Dumbledore Makes Responsible Decisions
Albus Dumbledore initially comes across like an adult who has Harry’s best interests at heart. Maybe it’s his beard. Dumbledore’s beard makes him look wise. However, he makes some of the most irresponsible decisions an adult can make.
He gave Harry an Invisibility Cloak for Christmas when the boy was only 11-years old. Do you know what kind of mischief a boy can get up to if he has an Invisibility Cloak? And, as we later find out, the heckin’ thing was a Hallow! What was Dumbledore thinking?
Magic Relies On Spells And Potions
In the early years of Harry Potter’s time at Hogwarts, magic was a skill you learned that required a wand and some words. Apparently, that’s not all that magic is. Later years in Harry’s life reveal to us that magic is comprised of emotions as well as a spell.
This gives Harry’s story more emotional impact, but it confuses readers as to the true nature of magic. How exactly is an emotion like “happiness” quantified then? Why are some happy memories not enough for a Patronus Charm?
The Trace Is A Reliable Tool For Monitoring Young Wizards
In order to prevent underage witches and wizards from using magic, the Ministry of Magic has a spell called the Trace in place. However, this system is woefully inadequate if you think about it.
The Trace can only detect magic that is performed near young witches and wizards. It can’t actually tell if they performed it themselves. This is ludicrous, especially for wizarding families with of-age parents using magic to do chores or something like that.
Wizards Know Nothing About Muggle Society
The Harry Potter universe would have you believe that the average witch or wizard remains clueless about the lives of Muggles. Mr. Weasley is a prime example. He is in awe when he sees things like a car battery.
There is no way that the wizarding world could be so ignorant of Muggles when Muggles clearly comprise a larger portion of the population than they do. Granted, wizards and witches know magic, but they are living right next door to their non-magical neighbors.
Blood Matters When It Comes To Magic
Pure-blood families in the Harry Potter series believe that they are better than what they call “Mudbloods” or half-bloods. They think that anyone who isn’t pure-blood is sullying the name of magic.
However, if that’s the case, why is it that magic can be found in some Muggle-borns? How do these hardcore pure-bloods reconcile that fact to the lies they believe? Factual magical evidence (there’s a phrase we never thought we’d say) proves them wrong.
Hogwarts Is A Safe School
A school is supposed to be one of the safest places to send your children. Despite bearing the moniker, Hogwarts is the complete opposite of a safe place. It is one of the most dangerous places in the wizarding world.
Basilisks hide in the plumbing, Acromantulas roam near the school grounds, and basic structural safety is absent from the stairways. Wizarding parents should definitely consider homeschooling before sending their children to Hogwarts.
The Triwizard Tournament Was Interesting To Watch
Just hearing about something called the “Triwizard Tournament” makes you think it would be thrilling to watch it in person. However, given what we’ve seen in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Triwizard Tournament is not spectator friendly.
Most of the events take place away from the audience’s views. We don’t even know what was the point in including stadiums and grandstands in the area if no one can see what is happening.
Giving Students The Ability To Time Travel Is Acceptable
Hermione is one of the most responsible and intelligent students we meet at Hogwarts. But giving her the ability to travel through time, even if it is to attend extra classes, seems like a bad idea. Time travel in the hands of a mature person can still go horribly wrong. A single mistake could disrupt the timeline.
But, as we should all know by now, Hogwarts does not place too much importance on safety concerns. What’s another Time Turner in the hands of a thirteen-year-old child?
Wizards Need Brooms To Fly
The biggest lie we all believed about the Harry Potter universe was that witches and wizards require a broom to fly. This lie was assisted by the idea that witches carry brooms around everywhere.
However, as the movies show us, Death Eaters and others can fly unassisted at will. They might look like wispy trails of smoke, but at least they are soaring in the air. Besides, the thin pole of a broom looks like one uncomfortable ride. Who wouldn’t choose broom-free flying if they could?
Dumbledore Is A Fair And Objective Headmaster
Ah, you’ve got to love Dumbledore. He’s the lie that keeps on giving, the untruth we keep on believing. We swear it has something to do with that beard-wise look he’s got going on. When you first meet Dumbledore, you think he is an unbiased and fair headmaster to all of his students. But he quite blatantly shows favoritism to Harry Potter.
You might argue that he shows special kindness to Harry because his folks passed away. But just look at Neville Longbottom’s parents and ask us if Neville receives the same attention Harry does.
A Remembrall Is Useful
In the very first book, Neville Longbottom receives a Remembrall from his grandmother. This small object is supposed to help whoever holds it to realize they have forgotten something.
At first glance, this seems like a pretty nifty item. But the Remembrall does not actually tell you what you’ve forgotten. For all you know, you’ve forgotten the time. If the Remembrall was really useful, it’d let you know exactly what you have failed to recall.
Slytherin Is Just Another Hogwarts House
The four houses of Hogwarts have stood the test of time, but honestly, someone should take a look at the way these houses are formatted. Say what you will about Slytherin being just one of four houses for prospective students, but that group is just a mass of evil waiting to happen.
Not accounting for the story of The Cursed Child, no good witch or wizard has come out of Slytherin House. Don’t tell us that it’s just because they’re “ambitious.” They are heckin’ evil.
Wands Only Work For One Wizard
Ollivander tricked us all. When Harry bought his first wand from Ollivander, the wandmaker made a big show of how a wand can only work for one wizard. The rest of the Harry Potter series dissuaded us from that notion.
Wands are picked up and used by other people with little to no fuss or muss. This, of course, does not include the Elder Wand, which has strict rules about who can truly use it and who can’t based on prior ownership.
A Man Can Live For Twelve Years As A Rat
Peter Pettigrew was a cowardly man; there is no denying that. When we first really encounter him in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, we understand that Pettigrew does not have a brave bone in his body.
But are we supposed to believe he was such a wuss that he would elect to live as a rat for the rest of his life if he could? A human, a living person, would go insane living as a pet rat in Ron Weasley’s pocket. Pettigrew should not have been able to endure this.
Quidditch Is An Admissible Sport For An 11-Year Old
As a young kid reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, you didn’t have a problem with Professor McGonagall giving Harry permission to play on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. It was exciting.
But as you grow older, you just can’t believe the utter falsehood of this situation. Quidditch is an intense sport. Bludgers probably derive their name from the word “bludgeon,” which means to beat someone repeatedly. That’s what little Harry was walking into when he joined the team.
