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Most of us started reading the Harry Potter series when we were younger and more naive than we are now. There are plenty of things in the books that we maybe didn't quite catch the first time around.
These devoted Harry Potter fans got together to share some of those moments that still leave them a bit baffled and some fan theories that might fix them.
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1. Well Someone Seriously Misjudged The Tone Of The Story
When I was a kid reading the Chamber of Secrets, I had a theory about what was going to happen in the third book that now makes me laugh a lot, so I thought I'd share!
I thought that because Hagrid was expelled in his 3rd year at Hogwarts, and because his name was cleared about opening the Chamber of Secrets in Harry's 2nd year, he was going to continue his third year of education, as an adult student in the 3rd year with Harry and friends lol it wasn't that far-fetched at the time! I thought they were going to fast track him to getting his wand back officially Billy Madison style.
When Hagrid became a teacher in the 3rd year I was so confused... He wasn't allowed to use a wand, but they allowed him to be a teacher? It didn't make a lot of sense! But obviously it worked out in the end haha
That's all I've got, just something funny for you all to think about and maybe come up with some fun or funny ideas of where the plot could have gone from that point.
Mischief Managed.
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2. Oh, Game Animals, Not Game Pieces. Our Bad.
Confession: When I was a kid I didnt really understand what a gamekeeper actually was, and I just assumed that Hagrids sole job was to look after the Quidditch balls.
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3. Was Rowling Trying To Tell Us Malfoy Was A Werewolf And We All Missed It?
I believe that year six Draco was made a werewolf by Greyback and that's why he looked so sick (displaying all the same outward appearances that were used to describe Lupins ailing health) not due to stress. The book was never clear he had the Dark Mark, Harry just assumed, and Hermione was the one that kept insisting they never saw anything and it was dangerous for Harry to assume something like that. I think Draco was threatening the shop keeper with a bit scar on his arm, because the name -of all Death Eaters- he used to intimidate the man was Greyback, notoriously sent out by the Dark Lord to bite people -particularly the children of people- who stand against or fail the Dark Lord. Lucius had failed the Dark Lord in year five in trying to get the prophecy, and I think Draco was punished for it. The DL then assigned Draco that impossible task to try and win back his familys honor. I think he worked in the room of requirement, and on the night of the full moon, when he required it, it was a safe place for him to transform.
On page 321 of the Half Blood Prince, Harrys observation of Draco is interesting. (emphasis bold)
Harry stared at Malfoy. It was not the sucking-up that intrigued him; he had watched Malfoy do that to Snape for a long time. It was the fact that Malfoy did, after all, look a little ill. This was the first time he had seen Malfoy close up for ages; he now saw that Malfoy had dark shadows under his eyes and a distinctly grayish tinge to his skin.Compare this to the description of Remus Lupin in Prisoner of Azkaban on page 185. (again, emphasis bold)Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes…
This, as well as the lengthy explanation Lupin gave at Christmas to Harry about how Greyback punished the children of people he felt insulted or angered by, by biting them…and Narcissas rant about how the Dark Lord is punishing Draco for Lucius mistake and such lead me to great suspicion.Could Draco Malfoy be a Werewolf?
Thats just what I love to think in my head.
Nothing upsets a pureblood family pride more than their only son being a tainted wolf.
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4. We Need This.
Imagine McGonagall giving Hagrid another chance after the war. Imagine his eyes welling up with tears when he gets to exchange his umbrella for a wand. Imagine him sitting eagerly among a class of scared first years.
And he gets his letter from an owl.
And Harry takes him shopping for school in Diagon Alley to return the favor!
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5. Can We Get A GPS Location On Hagrid?
Between Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban, Hagrid's hut seems to change location from really near to the castle to a bit distanced, requiring a longer walk. I know the reason for this is because of a director change, but I was wondering if there were any more plot driven or factual reasons for the change.
When I was reading the books, I was under the impression that his hut was quite a ways away from the castle, along with the Dark Forest (essentially, like PoA forward portrays it). However, watching Sorcerer's Stone an innumerable number of times as a kid has the image of Harry, Hermione, and Ron walking under the cloak to a Hagrid's hut that's just a couple tenths of a mile away from the castle burned into my brain.
Canonically speaking, which is more accurate?
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6. Siriusly Solo
I wonder if Sirius got sent to Azkaban a virgin. He was really young , and there was literally never any mention of anyone he was involved with.
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7. Those Hashtags Are Vicious
How did Harry not realize the handwriting in the Half-Blood Prince's potion book was the same handwriting he had spent five years reading off of a black board?
#BecauseHarry'sAnIdiotThat'sWhy
#ForTheMainCharacterOfSuchAGoodBookSeries
#HeReallyIsAnIdiot
#OohWhat'sThisLongSkinnyBroomstickShapedPackage?
#OHITSABROOMSTICKNOWAY
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8. That Grey Area.
The world isn't split into good people and death eaters.
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9. That Grey Area, Part Deux
I do adore the characters that most would consider good (Hermione, Luna); but the morally grey/controversial characters are definitely my favorites. Characters like Snape, Sirius, Draco and Dumbledore I wouldn't consider to be completely good, but I definitely don't consider any of them bad either. They're flawed and complicated, and I just feel for them so much. Most of these characters get quite a bit of hate from the fandom but I don't even care, I love them.
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10. Ron's Learning Disability
When Ron, frustrated with studying for NEWTs and with Hermiones anxious sixth-year nagging, explains to her what reading is like for him, Hermiones breath catches. Ron, youre dyslexic, she says, softly, and instantly regrets every snide comment shes ever made towards his study habits.
Soon, by asking around, Hermione amasses a list of spells for Ron to try - some stilling the page, some changing the font of books for easy reading, some going after Rons temporal lobe directly.
These help, a little, but not as much as knowing theres a word for why reading is so hard for him. That its normal, that hes not stupid, and that Hermione suddenly helps instead of criticizes, looks for solutions rather than complains, praises instead of gloats.
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11. We totally ship #Harric
"You know the Prefects bathroom on the fifth floor? It's not a bad place for a bath." Can you just imagine if there were people passing by and they heard Cedric saying that to Harry? They'd probably be thinking that they would go to that restroom and make loooooove and then when Cedric died it made sense why Harry was like on top of him and bawling. Because his boyfriend died! OMG That Hogwart's student probably thought they were Sherlock figuring all this sh*t out. I bet all the students shipped them. I bet they called them Harric; the starcrossed champions from Hogwart's.
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12. No Love For Luna
I actually didn't like Luna. While she spent a lot of time criticizing Hermione for being closed minded, she herself completely rejected the idea of scientific process, or the idea of rationality behind evidence based acceptance. Calling someone closed minded for utilizing critical thinking skills is closed minded, and frankly dangerous. Look at how that horn in her house almost got the trio killed because her and her father both refused to see reason. That's not cute, it's ridiculous.
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13. American Re-Writes
Since they changed Philosopher's Stone to Sorcerer's Stone for America, I decided to change the rest since us Americans are too dumb to understand the word philosopher:
Harry Potter and the Whisper Snake Place
Harry Potter and That Mean Jail Man
Harry Potter and The Hot Cup
Harry Potter and The Bird Club
Harry Potter and The Guy With Only Some Blood
Harry Potter and Death
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14. Okay But How Did This Elder Wand Thing Work?
I honestly got really confused at the end about whose wand was which and whose was the elder wand and why that was important. Still confused after watching the movies. Help please.
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15. Early Intervention Could Have Avoided Voldemort
I think that Tom Riddle could have been saved. However, it would have taken early intervention during his developmental years to help him overcome what appears to be a sociopathic nature. I work with kids who don't see people as people all the time and with direct intervention they become decent adults. It wasn't on Dumbledore, Dippet or even Slughorn, although they all could have helped. His loss of humanity was at the feet of the orphanage.
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16. Can's Unsee This Now.
For years I thought Moaning Myrtle was played by Daniel Radcliffe in a wig.
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17. And This Bonus Headcannon From Rowling Herself:
I said to Arthur, my American editor - we had an interesting conversation during the editing of seven - the moment when Harry takes Draco's wand. Arthur said 'God. That's the moment when the ownership of the Elder want is actually transferred?" And I said "That's right."
He said: "Shouldn't that be a bit more dramatic?"
And I said: "No. Not at all. The reverse."
I think it really puts the elaborate, grandiose plans of Dumbledore and Voldemort in their place. That actually the history of the wizarding world hinged on two teenaged boys wrestling with each other. They weren't even using magic. It became an ugly little corner tussle for the possession of wands. And I really liked that - that very human moment, as opposed to these two wizards who were twitching strings and manipulating and implanting information and husbanding information and guarding information, you know? Ultimately it just came down to that, a little scuffle and fistfight in the corner and pulling a wand away. It says a lot about the world at large, I think; about conflict in the world and the difference one individual can make. Always the difference one individual can make.
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