What Is the Biggest Story Flaw in the Harry Potter Series? Charming Potterheads Discuss in a Magical Debate

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Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Nov 5, 2024 11:30 AM EST

All of us here are fans of the magical series, so we are allowed to say that it has a lot of flaws. Maybe because we are all adults who are obsessed with a book series meant for kids, or because J.K. Rowling really isn't that great at world-building, but each Potterhead can point to at least one plot hole or flaw they noticed at some point while reading the books.

Much like any fandom, one of our favorite things to do as fans is to complain, and talk about all the things we could have done better than the original creator. And do you know where is the best place to complain about random stuff? That's right, Reddit!

This week on the Harry Potter subreddit, Potterheads discussed the biggest story flaw in the series. Some talked about the education at Hogwarts, some delved into Voldemort's personality, and some complained about the wizarding world as a whole.

Scroll down to read the full discussion. After you are done, click here for a magical collection of Harry Potter memes.

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  • 01
    PRBL BREWS STEWS ISHY DINHER ARN NS INSIDE The most dangerous dark wizard in history only wants to take over the UK. He's also very respectful of school term times. The stories and the stakes build up from September to July, and then reset over the summer holidays. WAND SHOWROOM RINGOTTS BAN SPINDLEW
    via Christy B
  • 02
    What is the Harry Potter series' biggest flaw as a story?
    via NEDYARB523
  • 03
    h00dman 9h ago The most dangerous dark wizard in history only wants to take over the UK. He's also very respectful of school term times. The stories and the stakes build up from September to July, and then reset over the summer holidays.
    via h00dman
  • 04
    d4nnydipset • 6h ago . Well to be fair he was always trying to k .. Harry and that was the only time he knew where Harry was. Harry was protected outside of school times
    via d4nnydipset
  • 05
    Chattypath747 • 7h ago • Gryffindor He is a European villain. If he were American there probably would be less holidays in his plan.
    via Chattypath747
  • 06
    donetomadness • 3h ago • I wonder what would have happened if Lily and James made friends with some French wizards and arranged for Harry to be adopted by them in the event they d. Voldemort doesn't seem to have connections outside of the UK. Harry would have been safer in Beauxbatons.
    via donetomadness
  • 07
    Flamekorn 7h ago • The fact that wizards are so dissociated from the normal Muggle world when most of them are either half pure or muggles themselves. How can they not know about small things that are so common.
    via Flamekorn
  • 08
    HonorTheAllFather • 6h ago I just recently listened to the audio books again and this really stuck out to me; the wizarding world is completely oblivious all things muggle apparently, but it's also said that the only all- wizarding village in Britain is Hogsmeade...
    via HonorTheAllFather
  • 09
    meaning most wizards live amongst muggles to some degree! And because of the way they decided to set up the Statute of Secrecy, they would HAVE to be able to blend in with muggles.
    via HonorTheAllFather
  • 10
    Wolfsgeist01 •4h ago • Yeah, it's quirky and all, but that wizards can't seem to grasp the concept of wearing pants and a shirt as regular clothing? Come on...
    via Wolfsgeist01
  • 11
    • LazyCrocheter 10h ago • For me it was his Harry was purposely kept away from the wizarding world, yet when they bring him in, no one really explains anything yet everyone seems to expect him to know it all.
    via LazyCrocheter
  • 12
    I get it's a bit of a metaphor for growing up but I have always hated when a character is brought into a totally new situation and no one explains the rules. But then they expect that person to know what to do.
    via LazyCrocheter
  • 13
    And in HP, he is specifically excluded in order to save and protect him so you'd think they'd have a good sit down and lay it out for him when he's finally brought to Hogwarts.
    via LazyCrocheter
  • 14
    • Samogers77 10h ago The maths and world building. Lots of the concepts/backstories/characters are wonderful but fall apart under any more than a cursory examination
    via Samogers77
  • 15
    • Special-Garlic1203 10h ago • Yup. One that bugs me is she made the world waaaaay too small. She really should have left things vague but for some reason just refuses
    via Special-Garlic1203
  • 16
    heetchmd 8h ago • Why a quill? Wizards can't get a pencil?
    via heetchmd
  • 17
    Foxshadow7 • 7h ago Slytherin Esthetic
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  • 18
    HonorTheAllFather 6h ago • Do magical kids just...not go to school at all before they're 11? How do they lean to read and write? Do they know math at all? And what if the kid is a squib? Do they just get thrown into muggle school at age 11 and have to figure it out?
    via HonorTheAllFather
  • 19
    UnderTheSettingSun 3h ago • Gryffindor My assumption is that they are homeschooled until 11. I've also thought about this but I think it's great that the focus in HP is not about realism. Like I don't want to read a single page about Harry Potter going to maths lessons.
    via UnderTheSettingSun
  • 20
    CoroChan 18m ago • ☑: "Mom, Dad, I got a letter from Hogwarts!" : "Really? What does it say?" : "I don't know-I can't read."
    via CoroChan
  • 21
    APX 227h ago • The students can (" to the strangest things yet need their parents permission to go to hogsmeade lol
    via APX-22
  • 22
    HeanDuts • 6h ago • Gryffindor They never use anything they learned! Wouldn't a cheering charm have been useful while wearing the hocrux? How about the wit sharpening solution? Seems useful. They spent a lot of time doing nothing, they could've been making bad ar potions.
    via HeanDuts
  • 23
    Lonely_Pause_7855 • 3h ago Potions are criminally underused, like felix felicis. I know everyone and their mother have talked about it, but a deus ex machina level potion like should have been used more.
    via Lonely_Pause_7855
  • 24
    Yes it has drawbacks, yes it is difficult to make, but you arent gonna make me believe the voldemort had acess to Snape, and never made him bref a felix felicis potion.
    via Lonely_Pause_7855
  • 25
    selinaedenia • 7h ago Ravenclaw The time turner
    via selinaedenia
  • 26
    redcurrantevents • 7h ago Quidditch scoring
    via redcurrantevents

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wand geek hogwarts students Harry Potter voldemort hermione granger horcrux discussion owls entertaining magical hedwig Ron Weasley Dobby potterhead reddit thread Reddit Hogwarts
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