Hi everyone, welcome back to my blog! Today I’m bringing you a totally different type of post to what I usually write but, I’m hoping to do one of these for each book in the series! I recently started re-reading the series and I really wanted to talk about it and I figured who best to do that with than my fellow book nerds?
*spoilers for the whole series*
I love Harry Potter theories so I think for every one of these posts I might include one or two relating to the book or characters so we can discuss them in the comments. They’re just so interesting!
Quirrel tries to take out Neville in the first flying lesson. I kind of love this because it makes so much sense. We know that it’s a tie between Harry and Neville and that Voldemort basically chose Harry for the position because he’s who he chose to go kill. But, just to make it a for sure, done deal he got Quirrel to take Neville out just in case. I mean, yeah, Neville survived but he very nearly died and we all know Quirrel’s a tad useless anyway.
- Do wizards & witches learn basic maths & language at home or is there a special class/ extracurricular at Hogwarts because it doesn’t matter how many jinxes you can do if you can’t count to 20. Is this what they do in muggle studies? Do they just never learn basic skills because hey, there’s a spell for that?
We know later in the books that Molly Weasley uses spells to help out in the kitchen but she still does a lot of the housework herself. Did she have to learn all of that herself? Is there a post-wizarding-school course they all have to take?
- Quidditch is kinda dumb if you think about it. A goal is worth 10 points but catching the snitch is worth 150. In the fourth book, we see some professional quidditch and how good they are but for a school match all you’d have to do is catch the snitch and it would be over before you could say quidditch.
Side note: Why can only dark magic interfere with a broomstick? That seems completely random. Hagrid mentions it during Harry’s first Quidditch game but it seems a bit extreme, especially for teenagers.
If the sorcerer’s stone is so important, why the hell is Dumbledore hiding it in a school?
How did Fred & George never notice Peter Pettigrew is Ron’s room?
Can we talk about how the Dursleys literally left Harry at the train station and walked away laughing? In another universe, what would Harry had done if the train hadn’t come/ he hadn’t seen Mrs Weasley and followed her?
I feel so bad for Neville, he has so much potential but he’s using his dad’s wand and he’s honestly got no chance.
How old do you think Harry was when they put him in the cupboard? Was he always there, just in a cot instead of a bed? Did he used to hide in there but then Vernon just ended up locking him in there one day?
Do you ever think about how had the roles been reversed, Lily wouldn’t have blinked an eye if Dudley had turned up as a baby on her doorstep. No matter how she felt about her sister, she would have treated Dudley like her son and Harry deserved the same treatment but never had a chance because the adults in this series are petty.
This is just a general nitpick but why don’t all students have the same issue of broomstick? You’ve got half the kids playing on broomsticks that are falling apart, Harry on a crazy fast broom, and the Slytherins (super rich) with pretty good brooms too which I’m sure would have been state of the art when they bought them. Doesn’t seem fair.
I hate him. I love how he thought saving Harry once in a quidditch match would compare to James saving his life. Like, he treated Harry like trash all year and continues to do so all the year so I just don’t understand him and his actions at all.
Just a fair warning, I am not a Snape stan. You’ve been warned.
I love him and I love how early into Harry’s story we meet him. He truly is one of my favourite characters, if not my favourite character. I love how early on in the story he establishes himself as Hary’s friend and is just happy to be there for him.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVOURITE HP THEORIES?
ARE YOU A SNAPE STAN OR NAH?
an
allonsythornraxx 
I never thought of Quirell taking out Neville thing, but it does make sense! And the basic skills as well as higher education in the wizarding world is something that I constantly think about too. Do they have pre- and post- hogwarts education?? I don’t think we’ve ever seen it…
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It sort of makes sense right??
I know, I’ll never understand the whole basic skills thing! And, if they learn before they go to Hogwarts then kids like Harry would be at a total disadvantage! I like to think that there are compulsory uni classes they have to take, but what if you don’t go to wizarding uni/college???
Honestly, this is one of those big unanswered questions that I never thought about as a kid but now it kind of baffles me!
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I like Snape, but I do know he was disgusting and rude. But I liked him cause he was rude to Harry when I first read it (I’m sorry, Harry) but now I just like Snape because he’s hilarious, kinda. Idk. But the whole I lOvE lIlY is… no. Just no. Not called for! (tho I will *always* quote always) I also love the sass between him and Mcgonagall
ALlllLLlllLso I think Dumbledore kept the Sorcerer’s Stone there because it’s apparently the safest place in the Wizarding World (if you think about it, it IS *cough* the ministry *coughghggh* was infiltrated *cough cough* by three teens *couuuuuuuugh*
And yes, Harry, Hermione, and Ron DID get to the stone, but so did quirrell, who gave them teensy hints (the broken key, unconscious troll, etc) I also think Voldemort did well hiding his horcrux at school (but kinda predictable) cause if NO ONE KNEW what those other horcruxes were, Harry wouldn’t find the horcrux cause he wouldn’t have any idea what it would be. Does any of this make sense?
For the Fred/George thing: there are several theories. But I have one of my own. (probably makes no sense) but did Sirius show up on the map in Prisoner of Azkaban? I think, since Peter was one of the creators, they made sure their animal form didn’t show up on the map in case Snape came across it open or something. They couldn’t *RAT* themselves out. But there might’ve been a loophole for the four creators to see themselves or something. IDK. But Harry only saw Peter’s name in the MOVIE, not the book, right? (this is probably wrong but I think I’m right)
Also, I think parents are supposed to teach their kids math and stuff until they’re 11. (which= NO ALGEBRA which sounds amazing)
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I am definitely not a big Snape fan, but I always think it’s interesting to see/understand what others think of him! I do appreciate his rapport with other teachers, I’ll admit!
Haha, I’ll never understand why Dumbledore thought a school would be the safest place in the world tbh?? Like, it’s a school?? It might be safe for the stone but what about the students??? And the other teachers??? (Haha, yes we know the ministry is useless!)
Haha, that’s actually a really interesting theory! I really like the idea that they sort of protected themselves within the map, especially if Snape somehow got into the map! I’ll have to keep this in mind when I read book 3!!
I haven’t read anything like that, but I’ll have to keep an eye out while I read the series! I just can’t believe that they can just not know basic math, English or science etc! Although, I think most kids would be okay with missing algebra! 😂
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I just reread Philosopher’s Stone, and I thought so many of the things you did – particularly about the Dursleys! How did they raise baby Harry? How did they have no visitors who thought to question it? My heart breaks for poor toddler Harry – and for how well Dudley would’ve been treated if he’d been raised by Lily and James. I wonder if he’d have turned out as bitter at his inability to use magic as Petunia did? (Also, I am 100% with you – love Hagrid, hate Snape!) Great post!
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I’m sure kids must have a pre- Hogwarts education, either at home or maybe they go to an ordinary school. I mean, you’ve got to know the basics?! As for Harry’s cupboard, I think he would have been in a cot and then have been sleeping in the cupboard from a young age because he wouldn’t have known any different at that age. The Dursley’s don’t strike me as people who would care to give Harry a bedroom, buy him his own furniture, etc. I can’t stand Snape! I only liked him in the films because Alan Rickman did such a good job playing him.
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