The “Harry Potter” franchise is one of the most adored literary empires the world has ever seen. A cultural phenomenon in many ways, this series has inspired readers of every age to indulge in the power of the imagination and recognize the importance of things like bravery, friendship and loyalty. The recent release of “Hogwarts Legacy” brought the franchise back into the public eye.
Overall, it has been a successful addition to the franchise. Highly anticipated by fans for years, it was well-received, and earned positive reviews from critics. It has also generated interest in other aspects of the franchise for newcomers who didn’t grow up with the blockbuster series plastered on television screens during every other commercial.
In light of all the recent attention the series has garnered, it feels like the perfect time to revisit one particularly pressing topic. “Harry Potter” has one of the most nuanced fantasy worlds in fiction, and with that level of nuance comes a level of inconsistency. Throughout this article, I will highlight some of the major plot holes I’ve noticed throughout the series.
The Dark Forest
In the movie “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” one of the first warnings we hear from Dumbledore is that the dark forest is strictly forbidden. No students, especially first years, are allowed entrance into the dark forest by any means. This is emphasized heavily by Dumbledore. After this is so heavily stressed, we then see McGonagall punishing the students for leaving school grounds — by making them leave school grounds? Furthermore, they are sent into this forbidden forest and forced to split up even further.
Two students are left roaming this supposedly dangerous forest with nothing but a cowardly dog, hunting what is described as a monster that commits acts that go against the natural order. I was never one to agree with Draco much, but in the scene where he states that his father will hear about this, I find myself in agreement. My father would have heard about it too had I been sent into this supposedly dangerous forest, which is supposed to be off-limits to all students.
The Sorcerer’s Stone
In the movie “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” the kids become far too nosy for their own good and henceforth find themselves in an unfavorable position. In their meddling, they discover all the details surrounding a plot to keep the sorcerer’s stone safe. They discover what they think is a counterplot by Snape to steal it.
While they had the right idea, they had the wrong person. At that moment, however, they bring their suspicions to McGonagall, and despite their suspicions being incorrect, the fact that these first-year students know far more about these schemes than the faculty is something the professor should have found concerning. At the very least, it should have warranted some double-checking of the security measures that were put into place. However, they did neither. This is a plot hole because the McGonagall we grow to know throughout the series is not someone who tends to ignore things of this nature.
The Marauder’s Map: Peter Pettigrew
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” revealed a great deal about Harry’s biological parents. The history of the Potters is common knowledge to everyone but Harry, as he is not native to this world. Hence, the information about his godfather, Sirius Black, and his father’s friends, including Peter Pettigrew, is news to Harry.
In the third book, we are also introduced to Hogsmeade, a little village near the school that third-years can visit on field trips. Harry, unable to attain a permission slip, is unable to accompany his friends on the outing. To cheer him up, Fred and George Weasley gift him the Marauder’s Map, which is a map that shows the locations of all the people in Hogwarts in real-time. On this map, we see Peter Pettigrew appear, which is crazy since he is thought to be dead. As it turns out, Peter transfigured himself into a rat in an attempt to fake his own death, and Harry’s best friend Ron unknowingly cared for him as a pet for over a decade.
The twins owned the Marauder’s Map for quite some time. Why did they not find it odd that a man named Peter Pettigrew, known to be dead within the wizarding world, followed their little brother around and even slept in his bed? Even if you could argue they were too young to know who he was, they understand the concept of transfiguration. Did they never think to look into this rat with the name of a man? The twins are far too clever. It is an inconsistency, to say the least.
