Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. Today we’re going to be discussing
a few new Harry Potter plot holes, specifically from The Philosopher’s Stone. Before we
begin untangling the debut novel of our beloved HP series, however, I just want to highlight
that this video is one in a series of Plot Hole videos that I’ve done. So, if you haven’t
done so yet, be sure to watch my previous thoughts on Harry Potter plot holes in:
10 HUGE Harry Potter Plot Holes (RANKED) - Harry Potter Explained
10 HUGE Harry Potter Plot Holes Part 2 (RANKED) - Harry Potter Explained
Both of those videos focus on overall plot holes from various installments throughout
the entire series. But today, of course, we’ll focus entirely on The Philosopher’s Stone.
Let’s get to it!
Plot Hole #1 – The Whereabouts of Hagrid and Harry During the “Missing Day”
In the very beginning of the novel, we see Albus Dumbledore meet Professor Minerva McGonagall
on Privet Drive as they await the arrival of Rubeus Hagrid, who was entrusted with bringing
an infant Harry Potter to his aunt and uncle’s home.
This scene is described as after dark, as Dumbledore uses his putter-outer to collect
all of the orbs of light from the surrounding streetlights to ensure they are not seen by
any neighbours. We also know that an entire day has passed since Voldemort murdered Harry’s
parents and attempted to murder him. We know this because Harry’s uncle, Vernon Dursley,
describes all the odd things he sees that day on his way to and during work. These “odd
things” are of course the celebrations of the wizarding world in response to Voldemort’s
defeat. This means that an ENTIRE DAY has passed since the previous evening, when Hagrid
took Harry from the scene of the crime, to the pair’s arrival at number 4 Privet Drive,
leaving the very obvious question of:
Where the hell were they for 24 hours?
Now, we know that Hagrid borrowed Sirius Black’s flying motorbike. But it clearly wouldn’t
have taken a whole day to travel by magic flying motorbike, would it? And we know he
flew the bike – at least part of the way – because, when he arrives, his arrival
is from the air. So, with the math just not adding up on this one, it’s definitely a
plot hole, in my opinion.
Plot Hole #2 – Baby Harry Being Left Outside the Dursleys
Are we really meant to believe that the three magical beings – Dumbledore, McGonagall,
and Hagrid – who claim to deeply care for the recently orphaned 1-year-old Harry just
LEFT HIM outside of the Dursley’s doors in the middle of a chilly October night?!
Think about it…there’s no mention of any sort of magical spell cast to protect tiny
Harry from the elements, nor do the three wizards seem all that bothered by the thought
that they’re just dumping a baby on the Dursley’s doorstep, with the assumption
that AT SOME POINT the next day, either Vernon or Petunia will find him.
If not a plot hole. It is, at the very least, incredibly weird.
Plot Hole #3 – Mrs. Weasley Not Remembering Platform 9 ¾
This plot hole is more like a giant oversight, in my opinion. Readers of The Philosopher’s
Stone may recall that the only reason Harry notices the Weasley family while at King’s
Cross Station is that he overhears Ron’s dear mum, Molly, trying to remember the platform
number of the Hogwarts Express – out loud, I might add. I personally find it incredibly
hard to believe that after previously bringing FIVE Weasley children to Platform 9 ¾ throughout
the course of their educations at Hogwarts, she would not have this number absolutely
cemented in her mind. Not to mention that the platform number never changes…every
subsequent year that Harry catches the train to school, the platform is ALWAYS 9 ¾ …
Plot Hole #4 – The Concept of Poor Witches and Wizards
The concept that members of the wizarding community could be poor is a rather confusing
one if you ask me. Of course, we’re clearly introduced to this idea in The Philosopher’s
Stone with the explanation of the Weasley’s reputation and description of Ron’s shabby
clothing and hand-me-down wand. BUT, in a world in which magic can conjure food and
transform one inanimate object into another, couldn’t ANY witch or wizard who wanted
to be better off, simply CREATE more wealth for themselves? Seems to me this is quite
a substantial plot hole.
Plot Hole #5 – How the Dursleys Returned From the Island
As you will likely remember, when Harry started receiving his admission letters to Hogwarts,
Vernon Dursley brought the entire family to a rickety old hut on an isolated island in
a desperate attempt to hide from the magical letters. This didn’t work, of course, as
Hagrid – who was tasked to ensure Harry did indeed receive his acceptance letter – easily
tracked them down and delivered Harry’s mail to him in person. Now the plot hole to
this portion of the story is that the island was so isolated that the only way the Dursleys
and Harry were able to get there was to travel by a small row boat. As Hagrid was granted
permission from Dumbledore to use magic until he found Harry, he himself flew over to the
island, presumably using his umbrella – which he illegally constructed using his broken
wand – but I digress…anyway, upon finding Harry, Hagrid was no longer authorized to
use magic, so the two of them departed the island using the one and only row boat. So,
HOW ON EARTH did the Dursleys get back to the mainland?!
Plot Hole #6 – Traps for the Stone Were Solved by Untrained Children
Now, near the very beginning of the novel, the Philosopher’s Stone is transferred from
Gringotts to Hogwarts by Hagrid on the orders of Dumbledore. Presumably this is done to
keep the Stone in the safest place possible. However, why Dumbledore believed that a castle
filled with a bunch of curious students would be a more secure location than a magical bank
vault that trapped any trespassers for eternity…with goblins only checking the vault every decade
or two…is, well beyond me. In any case, we later learn that the Stone is placed behind
traps and enchantments created by all the combined magical prowess that the professors
of Hogwarts had to offer – which brings me to a plot hole within this plot hole – why
would the traps protecting this incredibly valuable magical artifact be solvable? Each
“trap” is actually more of a puzzle…but once again, I digress…
ANYWAY, not only were each of the traps protecting the Stone solvable, they were ALL solvable
by a group of FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS. Not the best and brightest of wizard kind…but three
11-year-olds, two of whom didn’t even know magic existed less than a year prior.
Plot Hole #7 – Hogwarts Doesn’t Offer (Muggle) Core Subjects
Now, it’s arguable that perhaps witches and wizards don’t have much use for maths
or Muggle history BUT the fact that there’s no language classes is a bit baffling to me.
Firstly, you’d think there’d be even a minor focus on being able to properly write
and communicate, but also, I would’ve thought that the languages of other countries – not
to mention other magical species – would’ve be offered as at least electives.
Plot Hole #8 – The Required School Supplies Are Archaic
Okay, this has never made any sense to me. I mean, I get that magic is often associated
with medieval times and what not, but why on earth would one of the most prominent wizarding
schools in the world have not evolved with modern times in terms of SCHOOL SUPPLIES?!
I mean, perhaps with some witches and wizards living over a century, a few of these items
may simply have not been phased out yet – as in, I could see some of the older professors
not updating the list of what’s required for their classes. But you’d think that
the TEENAGERS who make up the majority of Hogwarts population would’ve – at the
very least – requested the option of getting a pack of pens and a notebook instead of quills
and parchment…
Plot Hole #9 – The Hypocritical Punishment for Breaking Curfew
As you may recall, part way through The Philosopher’s Stone, Harry is caught breaking curfew, a
curfew which has been instated to protect the students of Hogwarts. And yet – AND
YET – the very punishment bestowed upon the children for being out after dark is to
… send them out into the dark. And not just any dark, but dark within the FORBIDDEN Forest
full of creepy and dangerous magical creatures. So. Bizarre.
Plot Hole #10 – Dumbledore Destroying the Stone in the End
So, when Dumbledore explains to Harry at the very end of the novel that the Stone has simply
been destroyed, a very obvious question crept – wait, no LEPT – into my mind: Why go
to all that trouble to “protect” the stone, transfer it from Gringotts to Hogwarts, only
to end up destroying it? If getting rid of it was the safest option, shouldn’t that
have been the first option? I mean, I’m all for trying something out to see if it
works but this seems like an incredibly risky thing to have done. Not to mention that Dumbledore
is supposed to be one of the wisest wizards out there. I suppose there is the argument
that Albus suspected that Voldemort was gaining strength and thought this might be a good
way to gas him out or something. Or, perhaps, he simply wanted to see what Harry Potter
was capable of…since he admits in the final installment of the series that he’s been
mentoring him in order to meet his death against Voldemort…or maybe this is just another
plot hole, with no rational explanation!
And, with that, we’ve come to the end of another video! What do you think? Did I miss
any super obvious plot holes that have always bothered you in The Philosopher’s Stone?
Or perhaps you don’t agree with one? Maybe two? Please share your objections, further
explanations, and theories in the comments below! And, as always, if you enjoyed this
video, don’t forget to like it and subscribe to the channel!
Until next time…
Remember
It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live