Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory.
Today, we’re going to be discussing a few new Harry Potter plot holes.
But for this video – rather than me theorizing these plot holes myself, I’m going to be
covering my favourite ones that you – Harry Potter Theory fans – have come up with!
As you may know, I’ve previously released a video on the topic of 10 HUGE Harry Potter
Plot Holes (RANKED).
At the end of the video, I requested, as I do in all my videos, for you to share your
thoughts in the comments below.
Some of you made excellent points on the plot holes I’d covered, offering additional details
on a few and even possible explanations for others.
Many of you, however, shared your own plot hole theories.
And Merlin’s Beard, might I just say, there were far too many great ideas put forth for
them to go unacknowledged.
So, in this video, I’ve compiled my favourite top 10 of YOUR plot hole theories.
Without further ado, let’s let the magic unravel…
#1 – The Pensive by: Colten Smith
“At the end of the 4th book, why didn’t Harry put his memory of Voldemort’s return
in the pensive, then show it to Fudge and other Ministry people?
That would have solved almost all of the problems of the 5th book.”
With 1,800 thumbs up, this plot hole theory got a lot of support from many other fans.
And for good reason.
I mean, why DIDN’T Harry do this?
He could’ve easily proven his innocence to Fudge, while simultaneously proving that
Voldemort was back.
A few of you responded to this comment with a possible answer to the plot hole.
That is, since memories can be altered, Fudge may have accused Harry of simply changing
the memory to match with his story.
However, this is quite a difficult bit of magic.
And, as we know, Harry wasn’t actually the strongest when it came to these types of spells
– at least, not at this stage in the series.
Remember, at this point, he hadn’t even begun his Occlumency lessons with Professor
Snape (in which he does not immediately excel).
A few other fans mentioned that perhaps Fudge may have then accused Dumbledore of altering
Harry’s memory, since Fudge had already concluded that Harry and Dumbledore were colluding.
While that may be true, I still think this is an excellent plot hole theory that’s
worthy of some debate.
#2 – Petunia’s Magical Knowledge by: Some Other Dude
“It’s states early in Book 2 that all of the Dursleys didn’t know Harry wasn’t
allowed to use magic outside of school because he was underage, at least until the letters
started coming in that told them.
How did Petunia not know that underage wizards and witches weren’t allowed to use magic
outside of school when she grew up around Lily…”
I love this plot hole theory!
And to be completely honest, it’s not one I had ever thought about…but, OF COURSE,
Petunia SHOULD HAVE known this!
A few other fans responded to this comment with the idea that perhaps Petunia had such
a denial complex about Lily’s magic that she blocked out everything to do with the
Wizarding World.
But you’d think that when it was right under her nose, taking place in her very own home,
something would’ve resonated and brought back the suppressed memories from her childhood
in relation to Lily.
I mean, as a child, Petunia went so far as to send a letter to Dumbledore requesting
that she be admitted to the magical school, despite her lack of being…well, a witch.
That’s to say that she was so AWARE of how the magical school of witchcraft and wizardry
worked, that she knew how to contact the headmaster!
#3 – The Chamber of Secrets by: petros kosmas
“A part I always considered a major plot hole is that Harry discovered the entrance
of the Chamber of Secrets but Dumbledore couldn't.
Harry found out that Myrtle was the girl that died 50 years ago and asked her "how did you
die?"
But Dumbledore was there 50 years ago and he knew that Myrtle was the girl who died.
So why, when the Chamber was opened again, didn't he immediately go to Myrtle and ask
her everything about her death?
It seems pretty strange that a wizard like Dumbledore couldn't figure this out.
Of course, he wouldn't be able to open the Chamber but still he would know where the
entrance was.”
This is another great plot hole, in my opinion.
Shouldn’t Dumbledore have known to ask Myrtle?
There’s always the theory that he did know, or knew he could ask Myrtle, but was grooming
Harry to one day go up against Voldemort.
I, personally, would hate to think that this was true.
But then again, it would make sense.
Because the very idea that Dumbledore wouldn’t have thought to inquire to Myrtle, just doesn’t
match up.
#4 – Marauder’s Map Mistake by: Joe Jackson
“I noted another plot hole in the third book.
When Lupin finds Sirius, Harry, Ron and Hermione in the Shrieking Shack, he claims that he
knew they were there because he saw them on the Marauder’s Map.
Surely if this was the case, he would have seen two versions of Harry and Hermione as
they had gone back in time and were only 30/40 feet behind them.
Surely Lupin would have been rather confused.”
This theory brings up an excellent point.
The only reasoning I can think of that would explain it, is that the Marauder’s Map does
not seem to be a terribly honest magical item.
For example, apparently animagi could only be seen on the Map in their animal form if
the viewer knew that that witch or wizard was an animagi.
In other words, it would “lie” to the viewer.
This explains why only Lupin was able to see Peter Pettigrew on the Map when he was in
the form of Ron’s pet rat, Scabbers.
So, perhaps future selves were also not shown on the map, unless the viewer knew to look
for them there…
#5 – The Problem(s) with Sirius by : Shrinidhi Prakash
“Sirius alone creates a bunch of problems: 1.
Beginning of Philosopher's Stone: Dumbledore doesn't ask any questions when Hagrid says
he borrowed Sirius's bike, despite Sirius being the one presumed to have betrayed the
Potters. 2.
Owls always found Sirius when he was on the run, so why couldn't the Ministry?
3.
Why did no castle portraits see Sirius breaking in/tell the staff about how he got in and
where he went.”
I really have nothing to say about these plot holes other than I think they’re bloody
brilliant and incredibly spot on.
#6 – The Hogwarts Express by: Darren Thorpe
“Also, does the Hogwarts Express really only run from King's Cross to Hogsmeade, non-stop?
If we take Neville for instance, who is clearly from Yorkshire (in the films at least).
That's roughly halfway between London and Scotland.
Why does he have to go to London to get a train back up, past Yorkshire, and on to Hogwarts?
And what about Cho Chang and Oliver Wood?
Do they really have to go from Scotland, to London, back to Scotland again?
We definitely see Cho do this in the films.
Why is everything so London-centric?”
This is a fantastic logistical plot hole.
Do the students who come from northern UK all have to travel down to London…to then
travel back up north to Hogwarts Castle in Scotland?
This seems completely illogical, ESPECIALLY, for a world filled with magic…
#7 – Hagrid’s Werewolf Cubs by: Eiden B
“My favorite plot hole is in (I think) the second book, where someone says that Hagrid,
when he was a student, raised werewolf cubs under his bed.
So... he literally had human babies living under his bed for all but one night a month
where they transformed?
lol wtf Rowling.”
This is just hilarious.
I view it less as a plot hole, and more of just a GIANT oversight.
But no matter how you view it, it is certainly a mistake.
Clearly the intention here was for Hagrid to have kept magical creatures under his bed…not
human babies.
#8 – Charlie’s Wand by: RobinJay1939
“The plot hole I always remember is that Ron's wand was actually Charlie's former wand.
Wands are not items for people to pass down like how a younger sibling may wear their
older sibling's hand me downs.
Charlie should still need his wand for various things, so giving it away just makes life
harder for him.”
This is such an interesting plot hole to me.
Because of course, I always assumed Ron got Charlie’s old wand since the Weasley family
didn’t have all that much money to go around.
BUT if Ron got Charlie’s wand, Charlie would’ve needed a new wand.
And as RobinJay1939 says, wands are not meant to be passed down.
In fact, they are known to rebel and not work properly for witches or wizards with whom
it did not originally match with.
So, either Charlie was wandless, which we know wasn’t the case – or a new wand was
purchased for him.
Why not keep the wand meant for him and get Ron his own?
It’s not like it would’ve been worn out like a pair of old shoes.
Very odd indeed.
#9 – Snape’s Potions Textbook by: Monte Cito
“Why did Snape donate his old Potions book to the school for it to be loaned out?
He doesn’t seem the generous type, especially with his own notes all throughout it.”
This plot hole theory made me laugh.
No, Severus Snape does not seem like the generous type, does he?
Some responses to this theory, however, mentioned that perhaps he had left it on purpose to
help Harry progress through the class, and ultimately improve his magical abilities as
he was getting nearer and nearer to facing Voldemort.
After all, at one point in The Half-blood Prince, he recognizes that Harry is using
the textbook that once belonged to him and, not only does he not take it away, but he
also doesn’t punish Harry for cheating either.
#10 – Voldemort’s Visit to the Ministry by: Sav G
“One thing that always gets me is, in the 5th book, Voldemort spends the whole year
luring Harry to the Department of Mysteries to get the prophecy because he doesn't want
to risk coming to the Ministry himself for fear of exposure but yet turns up anyway when
harry is there and ends up revealing himself!”
This plot hole is so spot on.
I really don’t think there’s any explanation that could solve this one.
At least in my opinion!
And, with that, we’ve wrapped up my favourite top 10 fan plot holes!
Thank you for sharing.
It was great fun to read through all your comments and get different perspectives from
you all.
I hope to hear more objections, 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…
“What exactly is the function of a rubber duck?”