DISCLAIMER: Spoilers Ahead
I have spent a lot of my adolescence hearing about Harry Potter. For some reason, even though my parents didn’t read me the books or take me to the movies, I seemed to attract Potterheads. I couldn’t escape it. One of my longest friends was obsessed with the series. We couldn’t escape each other from school to synagogue to camp, and I couldn’t escape her Hermione Granger-ness when it comes to the Wizarding World. Harry Potter would always be referenced in shows I watched like Pretty Little Liars (Hanna wittily said “she can’t just disappear. this isn’t Hogwarts. there’s only so many halls and classrooms” in Season 4 when she was trying to lighten the mood while her mom was framed for manslaughter; Spencer once told Aria “So, Ezra is like Lord Voldemort” in Season 3 in reference to how her dad Byron tolerates their relationship; Hanna makes a reference to flushing herself down a toilet in order to make a quick getaway in a scene in a bathroom in Season 7; Jonny, the guy that stay in the Hastings barn in Season 5 said to Spencer “I know your mom loves the idea of shipping you off to Hogwarts”; when Spencer says “I need answers from a guy who spends his weekends pretending to be a Hufflepuff” in Season 4; plus Tom Felton co-starred in a movie with Troian Bellisario that she also wrote and produced called Feed), Gossip Girl (Blair “babysits” an rebellious 8th grader who’s mom says “as long as she has her Harry Potter book and a bowl of ice cream she’s as happy as a clown” about secretly devious daughter with the book in reference probably being Deathly Hallows), The Vampire Diaries (Damon tells Alacric that he has know been employed in the “cursed faculty position” during the Season 1 1950s decade dance and also says that he let Liv and Jo Parker turn his house into Hogwarts in Season 6 when she was training for The Merge against Kai) and Legacies (They constantly reference Harry Potter, but some of the most memorable ones are how Lizzie constantly calls Landon a Muggle and once said “My sister’s supposed to be all about that Muggle life, not shopping around witch stuff,” in reference to her sister Josie switching schools and how Alaric said that he doesn’t have a welcome speech for the Salvatore School because he claims that “most people have seen Harry Potter“). Sophia Bush even compared the creator of One Tree Hill to Voldemort (the irony of Lucius Malfoy himself playing her TV dad in Good Sam). So yeah, Harry Potter references were inescapable, and now I can see why. Even at the aforementioned camp, they would have us watch Chamber of Secrets and The Half-Blood Prince on rainy days, not that I paid much attention (literally I remember from watching these films prior to watching the full series the name Tom Riddle show as somehow connected to Voldemort, that there are a lot of snakes in the Chamber of Secrets and that in one of the later movies Emma Watson runs out upset after Ron kisses some girl and everyone cheers, granted that when we watched Half-Blood Prince at camp I gave up about halfway through from pure confusion to go downstairs and play GaGa. For context, t was a Jewish sleepaway camp). One year, our Maccabia (color war) theme was Harry Potter with each team being a (fairly obvious) Hogwarts house. And of course, with the internet, I saw things all the time. In fact, the first YouTube videos I ever watched were Harry Potter Puppet Pals’ eBay song and mysterious ticking noise. I remember as a kid seeing the commercials for Harry Potter marathons on TV (now that I am older, I realize that this was when only 4 or 5 of the films were out, which just shows how popular this series was that it was already getting syndicated. That’s pretty unprecedented. I don’t remember seeing The Hunger Games movies syndicated on TV until after all the movies came out in the late 2010s) and the only clips I really remember seeing from those promos for the marathons were the flying car shots (which now I know were a great comedic moment in the Chamber of Secrets). Through these experiences and exposures, I picked up bits and pieces. Hermione had a crush on Ron. You can be either a Gryffindor, a Hufflepuff, a Slytherin, or a Ravenclaw. Butterbeer is a thing and a wizard’s drink of choice. Draco Malfoy deserved better (TRUE). You have to swish and flick. It’s LeviOsa, not LeviosA. All of this definitely intrigued me, but again, no one in my family was interested, and I didn’t know really how to talk about it since I never watched it. So, when the reunion came out, I finally decided to watch the full series. And here are my thoughts.
(Also, right after I watch the whole series for the first time, one of my favorite podcasts Chicks In The Office created a Harry Potter rewatch podcast called Chicks In Hogwarts. Check it out!)
I was surprised by how much I loved these movies. But the more I think about it, I may not be into Marvel, Star Wars, Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, etc., but I have always loved the fantasy genre. I grew up having Wizards of Waverly Place be my favorite show, which now was clearly Disney Channel’s attempt to capitalize on the Potter craze. I also liked the Percy Jackson movies due to my young fascination with Greek Mythology, but I never read the books and I haven’t rewatched the films since I was 10 (unlike Hunger Games, Narnia and even Twilight, which I have rewatched since my obsessive phase during my pre-teen years). I was very into The Chronicles of Narnia franchise when I was 11 and 12 (which was also clearly the Disney Studios’ answer to the Potter craze), and I still believe the rest of the books should have been given their film adaptions. As a college kid who started The Vampire Diaries freshman year, I am now obsessed with the whole The Vampire Diaries cinematic universe (I rewatch the show and the whole cinematic universe constantly as my mindless homework/comfort show). I also don’t like that medieval fantasy that Games of Thrones and Lord of the Rings employ. I like fantasy that’s grounded in reality. The characters go to school like in The Vampire Diaries and have real-world jobs like in True Blood. There’s the fantastical element that makes it fun and escapist, but then there’s the realistic element that makes it relatable and visceral. So, I guess if I am to like one iconic film series in this world, it would be Harry Potter.
Out of all those aforementioned franchises that I never liked, the one I liked the most was The Hunger Games. To be clear, I always like The Hunger Games, but I never loved it. Sure, I found it entertaining, thought-provoking and fascinating, but I always felt like I was supposed to like the series, both the books and the films, more than I actually did (and As much as I love vampire shows like The Vampire Diaries and True Blood, Twilight just sucked in my opinion, but I do appreciate its iconicism). I never liked it as much as everyone else. Sure, I loved Jennifer Lawrence, but I far prefer her other films like Silver Linings Playbook and Don’t Look Up. But it was the cool thing when I was in middle school, so I pretended to be as obsessed with it as everyone else when I just sort of liked it. I do rewatch them and enjoy them (at least more than Twilight, which is a film series I have never been able to get all the way through the whole franchise), but now that I have finally found a film franchise I genuinely enjoy and am obsessed with, I feel like I can know critically compare them, even though they are drastically different genres as one is fantasy and the other is a dystopia (although the Ministry of Magic eerily mirrored a authoritan, dystopian government with or without Voldemort’s influence). One thing that I like significantly better in The Hunger Games was the costumes. They were so distinctive and vibrant and created such a unique, iconic aesthetic that no other film had at the time, and many since have taken inspiration from. I will talk more about this later on, but Harry Potter had such lackluster costuming with every bland aesthetic, especially in the later films. the earlier films had so much potential in terms of costuming and aesthetics, and they never came to fruition. The costume designers often had great ideas in teh latter films, but the execution was almost always off. Potter should have worked harder to have betetr costuming and a bigger effect on fashion like The Hunger Games movies did. should have done this. With it being a bigger franchise it would have been very successful.
I am honestly so upset now that I missed out Harry Potter mania. That I didn’t race to get the next book or wait in line for the new movie (I REALLY want to watch these movies in the theatre). Also, as a pop culture connoisseur, I feel deeply ashamed that I hadn’t watched probably one of the most impactful and iconic stories of my generation.
The thing is Harry Potter, The Vampire Diaries, The Chronicles of Narnia and Wizards of Waverly Place all deal with very similar themes like good vs. evil (the battle of good vs. evil was clearly the main theme, I mean that’s what the Battle of Hogwarts was all about right? Through parallels and metaphors for the real world, I think this theme of good vs. evil was done very well), life vs. death, light vs. dark, growing up, living life to the fullest, prejudice, love, corruption, madness, enduring friendship through hardship and adversity, humanity (“We’ve all got both light and dark inside of us.” – Sirius Black), learning, things worth fighting for, strength and overcoming, and eternal love, whether that be familial or romantic. There are also just running themes throughout the series that offer interesting comparisons and parallels, like bad parents, love, the number 7, a new DADA teacher in every film, fears, desires, death, troubled childhoods, trauma and choices. The reason why I think this of the fantasy genre (magic-based fantasy), at least in my opinion, works instead of dystopian, sci-fi (except ET: The Extra-Terrestrial and the first two Back To The Future movies, obviously. Those are the best sci-fi entities ever, mostly because they take place in the 80s, and the only ones I really, truly love. I mean, I like Stranger Things too, but I love these films) medieval-aesthetic fantasy, action-adventure or any other blockbuster-y because it’s grounded in humanity and growing up, something everyone, no matter what age, can relate to (hence why I like E.T. and Back To The Future). Those themes are universal, no matter what age you are and no matter if you have magical powers or not.
The theme of family, especially found family, is a very important one in these films. If your blood relatives let you down, you find new ones and that’s exactly what Harry did. He found a family in Sirius and Lupin, his parent’s most trusted friends. And when he lost them as well, he found family within the only example of family that he ever knew, the Weasleys. Hermione may have had a family, but they were Muggles, who didn’t understand the stresses of Wizard life, the Weasleys gave her a Wizard family. It also showed how accepting the Weasleys are. Harry and Hermione’s Mudblood and half-blood status wasn’t even a factor in their assimilation into the family. Ron and Ginny welcoming Hermione and Harry into their family and through marriage, all of them becoming an actual family was the most satisfying ending that could have happened. The first and only true family Harry ever had and knew.
However, out of all these themes, the theme of good vs. evil is the most prevalent throughout the story, after all, that’s what the final battle they are building toward for the entire series is all about. However, it tackles this theme in a surprisingly sophisticated way for a children’s story. It shows that good and evil are not absolute. It’s a choice and that means it can often be misleading. After all, Snape is seen as a villain, but by the end, he is revealed to not be, while Dumbledore has been seen as the heroic God when in reality the is the villain. This is foreshadowed in the first film between Snape and Quirrell. The trio thinks Snape must be the culprit because of his evil demeanor and menacing attitude, but in reality, it’s the cowardly Professor Quirrell who is an agent to Voldemort, not Snape, although we do find out later that Snape is a double agent. This happens in the fourth film Professor Moody as well. This leads to plot twists, second chances, and redemption arcs throughout the series. This is reflected in Harry and his self-doubt through learning about his connections to Voldemort through her scar and through his ability to speak Parseltongue. He doubts his morality but realizes that Dumbeldore (for once) is right. He had to choose to be good or evil and unlike Voldemort, Harry chose to be good. Dumbeldore gave this same lesson to Draco on the Astronomy tower. However, this idea about morality and redemption is never more prevalent than in Snape’s arc and characterization. He is the most complicated, mysterious and multifaceted character rin the entire series. On the surface, and due to the title, the story is of course about Harry’s morality, however in reality, by the end of the series, we realize it’s actually about Snape’s morality.
The films also had so many great messages for young kids to see in the cinema, both through the story and the character, my favorites probably being the plot of the Order of the Phoenix where Harry realized that the fact that he had love and friendship in his heart was gonna be how he will beat Voldemort and Hermione’s character and how she showed young girls that they are allowed to be the smartest person in the room and that being smart and outspoken is badass. However, I do love certain quotes as well. Mainly, Sirius’ “The world isn’t split between good people and Death Eaters. We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are (although irony of Sirius saying this after he, an adult, although traumatized by Azkaban contained to bully Snape in the Shrieking Shack isn’t lost on me),” Dumbledore’s “While we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one,” “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light,” and “For in dreams we enter a world that is entirely our own. Let him swim in the deepest ocean or glide over the highest cloud.” Never underestimate someone purely based on their age, because honestly, the children in these movies are so much more powerful, smarter and craftier than most of the adults. Harry’s quote in Phoenix saying “if they can do it, why can’t we?” is also an amazing message, as it can be translated to every ambition. Every legendary actor, politician, doctor, writer and artist started out as nothing more than a student, with enough drive, confidence and passion to achieve their goals. I also loved how Luna and Neville represented how your so-called “weaknesses” can become your superpower if you learn how to use them to your advantage. The world isn’t black or white, it’s grey and complicated shown through Snape and Draco’s complex arcs. Snape represents how you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and how actions speak louder than words. It isn’t who you are, but who you grow to be. It’s our choices that matter far more than our abilities. Our choices reveal our true colors. It’s not about similarities or differences or actions, it’s about our choices, that’s what makes us who we are and what defines us. Right and wrong isn’t the hard choice, the hard choice is what’s right versus what’s easy (“the world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters. We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on.” – Sirius Black). You can’t fight all alone. In unity, there is strength (yes, Harry Potter proved this long before Jughead Jones and the Southside Serpents in Riverdale). Friendship leads to success, as seen from the moment Harry steps onto the Hogwarts Express and meets his two closest friends and during the DA meetings when they are all supporting each other as they become trained and skilled wizards. Chocolate solves everything. Facing your fears is important and one of the only ways to truly grow and improve. It may not be comfortable, as most fears are attached to some kind of trauma and facing trauma isn’t fun, it’s scary in itself, but this does help you become a stronger, better person. In a world of bullies and peer pressure, it’s great message to show kids that it’s far more virtuous to stand up to your friends rather then your enemies. The story showed three boys, Voldemort, Snape and Harry, who all had troubled upbrings and showed how their circumstances and backgrounds weighed on them and impacted them, and how each turned into very different people in spite of that. Voldemort was born without any love and turned into the ultimate evil villain. Harry was born into love and had it ripped away from him and turned into an undeniably good guy and a hero, and Snape was born into love and was beaten down by the world, so first chose evil and then learned the error of his ways and made up for lost time and his mistakes. All three of them were also all abandoned by the people they valued most (whether it was their decision or not with tom’s parents putting him in an orphanage, whether it was their choice, forced upon them or their last resort, or Lily sacrificing herself for Harry and because of Snape’s mistrust putting her in that situation) and their first true home was Hogwarts, which is probably the most central parallel between these three in the series. We are all human. We all have hearts that beat and brains that think. Because of that, we are all worth the same and all worth saving. Though a Snitch is small, it earns the most points when caught, which is symbolic of being small, but mighty. How being underestimated can be your superpower. Like fake swallowing Felix Felicis, believing in yourself is all that matters. Being rich with love, loyalty, family and friendship is far better and richer than being rich with wealth, status and money. The importance of rebuilding after tragedy and war, as seen with JKR’s decision to have Harry survive the Battle of Hogwarts, not just Voldemort’s execution of him. However, the biggest lesson the series teach its viewers is that love conquers all. And this is shown through all different kinds of love from romance to family to friendship to unrequited love. This is proven when Lily’s death gave Harry the protection of love and how Snape’s love for Lily helped him protect her son after her death and was strong enough for him to choose being labeled as a villain for the greater good (this represents a cycle of love conquering all in a way). Also, love is what ultimately helps Harry defeat Voldemort, as his mother’s love protection helped him surprise the Killing Curse both times, with the second only killing the Horcrux that was inside Harry and repelled Voldemort from Harry’s body in Phoenix with the power of love through friendship. Harry as a character also was a great message. Harry was a symbol of the triumph of good, the power of male vulnerability, the importance of understanding innocence versus naivety and that their is strength in determination, resisting and fighting. Love conquers all is the overarching message of the series. Love is the greatest and most important power of all. Whether it’s familial, like Lily, romantic, like Ron and Hermione, or friendship like the trio of Snape and Lily. That is all a really beautiful message.
I also appreciated the films’ parallels to real life. The political subtexts include themes of oppression, survival, ending bigotry, questioning authority, not assuming the establishment and press are always telling the truth and ostracizing people who are different. Its prejudice against Mudbloods reflects racism and Nazism (can same goes for half-bloods with people of mixed race and faith), the corruption of the justice system in the Ministry of Magic eerily mirrors the judicial system in real life, especially in the U.S. (especially today with the near-Handmaiden’s Tale authoritarian control of women’s bodies), the “pure-blood mania” stuff was quite ahead of its time in how it reflects the conservative conspiracy and Christian extremism of everything from abortion to vaccines to the LGBTQ+ (yes, I know the irony by me saying that last part), The lack of knowledge, empathy and perceived danger causing a larger stigma werewolves and lycanthropy in this universe reminds me of how people treated AIDS in the 90s, government corruption and fake news (with these latter two being rather ahead of its time) paralleling the relationships between the government and it’s citizens all over the world throughout all of history, the Wizarding World has the issue of nepotism babies, specifically shown through Draco and Harry (Harry is probably the most worthy nepo baby in history. I mean, yes there is a prophecy that centers around him, which gave him the motivation get good at magic, but he was also skilled in his own right and went about in the right way because once he joined teh Wizarding World, he found a great support system, unlike Draco who learned the hard way that power isn’t as important as a support system and skill), underage magic (LOL) parallels underage drinking and rebellion. While, it is a little, erm, interesting that the source material was written by You-Know-Who, at least she tried and make some sort of social commentary, especially given the 90s time period. It made it more relatable and digestible.
It’s also wild, at least within this world and this mythology, when you think about how Harry, specifically, but also Neville and Draco too have their family histories literally in the textbooks they are using in school, making their lives, relatives and pasts literally have historical significance. I mean, Harry is the only person ever to survive the Killing Curse, and does so TWICE! That’s historic in this world, because clearly, in a very rare way, it’s possible. Almost like Prince William and Prince Harry learning about British history in their classes and having it literally center around their family. Also similar to political families like the Kennedys or Old Money families in the U.S. Or like Klaus and the Mikaelson family in The Vampire Diaries universe, specifically in Legacies. Harry’s parents dying, putting an end to Voldemort and therefore the First Wizarding War is literally a historical event in this world. See! This world feels so real that it has me thinking this literally. That’s such a testament to how well done the mythology is. The events of these books/films, at least most of the major ones (especially the battles), are literally historical events, which is even more insane when you remember that these were literal kids, teenagers, fighting in these battles. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville all helped destroy Horcruxes and therefore end Voldemort, which makes them historical figures too within this world. Snape and his double agent status plot twist is also a literal historical plot twist in this world, like many in real life (although I can’t think of any examples right now). Wizarding World history is so thought out and specific, probably even more so in the books, that it feels like the real history of a specific culture, not just the background context of a fictitious mythology. After all, the hysteria around witchcraft is rippled throughout European and world history, and that persecution seemed to influence the prejudices within the Wizarding World, as humans are naturally judgmental human beings. People find scapegoats in the real world, just like they do in this world. I am curious if this was talked about in the books, like if JKR connected them to the Salem Witch Trials or the witch trials in Britain or something. Also, the First and Second Wizarding Wars parallel the real-life World War I & II (which begs the question, what was the Wizarding World like during those Muggle World Wars or any Muggle war or government situation. Does it ever affect them?) When you think about that way, it’s quite wild. Also, as cool as this is, it’s so kind of distributing because like the Royal Family (at least until recent years) the manic pure-blood families are all probably in-bred, especially if pure-blood mania has existed since Salazar Slytherin’s time, which was 1,000 years ago (the Mikaelson’s time in a different fantasy cinematic universe LOL, I guess these mythologies just love saying “a thousand years ago…” or that’s as far back as these creators can think of). Also, if these pure-blood families are somewhat in-bred, does that mean that pure-bloods like Draco and Ron are distantly related in some capacity, and therefore Ron and Sirius? I assume that since Lily is Muggle-born and harry is a half-blood that James was a pure-blood, does that mean that Harry is also distantly related to the Blacks, Malfoys and Weasleys, this fact being even wilder knowing that he ends up marrying into the anti-prejudice Weasley family through Ginny? I guess in British minds, this is normal due to the monarchy being such a big part of the country’s identity, but as an American, this is just odd to think about. From what I heard, The Cursed Child basically ruined the Harry Potter legacy. I feel like they could have used this idea and related it to Harry and Ron’s kids for a better, more interesting sequel. Like the dynamic between The Vampire Diaries and Legacies. Especially with how beloved worldwide the Potter-verse is, I think that would have worked better, from what I have heard.
Speaking of Narnia, I kind of appreciate how it wasn’t some sort of portal fantasy into another world like the Wardrobe in Narnia. It was a world within a world. It’s a world of magic within a world of mundanity. Part of why I love this mythology so much is how mundane and old-fashioned it is despite being magical. They write letters, travel through fireplaces like Santa Claus and read books. there’s no internet or crystal ball face-timing, or something. It makes it charming and easy to grasp as a world that really could exist. It made it, ironically, more realistic. like, this could exist? It kept the world grounded and relatable. The series use of practical effects also helped make it feel more real and like it could really exist, not like a portal fantasy. It made it easier for the audience to grasp onto, with the magical world being somewhat mundane, just with some sort of fantastical flare. They have paintings, but they move and talk. The Great Hall has a skylight, but it’s not a window, it’s a bewitchment magically showing the sky as if the Great Hall is roofless. The books bite readers, paper maps turn into a magical GPS and letters howl at their recipients, literally (this is one of the funniest scenes in the whole series and probably one of my favorites. I am using that monologue to try and learn a British accent). Also, in this universe, with brooms being a prominent mode of transportation, it’s really smart because with the world being hidden within the Muggle world, broomsticks, despite them having foot pedals and everything, for the most part look pretty mundane, which don’t raise Muggle suspicions. That mundane-ness is also where a lot of the humor comes from the collision between the Wizarding World and the Muggle world, with the Dursleys, Mr, Weasley, Hermione and Ron utilizing this aspect of the series’ humor the most. That’s when a lot of British humor came out. I love British humor because of how sophisticated, satirical, dry, sarcastic, sassy, snarky and witty it is and it was fun to see that kind of humor in the early movies especially because the kids were so young. I had never seen such dry humor involve such young kids before on screen. It was great. I particularly loved the humor of Ron, Hermione, Snape, Harry, the Weasley Twins, Neville and Luna. The closest to portal fantasy these films got to was the way they enter Platform 9 and 3/4 (which, at least for the Weasleys, doesn’t make much sense because don’t they live in the Wizarding World? Doesn’t Platform 9 and 3/4 exist in the Wizarding World, not some pocket train station-only dimension?), and how they travel, by Floo powder and Portkey (which by the way, how the hell did You-Know-Who come up with that these means of traveling?). There are also no talking animals like in Narnia, unless you count that spider Aragog who told Harry that Hagrid was innocent and didn’t open the Chamber of Secrets. The closest to that is an animigas.
Also, like Narnia, Potter also has religious symbolism, particularly Christian symbolism, which as a Jew, is surprising because I enjoy both series so much. Both source materials, aka both book series, use magic as a portal of sorts to understand spirituality. They also both have the key theme of exploring good versus evil, particularly when it involves supremacy over people’s souls or a group of subjects, although Harry Potter’s is more consistent with the main evil always being Voldemort and his Death Eaters, while Narnia’s constantly changed due to the mythology’s use of time jumps, with Jadis the White Witch being the only contact antagonist even though in the latter films she was also a spirit of sorts. Harry also parallels Jesus Christ as “The Chosen One,” which is ironic because Jesus was a Jew, and Jews are considered “The Chosen People,” (and in regards to Potter, is an odd feeling when you realize how the design of the Gringott’s Goblins are undeniably based on the Jewish stereotypes of wealth and big noses, especially because this idea of Jesus being Jew proves how hypocritical Anti-semitism really is). Harry is the one who provides hope in the Wizarding community just like Jesus did for his subjects and still does today. He also sacrifices himself and has Voldemort give an epic speech after his death, only for Harry to resurrect, like Jesus, after the speech. This is also really interesting when you remember how in the 90s and 2000s, the religious group held book burnings for the Harry Potter series for their “controversial” themes of occultism and witchcraft, reviving Satanic Panic. I remember religious extremists calling the books to be banned from schools, which was probably why I was given Narnia and not Potter. This is also hilariously ironic due to its Christian themes. However, the popularity was so large and strong, that it just proved further that the past negative connotations of witches (sexism, Salem, etc.) has dwindled and that Potter has cemented itself a permanent place in both just pop culture, but also British culture and American culture alike (as they were British stories, but American-produced films). This religious controversy wasn’t why I didn’t read the books when I was a kid in the 2000s or watch the films. I was just never introduced to them properly until I became friends with Potterheads in my teens and twenties. After all, in the 2000s, I did read and watch Narnia, and while it is about fantasy and magic, it’s not necessarily about witchcraft like Harry Potter. After all, it takes place at the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. My parents just aren’t big fantasy fans, so I was never encouraged to read them or watch the films, which in hindsight was a mistake because as you can probably tell, I am now obsessed and genuinely considering reading the books, and as I have said, I am not a reader at all. If I was introduced to Harry Potter, as my 5th-grade teacher introduced me to Narnia, I probably would have become a reader very quickly. Or at least my mom could bargain with me in regard to the films and therefore I would become a reader.
Potter was also part of the rebranding of the witch genre from a spooky, seductive adult-focused genre (due to it being taboo and witchcraft often had negative connotations instead of intriguing ones) to a kid-friendly one, with Halloweentown, Twitches (which all spawned sequels and franchises) and Wizards of Waverly Place, all airing on Disney Channel in the 90s and 2000s (the witch genre was far more popular on Disney then Nickelodeon with many notably less unpopular shows like Every Witch Way and House of Anubis never really getting the same traction). However, Harry Potter was undeniably the most successful kid-friendly witch genre entity ever, and still is. The books, the films and the mythology itself are all immensely popular worldwide and have become not just a franchise, but a multi-million dollar corporation. Its impact on the genre is undeniable, and based on how much I loved Halloweentown, Twitches, Wizards of Waverly Place, and Narnia, it makes total sense that I’d be into Harry Potter. Potter also was used as inspiration so much in these various franchises. Does anyone remember when the Russos went to that wizard school Wiz Tech? Remember how Alex said Justin looked like some famous wizard in glasses when he wore his uniform-required pair, but couldn’t remember the name? Potter was also unique because unlike Wizards and Halloweentown, which were on kid-friendly TV networks, Potter was its own entity. It wasn’t funneled through a channel geared toward a specific demographic. It was mainstream and therefore could reach a larger audience, and did, and not just a larger, global audience, but an audience of all ages and demographics, not just kids, even if that’s what it was originally geared towards.
There are also so many cinematic parallels between Potter and Narnia. Obviously, the characters and location were both in Britain and they both had huge impacts on British culture. Harry kills the Basilisk the exact same way Edmund kills the Seas Serpent in the Dawn Treader, both with an enchanted sword and a snake-like mythical creature. Also, that scene in the final Narnia film with the green mist showing the White Witch parallels Ron’s Horcrux dream sequence, both dealing with temptation, fear, insecurity, trauma and innermost thoughts. The dark island also reminds me of the Chamber of Secrets. The Durmstrung ship also reminds me of the Dawn Treader ship. Prince Caspian’s tragic life and appearance also remind me of Sirius in a lot of ways. The Pevensies take a train to the country in the first book/movie, which reminds me of how Hogwarts students take the Hogwarts Express from London’s King’s Cross to Hogwarts, which seems to be in the Scottish mountainous countryside. The school uniforms in the very beginning of the Prince Caspian film with their striped scarves, not to mention the train station setting magically giving way back to Narnia for the Pevensie siblings had major Potter vibes. Also, the snow scenes particularly in Azkaban, especially the Draco snowball scene, give major Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe vibes. Also, the Book of Incantation being the catalyst for a teenage girl’s insecurities in Narnia with Lucy reminds me of Hermione with her insecurities and passion and skill when it comes to spells. Also, the character of Eustace Scrubb reminded me of Dudley Dursley with how nasty and biased he is toward things in Narnia. The White witch used Edmund as bait to lure his siblings and stop the prophecy, similar to how the Death Eaters used Sirius to lure Harry to the Hall of Prophecies. Father Christmas had a very similar look to Dumbledore in the Narnia films, far more similar than to the commercially used Santa Claus. The Juice of the Firefly Father Christmas gifts Lucy works similarly to Phoenix Tears, Susan’s horn for help is similar to the red sparks used during the maze in Goblet and of course, Peter’s sword is very similar in importance and legacy to the Sword of Gryffindor. The professor has a similar purpose to Dumbledore, although he is a far better father figure for the story as a whole then Dumbledore. The White Witch turns traitors into stone similar to how the Basilisk petrified Muggleborns, making them as still as stone. Pevensie is literally Pensieve with a few letters switched around. Both stories take place in the U.K. in the 20th century. All the characters and actors are British. There is also a character in Narnia named Diggory Kirke whose name mirrors that of Cedric Diggory. The Wardrobe reminds me of the Vanishing Cabinet from Half-Blood Prince. And of course, Aslan’s colors are red and gold, as those who are loyal to him wear those colors, and he is a lion, which is very similar to how those are Gryfinndor colors and their mascot is a lion.
Wizards of Waverly Place also had clear comparisons to Potter, which isn’t a surprise as it came out after at least 4 of the film were out, especially the episodes that took place at Wiz Tech, the Wizard Boarding School. The headmaster, Professor Krums, has a long beard just like Dumbledore, wore a witchy, sleepy pillbox cap and were just as confusing and vague with their advice, which honestly could be a satirical commentary on Dumbledore’s character as a whole, although I doubt anything Disney ever did was that deep. Professor Krums almost satirizes Dumledore’s hypocrisy and encouragement of rebellion, causing his students to be put in danger. They also wear black robes with yellow details, making them all look like Hufflepuffs. They also wear round glasses with the uniform, which Alex Russo even makes a subtle joke about in the episode. Justin’s rival is also named Jerko, which obviously references Draco. Also both Mason Greyback and Fenrir Greyback are werewolves.
Harry Potter’s importance in people’s lives seemed ridiculous to me prior to watching, but now I get it. It’s one of the healthiest forms of escapism. It’s magical and cinematically stunning to watch. The impossible is possible. Unlike things like Gossip Girl or American Horror Story, which are fun with high stakes, or reality TV shows like Keeping Up With The Kardashians or Selling Sunset, which are fun and mindless, but don’t have as positive of a message overall. Harry Potter is a literal fantasy, not a hypothetical one. After all, it’s about magic. However, it’s always rooted in reality and real-life issues. It’s about kids growing up right in front of our eyes. While the circumstances and overall situations are fantastical, the nuances are eternally relatable. It was also about the misfits. Harry may have been famous and popular, but he didn’t feel that way. Hermione may be wicked smart, but she was teased. Ron may have been a pureblood wizard, but he was ridiculed just like his friends. However, their flaws became their biggest strengths by the end of the series. It’s a comforting message. The mythology you-know-who (LOL) created was so rich, vivid, intriguing, vibrant and thorough that it was easy to escape into. Even with the life or death stakes, there is something comforting about it. It’s reliable and gives you a sense of belonging, even if it’s fictional. Why? Because it’s about characters who don’t belong and they end up finding each other and winning against all odds. It makes people feel less lonely. It’s almost therapeutic in that sense. It gives you security in an unpredictable world, and that’s such a relaxing feeling. It may be magical, but it’s still relatable at its core.
Before we start, I do want to say what Hogwarts house I am in. Before I watched the movies, I took the official quiz and got Ravenclaw. I did my research on their traits and everything, and while I got consider myself an overachiever like Hermione (who as my friends say was almost a Ravenclaw) and creative like Luna, I just didn’t feel like that was the right one for me. So, I watched all the films and took the quiz again. I got Slytherin. Then I researched the traits, which are ambition and determination, and I think that fits me more. The irony is that I HATE snakes, but I still vibe the most with Slytherin, especially because I love more complicated, antiheroic characters like Draco and Snape in this series, but also in many other shows and movies (ex. Blair Waldorf, Maddy Perez, etc.). Slytherins aren’t all villains though. Horace Slughorn is a Slytherin I found out, and he is a literal cinnamon roll of a professor. They truly are just ambitious, cunning and determined, which I think I am. I also have a St. Bernard Patronus (I am a dog lover, so I definitely vibe with this, although I do wish I got the rarer West Highland Terrier since I actually have had them my whole life), and I have a Unicorn hair wand (the same as fellow Slytherin Draco Malfoy).
DISCLAIMER: there will be spoilers ahead. I also paused the movies a lot to look up information and loose threads on Google, specifically on Wiki Fandom and Pottermore/WizardingWorld.com, or whatever it’s called. I knew they couldn’t fit everything about this world’s mythology from the books in each two-hour and 30-minute movie and they go pretty fast. I wanted to understand it the best I could. I felt it was important because that world you-know-who is so rich and has so much depth. I’m not complaining. It’s that richness that made it so intriguing to watch. The mythology of worlds like these is part of the reason I love them (like with The Vampire Diaries or Greek mythology, for me). I found it endlessly fascinating. If anything, learning about Harry Potter‘s mythology was one of the most fun parts for me.
Expectations and Surprises
I understand why so many people have connected with this series on such a profound level. The world is so rich and wonderful. It has so much depth. Like I said before, the mythology is so intriguing and it’s great escapism. Also, thinking of Hogwarts as a real place, like “what if this was a real school?” is so cool. The series gradually transitions from childhood to adulthood as we grow with these characters. The tone and story also mature as the themes get darker and the stakes get higher. They also filmed at a lot of real locations around England and more specifically London, especially at Oxford University, which I think is really cool, because you can visit it, and even cooler if you go to school there. Also, a lot of places they went to in Part 1 were real locations in England like Shaftesbury Avenue and teh Forest of Dean, which was refreshing after such CGI-heavy prior films. I also found out you can go to the real film sets at Harry Potter World in London. I would love to visit a Harry Potter World now that I am familiar with the mythology and just as obsessed as the lifelong Potterheads, but I think if I am going to go to any Harry Potter World, it would have to be the one in London for that authenticity, plus as an actor, I think it would be educational. It would be so cool. That is very rare and really the only other place I can think of that’s like that is the Warner Bros. lot with the sets of Gilmore Girls and Pretty Little Liars in Los Angeles. It’s so cool. It’s amazing how one person thought of all of this and came up with this world and now it’s one of the most beloved stories and mythologies in the world, enough to create multiple theme parks, communities, festivals, conversations, debates, spinoffs and merch (even if that woman has terrible personal beliefs). Stuart Craig did a phenomenal job bringing the Wizarding World and Hogwarts to life. I never read the books, and I maybe never will, but I hope the world he created matched the one people had in their heads because it was beautiful and breathtaking to look at. It was so detailed and vivid. The architecture of Hogwarts is also stunning. It really looks like a centuries-old castle and is also unique enough architecturally to buy as a magical school. His set design was stunning and has definitely inspired many sets since the films began (I mean, the quality in the special effects and set design between Sorcerer’s Stone and Deathly Hallows is night and day, but, in regards to Sorcerer’s Stone, that’s also the best part about it because gives it that 90s witchy charm that the Halloweentown movies and Hocus Pocus have that’s nostalgic and never gets old, and in regards to the later films, provided a benchmark for every fantasy genre project since). I mean, Craig’s set design was so good that 2+ theme parks were created, and they recreated the world he brought to life. That’s unprecedented and incredible. The world-building in this franchise was incredible, especially in Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix when we’re introduced to the international and political aspects of the Wizarding World, and accordingly, those mesmerizing sets too. The world of Harry Potter, the mythology and it’s sets also had an arc just like each film and the entire franchise. It went from the lens of childhood innocence to darkness and power. From the Reunion Special, you learn how they mixed special effects and practical effects like the candles in Great Hall were real candles (which was very dangerous, especially with kids around, but also very cool and will probably never happen again) and rigged spells like when Bellatrix blew up Hagrid’s Hut. From dipping my toe into Fandom Wiki, I have learned just how far back this mythology goes. How much it is thought out. How deep and vivid and rich it is. How much historical context there is for every little thing (although, I haven’t really read it. But just skimming it, it’s mind-blowing how deep this fictional folklore goes). Very few fictional mythologies are this fleshed out and tangible. It’s so interesting how far back its history goes and how many blanks have been filled beyond the confines of the series itself. I can just tell from the subheadings on the Fandom Wiki pages. It must feel like learning real history, not fan fiction or simply fictional mythology. That’s how well-crafted and well-written this world is, I know because even as a twenty-something who is fully aware of the real world, I am just as intrigued as a 10-year-old would be.
These films also had stunning cinematography, These films are so visually stunning, oftentimes making them look and feel more like prestige films rather than blockbusters. Sure, blockbusters are cool and epic to watch, but there are very few, at least from what I have seen, that truly have the prestigious cinematic quality that these films possess. Many shots, mainly by Cuaron and Yates, were just so breathtakingly beautiful, especially in Prisoner of Azkaban. Alfonso Cuarón’s films always have great cinematography, so I would expect nothing less. These films undeniably set such a huge precedent for the fantasy genre and adaption franchises, however, one of the biggest things it did that for was it’s production quality. The attention to detail was impeccable and the cinematography was just amazing! It made the cinematic experience that much more magical. But I think another thing that makes this film series stand out among other series and films of the same genre is just how beautiful they are to watch. They truly feel epic.
While there are a few scenes I think did the actors a disservice editing-wise (audiences severely underestimate how much power the editor has when it comes to making or breaking an actor’s performance and crafting an impactful scene), overall editor Mark Day, the editor on all of David Yaes Potter films, did a fantastic job, especially in the finale. I clearly haven’t read the books, but I hope Steve Kloves, who wrote all the screenplays except or Phoenix, did a fantastic job adaption the books to screen. David Heyman also made very good decisions when it came to the continuity of each film in terms of their look, plot and tone. Of course, there were some minor issues continuity-wise as there always are in adaption and series, but nothing as too distracting.
I was also shocked how complex this series for a children’s story. The dialogue uses so many big words that I, a college student, had to look up and the storytelling is very sophisticated for a young audience. Honestly, this is probably why all my Potterhead friends who grew up reading the books are so smart. Part of me does wish we could have seen the stories in the series through different perspectives, mainly Draco’s POV (either Prince or Hallows), Neville’s POV (either Phoenix or Hallows), Ginny’s POV (either Chamber, Prince or Hallows) Hermione’s POV (either Azkaban, Goblet, Phoenix, or Prince) or even Snape’s (Stone, Azkaban, Phoenix, Prince or Hallows). It could have been so fascinating, great for character development, and even broken the films better and made them more distinctive. Although, I love Harry and find his perspective interesting, that doesn’t mean the other characters aren’t just as interesting.
The names in the story also seem very purposeful. Draco is the root of draconian, which means harsh and severe. Severus Snape sounds like “severe snake” when you say it too fast, which I don’t think is a coincidence. Filch sounds like fickle and Lupin being a werewolf is just ironic. There are so many flower names too. Lily. Petunia. Narcissa. Pansy. Lavender. Fleur is named after the French floral company, I assume, as well as the ornate flower Fleur-de-lis. It’s also ironic because Petunias symbolize anger and resentment, Lily’s symbolizes purity and innocence, Fleure-de-lis symbolize purity, Pansies symbolize love (furthering my suspicion that Pansy had feelings for Draco), Narcissus symbolizes awareness and reflection and Lavender symbolizes devotion and spirituality (as she’s a witch). Just by the characters’ names, you can tell how much thought was put into the story, which is why the repetition of names like Marcus with Marcus Belby and Marcus Flint for example, is a little jarring.
I expected Butterbeer to be a much bigger thing. I remember when secret menu Frappuccinos were a huge thing on social media and everyone raved about the Butterbeer one. From my memory, the drink was barely mentioned. Pumpkin Juice (which isn’t that just a Pumpkin Spice Latte without the coffee?) was mentioned way more. Only once in the Half-Blood Prince. In fact, I had to rewind to make sure I actually did hear it. I heard of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans and Chocolate Frogs, but I was most familiar with Butterbeer. Maybe they are all bigger in the books. The Pumpkin Pasties, Doobles and Sherbert Lemons (aren’t those just lemon drops?) I had never heard of it before watching the movies.
Now, I know I said that I love how vivid the mythology is in these films, proven by the monstrous length of this article, however, I also noticed quite a few plot holes that still didn’t even make sense to me when I googled them, hoping they were in books and someone put them online. I mean, it’s hard for any long-running, ever-expanding fictional mythology to be consistent, with perfect continuity all the time, and as The Vampire Diaries always says, there’s always a loophole, but honestly, these mistakes just prove how deep and rich everything in the world is and how real this world feels. Firstly, Why are some spells are spoken and others not? Are there specific ones that can be unspoken, or is it unlimited? Granted, this was either shown by the adults or by older students. Non-verbal spells were mostly used in the final movie, but was that free up script space or is that an actual thing? Are there only certain situations when they can be used? Can they only be used by certain people? Are there any wandless spells in this universe? How are students chosen for attendance at Hogwarts? How does Hogwarts find them? I mean, the U.K. is small, but not that small. I am also a bit confused by how kids discover they are magical, because Harry didn’t have a wand when he took the glass away in the zoo scene in the first film. He did that with wandless magic. So are there some spells and magic that can be done wandlessly? Or is it only small kids, when they begin to show signs of magic, before learning to control their magic, that can do wandless spells? Or can wizards use magic without wands, but wands help them keep control of their magic? Then why is “the wand choosing the wizard” and wands breaking throughout the series such a big deal? For example, we never see Harry pull out his wand to blow up Aunt Marge in Azkaban, so clearly, it was a wandless spell, but it was one of immense power clearly as she had to be obliviated and literally flew into the sky. Does this uncontrollable magic only happen to wizards who live in the Muggle world when they are not at Hogwarts due to the underage magic rule? So, they can do wandless magic, but the wand makes it better, controlled and purposeful? Is that right? Like McGonagall uses wandless magic, just a gesture, when she says “sherbert lemon” and opens up Dumbledore’s office door in Chamber and Dumbledore uses wandless magic when he pushes Harry out of the way when he is dueling Voldemort at the Minsitry of Magic in Phoenix, so can only really, really, really advanced, skills wizards use wandless magic? Do wizards just prefer wands then? Also, Harry blows up Aunt Marge without a wand. So is it just an emotional burst of magic, because Harry does that in a moment of rage after going to Hogwarts, while the snake glass debacle was an ignorant accident? Or is it only that way for kids, because kids have a harder time controlling their emotions and therefore do wandless magic more spontaneously or is it because McGonagall and Dumbledore do it purposefully, but they are well-skilled, well-trained adults? Is this what Dumbeldore meant in that Tom Riddle flashback at the orphanage with how Hogwarts teaches you how to use magic and control magic? Also, Tom Riddle at that age and Harry were all kids and had never been to Hogwarts at that point, so they did that stuff instinctively without a wand, but once they get their wands, they never do wandless magic again, until Aunt Marge incident and when Tom Riddle becomes Lord Voldemort. Can House Elves use wandless spells, because Dobby didn’t have a wand when they threw Lucius back in Chamber? Why don’t house elves use wand? What about humans? Nobody, human or elf, seems to be able to teleport, or Apparate, without a wand. I know it was a big deal with Ron in the second film breaking his wand and Harry in the penultimate film, but wasn’t that just because Ron was young and Harry was on the run? What happens if you use multiple wands at once, which I believe happens at some point in the Malfoy Manor battle in Part 1? Did Voldemort and the Death Eaters simply not know about house elf powers and how they differ from a wizard’s powers (or seem like they do, I don’t know, do they?), or do they simply not care, because the Black family had Kreacher and the Malfoys had Dobby in Chamber, they had to know or have an inkling, right? Also, when Harry steals Draco’s regular wand in Part 1, does that in itself mean, that since Draco’s wand then became loyal to harry, that without knowing it, how Harry became the master of the Elder Wand, without Draco even knowing it or ever touching it? Why and how, in the final film, did Crabbe’s fire manifest into different animals and Voldemort? I noticed the fire turning into a bird, a lion, a snake, which are there Hogwarts house (I assume I just missed the badger), was that on purpose? Was that in the books or was that just an Easter Egg, like a Taylor Swift-level Easter Egg? That didn’t happen with any other fire spells shown. Also, who was the other boy in Prisoner of Azkaban that was in Draco’s entourage that wasn’t Crabbe, Goyle or Blaise? Is name was Pike, right (as I found out through a LOT of research thanks to my manic obsessive brain)? How exactly do animigas work? Do people need to be taught how to turn into an animal? Do you need a license? Do you get to pick which animal, because Pettigrew as a rat, McGonagall as a cat (she’s an animigas right? Or is it because she’s the Transfiguration teacher, she just has a superior talent at turning herself into animals, her favorite being a cat?) and Sirius as a dog are too perfect? Dumbledore tells the Filch to round up the ghosts to search through the portrait for the Fat Lady, so doe that mean ghosts can travel through and into the portraits too? Also, can we talk about how Dumbledore cares more for the Fat Lady than he ever did about Harry’s safety? Why does a radio work at Hogwarts in Phoenix and in the Wizarding World in the Deathly Hallows, but no other technology works in the Wizarding World or at Hogwarts? We never even see anyone talk on the phone or talk about the Internet, which did exist in the 90s. So, if McGonagall, being Head of Gryffindor house, was teaching the Gryffindors how to dance for the Yule ball, that means that Sprout, Flitwick and of course, Snape were doing the same things with their Houses. I would literally PAY to see Alan Rickman play Snape teaching the Slytherin’s how to dance. Like imagine him using Pansy Parkinson in the same way McGonagall uses Ron (also Rupert Grint has bragging rights for life for having danced with THE Maggie Smith. What an honor!). I am confused, is Hagrid in the Order or not? Because he’s in that photo, and he helps transfer Harry during the Seven Potters ordeal, but he wasn’t at the meeting at Grimmauld Place in Order of the Phoenix. I get that he was with the giants and that he probably wouldn’t fit inside due to its narrow set design of it being crammed in between two buildings, but even Snape and Lupin made it and they are a professor and a werewolf. Also, is Snape in the Order? Is that why they had to switch to the Burrow and left Grimmauld Place abandoned after Dumbledore’s death? Also, why was Snape so disgusted by Harry and Sirius hugging at the Order’s headquarters in that flashback sequence when, from the expandable ears bit (which was so realistic, for kids to eavesdrop on the adults) we could hear Snape’s very distinctive voice. It was kind of confusing. Also, why wasn’t the engorgement charm used on the tent in Goblet of Fire used on Grimmauld Place? However, that’s more of a set design consistency issue. Speaking of the flashback sequence in the Order of the Phoenix, what exactly was Snape doing to Harry? I get that it was called occulmency and happening because of his mind’s connection to Voldemort but what was it and why was it so invasive and brutal? Was it mind reading? Did it have to do with his vow to protect Harry and deceive Voldemort? At least, this mind-reading situation helped Harry realize both Snape and, especially, his father weren’t perfect and that world is not black and white, but gray and complex, however, this hurts even more after Harry watches Snape kill Dumbledore in the following movie and not learn the truth of Snape’s efforts to protect him until after Snape’s death. What exactly is Fred and George’s age? Also, why didn’t Mr. and Mrs. Weasley come to Hogwarts when Ginny and Ron got hurt in the Chamber of Secrets and poisoned in Half-Blood Prince (also, can we talk about how Harry saved Ginny, Arthur AND Ron? and how the Chamber of Secrets brought both Ginny and Harry AND Ron and Hermione together? Harry really is a Weasley at heart)? I mean those are their children? Could they just not afford it? Even with Floo Powder and all the other magical mods of transportation? How do Thestrals work? How could Hermione and the rest of them ride them to the Ministry despite not being able to see them in the beginning of the film? Did they just fly on top of midair? Is there a spell to make them visible to someone who hasn’t seen someone die (that’s such a sad idea, only being able to see a creature after being traumatized)? What’s on Ginny’s shoulder on the Hogwarts Express in Half-Blood Prince? Is butterbeer really beer? If so, what’s the drinking age in the Wizarding World? Why did Snape fancy the Dark Arts so much? Because he was supposed to be a double agent? Because he was a Death Eater? Why, exactly, did he finally get it in Half-Blood Prince? Also, how did Snape find out the prophecy (when we find out the Pensieve sequence in the final film)? Did Voldemort tell him? Also, if Harry really believed Snape betrayed Dumbledore, then why did he act so mercifully while Snape was dying? I get that he’s “the good guy,” but he’s also the loyal guy. I mean, it was a great scene, but still. Also, we literally saw Fred get disarmed, then it cut to Mrs. Weasley listening to that creepy and cringy Voldemort voiceover and then the next time we see Fred, he’s dead. Was he killed right in front of Mrs. Weasley? That is unspeakably cruel! They both deserved better! Did Lavender and Pavarti die? Did Padma live? Am I confusing them for other characters? What year was Cedric in? Was he in the Twins year? How does the character of Greyback work? How is he always in werewolf form? Is that a choice because of his viciousness? Also, how is he a Death Eater? It seemed like most creatures, other then trolls (who were established as very dumb back in Stone) were on the Death Eaters’ side. Is Malfoy Manor basically “Death Eater Headquarters” in Part 1? Why does Ginny suggest the Shrieking Shack in Phoenix if it’s supposedly the most haunted building in not just the British Wizarding World, but in all of Britian (so it seems)? Obviously, Harry Ron and Hermione know it’s not as scary as it’s rumored to be after Azkaban, but does Ginny know about all of that? Why isn’t Harry’s eyesight ever fixed by magic? Instead, Hermione always just fix his glasses. I get it’s his signature look, but still. How exactly do you get a portrait or painting at Hogwarts? Do only Headmasters get them? Do only dead people get them? What about the Fat Lady (also, between this title and Aunt Marge, why so much fatphobia I guess shouldn’t be surprised with these being written by You-Know-Who)? What happened to Buckbeak after he escaped with Sirius? We literally never saw him again after that whole ordeal. Did he live a happy life? Did he see Hagrid again? Does Dumbledore literally have a Griffin-door to his office? That’s definitely not that subtle. And he’s supposed to be the unbiased headmaster, LOL. Why does Voldemort have bare feet in Goblet of Fire? Did Wormtails seriously not think to bring his Master shoes? I never wanted to see Voldemort’s feet. The idea of it is so weird that Voldemort has feet because of his snake-like appearance. I would have felt better if he kept that illusion of floating under his raggedy black cloak up. It’s more eerie. Also, did Harry really use Expelliarmus against Voldemort’s Killing Curse? You’re smarter than that Harry! I mean, how the hell did Expelliarimus manage to block Avada Kedavra? I know Dumbledore said it was because of their twin wands, but seriously? And how did Cedric, that guy Voldemort killed at the beginning of the movie that was hardly ever talked about, and Harry’s parents appear out of their wands like ghosts during that scene? Which one was the Priori Incantaum that Dumbledore talked about? I tried googling it, but I was so confused. How is Harry broom already outside when the Order lines up to transport him to Grimmauld Place on Privet Drive, when they all walk him out together, also without a backpack or trunk or anything? Why does Sirius and the Order not tell Harry what the weapon is, when they clearly know because Mr. Weasley was attacked while in the Hall of Prophecies? Dumbledore probably. God, he’s such a hypocrite. Why wasn’t the fact that Ron and Harry took a flying car to school a bigger deal amongst the students? No doubt the Twins would be jealous and amazed, Hermione would be disappointed, but impressed, Neville would be in awe, and Draco would no doubt be snarky about it to try and hide his jealousy and desire for attention. Also, in Chamber, Sprout says “welcome to greenhouse three” so does that mean there is more than one greenhouse at Hogwarts? Then does that mean multiple Herbology classes are taught at once (and if so, by who?)? Or are there just so many plants and that’s why, but then why don’t they just use the same charm as they used on the tent in Goblet and Part 1? How did Draco know about the Vanishing Cabinet? Did Bellatrix know about it when she was at school? Did she put it in the Room of Requirement? Also, how was Harry in Nagini’s mind watching Mr. Weasley be attacked when it’s not Nagini’s mind he’s connected to, it’s Voldemort? How does Lupin know how to calm down the Whomping Willow in order to go into the tunnel? Why are the Weasleys and Harry covered in ash when use Floo Powder in Chamber but then all the other times Floo powder is used, the characters aren’t covered in ash? Is it because with the Weasleys being poor makes their fireplace ashier then the average wizard, because they can’t afford to clean it as well as others, because no doubt Lucius and Draco also sued Floo Powder to get to Diagon Alley too. Also, does every shop have a fireplace for that reason? Also, is there a way for wizards to get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters directly from the Wizarding World without going through the Muggle exposed barrier like they do from Diagon Alley, not necessarily needing to go through the Leaky Cauldron to get to Diagon Alley as shown in Chamber? Also, what fireplace did the Weasley go through to get to Diagon Alley? Is there some random one in the middle of Diagon Alley or something that we didn’t see? Nymphadora looks like she literally just graduated Hogwarts in the Order of the Phoenix and then suddenly she’s dating Lupin, who looks like he could literally be her father? When and how did they start dating? How old is she? Also, does Hogwarts even have a graduation? Did Harry, Ron, Hermione and everyone else get the opportunity to go back and finish their degrees if they so desired? Did Fred, George and Percy? Speaking of, did Fred and George apparate in Order of the Phoenix? I am so confused about how apparition works. When it is even thought? We never saw them learn it or even talk about learning it, or what it is exactly, they just suddenly could do it. Because after Harry apparated with Dumbledore for the first time in Half-Blood Prince, they could suddenly apparate in the Deathly Hallows. If both the Weasleys and the Malfoys are pure-blood families, then why is one very poor and the other very rich? Does the pure blood status instantly mean wealth status like with the Malfoys and the Blacks? Is it a choice? I would like some clarification. Also, I did like how the Weasleys showed that not all pureblood families are extremists like the Malfoys, Blacks and Lestranges and raise their kids to be that way. The Weasleys let their kids make their own choices (Percy), unlike the Blacks, who disowned Sirius for believing differently. Why did Harry’s Expelliarmus charm throw Snape back like that in the Azkaban Shrieking Shack scene, when in all the other films, anytime Harry or someone else uses that spell, it simply just disarms their opponent? So, because swords also exist in this universe and are important to wizards (i.e. the Sword of Gryfinndor), then why in Chamber is dueling only with wands, when for viewers, when I hear dueling I think of swords like in fencing or guns like in Bridgerton? So, in the Wizarding World, is dueling just with wands, not a sword? Are swords for something else? I get that a wand is the ultimate tool for a wizard, but if this is true it’s also their ultimate shield and weapon. Was James Potter pureblood? Did Harry really not have grandparents to stay with like Neville? Either, his wizard’s grandparents on James’ side or his Muggle grandparents on Lily’s side? It’s a miracle Harry turned out so good after how the Dursleys treated him and all the turmoil he went through. He’s strong and resilient as hell. That’s so inspiring (I can relate). Most people would be so bitter after having overcome so much adversity, but Harry’s resilience and hopefulness for the future is truly inspiring. I also thought the tape on Harry’s glasses in the first movie was so funny because are we really supposed to believe that the Dursleys would take the time to take him to the eye doctor? Did nobody notice when Hermione and Ron didn’t show up to Hogwarts, especially with Ginny going and them being Harry’s best friends? Why were there no consequences for this? Did Hermione ever see her parents again and un-obliviate their memories? Why didn’t the picture of young Dumbledore and Jamie Campbell Bower’s (god, this guy’s career is enviable? First Harry Potter and Twilight, which are two huge movie franchises with fanbases that are still very dedicated to this day, and now, soon, Stranger Things, as well. It’s just incredible. Most actors can’t say they were in one high-grossing movie, yet alone three high-grossing franchises) young Grindelwald move like all the other pictures in the Wizarding World? Did Neville and Luna end up together because that was hinted at in the finale? Did Dumbledore ever have a funeral? Did Sirius, or because of the veil, his body was never retrieved? Did Harry’s parents get a funeral? Did Cedric? Did Snape? Snape deserved a funeral more than anyone who died in this series for all his sacrifices. Why wasn’t a bigger deal, and more of a red flag, that snape suddenly finally got the DADA job? How did Snape come up with the name “Half-Blood Prince”? Since he met Lily before Hogwarts, as seen as they knew each other outside of Hogwarts before the Sorting Ceremony, he seems like he is actually a Half-Blood. It’s so weird to me that so many Half-Bloods are prejudiced towards part of their own identity as they are loyal, or at least at one time loyal to Voldemort. It reminds me of how some minorities initially voted for Trump, but then regretted it and voted for Biden in 2020. How does the technology work in the Wizarding World? Because they use owls, not telephones, but then they have record players, as seen in Azkaban and Goblet, cameras (for moving wizard photos) like Colin Creevey’s and the many ones used in Prince, and the 1930s-esque (not a 90s-esque stereo) giant light bulb radio communication device used in Phoenix (Fudge’s voice on the radio in Phoenix reminded me a lot of old FDR broadcasts from the 30s) and Part 2 when Neville tells Nigel to alert Lupin and the Order that Harry’s back (hilariously and brilliantly saying the little-too-obvious code “lightning has struck”). However, Ron listens for Wizarding World news on a portable 90s Muggle radio and then Hermione and Harry listen to a Muggle song on that same radio too. Did Ron’s dad bewitch it or something in his Muggle artifacts workshop where he talked to Harry in Prince? Is it more explained in the books why some technology works in the Wizarding World and others don’t? Is it a spell? But what about Muggle Artifacts law, you know the office Mr. Weasley at, and continuously defies? Karkaroff seems to be the only non-British Detah Etaer, but are there more? Did Voldemort recruit Death Etaers from all over the Wizarding World? Wait, because the prophecy said neither can live while the other survives, does that mean that Harry was immortal until Voldemort’s death, ending the prophecy and his immortality? After all, he was a Horcrux. he also survived many near-death experiences with pure luck. So, since Voldmeort latched itself to Quirrell when he was only his soul, not his body, does that mean Quirrell was a temporary Horcrux? If he was then that means a Horcrux can destroy another Horcrux, as Harry he died at the hands of Harry, literally, right? Did Voldmoert have that skeletal snake-liek appearance when eh killed teh Potetrs or is it because of of the concoct that returned dhim to full power, because even baby Voldemort has that flat nose? When did Voldmoert get Ngaini? While in hiding ebcause she is tehre in opening fo Goblet or during his original rise to power? Why was Colin Creevey always taking photos? Was he on the Hogwarts newspaper staff or something? What are all the extracurriculars at Hogwarts besides Quidditch, choir and the DA? Did Mrs. Weasley literally just not care that Harry, Hermione and especially Ron just casually dropped out of Hogwarts? I mean Hermione oblivated her parents’ memories and Harry obviously has a lot going on, but Ginny went back, so why wasn’t it a bigger deal that Ron didn’t, especially with how much she heckled Fred and George about their choice of job? Did Draco ditch school like the trio in Hallows? Was he forced to become a full-time Death Eater? Honestly, the smart thing would be for him to be Voldemort’s eyes and ears in the student population, as Snape, supposedly, and the Carrows would be his eyes and ears at Hogwarts as a whole. What were the consequences for all of the missing school? Were they held back a year? Did they even bother completing their Hogwarts degrees after all this real-life experience? How do you make a Portkey? If Hermione can brew Polyjuice at 12, couldn’t she also figure out how to make a Portkey to get to the Ministry in Phoenix? Why is Harry’s scar shaped like a lightning bolt? Are all scars from powerful spells shaped like that? How did Lupin know how to stop the Whomping Willow? Clearly, he is a powerful wizard, but still, how did he know it would even respond to the spell and not make it angrier? How did Snape come up with the nickname “Half-Blood Prince”? I can assume that it’s because he’s a half-blood, but why prince? Knowing how detailed this universe is, I find it hard to believe that the name itself has no purpose. Also, why did Mrs. Weasley have such a problem with Fred and George’s careers? They were smart and ambitious enough to start their own unique business that was already successful before they even left Hogwarts. Any parents should be proud and happy that their kids are financially secure, healthy and happy. How did Mr. Weasley feel about their business endeavors? I know he tried to hide his admiration or them taking the flying car in Chamber of Secrets, but that was only our real hint at his thoughts. I guess they were positive and proud, significantly more so then Mrs. Weasley’s. What did Ginny, Luna and Neville do to get captured by Draco and the Inquisitorial Squad? It just seemed a bit random and was never explained. Was it explained in the books? I mean its the trio that was caught in Umbridge’s office, what were Neville, Luna and Ginny doing? This makes me wish we got to see the “bizarre-o” trio (Neville, Luna, and Ginny)’s friendship more. When does Harry tell Ron and Hermione about the Horcruxes? After DUmbledore’s death when he has to or before? Does he tell anyone else? Ginny? Neville? Lupin, because he pushes him away from the Death Eaters at the wedding and towards Ron and Hermione? So, in Phoenix Fred and George escape Umbridge’s Hogwarts regime in an epic firework-filled way. Why don’t we see them again, like why don’t they help in the Battle at the Department of Mysteries? Where did they go? Back to the Burrow? Did they literally just leave school forever (I wouldn’t put it past these boys)? Were there any consequences, because with the Twins basically being the Marauders’ successors, I can see them being good at avoiding consequences (after all, we never saw them get detentions, but we saw Ron and Harry get detentions). Also, how were the Twins able to afford that shop on Diagon Alley? it’s not like they could ask their parents for money. So, Pettigrew was in the Order of the Phoenix photo with Harry and Neville’s parents, so wouldn’t be able to help Voldemort find their headquarters after they reunited after Voldemort’s return? What about Snape after Half-Blood Prince, when they all thought he betrayed them? Why is the Defense Against the Dark Arts position jinxed? Is it just a running joke or a plot device or is there a specific reason? How did Neville get the gillyweed for Harry? In the previous movie he literally says his biggest fear is Snape and this is before he gains his confidence through the DA, so does he really steal it…? Why does Dumbledore pronounce the Beauxbatons as bow-bat-tons? Was Gambon just not told that that’s wrong? Did JKR ever tell him? How exactly do you become an Anigmigas because it seems very difficult, what with transfiguration being its own class and everything? How exactly does Wizard schooling work? The French school was girls-only, the Bulgarian school was boys-only, but Hogwarts is co-ed. Does it depend on the location? Is there one (or two) school(s) that every witch and/or wizard in each specific country attends? Does homeschooling and foreign exchanging student things exist (besides the Triwizard Tournament thing)? Speaking of the Triwizard Tournament, where did those other schools take classes, because they clearly didn’t combine with the Hogwarts kids? Does the whole school come? Is it always at Hogwarts? Where do they sleep? why are Time-Turners never used again? How old are Snape, Lily and the Marauders supposed to be? Did they get to school at the same time as the Weasley parents, the Malfoy parents and Bellatrix? How long have all of them been at Hogwarts? What were their jobs supposed to be before we meet them in the series timeline besides rich dickheads (Malfoys) felons (Bellatrix and unfortunately Sirius), animals (Peter) teacher by day and double agent by night (Snape) and dead (Potters)? How do they keep track of House Points? Is there something in the magical ether that magically keeps track of these points just by saying “ten points added” or “ten points taken away”? I know England isn’t known for the heat, but do Wizards really have to suffer in the summer by wearing those robes? Is there a cooling spell or something? Also, I get that the Order wanted to use skill, goodness and love to defeat Voldemort, but why didn’t they use Voldemort’s malice and arrogance to their advantage? Hold Slytehrins hostage, but treat them well? Say ambush Death Eaters by purposefully using Voldmeort’s name? Like, come on! Kingsley and Lupin seem to be smarter then that. Snape invented Sectumsempra in school, but it begs the question of how are spells invented or created? If the wand chooses the wizard, then how did it affect Harry when his wand, a wand that literally fought a dragon, a basilisk, Voldemort himself and Snape too, broke? Shouldn’t that have been a bigger deal, especially after Draco’s wand changed allegiance from Draco to Harry? After all, a wand is like a Wizard’s best friend. Like mentally, like the lack of a companion, what’s that like? Especially, with the whole twin core aspect of Harry’s wand connecting with Voldemort in such a unique way that it could actually save him, this should have a much bigger deal. He must have been counting on the protection so much in the battle against Voldemort, and his part in it. Also, if he needed a new wand, and had suddenly found knowledge of an unbeatable wand such as the Elder Wand, then wouldn’t he, like Voldemort (I see the irony of Harry and Voldemort wanting to possess the same wand), search for it endlessly? I know Hermione obligated her parent’s memories, but couldn’t the Death Eaters still track them down, regardless of their memories? My friend said that in the books, Hermione erases their memories and sends them to Australia, but what if they get a clue that Hermione existed? Is there also a spell to make them not care if a clue came up? Why can’t they say Voldemort’s name? Why couldn’t they say it even after he was gone between wars? I get after Goblet it being too dangerous, even with the Ministry’s hysteria, but I still don’t really get it. Is it something magical? Is it like a magical tracking device? It was just really unclear and not explained. It was just the way it was. But then some people said his name, especially in the first through fifth movies, when they were brave enough, mainly Harry, Dumbledore, Hermione and McGonagall. The wand chooses the wizard, right? So, does the wand also decide how powerful to make their wizard? Or is the wand only as powerful as the wizard who uses it? Or is it about the harmony of the right wizard with the right wand making the wizard’s abilities fully actualized? Also, the fact that Draco’s wand switches loyalties to Harry also foreshadows Draco’s arc as a character. Literally, how did no Muggle see a dragon crash through a building in London and fly away and escape from said building? How did the Wizarding World hide that from Muggles? Given the regime, did they even bother? Because of things like this, and the Muggle death that were surely happening, is the British Prime Minister aware of the Wizarding World in order to protect his subjects? Is the Queen? When Snape threatens to send Harry and Ron back home on the train in Chamber, how would that work? Do they have to send an owl to the train conductor or something? Is there even a train conductor or is it just a magical train? Would they seriously send a full train for just two students, especially two known for rebellion, or is it a continuous roundtrip? If it is the latter, then why don’t adults visit their kids then during Hogsmeade trips? What about portkeys or apparition in that regard? How did Luan get back to Hogwarts after escaping Malfoy Manor to Shell Cottage? You can’t apparate to Hogwarts, so did she take the tunnel that the trio takes a few days before them? What if Harry chose Draco’s friendship instead of Ron’s in the first film? Imagine that alternate universe for a second. How does Snape come up with the nickname “Half-Blood Prince”? Does Trelawney know that she made the prophecy about Harry and Voldemort? Is that why she keeps telling him that he’s gonna die? Did Dumbledore have a funeral for that white tomb or only the wand tribute? He’s the headmaster, a wrongly positioned figure of hope and the most powerful wizard of his time, wouldn’t that garner some sort of ceremony? Where is that tomb? That lake island is so odd to me. Do you find out what Snape and Lily are falling out was in the book, I am really curious. So, since Harry went to the Forbidden Forest to die and sacrificed himself, not fighting Voldemort back, did he give everyone he loved and was fighting with him the same love protection his mother gave him (as she was also defenseless when she was killed not dueling back at Voldemort, from the flashbacks shown at least), because no one seemed to die when the battle resumed, including Neville who was pretty powerfully stunned rights it was beginning again (and thank goodness he was okay)? So, Harry was stabbed by the Basilisk fang in the Chamber of Secrets, and since that was also used to kill the diary, aka a Horcrux, why didn’t the Horcrux inside of Harry also die from the venom? When Fawkes healed him, did he also heal the Horcrux, or is that simply a plot hole? In the ending scene of Phoenix, if you look in the background, Padma seemingly bumps into something as she and the other students walk widely around the carriage, are they avoiding the thestrals? is that what Padma bumped into? Once again, I am confused on how thestrals work. Why does Draco call Filch a Squib when he caught him sneaking into the Slug Club? What is a Squib? Was this when Draco poisoned Slughorn’s mead, after seeing him in the Three Broomsticks? Because otherwise I have no idea when he would have done that and like the necklace, we probably had a hint before the mead incident, right? Also with all the stress Draco is under, he wouldn’t merely crash a party, right? Also, why is Draco sneering at Snape when he is caught? Does he know about the Vow Snape made with Narcissa? How does Ron know that you die if you break an Unbreakable Vow? I get he grew up in the Wizarding World, but he is also a kid. Is that Fawkes singing and flying as the trio watches on the Astronomy Tower? How did the Burrow get fixed after Bellatrix burned it at Bill and Fleur’s wedding in Part 1? I find it really hard to believe, knowing the Weasleys, that Charlie wasn’t at Bill and Fleur’s wedding or the Battle of Hogwarts. Was he there in the books, they just didn’t have the time to introduce another less pivotal character at this point in the story? How did the trio get Slytherin robes and uniforms for their first venture with Polyjuice in Chamber? Honestly, I barely noticed that at first, but it’s a good attention to detail for both Hermione and the costume department. Does Hogwarts have a laundry service or is there a laundry spell? Where are the showers at Hogwarts? I’m guessing they are communal. Is it just me, or does Polyjuice Potion reminds you of that gross drink you have right before a colonoscopy? Why does Polyjuice have to bubble during the transformation? That’s a terrible sight and I would imagine a horrible feeling too, like it looks like they are about to explode. Also, if Dumbledore knows Lupin is a werewolf and he hires him as the DADA teacher knowing it’s cursed, does that mean he set up Lupin to be outed as a werewolf? He’s such a manipulator! That’s so cruel. Lupin doesn’t deserve that. Why can’t Voldemort grasp the idea of love? We learn about his backstory, but not that aspect of it? Was he conceived in a loveless way, like assault or something? I hope not, because this is a children’s story at its core. So, if Voldemort feared death so much that he made himself immortal by making Horcruxes, then why would he mercilessly kill anyone who crossed him, if it was such a weak thing in his eyes? Why did he kill Charity Burbage, order Dumbledore’s death like a mobster and kill Snape and not simply imprison them if he thought so little of death? What kind of person would Tom riddle be if he did have love in his heart? Would be more like Snape, who is cold, or Harry, who is warm? Voldemort could have been a powerful wizard either way, honestly. Did Voldemort ever actually trust his followers? Like seriously, how much did he trust Snape, Lucius and Bellatrix? Who made those “Potter Stinks” badges? Cedric’s friends? Draco? How long had Dursleys House been being sent Hogwarts letters for Harry, because Hermione early had enough time to learn about magic prior to getting on the Hogwarts Express, while Harry just got his books the night before he boarded the train? What happened to Hermione’s parents after the Battle of Hogwarts? Did she ever return their memories? How could she, because Lockhart’s memories, based on that post-credits scene, could never get them back, but was that because of Ron’s wand being broken? If Hemrioen did restore the memories, how long did she wait? I hope they weren’t blindsided by grandchildren or something, even though it would be a pleasant surprise I am sure. I hope they remember both their time obliviated and Hermioen herself because I am sure even their obliviated selves had good memories they won’t want to forget. Could they even tell something was missing? By those awkwardly framed or empty photographs now without Hemrioen in them or her bedroom? Did Draco go back to Hogwarts in Hallows, since he was at Malfoy Manor throughout Part 1, it doesn’t seem like it. Also, it would make more sense as he wouldn’t know what the Carrows would be teaching and therefore how reckless and powerful his friends, specifically Goyle, have gotten, hence not realizing he would send a Killing Curse at the trio or burn down the Room of Requirement. Also, I know Hermione adores school and studying as she adored it so much that she was eager and gutsy enough to ask for the privilege of a double workload, but wouldn’t her double workload in Azkaban due to the Time Turner cause her so much emotional exhaustion and mental distress? Did she also use it to give herself more time to study? Like, didn’t she have a lot of emotional weight on her, especially as a teenager? Honestly, how did Harry and Ron both not notice except for just class time? Wouldn’t that stress also impact her friendships with Harry, Ron and even hagrid and the Buckbeak situation and leave them strained or in a strange place? I get that she’s resilient, eager, emotionally mature and tough, but she’s also human and a kid. She is not a perfect person, she has weaknesses and flaws. Also, even for a fanatics film, I find that hard to believe. The only time we really saw her lash out was when she punched Draco, but that was more (seemingly) because he used his dad’s status to get Buckbeak executed, not because of her stress. What happened with Percy after Phoenix, because he was with Fudge when he finally saw Voldemort? Did he realize that his loyalties were wrong because he suddenly and randomly shows up to the Battle of Hogwarts as if nothing happened, and wasn’t ever in the Order or even at Bill and Fleur’s wedding, from what we’ve seen? So, when did Percy make up with his family? How is Greyback still a partially personified werewolf, but not Lupin? Is it a choice? Does cruelty make him so scratched up that he began to look like a werewolf? In the Chamber dueling scene between Harry and Draco, how do these 12-year-olds already know such intense, violent spells? I doubt they learned them from Quirrell with his shy stuttering persona, and Snape only demonstrated Expelliarmus. Especially the serpentsortia spell, how does Draco know such a dangerous spell? His dad thinks Draco’s a loser, so I doubt he taught him that. So, what happened to the Weasleys after Bill and Fleur’s wedding? Were they put into hiding? How was Ginny able to go to Hogwarts anyway that year? So, since the trio immediately starts to hunt Horcruxes after the wedding, was that always the plan do they get forced into starting it early because Hermione clearly had a gut feeling something would happen, as she “had the essentials packed for days”? So, did they just want one last hurrah at the wedding then they were off, but the Death Eaters slightly sped up that timeline? Then how did Hermione get her beaded bag? So, the Seven Potters ordeal was meant to transport Harry for the wedding, but since he no longer had the trace on him, why couldn’t he just apparate? Moody’s life could have been spared. Does Harry know how to apparate or only Hermione? Wasn’t Ron leaving in Part 1 kind of dumb, not just immature, since he is a known “blood traitor” and associate of Harry, which means he was also wanted and could be used as bait? How big are Platform Nine and Three Quarters? Is it the whole train station or just a single platform with Platform Nine and Three Quarters is the only entryway? Are other wizard trains used there? Can they see Muggles through it? Were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley in the OG Order of the Phoenix, because they weren’t in that OG photo? So, were they friendly with Harry’s parents? If so, why don’t they ever talk about them with Harry? Did they even find Moody’s body after he fell from the air in the Seven Potters ordeal? Did they ever have a funeral for him? Or Sirius? Or Tonks? Or Lupin? Or Fred? Or Snape? Or even Dumbledore? How the hell did Pettigrew find Voldmoert and therefore help him return to full power? How did Harry get into the Headmaster’s office in Part 2 if it was Snape’s then and he didn’t know the password? Also, all the portraits are empty now, and seemingly so is Dumbledore’s, which was sleeping in Prince, so where are all they? Watching the battle like the other portraits? Wait, if Dumbledore had a portrait after his death, was he STILL puppet-mastering Snape through that? Did portrait Dumbledore know his and Snape’s plan? Besides that graveyard being where Tom Riddle Sr. is buried, what is the significance of that mansion Wormtail, Nagini and cripple Voldemort are hiding out at? Also, is it just me, or is that Muggle caretaker supposed to foreshadow Cedric’s death, not just show Voldemort’s ruthlessness, because both the Muggle caretaker and Cedric die the same way, by Wormtail on orders from Voldemort? Also, why did Dumbledore come down when Buckbeak was about to get executed? I get that future Dumbledore told Harry and Hermione to use the Time Turner, but still, he seems rather casual about Buckbeak not being at the pumpkin patch anymore, and he’s a massive manipulator, so I find the fact that he was clueless at that moment hard to believe. I think this was all a well-orchestrated plan, 12 years in the making with Sirius in prison all that time and Dumbledore no doubt knowing he was innocent. Also, Hermione and Ron never really make up for their fight about Crookshansk and Scabbers in Azkaban, they just kind of moved on from it, as true friends do, but we all know there was something else going on underneath. I wish e saw more of a reconciliation because all we saw was Ron choosing to bicker more with Hermione rather than apologize then Ron is in the hospital while Hermione and Harry save the day, then the next day they are sitting with Harry’s new firebolt. I’m guessing this is more fleshed out in the book? Had Ron ever actually driven that Ford Anglia before? Had the Twins? Did Mr. Weasley teach them? If he is a pureblood, and therefore grew up in Wizarding Word, then how did he learn how to drive anyway too? What is a prefect? Why does it make Percy such an asshole? Why does Half-Blood Prince start right after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries when Phoenix ends with the students walking to the Hogwarts Express? That’s a rather odd choice. What exactly is that cringy and painful voiceover thing that puts so much physical pressure on the characters’ bodies and minds in the finale that Voldmeort does? Is the fact the spiders don’t dare to speak the Basilisk’s name, or tell Harry specifically what the creature is, suppose to parallel how wizards don’t dare to speak Voldemort’s name? Was it supposed to be a hint that he is the Heir of Slytherin and that Tom Riddle, who Harry saw confront Hagrid, was somehow related to Voldemort? How did the Weasleys fit all their trunks and all the kids in the Ford Anglia in Chamber? The same charm as the tent from Goblet and Part 1? Wait, was that the same tent, just without all the decor, and a smaller enlargement charm in Part 1? So, was the Horcrux that Ron destroyed in Part 1, the one that taunted him with a making out Harry and Hermione, behaving similar to a Boggart? I know Ron’s Boggart in Azkaban was a spider, which makes sense for younger Ron., but he isn’t that same boy anymore. Can’t Boggarts change? So wouldn’t Boggart now be Hermione being in love with someone else, especially if that other person is Harry? That’s his biggest insecurity. Wouldn’t that also be his biggest fear too, because that also seems to be why he left Hermione and Harry during their Horcrux hunt, right? How did Sirius escape from Azkaban? Was it because of his animigas? Do Dementors not sense animals like they do humans? They guard Azkaban, so is that how Sirius managed to escape? Did he become an animigas during his time in Azkaban then? If so, he is very smart, especially since not prisoner before him seemed to have figured that out. The concept of underage magic is so funny to me and also makes no sense. If there are so many people so prejudiced about magic, then are they restricting the next generation, especially if they grew up in the Wizarding World? It’s all very confusing and every time the phrase “underage magic” was uttered I let out a chuckle. Although, the actors did portray that ridiculous idea and the stakes of it very well. Why does Harry use magic to practice the Lumos Maxima spell (which honestly serves no point because it’s not like he uses that spell when he confronts Sirius, Wormtail or the Dementor) in the opening scene of Azkaban if underage magic is illegal outside of school, even for practice sake? After all, how can they tell if the students are using it for educational practice or for personal gain? Also, the trace they talk about in Part 1 has to do with this underage magic law, correct? How does the trace work? Is it like a chip they get implanted or something when they start going to Hogwarts? Is there a charm that can for magical reasons only be used on somebody “of age” to remove the trace? I am so confused. How does Draco already know about the Weasleys in the first film? Was it because of hearing about his dad making fun of their poverty and allegiance to Muggles or did Draco and Ron grow up together, like in Wizard pre-school or something (is that a thing?), Because Draco made fun of Ron and his Weasley-ness during their first meeting in the movies, and Ron would also be the one to tell the other Harry and Hermione that Draco wasn’t “worth it,” like with Hermione when she has her wand to Draco’s throat in Azkaban right before she punches him and holds Harry back from tackling Draco when they get off the train in Phoenix. Is this why, because they are both kids who grew up as wizards, unlike Harry and Hermione who are both new to the Wizarding World, having grown up in the Muggle world? Who do the Snatchers work for, the Ministry or Voldemort? I mean, I guess by Hallows, they are the same thing. Was Harry only almost chosen for Slytherin because of all being one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes, because his parents were both Gryffindors and Harry seems like the ultimate Gryffindor to me? Is that what they are hinting at in Chamber when they say that the only reason Harry doesn’t get Slytherin is that he asked? If so, then did Sirius do the same thing during his Sorting ceremony, because he didn’t want to follow in his family’s Slytherin footsteps? When Draco introduced himself to Harry in the first film, did he know that his parents are allies with the person who killed his parents? Like did Lucius tell him to become Harry’s friend, because as much the soap opera fan in me loves conflict and drama, Harry has enough going on that he doesn’t need that betrayal of friendship under false pretenses. Thank goodness Harry chose Ron, because at least his animosity with Draco, which stems from this rejection of friendship in the first film, is consistent throughout the whole series and just makes more sense as the series goes on. Harry didn’t need this betrayal on top of everything (Dumbledore has that cover later on). Are Crabbe and Goyle actually friends with Draco, or they scared on him just like how Lucius is scared of Voldemort? Oh, the irony if that is true. What ever happened to Grimmauld Place after the finale? What happened to the Potters original home? Did it stay how it was, like a historical landmark (because it is)? Like Anne Frank’s house or something? Or did Harry buy it and rebuild it? Or did he ever visit it again, maybe with his kids? If not his original home, did he move into Sirius’ place Grimmauld place? Or did Ginny inherit the Burrow? Or did Hermione and Ron? Or did another Weasley? How did Snape A) find Harry in the Forest of Dean B) send such a long-acting Patronus to him that found him and guided him to the Sword of Gryffindor and C) not reveal himself to Harry or Voldemort as doing this while he was Voldemort’s eyes at Hogwarts was incredibly risky? With or without Horcruxes, if the Heir of Slytherin looks into the Basilisk’s eyes, will he die? Or because they are the only ones who can control it, they wouldn’t. Why can Ron speak Parseltongue in the finale film to open the Chamber when he isn’t a Parselmouth? He said it was because of Harry, but if you can simply learn Parseltongue, wouldn’t many people be able to speak it? Also, can Harry still speak Parseltongue after Voldemort killed the Horcrux inside him or not? When Harry has his Hippogriff lesson with Hagrid and Harry and Luna talk and interact with the Thestrals, both those scenes are in the forest during the day. Is it the Forbidden Forest, or a different forest? Is there a different first? There must be because the Death Eaters walk through the castle and than through a forest after killing Dumbledore to Hagrid’s Hut, which is on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. How did they all ride Thestrals in Phoenix to the Ministry in London and in Part 1 from Privet Drive to the Burrow if they can’t see them? Only Harry and maybe a few others can. A spell, to make unseen things seen, like in Narnia? How and when did Mr. and Mrs. Weasley join the Order, because they aren’t in the OG Order photograph? Did Neville ever find out that the prophecy was also/almost about him? In Part 2, when the trio returns to Hogwarts, where are they? That doesn’t look like the Gryffindor or Ravenclaw common rooms, and those are really the only students there. It’s gray and rugged and filled with hammocks all the way up to the ceiling. Wait, if they did start the DA up again, as I hope, is it the Room of Requirement? Also, where was that tunnel Neville used? How did Ariana’s portrait do that? Are portraits another form of travel even if you aren’t in a painting, especially for semi-close locations? Or am I right and it was the Room of Requirement and it built a secret passageway using the portraits? Does that mean Ariana has a Portrait in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts? If those kids are in the Room of Requirement, then does that mean when the fire goes off in the hiding part of the Room of Requirement from Crabbe’s wand, it burns all of their belongings too? Or is the hiding part of the room the only room that’s destroyed? Did Hermione ever un-obliviate her parents’ memories? I know this is an awful thing to think about, but if Hermione did die in Hallows after obliviating her parent’s memories, would her parents have no chance of ever remembering their daughter because she would be the only one able to give them their memories back? Or is it like compulsion in The Vampire Diaries, when the person dies, the memories come back to the people they obliviated? Harry used two out of the three Unforgivable Curses throughout the series, the Cruciatus Curse and the Imperius Curse. However, despite Moody Crouch saying that any one of those curses earns you a one-way ticket to Azkaban, Harry doesn’t go to Azkaban for using them. Is it because he was using them for the greater good, because I assume like Aurors would (like police using force in a high-stakes situation. So are Aurors like wizard police?) be able to use them during high staked situations? Did Hermione, Harry and Ron ever go back to Hogwarts to complete their degrees or whatever? How did Luna get back to Hogwarts to reunite with Harry there after escaping from Malfoy Manor to Sheel Cottage? How the hell did Fleur and Bill meet? Was Fleur and Bill’s wedding Harry’s first wedding? Based on how Harry’s life at the Dursleys consisted of him being like “I’ll be in my bedroom, making no noise, and pretending I don’t exist (LOL relatable but in a not neglectful way. More in a self-induced way),” I’m guessing it was. How exactly does the whole “traveling between portraits” thing work? Like when Dumbledore tells that portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black to go to Grimmauld Place in Phoenix, how does he get there? Doesn’t it make more sense for Dementors to be called Death Eaters, what with their whole “Dementor’s Kiss” soul-sucking business, and vice-versa, since the Death Eaters are truly demented human beings and don’t actually eat death? How did Bellatrix end up with a fake Gryffindor sword in her Gringotts vault? The only theory that I can think of is that Snape was ordered by Voldemort to steal it from Dumbledore, but Snape, being a double agent, fashioned a fake one and Voldemort told Bellatrix to hide it with the Horcrux, which is extremely dumb if you I say so myself (why would he hide the thing that kills Horcruxes with a Horcrux?). Is this somewhat correct? If Harry found the Sword of Gryffindor after seeing the Deer Patronus (which was sent by Snape as we find out in the final movie), does that mean that the real sword was sent by Snape, further proving this theory? Speaking of that scene, was the Horcrux choking Harry because it didn’t want it to get the sword because it could sense that it is the thing that would kill it? So does that mean, like wands, Horcruxes also have feelings, just dark ones given that they are a kind of Dark Art? How did Harry know he had to speak Parseltongue to the locket to destroy it? Was it because to enter the Chamber of Secrets, he had to speak Parseltongue, and since that’s where he destroyed the diary, which he mentioned in the scene that whatever was in Tom Riddle’s diary tried to kill him. Did he just assume because of all of that he needs to speak Parseltongue? He assumed right, but still, why couldn’t he just, open it, like he did with the fake locket? What if that was the real one? Also, If so, why was Harry, who is pretty resourceful and smart, dumb enough to leave it on while polar plunging for the thing that destroys it? To quote Ron: “are you mental?” Like I get he didn’t want to lose it or for it to fall in, but couldn’t he have just hidden it or something? How did Harry survive Avada Kedavra? His mom’s love protection? If Parseltongue exists, are there other secret languages that involve talking to animals? Does Hagrid have one of them? Is that why he thinks dragons are “misunderstood creatures”? Okay, this might be a bit nit-picky, but Hogwarts is called “Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” but what exactly is the difference between witchcraft and wizardry? Is it just the gender of the person, so it was just saying that Hogwarts was a co-ed school unlike Durmstrung and Beauxbaton? It seems that “wizard” is a catch-all term for witches and wizards, so why are both wizard and witch in the school’s official title? It sounds cooler and more prestigious, but it’s not exactly simple. Is Lupin supposed to be poor because of his ostracized werewolf status, and his rough-and-tough robes? Was Aberforth in the Order? What was his and Albus’ relationship like? Based on what I know about Albus Dumbledore, he was probably a crappy brother to Aberforth. If Hrry’s parents didn’t die, would he have had siblings? I’m guessing James was an only child because Harry would have surely gone with his Wizarding relatives or literally any relatives other then the Dursleys? What about his paternal and maternal grandparents? Literally, just why the Dursleys? Did any of the teachers get in trouble for voting their opinions against the Death Eaters when they took over Hogwarts? If any of them would, I’m guessing it is Hagrid because he is not the most socially intelligent, but very loyal to Harry and Dumbledore. McGonagall would also be a little sassy about it, but Snape knows he needs her, especially as a double agent. We never actually saw a funeral, so what are the Wizarding traditions? They clearly have tombs, but do they have tombstones? What are the Wizarding holidays and Christmas traditions, honestly besides using magic for decorum, i still looks like Muggle Christmas to me. How did Ravenclaw’s diadem become lost? If the Gray Lady, her daughter, knows where it is, then she must have been the one to make it lost right? Did she hide it or steal it? Why would she ever tell Tom Riddle (also LOL at her calling Tom’s name stranger, honey it only gets stranger)? How does the Fat Lady go into a different portrait in Azkaban? Why is there a ghost student taking a test when the trio runs in to see McGonagall in the first film? That was so distracting and confusing in such a hectic scene. So, if Aruthur Weasley works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department and he’s a hobby of magically enhancing Muggle artifacts, isn’t eh participating in the same crime his job attempts to prohibit? Obviously, it’s in a less effed way the Lucius, who pretends to be a stand-up Ministry official when he is actually a Death Eater, but it’s still lying. Are the Weasleyskids just good liars because most young kids have no filter? Also, if they are already poor, why would Mr. Weasley risk it? Even if it’s a smaller crime in the big scheme of things, could it get him sent to Azkaban if he is caught? And how is Molly Weasley okay with this? She seems to be a rule stickler, which is probably where Percy gets it from and why she treats Hermione like a daughter. Did Hermione and Harry ever tell Ron about the Time Turner? How exactly do Time-Turners work? Why are they never used again, to save Sirius again? To save Harry’s parents and Dumbledore (ew) and Snape and Fred and Lupin and Cedric? Can they only be used for certain things and to fix certain events, not including deaths? I understand that Hermione is a rule follower, and probably had to vow to Dumbledore and Mcgonagall that she would only use it to get to her extra classes, as the overly-ambitious, curious, excited student she is, and only used it to save Sirius and Buckbeak because Dumbledore told her too, giving her permission to use it for something other then taking two classes at the same time. But the begs the question, why wouldn’t Dumbledore use it to undue Harry’s parents deaths, Voldemort’s rise to power or tell Snape to use it to ressurrect his selfish ass? Sirius claimed to resent his family’s deranged superiority complex, and get he acts that way towards Kreacher, who, granted, is just as nasty as the Black family, but is also an enslaved House Elf, similar to a prisoner which Sirius of all people should have empathy for. It does seem a little hypocritical though, right? I know animals don’t talk in this magical universe, unlike Narnia, but do animals in the magical world sense each other and others? Like Crookshanks hated Scabbers, which is just the way the animal kingdom works, but is their a chance that Crookshanks could sense that Scabbers was actually the anigmias form of a human, and that’s why Crookshanks didn’t like him? How exactly do animigas work? Do people need to be taught how to turn into an animal? Do you need a license? Do you get to pick which animal, because Pettigrew as a rat, McGonagall as a cat (she’s an animigas right? Or is it because she’s the Transfiguration teacher, she just has a superior talent at turning herself into animals, her favorite being a cat?) and Sirius as a dog are too perfect? Why does a radio work at Hogwarts and in the Wizarding World in the Deathly Hallows, but no other technology works in the Wizarding World or at Hogwarts? We never even see anyone talk on the phone or talk about the Internet, which did exist in the 90s. So, if McGonagall, being Head of Gryffindor house, was teaching the Gryffindors how to dance for the Yule ball, that means that Sprout, Flitwick and of course, Snape were doing the same things with their Houses. I would literally PAY to see Alan Rickman play Snape teaching the Slytherin’s how to dance. Like imagine him using Pansy Parkinson in the same way McGonagall uses Ron (also Rupert Grint has bragging rights for life for having danced with THE Maggie Smith. What an honor!). Wasn’t it kind of dumb for the trio, and Hermione Polyjuiced as Bellatrix to use Bellatrix’s real wand in Part 2, when surely the ordeal at Malfoy Manor and the fact that they stole Bellatrix’s wand would have been making the rounds in the now officially corrupt Daily Prophet, inevitably revealing that this Bellatrix is an imposter (also, did Hermione, Ron and Harry ever take a moment to realize that they held the wand that tortured Neville’s parents and killed Sirius? Like that’s insane! And it’s honestly very odd and disturbingly satisfying in how full circle that fact is)? Is that why Harry used the Imperius Curse on the goblin, correct? His first time using an Unforgivable Curse and actually having it and wanting it to work (unlike when he tried the Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix after she killed Sirius in Phoenix and it didn’t work (also, LOL at the full circle of it all with Hagrid said in the first movie the first time Harry ever went to Gringotts how the Wizard bank is the safest place other then Hogwarts and in this film he broke into both as a fugitive, and both being extremely well-protected wizard locations)? Speaking of the Malfoy Manor incident, what exactly was Bellatrix and the Malfoys’ punishment, because you know there was one? If the trio saved Ollivander, the series’ wandmaker, in Hallows, then why couldn’t he fashion Harry, who broke his wand, a new wand as a thank you? Aren’t they made on wood and things found in nature anyway, and that kind of stuff was all about Bill and Fleur’s cottage. This also begs the question, hwo exactly are wands made? Nature and a enchantment, or just having the wizard channel their magic into nature, just in a different way then Bonnie on Vampire Diaries? I am confused, is Hagrid in the Order or not? Because he’s in that photo, and he helps transfer Harry during the Seven Potters ordeal, but he wasn’t at the meeting at Grimmauld Place in Order of the Phoenix. I get that he was with the giants and that he probably wouldn’t fit inside due to its narrow set design of it being crammed in between two buildings, but even Snape and Lupin made it and they are a professor and a werewolf. Also, is Snape in the Order? Is that why they had to switch to the Burrow and left Grimmauld Place abandoned after Dumbledore’s death? Also, why was Snape so disgusted by Harry and Sirius hugging at the Order’s headquarters in that flashback sequence when, from the expandable ears bit (which was so realistic, for kids to eavesdrop on the adults) we could hear Snape’s very distinctive voice. It was kind of confusing. Also, why wasn’t the engorgement charm used on the tent in Goblet of Fire used on Grimmauld Place? However, that’s more of a set design consistency issue. Speaking of the flashback sequence in the Order of the Phoenix, what exactly was Snape doing to Harry? I get that it was because of his mind’s connection to Voldemort but what was it and why was it so invasive and brutal? Was it mind reading? Did it have to do with his vow to protect Harry and deceive Voldemort? At least, this mind-reading situation helped Harry realize both Snape and, especially, his father weren’t perfect and that world is not black and white, but gray and complex, however, this hurts even more after Harry watches Snape kill Dumbledore in the following movie and not learn the truth of Snape’s efforts to protect him until after Snape’s death. How could Harry go to Hogsmeade in the later movies without his permission slip (why does a Wizarding school have a permission slip? that’s so Muggle of them)? off screen, does Sirius or the Dursleys ever sign it? Does Harry use his privilege and fame (a rarity for Harry) to get special permission from Dumbledore? What exactly is Fred and George’s age? Also, why didn’t Mr. and Mrs. Weasley come to Hogwarts when Ginny and Ron got hurt in the Chamber of Secrets and poisoned in Half-Blood Prince (also, can we talk about how Harry saved Ginny, Arthur AND Ron? and how the Chamber of Secrets brought both Ginny and Harry AND Ron and Hermione together? Harry really is a Weasley at heart)? I mean those are their children? Could they just not afford it? Even with Floo Powder and all the other magical mods of transportation? How do Thestrals work? How could Hermione and the rest of them ride them to the Ministry despite not being able to see them in the beginning of the film? Did they just fly on top of midair? Is there a spell to make them visible to someone who hasn’t seen someone die (that’s such a sad idea, only being able to see a creature after being traumatized)? What’s on Ginny’s shoulder on the Hogwarts Express in Half-Blood Prince? Is butterbeer really beer? If so, what’s the drinking age in the Wizarding World? Why did Snape fancy the Dark Arts so much? Because he was supposed to be a double agent? Because he was a Death Eater? Why, exactly, did he finally get it in Half-Blood Prince? Also, how did Snape find out the prophecy (when we find out the Pensieve sequence in the final film)? Did Voldemort tell him? Also, if Harry really believed Snape betrayed Dumbledore, then why did he act so mercifully while Snape was dying? I get that he’s “the good guy,” but he’s also the loyal guy. I mean, it was a great scene, but still. Also, we literally saw Fred get disarmed, then it cut to Mrs. Weasley listening to that creepy and cringy Voldemort voiceover and then the next time we see Fred, he’s dead. Was he killed right in front of Mrs. Weasley? That is unspeakably cruel! They both deserved better! Did Lavender and Pavarti die? Did Padma live? Am I confusing them for other characters? What year was Cedric in? Was he in the Twins year? How does the character of Greyback work? How is he always in werewolf form? Is that a choice because of his viciousness? Also, how is he a Death Eater? It seemed like most creatures, other then trolls (who were established as very dumb back in Stone) were on the Death Eaters’ side. Is Malfoy Manor basically “Death Eater Headquarters” in Part 1? Why does Ginny suggest the Shrieking Shack in Phoenix if it’s supposedly the most haunted building in not just the British Wizarding World, but in all of Britian (so it seems)? Obviously, Harry Ron and Hermione know it’s not as scary as it’s rumored to be after Azkaban, but does Ginny know about all of that? Why isn’t Harry’s eyesight ever fixed by magic? Instead, Hermione always just fix his glasses. I get it’s his signature look, but still. How exactly do you get a portrait or painting at Hogwarts? Do only Headmasters get them? Do only dead people get them? What about the Fat Lady (also, between this title and Aunt Marge, why so much fatphobia I guess shouldn’t be surprised with these being written by You-Know-Who)? What happened to Buckbeak after he escaped with Sirius? We literally never saw him again after that whole ordeal. Did he live a happy life? Did he see Hagrid again? Does Dumbledore literally have a Griffin-door to his office? That’s definitely not that subtle. And he’s supposed to be the unbiased headmaster, LOL. Why does Voldemort have bare feet in Goblet of Fire? Did Wormtails seriously not think to bring his Master shoes? I never wanted to see Voldemort’s feet. The idea of it is so weird that Voldemort has feet because of his snake-like appearance. I would have felt better if he kept that illusion of floating under his raggedy black cloak up. It’s more eerie. How are magical plants bread or whatever? How the hell did Expelliarimus manage to block Avada Kedavra? I know Dumbledore said it was because of their twin wands, but seriously? And how did Cedric, that guy Voldemort killed at the beginning of the movie that was hardly ever talked about, and Harry’s parents appear out of their wands like ghosts during that scene? Which one was the Priori Incantaum that Dumbledore talked about? I tried googling it, but I was so confused. Nymphadora looks like she literally just graduated Hogwarts in the Order of the Phoenix and then suddenly she’s dating Lupin, who looks like he could literally be her father? When and how did they start dating? How old is she? Also, does Hogwarts even have a graduation? Did Harry, Ron, Hermione and everyone else get the opportunity to go back and finish their degrees if they so desired? Did Fred, George and Percy? Speaking of, did Fred and George apparate in Order of the Phoenix? I am so confused about how apparition works. When it is even thought? We never saw them learn it or even talk about learning it, or what it is exactly, they just suddenly could do it. Because after Harry apparated with Dumbledore for the first time in Half-Blood Prince, they could suddenly apparate in the Deathly Hallows. If both the Weasleys and the Malfoys are pure-blood families, then why is one very poor and the other very rich? Does the pure blood status instantly mean wealth status like with the Malfoys and the Blacks? Is it a choice? I would like some clarification. Also, I did like how the Weasleys showed that not all pureblood families are extremists like the Malfoys, Blacks and Lestranges and raise their kids to be that way. The Weasleys let their kids make their own choices (Percy), unlike the Blacks, who disowned Sirius for believing differently. Why did Harry’s Expelliarmus charm throw Snape back like that in the Azkaban Shrieking Shack scene, when in all the other films, anytime Harry or someone else uses that spell, it simply just disarms their opponent? So, because swords also exist in this universe and are important to wizards (i.e. the Sword of Gryfinndor), then why in Chamber is dueling only with wands, when for viewers, when I hear dueling I think of swords like in fencing or guns like in Bridgerton? So, in the Wizarding World, is dueling just with wands, not a sword? Are swords for something else? I get that a wand is the ultimate tool for a wizard, but if this is true it’s also their ultimate shield and weapon. Was James Potter pureblood? Did Harry really not have grandparents to stay with like Neville? It’s a miracle Harry turned out so good after how the Dursleys treated him and all the turmoil he went through. He’s strong and resilient as hell. That’s so inspiring (I can relate). Most people would be so bitter after having overcome so much adversity, but Harry’s resilience and hopefulness for the future is truly inspiring. I also thought the tape on Harry’s glasses in the first movie was so funny because are we really supposed to believe that the Dursleys would take the time to take him to the eye doctor? Did nobody notice when Hermione and Ron didn’t show up to Hogwarts, especially with Ginny going and them being Harry’s best friends? Why were there no consequences for this? Did Hermione ever see her parents again and un-obliviate their memories? Why didn’t the picture of young Dumbledore and Jamie Campbell Bower’s (god, this guy’s career is enviable? First Harry Potter and Twilight, which are two huge movie franchises with fanbases that are still very dedicated to this day, and now, soon, Stranger Things, as well. It’s just incredible. Most actors can’t say they were in one high-grossing movie, yet alone three high-grossing franchises) young Grindelwald move like all the other pictures in the Wizarding World? What the hell were those creatures in Half-Blood Prince that come after Harry and Dumbledore from the lake inside the cave? Also, why would they apparate to the rock island miles away from the cave and not just the cave itself? For a cinematic quality, but ntohing else? Did Neville and Luna end up together because that was hinted at in the finale? So, since there seem to be multiple kinds of dueling spells and repairing spells, do spells come in and out of popularity like fashion trends because so many of these spells are so similar? That would make sense because in the real world, there are different social media and security trends too and this seems like the Wizarding World equivalent. Did Dumbledore ever have a funeral? Because of the veil, was Sirius’ body ever retrieved? Did Harry’s parents get a funeral? Did Cedric? Did Snape? Snape deserved a funeral more than anyone who died in this series for all his sacrifices. Did Mrs. Weasley literally just not care that Harry, Hermione and especially Ron just casually dropped out of Hogwarts to go on the run and hunt for Horcruxes? Did she even know that was what they were doing? Did any of the Order members? Did they know how dangerous it really was? I mean Hermione oblivated her parents’ memories and Harry obviously has a lot going on, but Ginny went back, so why wasn’t it a bigger deal that Ron didn’t, especially with how much she heckled Fred and George about their choice of job? Also, why did Mrs. Weasley have such a problem with Fred and George’s careers? They were smart and ambitious enough to start their own unique business that was already successful before they even left Hogwarts. Any parents should be proud and happy that their kids are financially secure, healthy and happy. How did Mr. Weasley feel about their business endeavors? I know he tried to hide his admiration or them taking the flying car in Chamber of Secrets, but that was only our real hint at his thoughts. I guess they were positive and proud, significantly more so then Mrs. Weasley’s. So, Pettigrew was in the Order of the Phoenix photo with Harry and Neville’s parents, so wouldn’t be able to help Voldemort find their headquarters after they reunited after Voldemort’s return? What about Snape after Half-Blood Prince, when they all thought he betrayed them? Why is the Defense Against the Dark Arts position jinxed? Is it just a running joke or a plot device or is there a specific reason? How exactly does Wizard schooling work? The French school was girls-only, the Bulgarian school was boys-only, but Hogwarts is co-ed. Does it depend on the location? Is there one (or two) school(s) that every witch and/or wizard in each specific country attends? Does homeschooling and foreign exchanging student things exist (besides the Triwizard Tournament thing)? Speaking of the Triwizard Tournament, where did those other schools take classes, because they clearly didn’t combine with the Hogwarts kids? Does the whole school come? Is it always at Hogwarts? Where do they sleep? I know England isn’t known for the heat, but do Wizards really have to suffer in the summer by wearing those robes? Is there a cooling spell or something? Snape invented Sectumsempra in school, but it begs the question of how are spells invented or created? If the wand chooses the wizard, then how did it affect Harry when his wand, a wand that literally fought a dragon, a basilisk, Voldemort himself and Snape too, broke? Shouldn’t that have been a bigger deal, especially after Draco’s wand changed allegiance from Draco to Harry? After all, a wand is like a Wizard’s best friend. Like mentally, like the lack of a companion, what’s that like? Especially, with the whole twin core aspect of Harry’s wand connecting with Voldemort in such a unique way that it could actually save him, this should have a much bigger deal. He must have been counting on the protection so much in the battle against Voldemort, and his part in it. Also, if he needed a new wand, and had suddenly found knowledge of an unbeatable wand such as the Elder Wand, then wouldn’t he, like Voldemort (I see the irony of Harry and Voldemort wanting to possess the same wand), search for it endlessly? I know Hermione obligated her parent’s memories, but couldn’t the Death Eaters still track them down, regardless of their memories? My friend said that in the books, Hermione erases their memories and sends them to Australia, but what if they get a clue that Hermione existed? Is there also a spell to make them not care if a clue came up? Why can’t they say Voldemort’s name? Why couldn’t they say it even after he was gone between wars? I get after Goblet it being too dangerous, even with the Ministry’s hysteria, but I still don’t really get it. Is it something magical? Is it like a magical tracking device? It was just really unclear and not explained. It was just the way it was. But then some people said his name, especially in the first through fifth movies, when they were brave enough, mainly Harry, Dumbledore, Hermione and McGonagall. The wand chooses the wizard, right? So, does the wand also decide how powerful to make their wizard? Or is the wand only as powerful as the wizard who uses it? Or is it about the harmony of the right wizard with the right wand making the wizard’s abilities fully actualized? Also, the fact that Draco’s wand switches loyalties to Harry also foreshadows Draco’s arc as a character. Literally, how did no Muggle see a dragon crash through a building in London and fly away and escape from said building? How did the Wizarding World hide that from Muggles? Given the regime, did they even bother? Because of things like this, and the Muggle death that were surely happening, is the British Prime Minister aware of the Wizarding World in order to protect his subjects? Is the Queen? So, was the Horcrux that Ron destroyed in Part 1, the one that taunted him with a making out Harry and Hermione, behaving similar to a Boggart? I know Ron’s Boggart in Azkaban was a spider, which makes sense for younger Ron., but he isn’t that same boy anymore. Can’t Boggarts change? So wouldn’t Boggart now be Hermione being in love with someone else, especially if that other person is Harry? That’s his biggest insecurity. Wouldn’t that also be his biggest fear too, because that also seems to be why he left Hermione and Harry during their Horcrux hunt, right? How did Sirius escape from Azkaban? Was it because of his animigas? Do Dementors not sense animals like they do humans? They guard Azkaban, so is that how Sirius managed to escape? Did he become an animigas during his time in Azkaban then? If so, he is very smart, especially since not prisoner before him seemed to have figured that out. The concept of underage magic is so funny to me and also makes no sense. If there are so many people so prejudiced about magic, then are they restricting the next generation, especially if they grew up in the Wizarding World? It’s all very confusing and every time the phrase “underage magic” was uttered I let out a chuckle. Although, the actors did portray that ridiculous idea and the stakes of it very well. Also, LOL at how underage wizards aren’t just allowed to do magic outside of school, but also how there are some bars their not allowed in, like in Azkaban. How does Draco already know about the Weasleys in the first film? Was it because of hearing about his dad making fun of their poverty and allegiance to Muggles or did Draco and Ron grow up together, like in Wizard pre-school or something (is that a thing?), Because Draco made fun of Ron and his Weasley-ness during their first meeting in the movies, and Ron would also be the one to tell the other Harry and Hermione that Draco wasn’t “worth it,” like with Hermione when she has her wand to Draco’s throat in Azkaban right before she punches him and holds Harry back from tackling Draco when they get off the train in Phoenix. Is this why, because they are both kids who grew up as wizards, unlike Harry and Hermione who are both new to the Wizarding World, having grown up in the Muggle world? Who do the Snatchers work for, the Ministry or Voldemort? I mean, I guess by Hallows, they are the same thing. Was Harry only almost chosen for Slytherin because of all being one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes, because his parents were both Gryffindors and Harry seems like the ultimate Gryffindor to me? Is that what they are hinting at in Chamber when they say that the only reason Harry doesn’t get Slytherin is that he asked? If so, then did Sirius do the same thing during his Sorting ceremony, because he didn’t want to follow in his family’s Slytherin footsteps? What ever happened to Grimmauld Place after the finale? What happened to the Potters original home? Did it stay how it was, like a historical landmark (because it is)? Like Anne Frank’s house or something? Or did Harry buy it and rebuild it? Or did he ever visit it again, maybe with his kids? If not his original home, did he move into Sirius’ place Grimmauld place? Or did Ginny inherit the Borrow? Or did Hermione and Ron? Or did another Weasley? Did Hermione, Harry and Ron ever go back to Hogwarts to complete their degrees or whatever? How did Luna get back to Hogwarts to reunite with Harry there after escaping from Malfoy Manor to Sheel Cottage? How the hell did Fleur and Bill meet? Was Fleur and Bill’s wedding Harry’s first wedding? Based on how Harry’s life at the Dursleys consisted of him being like “I’ll be in my bedroom, making no noise, and pretending I don’t exist (LOL relatable but in a not neglectful way. More in a self-induced way),” I’m guessing it was. How exactly does the whole “traveling between portraits” thing work? Like when Dumbledore tells that portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black to go to Grimmauld Place in Phoenix, how does he get there? Doesn’t it make more sense for Dementors to be called Death Eaters, what with their whole “Dementor’s Kiss” soul-sucking business, and vice-versa, since the Death Eaters are truly demented human beings and don’t actually eat death? How did Bellatrix end up with a fake Gryffindor sword in her Gringotts vault? The only theory that I can think of is that Snape was ordered by Voldemort to steal it from Dumbledore, but Snape, being a double agent, fashioned a fake one and Voldemort told Bellatrix to hide it with the Horcrux, which is extremely dumb if you I say so myself (why would he hide the thing that kills Horcruxes with a Horcrux?). Is this somewhat correct? If Harry found the Sword of Gryffindor after seeing the Deer Patronus (which was sent by Snape as we find out in the final movie), does that mean that the real sword was sent by Snape, further proving this theory? Speaking of that scene, was the Horcrux choking Harry because it didn’t want it to get the sword because it could sense that it is the thing that would kill it? So does that mean, like wands, Horcruxes also have feelings, just dark ones given that they are a kind of Dark Art? How did Harry know he had to speak Parseltongue to the locket to destroy it? Was it because to enter the Chamber of Secrets, he had to speak Parseltongue, and since that’s where he destroyed the diary, which he mentioned in the scene that whatever was in Tom Riddle’s diary tried to kill him. Did he just assume because of all of that he needs to speak Parseltongue? He assumed right, but still, why couldn’t he just, open it, like he did with the fake locket? What if that was the real one? Also, If so, why was Harry, who is pretty resourceful and smart, dumb enough to leave it on while polar plunging for the thing that destroys it? To quote Ron: “are you mental?” Like I get he didn’t want to lose it or for it to fall in, but couldn’t he have just hidden it or something? How did Harry survive Avada Kedavra? His mom’s love protection? My friend told me that when Sirius says that the Longbottoms had a fate worse than death, it’s that they were tortured into insanity. Are they in a wizard mental hospital? Do they ever get visitors? Neville? Order members? If Parseltongue exists, are there other secret languages that involve talking to animals? Does Hagrid have one of them? Is that why he thinks dragons are “misunderstood creatures”? Is Lupin supposed to be poor because of his ostracized werewolf status, and his rough-and-tough robes? Was Aberforth in the Order? What was his and Albus’ relationship like? Based on what I know about Albus Dumbledore, he was probably a crappy brother to Aberforth. If Harry’s parents didn’t die, would he have had siblings? I’m guessing James was an only child because Harry would have surely gone with his Wizarding relatives or literally any relatives other then the Dursleys? What about his paternal and maternal grandparents? Literally, just why the Dursleys? Why did he always have to return to the Dursleys after school ended? Why couldn’t he just stay full-time with the Weasleys? Molly even said that he’s just as good as his son. Did any of the teachers get in trouble for voting their opinions against the Death Eaters when they took over Hogwarts? If any of them would, I’m guessing it is Hagrid because he is not the most socially intelligent, but very loyal to Harry and Dumbledore. McGonagall would also be a little sassy about it, but Snape knows he needs her, especially as a double agent. We never actually saw a funeral, so what are the Wizarding traditions? They clearly have tombs, but do they have tombstones? What are the Wizarding holidays and Christmas traditions, honestly besides using magic for decorum, i still looks like Muggle Christmas to me. So, is the Resurrection Stone the new lost diadem after Harry drops it in the dark, smokey Forbidden Forest? I mean it’s tiny and black, it’s gonna be impossible to find in that gigantic forest. How did Ravenclaw’s diadem become lost? If the Gray Lady, her daughter, knows where it is, then she must have been the one to make it lost right? Did she hide it or steal it? Why would she ever tell Tom Riddle (also LOL at her calling Tom’s name stranger, honey it only gets stranger)? How does the Fat Lady go into a different portrait in Azkaban? What exactly is in the Department of Mysteries? What is its job and its purpose besides being very ominous? To document prophecies? What is the purpose of that veil room? Are there any other rooms? Is its job simply to explore the Wizarding World’s greatest mysteries, like time, Muggle-borns, the power of love and Horcruxes? Do people actually work in it? Is it like the secret service or the CIA or FBI? If the Ministry is against the Order in the fifth film, then how does Arthur Weasley get in there, and why? Because he works for the Ministry? But he works with Muggle artifacts, not with prophecies? Why can Harry and Luna hear voices in the veil (Harry is always hearing voices. First with the Basilisk behind the wall in Chamber and then with the veil in Phoenix)? Since they can both see thestrals and Sirius gets engulfed in it when he dies, are they hearing the dead? Isn’t also hypnotizing them in a way? Is the reason why for the same reason they can see thestrals? Does the veil have something to do with death? Even though Hermione says it’s an empty archway, it clearly has some sort of elements within it. Sirius was already dead when he fell into it, but what happens when you are alive and you fall into it? If the power of love is a shield, like a Patronus, then can it shield anyone from Avada Kedvra? When Voldemort and Harry duel in the battle of Seven Potters, he isn’t using his twin core wand and against Harry, that’s why Harry could block his Killing Curse, how is he able to then? The power of love? Is the power of love the only thing that can shield you from the Killing Curse? Not a Patronus? If Amortentina is a love potion, can it also protect you from the Killing Curse? Wait, in Prince, when McGonagall and Harry talk in Dumbledore’s office, there’s a moving portrait of Dumbledore sleeping…because he’s dead? Aren’t all those other portraits of dead people too? I’m very confused. Also, did that portrait exist before he died or just after he died? Who paints them? How are those moving portraits, especially of the Headmasters created? So, can Harry and Snape still technically talk to him? So, when Harry watches Snape walk around the Headmaster’s office on the Marauder’s Map in Part 1, is that what Snape is doing, talking to Dumbledore’s portrait? Does that iteration of Dumbledore know about their plan? What is in those jars at Grimmauld Place? Dead house elves? That’s horrible. What is the life expectancy of a house elf anyway, if they are meant to serve a master all their lives? Can they mate? How, what if each family only has one elf? Did the Weasleys know James and Lily? Were they friends? Mrs. Weasley does say to Sirius “he’s not James” through the expandable ears. Does that mean that Ron and Harry would have grown up together regardless? How does the Gemino charm actually work? It sounds like thins only multiply if you touch them, but eventually, they stopped touching everything and it kept duplicating. Also, does it duplicate it’s value too because then why wouldn’t all those rich families duplicate everything they own then? Also, it seems deadly, as the trio is almost suffocated by the duplicating spell. Almost drowned in it. But since this is Bellatrix’s vault, that doesn’t surprise me at all. When did she put that spell on her vault? Before or after she suspected the trio broke into it? How does Lupin know the spell to stop the Whomping Willow? Also, the spell is Imboliulus, which is the same spell Hermione uses on the Cornish Pixies in the previous movie, so why doesn’t she think of that? Both were high-stakes situations. While it was a fun, and cinematic sequence (far more fun then the dragged-out tasks in Goblet), it just didn’t seem necessary. Also, the spell seemingly lasts long enough for Snape to follow Lupin (How? I get he is suspicious of him, as he told Dumbledore in that Great Hall scene, but why did he decide to follow Lupin right at that moment?) and for all of them, including Snape later, to leave the Whomping Willow hole, so how long does the Imobilius spell last? So, Voldemort brought all the goblins to Malfoy Manor after the Gringotts escaped and after he massacred them all, but Bellatrix wasn’t there? So, when did she find you? Did she ever? Or was it really Voldemort’s vault under Bellatrix’s name? After this, did Voldemort go to check on all his Horcruxes? The cave for the locket? The diary at Malfoys? Is that why he took the goblin there? Wherever Dumbledore found the ring? Obviously, Nagini is fine. Is that why he heads to Hogwarts at the same time as Harry, to check on the diadem? or kill Harry before he gets the chance since the Gringott’s break-in is where he figures out that Harry knows his Horcrux secret? I’m also so confused by the fact that the Dursleys, who hate Harry, are trying desperately to prevent him from going to Hogwarts. If they hate him so much, wouldn’t they rather someone take him off their hands? I get that they don’t want him trained in magic, but isn’t that a worthy sacrifice to make in order to get him off their hands, in their eyes? Is that random, stormy, remote shack the Dursleys go to in the first film in an attempt to hide from the owls the same place they go to hide from the Death Eaters in Hallows? Since Hagrid was once expelled from Hogwarts, is that why he does magic with a pink umbrella in Stone and Part 1, not a wand? Is his wand hidden inside and can only be used sparingly because we almost never see him doing magic, because he never got his magical degree from Hogwarts, right? But since Hagrid never graduated from Hogwarts, how is he allowed to teach in Azkaban? I mean his name is cleared, but he still never finished, but then again neither did the trio, but that was a special circumstance. What year was Hagrid expelled? Does that have an effect on it? Because the trio dropped out between their sixth and seventh years, and Tom Riddle and Hagrid seemed to be around that age too. Are Tom Riddle and Hagrid the same age then? Why is the fact that they went to school together, and seemed friendly, never brought up again? How does the Leaky Cauldron work exactly? Can Muggles walk in? Do they ever walk in accidentally? It seems like a purgatory of sorts to the wider Wizarding World, especially to Diagon Alley, the major shopping area. It is also a hotel, pub and middle ground of sorts. Right? How does the burning work in regard to Quirrell, because when Quirrell touches Harry he’s fine, but when Harry touches him, he burns? Is that why Quirrell doesn’t shake his hand at the Leaky Cauldron? Because Harry instigated it? How does the Diagon Alley entrance from the Leaky Cauldron actually work? Does Diagon Alley just dead end at that brick wall? When the Death Eaters broke through it in Prince, did it just stay that way? What’s the point of the brick wall anyway, besides a grand entrance, if only wizards and Muggle parents to wizards-in-training go there? Also, are muggle parents able to do a currency exchange at Gringotts to pay for their children’s school supplies/ Is that why Hermione’s parents go with her to Diagon Alley in Chamber? That, and also her being 12-years-old? Does anyone ever clean Gringotts, because there are cobwebs everywhere, especially on the chandeliers? What does goblin made actually mean? Why do certain creatures seem to have certain jobs? Was the Ollivanders set refurbished into Flourish and Blotts for the following film, because eth stairs look to be in the exact same spot and everything looks the exact same except instead of wands in the next movie there are books? If Ollivanders has existed since 382 B.C, the Wizarding World was very advanced back then? Also, does that mean Ollivanders is one of the oldest wizarding families? If wizards need wands then how do wizards find out they are wizards at a young age and go to Hogwarts, or do they only find out if they are in a wizarding family or get there Hogwarts letter? After all, Harry removed the glass at the zoo and blew up AUnt Marge without his wand, so it seems that wandless magic is possible, just isn’t preferable. Why do they still not speak Voldemort’s name in Stone? Isn’t he long gone? If phoenixes are technically immortal due to how they die and are reborn on an endless circle, is the fact that both Voldemort and harry have a phoenix feather in their wand meant to symbolize that, since their whole rivalry is about life and death? So, when Hagrid picks Harry up and they go to Diagon Alley, do they eat dinner and sleep at the Leaky Cauldron and leave for Hogwarts the next day? It wasn’t that explicitly clear. Is there a way for wizards to enter platform nine and three quarters without going through the barrier? Like to go to it directly through the Wizarding World? Like with the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley? So, how did Hagrid go back to Dumbledore and Hogwarts to hide the Sorcerer’s Stone after dropping off Harry at King’s Cross? Did he apparate, or his he took big to do that? Why don’t the Hogwarts students hug Hermione and Ron too and welcome them back to Hogwarts in Part 2, only Harry? I get that Harry is the Chosen One, but don’t they also miss their friends Ron and Hermione too? It’s just weird to me. How can the Basilisk go between the walls of a centuries-old castle? It’s a big snake, after all. Also, literally how did Ginny write that on the wall? It’s so high up? Like did she have a ladder? How did no one see her if she did? Or because Voldemort possessed her, did she fly because he can fly through that black smoke thing? Also, when that first message “the Chamber of Secrets has been open, enemies of the heir beware” happens, where does everyone come from? The Great Hall for dinner? What happens after the Battle of Hogwarts to Greyback? Death? Azkaban? Is there a death penalty in the Wizarding World for people, not just creatures? How do Dementors affect werewolves, in and out of werewolf form? Did Harry help destigmatized lycanthropy after the Battle of Hogwarts in Lupin’s memory? He meant a lot to Harry, I doubt that he just moved on, especially because Lupin, in a way, parallels pioneers and trailblazers like Rosa Parks who stood up against the stigma put on them and helped their race gain acceptance and kindness, something impactful and textbook-worthy. Lupin deserves a legacy like that, and so does his kid. Why is Luna barefoot in the forest with the thestrals? I get she’s ~loony~ and people steal her shoes, but at least wear socks, girl, aren’t your feet cold? Did Harry take over for Oliver Wood as Quidditch captain? How much older is Wood? Are he and Percy in the same year? Do the Dursleys not know the Mrs. Figg knows about Harrya nd his magical abilities, because teh way Vernon wave sto her, it seems like it? If Harry was expelled in Phoenix, what would have happened to his wand? WOuld he have to use a magical umbrella like Hagrid? Did Robert Pattinson have to come back for those dream shots and that smiling photo of him in teh DA room or where those residual from the Goblet film (because those Harry shots are straight from Goblet, but those Cedric shots are from different angle)?Why don’t they use the Time-Turner to save Harry’s parents or Sirius or Snape? Are their rules with the Time Turner and that’s why they don’t? We see the Time Turner go backward in time, but can it also go forward into the future? If the Time Turner works by wearing it like a necklace, how many people can that necklace if around comfortably? The Time Turner is only just that, a Time Turner, not a teleporter as well right? Why does Hermione constantly have the Time Turner around her neck in Azkaban, even when she’s not in classes? Like why did she wear it when she went down to visit Hagrid upon Buckbeak’s execution? How long of a distance can you apparate? Like from continent to continent? How does the Order know about Prophecy anyway? How does Dumbledore? Snape? Did he hear Voldemort talk about it and that’s when he switched sides and agreed to be Dumbledore’s slave? How did Voldemort find it out? He only knew part of it right? isn’t that what they kept hinting at? How didn’t know the full thing, only Dumbledore did. Because of Dumbledore publicly announcing Snape’s status as a spy in Goblet, did the Order know he was a double agent and then thought that he decided to betray that by killing Dumbledore? So, if the prophecy is the weapon Voldemort didn’t have the last time and the Order knew that, which is why I assume Mr. Weasley was there, then why didn’t they simply tell Harry that instead of letting him worry about some ambiguous weapon all year? That could have saved Arthur and Sirius! It also would have saved Harry so much rage and anguish and pain because of the Occulmency and the nightmares. If Harry was given all the facts, he wouldn’t have fallen for the fake Sirius vision. I don’t think it was Sirius or the order who wanted to keep Harry in the dark, it was definitely Dumbledore. It’s obvious. It also led to the destruction of thousands of other prophecies, putting students in danger, and while Voldemort revealing himself was a plus, it was definitely not worth Sirius, Harry’s only family left, dying. Also, why did Harry just rush to the Ministry and not check Grimmauld Place, where Sirius is clearly hiding out, beforehand? Aren’t they both in London anyway? Also, if the Department of Mysteries and the Hall of Prophecies is so classified, then where is the security? Why is it that Order members, Hogwarts students and Lucius Malfoy can simply walk through there? Why is there not a guard at its door or something? How do the Death Eaters and Snape do the black smokey flying thing in Phoenix, Prince and Hallows? Why can the Order do the white smokey flying in Phoenix and not in any of the other moving (I do love the symbolism of how the black smoke is for the villainous and evil and the white smoke is for the good and pure)? What is this smokey flying technique? How does the floor powder channel at the Ministry work because the trio uses them in Part 1 and Bellatrix uses them in Phoenix but none of them give a location like the Weasleys and Harry do in Chamber? Hermione and Harry talk about how Umbridge is watching all the fireplaces in the castle for floor powder transportation except hers, does that mean students can use the floo network at school to go home if they need to? How do you attach a fireplace to the floo network? Where do you buy floo powder? Is floo powder how Hermione gets to the Weasleys in Goblet because she hates flying and hasn’t used a Portkey before as she freaks out when they say to let go mid-use? Did Harry feel left out because everyone was getting letters from their families and the Dursleys unsurprisingly never sent him one (and I am guessing they never really helped him make friends either, right? Really what did Harry’s Muggle life look, like ins school and socially, before he got his Hogwarts letter?) and Ron felt bad, so he asked his mom to send him a Christmas present? Is it just me, or were the Twins in that Eygptian trip photograph in the newspaper appropriating Eygptian culture? I get that it was the 2000s and they were jokesters, but still. Also, what prize did they win in order to go to Eygpt and get into the Daily Prophet (that moving photograph of them is so cute though)? Why is there a ghost student taking a test when the trio runs in to see McGonagall in the first film? That was so distracting and confusing in such a hectic scene. So, if Aruthur Weasley works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department and he’s a hobby of magically enhancing Muggle artifacts, isn’t he participating in the same crime his job attempts to prohibit? Obviously, it’s in a less effed way the Lucius, who pretends to be a stand-up Ministry official when he is actually a Death Eater, but it’s still lying. Are the Weasleys kids just good liars because most young kids have no filter? Also, if they are already poor, why would Mr. Weasley risk it? Even if it’s a smaller crime in the big scheme of things, could it get him sent to Azkaban if he is caught? And how is Molly Weasley okay with this? She seems to be a rule stickler, which is probably where Percy gets it from and why she treats Hermione like a daughter. Sirius claimed to resent his family’s deranged superiority complex, and get he acts that way towards Kreacher, who, granted, is just as nasty as the Black family, but is also an enslaved House Elf, similar to a prisoner which Sirius of all people should have empathy for. It does seem a little hypocritical though, right? I know animals don’t talk in this magical universe, unlike Narnia, but do animals in the magical world sense each other and others? Like Crookshanks hated Scabbers, which is just the way the animal kingdom works, but is there a chance that Crookshanks could sense that Scabbers was actually the anigmias form of a human, and that’s why Crookshanks didn’t like him? Why does Bellatrix have a curved wand? For such an impulsive witch, doesn’t the curved wand even more dangerous for as it affects her aim even more? She’s so wild and remorseless, I doubt she even cares about proper aim. Also, is it just me, or does she have romantic feelings for Voldemort, like in the same way as women who love serial killers? When Snape says “I may vomit” when he sees Sirius hug Harry in the Occulmency flashback, wasn’t he there? wasn’t he at the Order meeting? Or did he leave immediately after? Why would Dumbledore choose the Black family home for the headquarters to the Order when three of Voldemort’s most prominent Death Eaters are in the Black family? Why is it so common that so many families always get the same Hogwarts House? Of course, there are exceptions, what with Sirius’ family being a bunch of Slytehrins and him being a Gryffindor, but still. I get that values often have similar values and therefore they feed into the values of each House, like the Weasleys value generosity and bravery, like Gryffindor, and the Malfoys value ambition and determination, like Slytherin, but there has to be more to that because the Weasley family members have such different personalities. I mean, the Twins and Percy are polar opposites, but they are both brave and ambitious in different ways (ironically making them both work for both Gryffindor and Slytherin. So, it is more about values then priorities and motivations, and that’s how so many personalities get the same House and how families become loyal to one House? What was Harry’s reaction to literally seeing himself and Hermione makeout right in front of him? Wouldn’t it be weird to watch yourself makeout with someone who is like your sister, especially when you in love with someone else? Even if it’s not real and meant to manipulate you, why was Harry not making a disgusted, sarcastic comment or something about how effed up that was? Is the Resurrection Stone supposed to be the antithesis of the Sorcerer’s Stone? Instead of a stone that can make yourself immortal, a stone that can reverse death if a loved one so seeks it? Are there other Invisibility Cloaks besides the one Harry has, which is a Hallow (as says Fandom Wiki)? We never see another one in any of the films? Are they in the books? How did things like Salem and European witchhunts influence the Wizarding World? Is that why they have to live in secret? How did they avoid the more recent prosecution? Honestly, shouldn’t this persecution show pure-blood maniacs that all wizards should be treated equally, or is this past persecution of their kind their reasoning for hating Muggle-borns, like some sort of revenge? Does anyone ever get motion sick from the traveling methods wizards use like flying, Floo powder, Portkey and Apparation, because I definitely would? Dumbledore seemed to hint at it when he appeared with harry for teh first time in Prince? Apparation seems to basically be squeezing with the will to travel to another location, so do people ever break bones? How do Harry’s glasses not break then? In that case, is apparation actually healthy? Why are there so many dangerous modes of travel in the Wizarding World? Thats doesn’t necessarily make it easier, now does it? What exactly were the portraits doing in the Battle of Hogwarts? What could they do but watch like they are rowdy spectators at a wrestling match? You can see in many shots the people in the portraits running around as chaotically as the Hogwarts students. I get that they could yell out suggestions and tips, but wouldn’t that be more distracting? If phoenix tears can heal people, why don’t other wizards bring their pet phoenixes to the Battle of Hogwarts to heal people? What if a phoenix doesn’t want to save someone with its tears? Is it like house elves, if their master says to save someone, they must? Also, how does a phoenix cry on cue? Are they empaths and do injuries and close-to-death circumstances immediately make them cry? What happened to the Malfoys after the Battle of Hogwarts? Did Narcissa’s betrayal of Voldemort grant them leniency, or just her and Draco? Were they punished? Did Harry ever get other birthday presents from his friends and found family in the Wizarding World? I know Hagrid gave him a cake when they first met and Ron and the Weasleys saved him from the Dursleys for his birthday, but what about his other best friend Hermione? What about Lupin, and Sirius, and Neville and Luna? What about during his later years at Hogwarts? Did he ever celebrate or get birthday gifts? This seems important, especially because of how the Durselys neglected him. I think it would have been really cool to show how gets more and more gifts as the movies progress showing how he is finding his family and his support system within the Wizarding World. Lupin and Tonks had a son, right? What happened to him? I think I read on Fandom Wiki that Harry took him in because he became his Godfather (watch him try to be the cool, reckless Godfather Sirius was to him with miserable failure because, unlike Sirius, the trouble finds Harry, Harry doesn’t find the trouble). Is that true, because it is, it would be so full circle as his father was a Marauder and was the Godson of another Marauder, and Harry later took in another son of another Marauder? Was he going to give Lupin’s son the adopted life he was deprived of with the Dursleys? What a tragic but also slightly heartwarming full-circle moment! James and Lily died for a greater cause just like Tonks and Lupin, and both couples orphaned their son as a result. At least, hopefully, Teddy had a happier childhood than Harry, full of love and joy. What is the significance of some metal object being “goblin made”? Does homeschooling exist in the Wizarding World? Then why don’t the kids just do during the so-called Second Wizarding War? I understand being sstrong and holding your ground, and that it’s also much more interesting with the kids still going to school with Hogwarts being the most important location in these films, but doesn’t the safety of these kids matter most? Why isn’t that even a conversation? I mean, in Phoenix and Prince, Ron, Ginny and Seamus say that their families thought about not sending them back to Hogwarts due to the state of things, but then what’s the alternative? Just dropping out? In that regard, can students be held back a year? is that why it’s by year and not by grade? What if their is late bloomer or something? That would make the most sense right? So, we see Hermione’s bedroom right before she obliviates her parents’ memories of her (which is a great bedroom for her. Organized. Clean. Feminine.), but then how does that explain how her parents have a perfectly furnished feminine bedroom? Is it just oblivious to them? Is it magically sealed until she puts the memories back? Is that even possible? And what about her Muggle neighbors and friends? She only took her parents’ memories away, not everyone they have ever met. Also, just because they don’t remember Hermione doesn’t mean the Death Eaters can’t still track them down, right? Did Hermione alter her parents’ memories instead or convince them to move away or go into hiding, just obliviating them as an extra precaution, otherwise, just based on what happened with Neville’s parents, who were purebloods, the Death Eaters could still torture Hemrione’s parents if she just left them there without the knowledge of their daughter, basically giving her parents as a death sentence, which I don’t think Hermione is dumb enough to do. So, there must be more to it than that. Is it explained in the books? I know we kind of hear about the Carrows’ wicked ways, but seriously, who was crueler to the students than Umbridge? The Carrows just seem to teach the kids Dark Arts rather the DADA and have them duel each other with little experience or remorse, which is horrible, but it doesn’t seem to have long-lasting scars the way Umbridge gave all these kids. Mental scars, sure, but still. Obviously, Death Eaters are incredibly sadistic and cruel, so I can only imagine what the Carrows did, but I wish we actually saw some of it, as we did with Umbridge, so we can understand the extent of it more. Also, is it just me or are most Death Eaters cowards? Lucius? Pettigrew? The Carrows actually seem cowardly. Draco behaved cowardly, although he had more subtle moments of bravery like not revealing Harry’s identity. Bellatrix seems ballsy, but not necessarily brave. Narcissa seems like the only brave one TBH. What does apparition actually feel like? How is described in the books? It seems like the weirdest sensation. Actually, all the magical forms of travel seem like such odd sensations. How the hell did Draco know that serpent-shooting-out-of-wand spell? That seems really dangerous and he’s like 12 at the time. How exactly do you make an Unbreakable Vow? How does it work? Is having a third-party witness like Bellatrix absolutely necessary? Also, is an Unbreakable Vow only one-sided like it is for Narcissa and Snape or can it be two-sided too? Like a pact? If it is two-sided, both would die instantly, right? Also, are you immortal until the vow is completed or failed, so can you die earlier? Also, in terms of Narcissa and Snape’s vow was it only if Draco failed or only if he died trying? I mean, either way, Snape completed it and survived it, but is it specified in the books? When Fudge said the Ministry wiped Aunt Marge’s memory in Azkaban, did they use the obliviate spell? How exactly do Horcruxes work? I know they split up your soul through death, but how exactly? Because Voldemort kills so many people, but not every person he kills causes shim to create a Horcrux. Are their any lasting effects or residual effects of being stunned, because it seems like the good guys use it way more than the Deat Eaters? If it doesn’t cause much lasting harm, then no wonder it’s one of the good side’s most used spells in combat, rather than the bad side’s, who genuinely hope to harm and torture. Hermione petrifies Neville, Neville petrified a Death Etaer and Draco Petrifies Harry but Luna gets him out of it awfully quickly, so how long does a spell-induced petrifying last compared to a Basilisk stare? Also, can Mandrakes also help with getting someone out of the Petrificus Totalus spell? Was the fire Dumbledore conjured in Prince different from the fire Goyle conjures in Hallows or because of Dumbledore’s experience, he was just better at controlling the magical fire then a teenager like Goyle? How do Time Turners actually work? With the Legimens spell Snape uses to teach Harry Occulumency, does it have to be so violent or can he dot it automatically, because if so, that would make him an even better spy for Dumbledore as he could get inside Voldemort’s mind? Is it just me, or is the Imperius Curse teh least dangerous of the Unforgivable Curses? I mean, it’s violating, but clearly it’s not as deadly or physically harmful? How well known if Sectumsempra if Snape invented it and seemingly only kept it in his old potions book? When Bellatrix tortured Hermione, she’s crazy and clearly isn’t afraid to use the Cruicatus Curse to get answers, as she did that with the Longbottoms, so why did she decide to scar Hermione instead of crucio-ing her? Are the effects to the Cruciatus Curse log-lasting because when it happens to Harry by Voldemort in the graveyard in Goblet, he seems to heel instantly, only stressed due to the situation, not really in actual physical pain? Can Aurors use teh Unforgivable Curses in high staked situation, but because they are the good guys, they prefer not too? What was the Ministry like when it was such Pius Thicknesse aka Death Eater control? We only saw it’s propaganda and procedures, but not hwo it effected employees, especially blood traitors like the Weasleys. Would Harry be a powerful wizard if he wasn’t forced to be due to Voldmeort making him the Chosen One, basically forcing him to have expertise in DADA? I think so, especially because of his bravery, boldness and flying skills. I don’t think age defines power, I think virtues, what you strive for and your goals and motivations are what define your power. Does the Obliviate spell work differently for wizards versus Muggles, because Hermione took away a specific memory of her parents and the Ministry took Aunt Marge’s memory of the blow-up incident, but Lockhart basically gave himself anemsia? How exactly does Hogwarts enrollment work? Can kids drop out and be fine, or they must graduate in order to be sufficient in the Wizarding World? Or are their late bloomers in terms of magic, so are their being ‘held back a year’ or not always in the same year as their age group? Also, does it matter if Wizarding World adults die, then are Muggleborns ‘chosen to have powers to keep attendance up? How does all that work? I am so confused. Also, some students have British accents while others have Irish accents, is their a certain quota for Irish versus British students that attend Hogwarts? What is Hermione’s favorite subject? I’m betting it’s Magical History since she’s always talking about it or Charms since as Ron says, she’s the best at spells out of the trio. Or Defense Against the Dark Arts, since, while she isn’t as good as Harry, she is very skilled in it and very passionate about it as the DA was her idea. What is Hermione’s GPA? I bet she was Valedictorian. Does Hogwarts even have GPA and Valedictorians? After all that hype, what did the trio get on their O.W.L.s? The Weasleys are the most prominent “blood traitor” family in the series, and palso probably the biggest due to their abundance of children, but are their any others, besides the Lovegoods and Neville and his grandmother, of course? Did Hermione ever write to Krum? Is the old magic that is talked about in the graveyard scene in Goblet of Fire the love protection from Harry’s mom, that Voldemort breaks by using Harry’s blood to bring him back? Did James really leave Dumbledore the Invisibility Cloak or did Dumbledore insist he hands it to him because of James’ rebellious streak? Is this even discussed in the films that it was Dumbledore who gave it to him (I googled it)? How does Dumbledore find out about Harry having the Invisibility Cloak if it’s not? I mean, Hagrid only knew because 75% of the time, they were using it to sneak over to his hut. Speaking of Hagrid, when did Hagrid tell Harry that he always wanted a dragon during their first meeting in the first movie? Harry has a line later on that says that, but we never saw it. Was it a deleted scene? All we see are the people helping Harry who are against Voldemort, but I am sure, like in real life, there were people who were against Voldemort, but still skeptical of Harry for the fact that he is a kid or the fact that he is on the run and not on the front lines? Why don’t we get to see this grayness on the good side, only the grayness on the bad side (through Draco, Narcissa and Snape)? Of course, it’s not as interesting, but its still complex just in a different way, and is a realistic part of rebellion, power and oppression. If Harry is “Undesirable No. 1”? then who are the other Undesirables? Muggle-borns like Hermione? Blood traitors like the Weasleys (if that is the case then why can Ginny go back to school?)? Why did they mention that werewolves live in the Forbidden Forest in the first film, when we learn 2 films later that they are actually normal wizards, just with a strange mutation-like disease? Knowing how far ahead JKR planned in regard to the plot and mythology of the series (as I have heard from my friends) I find this small flaw a bit odd. How did Ron, Hermione and Harry eat and shower when they were on the run in Part 1? I don’t think it’s as easy as “magic”? And after fighting against isolation in Azkaban, Phoenix and Prince, Ron, Hermione and Harry, all together (not just Harry like in all those films, although Harry’s poor leadership in Deathly Hallows due to Dumbledore not telling him anything about hunting Horcruxes probably still made him feel isolated in some way), were truly isolated from the rest of the world, and not just the Wizard World, all of the world. They may be best friends, but that has got to effect people. We saw how that affected Ron, he couldn’t handle it well and in a heat of frustration, he left, but what about Harry and Hermione? It surely effected them too. What does Voldemort mean when he says that he can “bring Harry’s parents back” in Sorcerer’s Stone? Was he serious, or just manipulating him? Was it because of the Resurrection Stone? Does he actually want to work with Harry? How did Harry’s parents have so much money to leave him? What job did James and Lily have besides being Order members? Were James’ parents rich, because if Petunia had that kind of money, being Lily’s sister, then the Dursleys surely would have lived in a manison, right? How exactly do house elves work? What happens after they are free? How are they able to apparate when other wizards can’t? Did the Malfoys and Voldemort manipulate Dobby into helping them and that’s why he is at Malfoy Manor? What about Kreacher? Doesn’t he belong to Bellatrix since she was Sirius’ cousin? Why is Harry trusting him, especially because Sirius never liked Kreacher? As much as I appreciate how devastating and beautifully well-done Snape’s death scene is, we have seen just how much Harry hates Snape for killing Dumbledore on numerous occasions, so why would he care about Voldemort killing him? I understand that he is a kind, good-hearted, noble person, but I feel like it still needs more explanation, right? How old is McGonagall if she sorted Lily, James, Sirius and Snape into their Houses? How long has she been a teacher at Hogwarts? Did she have a kid with an M name because, in the first film, it said on James’ Quidditch trophy that one of his teammates was an M. McGonagall? Is it possible for Hogwarts professors to have children because none of them seem to? Literally, what did Lily ever see in James if he bullied her childhood friend? She is so smart and kind, and he sees kine a quintessential jerk athlete. Is this explained more in the books? Like did Snape, because of his Dark Arts fascination, have a falling out with Lily and James swooped in, pissing Snape off even more? If the supposed rumored Harry Potter TV series does get made, it better focus on the Marauders, Lily and Snape because this all needs to be explained. I am so intrigued! So, Dumbledore says that Snape, like Lily and James, put their faith in the wrong person. I know for the Potters that is in reference to Pettigrew, but for Snape, is that in reference to Voldemort? Snape isn’t naive enough to think that Voldemort would show mercy to anyone. Snape is a half-blood, hence the nickname Half-Blood Prince, so he wouldn’t have followed Voldemort because of his pureblood mania, but because of his fascination with the Dark Arts, right? So is Dumbeldore actually talking about himself, in one small moment of accountability (that never actually amounts to anything in typical Dumbledore fashion)? Is this explained more in the books? How did Snape see Lily’s last conversation with Harry if he showed up after she died? Why is that shown in the Pensieve sequence if it’s all supposed to be from Snape’s memory? How did Griphook get captured by the Death Eaters and brought to Malfoy Manor? What did he do? Do the citizens of the Wizarding World know who Voldemort’s inner circle Death Eaters are, either by the Daily Prophet or having gone to school with them? Since Hagrid and Tom Riddle went to Hogwarts together, were they in the same year? And if Hagrid was friends with a young Voldemort, then how did he not notice it was him selling him a dragon egg and asking him about Fluffy? I assume the Dursleys starved Harry a lot, and I assume that when Hermione, Ron and Harry were on the run in Part 1, they had some days without food, as I can imagine that they couldn’t exactly go to the grocery store or cook a lot, so was Harry, like, used to starving because of the Dursley’s inhumane cruelty? I wonder how Ron was with that starvation, what with his well-documented appetite throughout the series and the fact that, while very poor, his mom always had food available for everyone so it seems? Could Dudley not see that Dementor in Phoenix, only feel it? Who is that guy at the beginning of Goblet of Fire? What is his significance? None? It seems like it. I am guessing that Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are the Marauders, as the map was literally called “The Marauder’s Map,” Wormtail is what they call Pettigrew many times, even Snape calls him that before he slams the door in the high face in Prince (which I bet after his friends bullied him in high school was extremely satisfying in the same way that success is the revenge), and Moody (which shame on JKR for not finding him a better name after establishing the nickname of Moony in the film right before Mad-Eye’s introduction) calls Sirius Padfoot when he is in his dog form at the train station before saying goodbye to Harry in Phoenix. I’m guessing Moony is Lupin based on how werewolves turn on the full moon and how his Boggart was a full moon and that James was Prongs passed on how his Patronus was seemingly a Stag based on how Harry was certain he was the one to drive the Dementors away in Azkaban. Fandom Wiki confirmed this, but if my Hermione-ness didn’t feel the need to google so much, I would have been so confused. Is the whole point of the Deathly Hallows that they are the only thing that could be a match to Voldemort’s Horcruxes? So, if Dumbledore never gave Harry that mission or told him about the Horcruxes in Prince, at the very last second as he knew he was going to die at some point that year, the final two movies wouldn’t be about the hunt for Horcruxes, but a race to obtain the Deathly Hallows? In the Deathly Hallows Part 1, did the trio really think that a pile of unconscious bodies, even though they were hidden, wouldn’t be spotted by someone and bring up suspicions? Why didn’t Voldemort become Minister of Magic after the Ministry fell? Who was his puppet who took on the Minister of Magic if it wasn’t himself? Pius Thicknesse? Yaxley? This may make me sound like Death Eater but how do Muggle-borns become wizards? Like is it some religious thing or do they have to have some distant wizard relative? Is Voldemort/the Ministry declaring Harry as “Undesirable No. 1” in the press in Deathly Hallows Part 1 they trying to spin the story that Harry is the prejudiced one? Harry is “The Boy Who Lived,” so he is the ultimate symbol of hope against Voldemort. So, wouldn’t it make sense for the Voldemort-controlled Ministry to twist the story? To create confusion, uncertainty, fear and hysteria? Like during the Red Scare or the Holocaust (also that horrifying Muggle statue at the Ministry gave me total Holocaust vibes, in the most dehumanizing, disgusting way, not in a memorial way. It seems so realistic that if Hitler was a wizard he would have pulled a Medusa-like this. It’s absolutely hateful and disgusting. Also, Emma Watson’s voice when she said “Muggles. In their rightful place,” was so devastating. The voice crack and all)? Am I on the right track here? How did Narcissa get the “honorable” job of checking if Harry is alive or not after Voldemort fires the Killing Curse at him again? Why was she qualified? Also, since Voldemort only killed the Horcrux part of Harry, is it safe to assume that another way to destroy Horcruxes is by the make itself destroying it or is that just because this Horcrux happened to be a person? And this, a person becoming a Horcrux since they are made by killing people, is a unique thing, right? Unprecedented? So, how did Dumbledore deduct this? How did Voldemort hear about the Deathly Hallows if it stems from a Wizarding children’s story, one he would have never heard in a Muggle Orphanage? If he knew about the Deathly Hallows, which makes someone the “Master of Death” then why did bother with the whole ordeal of making Horcruxes? Did he know that the Elder Wand was a Hallow? How did he hear about the Elder Wand? Did even know about the Deathly Hallows? Did Dumbledore know about the Hallows? Is Harry’s Invisibility Cloak the one from the Peverall story? Is he a descendant from the Peveralls? Is that why the Potters lived in Godric’s Hollow? I am really confused about how Dumbledore’s hand became to decayed. Is that why he told Snape to kill him, not necessarily because it was Draco’s mission? How did Lucius break out of Azkaban, because the mass breakout in the same movie where he broke the law to get into Azkaban? Why did Voldemort choose Malfoy Manor as the Death Eater HQ? Because of Lucius’ failure? So it was repayment or to make amends? The Malfoys don’t seem happy with the arrangement. Is this why they begin to question their loyalties and turn even more fearful? Did Draco ever meet his aunt Bellatrix before he became a Death Eater or before her breakout of Azkaban? Did Narcissa ever take him to visit her? Can you visit someone at Azkaban? There are a few plot holes in the story in Azkaban regarding Pettigrew, his betrayal, Sirius being framed, the Marauders, animagas, the Potters deaths and the Shrieking Shack, right? I am thinking this is all explained in the books, correct (I have a feeling that if and when I read the books, this will be my favorite, especially if it fills these plot holes)? Fandom Wiki said that Tonks is related to the Black, and that Bellatrix is her aunt. Since she’s a Metamorphmagus, does that mean that ‘gene’ or whatever is in the Black family? Is that why it was a bit easier for Sirius to become Padfoot? Or is it not on the Black side but on the other side of Tonks’ family? Did she know about Sirius or had met him prior to joining the Order? How old is she? Had she ever met Bellatrix prior to the Battle at the Department of Mysteries? If Draco and Tonks are both related to the Black family (because Narcissa is technically a Black as she is Bellatrix’s sister and they now have different last names then Black, showing that Bellatrix is married, but we never met her husband.This is what I have collected from reading about it on Fandom Wiki), then did they grow up together or ever meet, or because Tonks died in the Battle of Hogwarts, they never actually met or knew the other existed (my god, the Black family tree is insane)? Why do first years arrive to Hogwarts on boats, but every year after they take the Thestral-drawn carriages? In Half-Blood Prince, what is on Ginny’s shoulder on the train when she’s talking with Dean and Luna hands her a Quibbler? How exactly did Dumbledore’s hand get all black and rotten? Was he really so dumb to put on that Horcrux ring, fulling knowing it had dark magic and that’s how it happened (then why doesn’t that happen when the trio puts on the Horcrux locket?)? And Dumbledore’s supposed to be the all-knowing wise one…sure. Did Harry ever get to grieve Sirius properly? How exactly do Patronuses work? I thought they were supposed to act like some sort of shield, like in Prisoner of Azkaban, but then at the wedding, wasn’t that a Patronus that communicated that the Ministry fell? How did that Patronus speak anyway? Also, that was Snape’s Patronus that checked on Harry in the forest. How does all that work? How do you send a Patronus somewhere? How is it different then sending an Owl? Also, Snape managed to do a non-verbal Patronus in that flashback scene in Dumbledore’s office in the final movie. Based on how non-verbal spells weren’t used until the later movies and how hard Patronuses were for Harry to do in the third film and for Dumbledore’s Army to do in the fifth film, that seems very impressive. Like the trio, did Draco not go back to Hogwarts in the Deathly Hallows despite Snape being the Headmaster now? Why is the first film called Sorcerer’s Stone in the U.S., but Philosopher’s Stone everywhere else? Why didn’t Fred and George ever notice Peter Pettigrew on the Marauder’s Map? Didn’t they notice some weird, never-before-seen Peter guy next to their brother at all times, especially if he was seemingly always in Gryffindor tower? Did they just accept a faceless Gryffindor at face value? I don’t believe that. How do Patronuses change? How exactly does the so-called “power of love” work? It seems like for harry it’s more physical and tangible, but for Snape it’s more emotional and motivational. Right? Don’t other Death Eaters have kids at Hogwarts, not just the Malfoys? Crabbe and Goyle were mentioned by Voldemort in the Goblet graveyard scene. I get why Harry’s side didn’t keep these Death Eater children hostage or anything, because that’s not who they are and what they’d they don’t stand for fighting fire with fire, they stand up defending the good against the bad, plus they know that wouldn’t stop Voldemort and the Death Eaters know the good guys wouldn’t ever actually kill them and knew Voldemort would if they defy them because he is a ruthless, selfish sociopath, however a cynic like Seamus or someone could have suggested it, since it is a realistic and understandable suggestion. So, McGonagall transfigured the statues into soldiers, Slughorn took his Felix Felicis potion (and I assume tried to brew some more ASAP to give to other students. How long does Liquid Luck take to brew? I bet shorter then Polyjuice, right?), Hagrid lured magical creatures out of the Forbidden Forest it seems and Flitwick used his expertise in Charms to protect Hogwarts, but what about Trelawny, Sprout and the other professors? Sprout surely could have used those Mandrake plants to kill Death Eaters as their cries are fatal to anyone who doesn’t wear earmuffs (as long as she gave every student and good guy a pair in the vicinity) and Trelawny seems like an underdog who is actually very good at spell-casting. What House is Trelawny? She seems like a Hufflepuff to me. I know Ravenclaw is the creative house, but she just seems not as bright as some of the other characters, but then again Lockhart is a Ravenclaw, so…? What House is Tonks in? Gryffindor probably, since all the Order members seem to be in Gryffindor? What about Mad-Eye Moody? So, each Hogwarts House has a color, a founder, a mascot and individual traits, but do each have an element too, because nature is very important in witchcraft, at least in most cinematic witchy mythologies like in Vampire Diaries and also in the religion of Wicca, which is the real-life occultist religion for Witchcraft, or at least the most mainstream and modern one. And knowing how much of this world is clearly inspired by other folkloric stories like werewolves and other known mythologies like the hippogriff from Greek Mythology and how nature is involved in creating wands, it makes sense. I would assume that Gryffindor is fire, Ravenclaw is air, Hufflepuff is Earth and Slytherin is water (after all, Ron and Hermione are basically waterboarded in Salazar Slytherin’s Chamber of Secrets). Does this exist in the books? What happens to Hogwarts in the summer? Where do the Hogwarts professors stay during the summer? Is that Snape’s “summer home” we see in Prince when Narcissa and Bellatrix go to visit him? Why is Wormtail there (Snape slamming the door in Wormtail’s face, his former school bully’s accomplice who is now a weakling must have felt good)? When and how did Harry find out where he was born and where he would have grown up if his parents were never killed? Dumbledore certainly never told him? It would be hilarious that, since his story has such a historical significance in this world, that he found this out in History Class or Hermione pointed it out to him while she was reading her History textbook (Hogwarts surely has a history class, right? I mean this world has such a rich history already. It only makes sense)? How did Voldemort plant the fake vision of Sirius in Harry’s head, the one that ultimately led to Sirius’ death in Phoenix, when the rest of the visions Harry sees from Voldemort’s mind are real? Where do Hogwarts professors, besides Hagrid, and particularly the Heads of Houses, sleep? Where do they stay? Snape is so smart and calculating, I can’t help but think that if he wasn’t so suspicious of Harry, he would have caught onto Moody-Crouch, as Snape was immediately suspicious of Quirrell in Stone? Then yet again, the fact that Snape wasn’t suspicious of Moody-Crouch, probably due to Moody’s reputation of being an odd, paranoid, intense Auror, is just hard to believe. Why is Harry’s scar shaped like a lightning bolt? Are all residual magical scars shaped like that, or something similar? I know the Weasleys are considered “blood traitors” to pure blood maniacs, but why are they so hated by the Ministry too? I get government corruption, but why give them the job in the first place? Like Percy and Arthur both work for the Ministry and seem very good at their jobs as Percy literally chooses it over his family before the Battle of Hogwarts and Arthur is intensely passionate about Muggle artifacts with how he magically enhances a Ford Anglia. The idea of Boggarts and the Mirror of Erised was so clever, but why weren’t either ever used again? Them being used in the same movie would have brought an interesting conversation of our desires versus our fears. After all, one forces us to face our deepest desire and the other forces us to face our biggest fear. Especially with the stakes in the latter movies being so high, it would have provided an interesting dialogue and would be a cool callback to the early movies. Did Snape simply have too much going on in Prince that he never heard around school how suddenly good Harry was at potions and get suspicious that he found his old potions textbook? Or was the only time he got an inkling when he found Draco and recognized the effects of Sectumsempra in the bathroom (and therefore foreshadowing to the audience that he is in fact the Half-Blood Prince)? So, clearly Dumbledore knew that Sirius was innocent, although he clearly didn’t care, but what about McGonagall? Besides, Snape, McGonagall was Dumbledore’s right-hand woman. Wasn’t she in the Order too? What ever happened to Mrs. Cattermole? Did her family flee for safety? Did she divorce her husband after he caught her cheating with a Polyjuice’d Ron? I love how Patronuses are the characters’ spirit animals in a way. A noble stag matches Harry very well (and I am sure the fact that it’s James’ stag and not Lily’s deer pisses Snape off even more. What was Snape’s Patronus before it changed to a deer, or was it always a deer?) Hermione’s otter is adorable and symbolizes how she wants to be seen as playful and fun, but just can’t help her rule-following ways. What is Ron’s Patronus? Also the fact that all these 15-year-olds succeed at a Patronus in Phoenix says so much, especially about how great of a DADA teacher Harry is. Does he become the Hogwarts DADA teacher after the series? That would be a great arc for him, so full circle. Hogwarts was his first home, Lupin was his favorite teacher, and the DA helped him gain confidence in her abilities. Also, we find out when we saw a young Lily’s Sorting ceremony that she was a teacher when Lily, Sirius, James and Snape were at school, so clearly she knew Sirius. He may have been wild, but did she really so easily believe that he was capable of murder and betraying his two best friends? Out of all the teachers, she is the most protective and loyal, and she is very outspoken and isn’t afraid to openly disagree with Dumbledore’s decisions, as we see in the Goblet of Fire after Harry’s name is called. I find this very hard to believe. Also, can we just take a moment that this is his first time seeing the night his parents died, and he literally sees his own parent’s dead bodies? Like, imagine the psychological toll that takes. I get that Harry’s death and why it needs to happen is the point of the story, but why couldn’t there just be a line acknowledging this? How exactly do owls work? Can they read the address on the envelope or does the sender have to verbally communicate the letter or package’s destination? Do owls understand human speech? Does it depend on the location and breed? Hermione doesn’t have her own owl, so does she just use Harry’s or Ron’s? Since Hedwig is Harry’s, does it work better for Harry since she is Harry’s companion, and not as well or a different wizard, like, say, Hermione if she borrows her? Or does Hermione have both an owl and a cat in the books, like Ron has a rat and an owl, but the owl is technically his family’s, right? Is the place Harry asks out Cho to the Yule ball were the owls live when they aren’t sending letters or packages or giving them to their owners/recipients? Does this mean that Voldemort, Umbridge, and the Ministry have the mean to magically track down Harry, Sirius and many more through the owl communication system? What about the Floo powder system, like is the tracking why they couldn’t simply use that to transport Harry to the burrow in Part 1 by Floo powder or Portkey? Can Portkeys be tracked too? Then how did they not realize that Moody-Crouch manipulated in Goblet? Why didn’t Ginny help Harry leave Privet Drive in Part 1? She is his girlfriend after all. If the entire Weasley clan did and Hermione, then why not her? I get that she’s the youngest, but even that could have added so much to her character, reminding us that she is brave and loyal just like everyone else, not just a plain, quiet girl who kisses Harry at ill-times. Why is the Forbidden Forest so feared when it really doesn’t seem that bad? That may make me sound as oblivious as Hagrid, but these are wizards who deal with prejudice, I am sure that they can get more creative with punishments, or at least have them be productive. After all, telling kids something is forbidden probably usually only makes it more alluring, so this would be more of a thrilling thing for a kid then something they dread. These are kids, have them do chores and volunteering (not including Lockhart having Harry organzie his autographed photos). What about being a Candy Stripper in the Hospital Wing and helping with all the insane magical injuries that occur? What about cleaning out the Room of requirement because that seems like the most stressful, daunting task ever. Anything would make more sense then going into a forest that students with the right skills and Hagrid’s guidance can survive through easy-peazy, except the Umbridge blood quill and the Cruciatus curse that she threatened to use. The most danger we ever saw in the Forbidden Forest and it’s creatures who call it home was in Chamber when Aragog told his so-called children to eat Ron and Harry, and that was without Hagrid and in their second year. Who is Ron badly disguised as when they break into Gringotts in Part 2? What kind of spells did, I’m guessing, Hermione uses to create this disguise (LOL I would have loved to watch that scene)? So, does this mean there are hair-growing spells, since all that seemed to change about Ron was his hair, new beard and rough clothes? However, in the previous movie, Hermione told Harry to never let her cut his hair again, so are there both magical hair removal and hair growth spells? These seem to be the few spells Hermione doesn’t have absolutely perfected, which I may be stereotyping against my own gender, but is hilarious for the only girl in the trio because we all know Ron and Harry would have done an even worse job. This magical cosmetic surgery also begs the question; is a Wizarding World equivalent of plastic surgery? If there is, I assume it’s only temporary as none of the people look like supermodels. Also, what are the Wizarding World beauty standards? What happened to that dragon that escaped Gringotts with Harry, Ron and Hermione? Could it even sense the trio riding it? Did Ron alert his brother Charlie, the dragon tamer who we never met, to find the rogue and abused dragon? What is the potion Sirius is talking about when Lupin is in the middle of his werewolf transformation? top the werewolf transformation like moonlight rings in The Originals? How do werewolves transform? Is it by breaking all your bones like in the Vampire Diaries universe? Or is it more like an animigas or Polyjucie Potion where the body bubbles into a new being? I think it’s the latter based on how it’s shown in the movies, but maybe it’s different in the books. I don’t think it would stop the transformation, because then there wouldn’t be as much (because it’s clear wizards in the universe love to be prejudiced) of a stigma, right? So, does it let him keep his human mind while he’s a wolf so he doesn’t “kill his best friend he crosses his path”? Why are their talking heads from Azkaban never used again? And why do they have a Jamaican accent (is that a racist undertone in a story where the pure-blood extremism is literally an allegory for racism in the real world I mean, is pure-blood mania the only form of racism in this world? Are people like Dean and Cho also discriminated against just on a far less prominent scale, oddly It’s kind of hypocritical if that is true)? Draco’s all-black suit in Prince mirrors Voldemort’s Platform 9 3/4 dream sequence in Phoenix eerily due to his white-blonde hair. Am I supposed to get that vibe, because he is now a Death Eater? Why did Snape never get the DADA job? Why not until Prince? because he had to kill Dumbledore, and he knew after that he wouldn’t be able to return to Hogwarts? By giving him the position, Dumbledore basically forced him to him (god, this is so manipulative if I am right!)? In Azkaban, why does Hermione randomly, definitively and incredibly seriously say “I think they’re funny” at the beginning of Hagrid’s first Magical Creatures class scene? It’s so random and comes out of nowhere, as she doesn’t seem to be responding to any lien that we have heard, at least any line that would make sense for her to say that line that way. She isn’t the kind of person to think Neville’s monster book mishap is funny, she would help him, and she would especially not say it in that serious tone. Was that Pavarati who Padma was covering in Part 2 or the body of the dead Lavender we saw Greyback feeding on earlier? If it was Pavarati, then why wasn’t Padma crying? That was her sister. Did I hear that right, in Goblet of Fire when in the Pensieve sequence that’s when Harry finds out about Neville’s parents, not when Neville tells him himself in Phoenix? I wish Neville was given more time to deal with that trauma. And did the other trio member ever find out the truth about Neville’s parents? Did he tell them? After all, it is his story to tell. I will say I love how Harry held Neville back when he finally came face-to-face with Bellatrix in Phoenix. Why does Moody-Crouch transfigure Lucius’ son into a ferret if they are both Death Eaters? I get that he has to keep his cover, but why like that? The DADA position is jinxed right? Then why wouldn’t the fact that Hogwarts can’t keep a DADA teacher to save its life alarm Lupin and make him suspect that it would out his werewolf status, like it ultimately does? He’s a smart guy, wouldn’t he be able to figure this out? Obviously, Lockhart was too cocky to figure this out, Lupin, really? I get that he loved Hogwarts because it reminded him of his time with the Marauders, but shouldn’t he be more worried about his werewolf status with the stigma? I get wanting to defy a stigma, but not if the consequences are even worse. by doing so, like getting fired. Why is the DADA position jinxed anyway (I found this out on Google BTW)? Also, can we talk about how JKR and/or the screenwriter had name repetition between Marcus Belby, the ice cream-loving kid from the Slug Club and Marcus Flint, who was a Quidditch player from Slytherin in the first two films? For how thought out and this fictional world is, I understand names can be repetitive, but this feels very odd, even for such minor characters. How and why does the First Years get their robes before being sorted into their House? Especially with how their robes have their House crest and has their House color on the inside of their hood. Do they magically put it on each student’s robes later on or something? Why don’t they just give the students their robes along with the rest of their uniform, as we clearly see Harry’s Gryffindor scarf and sweater on a chair next to his bed during his first night at Hogwarts? I think visually it would also help make the First Years look even more out of play, then once they are sorted, they could be handed a robe by the Head of House as a welcome of sorts, and then join their House, now looking like they belong. This is more of a theory, but after finding out the truth about Snape’s feelings for Harry, what if Harry was put into Slytherin and had Snape as his Head of House? What kinds of layers would that have added to their dynamic? Is it just me or is the deluminator like the dumbest magical invention ever (however, Dumbledore did use the Deluminator in the very first scene on Privet Drive, which was a cool nod)? You have a wand, use it! I was also really confused with how a deluminator, something meant to create and take away light helped Ron track down Harry and Hermione in Part 1? Like am I suppose to believe that that thing is also like a magical cell phone tracker? The rememberall is also a pretty stupid invention. What’s the use of it just tells you you have forgotten something, but not what you have forgotten? Like Neville totally speaks the truth in that scene by saying “The only problem is, I can’t remember what I’ve forgotten” (also, it was great on the costume department’s fault to have him not wear his robe in that scene, having that be the thing he’s forgotten, only being in his sweater while everyone else has their robes on)! I know that people make fun of how Harry, a wizard, needs glasses, but in the first film, he has tape on his glasses that Hermione fixes. But are we supposed to believe that Dursleys really took Harry to the doctor? They barely fed him. When was Quidditch invented? At the same time as Hogwarts, so 1,000 years ago? So, like the Olympics, it’s basically existed since the beginning of civilization, or Wizarding Civilization in this case? Was that Fawkes, Dumbledore’s Pheonix from the Chamber of Secrets, flying in the final scene of Half-Blood Prince? The train station for the Hogwarts Express is in Hogmeade, correct? So, does that mean that Wizarding Families can take the Hogwarts Express during Hogsmeade Weekends and see their kids at school? I wish the Weasleys did that. I know the whole series is basically about how Muggle-borns are people too, so I don’t mean to sound like a prejudiced Death-eating asshole, but how do Muggles come to possess magical abilities? A distant relative? Are they simply a “Chosen One”? Also, I hate to say it but JKR choosing the word ‘Mudblood” as the derogatory word for Muggle-born is just so good, because it’s so childish and rolls off the tongue better than “person with dirty blood (as Hermione defines it Chamber)”, although it’s still incredibly cruel. And mainly, why was I not one of these “Chosen ones”? Another thing that story gives a big disclaimer about, but I can’t help but ask, but I understand that teaching students to defend themselves is important, but clearly, if Voldemort, Lucius and Snape are any inclinations, clearly this reverse psychology only makes teens’ fascination with whatever thing is banned greater. And there is clearly a restricted section in the Hogwarts library, clearly showing how Hogwarts is trying, and failing, to hide these dark things from students. Now, obviously, if this story teaches authority figures anything, its to not hide the truth, but this information should still be harder to get, but this has clearly been an issue at Hogwarts for decades. There should be more restrictions. A test. An age limit. faculty permission. The distinction between characters who are interested in the dark arts, like Voldemort, who defend against the dark arts, like Lupin and characters who are interested in both like Snape is very intriguing to me. I get that in order to defend yourself against the dark arts, you have to be educated on them, and since they were all students at Hogwarts, they all learned about the dark arts from the DADA class, but how did Snape and Voldemort have access to dark arts knowledge beyond that at Hogwarts? The restricted section? So, after the final battle, do they finally change this curriculum to try and stop students’ facsination with the Dark Arts and more focused on fending themselves? Maybe by taking the term “dark arts” out of the course’s name? You have to be able to be fascinated by the dark arts and not get intoxicated by them because an Aurors whole job, as Moody-Crouch puts it, is to think as dark wizards do and that’s how they catch them. If there was a Horcrux at Hogwarts because Hogwarts meant everything to Voldemort just like it did to Harry (despite them, mainly Voldemort, being willing to let it crumble if it meant he could murder Harry), and Voldemort put Horcruxes in places that were meaningful to him, like the cave from the photograph at the orphanage, then why didn’t Dumbledore figure out that there was one at Hogwarts, trying to find the one at Hogwarts or even bother trying to find it? Like, it’s literally right there! Why doesn’t Voldemort that sense Harry is a Horcrux? can’t he sense his own soul? Does Snape like his job? When did he become a teacher? After he made his deal with Dumbledore? So, does he actually like teaching or does he only do it to stay close to Dumbledore and Harry? He was such a skilled wizard in so many fields, probably one of the most skilled and best wizards of the whole series, and dare I say the franchise. He had so much to offer. If he actually enjoyed teaching and didn’t have a cold demeanor as his defense mechanism to scare off the students, he could have been the best teacher at Hogwarts. How are Muggleborn treated in the Wizarding World today? Is there still prejudice, just not as much? What about werewolves? Did Lupin become a martyr after this death or something? He deserves greater recognition. How do Muggle-borns find out they are wizards? How does Hogwarts find Muggle-born students or young wizards in general? Do Muggleborns get just an extra-long Hogwarts letter explaining everything? Does a representative from the school come to them to explain to their parents, because my parents would have a monster truck full of questions if a wizard tried to recruit me to a magical boarding school? Who came to Hermione’s parents to explain? What writes the Hogwarts letters? A quick-quotes quill or a spelled quill? Because it seems pretty tedious. What is up with that Ron and Harry skin conversation in Prince? Please tell me that’s not in the books. But if it’s not, why the hell is it in the films? What was the point of it besides uncomfortable and weird comedic relief and to basically objectify the already bland film interpretation of Ginny? Speaking of Harry and his relationship with Ginny, when did Ginny and Harry officially start dating? When Ginny whispers “about time” to Harry in the hospital when they are at Ron’s bedside after he utters Hermione’s name in his semi-conscious state, are they already dating then or no? And how was their relationship affected by Harry literally leaving her for months in Hallows? They didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye, and we never saw them talk about it? I am sure Ginny was fine with it as, like Ron, she is pretty chill, but that still does put a strain on a relationship. And what was Ron’s reaction, especially compared to her relationship with Dean, as the protective big brother? How did it affect him and Harry’s friendship, because it’s very unrealistic, even in a magical world, that that kind of development wouldn’t affect their friendship in some way, good or bad? Also, is it just me or does Harry’s romantic interest in Ginny seemingly come out of nowhere? Like there were a few hints of her crush on him in Chamber and Phoenix, but it’s other was far more development between him and Cho, then him and Ginny, when on paper he and Ginny should be the more interesting, passionate and complex (but the passionate part fails miserably). How did Ginny get on the Quidditch team? How did she get so good, good enough to become captain with Harry in Prince? Is that how they get together, and when the book verison of her character comes out when she yells “shut it!” at the other perspective teammates during tryouts? Why don’t we ever her see her fly on a broom? Even that could have added so much to her character and her personality. A green flash comes from Ron’s wand when Nagini lunges at him and Hermione in Part 2, and since in the last green has come from the person’s wand when they cast Avada Kedrava, because we didn’t what Ron say due to the loud score music, did he cast the Killing Curse at the snake (thank GOD it missed Neville if he did!)? So, like Harry asked not to be in Slytherin, are we supposed to assume that Sirius did the same, but more so as a classic child rebellious act against his parents? Also, from my understanding, the only reason Harry was gonna be put in Slytherin was because of how the Sorting Hat could detect that he was one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes, therefore filled with dark magic and could speak Parseltongue like Slytherin himself, right? Because of his parents and just who Harry is, he is undeniably a Gryffindor (however, if the House are all about values, how does Harry share the same as his parents if he never actually met them? This brings nature versus nurture into the getting sorted into a House, good vs. evil debacle and that is just far too complicated for me to sort through right now)? Is Luna handing out her quirky magical glasses, Sectruspectes, with the Quibbler magazine, supposed to hint at Sectsumsempra, because they share the same root word? Also, why does Slughorn just casually wear a graduation cap? That makes sense. Is that in the books? Are there better and more distinctive fashion details in the books? Did they translate most of them, or completely ignore them? Based on their laziness, I am guessing, unfortunately, the latter. If werewolves exist in this universe then do vampires also exist? In most mythologies like The Vampire Diaries and True Blood, they both exist. Is it only talked about in the books? Is this question even answered in the books? I would have loved to see one. Did You-Know-Who make up her own language for spells, or are they all Latin? There don’t seem to be any poetry-like spells like in Narnia, at least none that are real spells (Ron’s magic mishaps in Stone and Chamber being examples), most if not all seem to be Latin, similar to Latin words or Latin-sounding. I know the spell Incendio, the spell for fire in Potter, means fire in Latin because it is also the fire spell in The Vampire Diaries universe is, similarly, Incendia. Also, Leviosa shares the same root as levitating, Lumos shares the same root as illumination, Confundus has the same root as confusion, Protego shares the same root as protection, Imperio shares the same root as imperiously, which means expected to obey, Stupefy (probably my favorite spell purely for how fun of a word it is to say. Like, no wonder they used that spell so much!) shares the same root as stupefying, which is a synonym for astonishing, shocking or (obviously) stunning, the root in Immobilius is mobile, which isn’t just a phone, it also means movement, Geminio shares the same root as gemini which is a word for twins or duplicates, Reparo’s root is obvious repair, Aguamenti shares the same root as the Spanish word for water which is agua, Imperio has the same root as imperialism (the irony of this being a British film I am well-aware of), and the root of Expelliarmus is expel. So, Dumbledore’s password to his office is non-latin as its Sherbert Lemon, but the password the Gryffindor Common room password is Caput Draconus which means dragon’s head in latin. Does this relate to teh latin versus non-latin spells thing, even though these are passwords? Does it matter? Why do Fudge, Minister of Magic, and McGonagall tell Madame Rosmerta, a random bar owner, seemingly very important information about Sirius Black randomly? Also, why doesn’t anyone tell Harry that Sirius was his Godfather? Was McGonagall under Dumbeldore’s orders, because otherwise I can’t imagine her not outright telling Harry that, and that being why he needs to be safe and stay at school and not go to Hogsmeade, which is probably why McGonagall and Dumbeldore don’t give him special allowance (due to him being an orphan in an abusive family) to go Hogsmeade, but can in thw other years, because Sirius Black is no longer a threat (although they already knew he wasn’t, and in other years Voldmeort was a threat, so…?). When you apparate with more then one person, do all of the people involved have to know how to apparate? Because Harry said it was his first time apparating with Dumbledore in Prince. Is there a class at Hogwarts about Apparation? What year? Who teaches it? Why didn’t we get to see Seamus and Neville inevitably struggle with it in the most hilarious manner? If I am right, and only one person needs to know how to apparate and if you just hold on, like Harry does with Dumbledore, then is that how they apparate in Hallows? I’m guessing if anyone in the trio learned to appaarte, it would be Hermione as Harry is too busy to learn this seemingly difficult skill and Ron is too lazy when it comes to school. Maybe I just have to do more research, but there are just so many spells and facets of magic in the Wizarding World, it would just be way too much. Who teaches it? I bet that class is so interesting because, and as a history buff this pains me to say, but I am honestly more interested in this fictional world’s history than the real world’s, probably due to my obsession with escapism. Also, is it just me, but besides The Gray Lady, are the ghosts only in Chris Columbus’ films? How do you get into the other Houses? Do they all have passwords? Do the Heads of Houses know each others passwords for safety purposes? Can members of other Houses go into each others’ Houses if accompanied by one of that House’s members? Does the Head of House also live in their House just in their own room? This might be a really dumb question but does a Head of House have to belong to that House? It seems like it? If Snape is the Head of Slytherin House and he seemingly betrays Hogwarts by killing Dumbledore and then become Headmaster, then who takes over as Head of Hosue in his place? Slughorn? The Slytherin kids probably hated his jolly demeanor, as they seemed to hilariously and ironiclly love Snape’s cool demeanor. So, was Dumbledore Head of Gryffindor House before he was Headmaster? So, did McGonagall atke over for him after he became Headmaster? How does the Mirror of Erised work exactly? Does it just show you want you want to see or does it reveal your true deepest desire, even if think it’s actually something else, either forcing you to accept your destiny or proving you wrong and confront your denial? In comparison, a Boggart feeds off your fear and brings it to life, emphasizing it right in front of you, forcing you to no longer deny what you fear the most, right? It literally brings a person’s greatest fear to life. It may have been a fun and comedic sequence in Azkaban, a great showcase of how great of a teacher Lupin was, but if you strip all that away, the actual idea of a Boggart is truly terrifying. How do all the students and staff not hear the Death Eaters enter the castle in Prince? Like McGonagall is clearly awake and psychopaths aren’t exactly quiet beings? Since we know Snape knew this was going to happen, did he like put some sort of auditory muffler or silnecing spell on the individual Houses? Why are the Weasleys and Hermione at the Leaky Cauldron the day after Harry get there? Did Harry or the Minister send them an owl and they came running to make Harry feel less alone? If that is the case, they are such good people and they really are Harry’s family, the family he also wanted and deserved (it makes the fact that he married Ginny that much more satisfying. And makes me wish that their relationship was filled with more spark and less blandness). What about Hermione? Was Hermione at the Burrow like she was in Prince when Harry arrives after meeting Slughorn? What happened to Grawp? Did he just stay in the Forbidden Forest forever (also LOL at how in the first movie Dumbledore is like the Forbidden Forest is dangerous don’t go in there and we literally go in it every single film)? What happened to the Ford Anglia from Chamber? Did it just stay in the Forbidden Forest? If Thestrals live in the Forbidden Forest, does that technically make them dark creatures and the same with a unicorn? That makes nos sense? Thestrals ride the students to schools and unicorns are unicorns. They seem harmless in actuality. How did JKR come up with the name Harry Potter, in actuality, the name is quite ordinary, not iconic like it is today. Why didn’t the Twins bring their joke tools to the Battle of Hogwarts? That would have been such a smart thing to do and something the Death Eaters wouldn’t have expected. It also would have brought everything full circle with how like Sirius says, there is both light and dark in things, even war. How does the Knight Bus work exactly? How does it find stranded wizards? And seriously, how do wizards possibly keep on that enchanted bus? A sleeping spell? What happened after the Fat Lady after she saw Sirius Black? Did she just go back to the portrait or did someone take over, because she seemed terrified? So, when Harry’s Horcrux dies, so does his psychological connection to Voldemort and his ability to speak parseltongue (even though Ron learned it through Harry so he probably still knows a few words) dies too right? That’s why his scar is gone in the Epilogue, because that was the physical manifestation of that connection, which is why it burned when he was close to Voldemort or felt Voldemort’s emotions, right? What happened to Fenrir Greyback? he is a full-time werewolf, so was he put in Azkaban or was he executed? Did he ever survive the finale? Who killed him? I hope it was Harry or Bill (he almost became a werewolf right? because he and Lupin joked about it in Part 1). Is the Leaky Cauldron a restaurant bar, a hotel or a satellite office for Ministry? Or is it all three? Why does Draco randomly eat an apple in the Buckbeak introduction scene? Ollivander’s wand shop says that it’s been open 382 B.C., which means that the Wizarding World has existed since then. Hogwarts opened 1,000 years ago, which would be AD times. So, if Hogwarts opened that long ago and the wand shop existed that long ago, then how did students get to Hogwarts before that? Did wizards invent the train and eventually some Muggles took the credit? Does the same go for plumbing in the 1,000-year-old Hogwarts castle, which is how the Basilisk got around somehow in the Chamber of Secrets? So, in Prince, when Filch catches Draco crashing the Slug Club Christmas party, he calls Filch a “squib.” I googled what that meant, assuming it was just Wizard slang like “Merlin’s Beard,” but it said that it’s a child born of a wizard family who doesn’t possess the gift of magic. That is such an interesting layer to this pureblood mania plot point in the series. Since, Mrs. Figg lived in harry’s neighborhood and knew Dumbledore, is she a squid who assimilated into Muggle life? I doubt Dumbledore would just ask some random Muggle to keep an eye on Harry. So, Harry doesn’t begin to have Voldemort-connected vision until Goblet, hinting at Voldemort’s return and they don’t truly become a problem until Phoenix when Harry gets Occlumency lessons and gets lured to the Department of Mysteries by Voldemort. But this isn’t just happening because Voldemort has returned to his body because they happened in Goblet before he returned to human form. How? Also, how did that baby-form Voldemort find enough resources to disappear after he killed Harry’s parents? How exactly did that happen? I know it is because the curse rebounded by really there are so many logistical plot holes that I am curious about. Also, is it just me, or is the Malfoy being the Heir of Slytherin theory the trio has in Chamber, while the obvious choice, doesn’t make any sense because since “the whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries,” why would they choose to open the Chamber now, at the exact moment? What are the raids Mr. Weasley talks about during his first scene in Chamber? How do DA members know when meetings occur? They couldn’t exactly just put the date and time on a bulletin board or something. I’m sure Hermione figured out some brilliant idea. Did Umbridge even allow Quidditch? We didn’t see it once in that whole film. Where did Hagrid return from in Phoenix? How does Harry know his dad’s Patronus is a stag? Did Lupin tell him and we just didn’t see that? Or did he see himself across the lake and because he looks like his dad, he thought it was James producing the Patronus? How did Snape see that Patronus (because Hermione said she overheard him talking to Dumbledore about it)? Did he run after Harry and Sirius? When Hermione is watching Harry and Sirius get attacked by the Dementors before Harry does the Patronus, she says that they both died, so are they resurrected then, so Harry could save them by going back in time? Also, was this supposed to be foreshadowing? Why in the POV shot when Harry is in the hospital in Chamber is his vision not blurry? He doesn’t have his glasses on yet? Is that confirming that magic did fix his eyes, but he just likes glasses? Why doesn’t he forgo them then when he’s on the run as a security precaution? What House was Hagrid in? Gryffindor? He seems like a Hufflepuff to me, though. In Goblet, when Harry goes back to talk to Sirius in the fireplace after Ron interrupts them, the camera pans up and in the background, you can see Ron walking back to the dorms on the upstairs balcony, so couldn’t have just spied on Harry or waited for Harry to be done up there instead? Also, if Sirius is such a rebel, why didn’t he just stay in the fire to finish the conversation? It was just Ron, but still? Why would he leave a terrified Harry hanging like that, even if it was a risk, a huge part of Sirius’ character his is love for risk-taking? What do Hermione’s parents think about her spending all her time with the Weasleys? We know they have met, as we see that in Chamber, but this is a foreign world to them. I get Hermione is wise beyond her years, but still. They clearly support her, but they seem smart. They are dentists and Hermione even says they can tell something is going on the Wizarding World in Prince, what do they think about Hermione’s involvement, especially with Harry? My parents would literally pull me out of school and force me to assimilate. Moody-Crouch says that the use of any of the Unforgivable Curses would “earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban,” but Harry uses them and doesn’t got to jail (and both times was when the Ministry was against him too), and he had the trace on him the first time. Can the trace detect an Unforgivable Curse or the exact spell? Does use an Unforgivable Curse for harm, necessity, protection or to a deserving target, like Bellatrix, make it forgivable? Like, I am sure the real Moody, and Auror, have used one once or twice. What did Dumbledore teach when he was just a professor at Hogwarts? If there are wizard schools all over the world, then is there one in the U.S.? I want that spinoff! With American actors and characters and great plot and character parallels. Cast me in it, please! How did Hermione know what the word “Mudblood” meant before Draco called her one? Who told her what it meant? Who else previously called her that? She should punch them too. Literally, how did Trelawny get the Divination job if she can rarely ever actually do divination (except, thankfully when it really matters, and only about Harry, of course)? Was she one of Dumbledore’s favorite past students, so favoritism? Did he not believe in her and saw her as a wreck-loose unable to take care of herself, so he took pity on her? Did Harry ever clear Sirius’ name posthumously? Did Harry ever clear Snape’s name posthumously in order to repay him? He obviously changed all of his opinions about him by calling him the bravest man he had ever known in the final scene. In that establishing shot right before the Yule Ball, why is there light coming out of the Durmstrang ship? Wait, are those things the other schools traveled in where they sleep and study because we don’t actually see any of them in any of the Hogwarts classes or staying in the various Hogwarts Houses? Do they use a Charm or something, like the one the Weasleys did with their tent at the World Cup (also why did the Weasley kids look at that tent confused? Didn’t they grow up in the Wizarding World and are used to stuff like that? At least they acted that once they got inside the tent, making themselves right at home. Makes me wish we saw the Weasley kids interact more with the Muggle world in the same hilarious way we saw Mr. Weasley, with such endearing ignorance and hilarious fascination). Are Chocolate Frogs chocolate or chocolate-covered frogs, or are they just transgfigured or bewitched to jump? How can you each a transfigured food, that seems questionable, like a potion in some way? Speaking of Chocolate Frogs, did any of the heroes in this series get one because Harry being a living legend by 17-years-old certainly deserves one. Ron and Hermione do too for helping. Snape also deserves one for his bravery and sacficing his life and reputation. Dumbledore’s should be revoked. Also, speaking of Chocolate Frog cards, Dumbledore is on Harry’s card at first then leaves, and Ron is like “well you can’t expect him be there all day,” like what? Is that actually Dumbledore or just his picture, and it acts like portrait moving from frame to frame, photo to photo? Why do First Years ride on boats to the castle, but every other year goes by carriage? How do those boats work, because etey have no paddles? Magic? Did the Weasleys tell Ron to befriend Harry, knowing that they would be in the same year? I hope not, and I think not, but if so, did Molly just not recognize him or see James and Lily in him when she first him? Weren’t the Weasleys friendly with the Potters through Dumbledore and their mutual friends and shared beliefs. Why are Mrs. Norris’ eyes red? Why are the students wearing their school robes to the Sorting Ceremony if they aren’t sorted yet and are gonna put their House color on the inside and the crest on their left side? Why not just gift them their robe and uniform after Sorting, as like a prize of sorts? Is Gryffindor the ‘hodge podge’ House? Because that’s the House we see the most and meet the most characters from, and yet each character is so different from that House. Hermione’ studious. Ron is easygoing. Harry is modest. Fred and George are hilarious. Ginny is athletic. Neville is introverted. Of course, not everyone is a clone of one another in every House, but this makes me think even more that Houses are about values, not necessarily personality. When the Sorting hat is talking to Harry during his Sorting, can everyone hear that or just Harry, because if they talked during Hermione, Ron and everyone else’s Sorting, we didn’t hear that, but that also could be more about script room and screentime? How doe the food at Hogwarts work? Especially with it just appearing out fo nowhere like it does in Stone? We don’t see that again, but is that still how it happens? It appears so randomly. Is it bewitched? Where doe sit come from? If food can be conjured out fo nowhere, like water as seen with aguamenti spell, then why isn’t the trio eating three course meals while they are camping in Part 1? Why didn’t Ginny go on the Horcrux Hunt with the trio? She’s Harry’s girlfriend, Hermione’s friend and Ron’s sister. I get the trio is always a focal point, but still, it does make sense. Besides with Umbridge in Phoenix, has Hogwarts’ curriculum ever evolved since its founding? I would hope so. Was Snape injured by Hermione setting fire to his robes at the Quidditch Match in the first film? The kid who the snake Draco conjured during his duel Harry tried to attack, Justin Finch-Fletchley, was he Muggle Born? Is that it was such a big deal? I know Harry asked Hagrid and he answered, but really, what was Hagrid doing in Knockturn Alley in Chamber? I find it hard to believe that the only place he could get a Herbology product is in such a dark, sketchy area. Did Harry and Ron actually get Special Awards for Services to the School in Chamber? Because it was never talked about again. Also, Hermione deserves one too, because she actually solved it, they just acted on it. What exactly was Mr. Weasley’s punishment for Ron using his bewitched flying car, because he clearly didn’t get into enough trouble to lose his job? Did Ginny get any input on her children’s names, because all of her kids with harry seemed to be named after people Harry valued, not her? Due to how reserved they made her out being in the films, making her look more like a pushover than a sentimental, heartwarming wife. How did Lucius Malfoy get Tom Riddle’s diary in the first place, because he had it before Voldemort returned? Also, why did he give it to an impressionable girl then, specifically, and not earlier? Also, why does Seamus Finnegin advertise that he’s a half-blood during the opening feast in Stone? If he is a half-blood, then he must have somewhat grown up in the Wizarding World, which means he knows about the prejudice. Dangerous (and honestly kind of obnoxious) way to make friends. Why don’t we ever see the ghosts again after the first two movies, until we meet The Gray Lady in the final film? Also, Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts, but how does he not know how to spell, proven by the cake he gifts Harry and how he literally says so in the Leaky Cauldron scene, both in Stone? Also, is it just me or did the entrance to the Gryffindor common room change over the course of the series, from a corridor to directly from the moving staircase tower, or does it have multiple entrances? How do the moving portraits work? How do they move between portraits? Is it like that episode of Wizard of Waverly Place where they go into Alex’s fairytale storybook? So, when Snape becomes Headmaster in Hallows, does he change the moving siarcase into a non-moving grand staircase going in multiple directions? Or did Snape paus it magically or something? Or did they just change it for teh final film to make it less visually chaotic an complicated? Why did Voldemort hide one of his Horcrux’s in Bellatrix’s Gringotts vault anyway? Sure she is one of his most devoted followers, but after he trusted his diary to Lucius, why would he risk it, especially since they are family. God, Voldemort is so incredible arrogant. Did Lucius know that the diary was a Horcrux? Did Bellatrix know that the Horcrux Cup was indeed a Horcrux? Was Fred and George’s joke shop still open after the Death Eaters crashed the wedding causing the Weasleys to go into hiding? When Harry saved Fleur’s sister in Goblet, was she actually in danger, or would he have been able to get out of the Black Lake eventually? How did Bellatrix and thso escaped Death Eaters get their wands back in Phoenix? Hermione had her expandable beaded bag in Part 1 when teh Snatchers come after her, and one Snatcher says they went through it after they grabbed them and that’s hwo they got the Sword of Gryffindor, but Hermione also has it in Part 2 when she’s Polyjuice’d as Bellatrix and goes to Gringotts, so how did she get it back? She was so exhausted when she apparated from Malfoy Manor? How did she hide it? Did she accio it off screen or did Ron? Also, is it just me or did the trio get incredibly lucky that Bellatrix’s hair stayed on Hermione’s sweater and didn’t fall or blow off in Hallows? Also, why wasn’t the fact that they were holding the wand that killed Sirius and tortured Neville’s parents a bigger deal? Like that doesn’t seem like the type of the thing the trio wouldn’t acknowledge. With the trio each switching off wearing the locket, we saw how it made Harry angry and made Ron’s insecurities boil over, but we never got to see how it effected Hermione. When she wore it she seemed like ehr normal self, so how did it effect her? I know the Basilisk can petrify victims, but can other creatures? How do people become werewolves in the universe? How is being a werewolf possible? Is it a curse like in the Vampire Diaries universe? What happened to Bill Weasley? He is scarred and jokes with Lupin about taking his steaks on the raw side now, but it’s never explicitly said, is he a werewolf or just had wolfish tendencies since being attacked by one? How exactly does Greyback work because even when it’s not a full moon, he still looks like Mason Greyback in werewolf form from Wizards of Waverly Place? After Lupin’s death, did Harry work in his memory to help stop the werewolf stigma? Especially after Greyback no doubt died or went to Azkaban. Is Teddy Lupin a werewolf or has the ‘gene’ like in Vampire Diaries, or not? How doe sthat work with a werwolf having an offspring? If a female werewolf gets pregnant, does she still have to turn on the full moon or not, like in The Originals? What’s the difference between a wizard, a warlock and witch? So, Dumbledore’s office door is a literal griffin-door, so does the mascot to the headmaster’s office change depending on their house? So, did it became a snake when Snape became headmaster?How long were the Weasleys and Hermione at Grimmauld Place before Harry arrived in Phoenix? The whole summer? If that’s the case, how did Hermione feel about Dumbledore basically holding their daughter hostage from them? Why did Lily and Snape lose touch? James? Taking different sides, initially? How did James and Lily get together? Why, exactly, did Snape always love Lily? My assumption is it was because he was bullied, and she was the first person to see the goodness in him and be kind to him. How did the Potters get all that gold? Like, seriously, Jesus Christ, that is A LOT of gold. What was James’ relationship with Vernon and Petunia? Did they ever meet? Did he try and make nice with them, but failed because of their prejudice and James’ sense of humor and (I assume because he’s a pure-blood) ignorance about the Muggle world by growing up in the Wizarding World? What about Lily and Vernon? I bet Lily tried to be kind to him, but he was his usually dickish self. Where did James and Lily’s wands go when they were killed? Why didn’t Dumbledore save them for Harry (oh wait, he doesn’t give a sh*t about them)? How did Snape get to the Potter’s house that night? Did he run into Hagrid trying to save Harry or was he the one to pass Harry off to Hagrid to bring to the Dursleys? So, Snape once met Petunia and knew how awful she was, and we are supposed to believe that he was okay with Lily’s innocent baby boy going to live with her after Lily’s death, under Dumbledore’s orders? that he didn’t object at all? Sure. Why didn’t Harry try and track down his childhood home when he went to visit Godric’s Hollow? I am sure that it’s some historical landmark, like Anne Frank’s house, or something. After all, the Potter’s deaths are in the history books in this world, like Princess Diana or John Lennon. Also, how did Dumbledore hide the Potters exactly if they lived in Godric’s Hollow when Harry was born and when they died? Did they tell people they left, but cast a protection spell, like the ones Hermione uses in Part 1, and actually stayed put, and that’s how they were protected, and since Pettigrew was in the Order, Dumbledore’s secret society, at that time, and I assume the Order was tasked with protecting the Potters, that’s how he knew where they were and betrayed them. Am I on the right track because I am sure the logistics of all of this are explained more thoroughly in the books? Or maybe I am thinking Dumbledore was really noble man he pretended to be and actually tried to protect the Potters and not simply promise Snape he would, forcing him to live the rest of his days 100% devoted to him (how is he better than Voldemort again?) and then actually didn’t do what he promised Snape he would protect the Potters. Maybe because he knew that was how the prophecy would be put in place, and that the prophecy is the only way to officially defeat Voldemort. He decided to play the long game, and after all, he said right after the Potters died “the Dark Lord will return” to Snape, but how else would he know that? God, either way, he is so manipulative and egocentric. How exactly did Harry survive the Killing Curse…twice? Love? But seriously, how? And how does the protection of love work when it comes to physical touch? Especially with how Quirrell refused to touch Harry, and then Harry burned him to dust by touching him and defeated him and expelled Voldemort from Quirrell’s body and then with Voldemort using Harry’s blood to return and then proclaiming “I can touch you now” and touching Harry’s scar and burning him now? When did Quirrell get to the Mirror of Erised room? Was he like…waiting for Harry? For how long?What exactly is Priori Incantium? Like how exactly did Harry see, and speak, to Lily, James and Cedric that night? How is that different from when he saw his parents and parental figures with the Resurrection Stone? would that Lily and James remember being with Harry at the graveyard that night? Why didn’t Harry die when Voldemort killed him in the final movie? I get it was just the Horcrux that died, not Harry, but how? Love? If Avada Kedrva simply kills a Horcrux, why didn’t the trio ever try that? Or is that only the creator of a Horcrux can simply destroy one with the Killing Curse? How does Voldemort get inside Harry’s head and give him imaginary visions exactly? And how does Harry get inside his head? I know Snape and Harry’s lessons in Phoenix are meant to combat this, but what is this kind of magic exactly? It was never fully fleshed out or explained, but I am sure it is in the books. Do Muggleborns ever get Slytherin? I know half-bloods do because Snape is a Slytherin and the Half-Blood Prince, but what about Muggleborns, or did Salazar Slytherin manipulate the hate not to? What about after the Dark Lord fell? How long do wizards live because the trio says Dumbledore is 150 years old in Half-Blood Prince? But is that because of the Sorcerer’s Stone and the Exliar of Life? Also, what happened to Nicolas Flamel? Was he alive throughout the whole season to did he die? Is Nicolas Flamel the only truly immortal wizard, without Horcruxes, but with Sorcerer’s Stone (until it’s destroyed)? Can any fans actually tell Fred and George apart? Can the characters themselves? I get why Mrs. Weasley is always confused, after all, she has like a million kids, she probably calls Ron by Percy’s name daily even if they are polar opposites. Why do goblins hate wizards so much? I get wizards can be extremely prejudiced, but it’s like Russians, they may have a stern stereotype, but that doesn’t mean they are all that way. Why are goblins so untrustworthy? Yes, I get the spite. Goblins are treated with unconscious bias by many wizards, especially because, unlike Muggleborn prejudice, goblins actually look different, so it’s, unfortunately, easier for wizards to be prejudiced. Which side were the goblins on? Harry’s right, as Griphook, helps him? Why do they keep hinting at Harry crushing on Luna, with him mentioning Nargles before kissing Cho for the first time and inviting her to the Slug Club, it’s just so subtle, and yet so obviously hinted at. Who exactly forced Draco to become a Death Eater? Because his dad was in Azkaban, so was it Bellatrix or Narcissa or Voldemort himself? Was Narcissa even a Death Eater herself, was she just loyal to her husband and sister, and by proxy the Dark Lord? She never seemed that passionate about the Dark Lord’s goals, only her son’s safety and of course his blood purity. Also (LOL) but did Narcissa even care that her sister died? I would believe it if she thought “good riddance” when she heard the news because how Bellatrix was okay with the possibility of her son dying due to his mission for the Dark Lord, as Bellatrix said that she and Draco should be “honored.” Azkaban seems like a prisoner for the worst of the worst. Murderers. Torturers. Users of the Unforgivable Curses. But is there another prisoner for petty criminals? Are all Azkaban prisoners there for a lifetime or are there shorter sentences? Literally, how did Sirius escape Azkaban, because from that establishing shot of Azkaban, it seems to be on an island, right? Is he like an Olympic swimmer or something? And why then? Why not earlier, if he was always an animigas? So, werewolf Lupin runs away after Buckbeak intercepts him when he goes after Hermione and Harry, so do werewolves only hunt humans, not other animals? Is that why Sirius and Peter became animagas? Did James too? What was his animal form? Why wouldn’t werewolves simply lock themselves up during the full moon to transform like in The Vampire Diaries to avoid fear, exposure and the stigma? Do they? Is a werewolf considered a half-breed, a beast, a being, a creature or a dark creature in this universe, because wizards clearly love their labels? I have heard that Dumbledore is supposed to be gay (can we talk bout the irony of JKR making a character LGBT but not accepting that the T is valid and exists?)? Why does Lupin have a cane at the end of Azkaban (him saying to Harry with a slight smile “I’ve looked worse, believe me” after the full moon is such a touching and tender moment)? So, is queerness accepted in the Wizarding World? What about racism in terms of Asians like Cho and Blacks like Dean? or is racism, in this universe, strictly about blood purity (because it’s meant to be a commentary or something, right?)? What about gender equality, because Hermione or Bellatrix are treated the same as Harry and Lucius, if not better in terms of gender, and Luna isn’t an outcast because of her womanhood, but because of her eccentricity? What happened to the remaining and surviving Death Eaters after Voldemort died? Were they executed or sent for life sentences in Azkaban? Wait, so if harry was the true master of the elder wand the whole time, then once the final Horcrux was killed, Nagini, did Voldemort feel it and panic and that caused his Avada Kedvra spell coming from the elder wand to rebound, not being able to kill it’s master, and kill Voldemort instead? So, did he kill himself? Death by arrogance, because he searched and searched for the most powerful wand in the world, the notorious Elder Wand, which is supposedly unbeatable for its master? Am I right? Why, in Phoenix, does one of the Twins stare at Harry when he walks in? The Twins were at Grimmauld Place, aren’t they on his side? Are Seamus and Dean supposed to be best friends, because they are almost always together? Someone, I assume a woman, named Andromeda, her face is burned out on the Black family tree next to Bellatrix. The Camera focuses on the two of them, so obviously she is significant in the history of this universe and this family and this story, but why is her face blacked out? Is she Bellatrix’s sister, since their names are next to each other? Also, the name Rodolphus Lestrange is under Bellatrix’s name on the Black family tree, is that his husband? She is married?! Did she murder her husband for Voldemort because that sounds like something she’d do and we never seem to meet him (unless that’s the guy she sits next to during the Death Eater meeting in Part 1)? Why do we never meet Charlie, especially in Goblet with the Dragon task? If pureblood maniacs like Voldemort were so prejudiced why did they let werewolves like Greyback join their ranks? Bloodlust (he said in Part 1 to Bellatrix that a quality he likes is bloodlust)? Also, Bill says that the reason he is scared was that he was attacked by a werewolf named Greyback, so doe that make him a werewolf? He and Lupin seemed to have bonded over it. Bill also said that he hoped to return the favor to Greyback so after Greyback killed Lavender, did Bill kill him? I wish e could have seen Lupin and Bill team up to kill him. Maybe that’s how Lupin died, aww. So, Flitwick is the chorus teacher, so besides Quidditch, the DA and choir, what other extracurriculars are there at Hogwarts? If the Weasley family and Malfoy family kind of grew up together, just hating each other, wouldn’t Narcissa, like Draco, have recognized Ron when they come to Malfoy Manor, and since she would, wouldn’t she know the other two were Hermione and Harry, as he son would have certainly told her about them, especially Hermione and her ‘Mudblood’ status. So, does that mean Draco AND Narcissa both cover for Harry when they are at Malfoy Manor (not Lucius because he is a power-hungry coward who just ants to make right with Voldemort as soon as possible)? This would mean Narcissa would have saved Harry’s life twice. Why does the Sorting hat present the Sword of Gryffindor to the worthy Gryffindor who needs it two out of the three times it’s presented to a Gryffindor in the series? Also, how does such a large sword fit into a hat small enough to fit onto at 11 year old’s head? The same charm as Hermione’s bag? How does it not fall over a First Year’s eye and swallow them whole hen? And how does it teleport and disappear and reappear? Did Godric Gryffindor spell it to do that? Literally how did Lily become friends with the Marauders, besides all being Gryffindors? Like, she was in the Slug Club and is constantly praised for her kindness even posthumously. Also, can we talk about how impressive of wizards the Maraders are to be animagis? That seems like a very difficult skill as Krum has trouble converting himself into a shark in Goblet and we don’t see any other students trying to become animagis. This also makes me hate Peter Pettigrw’s character even more because if he wasn’t so pathetic, he could have actually been a decent wizard. How strong is a Phoenix? How does Fawkes fly Lockhart and Ron and Harry and Ginny out of the Chamber? Why is Harry scared to fight a dragon in Goblet when he literally fought the Chamber of Secrets’ notoriously dangerous monster, the Basilisk, in Chamber? Also, how does Harry come up with the idea to stab the diary? Smart kid! Probably one of his best decision of the series TBH, as he could thank himself later as that decision helped him and Dumbledore figure out that Voldemort split his soul into Horcruxes. What exactly is the Department of Mysteries? What exactly is the Hall of Prophecies? If prophecies are a spiritual law of the universe or telling of the future, how is a prophecy tangible, able to be physically picked up? How did all those spiders open or break those windows in Chamber? What are they doing in the castle and Hagrid’s Hut if all these magical talking spiders live in the Forbidden forest? And if spiders are scared of the Basilisk, that doesn’t explain why they run away in such an oddly orderly fashion. Also, why don’t the spiders get angry and attack Harry and Ron for stepping on them when following them into the Forbidden Forest? Also, is the Forbidden Forest also called the Dark Forest, because Ron calls it that in Chamber? What ever happened to that Ford Anglia (my friend told me that this is the car that Mr. Weasley turned into the flying car)? Did it just become another peculiar phenomenon that lives in the forest? How does Draco get so good at DADA and dueling in Hallows despite not being in the DA in Phoenix? Did Narcissa or Bellatrix train him? Why don’t any Order members, who all seem to be the closest adults to Harry (like the Order member are really Harry true family) ever confront the Dursleys about their poor treatment of Harry? Why didn’t any of them threaten them? They are all very protective of Harry, but somehow don’t care about how the Dursleys treat him. I don’t believe that. Ron was horrified when he saw the bars Vernon put on his window in Chamber. Am I really supposed to think he didn’t ask his parents to talk to them on Harry’s behalf, especially because they really do treat Harry like a son? Plus, Mr. Weasley is an expert on Muggles, so I am sure he knows how to talk to them. Moody and Sirius have a temper, and due to Sirius’ past in Azkaban and Moody’s terrifying appearance, they definitely could have scared the Dursleys off. Why are Ron and Harry smiling so big in the busy hallways before McGonagall calls Harry over in Prince? I bet it’s explained in the books. Also, I just realized this, but it seems like Hufflepuff is the only Hogwarts Hosue common room we never visit in the series. We technically only see that Ravenclaw has their own outdoor area and courtyard, which I think is really neat. Clearly, Rowena Ravenclaw had a passion for nature and the outdoors. So, Neville was terrified of Snape, no doubt due to his constant belittling and taunting due to his forgetful and shy nature. However, since Snape knew about the prophecy when he went to Dumbledore to ask him to hide the Potters, did he also know that the boy could have been Neville and not Lily’s son, so is that possibly the reason why he picks on Neville, making him become Neville’s worst fear because if Neville became the Chosen One then Lily would still be alive? When Sirius broke into Hogwarts and slashed the Gryffindor portrait door, how did he know Harry was in Gryffindor? Did he just assume because James and he were? The fact that, for weeks, in Part 1 the trio just had, and wore Voldemort’s soul, wouldn’t that be a bigger deal? Like their enemy’s soul is literally with them? Why didn’t they ever talk about how creepy the idea is to fathom? Why does Harry tell everyone Voldemort killed Cedric when it was very clearly Wormtail with Voldemort’s wand? Sure, it was on Voldemort’s orders, callously saying “kill the spare,” but shouldn’t he tell the whole truth, not just the most important parts? Or is it because saying it was someone other then Voldmeort would only encourage Fudge’s denial? The final film hinted at Neville and Luna’s potential romance, with Neville saying, while on a high, that he is “mad for her,” despite never having a direct conversation within the films. Did Neville and Luna end up together? Did they ever actually date? It’s clear that Snape is very skilled and passionate about both DADA and potions, which means we would excel at teaching both subjects, however, it’s unclear whether or not he would really want the DADA job if it wasn’t jinxed or not. Would he still want it anyway despite it being cursed and therefore will end his deal with Dumbleore? Potions also seem like a mix of precise measurements found in cooking and pharmacy, so are potions used in the Infirmary a lot? Does that mean Madame Pomfrey is also skilled at potions? Also, what the hell did Narcissa see in Lucius? She genuinely seems to hate her husband, and with good reason. Did they divorce after the finale? Despite them both being from pureblood families and valuing their blood purity, I can’t see how they feel in love with each other at all, and it’s not because of their lack of chemistry, it’s purely because of their characters. Did they only marry to keep their families’ blood pure? It seems like it. It seems very loveless. Their relationship is very complicated between being Death Eaters, their questionable morals, how Lucius treats Draco, Lucius’ failure, Narcissa’s crazy sister, and their prestigious familial reputations which makes their relationship intriguing and compelling, but it was definitely an arranged marriage, right? Like just because Narcissa was sort of upset about Lucius being put in Azkaban, it seemed like she was more upset because of how it affected Draco, not because she actually missed her husband (LOL love that for her!). Hermione was not a common name when the books first came out, so did fans fully butcher her name when they first came out? Also, Umbridge’s reasoning for not teaching the DADA defensive spells is because Voldemort isn’t back, but most of the past DADA classes are mostly about defending themselves against Dark Creatures, not Dark Wizrads, so why did Hermione or Harry never bring up that point? Also, how ironic that Umbridge’s excuse is “who do you imagine would want to attack children like yourself?” when not just her, but also Moody-Crouch, Quirell and Lockhart all attacked or harmed (or tried to harm) children, usually Harry? Did Narcissa know about Voldemort’s Horcruxes, and now that Harry was one? She asked if Draco was alive, not even bothering to check his pulse or ask him if he was alive. Her husband also one had one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes in his possession, and as a Black, was educated about the Dark Arts from a young age. Also, Luna was held captive at Malfoy Manor, but seems unharmed for the most part, which could be in part to Narcissa’s kinder, and maternal nature in comparison to Lucius or Bellatrix, plus she knew Luna was taken as collateral damage not because she was guilty fo something. If she knew about Horcruxes and somehow came to the conclusion that Voldemort used a relic from each Hogwarts founder to make one, that would mean that she thought Luna, being Harry’s friend and a Ravenclaw, could lead him to the Ravenclaw one. She could also assume Harry was hunting them since he was on the run already and is the Chosen One. If this is all true, she is highly underrated. Did Narcissa even care that her sister was imprisoned, or care that she was killed when the Battle of Hogwarts resumed? Why does Moody-Crouch randomly ask Neville about his passion for Herbology? It’s so inorganic. I get it’s supposed to hint at him giving him the Herbology book, but Neville tells us that later, we didn’t need that awkwardly placed line from Moody. Can Voldemort, a powerful but dark wizard, produce a Patronus? Can Wormtail, Bellatrix, Lucius, Narcissa or any other Death Eater or Voldemort follower (if any Death Eater besides Snape can produce a Patronus, due to how much of a protective mother she is, I’m betting it’s Narcissa)? What are their Patronuses if they can? If they can’t due to their dark nature, what happens to them? Could all the goodness kill their hateful hearts? How morbidly fitting! If this is true, does that mean that Snape is the only Death Eater or person with the dark mark able to cast a Patronus successfully, and that itself proves how Snape isn’t evil at his core? If that’s true, can Draco, since he’s not evil at his core either? Does Draco, in his lifetime, ever even try? What is the black, smokey flying thing the Death Eaters use to travel? How and what is it? Even Snape can do it in Part 2. Can Bellatrix? Why did Lupin never stand up to James and Sirius and their bullying? Peter is a coward, but lupin is outspoken and confident in his own right, and I think Sirius and James had always respected him. He also is a strategic, kind person, while I can buy Sirius being a childhood bully due to his wealthy background and reckless personality. It just makes me wonder. mean, Lupin even defends Snape later on when harry accused him of being shady in Prince after he overhears that he made an Unbreakable Vow, so clearly, he never shared the same deep hatred towards Snape that his best friends and pseudo-nephew felt. When and how did Lupin exactly put together that Sirius was good and Wormtail was bad? We never actually saw that light bulb moment just his reaction to Harry by tentatively saying “that’s impossible,” seemingly confirming through his eyes that he always hoped that there was more to the story of Pettigrew’s disappearance and Sirius’ capture. I’m sure, if he was presumably the smartest of the Marauders, that he had a feeling that if any of them were to be a traitor, it would be Pettigrew, not Sirius. I mean, Lupin lost all of his best friends in one fell swoop due to a chain reaction started by Voldemort. That must have kept him up for nights on end. It would have for me. Also, since he confiscated the Marauder’s Map from Harry, is that how he saw that Sirius, Pettigrew and the trio were in the Shrieking Shack? Is the Shrieking Shack technically on the Hogwarts grounds then? Why and how are the Marauder’s animigas? Was James too? Wait! was it because werewolves are not violent towards animals and when they found out that Lupin was a werewolf (I’m sure due to the stigma he kept it a secret for as long as he could) they didn’t want him to be along? That’s adorable and so sweet! They really were just great friends and a packaged deal just like the trio. Screw Pettigrew for ruining it all! Harry, Hermione and Ron would never! This also begs the question, was Lupin a werewolf when he came to Hogwarts, or did he become one while he was there…under Dumbledore’s watch (once again putting students in danger, not just if this happened, but also for the larger student body in general. Lupin didn’t deserve this)? Was Dumbledore already Headmaster during the Marauders era? What kinds of people chose to become Death Eaters? Pure blood maniacs like Bellatrix? Dark Arts afficionados like Snape (originally before switching sides)? Psychopaths? Chaos lovers? Murderers? Crime junkies? Obviously, it’s people who strive for power and relish in the worst parts of themselves. Was Harry really the most talented wizard of his year, because despite being THE Harry Potter, I would say, and not just because people always said it, but Hermione was no doubt the most skilled in Harry’s year. Not that Harry wasn’t skilled or intelligent, obviously he conquered one of teh most dangerous wizards ever as a teenager, obviously he clearly was, but just not the most skilled or intelligent. Why did Lupin take the train to Hogwarts if he is a professor? How do professors get to Hogwarts anyway? Also, why is he sleeping? Was there a full moon the night before? Why when Lupin does his Patronus in the compartment when the Dementor attacks Harry did it not take animal form? What is his Patronus animal? I’m guessing a wolf, unfortunately. What would his animigas be if not a wolf? Was Snape jealous that Lupin got the DADA job or was it exactly what they hinted at, he suspected Lupin had something to do with Sirius’ escape and due to his deep resentment, kept a close eye on Lupin’s whereabouts. Also, how di Snape find them in the Shrieking Shack? I highly doubt Lupin is dumb enough to just leave the Marauder’s map out like that, for Snape to walk in and see. Also, how does Snape know that Lupin is a werewolf? Wait, he’s the potion master. The potion Sirius mentions that Lupin forgot to take? So, did he actually leave the Marauder’s Map out and Snape went to give him his potion and saw all of them at the Shrieking Shack on the map? Is this correct? Also, can we talk about how impressive of wizards the Marauders are to even get the idea and created the Marauder’s map? How did they even do that? The Weasleys, assuming that they always had the plan to open a joke shop due to other joke toy trunk businesses in Phoenix, should have studied how they made it and made a few more for not just Harry, Ron, Hermione Ginny and themselves as well. Lee Jordan is supposed to be Twins’ best friend as my friend told me? Then why don’t we see him join Dumbledore’s Army in Phoenix? He seemed like the type of kid to be totally down with that kind of rebellion, especially as the Twins’ BFF. When Harry met Slughorn, did he think that he was hired to be the DADA teacher, not the potions teacher,? I mean it was never explicitly said what subject he taught. Also, if he taught Lily potions, that means he also taught Snape, with his Advanced Potions Book, the one he labeled “The Half-Blood Prince.” the same one Harry finds in his sixth year. Do goblins work at the Ministry too, not just Gringotts, because we see one in the elevator when Harry is on his way to his trial in Phoenix? So, the most powerful wand in the Wizarding World was given to Harry just because he simply snatched his wand, Draco’s and Bellatrix’s from Draco? Am I the only one that finds that too easy and ironic? When you transfigure a human into something also alive and active, like an animal, do they remember everything they witnessed while in that form, or even in an inanimate object form? Then why don’t they use transfiguration to spy on people? Also, if people do remember what they witnessed when they are transfigured then can we talk about how traumatizing that must have been for Draco when he went into Crabbe and Goyle’s pants while in ferret form in Goblet? If Draco is technically a Black, did he ever meet Sirius or find out that he is innocent? There is a robo-voice that says “Department of Mysteries” in Phoenix, but why is it never used again like when the trio invades the Ministry in Part 1? Is it just for the Department of Mysteries? Did Arthur and Molly break the cycle in their pureblood families in terms of not being prejudiced against Mudbloods? What pureblood family is Molly from? Literally, how did Fawkes carry Ginny, Harry, Ron and Lockhart out of the Chamber of Secrets? And where is that opening? How has no one found the Chamber that way? That looks like a much easier way, all you need is a broom. Also, couldn’t the professors just apparate into it when it was opened earlier and no one knew where it was? Problem solved! Did Hermione share a room with Ginny when she stayed at the Burrow like Harry did with Ron? I wish we could have seen their slumber parties if that is the case. If they used a magical expanded tent in Part 1, why didn’t it seem to have kitchen or a bathroom at the very least? Or a shower? What is up with Draco and green apples? He randomly has one before he confronts Buckbeak in Azkaban and then he uses one again when repairing the Vanishing Cabinet, which some mystery person takes a bite out of. However, I do appreciate that the prop team used a green apple both times, as Slytherin’s color is green. So, my friend said that Ravenclaw’s mascot is actually an eagle, not a raven. That is so confusing. What ever happened to the Cattermoles? Did they flee? Where they okay? I hope they didn’t die or something else horrible. Why did Dumbledore wait until the very last moment to award points to Gryffindor in the first film? Also, his bias is very much showing through but in this case, I am okay with it because this scene is adorable. How are moving photos created? A bewitched camera? Are they developed like film photos or with a potion? Are Muggle cameras ever used, especially when reporting on Muggles in the later films? Is it just me, or do Hermione’s teeth look very odd in the final scene of Sorcerer’s Stone? How do you fix it when you mess up a Transfiguration, like Ron does in Chamber by turning a mouse into a cup? However, if that mouse was Scabbers, he should have just kept him in cup form. If you are an animal and while you are in your antigas form when someone transfigures you, can you get out of it at will? What if the person who transfigured you dies? Does an animgas have to be an animal or can it be an inanimate object? In the first film, the DADA classroom we see in that quick shot of Quirrell looks very, very similar to the potions classroom in that same film, are they the same sets just with different set dressing? I know the classrooms look completely different in the later films, especially the DADA and potions classrooms, but that’s fairly normal, especially in TV with TV pilots. In fact, the DADA classroom seems to completely change between the first and second films. How exactly does the House Points system work? Like is there some charm or jinx all over the school to something that when teachers give points or take away points it automatically somewhere in the magical stratosphere calculates it? What are the actual stakes and prizes of that? Just bragging rights? I get pure-bloods and half-blood shaving the trace, but how do Muggle-borns get the trace? How does the trace work exactly, because it sounds like some magical chip the Ministry puts inside each other students, which is so odd to me. How does a Pensieve work exactly? What spell is it that can extract information like that, you know the silver thread thing that Dumbledore and Slughorn do? Isn’t it dangerous to do that because someone can manipulate it or steal memories if you just have them lying around? Also, with Dumbledore’s case of memories, wouldn’t some expire or run out of something? Is there an age limit with it, because only Snape, Dumbledore and Slughorn give memories, never anyone younger? Also, clearly, it doesn’t just have to be the magical thread that come out of Slughorn and Dumbeldore’s head, right, Harry was able to use Snape’s DNA, his tears, and didn’t just get one memory like with Dumbeldore and Slughorn, but multiple and many ones. So, is using DNA more power than the magical thread or whatever that was, then no wonder Dumbledore does that because he wants to give Harry as little information as possible. Did Quidditch always allow female players? Are their all-male and all-female leagues or are they all co-ed, because if so, I love that game even more? Love gender equality! Are Harry and Dudley the same age, or is one older then the other? When Hermione uses Penelope Clearwater’s name when they are caught by the Snatchers, how does she know that she is a half-blood? I know a Clearwater was called out by Nearly Headless Nick in Chamber, I assume Penelope as it’s a girl who was walking with Percy Weasley (how unfortunate for her), so she was a student, but did Hermione grow close to her or something off screen? Also, when the trio was at Malfoy Manor, did Draco cover for Hermione and Ron just like he did for Harry? Was Bellatrix aware of Hermioen and knew that was who she was torturing, not Penelope Clearwater? I assume so, since she craved Mudblood into her arm (*sheds tear*). Literally, how did Hagrid’s bike not wake up all of Privet Drive? That thing is loud. Also, how did the Order not wake up Privet Drive in Phoenix and Part 1 or the Weasley boys in Chamber? What was in that Penelope Dumbledore tucked in Harry’s blanket when he first dropped him off at the Dursleys? I know Hagrid was in the original Order, as he is in that photo with James, Lily and Sirius (also, LOL at how long Lupin’s hair is in that photo. H is literally the only Marauder to not keep the same haircut his whole life), but was he actually good friends with the Potters, and that’s why he picks up Harry, drops him off and then introduces him to the Wizarding World? When did Hagrid tell Harry that he was the one who brought him to the Dursleys as a baby? Part 1 certainly wasn’t the first time. Who writes the Hogwarts letter? I am sure their hand hurt if they had to hand write with parchment and a quill each of those 1000s of letters sent to the Dursleys in the first movie. Knowing how paranoid and obsessive the Dursleys are, why didn’t they theorize that someone was spying on them? And if there was, was it McGonagall in her cat form again, like in the first film’s opening? If you are an animigas, can you pick what animal or breed you turn into? Is it the same as your Patronus? Was Hermione actually good at potions when Snape was the teacher? Did she prove herself to him intelligence-wise, just her friendship with Harry contained his loathsomeness for her? Can Muggles technically make potions too, since most of the ingredients seem to be found in nature and they don’t seem to necessarily need a cauldron, just a stove and a pot…? So, since the first film is, or some odd reason, called the Sorcerer’s Stone in the United States, but the Philosopher’s Stone everywhere else, did they have to reshoot every sign mention of the Stone in the script, with children?! That sounds like such an unnecessary pain. Why couldn’t they just keep the name Philosopher’s Stone? What’s the big deal? It’s not like the name of the stone actually hints at it’s properties and purpose anyway with either name. When and how did the Order show up at Hogwarts to confront Snape? Aberforth’s tunnel? I know Neville had Nigel, I believe, send them a coded message, but is that how? The tunnel? So, Bellatrix Avada Kedvra’d Sirius and he died, but not instantly, because he looked at Harry and then became engulfed in the veil and it took his body? So, did the Killing Curse or the veil kill Sirius? Or both? Because, the other times we saw someone get Avada Kedvra’d, they died instantly. Does the veil kill you or just engulf you and pull you into the afterlife, because Harry is held back by Lupin from chasing after him into the veil? If you simply touch the veil, are you killed, or do you have to be fully consumed by it? Did Sirius ever get a memorial or something, because he deserves one, even if they couldn’t get his body? After all, the way Sirius just disappeared and didn’t even have a body to be buried like Cedric or Dumbledore made it that much more heartbreaking and Sirius deserved a memorial and Harry deserved some closure. When Bellatrix throw the knife as they apparate out of Malfoy Manor, was she aiming for Harry or Dobby? Dobby right, because he dared to disrespect his former Master, Narcissa? Where did Hermione sleep when she staye over at teh Weasleys because Harry stated in Ron’s room? Ginny? If so, another reason why we should have gotten more development when it comes to their friendship. How the hell was Sirius able to buy, or honestly probably steal that Firebolt for Harry? I get that maybe it could have been in his dog form, but still that’s so ridiculous, even for a fantasy series. Also, did Harry ever get his Hogsmeade permission slip signed (I’m guessing they have something magical to tell if a signature is a forgery)? Because it’s such a big deal in Azkaban, but then by Phoenix it’s no big deal. Did Dumbledore just let him because he’s Harry (then why didn’t he let him to begin with if this is the case)? Did Sirius sign it and Dumbledore, knowing he’s innocent, allowed it? I find it hard to believe the Dursleys did unless he confundused them. Also, can we talk about the irony of Bellatrix calling Harry a “filthy half-blood,” when ehr master is a half-blood. Does she even know? If the professors have left over school supplies, as shown with the Half-Blood prince’s potion book, then why don’t they have left over wands for Ron to use when he breaks his in Chamber? Is the flying Ford Anglia STILL in teh Forbidden Forest? What happened to it? How the hell did teh Baslilsk get around? If the giant snake at Hogwarts since 1,000 years ago, that is way before plumbing was created (unless wizards are just very, very advance. Like did they always use teh traisn too or tahtw asn’t until it was invented in the 1500s and 1800s), so the castle, unless expanded with magic, has very rigid, thin walls, as old buildings do. Also, if it does travel through the pipes, then how does it poke it’s giant head out to petrirfy or kill? Like I get never seeing it, like Voldemort, only adds to it’s sinister and fear-inducing hysteria, however, I just need to understand how? How? How?! Honestly this is part of why Chamber of Secrets is so low on my ranking, besides the abundance of snakes. Also, since Ginny isn’t the Heir of Slytherin, only possessed by him, then hwo did she control teh Basilisk? Because she was a pure-blood? Also, hwo does teh Baslilsk know who’s a half-blood, pure-blood or Muggleborn? I would just like to know teh logistic sof how teh Baslilsk doe sit’s horrific job. How are we supposed to remember Hagrid can do magic with his pink umbrella by Hallows when the last time he used it was in the first film? So, Hermione obliviates her parents memories and then just leaves with her wand and beaded expandable bag. So, did her parents just ignore the girl’s bedroom in their house? When Hermione did the spell, did it become magically enclosed? If they don’t remember her, that wouldn’t stop the Death Eaters from finding them and torturing them, they still needed to go into hiding (after all, Hermione did say in Prince that her Muggle parents could sense something was going on), so did she convince them that they were different people? Come on, Hermione doesn’t half-ass anything. She would have made sure all her I’s were dotted and all her T’s were crossed. Was there more of an explanation in the books? Did she hunt them down after the Battle of Hogwarts and restore their memories? I doubt she’d have kids and everything and not have them meet their Muggle grandparents. What was Neville staying up late in the Gryffindor common room doing when he caught the trio sneaking out in Stone? We know from his pride in Goblet that he is not one to stay out and up late, so why was he still up in the vacant common room? How did Hagrid buy Fluffy? How did he bring him into the school (like the Basilisk)? Where did Fluffy go after the first film? Are three-headed dogs normal, like is there more than one? Also, is it just me or does Devil Snare remind anyone of snakes? Is that supposed to be foreshadowing? How exactly still the Stone get into Harry’s pocket? I know because of Dumbledore’s “more brilliant ideas (ew)” but how exactly? Also, what was the point of the Mirror of Erised in that scene? Why were both hidden in the same place, and why wasn’t the mirror hidden with the stone form the beginning? It’s like Dumbeldore wanted to taunt Harry with ti on purpose,e which is disgusting. Also, why didn’t Harry see his parents in it the second time he looked into it, with Quirrell? Why did the sword fall when Harry checkmate during the Wizard’s Chess scene in Stone? The Weasley clock is also so interesting to me, because it’s like Wizard Life 360, at least teh way my family uses it. Also, I love how the Twins and Ron’s photos in it react to the hand moving (also, is just me, but where are Ginny, Molly, Percy and the other Weasley’s hands? Like why aren’t Ginny, Mrs. Weasley and Percy’s hands also pointed to home?). Also, why does Slughorn not know what a dentist is, Hemrione’s parents’ occupation, when the Weasley clock has a dentist on it, showing how dentists exist in Wizarding World? Why wasn’t the fact that a fully formed Patronus comes in animal form was never fully explained, just assumed? It was especially confusing as we see the stag comes and save Harry and Sirius, but when we see Harry do the Patronus, which from past Harry’s POV comes in the form of a delicate, majestic stag, we see it come as a wave of bright light. They really couldn’t have added a signal line where Lupin explains this? I get why Lupin didn’t do his full Patronus, as he didn’t need to in the small train compartment and with a Boggart, but why couldn’t he explain it when he was teaching Harry how to do one? So, when Hermione obliviates her parents, it’s the same spell she uses on Lockhart, which makes him not remember anything, but that was also with a broken wand, so is the Memory Charm, not absolute? Is it malleable to the users intent? Like Hermione takes away her parents’ memory her and she also takes away the Death Eaters’ memory of seeing the, but didn’t take away their full sense of identity and the world, like what happened to Lockhart with Ron’s wand (even though his intention was to make it seem like Harry and Ron went insane for his own person gain)? Also, if obliviation can be reversed, can it only be reversed by the person or wand who casts the spell, so only Hermione can un-obliviate her parents and the Death Eaters, and only Ron’s broken wand can restore Lockhart’s memories? So, Slughorn says only one of his past students managed to brew a perfect Draught of Living Dead to receive the prize of Liquid Luck, was it Snape, since his instructions in the Half-Blood Prince’s potions book helped Harry claim the prize and he was Slughorn’s student as he and Lily were in the same year (and if so, was Snpae in the Slug Club with Lily? Why isn’t he in that photo, or pointed out then? If he is a Slug Club Alumnai then is that how he gets into the Christmas party, while Draco had to gatecrash and Neville had to work it?) and he also became the school’s potions master? Or was it Tom Riddle as he is an evil genius (and if he was, did he use it when he asked Slughorn about Horcruxes?) and was also Slughorn’s student? Why is the first film/book called Sorcerer’s Stone in the U.S. but Philsopher’s Stone in the U.K.? In Part 1, Bellatrix asks to see what Hermione’s last spell was, thinking she did a spell to distort Harry’s face (which she did), however how it that possible? Voldemort wand only did that because of Priori Incantum, and it was only who he killed, he certainly did other spells in between those murders. When did Bellatrix and Crouch Jr. torture the Longbottoms, before or after the Potters’ death? Because it seems like they did it on behalf of Voldemort, but that doesn’t make sense if he already decided to mark Harry as his equal, not Neville. So, was it after, and since they were friends with the Potter because they were Aurors and Order members, they thought they knew where Voldemort disappeared to, like the Order kidnapped him or something? And the Longbottoms didn’t kidnap him and didn’t know where Voldemort was (which is why this act of cruelty is almost twice as heartbreaking as what happened to the Potters). Am I on the right track here? When Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters escape Azkaban, how do they get their wands back? No doubt the Ministry would take their wands away, right? Why don’t the other Quidditch matches in the later films not have an announcer, but the first two do? If any character should have been an announcer it should have been Luna. That would be hilarious. In the first film, Seamus is trying to turn water into rum. Are they seriously teaching literal children a charm involving alcohol. I know the drinking age in Britian is 18 and I don’t know what the drinking age is in the Wizarding World, but I highly doubt it’s 11. Since mail is delivered during meal times, do teh owls ever poop in tehir food or on their homework? Liek this seems very unsntiarty. Like that Owlery set in Goblet is filled with poop, probably poop from the school’s founding is still there. That’s disgusting! Also, is it just me or is the rememberall so dumb? Like what’s teh point if it doesn’t tell you what you’ve forgotten. However, it si fitting that it’s Neville who gets it, and even smarter with how he is the only Gryffindor not wearing his black robe, with tah being what he had forgotten. At least he remembered it by the next scene, as it’s what saves him when he drops off his broom. How do Harry’s glasses never break during his Quidditch matches? Is there some kind of spell for that? Why do the Weasley parents never come to support Harry, Ron, the Twins and Ginny at the Hogwarts Quidditch games, but of all people, Lucius comes to watch Draco? While it makes sense that Hogwarts would keep leftover books for less fortunate students (do the Weasleys do this? Especially the DADA curriculum changing every year), I find it really hard to believe that Snape would be dumb enough and careless to leave his potions book behind with such a violent spell in writing on the inside and especially with him being the potions master for 5 movies. What are the NEWTS that McGonagall mentions to Harry in Prince? Why is Slughorn unironically wearing a graduation cap, with a tassel in Half-Blood Prince? Why was the locket in the cave so well protected, but the cup and the diadem which just simply hidden in daunting, overcrowded hiding places? Arrogance or just stupidity? So, are Slytherins just naturally good at potions, because both potions masters in the series are Slytherins? DADA teachers are different because Lockhart was a Ravenclaw, Lupinw as a Gryffindor and Snape was a Slytherin. How does Lucius get out of Azkaban to go to the Part 1 Death Eater meeting fi that is before the Death Eaters officially take over the Ministry? Snape gives Voldemort the date when the Order is transferring Harry from Privet Drive, but he isn’t in the Order anymore, so how does he know that information? The traitor Mundungus? Who killed Fred, Lupin and Tonks? Bellatrix? The Carrows? How the hell did those spiders manage to crack all those windows open in Chamber? Or does Hogwarts just have horrible quality windows? Also, how the hell did Hagrid sneak a giant spider in and out of the castle, because even if Aragog wasn’t as big during Tom Riddle’s time, he was still way bigger than a normal spider? If you have to bow to a Hippogriff before you approach it, how come Buckbeak doesn’t attack Hermione when she saves him because we never saw her bow to Buckbeak? Does Buckbeak remember Harry because he never bowed to Buckbeak when he and Hermione saved him? How long is a Hippogriff’s memory? So, Snape says in Harry’s first Occulmency lesson “it’s unclear if the Dark Lord knows this connection,” but is it though? He strategically gives Harry memories to lure him to the Department of Mysteries. However, the Mr. Weasley memory was from Nagini’s POV. is that because Magini is also a Horcrux? But Voldemort doesn’t know Harry is also a Horcrux, so was that intentional? Is Voldmeort a snake animigas? If so, then why does he need Nagini? Where does Harry’s Occulumency lesson take place? Snape’s office? It does look very similar to the potions classroom in Prince, aesthetically. It looks different from in Chamber, which isn’t surprising as MANY of the sets have changed since those first two films. Did Harry ever wonder why Snape would teach him Occulmency and also kill Dumbledore? I’m sure he thought Snape did it to use these memories against him on behalf of Voldemort, but in truth, it was the opposite. How exactly was Harry able to use that Protego spell to overpower and rebound Snape’s Leglimens spell? Snape is a very skilled wizard and that legilmens spell seems to be very difficult as Snape was the only one who could teach Harry Occulmency, despite being his most hated teacher. When Ginny looks at Harry while the trio is studying in Chamber, is that Tom Riddle’s diary she is writing in? Is it possible to apparate with the Invisibility Cloak still on? How do young wizards, especially Muggleborns figure out they are magical? I remember Hagrid asking Harry “ever make something strange happen, anything you couldn’t explain?” which is obviously referencing the zoo incident from earlier which foreshadowed his Parseltongue abilities, but I am still curious about when and for how long? Also, if they are doing this before they get their wands, then clearly wandless magic is possible. What happens to Crookshanks when Hermione does on the Horcrux Hunt with Harry and Ron? Did her parents take care of it? Did she bring the Wizarding World-bred cat to a Muggle shelter? I’m saying this because since Crookshanks, who clearly could sense Scabbers falsity as an Animigas, was used to the Wizarding World, therefore cats in Muggle and Wizarding worlds must be very different. Also, if Siirus can transform into a dog, then are dogs also pets in the Wizarding World? Also, the British slang in this film like “blimey,” “the lot,” “git,” and “thick,” was great, but is “Merlin’s beard” also British slang, or is that Wizarding World slang? It would make sense that the Wizarding World would have its own slang. So, why is the portkey to the World Cup a boot? Can they be any object? Is it a spell or an object to be purchased? If it’s a spell, then why can’t they just do it at any time? It seems like a spell since Moody-Crouch managed to do it on the Triwizard Cup. How do you specify the location though? How exactly does the Daily Prophet work? Like does every wizard, even children have a subscription? Do you have to pay for it? Does Hogwarts get an abundance to hand out to students?Ron got a new wand in Azkaban, was it a brand new wand, or another hand-me-down? Also, if the wand chooses the wizard, then isn’t it unwise to give your kid a wand that didn’t choose them to learn magic on? I get that the Weasleys had no choice, but still, it seems like something important to bring up. Maybe it’s in the books. Wouldn’t Dumbledore know the truth about Sirius, since he is a God-like figure and was the one who put the Potters in hiding in the first place? And yet, he sat idly by and let an innocent man rot in the worst place on earth, and yet he’s kind and noble? No! I also find it really hard to believe that Lupin believed Sirius was guilty. These were his three best friends and he lost them all in one fell swoop. You know he thought about it constantly over the ears, and since he knew Peter and Sirius well, did he really never suspect that the true story is the opposite of what he’s been told? In the Azkaban Quidditch match in the rain, can’t these wizards create some sort of weather dome or something, as they did with the barrier in the finale film, love the Quidditch Pitch during crazy weather like that? Also, when they talk about Grim in Azkaban, it’s actually Sirius, right? So, is the grim also a dog? That’s so sad. Is it like the grim reaper in dog form? Why is it never brought up again when SO MANY PEOPLE die in this series? What are NEWTs? Like AP classes? Does it have something to do with that Newt Scamander guy from Fantastic Beasts I keep hearing about? So, Snape looks absolutely horrified when Dumbledore tells him he has to murder him, but Snape was clearly once a high-ranking Death Eater, so it’s safe to assume he probably had to do some heinous things to get that honor, but were those things not including murder? Was Snape purely high ranking for his intelligence because that says so much about how crafty and truly how smart Snape is? Also, what is the life expectancy of a wizard? Because Dumbledore is apparently 150 years old in Prince, but that’s impossible for humans. Was it because of the Exliar of Life? But the Sorcerer’s Stone was destroyed (or at least Dumbledore said it was) in the first film and from my understanding because Dumbledore said “he has enough time to turn his affairs in order) it seems like to have to continue to take doses of the exliar to stay immortal, it’s not just one and done. So, hwo teh hell is he 150? So, Voldemort gave Lucius his diary Horcrux and Lucius just randomly gave it to Ginny Weasley? I find that hard to believe. Did Voldemort also give him instructions for it, to give it to Harry to a close friend of his when he finally attends Hogwarts? But Voldemort wanted to kill Harry? Do either destroy Voldemort manages to contact Lucius (which is unlikely because Voldemort was most pissed at Lucius in the graveyard for not searching for him) or Lucius, now that Voldemort was on his hiatus, was getting cocky and just wanted to cause some chaos, which was incredibly stupid as he clearly knew the Dark Lord would return one day (as he explains in the graveyard scene) and therefore would be angry at him? Also, did Lucius know it was a Horcrux? Was he actually trying to get out of his Death Eater lifestyle based on his behavior at the Department of Mysteries I find that hard to believe. It’s not subtle and layered like with Snape, it’s very obvious that he is loyal to Voldemort and hates Harry. Did Narcissa know about the diary and therefore figure out it was Horcrux, after all if Regulus Black was Sirius’ brother, that means he was also her cousin. Maybe he told her and that’s why she asked Harry if Draco was safe. She brilliantly deduced that the Dark Lord vanished because he accidentally made Harry a Horcrux. If this theory is true, Narcissa is probably one of the smartest characters in the series TBH. Also, did Narcissa even care when Sirius was sentenced to Azkaban or when he died? What was their relationship like? Also, Ron’s spider nightmare in Azkaban, what was the point of that? We know Ron is scared of spiders and they reminded us of that with the Boggart scene, they didn’t need to do that again. How did the Marauders come up with their group’s name? Their nicknames for each other were based on their animigas and Lupin being a werewolf, right? Once Hagrid’s name was cleared in Chamber, was he finally allowed to do magic? If so, why doesn’t he get an actual wand and not keep using his pink umbrella as he does in Part 1? Ron has a point, what the hell is a three-headed rottweiler doing at a school filled with children? Where did it go after the first film? How did Harry know that he had to open the locket Horcrux with Parseltongue? Did he ever try to open it beforehand? With the trio saying how it felt like Voldemort was there with them, like the Horcrux was alive with the heartbeat-sounding score music playing (almost ticking away the that Harry has left, similar to the time-ticking score in Azkaban) during those scenes, when they had the locket, then what was it like to wear it, wear it so close to tehir hearts, which are capable of love? Did it sting? Is that why they always had it between the layers of their clothes? How could they tell the locket Horcrux hadn’t bene destroyed? I get that after ron destroyed it, it was obvious ebcause itw as all blackened and burned, but was it obvious or not? Also how did Regulus Black make a decoy? I’m such it was a similar charm to the Geminio charm use din Bellatrix’s vault, but wouldn’t that be more difficult to do on a Horcrux? Also, hwo did Regulus figure out Voldmeort’s secret of teh Horcruxes? How heavy was that beaded bag Hermione had on during Part 1 with all teh stuff that as in there? Was tehre a spell used to make it weigh less? Wait, if Hermioen dropped Yaxley off at Grimmauld Place, then he was delivered to Kreacher, and Kreacher knew that they were looking for a locket, and Yaxley shares Kreacher’s pureblood beliefs the Blacks instilled in him, so did Kreacher tell Yaxley about the locket and is that how Voldemort found out that they were hunting Horcruxes, since Yaxley is an inner circle Death Eater as he was at the meeting at Malfoy Manor in the beginning of Part 1? But also, what stopped Kreacher from running into Bellatrix or Narcissa, who are also Blacks, and telling them what is going on with Harry as Blacks are his masters, not Harry? That’s why them using Grimmuald Place as HQ for the Order and the trio hiding there when they are visiting on the run is so dumb to me. Why did Hermione tie her scarf around a tree in Part 1 before apparating with Harry? For Ron if he came back? What would that do? Also, did Hermione (the planner and also the only Muggle-raised person of the trio who had loving parents who clearly brought her camping) like, plan and find remote locations before leaving? How did they know about all these locations? What is a Squib, the thing Draco calls Flich when he drags him into the Slughorn Christmas party? Did Dumbledore know that Tom Riddle was the original one to open the Chamber of Secrets, and still let Hagrid take the blame, because the way he asks Tom “is there anything you wish to tell me, Tom?” in Chamber, although flashback is formed Tom Riddle’s perspective, is a little too telling. Can Dementors be killed? If so, how? Also, is it just me or did teh Sorcerer’s Stone hint at the Elder Wand? ecause eiwth both, only someone who wanted it to save others, not for personal gain, was worthy of it, one of Dumbeldore’s “more brilliant ideas.” Harry got teh Stone because he wanted to save others from the return fo Vodlemort. The cloak was passed down to him by his father, making him the teh rightful owner. He never seemed it out. He had the Resurrcetion Stone, not to use it selfishly drag his loved ones back form the dead, but to take to them to give him the strength to sacfric ehismelf for teh greater good. And he not only became teh own fo teh Elder Wand due to him taking Draco’s wand right out fo his hand, but he also sealed that fate by beating Voldemort as when teh Horcruxes were gone, so was his protection. He became teh Master fo death nd therefore came back from eth dead to finish Voldmeort off once and for all. After all, a Master of dead can resurrect himself, right? WHile eh definitely gre w a lot over teh series, his core maintained teh same; good, kind, humble and heroic. He’s also teh titular hero, so of course he gets it. Do we know Harry’s birthday but when are Ron and Hermione’s? Why didn’t the teachers get the Sorcerer’s Stone and hide it before term started, not right as term started, as seen with Hagrid taking Harry to Gringotts and then leaving him at King’s Cross all alone? I just feel like that’s not the smartest thing to do as a school staff and while taking care of an 11-year-old who is joining a literally foreign world, although it a very entertaining, and very, very Hagrid. Hagrid says he’s getting flesh-eating slug repellent in Chamber when he runs into Harry at Knockturn Alley, but what is that exactly? Why is that? That sounds terrifying. How exactly did the Stone appear in Harry’s pocket, and why did Harry see it in the mirror if he didn’t desire it, he only desired to stop Snape/Quirrell from getting it? I know it’s because he’s a Horcrux, but really, how was Harry able to speak Parseltongue and not know it? And how did Ron learn it in order to open the Chamber of Secrets in the finale? Is Godric’s Hollow named after Godric Gryffindor? Is that also why they think the Sword of Gryffindor is there? How exactly do wizards live side-by-side Muggles? Do they Confundus Charm them or something? Like the area the Weasleys, Diggorys and Lovegoods and Godric’s Hollow with the Potters and Bathilda Bagshot, how do they hide their communities, with their weird houses and even their cemeteries from Muggles? With those protective enchantments Hermione used in Part 1? How long were the Weasleys at Grimmauld Place? All summer? Also, the DADA job is cursed or jinxed or whatever, right? And Percy tells Harry in the first film that Snape has been after the DADA job for years, and because of his villainous demeanor and reputation, we are meant to perceive this as him simply wanting a job that better suits his interest, not just the things he excels at like potions, dueling, Occulemency, etc. but Dumbledore doesn’t let him have the job. It seems like it’s pretty well known that the job is jinxed which is why Dumbledore is forced to resort to horrible people like Lockhart and Umbridge for the job, and yet Snape still asks for it every year. Is this because he is trying desperately get out of his deal with Dumbledore? He fully knows that it would either mean he’d leave Hogwarts for good, his home or die, showing how little he actually values his own life and how miserable he is during his enslavement to Dumbledore that he’d rather die and be with Lily then alive with Dumbledore and her son, andDumbledore take full advantage of that. And then finally, Snape gets the job in Prince as an added layer of force by Dumbledore to force Snape to kill him. How exactly is Lupin’s werewolf status outed, because he managed to hide it until the night of the Shrieking Shack? How and why is the DADA position cursed or jinxed or whatever? If people invent spells, then what psychopath invented the Unforgivable Curses, especially the Killing Curse? Also, is it just me or is a Killing Curse a little too easy and reckless, kind of like cheating? I feel like there should be some limitations on how you use it. It shouldn’t be that easy. Like Goyle, a literal child, shot it at a classmate. That’s horrible. Did they really have to refilm every scene that mentions the Sorcerer’s Stone with takes that also say the Philosopher’s Stone? That’s so tedious. How did Chris Columbus not blow his brains out? Why do Americans make everything so difficult? Can Muggles technically make potions too because how there herbs and animal parts are also found in the real world as well as similarities to facets of science, and chemistry, or is it because it must be brewed by someone of magical heritage? After all, Snape says “There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class.” Also, speaking of silly incantations, is he talking about those turning-yellow and water-to-rum spells the First Years do in the first film that isn’t in Latin? Why wasn’t it ever brought up how strange it was that Ginny, a pureblood, was taken down the Chamber of Secrets and not a Mudblood? When do the Dursleys find out that Harry isn’t allowed to use magic outside of school, because they don’t actually say so until Azkaban? How did they find out? Are Ginny and Luna in the same year because we never see Luna in any of the trio’s classes, but we do see many of the other characters? When did Ginny join the Quidditch team? When Ginny comes in late to the Slug Club meeting and Hermione says she’s been crying because she’s been fighting with Dean again, what were their fights about? Also, if both Hermione and Harry couldn’t go to the Slughorn Christmas Party with who they wanted to go, then does that mean Ginny went with Dean? Then why is she standing alone when Filch drags Draco in? Did they have another fight? When was Bill attacked by Greyback? Is he a full-fledged werewolf now or not? Ginny was still technically with Harry in Hallows right, as they kiss in both movies, but she doesn’t wish him luck on his journey or even talk to him about it either (yet another example of the series’ disservice to his relationship)? Was that the Killing Curse Ginny blocked from Bellatrix in Part 2 because that is a very impressive, badass move from such a young witch? Is it just me, or does a Killing Curse seem a little too easy, almost like cheating? When Neville’s broom malfunctions in the first film, was it actually bewitched by Quirrell thinking it would be Harry’s, not just Neville’s unlucky and clumsy nature acting up? Or am I reading too much into this? Did the Malfoys just get off scot-free in the end? By the time we get to Phoenix, did everyone just conveniently forget that Ginny was also once possessed by Voldemort? Like if there was just one scene in Prince where Harry and Ginny talked about that, it would have made their romance make so much more sense! Was the Room of Requirement destroyed because of what Crabbe did with the malfunctioned fire spell in the finale, or just that facet of it? Because it so, thanks for ruining it for the rest of them Crabbe! So, it’s clear that Voldemort’s biggest fear is death. he was so scared of death that he tapped into the darkest magic possible in order to outrun and inevitably ran right into it anyway. However, if he was so scared of death, why didn’t he just become a ghost? It’s clearly possible. How did Quirrell meet Voldemort? Was he manipulated or was he a Death Eater? Did Voldemort know that the DADA position is cursed and knew that Dumbledore was desperate for it to be filled every year, so he told Quirrell to apply for it? Are we really supposed to believe that Sirius and Snape have had the exact same haircuts their entire life? I understand this is a film and visually they need to be recognizable (I also really can’t imagine Snape with any other haircut), but still? Why not a different part or length or something? In Chamber, Hagrid says that there isn’t a wizard alive today that isn’t at least half-blood or less, and with the Malfoy and Black families being so old, does that mean if you go far enough, they do have some Muggle blood in them? Do goblins have magic, like house elves? Wandless magic? Fandom Wiki says that the court Harry and Karkaroff having trials in front of is called the Wizagamnot. Is that like the Wizarding World Supreme Court? Do wands work underwater, because Harry and Cedric use them underwater during the second task? If you lose your wand, can you accio wandlessly to find it? Also, if you transfigure into a water animal, does that mean you an breathe like one, like Viktor Krum does during the second task? In the second task, all of the Hogwarts students that are ‘treasures’ are Harry’s friends, so how does he figure out that Ron is meant for him? Process of elimination? How come the Basilisk’s venom didn’t affect Harry’s Horcrux? Is it possible that Fawkes’ tears healed both Harry and his Horcrux? Are the moving staircases hazardous? Like do kids ever fall off them? I’m surprised that never almost happened to Neville in the early films TBH. How big and deep is the black Lake because it literally looks deep like the ocean when the champions are swimming in it during the second task? What is the history between Karkaroff and Moody in Goblet? Is he the person who turned Karkaroff in? Why did Fleur retreat during the second task? They made her look so weak when she seems like a badass and even looks like one during the final battle. How did the four ‘treasure’ people get down to the Black Lake anyway for the second task? Also, the fact that they forced those kids down there, and none of them covered? Were they just about to let those innocent students drown? Were they spelled to be asleep until the reached the surface? Anyway, it’s really effed up. Also, why do all the “treasures’ from Hogwarts (3 out of the 4 of them BTW) have their Hogwarts robes on? Ron and Hermione didn’t have tehri robes on when Moody called them away. How does Harry know that Ron and Gabrielle won’t sink when he sacrifices himself so they can make it to shore? Sure they were tied down, but they also seem to be sleeping, so…? How did Harry not actually die when Voldemort killed him? I know he only killed Harry’s Horcrux, now making Harry’s soul all his own, therefore taking away his mine connection to Voldemort and his Parseltongue ability, but that still doesn’t make sense because it’s a Killing Curse. It can’t be that his loved ones were there with him, because they are already dead. Was it Lily’s love again? Or Voldemort used Harry’s blood to return and be able to touch him without burning, so is that why? Also because Harry was forced to live with Petunia, Lily’s blood sister, and Lily gave her blood son the power of love, and Voldemort used Harry’s love to return, but love is toxic to him as seen in Stone and Phoenix, so does that have something to do with it? Harry was also the Horcrux he never met to make, making his soul so unstable by that point, so is that a reason why Harry survived? The Horcrux part of him actually saved him? The Hogwarts Express goes from King’s Cross in London and stops in Hogsmeade, right? Are there any other stops along the way? McGonagall asks Harry whether it’s still his ambition to become an Auror in Prince. Is that true? I really hope he became one because he would be a great one and has a TON of hands-on experience with defense against the dark arts. If he does become one, the fact that he wanted a wizard job just proves how much he belongs in the Wizarding World. Also, why that hell did Moody have Mundungus help the Order in the Seven Potters ordeal? Moody doesn’t seem that desperate, oblivious and stupid. He is also the reason for Moody’s death, so when he had him help, it was basically his death sentence. The Malfoys cut ties with Voldemort after this downfall, claiming they were under the Imperius Curse, which can not be proven to disproven. Bellatrix remained loyal, so much so that she tortured the Longbottoms. Narcissa was kept out of Azkaban, but Bellatrix wasn’t, she went to Azkaban, which I kind of assume was Narcissa cutting ties with her sister as well, which begs the question, did Narcissa snitch on her sister? If she did, I don’t think Bellatrix knows that. Narcissa seems to hate Bellatrix and is only staying with her, especially after the events of Half-Blood Prince, to protect Draco from her. How did the Battle of Hogwarts change things for the wider Wizarding community? Were Muggleborns finally respected, for the most part? Did the Ministry get rid of the corruption? Did Azkaban change or get worse for people like Umbridge (hopefully)? Are House Elves still enslaved? Did Crouch Jr., Umbridge, Moody, Quirrell and Fudge go to Hogwarts? What Houses were they in? Okay, this might sound bad, but I get why Ron is infatuated with Hermione, her smarts, charisma and badassery, but why is Hermione infatuated with Ron? Does she just simply see the best in him, in a way he doesn’t see in himself? It’s never fully shown, at least not as much as Ron’s feelings toward Hermione. Where in the U.K. is Hogwarts located exactly? Scotland? Ireland? In Chamber, before confronting the trio and the Weasleys in Flourish and Blotts, Draco rips out a page from a book and stuffs it in his pocket. Hermione later rips out a bag from a book and Harry later finds it and that page tells him what the monster in the Chamber of Secrets is. However, Hermione loves books, and doesn’t seem like the type to defile one by ripping a page out, but Draco certainly does. So, between Dobby spending the whole film tentatively defying his master, which is Draco’s dad Lucius, and a ripped page from a book ending up with Hermione from the library, did Draco find out what his father was planning and due to his shallow friendship with Crabbe and Goyle never told them, and worked with Dobby to protect Harry? Is this how it goes in the books? So, if a first or second year need new school supplies or something do they have to ask an older student to buy for them since it seems like only third years and older are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, right? How do they get to Hogsmeade from Hogwarts castle? The carriages? Or do they walk, even in the cold? Are they more like supervised field trips, since they need a permission form? Why doesn’t Harry just forge Vernon’s signature? Is there a spell to something to catch that? With the secret passageway the Twins show Harry, doesn’t that mean they can just visit Hogsmeade anytime they like? I am sure the Twins did that all the time. Did Neville know that Moody, the same Moody who gave him that Herbology book and forced him to watch a spider get put under the Cruciatus Curse was Crouch Jr., the same Crouch Jr. that tortured his parents? Wait, so did Slytherin House win the House Cup the year before Harry’s first year? is that why the Slytherin banner is up in the Great Hall before the points are announced in the first film? So, I know when Draco was in the Three Broomsticks he gave Katie Bell the Cursed necklace and I assume because she doesn’t seem like an idiotic pushover that he Imperius’d her, but is that also where Slughorn bought the bottle of Mead that Draco poisoned? It’s bar and Draco was there, after all. Wait, so we see Myrtle said that someone threw teh diary at her, but in teh flashback, we see Ginny run into a bathroom stall and throw it into the toilet (Ginny Weasley, the girls ho threw Vodlemort’s soul in teh toilet), but Harry finds it on te w et ground of the bathroom outside teh stalls? So, did she get rid of it twice, or just have teh bathroom flood to get rid of it? Also, did she know about Myrtle? The Chamber is in her bathroom. Did she know someone was witnessing her? Why didn’t Myrtle simply tell Harry and Ron? Myrtle definitely lied to them about knowing who threw the diary, as Ginnyw as clearly in that bathroom multiple times. Also, how did Hermione know about Moaning Myrtle in the first place? Did Harry know about the Knight Bus before Azkaban? Why didn’t he tell it to go to the Burrow? Also, can we talk about the irony of Dumbledore telling Harry that “curiosity is not a sin, but you schedule exercise caution” when Harry is only curious about his own fate, which he has every right to know? Did Harry and Hermione ever tell Ron about the Time Turner, because Hermione and eventually Harry kept joking about “how can someone be in two places at once?”? How was Snape able to lie to Voldemort’s face ever since his return in Goblet and officially becoming a spy? Was it because, unlike most Death Eaters, Snape was capable of love and since Voldemort couldn’t understand it, he never noticed it? So, is it the same way for Narcissa, since she loves Draco? Or is it because of grief combined with love, because Harry’s grief for Sirius and love from his friendship is what expelled Voldemort when eh tried to possess him, and Snape loves and grieves Lily? is it because even can only grief for someone that they loved? Does the castle magically expand and contract depending on how many students in that age group or year develop magical abilities in the U.K. and therefore are accepted into Hogwarts? Because between wizard families and Muggle-borns, how can they control or predict the number of students emitted each year? Where teh Weasleys and Hemrioen staying at the Leaky Cauldron,a nd he knew? How does teh Knight Bus work? Picking up, teh beds, only at night, dropping off? All fo it? Alos, how teh hell do people sleep on the wild, rambunctious ride? When did Hermione get Crookshanks? How does Harry know that that cat is Hemrione’s when it chases Scabbers in teh hallway? Also, hwo does he know it’s Ron’s rat? Rons don’t look that different from one another. Did Hemrione share this in a letter or something? How teh hell do Rona nd Hemrioen get their pets back after they are running down teh hallway and teh next scene they are in tehir owners’ arms? Where tehyr running towards the staircase to teh pub? Is the Leaky Cauldron a pub, a purgatory of sorts between Muggel Londona nd Diagon Alley, a hotel or all of teh above? I know Hemrione is using teh Time Turner to take multiple classes at once, even hiding that fact from her friends because it’s such a privilege, but how exactly did she get to teh classes because it’s not a time freezer and its eosn’ts eem like she knows hwo to apparate at that point as itw ans’t introduced until the 5th film? Also, because Harry and Hemrione had to retrace their steps when they used it later on, tehyw eren’t teleported right to Hagrid’s Hut. Also, doesn’t that overload of classes weigh on her at all? Liek sure she’s enjoying it, but also doesn’t that cause her more stress and take ehr away from ehr friends? Liek hwod does she even have teh tiem to help Buckbeak and Sirius? Or does she use teh Time Turner to give ehr more study time too? Why didn’t Harry go to stay with harry at Grimmauld Place after Sirius escapes? Why does he go back to the Dursleys in Phoenix anyway? After all, Sirius offered him another housing option, and Harry isn’t stupid and is miserable at the Dursleys, why didn’t he take him up on his offer? There must be a reason, and not just “it makes good storytelling” because that’s lazy. Do werewolves remember everything they did while in their werewolf form, but just can’t control it? Is there a flying charm put on broomsticks to get them to fly? So technically could any household broom be made into a mode of wizarding transportation? Pettigrew is literally the most cowardly character, so how they hell is he a Gryffindor? How did he have any friends? What did they ever see in him? How did Dumbledore ever trust him and make him n Order member? So, Snape came to the Potter’s house just after Voldemort came, so did he give Harry to Hagrid to bring to the Dursleys? Did he ever hold Harry as a baby? Or did Hagrid run into Snape? Did Hagrid ever have an inkling about Snape’s loyalties because of this? Why are there carriages to the Yule Ball, when they all live at the castle? What were the Carrows’ jobs under Snape at Hogwarts in Hallows? DADA teachers? Or I guess just Dark Arts teachers given that they are allied with the Dark Lord. What exactly happens when you are stunned? How long are you out for? Also, is it just me, or does the Chamber of Secrets and the way it opens seem WAY too modern to be built 1,000 years ago? It seems like was built in the 1700s-1800s at the absolute latest. Also, the way it was always wet from the bathroom plumbing made no sense if it was built 1,000 years ago before modern toilets. Maybe that’s why the Basilisk never came out until the 1940s. Ok, so there is a radio in Phoenix and Part 1, but other than that, we really don’t see any other modern technology in the Wizarding World, despite it taking place in the 90s when landlines and computers existed. Is there a reason for this, between owls and floo powder, being a wizard doesn’t necessarily seem to be any less of an ordeal or an easier, per se, way of living than being a Muggle? How did Harry summon his broom all the way from the castle? Like did he open a window or something and hide it outside, because it came swooping in awfully fast? When did Hagrid tell Harry he’s always wanted a dragon when they first met? We never heard him say that during their whole trip from the Dursleys to the Leaky Cauldron to Diagon Alley. Was it a deleted scene? Why are the Shrunken Heads used in Azkaban, but we never see them again? Also, what is the point of them and why do they all have Jamaican accents? Also, if Sirius Black got the Black House at Grimmauld Place, but was in Azkaban, wouldn’t it have gone to the Malfoys, making some of Voldemort’s highest-ranking minions access to the Order’s headquarters? Also, can we talk about the irony of Harry and his allies plotting a rebellion against pureblood maniacs in the house where so many of them were born and bred? That’s brilliant honestly. Do wizards get, like normal human illnesses like colds or the flu? Do they have magical remedies for that? If so, really cruel of them not to share that with Muggles TBH. I get prejudiced but come on. If you are so prejudiced then feed those stupid gullible Muggles some story. So, Snape isn’t stupid and definitely is smart enough to figure out that the only way Harry would know about Sectumsempra is from his old potions book, so why doesn’t he bother tracking it down after the Draco incident? Where did Harry get that shard of glass he carries around all of Hallows?Also, is it just me, or do the tables for each House change every movie? I feel like the Slytherin table stays the same most of the time, but the Gryffidnor, and especially the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff I feel like are always in a different place every movie. Ravenclaw is usually at the far end, opposite of Slytherin, but then in Phoenix, it’s between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I don’t know why I am so fixated on it, but I like consistency and it just confused me. How was Lucius and all those other Death Eaters free and able to come to the graveyard in Goblet? Where they the ones Moody-Crouch was hinting at when he said some wizards claimed to do You-Know-Who’s bidding under the Imperius Curse? So, was Draco friends with Crabbe and Goyle before their first year of Hogwarts because their dads were all Death Eaters, because Voldemort calls two Death Eaters Crabbe and Goyle in the graveyard? When Ron says during the Chocolate Frog scene in Stone “you can’t expect him to hang around all day” in regard to Dumbledore in the Chocolate Frog card, what does he mean? Is that supposed to be the real Dumbledore or just his picture, like how portraits can move between pictures? So, could Horcruxes be killed by Voldemort himself, as well as Basilisk venom and magically-intense fire? Since Harry was a Horcrux and therefore could only be killed by Voldemort, doe that mean that the Hrcrux made him immortal, able to be injured but not die, as well as because of the Prophecy? The thing, Harry nearly died multiple times, by Quirrell, Aragog’s children, the Baslisk, the Dementors during Quidditch, the Hungarian Horntail, the squids in the second task, the creatures from the lake in the cave, and somehow was always saved either by pure luck or help. So, is there a way he was immortal until the Horcrux inside him died, then, like Voldemort, he became mortal and therefore able to die? So, I know Harry did detention with Lockhart after the flying car incident because we saw it, but what about Ron, what did he do for detention in Chamber? Where, how and why does Draco have a green apple in the Buckbeak introduction scene (at least it’s a green apple. Very Slytherin)? How long did Harry fy on Buckbeak for because Hemrioena nd all teh students where in their robes before lift off and when he comes back Hemrioen and a lot fo other students now have their robes off? So, Scarlett Bryne palsy Pansy in the lats three films, but then who is that girl on the Inquistorial Squad in Pheonxi with teh other Slytehrins, to that banged-bobbed haired girl in Azkaban who hangs out with teh Draco and his corneis, particularly in the Buckbeak introductions scene? Are they also supposed to be Pansy? Why didn’t Tom Riddle use his charisma, good reputation in his youth (as he was in the Slug Club) and charm to become Minister of Magic, if he wanted power so badly? Plus with his drive for immortality, I don’t know how terms work for Ministers, but it could mean he’d be Minister for eternity which is still a huge threat knowing his bigoted and ruthless beliefs. He also could have placed his supporters like Lucius and Bellatrix in all the high-ranking positions and tried a change everything so no one can oppose him. TBH, that would have been the smarter thing to do. In a way, not doing this makes him look dumb, instead of a genuine evil genius. Also, when the Death Eaters did take over the Ministry, why didn’t he simply become Minister for Magic? I get that he is arrogant, and entitled and values his fear-inducing mystique, but that also makes it easier for rebels to get by unscathed. In Azkaban, teh Fat Lady’s painting get slashed, but how does that work? Does it kill a painting unless they escape eliek the Fat Lady? Like what if you light it on fire? How do you make a new one, and make it that person’s painting? And is the wood behind the painting spelled so it’s break and an intruder can’t get into the common room? Then why have teh students botehr sleeping in teh Great Hall? Where, how and why does Draco have a green apple in the Buckbeak introduction scene (at least it’s a green apple. Very Slytherin)? How long did Harry fy on Buckbeak for because Hemrioena nd all teh students where in their robes before lift off and when he comes back Hemrioen and a lot fo other students now have their robes off? So, Scarlett Bryne palsy Pansy in the lats three films, but then who is that girl on the Inquistorial Squad in Pheonxi with teh other Slytehrins, to that banged-bobbed haired girl in Azkaban who hangs out with teh Draco and his corneis, particularly in the Buckbeak introductions scene? Are they also supposed to be Pansy? In Azkaban, teh Fat Lady’s painting get slashed, but how does that work? Does it kill a painting unless they escape eliek the Fat Lady? Like what if you light it on fire? How do you make a new one, and make it that person’s painting? And is the wood behind the painting spelled so it’s break and an intruder can’t get into the common room? Then why have teh students botehr sleeping in teh Great Hall? Why is it such a big deal when Voldemort utters “Voldemort” in the DA recruitment scene when she literally said his name in the first film saying “we’re forgetting one thing. Who’s the one wizard Voldemort always feared? Dumbledore. As longa s Dumbledore’s around, Harry, you’re safe. As long as Dumbledore’s around, you can’t be touched,” and then she gives a reassuring smile, making Harry feel better? It was a pretty pivotal, but small scene. So, in Part 1 the locket says that Ron was the least loved by his mother who always craved a daughter, so does that mean the Weasleys kept having kids until they had a daughter? It seems like it. My friend told me that in the book Ravenclaw’s mascot is an eagle, not a raven and their colors are blue and gold, not blue and silver, so why’d di they bother changing it? Like how does that impact the story? So, in the first film, the students wear black velvet cone hats during the Sorting Hat ceremony and the end-of-the-year feast, but they are never used again. Why? When Draco gets out of bed before going to the Astronomy Tower in Prince, the bed looks like a major downgrade from his no doubt lavish room at Malfoy Manor. Is that the Slytherin dorms, because if so why does the Hosue full of wealthy pureblood maniacs have such a crappy dorm, or is it the hospital wing, with him recovering from the Sectsumsempra? Does Hagrid’s pink umbrella have magic in it, because he uses it to make a fire and open the brick wall to Diagon Alley in the first film, but we also don’t really ever see him cast spells or hold a wand later on in the series? Also, if he was expelled from Hogwarts and therefore doesn’t have the best magic skills, then why does he do the supposedly advanced non-verbal spell when he lights a fire at the Dursleys’ hideaway (which to me looks like if the Burrow was placed on the dark, scary and moody rock Dumbledore and Harry stand on when they arrive at the Horcrux cave in Prince. It also doesn’t look like anywhere a Muggle would realistically go to or be able to go to) when he first introduces himself to Harry when he first picks him up. If the Weasleys have a magical flying car, then how do they possibly fit all nine of them, plus Harry and Hedwig, in there to drive to King’s cross? Expansion charm? That must look so clownish to Muggles LOL. How did Ron and Hermione also not notice Quirrell muttering a curse either at the Quidditch match in Stone? I get that with Snape’s cold demeanor they thought he was the one hurting harry instead of saving him, but still, how did they not notice that? Is it just me or did having the DA actually sign their name on a paper to sign up without some protective enchantment, like with Tom Riddle’s Diary or the Marauder’s Map, very dumb, and very un-Hermione, who would take every precaution necessary even with the rebellious spirit of the idea? Did she do something like this in the books? Did George (or Fred to before he died) ever figure out how to map a Marauder’s Map, and sell them to Hogwarts students at their joke store? It wouldn’t surprise me, as they would want every Hogwarts to be as mischievous as they are and it could have been a tribute to James, Sirius and Lupin too. So, when Luna and Harry were hearing voices in the veil, those were the dead right, that’s why it engulfed Sirius, pulling him it’s the afterlife, right? Luna can hear it because she watched her mom die, while Harry can hear it because he watched Lily and Cedric die, right? It also seems quite hypnotic, which makes it seem even mro dangerous and deadly. Does Harry eventually ever actually learn the repairing charm so he can fix his freaking glasses himself? is there an advanced, non-verbal spell to do Appparation or is it more of an advanced skill? Can you simply teleport an item to someone or do you have to use an owl for literally everything? I mean, this is a magical world, right? They really couldn’t find a better way to communicate. I get it’s better for a story, but come on! Why isn’t “accio,” the summoning charm, used more? That’s like the ultimate sell for lazy people? Does it also seem like the kind of spell that would be Ron’s favorite (his Expelliarmus)? Seriously, what are all the purposes of a Patronus? is it a shield or a messenger or both? I will say, I didn’t fully understand that a Patronus came in the form of an animal until Phoenix, because when we see a Patronus in Azkaban we only see a white-silvery light when Lupin does it on the train, in the Boggart scene and even when Harry yells “expecto patronus.” We only see a random white-silvery horned creature that seemingly trots over to where Harry, Sirius and the Dementors are, and no explanation that it was a fully formed Patronus. I was very confused, especially because Harry reacts to that by saying “I saw my dad,” which I didn’t really get until I found out Snape’s Patronus is the same as Lily’s, so it makes sense that Harry’s is the same as his dad, but then again, that’s never explicitly sad. So, I was very confused about Patronus, and still kind of am, obviously, while watching this series a lot of the time. Was that Percy at Harry’s trial, working for Ministry? Screw him! That’s someone who is like a brother to three of his brothers and his sister’s biggest crush. How exactly did James evolve from a schoolyard bully to the love of sweet Lily’s life? I get a woman changing a guy through the power of love trope, after all, I love couples like Blair and Chuck from Gossip Girl and Elena and Damon from The Vampire Diaries. I would have just loved to see and hear how exactly it happened. The whole whirlwind romance and I am sure Harry would have loved to hear that story too. Do Mr. and Mrs. Weasley ever actually find out about Ginny being taken in the Chamber of Secrets by Tom Riddle? Because Tom Riddle is hidden as a memory in the diary, do all of the Horcruxes have a memory within them, even if we don’t see them? If that is the case, I’m guessing Harry’s Horcrux memory would be his parents dying, which is so sad. Does Neville ever find out that he could have had Harry’s fate? Hagrid came to pick Harry up on his 11th birthday, so do Muggleborns always find out about the Wizarding World on their 11th birthday? How much do wands cost? They are a necessity, and yet Ron’s family can’t afford to send him a new one, even though it wouldn’t have chosen him, when he breaks his in Chamber? How do Azkaban espaee get their wands back, because they definely didn’t ahve them with them in prison,a s that would make it too easy for them to escape. Did Lucius kept Bellatrix’s wand while she’s in Azkaban? What about Sirius, because even Lupin thought Sirius was somewhat guilty? Who exactly know where James and Lilyw ere hiding? Obviously Dumbledore, Hagrid and Peter, but what about Sirius and Lupin? Did Dumbeldore tell Snape where they are after rtehy made their deal, and as a Death Eater/new double agent, knew what night teh Drak Lord was going to them, and that’s why he knew when and where to go? Fandom Wiki said that teh Slytehrin common room and dorms are in teh dungeon,w which while fitting, seems kind fo like a punishment despite tehir entitled and wealthy reputation, but then why did DUmbledore send all teh students back to their Hosues, including SLytehrins, when Quirrell found a troll in teh Dungeon? Woudln’t that be putting teh kid sin danger? Nots uprising coming from Dumbledore, but still. Why didn’t Siirus use his skills as an Animigas to escape Azkaban sooner? How does underage magic (LOL) work exactly? Are they able to track wizards even before they get to Hogwarts, like Harry and teh glass at teh zoo? How? They seem to be able to track what spell the underage wizard uses, but how? That’s so violating. Also, Harry blew up Aunt Marge and mad eteh glass disappear wandless, but the Ministry knew about the Aunt Marge incident, and they brushed it under teh rug. The Trace and udnerage magic is just really confusing to me. I get that these kids are wizards-in-traing, but wouldn’t them not using tehir magic all summer, espeicllay in magical families, only hold them back instead dof help them improve? Like in moderation, it would be fine. It justs seems really dumb to me and another showcase of hwo corrupt the Ministry is. Like does teh Trace exist in Bulgaria, France and other places? How is the Trace put on the child anyway, because it’s clearly a spell, but with Muggle-raisied wizards, how do they get that? Once they go to Hogwarts? I am so confused. It seems so inconstienta nd like it’s only sued when it serves the child to teh Ministry, which is icky. Why couldn’t Harry see Thetsrals all along, since he saw his mom die as a baby? How did Fred and George not notice Ron sleeping next to a guy named Peter Pettigrew every night,e seciallya t home in the Burrow? Why didn’t they poke fun at Ron or tease him about it? Did they know who Peter Pettigrew was, because I don’t think so, especially ebcause of this? Why didn’t Siirus use Polyjuice Potion to hide while eh was on teh run? I mean, he manage to buy a Firebolt, he surely could have gotten teh ingredients for Polyjuice as well, right? Why didn’t teh Ministry simply use Veirtaserum on criminal or perceived criminals like Harry and Sirius? They could have saved everyone so much time and tediousness. Honestly, sometimes being a wizard in thai world seems so much harder then being a Muggle, especially with teh Seven Potters ordeal, because why coudln’t they save so much time an dlives by just having Harry Polyjucie himself into another wizard? Then it would look less like a mission and more like just a group of wizards taking a flight at night. It also would have save many more lives. Of course teh Seven Potters ordeal was fun and exciting, but it seemed way more dangerous and tedious when their were clearly oteh resolutions. If Hogwarts is teh safets place in teh Wizrading World, then how did Siirus get in when he tore teh Fat Lady’s portrait, and hwo did no one see him? I get he’s an Animigas, but stills seeing a random dog in eth Hogwarts corridors is kind of strange, even for a magic school? Also, DUmbeldore and McGongallw ere professors during teh Marauders era, so they know their skill set, right? On teh Weasley Clock, they had dentist on their, but then Slughorn asks Hemrione if her parents jobs, as dentists, are dangerous, clearly having no knowledge of teh practice. Am I the only one who noticed that? Slughorn is smart, so I find this hard to believe and small, but really odd. So, in Chamber and Part 1, the people who Polyjuci into oteh rpeopel keep their voices, but when Moody Polyjucies as Crouch, he has Moody’s voice? Did he just learn his exact accent or something because if so, you gotta admire his commitment? Why did Slughorn hand out Liquid Luck to the students before the Battle of Hogwarts? He clearly took it before he helped Flitwick and McGonagall with teh protection charms.Literally, how does Sirius, a fugitive, manage to get Harry a firebolt? It’s not like he can buy it or even steal it in his dog form? Also, how does he even have money to pay for it, he may be a Black, but still. Did the twins ever find out that the Marauders of the Marauader’s Map are James, Lupin, Sirius and Peter (it’s just too perfect that the Twins, basically the Marauder’s successors gifted it to Harry)? In Azkaban, when did Hermione get Crookshanks? I know Hermione and Ron would fight all the time because of Crookshanks (really? What kind of name is that? How did she come up with it? Is it some famous Wizard storybook author or something?) going after Scabbers, including when Ron full on blamed Hermione for Scabbers disappearance, claiming Crookshanks ate Scabbers, not even apologizing when Scabbers is found alive by Hagrid. But in hindsight, with Scabber being Peter Pettigrew, wouldn’t it have been better if Crookshanks really did kill Scabbers (I swear I am an animal lover)? It would have stopped the Dark Lord from returning. Also, while Scabbers disappeared, what was Peter doing? Because you know he was turning back into a human at that time (seriously, doesn’t it hurt the person who is an animagas to be in their animal form for too long?), but to do what? How does someone become a ghost? Why can’t Harry’s parents, Sirius and everyone be ghosts, but Moaning Myrtle and Nearly Headless Nick can? Is Crouch Sr. even upset when he sends his son to Azkaban in Goblet because he looks so ruthless? Also, the way he sends his son to Azkaban without any evidence, just him trying to bolt out of the crowded, overstuffed (literally why is this courtroom so cluttered, it looks like a storage unit or a newspaper archive), no wonder Moody-Crouch wanted to kill him (not justified, but understandable). How did the traumatic Battle of Hogwarts effect everyone? Hagrid was kidnapped by Death Eaters. Ron lost his brother. Harry had so many important people to him die, like Lupin, who had a baby son. There was snow another orphan just like Harry. So many classmates died. Were they any memorials or funerals? A memorial or special cemetery built on the grounds, like for military, wars or the Holocaust? Also, how did parents, especially of the young students, react to their kids basically being soldiers in this battle? Were parents upset or proud of their kids, or both? How many barely trained First years lost their lives? Could some students opt out of fighting? Where did they go? To the dungeons with Slytherin House? Did all of Slytherin House go to the dungeons or did some sneak out (how?), because Draco apparates and grabs Blaise and Goyle, was that in the dungeon? Not all Slytherins are Death Eaters’ children, so did some of them, like Slughorn, choose to fight? Pansy Parkinson is all for sending Harry off to Voldemort to save her and the school’s own skin, is her family a Death Eating, pureblood manic family too? I know Voldemort is a half-blood himself as he grew up in a Muggle orphanage and is the heir of Slytherin, so is that why he let other half-bloods like Snape join his ranks? Could Muggleborns too, if they for some insane reason desired to if they were just that intrigued by the Dark Arts? Bellatrix is almost more bigoted than Voldemort as she is violent at even the sight of a “Mudblood,” like when she pulls Hermione aside to torture her in Part 1. But does she know that Snape and, especially, Voldemort are half-bloods? Is that why she’s suspicious of Snape in Prince? If Dumbledore is such a manipulative control freak, then why wouldn’t he come back as a ghost to make sure all of his plans are put in place correctly? This “wand choosing the wizard” thing is very confusing. Like what if it breaks, like Ron? Or is stolen, like Draco? Or do they die, like Dumbledore? Is the disarming only for the Elder Wand or for all wand, because it is all wands then almost every villain’s wand belongs to Harry (I mean, everything belongs to Harry. The books are literally called Harry Potter. Plus, he’s “The Chosen One” and “The Boy Who Lived.” Of course, if something big happens, it’s more likely than not to, for, or because of Harry). Ron really had no idea how right he was when he said (that TikTok sound) in the first film “not me, not Hermione, you! when it really was always him. He is the Chosen One. I am sure as I rewatch the films, I will find more. Maybe, this is all explained in the books. Maybe my curiosity and newfound adoration for this series will inspire me to become a reader and read the film’s source material for more information and to fill the plot holes. Maybe I just didn’t look hard enough on Fandom Wiki. At the end of the day, these plot holes weren’t distracting, so they are forgivable. I still enjoyed the films immensely. I honestly hate it when people overanalyze cinematic mythologies, films, shows, characters, story and try to put logic into escapist TV and movies, but honestly, in this case, with the mythology being so deep and the characters being so realized, the fact that I do have so many questions proves how much I enjoyed these films, because of how invested I already am in the Potter world as a new Potterhead. It’s a testament to how amazing the writing (of both the story and the book source material, and the eventual screenplays) and creation of the world and it’s characters is. I am so intrigued to learn more about these characters and this world. Bad films are just bad for no good reason or excuse at all. Good films make you itch for more, and these are good films.
From #DracoTok to the internet-obsessed Dramione fan fiction (yes, I knew about this before I watched the movies. They are two of the best, most complex and interesting characters in the entire series, at least out of all the student characters, and they were played by two of the best actors out of the young cast, and I love a good bad boy-good girl, enemies-to-lovers trope, Damon and Elena-type relationship, so I understand the appeal. It would be an interesting dynamic and great for Draco’s arc in particular with him going from being a racist like his dad to choosing good alongside his classmates. I think it would have more obviously shown that arc, instead of internalizing, but I do feel like it would be a step backward for Hermione in some ways. Even in a world of magic, I think this is long-shot. But that’s what fan fiction is for, right?) to just a random tweet on my timeline, the character I heard the most about prior to watching, besides the core three, Snape and Dumbledore, was Draco Malfoy. I was shocked to see how little he is actually in the movies. In fact, the only major storyline he has isn’t until Half-Blood Prince, the sixth movie in the eight-movie franchise. I wish we got more of him because he was the character I was most excited to see. His bad-boy-gone-good storyline was more riveting than most of the other sub-plots and could have been written so much better, even if Tom Felton gave a scene-stealing performance by doing so much with so little, the producer should have recognized that and written more to highlight his skills. It was honestly criminal because to me Draco was far more interesting than Ron (Sorry, but true). He deserved a more satisfying arc and MUCH more screen time.
I also expected the Houses to play a huge part in it and it doesn’t really. Also, the characters’ houses don’t make a lot of sense. I feel like Cedric fits Gryffindor due to how he died like a true Gryffindor, but I guess someone had to be a relevant Hufflepuff. How the hell is Lockhart as Ravenclaw and not a Slytherin? He isn’t intelligent, he just ambitious, admittedly resourceful and completely and totally self-interested. Also, how the hell did Pettigrew get into Gryffindor? He is the most cowardly character in this whole series. Honestly, I don’t see him in any house, but I guess due to his future alliances, Slytherin would be the one for him. If any Weasley had to be in Slytherin, it would be Percy. He is ambitious and determined. Also, similarly to how Pettigrew gives off major Slytherin vibes in the worst possible way, Lupin also seems to fit Ravenclaw, as the brains behind the Marauders (there is no doubt in my mind that he was a key player in creating the Marauder’s Map). He was also much more reserved and individualistic than his friends. He was very brilliant when it came to DADA, a great teacher and mentor and just had so much various Wizarding World knowledge. He also loves to pass on wisdom,w which Ravenclaws notably value. Mr. Weasley could have been in Ravenclaw with his creativity and individuality. Dumbledore should have been a Slytherin. he was the most ambitious character besides Voldemort (which BTW ambition isn’t always a negative trait. I would describe myself as ambitious, hence why I identify with Slytherin), but Dumbledore was the unsolicited puppet master of the whole series, and he just sucked. Yes, Snape is determined, resourceful and ambitious, but he is also the bravest man Harry knew, and bravery is a key Gryffindor trait, showing how in a different world, maybe he and Lily could have been in the same House. I mean, he lied straight to the Dark Lord’s face and dedicated his life to protecting Harry. Harry, Ron and Hermione were all brave and chivalrous in true Gryffindor fashion, but it is clear that Harry was the Slytherin, Hermione was the Ravenclaw (although with her determination and drive for success, she does seem to have some Slytherin in her) and Ron was the Hufflepuff of the group (although he too has some Slytherin with his egocentric insecurities, but at least the Sorting Hat saw his potential like it did for Harry and Neville), which is probably why they all worked well together, they were all very similar in many ways, but also all very different in many, very clear, ways. Houses and sorting seem to be more about a person’s values rather then their personality because of this. This is because while Hermione values her intelligence, she admires the trait of bravery most, Luna may be brave but she values her creativity most, Harry may have a lot of drive but he values his chivalry and nerve most, Neville may start off a pure and good but becomes brave and daring, Ron is good-hearted but he wants to be brave and Draco may be daring and has a lot of nerve but values his ambitions most. Also, Neville begins as a shy gryffindor. In Goblet we see Hufflepuffs be mean to Harry. Snape si teh best example fo a brave Slytehrin. Also, Lockhart is stupid and he’s a Ravenclaw. So, if this doesn’t prove that it’s values over personality, then I don’t know what does. That also makes it make more sense how so many families and generations end up in same Houses as they pass down their values, with teh Weasleys its bravery and chivalry and with Slytherin it’s cunning and ambition. All teh Weasley kids have very different personalities, Ron’s easygoing, Ginny is (supposed to be) sassy, the Twisn are humorous, Percy si ambitious and Bill is noble, but all value bravery. Same with teh Balcks. Bellatrix is psychotic, Narcissa is loyal, Lucius is pathetic, Draco is conflicted, but they all value ambition. Hufflepuffs seem to value the work and their relationships more than their ambitions, glory or intelligence, unlike the Houses. Slytherin are perceived as villains because they are ambitious and determined, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals, however like Potter says over and over it’s about the choice to use those qualities for good to for evil and while Voldemort, Lucius and Bellatrix decide to sue those qualities for evil, Draco, Snape and Slughorn decide to use those qualities for good. The Houses were what I heard the most about prior to watching, so I was shocked to see how little they are relevant to the larger plot. I mean, every film the trio proves how much they are true Gryffindors. They encounter trolls, Basilisks, werewolves, spiders, unhinged Death Eaters, giants and even the Dark Lord himself. If Houses are like “your family” while at Hogwarts, as McGonagall says, then it really horrible how the Ravenclaws don’t accept Luna. While Luna has Hufflepuff energy with her selflessness and purity, if she wasn’t a Ravenclaw, she would undeniably be Gryffindor, after all, they are the only ones who treat her with kindness and genuity. Is it possible to switch Houses? If so, Luna should switch to Gryffindor, because those are her only friends and the only people who accept her? After all, everyone who went to the Department of Mysteries in Phoenix was a Gryffindor, except Luna. It’s also funny to me how Gryffindor seems to be the most prestigious house when really it’s sort of the throw-away house. What I mean is that there are so many personalities in that house, that it’s not as distinctive personality-wise as the undeniably good Hufflepuffs, smart Ravenclaws and ambitious Slytherins. The Gryffindor house seems to be more of a melting pot than any of the others, which is both good and bad. The Twins are creative like Ravenclaws. Harry is determined like Slytherins. Ron is fair like Hufflepuffs. Hermione is a strive like Slytherins and intelligent like Ravenclaws. Neville is hard-working like Hufflepuffs. They all have very distinct and different personalities, but all seem to value bravery, which makes them all have something in common and bleed Gryffindor. Like I said, Houses seem to be more based on values rather then personalities. The only person that makes me think the Hogwarts House system is full of crap is Peter Pettigrew because he is the least brave character of the series and doesn’t even value it, he values self-preservation. So it doesn’t match his personality or his values, mostly because he doesn’t have very many values besides selfishness. I understood that the Slytherins and the Gryffindors had a rivalry, but what about the Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws? Was Hufflepuffs really that good? Because in Goblet of Fire they were pretty snooty toward Harry. I mean, I get they wanted to support one of their own like Cedric, but they didn’t have to be obnoxious about it, although that is what kids do. I also think it’s more about what you seek out of life. Gryffindors seek glory (the Weasley twins both say “wicked” after Dumbledore says eternal glory is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament and Ron even hopes to enter when he’s of age, while Harry replies to him saying “better you than me” as he has a hero complex that results in glory but more because of trauma rather than an actual striving goal) and family. Slytherin seeks power and success. Ravenclaws seek skills and intelligence. Hufflepuffs seek camaraderie and teamwork. Gryffindors want to be the hero. Slytherins want to be the leader. Hufflepuffs want t be good team players. Ravenclaws want to be satisfied within and help others when they can. These points are why I wish they showed more of the high school hierarchy and politics. After all, that’s what makes so many teen-centric films so relatable. I am saying I want cliques like in Mean Girls, but I think this could have helped the audience connect more with the films in a much more interesting way than having them wear Muggle clothes (more on that later). It also could help articulate the social commentary, racism and classism the films already comment on in society, and show how that behavior starts in high school, especially with Draco and the Slytherins. The trio proves in every film that Gryffindor is a well-deserved placement. Despite all the trouble and danger, Harry finds himself in, Ron and Hermione never leave his side. They encounter trolls, spiders, werewolves, manic crazy trees, even the Dark Lord himself and so many other near-death experiences. Their friendship only got stronger over the course of the series, to the point where their teamwork was so seamless in the finale. They are true friends. They would rather die together than leave each other. I also wish we got to learn more about the founders of the Houses and of Hogwarts. It seems so fascinating. Based on my fascination with Houses and this world’s mythology, can you tell how much of a history buff I am? I will say, I appreciate how they presented characters that subvert the stereotypes of each House’s traits. Pettigrew was an evil, cowardly Gryffindor. Slughorn was a pure-hearted, overall good Slytherin. Cedric was a courageous Hufflepuff. Lockhart, obviously was a hysterically idiotic Ravenclaw.
The number of snakes was very terrifying. Snakes are personally a huge fear of mine. I could handle the spiders, but the snakes I had to hide under my covers. Like I barely watched the final battle in Deathly Hallows: Part 2 because Nagini was too terrifying. I wish I had been warned that snakes were in almost every movie. I had watched Chamber of Secrets out of context before and remembered snakes had a huge part to play, so I was somewhat prepared for that film, but not for the others.
I had seen some of the actors’ past, or I guess post-Harry Potter work. I love Emma Watson. I am a huge fan of her and her films The Bling Ring, Little Women and The Perks of Being A Wallflower are some of my favorites; so she was really the only main actor I was super familiar with. I know Rupert Grint had worked with Ed Westwick and Phoebe Dynevor in Snatch, but I haven’t watched it. I hadn’t really seen anything Daniel Radcliffe has done, though I know he was in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying on Broadway. I know it’s controversial, but I actually loved the addition of the Heretics in The Vampire Diaries, and one of them was played by Scarlett Byrne who plays Pansy Parkinson, who I wish we got to see more of. As Draco’s girlfriend, we could have seen his softer side. It was also cool to see Eva from Gossip Girl in the role (BTW Tom Riddle actor Christian Coulson played Ivan in one of Clemence Posey’s episodes of Gossip Girl) she is known for playing, although Fleur Delacour was a very similar character, and Edward Cullen, erm, Robert Pattinson pre-Twilight as the tragic Cedric Diggory.
I had heard a lot of quotes prior to watching, from “you’re a wizard, Harry” to “I’m going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed, or worse, expelled.” However, the one I heard most was “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” It’s even in the song “Salty Sweet” by MS MR which was used in a season three episode of Pretty Little Liars. However, it’s literally said twice, and once was before the end credits. It was also a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment, which I did. I had to rewind.
I also appreciate how, as much as the story revolves around Harry and the trio, you can tell that Hogwarts itself didn’t revolve around them. Harry tried his hardest not to grab attention, just he would just naturally get it because of the legend surrounding him. The trio kept to themselves but weren’t exclusive. They included Ron’s siblings, Neville and Luna when they could and when it was safe enough. That inclusivity proves how they weren’t popular, unlike someone like Cedric Diggory, who almost always had an entourage around him. Like Harry, he never tried to be popular, but naturally was. Unlike that, Harry wasn’t popular, just famous. There’s a difference. Fred and George seemed like the popular ones, as they had the most friends, as they were seen talking with Lee, Angelina, Oliver, Neville and of course the trio. I also appreciate how there isn’t a social hierarchy at Hogwarts, to at least an obvious one throughout the series between eth students and the Houses. There isn’t a cool House and a loser House. While the students have their insecurities and bullying occurs, they also all seem to just do their own thing. I really appreciate that in this series. It’s really different and sets it apart even further from other teen media. The Vampire Diaries is similar in that, but I feel like with Houses system in itself showing the characters’ different values and personalities, Potter portrays it more strongly.
I also loved how their photographs are like videos or boomerangs. It makes the Wizarding World differ even more from the Muggle world. Like in the newspapers and the pictures in the book Hagrid gave to Harry in the first film, it was so cool. It’s like Harry Potter had the first gifs (Draco’s animated drawing from the note he flew over to Harry in Azkaban could also be categorized as a gif). Like how the Marauder’s Map is like the first Gossip Girl map or Snapchat map.
As someone who hates sports, I actually really liked Quidditch. I like how there isn’t one goal. Every player has a different goal, which makes for a more dynamic game with higher stakes. It was really thrilling to watch. I may think all sports are just glorified running back and forth, but I would genuinely love to see a Quidditch game and real life. It’s the only sport I understand, and it’s fictional. I think that says a lot about how cool and fun those scenes were.
I loved their use of the antihero in a children’s story. It was quite sophisticated for children’s literature and cinema. Good and evil are choices rather than inherited traits. Harry gives people second chances when they make mistakes and characters are either more evil than they seem or seem evil, but are later given redemption. Mainly, Snape is THE antihero. In the first movie, Harry views Quirrell as good because Snape, who has a very off-putting appearance and demeanor, appears malicious. However, it’s the opposite. In that particular instance, Snape is good and Quirrell is bad. And Snape knows this and immediately puts the pieces together when he first sees him and spends the rest of the school year protecting him, despite being outwardly mean to Harry and his cold exterior. This pattern continues with Moody in the fourth film and Snape in almost every movie, especially the first, third and final. Snape isn’t good or bad, he’s complex, complicated and multifaceted. On the surface, he is scary and intense. Someone you don’t want to upset or oppose. However, underneath, he has very complicated motives, especially toward Harry. He looks just like his school days’ nemesis, Harry’s dad James (it also doesn’t help that Harry is very close with James’ school best friends Lupin and Sirius), but his blood and his eyes hold his mother Lily, who Snape will always love (interpret that as romantic or childhood, lifelong friendship, however, you wish). He wants to protect Lily’s son, but he wants to hate anything associated with James. He was also a double agent because of this. The school bullying drove him to become a Death Eater. However, when he found out they were going after Lily’s son, he panicked and was heartbroken and guilt-ridden when he found her dead. To honor her, he vowed to protect her son, even if that meant risking his life and being hated and feared. And that’s exactly how he spent the entire series. Boy, I love a complicated hero! Some may consider Snape a tragic hero, which he clearly has elements of due to his gut-wrenching demise and posthumous redemption, but I think antihero is a more accurate term because he did do some pretty cruel things like murdering Dumbeldore, bullying students when they literally did nothing wrong and hitting his students, even if we learned that deep down, underneath the cruel demeanor, he was good all along. Tragic heroes have one key character flaw, and Snape, honestly, had many (cruelty, bias, anger, stress, etc.). He also has the anti-heroic arc of having disappointment after disappointment, between his nemesis winning Lily’s heart to many people beating him out of the Defense Against The Drak Arts professor position. His clear annoyance for his circumstances, shown through lines like, “Has it ever crossed your brilliant mind that I don’t want to do this anymore?” makes his anti-heroism even more apparent. He was brave enough to be the bad guy to protect Harry, who he had complicated feelings for on top of everything. It’s just brilliant.
It was also the same for Draco Malfoy. Showing a kid as an antihero is very rare, and doing it well is even rarer, but Tom Felton did an amazing job of showing the depth and hardship Draco dealt with that made him act out at school. He was privileged and wealthy and thought that equaled success, mainly because his father expected excellence always. He was practically forced to be a Death Eater. He even said when he was about to kill Dumbledore that he didn’t want to do that, he had to. While Draco had terrible role models and turned out alright, Harry had good parents. Draco had bad role models and bad parents (Narcissa at least kind of cared about him, but she was still a Death Eater and submissive to Lucius). It’s nature versus nurture, and all Draco wanted was some of what Harry had. Harry may not see that, but the audience does. And what was Draco supposed to do? Not stand with the Death Eaters with Voldemort right there? He would have gotten killed in front of all his classmates. It was great writing, but we still deserve his redemption and to see him and Harry reconcile more than just a passive nod at Platform 9 and 3/4. Keep in mind that these books were written before the age of Tony Soprano, Don Draper and Rue Bennett, and those are all adult TV dramas. Gotta love antiheroes.
I also appreciate how the series matured as it progressed, and along with its characters. As the kids grew up and saw the realities of the Wizarding World, much like it’s the audience and the cruel realities real world, it became progressively darker over time. This made perfect sense. The characters weren’t kids anymore. The audience wasn’t kids anymore either. It couldn’t stay a wide-eyed tale of magic for very long, especially as it went from a children’s story to a coming-of-age story. The series aged and matured alongside the characters, the actors and the audience, similar to the TV show Stranger Things, with that probably being the modern-day equivalent of that kind of aging-as-series-progresses idea, both through the people and the story. The first film was a celebration of magic, youth, adventure, innocence and wonder. With the ending of Sorcerer’s Stone including Harry melting a guy’s face off, it made sense that Chamber of Secrets would lean into that with the ominous threat and use of the two scariest animals ever; snakes and spiders. The Prisoner of Azkaban was the first tonal shift when it sent from innocent to dark, but still kept the adventurous wonder and youthful energy of the first two films. And while Goblet Of Fire started wonderous and fun, its ending became the biggest plot twist of the series, going from light and adventurous to dark and deadly, raising the stakes with one flick of a wand. It was a rude awakening and was the moment our favorite Hogwarts students officially became young adults. The next two, which had the second biggest and darkest tonal shift, were the kids dealing with the harsh realities of living during wartime, and being so young and also on the frontlines, just like wartime IRL. The penultimate film were about preparation, focusing on character development and relationship development, so the final film could be as satisfying, epic and emotional as possible. It reminds me of a Taylor Swift album, they grow up with their audience and come out just at the right moment, especially when you remember that these movies came out yearly to bi-yearly. It makes me wish I watched them as they were released. It would have made what was already a spiritual experience all the more magical. And just like how they got progressively darker in visually, in the color palette, tonally and aesthetic, but the overall quality got better too through the special effects, acting and production design. This was probably (and obviously) because of how much technology changed between 2001 and 2011 and how much the actors have grown.
I will say, I loved the score music in these films. They were really well done. The score music in these movies is very specific for each scene and each movie, making each distinctive and sonically identifiable. They were very distinctive to each film and matched each movie’s “theme” very well. I loved how the music theme in Azkaban resembled a ticking noise (oh, the unintentional Harry Potter Puppet Pals reference, the only thing what would have made it better would be if it was a Euphoria-esque score with lyrics that sang “Snape, Snape, Severus Snape,” although I didn’t watch that video until 2nd grade, which was 2007, which was when the Order of the Phoenix film was released and the final book came out and Azkaban came out in 2004, so), mirroring its repetitive clock imagery and the importance of the Time Turner in the story. Personally, my favorite film, score music-wise, is Azkaban with how distinctive and symbolic it is. Between the cinematography and the time-ticking score, this film really stood out among the rest aesthetically and sonically speaking. Between the jazzy score during the Bogart scene to the triumphant score during the Great Hall scene after Buckbeak attacks Draco to the time-ticking core use throughout the series, it kept this rather dark film light, fun and adventurous. Now the main ticking core is my favorite of the series, but the more upbeat ones that are used in Hogsmeade, the Boggart scene, and when the ghost crashes through the window are also good too. Then the joyous, uplifting score in Phoenix used to juxtapose Umbridge’s cruelty and support how the teens are taking matters into their own hands by practicing defensive spells in secret in the DA meetings. The opening score music in Deathly Hallows Part 1 that played while Hermione obliviated her parents’ memories of her was also amazing. You could literally feel the emotions and the stakes getting higher and higher. It was such a difficult and brave thing for her to do and the combination of Watson’s performance and the music made the emotional weight of the scene so palpable. Then the Deathly Hallow Part 2 was so eerie and ominous, giving the audience the feeling that things were definitely gonna change by the end of the movie. The music theme used in Potions scene where they all attempt to brew Living Death and in the scene with Draco and the Vanishing Cabinet, among others such as when Harry spots Ginny in the window when he arrives at the Burrow, in the Half-Blood Prince were also good and memorable were also very good While looking up the scores on Tunefind, I discovered that this ominous theme music was called “Lily’s Theme,” which gives a whole new meaning to it playing while Snape stands in the window frame at the beginning of the movie, looking down as the students march into the school. “Hedwig’s Theme” is the iconic Harry Potter them that we all know and love, created by John Williams. This piece of music manages to work for all the movies, which is part of why it is so iconic and impressive, as not all the books and scripts were written yet. I specifically love when “Hedwig’s Theme” plays when Harry finally returns to Hogwarts in Deathly Hallows Part 2. It makes the scene so fulfilling, full circle, nostalgic and sentimental, especially because its a reunion between the trio and their friends, and seeing how loyal they all are to Harry.
The one main thing I had a MASSIVE problem with in regard to these movies are the costumes. Frankly, they suck. They had so much potential to be used as a nuanced storytelling device and it just looked like they barely even tried, despite the huge budgets you know these films had. There is no story being told when there was so much opportunity to create such iconic, character-revealing looks since they have such interesting, witchy subject matter. They just could have done so much more with it. Judianna Makovsky was the costume designer on the first film, which by far was the film that had the best costumes of the whole series. She was also the costume designer for the first The Hunger Games movie and many Marvel films. Lindy Hemming worked on thhe second film, attempting to continue Makovsky’s work with little originality or memorability. Meanwhile, Janet Termaine was the costume designer in the last six films, which is when the costumes really went downhill. That’s not to say Termaine did a bad job, it was probably mostly the production team’s (which was mostly men) ignorant requests and approvals of certain looks which made it mostly go downhill, however, there are some things Termaine could have really fought for, or showcased to the production team, that she clearly failed to do, which was a disservice to the franchise and it’s aesthetic impact and storytelling. The best example of the loss of potential and ride downhill with the costumes is when comparing the establishing shots of the Wizarding background actors and their wardrobe in the Sorcerer’s Stone Diagon Alley scene versus the Order of the Phoenix Ministry of Magic scene. Honestly, the comparison is like night and day, literally. The Diagon Alley scene was filled with actors in vibrant and whimsical costumes, while the Ministry of Magic scene just looked like a New York train station filled with mid-20th century Muggle businessmen. It’s honestly so sad. Honestly, the Hogwarts staff have the best costumes purely due to their iconic looks and classic witchy details, not because they are actually good or original. McGonagall’s costume with the stereotypical witch’s hat and Dumbledore’s heavily-detailed cloaks, while they were all very predictable, not very original, nor gave us an insight into their characters, at least they gave us more witchy aesthetic goodness than the majority of the franchise did. Also, why do they dress McGonagall like a villain? She wears an emerald green cloak in the first two movies, which is Slytherin’s color, not Gryffindor’s, and she’s a Gryffindor. Seriously, why, for the first two movies is McGonagall in those emerald green velvet robes with gold embroidery? Isn’t she Gryffindor’s Head of House? She is also one fo the most pour characters. It makes no sense to me visually to associate her with Slytherin. However, she also wears black robes in the other movies, which also makes no sense to me because she is one of the more wise, kinder characters. Shouldn’t she wear a color more similar to Dumbledore’s silver robes? At least McGonagall finally stops wearing the emerald robes in Azkaban, but the pointed shoulder cloaks she wears in the rest of the movies still make her look like a villain instead of the stern, but nurturing force she really is. While dressing McGongall as a stereotypical witch is fine (but predictable) more welcoming colors like purple or maroon, which are also witchy, would have fit her character better, especially maroon as she’s a Gryffindor. While the emerald velvet with gold embroidery is pretty (and also brings out Maggie Smith’s eyes), it just makes no sense symbolically or visually. I do like how her costumes, out of all the professors, seemed to change the most, and so did her accessories. She had brooches (like the yellow diamond one she wore in the first two movies) and different witches hats with different detailing like feathers, which she wore in Stone and Chamber. However, they all kept he looking like a villain, especially her final looks in Prince and Part 2 with those point shoulders and popped back-of-neck collar which made her look like an evil queen. It was such a disservice to her character. Now my friends say McGonagall wears an emerald cloak in the books, which was a bizarre choice on the author’s end as green is not Gryffindor’s color, it’s Slytherin’s. Personally my favorite McGongall costume was the one she wore in Goblet, which had large silver and black pendent and simple black robes, mostly because it was her least villainious but still eye-catchng look, in comparison to her all-black, but boring looks in Azkaban and Phoenix with a cinches turtleneck. Although her green robes to Yule Ball, while it had gorgeous sleeves as seen when she is dancing with Dumbledore, also makes her look like villain (oh, the irony was she’s dancing with the series’ biggest manipulator). While constructionally, McGongall’s costumes are beautiful and very, very detailed, with her long bell sleeves, pointed shoulders, cool textures, and glittering pendants, however, they still dress her like a villain, which is so distracting and just does a disservice to her character as one of the only truly protective main professors of the series. Now, the high neck I don’t have a problem with that, as that does show her sternness, however, a maroon color would just work better, as it’s authoritative, as shown with how Dumbledore wears the color in the first two movies (which could also show her allegiance to him), it’s a warm welcoming color, which is why it’s often seen during the autumn, and its red, which is the color fo Gryffindor, the Hosue she’s head of. It would just make more sense. Now, for all I know, her emerald cloak could be straight from the book, but in a visual medium like a film where colors and shapes are associated with certain attributes, a maroon would just work so much better. I feel so passionate about this because she was one of the most consistent nd maternal character and her costumes should have shown that. It’s such a disservice and something, while watching, I just couldn’t get past it. Umbridge’s costumes were good because the pink color made her look sweet and the silhouettes made her grandmotherly, while in reality, she is one of the most wicked characters in the series. However, I do think, if not purely just for this movie, that it was cruel to make Hermione’s signature color pink, which she does wear in this film because that immediately compares her and visually associates her with Umbridge, which is just nasty and Hermione doesn’t deserve that. Hagrid’s costumes made perfect sense. They were timeless and the browns helped make him blend in, which for his HUGE character actually served the character as he is always trying to not make his size an issue. Also, LOL at Hagrid one dressy outfit with the yellow polka dot tie, and the flower he adds to his lapel during his dragon date with Madame Maxine when Harry third wheels. Rita Skeeter also had such a great 90s-inspired witchy look. her satin lime green skirt suit with purple fur and red buttons matched her character so well. and in the tent scene for the first task, her snakeskin jacket (as she is slithering into the off-limits champions’ tent for a scoop) with her dragon-inspired pointed earrings and headband. I also like her Marilyn Monroe-esque bob in the Pensieve sequence. Kingsley had a GREAT costume. It was eye-catching and perfectly whimsigothic. It gave me an Ancient Eygpt vibe, which I hope was an Easter Egg from the book I just didn’t understand because otherwise, that is kind of odd. Lockhart even has decent costumes with his haute couture-esque three piece suits with a cape blazer and Spanish matador-inspired dueling look (which the Durmstrang suits also had a similar look to them LOL) with a quilted fencing pad and half cape. Even Sirius has a witchy, velvet, regal, more mature and sophisticated wardrobe in Phoenix with a quintessential witchy color palette. While it doesn’t really make sense, as he may be a Black but he isn’t really a Black and doesn’t share their values, proven as he is a Gryffindor not a Slytherin, I would prefer him in a more relaxed look, a velvet brocade button down he wears with a few buttons undone (like if Spicoli from Fast Times was a witch, costume wise, obviously Sirius is a very, very different character) rather then in 3 piece suits he wears the whole film. Dumbledore’s costumes in the first few movies, with Richard Harris, were great because of the visual dominance and autumnal color scheme making him come off as warm and inviting. However, Gambon’s Dumbledore is seen in silver robes, no doubt to make him come off as a God or an angel (LOL ew). While both have a whimsigoth vibe, Harris’ Dumbledore gave off those vibes far better then Gambon’s as it was more eye-catching and nurturing. Maroon also symbolizes spirituality and wisdom, which makes it perfect for Dumbledore. And with the brown, gold, orange, black and purple accessories and accents also make him pop more on screen. While Gambon’s Dumbledore faded into the background and also helped his manipulative side, which I am just biased toward because I hate his character. Harris’ Dumbledore used colors and visual dominance to command every room he was in, while Gambon’s Dumbledore’s costume makes him fade into the background with his silver satin robes. Trelawney’s costumes are also decent. They are baggy and disheveled which matches her character, and have many scarves and shawls and layered necklaces. However, her classroom set should have been the inspiration for her costumes, as the scarfs and shawls used in the set design of her classroom were far more whimsigothic then her costumes, when we saw her costumes way more. While the rugged and offbeat pieces work for Trelawny, her wardrobe was far too earthy and put together. A fortune-telling character like herself should have exemplified the whimsigoth vibe with magenta and golds and Stevie Nicks-esque layered scarves and shawls and long flowing fabrics. It would have also made her pop more on the screen. While Trelawny is dressed very typical witchy bohemian with peasent skirts, draping, chunky layered jewelry, ehadwraps and pendents, it’s very dull inc olro and very basic. It has her visually fad einto the background and doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Even Flitwick in the first two movies and Sprout in the second film had decent wardrobes with her tiny, thin witches hat (which looks like a sprout aww) and velvet leaf-like peter pan color and dirt brown cape coat, and I actually kind of liked Lockhart’s suit with the waistcoat and blazer cape. It was almost like a Muggle haute couture look, and the uniqueness it had, especially during a time when suits were very conventional, made his fame a bit easier to buy, especially with, like Snape, his cape created some visual dominance for him, and the tan color symbolized how he is only surface-level, there is nothing deep about him. I mean, even the extras had better wardrobes than the main characters, especially in the first two movies, specifically in the first film’s Diagon Alley scene. Even that woman next to Snape in the final scene of Chamber had great costume design, with delicious gothic and witchy chic vibes. The first two films honestly had the best costume design of the whole series, which I thought was only gonna get better, but instead, I left feeling like a clown, and even with that being said, they still weren’t that cool or thought-provoking. The first two films had their own distinctive aesthetic costume-wise that matches the genre so well and I really missed that in the latter films. In the first two films, directed by Chris Columbus, there was obvious Medieval, Renaissance and Middle Ages influence and traditional folkloric and Salem influence, but that’s fairly common in wizardry-fantasy stories. There was also abundant use of colorful velvet, a fabric that undeniably reeks of whimsigothic vibes. There was purple, burgundy, burnt orange, olive green, mustard yellow, cobalt blue, emerald green, golden yellow, maroon and brown used, with many also having symbolism for their characters in some way too. Dumbledore wears deep maroon-ish red velvet robes and hat, symbolizing his godly nature and Gryffindor’s loyalty. But honestly, knowing how lazy the costumes were overall, it probably wasn’t that deep. Just look at the Wizards of Waverly Place, Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings. I wish there was a bit more original, but I am not that mad about this influence because it at least makes sense and viewers will easily be able to connect the dots without any extra thought. The Diagon Alley scene in the first movie was probably the only scene in the entire franchise that showed how wizards truly dress in the Wizarding World. Why couldn’t they continue this trend and create a really unique aesthetic through clothing, that no doubt would have had the potential to inspire every witchy post-Potter? There was an odd amount of green in the first film, which I think would have made much more sense of the Chamber of Secrets, with how much the film focuses on snakes and Slytherin. However, I did like how the group of girls walking out of the Reptile habitat in the first film all wore emerald green Madeline-esque outfits, as a hint of how significant snakes would be to the series and how it’s the mascot for the green House of Slytherin (although it’s hilarious how those outfits/uniforms have more of a witchy vibe than the Hogwarts uniforms). I do appreciate how the uniforms are functional though, with multiple components, with more layers for the colder months and less layers for the warmer months. The variety of pieces and styling is why the personalization idea in Azkaban was great in theory, in was just done poorly (to have a masterclass in school uniform personalization through escapism, watch Gossip Girl instead). I also do appreciate how you can tell the Weasleys’ uniforms were hand-me-downs due to their economic status, especially with how Ginny wears pants in Phoenix instead of a skirt due to how she is the youngest sibling of all brothers, showing that even at school she is growing out of her uniforms (even though it begs the question, aren’t their clothing spells for situations like this?). These were great ideas, but they seemed obvious and unoriginal. There could have been so more originality and uniqueness! I did like how in that one scene in Sorcerer’s Stone when Harry sees Ron and Hermione after leaving the hospital, Hermione is wearing a headband (was Hermione wearing her headband under her cone hat later on though at the end-of-the-year feast?). Headbands are usually worn by more preppy, studious, feminine and driven women in cinema, and that’s who Hermione is. I wish they kept the headband as part of the costume instead of never seeing it again. I mean, she could have worn athletic headbands too for when they were on the run in the Deathly Hallows, unlike Ginny wearing them in Order of the Phoenix, which made no sense for her character besides her being a girl. Hermione’s bangs in the first two movies are so cute and fit her bookish, proper character so well. However, having them not be as prominent in Azkaban was a smart move because that was the movie where Hermione really from movies from a bookworm to badass. Then completely forgoing them in Goblet onward after that, as Hermione moved even more towards badass and away from the obedient child, also showing her belief that she’s beautiful, her confidence and her self-worth (not that people with bangs don’t deserve love, but in media, bangs tend to symbolize a rebirth from a mistake or an impulse). I also think Hermione’s ponytails and buns in Azkaban work better for her studious character, and when Ginny’s hair was in a ponytail it worked for her love of athletics. I loved Hermione’s bangs in the first two films. They were sweet and matched her studious character. However, I appreciate that they let her grow them out for the later films because it showed visually her maturing. I think it would have been a disservice if they kept them (also, was Watson referencing her bangs in the first film by having bangs in the Reunion?). I do like Ginny’s cute face-framing braids she has in Chamber and Azkaban. It matches the 90s time period and has clearly stood the test of time as a popular hairstyle today. It also works for her character, being girly enough but also tomboyish enough for the little sister with 6 older brothers. She also did it way before Cassie Howard from Euphoria made it trendy. I also liked her half-up-half-down in Goblet during the scene at the river bank. I also liked Hermione’s updos in Azkaban, like her bun in the Boggart scene and her ponytail in the courtyard scene where she calls Ron’s accusation that Crooskhanks killed Scabbers “rubbish.” With two movies where her hair was always down, her updos show how she is gaining confidence, as she’s showing her face, it’s not getting lost within her wild mane. I also like Hermione’s low bun at the very end of Goblet, and although Emma Watson looked adorable in those twisted pigtails, they were a little too childish and cutesy for her character. I think they worked better for Ginny in that movie, with her braided pigtails in the Champion-picking scene, just because she looked young than the rest of the cast in that movie, as seen with her dress in the Yule Ball scene. Also, Hermione’s hair being randomly crimped in the flying lesson scene in the first film didn’t work for her character either. Sure, its her character’s signature bushy hair, but crimped hair is usually associated with wilder, more carefree characters, which makes it work better for Luna than Hermione. While Watson looked cute in it, as someone who loves analyzing the storytelling behind a character’s appearance, it was a bit jarring. Ginny’s wardrobe in the latter films reminded me of Elena Gilbert’s wardrobe in the early seasons of The Vampire Diaries, which makes sense as those season where airing at the same time as Prince and Hallows. I found that a bit ironic as Elena is the “everywoman” in TVD, and Ginny falls for the “everyman” in Potter. I also liked how they made Narcissa’s hair both black and white to represent her allegiance to both the Black and Malfoy families, as well as her internal struggle between good and evil. It was a brilliant visual choice. The band members that performed at the Yule Ball oddly had some of the best costumes, seamlessly mixing boho-chic with Muggle hair metal rock star. The black fur vest with no shirt underneath worn by Jarvis Cocker of the band Pulp was a great choice for a whismy rock star, whose name is apparently Myron Wagtail (he also wrote the song “Do The Hippogriff” for the film through a submission process). Apparently, he came up with his character’s witchy glam-rock costume himself after he was disappointed with the original costume design. I wish other actors took matters into their own hands in regard to their costume design the same way, especially Emma Watson because she is considered quite the style icon now. The Death Eaters also had some of the most quality costumes, with Lucius, Bellatrix and Narcissa’s being very representative of their personalities. Bellatrix’s costumes was messy, chaotic, strappy and tough, just like her, And Narcissa was a wealthy wife, who dressed with the sort of dark sophistication you would expect from someone of her social standing (although I wish they leaned more into the femme fatale aesthetic with her since it is very associated with witches already). Lucius’ costumes, especially in the second film, were at least distinctive and creative. The black color and suit silhouette fit his character, and you could immediately how falsely powerful he was and how he thought he was superior to everyone else in the room. Just like McGongall’s costumes, Lucius’ costumes are very well constructed. However, the black textures and color actually makes sense here, as he is a minion to the literal Dark Lord. The intricate detailing also showcases his wealth. It is also good because we see his arc from a wealthy manipulative father with his large, visually dominant cloak to a cruel minion and fallen-from-grace influential figure in a more structured, tighter, detailed ensemble. All were very polished, but the size is what matters, as the less and less layering and fabric show Lucius gradually losing his power, however, the color of black and the menacing details make it clear that he is always gonna be a villain. Kingsley, similar to Dumbledore, was probably the only character with a fun, vibrant whimsy-witchy wardrobe that I hoped from this franchise. The royal blue fit him perfectly since its a powerful saturation, but a calming color, just like his character. He popped on the screen (unlike Dumbledore’s signature silver which faded into the background with a oversaturation of it combined with his silver hair) and had such a unique look that was lost costume-wise in the later films. Snape, ironically enough, had probably the best costume of the series because it was iconic and every aspect was so perfect for his character. Snape’s costume never changed throughout all 8 films (the only main change was when he was in or out of his robe) and that lack of originality made sense (while a lot of costumes in this series, mainly the professor, remained consistent for multiple films, Snape’s was the only one that was consistent throughout all 8 films). He needed some comfort in his life as a double agent. The cloak was his security, like an animal’s defense mechanism. Making him big, off-putting and scary, and therefore making people leave him alone. That large, visually dominant cloak was perfect for his character and the monochromatic use of black, literally from head to toe, represents how much of mysterious his motivations were. His costume showed that he is a creature of habit, that his emotion walls have been up for so long that they are basically permanent. His top was even a long black tunic, also honing in on that visual dominance and darkness. Even though the black color made him a wallflower, his costume was the most effective as a storytelling device, which is even more impressive when you know it stayed the same throughout all the films. The flowy, billowing, large, dancing cloak also represented how important to the story he was. It’s honestly really impressive how Snape had the same costume for the whole series with all the costume designer turnover this series had. Even Dumbledore and McGongall’s costumes changed from director to director and designer to designer. However, with all the others there really wasn’t an excuse. Harry wears the same blue shirt for multiple movies. It’s a pale blue with a navy rim, which is very 70s and 80s, making it seem like he has had this shirt for a while. He has worn it since Azkaban all the way until Hallows. It’s his favorite and wears it multiple times in each individual film as well as multiple of the film’s posters. There is also two versions of it, a short sleeve and a long sleeve. I have since seen the memes online. While many costume design lovers would say this proves how lazy and unoriginal the costume designers were, and it does, I think it shows just how much the odds are against Harry. He has so much pressure on him. He was neglected as child, only given Dudley’s outgrown hand-me-downs as we saw from his oversized clothing in the first film. Even though he’s not alone, he feels that way. he’s isolated. this shirt gives him consistency and comfort. Also, maybe it was his dad’s, or he convinced himself that it was, so it gives him security. So, I actually don’t mind that choice for Harry. It’s like Rue’s maroon hoodie in Euphoria. However, in terms of the rest of the costumes, there really isn’t any excuse. I mean these movies had ALL THE MONEY. Also, I didn’t even know the series took place in the 90s until I noticed how the dates on Fandom.com’s Harry Potter Wiki (the website I’d often get linked to when I paused to Google for further explanation. Damn, there is A LOT to absorb. It’s fascinating) don’t match up with the date of films’ release. The 90s had such great fashion and such a diverse scale of aesthetics from Matrix looks to model-off-duty. Now, I’m not asking for Ron to dress like Kurt Cobain or Hermione like Cher Horowitz, but they could have done so much more to show the time period through costume and make the characters more distinctive than just dressing each character very plainly. Maybe British 90s fashion was different, but I just saying. I mean, Hermione was seen wearing low-rise jeans, when high-waisted, mom jeans were actually on trend in the 90s. Also, in Slughorn’s moving photo of Lily’s Slug Club, the people are in peasant dresses, whimsigothic 70s vests and 70s collared shirts, which makes sense as, I found out on Fandom Wiki, Lily, Snape and the Marauders went to Hogwarts in the 70s, however, if they can have the people in that photograph dress era-appropriate, then why not all the other actor and main character in the current, 90s timeline? It’s really not an excuse. Also, in both the 90s when Slughorn is teaching and in the 1970s photograph with Lily, he is in a unique whimsigothic suit, just slightly different to reflect his youth and the time period (however, Slughorn randomly wearing a graduation cap in teh present timeline, complete with a tassel, for no reason at all was so jarring and insanely odd), if they put so much thought into that single photograph, why couldn’t they do that for the rest of the series? There really isn’t an excuse. Especially since the 70s AND the 90s were both era when the whimsigothic aesthetic was thriving. And in the Goblet of Fire, in the scene where Ginny, Ron and Hermione meet up with Neville and Harry at the river bank and Hermione screams “I am not an owl!” Ginny literally wears a peasent skirt and tall Uggs, which were both trends that are near-synonmous with the 2000s, not the 90s. This film came out in 2005, but takes place in 1994. Termaine truly has no excuse for this. Something as simple as that could have made all the difference. I do appreciate how the costume designer of Sorcerer’s Stone had Ron and Harry wear flannels and baggy jeans, which are very 90s, in the saving-the-Sorcerer’s-Stone sequence, however, it was much easier for her as 1999 was only a year before filming actually began. But that’s still not an excuse for the later films. Hermione could have worn a velvet shrug over a button-down or a top, which was on trend in both the 90s and 2000s with high-waisted jeans and is very witchy. And they could have had flannels be more of a mainstay in Harry and Ron’s wardrobe, not just the first few films, as grunge was a huge 90s trend, and in colors like maroon and emerald, could have matched the witchy vibe. Like it was honestly easier to be witchy rather than not as it was already hugely popular. It’s inexcusable. A young Emma Watson herself even wore a unique, youthful, and fantastically 90s whimsigothic lime green ensemble to one of the premieres for Sorcerer’s Stone. At 11, she even knew what the right vibe was, by didn’t any of the costume designers. Her Halloween-esque Dior dress she wore to the 2016 Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year awards also proves how much more understanding she had for this aesthetic, something every costume designer for the films severely lacked, and her own love for it, showing how much of a perfect fit she was for these films. Ugh, if only Pinterest existed in 2001. Also, in the Goblet of Fire Daniel Radcliffe wore a fantastic whismcial Sirius Black-esque emerald velvet three-piece suit with an extra long blazer and Rupert Grint wears a periwinkle velvet blazer, and with velvet being a very witchy fabric, that also just goes to show how well actors knew this universe, and emphasized just how much all the costume designer did not. Also, if you aren’t going to fully commit to the Wizardy looks and have the characters in Muggle clothes, then at least make it timely and distinctive. Hermione is preppier, often wearing knit sweaters, blazers, collared shirts, layers and henley shirts. Harry and Ron were typical teenage boys and would wear blazers, flannels and t-shirts. Ginny is tomboyish and often wears henleys and layered tops a la Elena Gilbert core. But none of this attempted distinction was executed well. Draco, Neville and Luna were the only student character who seemed to have the best-executed distinctive style, and that’s not saying much. Draco wore all-black suits to show off his status and darkness. Neville was always dressed very preppy and cozy, showing his nerdiness and being raised by his grandmother. And Luna’s style was quirky and eccentric. In fact, only the Chris Columbus-directed films had good distinction due to their youthful nature and wizardry details. The first two films had Hogwarts dress robes (which by the way can we talk about how confusing it is visually in the final film with the Hogwarts students and the Death Eaters both wearing black robes in the Deathly Hallows?), the house’s signature colors scarves, and other accessories, and pointed hats for big events, although those pointed hats are later used to symbolize Death Eaters (which could be a way to further draw a comparison between Death Eaters and the KKK, but I don’t know. These are British films and that’s an American hate group. Also, mixed with Day of the Dead-like masks, it isn’t great). I was also confused because in the first few films, they have pointed hats for special occasions, but in later films, starting with Azkaban, they have pointed hoods on their robes. Was this also part of the Azkaban costume change-up and they just kept it this way for the rest of the films (sort of like how Azkaban started the darker cinematography, and that undeniably became a mainstay for the rest of the series). I also like Draco’s winter clothing. Like, the cossack hat he wears when Harry attacks him in the snow under the Invisibility Cloak in Azkaban was just too perfect for his abrasive and cocky character. I also loved how Harry’s wardrobe while at the Dursleys in the first movie was all oversized to reflect that they were Dudley’s hand-me-downs. Alfonso Cuarón started the trend of the youthful characters wearing more Muggle clothes or the men wearing more traditional suits (Draco never wearing casual clothes and always wearing suit, and having them always be all black, was a very good touch (although I wish them and it more structurally interesting because it looks like a Muggle suit and he’s now a Death Eater) because it represented his wealth and his darkness and supposed allegiance to it). Only during school times did they wear their robes. Even the Yule Ball dresses, including Hermione’s, weren’t very 90s. They were not enchanting in a wizardry/witchy way, and they were just ugly, including the dress robes for the men (especially Ron’s, obviously). While I appreciate that Hermione, Ginny, Fleur and Cho’s Yule Ball dresses each, for the most part, match their characters, with Ginny’s being doll-like, Fleur’s being ethereal and simple, Hermione’s being regal and Cho’s taking influence from classic Asian culture, they could have been better. Ginny’s dress with the mint green, hot pink and peter pan collar is just hideous. I get that she’s the youngest main character at the Yule Ball, but they didn’t need to dress her so saccharine. I do think the doll influence works for her usually knitwear-heavy and patchwork-filled wardrobe, especially with the peter pan color, but Ginny still didn’t deserve such a hideous dress. The hot pink also associates her with Hermione in this scene,w which I think does a disservice as this is Hermione’s princess moment, not Ginny’s. Fleur’s uses the wintery ethereal vibe of the occasion with the dress being light purplish-gray with silvery-gold floral embroidery and mixed it with classic French simplicity by only having simple earring and a sleek snowflake-inspired hair accessory. Some may say her dress is boring, but I think it’s the most timeless and classic. It holds up the best and looks beautiful on her. I also love how she included a shawl, which also matches the wintery occasion. I just wish they committed to the purplish color by making it lavender, helping it to stand out more. It’s the look that’s more fitting and perfect for this occasion. Hermione has been associated with pink since Azkaban, so her wearing a very princessy dress, as this is her princess moment, in that color is just too perfect. Plus, it makes her stand out on screen against the Yule Ball’s silvery decor. Also, pink symbolizes feminity and that moment symbolizes Hermione becoming a young woman. Plus, the Yule Ball has decor that is icy blue, which is very similar to the periwinkle color it’s described in the books as I’ve heard. That means, if it was blue, it would get lost in the background and have to compete for attention due to the blue decor. The pink color, a color that’s on the opposite side of the color wheel, helps make Hermione stand out visually on the screen (also the Patil twins while they sit with Ron and Harry, making the viewer draw their eye to the quartet sitting off tot he side rather then the dancing kids in the majority of the shot). While blue is more on them, it’s not best as a storytelling device, which is why they probably picked pink. Especially because we have spent the film associating the Beauxbatons with powder bleu with them due to tehri uniforms. So, even if those girls aren’t wearing bleu in that scene, having seen them in that color before, would reduce the wow factor, because it would look like their uniforms. Also, if you notice, they strategically don’t have Hermione wear her signature color until that grand moment in the film (except for the moment when she yells “I am not owl,” but its far less obvious as it’s under a jacket and it would feel odd for her to not wear her favorite color until the Yule Ball, making it more natural). Also, with the cape sleeves on Hermione’s gown, if it was blue, it would love like the Beauxbaton school uniforms, making it less of a Cinderella moment and more of Hermione pretending to be someone she’s not, having the audience view the moment from Ron’s perspective, not Hermione and Harry’s. Hemrione’s most worn color in the film series is undeniably pink as she wears it at least once in every film since Azkaban and is even a prominent color in her main look in the final film. It’s the color we most associate with her character as she wears it the most. It’s symbolic because she is the ultimate force of girl power in the films and the unique feminine voice she brings to the series and pink is a symbolically feminine color. Also, compared to Ginny and the Patils, Hermione got off easy, but it still looks too mature, more for a 40-year-old then a 14-year-old. However, it is SO cruel how they make Umbridge’s signature color pink and also have Hermione were it as much as she did in Phoenix, making us visually associate her with Umbridge. That’s just cruel and Hemrioen does not deserve that association, especially because the DA was Hermione’s idea. While Cho’s dress, although the Asian influence is kind of stereotypical, matches the vibe of the Yule Ball with the metallic silver color. The sleeves are also so unique, whimsigothic and gorgeous. I do appreciate how Cho’s look FINALLY gave us a quintessentially 90s hairstyle with her very of times updo. They also somewhat stereotyped with Padma and Pavarati’s costumes for the Yule Ball as well. While representing different cultures and great, and makes sense for this movie, these kids are at school and are dealing with pressures of popularity and coolness, and am I really supposed to believe they didn’t feel the pressure to not wear a normal ball gown instead a cultural gown? Also, the colors used for the Patil twins, orange and pink, take away from Hermione’s grand entrance and princess moment because she is also wearing pink. This is Hermione’s princess moment, not the Patils (they have a miserable time), so it just does Hermione’s moment a disservice. I get there’s a hot-button debate about the color of Hermione’s dress, and I do like the color pink for her, it seems to be her favorite color as she wears it every movie, as blue is Harry’s and Ron’s is red. This pink also makes her stand out more than blue would, it’s still an ugly dress (not as ugly as Ginny’s, but still). It’s too much fabric and too maternal for a teenager. And the use of pink is very stereotypical, being that she’s the biggest female character in the series, and pink is a stereotypically feminine color. I mean, compared to the Patils and Ginny, Hermione got off easy. It’s not a bad dress. It’s pretty, but for a 27-year-old, not a 14-year-old. It’s too mature and matronly, mostly because of the sleeves, not youthful, pretty and grown up. However, it is well-constructed because, despite all the fabric, Watson is wearing the dress, the dress isn’t wearing her, thank god. Ginny’s was very childish when it was more of a young adult event, which could have worked with Ginny being and looking significantly younger then everyone else, but you would think Ginny as a character would want to appear older. With the mix of hot pink and mint green, she looked like a Marie Antoinette cake, not a girl going to a school dance. I will say that her dress at Fleur and Bill’s wedding was a bit better because it was age appropriate and the color popped on screen and looked great on Watson. However, it was a bit boring and plain, and more 2000s than 90s, and wasn’t uniquely witchy in any way, especially for a Wizarding World wedding. However, I LOVED Fleur’s wedding dress. It was ethereal and unique. Actually, I was on Vogue Runway the other day and was looking at Alexander McQueen, a very prominent British designer who is a personal favorite of Kate Middleton, collections from the early 2000s, and while looking at their Fall 2008 Ready-To-Wear collection I found Fleur’s dress, just a tea-length, strapless version of it and the runway version has peacocks on it, while Fleur’s had phoenixes. After doing further research, I found out that the costume designer was actually accused of stealing the design for the 2010 film, which Diet Prada would have gone crazy for if it existed back then. I am honestly surprised no celebrity Potterhead has taken it out of the archive yet. Maybe if their ever a Fantasy/Witchy Met Gala theme. This was honestly the best costume of the entire series. I loved the detailed black embroidery of two phoenixes, which gave it a whimsigothic vibe that I had been CRAVING from the series. The silhouette and ruffle details are also stunning. It was realistic enough for Muggle audiences watching to recognize that it was a wedding dress, but it was also fantastical and unique enough for the audience to buy that that’s how more simple, classic wedding dresses look in the Wizarding World. It was great. I also loved her Yule Ball dress the best and out of all the school uniforms we saw in the series, I like Beauxbatons’ blue caplet ones the best. Honestly, Fleur was the best-dressed character in the whole series, and due to the fact that she was in only three of the films and with very small parts, and the fact that it comparison to the first two films and what they actually should have done in regards to the witchy aesthetic, that still isn’t saying much. Madame Maxine’s wardrobe is also grand and luxurious, with the colored giraffe print, fur details and Anna Wintour-esque hairstyle. It’s not sure that the two main French characters are also two of the most stylish, with France being one of the most influential countries in the fashion world, with brands like Chanel, Saint Laurent, Dior and Givenchy being huge parts of French history and culture. Fleur’s sister also has a cool witchy look with silver velvet, fittingly on-theme flame details and matching silver velvet flame-shaped lapels (also LOL at her wearing velvet underwater during the second task. Also, is that the younger girls’ Beauxbaton uniforms because otherwise why is she wearing something different?). She wears this design in a leotard in the Beauxbaton entrance and in a robe form for the second task. While I think Fleur was the best-dressed character because her taste and mine are more similar with her girlish, classic, simple style, Luna is also one of the best-dressed characters, as he clothing actually adds to her character. I particularly love the metallic tiered silver mini dress she wears as Harry’s date to Slughorn’s Christmas Party. It’s very futuristic, whimsical, ethereal and witchy, exactly what the aesthetic of the ultimate wizard franchise should be! This is actually one of the few pieces from the franchise I would actually wear. I also love the lettuce hem detail, as it is very 90s as well. Tonks had a cool edgy wardrobe that worked for her character but made her seem more like a teenager not that much older than Harry and his friends rather than old enough to join the Order (is there an age requirement?). I liked her frilly skirts, waistcoats, blacks, leather jackets, stripes, deep reds, striped tops, chokers, and bohemian tops, which matched her cool character, but again they were very youthful. I much prefer her outfit in Prince with her edgy mullet, deep red pinstripe strip top, black bohemian dress, black and gold scarf and black tights. It was edgy and perfectly whimsigothic. It matched her cool, alternative character well (proven by her badass unnaturally colored bright hair) and was more adult. It also keeps her style sensibilities from Phoenix with the black, pink and stripes, which gives her a more distinctive look. If only all the characters would be given that same level of distinction and whimsy. Part of the reason I wish we got to see more of her character was also just because she was one of the best dressed and one of the few characters who actually understood the whimsigothic assignment, especially later on. She is also one of the few characters who dressed era-appropriate, as her edgy style matched the rocker, punk riot grrl aesthetic that was popular in the 90s, as well as 90s whimsigoth. Somebody told me that Umbridge’s costumes are meant to show her rise in power as the shades of pink she wears become darker as she gains more control of Hogwarts. However, I don’t really see this happening. She wears dark shades of pink throughout the whole movie. This never really translates This is an example of how the costume designers on these films had great ideas, just poor execution. Ginny’s dress to Bill and Fleur’s wedding is FAR better than her Yule Ball dress (TBH her Yule Ball dress was just cruel). It honestly might be my favorite dress of the whole series. It’s more my personal style. It’s white with a black sheer overlay and black floral, sequin and lace details. I wish I could say that Prisoner of Azkaban did a great job at personalizing their uniforms stylistically to show off the characters’ personalities more by wearing their shirts tucked or untucked and the ways they wore their ties, but in actuality, it just wasn’t very well done overall. Some aspects were okay, like Hermione’s was more feminine, Draco’s was more proper and edgier and had symbolic Slytherin accessories, and Ron’s was very relaxed. I see what Cuarón was trying to do (make it more relatable for the viewer). Although, I don’t think Hermione’s really matched her personality. I think Hermione would have definitely kept her uniform top tucked in, not untucked (although maybe Watson just wanted to be more comfortable). Hermione would tuck in her shirt. An untucked shirt for a character who wears a school uniform symbolizes a rebellious spirit and Hermione loves the rules, therefore she would wear her uniform properly (also they really overdid the pink in Azkaban like the pink shirt on top of the pink hoodie is just too much. Also, can we talk bout how she wears a pink hoodie in both the finale and in Azkaban?). Just look at how easy breezy Serena wears her uniform untucked versus how prim and proper Blair wears her uniform tucked in in Gossip Girl. I mean, at least he fully committed to this by having the extras personalize their uniforms too, not just the main characters. However, in my opinion, that should have been as far as the personalization has gone, or at least show us how kids in the Wizarding World dress when they aren’t in school (not like Muggles, like we saw during the Diagon Alley scene in the first film). That I feel like would have made more of an impact, and even make the film trendsetting in some ways. Honestly, the personalization of the uniforms in the first film, with Hermione’s being perfect and proper, Ron’s being, loose, oversized, lazy and messy and Harry’s being proper but in a more relaxed way, was way better than in Azkaban. It at least made sense for the world AND the characters, it wasn’t forced or jarring like in the third film. Ron’s robes, especially in the earlier films like Chamber and Stone, are more faded then the more saturation black of Hermione and Harry’s robes, also showing how they are hand-me-downs. Also, starting in Azkaban, due to Cuaron’s push towards Muggle clothing, Harry appeared in a blue shirt as his main outfit during Azkaban, however, he wears that same blue, navy-rimmed shirt at different points throughout the rest of the series. The witchy aesthetic is so fun and dynamic already, and as the quintessential witchy franchise, they should have capitalized on that. Plus, fans don’t tune into Harry Potter for reality, they tune in for escapism, after all the series is about magic. The audience connects with the character’s reliability for growing up, but the story itself is pure fantastical escapism, and part of building that escapism is having good costuming, and honestly the Muggle clothing was, unfortunately, kind of distracting from the escapism Potter prides itself on, which is a shame. While, it wasn’t a dealbreaker due to the great writing, acting and direction making up for it, it was obviously a huge disappointment for me. The only time it really made sense was in Deathly Hallows, when the trio tried to blend in due to being on the run hunting for Horcruxes. As an admirer of costume design, it was quite disappointing. However, I do like how Prince showed the boys wearing dress robes to Slughorn’s Christmas Party and women wearing dresses, mirroring the more formal Yule Ball. It helped me understand wizarding traditions, however, they didn’t wear dress robes to Bill and Fleur’s wedding, which I think you are how sensical it is either way because while it’s a wedding, it’s also a family affair. The black robes, while very unifying for a school uniform, are just so boring and also very confusing with the Death Eaters’ main color being black as well. Like in that courtyard confrontation scene in the finale between the Death Eaters and the Hogwarts side, they almost all looked the same. I get that the original costume team had no idea about Death Eaters at the time for the first film, but they could have just utilized their sweaters and cardigans more, especially as the characters age and get more comfortable at Hogwarts. And with the Hosue Colors, they could have shown off their Hosue pride more, by having students age into different uniforms after their OWLs or something. And the House Colors thing, while segregating, would also just be a great visual for film, and also show more Hosue pride, which as someone who hates school spirit due to cheerleading trauma, that’s saying a lot, but for a visual medium that actually works so much better and would be really cool, especially with the emerald, sapphire, maroon and mustard deep tones they decided to use, they aren’t so in-your-face and tacky. Now, I understand that having a bunch of students onscreen in multiple colored robes would be a very chaotic visual, but the black robes can stay the same, they just shouldn’t wear them for the Battle of Hogwarts because A) that’s a lot of fo fabric for battle and B) the Death Eaters also wear black and it also symbolizes darkness so while for Hogwarts it’s neutral, the black visual for the Death Eaters actually makes more sense due to the color’s symbolism. This is why the Sweaters and ties that the characters wear under their uniforms should have a bit more color. It would have made much more symbolic visual during that courtyard scene in the finale film when Harry’s body is revealed to see the evil Death Eaters in all black and the accepting Hogwarts side look like a rainbow. Now, the better decision would be for the colors to not be that saturated (that would just be cheesy and jarring), but instead to be in darker, muted autumnal jewel tones, to keep the moodiness alive. That visual would have been way more symbolic, dynamic and interesting than the confusing black versus black, which wasn’t just confusing, but also boring. Although, I did appreciate how the villains didn’t dress like Muggles (although Draco was still in Muggle-esque black suits in the latter films, but I guess that could be interpreted as showing how he really isn’t prejudiced like his dad at all). It made their prejudiced beliefs and superiority complex even stronger. It makes the fact that Harry’s allies and Muggle-born wizards wear Muggle clothing more impactful. I mean, I’m sure they had the characters wear Muggle clothes in an attempt for the viewers to relate to the story more, but the story was already so well-written, they didn’t need this. I really wanted some original, fun and witchy looks. I was very disappointed. I mean, they did employ some aspects of the dark academia aesthetic, way before it was actually a theme. However, I mostly think that’s through the set, vibe and character, particularly Hermione. I don’t really think that’s through costume. I mean, the preppiness and autumnal vibes are there, but overall, it’s just not there. Now, if these films were made now, they would have definitely utilized this popular aesthetic. Also, a cool Easter Egg is that the Hogwarts uniforms change over time. Tom Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets wears a slightly different uniform then Harry, with a Hogwarts crest instead of just the Slytherin crest, a slightly different tie and a blue scarf-like thing. However, in the flashbacks with Snape, Lily and the Marauders, their uniforms are the same as Harry and his classmates, which makes in logical to assume the school re-designed their uniforms in between Tom’s time and James and Lily’s time. Also, the clothing for the Muggle characters wasn’t much better, or era-appropriate. The best example of this is Petunia’s 50s-inspired summer mini dress in Phoenix. It also doesn’t make sense for her character, as Petunia would surely be the kind of woman to judge any woman for dressing age-inappropriate or showing too much skin. I get that it was supposed to be a heat wave, but the block could have at least had her outside sunbathing in that sunroom from the Azkaban Dursley set. It looked like a 50s bathing suit anyway. Also, the spectator boys’ outfits while watching the second task in Goblet of a Hogwarts crest sweatshirt and a puffer vest are way too modern. Not even for the 2000s, more like the 2020s. Seamus literally looks like Pete Davidson in that ensemble. It’s laughable. My friend told me that Harry is supposed to be dressed similarly to Lupin, his favorite teacher while at Hogwarts, during the DA meetings, but I just don’t see it, because Lupin was also in cloaks, button-downs and always had dirty roughness to him, while harry wear cardigans and looks very put together and clean. It just doesn’t translate the way it should, because it is such a great idea in theory. The only time I really see this is in the blazer he wears in the very last scene, which is very young teacher-like and definitely gives off a Lupin vibe, but I still don’t remember ever actually seeing Lupin in a soft-fabric blazer like that. Now, I am sure the kids were happy to be out of those wool, no-doubt itchy uniforms, especially in more physical scenes, especially Watson because she had to wear tights for “lady-like modesty” (and they weren’t even fun fashion tights like in Gossip Girl. Now that’s how you personalize a uniform, with brooches, jewelry and accessories too), and knowing Watson, she surely wanted to subvert stereotypes of feminity, especially through a character like Hermione who already subverts so many feminine traits, but there was surely another way to do this that still kept with the witchy aesthetic, and not create such a disappointing, lackluster visual. Also, were jeans really that much better for physical scenes? Denim is a very rigid, rough material. There are so many better materials out there that are still comfortable and mobile and would have helped translate the witchy vibe. I mean, hello velvet and latex! However, I did appreciate how Harry and Neville dressed like their fathers in that Order of the Phoenix photo. It was a great parallel, and I love a good costume nod. But seriously, having the majority of the costumes not be witchy and whimsigothic was a totally missed opportunity.
Casting
Now, the casting in these movies was phenomenal. For any British cinephiles, they must have been freaking out when the cast was first announced. These movies had the crème de la crème of British actors, and in fact, two of them have starred in The Crown, including Imelda Stanton, who played Dolores Umbridge, as Queen Elizabeth II in the final two seasons, and Helena Bonham Carter, who played Bellatrix Lestrange, as Princess Margaret seasons three and four.
Umbridge, while a terrible person, was undeniably fun to watch. Stanton’s delivery and portrayal of completely wicked deeds were given with a permanent smile, which made it seem even crueler. Her wardrobe and office set was almost exclusively pink and very ladies-at-lunch proper, a great juxtaposition to her sinister character. It was a great example of expert use of color in costume design and a masterclass in opposite acting choices. Great characterization!
While watching the Reunion after my first binge, Bonham Carter said how playing Bellatrix was very freeing, and seeing her performance, you could see how much fun she was having. Bellatrix is so playful and impulsive, much like actors have to be, and the best kinds of characters require that not only from an actor but as a character. Bonham Carter thrives in these theatrical roles from her work in Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland, which also featured Alan Rickman’s iconic voice as the voice of the Caterpillar, and Charlie In The Chocolate Factory. She was also good at not forgetting about the layers of Bellatrix and Sirius Black being related, and her being the one to “Avada Kedavra” him. Many other actors wouldn’t have brought those layers to someone as unhinged as Bellatrix. You could also see how much fun she was having playing her. The duality in Bonham Carter’s portrayal is why fans love Bellatrix, even though she is so monstrous and unforgivable. Also, it’s not surprising that English Roses such as her and Emma Watson were in this series. Honestly, it would have been highly disappointing if not one English Rose was in the entirety of this series.
I had no idea there were two Dumbledores until the reunion when I Googled it. I was SHOCKED. While costume, hair, and makeup certainly helped, being that Dumbledore is covered in thin white hair, Richard Harris and Michael Gambon had seamless performances and even had similar dialects. Incredible! Richard Harris was a great Dumbledore, and honestly my favorite, mostly because he didn’t betray me as Michael Gambon’s did, although that’s not an insult to either’s performance, just the story. They were both amazing Dumbledores and gave impeccable performances. Harris had a much slower pace to him, which made Dumbledore seem grander. His raspy, deep voice and slow, delicate delivery made him feel wise and trustworthy just from the sound of his voice. However, Michael Gambon’s interpretation of the character gave the character more depth and dimension beyond just being the alluring headmaster. I did like his acting in his final scene of Goblet of Fire when he gives his tribute speech about Cedric, especially in teh beginning where he doesn’t know were to start. Although from what I have heard from my friends, Harris’ portrayal was more accurate to the books, with it being calmer, cool and collected, while Gambon’s was more energized, which you could argue may have worked better for film because it made for a more interesting visual. However, character-wise, the calmness, delicacy and lightness of Harris’ performance worked better to showcase and translate Dumbledore’s more experienced, wise and larger-than-life character. Dumbledore was supposed to be a character that provided calmness and comfort, making even the most fearful, high-staked situation casual and nonchalant. I didn’t really get that from key moments of Gambon’s performance. Literally, the Astronomy Tower scene is Gambon’s best scene acting-wise in the entire series. The delicacy in his line delivery seems to be more accurate to how Dumbledore is supposed to be portrayed, from what my friends tell me about book Dumbledore, who always speaks with an air of casual calmness my friends tell me. My friends have told me that there is a joke in the Potterhead community about this, especially in regard to the Goblet of Fire movie. Apparently, in the books, Dumbledore asks Harry if he put his name into the Goblet of Fire calmly, but in the movies, Gambon runs in frantically and practically attacks Harry. While that could be more of a direction issue rather than a performance issue, it’s still hilarious. So, you can argue either way. Also, even in Azkaban, he basically bursts up the moving staircase to inspect the Fat Lady’s disappearance. I feel like Dumbledore would be less frantic, and I think Harris would have portrayed it that way. Personally, I prefer Harris’ both because of his characterization and because his Dumbeldore didn’t betray me. (Side note: I love Harris’ clap in the first film’s Sorting Ceremony was so adorable, showing how much precision and detailed characterization he put into the role, much more than Gambon.)
Alan Rickman was a phenomenal Snape. He portrayed every aspect of Snape so perfectly from his dry wit to his alarming sneer. He is an actor known for playing villainous roles very well between Hans Gruber in Die Hard, Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Jude Turpin in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (which also starred his Harry Potter co-stars Helena Bonham Carter, Timothy Spall and Jamie Campbell Bower) and even Harry in Love Actually, and he is so good at it. Like if there’s an actor to beat when it comes to playing a villain it’s Alan Rickman (Ralph Fiennes had his work cut out for him playing opposite him). I never read the books, so I don’t know if he was supposed to be so expressionless and stoic, but Rickman was so great at being such a subtle actor that even his deadpan delivery still spoke volumes. He was a master at specificity, precision, line delivery and balancing verbal and non-verbal cues (he is such a great lineless actor). My friend said the JKR told Rickman Snape’s true backstory before the final book was written and before they started production on the first movies, and Rickman, being a great subtle actor, used it to great some of Snape’s best and most brilliant nuances. Every facial expression, odd glance, sharp movement, and subtle look, his whole portrayal, every detail, obvious or subtle, big or small, was all precisely, specifically and meticulously thought out by Rickman because of this. Even his line delivery, it’s so specific and precise for maximum emphasis that it’s so impactful to watch. Even if you can guess what he eventually going to say, you hold your breath and hang onto every word, every space, every pause. I have never experienced watching an actor bring that kind of reaction out of me. It’s so powerful. It was thrilling. Also, his voice is so iconic. I have seen Love, Actually, but not in a while, so I don’t remember if he sounded the same in that or not, but Alan Rickman’s voice, in general, is iconic and Snape’s voice was just pure perfection (also after reading his Wikipedia page, apparently his voice mixed with Jeremy Irons’ is the ideal male voice, but okay?). He gave a masterclass in voice work and subtle acting, from the slow phrasing to the dramatic pauses to his dry delivery, it was just perfection. His distinctive way of talking from the proper language in the writing to Rickman’s expert delivery, it was amazingly thrilling to watch. In the reunion, it was revealed that Rickman was the only one who knew what the ending was gonna be. This makes sense since we don’t really learn Snape’s motivation until literally the last possible second. This needed to happen because otherwise, Rickman’s endlessly intriguing performance wouldn’t be what it was. And looking back, you can see it all through Rickman’s nuanced, complex and dynamic performance (it was also so cool hearing Daniel Radcliffe recall Rickman telling the directors “I’ll tell you later” when they asked why he made certain choices). Brava!
It was so great seeing Emma Thompson in this wacky role. I have only seen her in Love, Actually, where she is basically crying the entire time. So, this role was great to see her in. Viewers may not realize, but roles like these take so much vulnerability from the actor. You can’t be the tiniest bit insecure when you are playing such a wacky role. Thompson did that flawlessly. Also, thank god she had no notable scenes with Helena Bonham Carter or Kenneth Branagh (aka Lockhart) because Thompson and Branagh were married, and then he had an affair with Bonham Carter and divorced Thompson, which is unfortunate but undeniably ironic due to how very in character is was for Branagh and Bonham Carter. But also, this just shows us again how truly small of a world British Hollywood is. Also, BTW, the Thompson-Branaugh-Bonham Carter triangle happened in the 90s, way before the film series even started production.
Ralph Fiennes and Jason Isaac did an amazing job with their villains. From what I’ve been told they had a lot of say in Voldemort’s and Lucius Malfoy’s appearances and it definitely paid off. The inhumane look of Voldemort was creepy AF and Lucius looked like a Star Wars character even if I have never seen Star Wars. They both looked very non-human which made sense because they are both annoying, racist assholes (also the irony of Snape being a Half-Blood and their “friend” and also the irony of this being written by J.K. Rowling). I loved how, like Alan Rickman, they spoke very slowly as their evil characters. It was never rushed, which made it even creepier. He was also Adam Groff’s uncle in Sex Education, which is so cool when you think about how Asa Butterfield and his co-stars seem to be the next generation of big British actors. Also, I love how Hero Fiennes, his nephew, played young Tom Riddle in the Orphanage flashback in Half-Blood Prince. Yes, Hardin Scott from After. Also, the fact that Jason Isaacs now plays Sophia Bush’s dad in Good Sam is a fact I still can’t get over. Obviously, actors aren’t their characters, but the irony is hilarious to me. Fiennes also portrayed Voldemort’s theatricality perfectly. You could tell he was taking inspiration from the correct charismatic culty dictators. It also showed how insecure Tom Riddle really was. He desperately wants attention and is addicted to the spectacle of it all. Ralph Fiennes did an amazing job as Voldemort. He didn’t let the makeup make the performance, he made so many specific choices that his performance speaks for itself. His cold voice and slow line delivery were bone-chilling. The grandeur in his movements was also an effective choice. It made for an effective and scary performance, and everything someone who goes by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named should be. And Fiennes played so brilliantly because he didn’t even make the audience sympathize with him like with Snape or Draco. It honestly just made you pity Tom if anything, and hate him even more. I think that visceral feeling is a testament to his theatrical and specific performance.
I have heard of Dame Maggie Smith many times. She is a legendary British actress. However, I am American, therefore I hadn’t seen many of her films, and the fact that I’ve never been across the pond means I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing her in a live theatre performance. She is perfect as McGonagall. When I had seen pictures of the teachers, she looked scary, so I expected her to be a mean teacher, basically Umbridge. However, Smith used her character’s harsh appearance to her advantage and used her skills as a nuanced actor to make McGonagall’s caring nature show through at all times, even when she’s being disciplinary. She was so good in this role.
Like I said before, Emma Watson was the only actor, specifically out of the young cast, that I was really familiar with. I was always a fan of her and her feminist activism, but now I am a HUGE fan of hers. I understand why she is such a role model to so many people (and now one to me)! She’s hardworking, ambitious, kind and smart. I mean, she went to an (Ivy League!) college while filming these movies, became a style icon and is a feminist activist. (*Chandler Bing voice*) Could she get any more inspiring? We love an iconic overachiever! Love her! She is also the rare child actor who never had an overtly sexual period. Maybe her film The Bling Ring is the closest she ever got to that place. Not that sexual celebrities can’t be great role models, it just makes her more unique when there are so many young female celebrities to admire. It also didn’t feel forced or conscious, that’s just who she is. She has also worked on multiple movies at the same time, which shows how great of a work ethic she has, how passionate she is and how focused she is. She is so admirable and inspiring. Also, her role choices are very inspiring as someone who wants to be an actor. She challenges herself with roles that are very different from her, but are also pop culture gold, which means they will be good business decisions due to their commercial success (The Bling Ring and The Perks of Being A Wallflower), but she also knows her star quality through picking blockbusters and epic productions with prestigious directors like Darren Aronofsky’s Noah. Both of these prove how much of a smart a businesswoman she is. However, she also chose roles that, similar to Hermione, relate to her feminist activism by picking roles that subvert female stereotypes like Little Women and Beauty And The Beast. She said many times while promoting the latter that she loved playing Meg because it showed that there’s not one way to be a feminist (which is 100% true) She didn’t wear corsets in either film, which as a fashionista frustrates me because corsets are essentially an undergarment and without wearing one, these period looks don’t look quite right (although Watson has been seen in corsets many times in her own life, like the Louis Vuitton one she wore when she went to Glastonbury, her golden Bottega Veneta dress to a Deathly Hallows Part 2 New York premiere and her whimsigothic Harry Potter-esque Dior dress she wore to the 2016 Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year awards). However, as an actor and feminist, I adore Watson’s stand on this. She used her creditability and voice as an actor, woman and feminist and spoke out about the modern way she wanted to portray Belle. Go her! She is so inspiring and definitely an inspiration to me as I head into the professional acting world (I am still trying to nail my Hermione impression though, but mostly my British accent. I want to do one so badly. Besides Watson’s and Rickman’s performances, learning how to do a British accent is the majority of the reason why I will keep re-watching these movies. Honestly, a huge part of how enjoyable I found these movies is because of all of their British accents and the movies’ impact and status in British culture. Seriously, the fact that they all have accents, specifically British accents, makes these films 10 times better).
This cast was so good at doing so much with so little, and in such a subtle way too. As an actor, it was very impressive. Obviously, they couldn’t fit every detail of these massive books into these films, but you could tell each actor was genuinely passionate and knowledgeable about the material. That made their ability to do so much with so little that much more meaningful.
It was so fun when you realize how connected the cast was, both before and after Harry Potter. The acting job that impressed Chris Columbus (who made his directorial debut on one of my mom’s favorite Chicago-based 80s movies Adventures In Babysitting) enough to bring Daniel Radcliffe in to audition for the role of Harry Potter was the 1999 film David Copperfield, which also starred his future Harry Potter professor and British acting icons Imelda Stanton and Dame Maggie Smith. Stanton’s daughter is Bessie Carter, who plays Prudence in Bridgerton (which also stars Freddie Stroma aka Cormac McLaggen). Rupert Grint and Alan Rickman also worked together again in the CBGB movie, where Rickman played the iconic club’s owner. And as I aforementioned, Alan Rickman notably played Emma Thompson’s husband, or ex-husband I guess, in Love, Actually. However, they were frequent costars, working together in Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility, among others. Imelda Stanton was also in that iteration of Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson also wrote the screenplay for this adaption). Of course, there can’t be a successful 21st-century movie franchise with some nepotism, and Domhnall Gleeson aka Bill Weasley is Brendan Gleeson’s son aka Mad-Eye Moody and Sophie Thompson, who played Mafalda Hopkirk, who Hermione Polyjuices in Part 1, is Emma Thompson’s sister. Helen McCrory is also a frequent costar of his and has worked with Rickman on many films like A Little Chaos. Timothy Spall, who played Wormtail, Stanton, Bonham Carter and Rickman were all also in the live-action Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through The Looking Glass (the latter was Rickman’s last film before his death, posthumously released). Helena Bonham Carter will star alongside David Thewlis (Remus Lupin, Thewlis was also in a film produced by Bonnie Wright’s production company) in Enola Holmes 2, while Bonham Carter starred alongside Fiona Shaw (Petunia Dursley) in the first Enola Holmes film. Emma Watson and David Thewlis co-starred in 2015’s Regression. Emma Thompson co-starred again with Emma Watson in the live-action Beauty and the Beast, with their characters Mrs. Potts and Belle getting along far better than their Potter characters. Goblet of Fire director Mike Newell even plucked Harry Potter stars Robbie Coltrane, Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes for his adaption of Great Expectations. Fiennes and McCroy were in Sam Mendes’ Skyfall. Robbie Coltrane worked with Emma Watson on The Tales of Despereaux. The list goes on and on. Hollywood, itself, is quite a small world, but it seems that British Hollywood is an even smaller world.
It’s also funny when you recognize the extras. I am a HUGE Margot Robbie fan, and I know she’s a Potterhead (she also starred alongside Matthew Lewis aka Neville Longbottom in Terminal and Domhall Gleeson aka Bill Weasley in multiple movies including Peter Rabbit and Goodbye, Christopher Robin). Apparently, her husband Tom Ackerley was one of the Hogwarts students Draco pushes out of the way in the Buckbeak scene in the Prisoner of Azkaban. A very young Julianne Hough was an extra in the Quidditch game in the stands next to Dean Thomas in Sorcerer’s Stone, which is incredibly odd given that she is American, not British, at least Ackerley is British (also, was Derek Hough one too? Where? When?). Bridgerton star Rege-Jean Page was also an extra behind Emma Watson in the scene at Fleur and Bill’s wedding when it’s announced that the Minister of Magic has been assassinated. He was very young and had a dreadlocked ponytail.
It also seems like the cast is unexplainable and grateful for the experience and the opportunity to be a part of these films. It seems like, while they did have hard times, most of those hardships seemed to be introspective and personal, overall they all seemed to have had very a very educational, fun time filming these movies. They speak very highly of the experience from what I have seen and they are also as big of fans of the books as the fans are of the movies. They embrace being a part of the franchise and its legacy, as they should. It shows that the people who made these films are truly good people (notice how I said films, not books?). There didn’t seem to be any toxicity, it seemed to be a very positive, fun and lighthearted on-set environment. They all look back on filming very fondly and describe the experience and the people they shared it with as a foundational part of their lives and growing up (I mean, as they should. Many of them grew up on these sets from kids to young adults). These actors didn’t just grow up alongside their characters, but also alongside the audience. The adults in these films basically raised these kids into the people and actors they are today. They are still willing to talk about and even embrace it. While internet trolls may preserve that as a signal of unemployment, (which I think is pure jealousy and stupidity) I see it as them being grateful and proud of where they come from, and it just goes to show much of a positive experience these films were to be a part of. What is wrong with embracing where you come from? After all, these films are part of film history. Never before or since has there been a film series that has followed its characters and actors grow up, and the viewers have grown up with them (similar to how the kids of Stranger Things gre wup with their characters and their audience). Especially for the young actors who played the Hogwarts students, it’s almost like the most extreme form of method acting in a sense because we as the audience grew up with these actors and characters, but the actors literally grew up with these characters. They really got to grow up and slowly see the big differences and big similarities between themselves and their characters. This can be positive and negative, but for this cast, it seemed mostly positive. You only get that kind of growth with a TV cast like in teen dramas or shows like This Is Us or Modern Family that focus on families and generations. Rarely do films, even film series, get that kind of camaraderie, love and sense of family (the film Boyhood, which was filmed over the course of 12 years, is probably the only exception, with it being the closest cinematic experience I can think of just in a more A24-esque, indie scale, but I think a series like this is more impressive because it’s a series that took a decade-long to film, so you spend more time with these actors and their characters and it’s more timely, as you literally see the actors and characters grow up alongside each other and the viewers. It’s a very rare, singular thing). TV show casts are usually the only ones who get that because of coming back year after year. And if films do have that aspect, it’s never for a decade long like with Harry Potter, and never with people going from childhood to teenagerhood to adulthood right before our eyes. That’s what makes this series truly unique, historical and one-of-a-kind. Also, the cast seems to genuinely admire each other and genuinely be friends and mentors to each other. The seasoned actors admire the youngsters and the youngster have some of the best mentors in the business. The actors who played the students also grew up together. It’s like a high school reunion. It’s sweet and heartwarming to see and hear about.
Film Ranking
(Please, don’t take offense. I really didn’t hate or dislike any of these films. These films are now some of my favorites of all time now. I genuinely loved every single one, just for very different reasons. I will be rewatching these movies for years and years to come. They are so magical, wonderful, enjoyable and comforting. So this could change over time, although my top 5 are all my top favorites, although the order of those 5 may or may not change passed on the day. Anyways, they are all amazing!)
8. Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Compared to all the other films this one had the least amount of action (I’m speaking like I’m an action movie fiend when I’m not). It’s the slowest-paced and seems to keep dragging on. However, I can see why it’s a necessary film and why they split the book into two films. This movie clearly inspired the trend of blockbuster film adaption series splitting their finales into parts, which is an incredibly bold movie, but I think it was the right one despite being such a slow-paced movie, especially for a penultimate installment, which is meant to set everything up for the epic finale. It also is the only film that doesn’t take place at Hogwarts, which was kind of disappointing because I love the high school coming-of-age aspect of these films and although there is definitely teen angst in this film among the Golden Trio, this movie felt more in the vein of the summertime show Outer Banks than prep school drama Gossip Girl (For the record, I do like both of those shows, but I LOVE Gossip Girl), and without the mutual setting of Hogwarts, it just wasn’t the same. There was only one scene on the train that reminded us that it still existed and that school was in session. I wish we had more, if not for the other characters and supporting actors to grow and develop, especially after learning skills from Harry in The Order of The Phoenix. It could have given them more time to develop. Overall, the stakes felt very low in this film, when it was actually the penultimate film. Its goal was to get us ready for the finale, and instead, it just felt like it was dragging on. We knew the stakes were high, but without the Hogwarts settings and community, it wasn’t felt through the screen. It also was very boring to watch. This film that the worst pacing out of all the Harry Potter films. It draaaaggggggedddd on story-wise. It’s also so low energy. While the stakes are high, they don’t always feel high. I expected this film to feel like being on the verge of an anxiety attack for two hours, but that wasn’t the case. I wasn’t holding my breath, I was bored some of the time. This film was all about character development, which as an actor, must have been a blast because of all the action sequences and the opportunity to dig deeper into each of the core three characters and into the mythology in general. The acting in this movie was phenomenal. Watson’s delicate determination. Radcliffe’s pain and focus. Grint’s anger, jealousy and apologeticness. Felton’s anxiety and internal struggle. This film really showcased how good for actors the young cast has become over the years. This movie really showcases how close the trio has gotten and how much they are like family now. They have gone through such scary and traumatic situations together. One of those would bond you for life, let alone all of them. Their friendship is deep and forever. The trio has always been brave and inseparable, but this film shows that the best because when Ron does leave, Harry and Hermione don’t find any Horcruxes or the Sword of Gryffindor. It’s not until he comes back that they do. That proves how much they balance each other out. They each have traits and skills the others lack, which helps them work as a team, solve problems and get out of trouble (or into it). They are stronger together. Like in Phoenix, it’s about unity. While they aren’t perfect, if one wasn’t there to do their part for the others, they would never be able to solve all the complex mysteries they encounter throughout the series. And in several cases, they would rather die then separate. While the trio has relied on each other in every film, they have also collectively relied on others. During this film, all they have is each other, no one else, and between their difficult Horcrux hunt, their stress over the worsening war and the possibility of loved ones being harmed, tensions run high, which makes for some great character and relationship development. Unlike other films, which focus on mysteries and the development of side characters, this film centers around the trio from beginning to end, especially Hermione, who is the key to the success of their Horcrux hunt just like Chamber, Azkaban and pretty much every single film of the entire series. This movie definitely stands out from the rest of the films purely due to the non-Hogwarts-centric plot and also its very well-done animation sequence of the Tale of Three Brothers. It almost felt like a different film, not a Harry Potter film. It was a true journey filled with high stakes, dread, anticipation and determination. This film is the appetizer to the main course, the finale, and while it does drag on, it is still interesting due to its emphasis on acting and cinematography and gives us very important information and context we need for the finale. Also, can we talk about how good of friends Ron and Hermione are for accepting the risks and helping Harry with his hunt for Voldemort’s Horcruxes, fully knowing that it could lead to their deaths, imprisonment or torture? Those are two FANTASTIC friends. It must have been such a great refresh from Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grunt, but as a viewer, it just felt like the movie that would never end, especially in the middle. It was also sort of lackluster from the action-packed nature we have grown accustomed to and having it in between the climatic film that killed off Dumbledore and the climatic film that killed off Snape and Voldemort. It was by far the best-acted film from the core trio, but honestly, Emma Watson carried this movie on her back. She saved the movie for me and kept me attentive the entire time. If it weren’t for her, I probably would have fallen asleep. I think the best parts were her subtle and amazing performance throughout the film, especially Hermione obliviating her parents’ memories of her and how it affected her (I also appreciate how they hinted at this in Half-Blood Prince when Hermione mentioned that even her Muggle parents had an idea about what was going on in the Wizarding World), her uncomfortable, disturbing and terrifying torture scene with Bellatrix (my gosh Bonham Carter and Watson’s performances in that scene were amazing! If you told me that David Yates just rolled the camera and let them go and improvise, I would believe you. That scene had a terrifying freedom to it that both actors thrived in. It was so scarily beautiful, visceral and impactful), and that adorable dance scene between Harry and Hermione. Speaking of that dance scene, I personally viewed it as two close friends trying to cheer each other up during an incredibly dark, stressful and intense time in their lives, not romantic at all (the same goes for when they hold hands while running away from the Dementors and werewolf Lupin in Prisoner of Azkaban). It was a little bit of light in such a dark movie with a slow-burn pace. There were so many unsaid things in that scene and yet was beautifully raw and well-communicated between the two characters. It was also a GREAT song choice. It was “O Children” by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Although, would wizards actually listen to Muggle music? It was also a great example of how good these actors are at lineless scenes, saying everything the scripts couldn’t (This cast was incredibly good at lineless acting. They had to be with such massive source material from the books and so probably being cut out. But it was genuinely very good). Harry and Hermione are perfect examples of characters (and actors) who have electric chemistry, but no romance. It can be even more impactful than romance, and the dance scene is a great showcase of that. Ron’s weird fantasy of Harry and Hermione making out was unnecessary and uncomfortable. This is essentially a children’s story, so why did they have to be suggestively naked (seriously, they were clearly in clothes while taunting Ron, why couldn’t they just stay clothed instead of really honing into the sexual aspect of the scene, making it’s like the least necessary sexual scene ever) and in a sort of intense makeout? They were also very young when filming that scene and seem to have a brother-sister-like relationship off-screen too. Ron was honestly just annoying for the majority of this film. Like I get you are worried for your family, but so are Harry and Hermione, the only family Harry has ever known. It felt very out of character because is a very loyal friend to Harry, and at the end of the day helping Harry find Horcruxes would help his family. That balance of caring for his family versus Harry could have been written better or given Rupert Grint the opportunity for some more vulnerability as an actor, instead of showing angry Ron again, when all Ron has done for the past 7 films was complain. The best part about him during this film was his awkwardness while ordering a cappuccino. It was nice to see his awkwardness in the Muggle world as opposed to his father’s fascination and it paralleled Harry’s fascination with the Wizarding World in the early films. I did enjoy that transition from when they apparated from the wedding landed in front of a double-decker bus and got at out of the way just in time to not become roadkill. It was really quick and anxiety-inducing, but in a fun way where knew the action was really starting (although, that never actually really happened. Only the hilarious Ministry of Magic Polyjuice fiasco (which it was very dangerous for them to do obviously, especially for not just Harry, but Hermione. After all, she is Muggle-born. Gotta admire her loyalty and bravery. This platonic friendship is proven in Azkaban. Hermione curls up into Ron when Buckbeak is seemingly executed wanting his comfort, while Harry, being the chivalrous Gryffindor he is, rubs her back for consoling her (also LOL at Harry’s third wheeling in this moment), but clearly as a friend. While later in the film, Hermione curls up to Harry after Buckbeak saves them from werewolf Lupin and says “that was so scary.” This isn’t romantic, this is survival. They hold hands while running away also they see the Dementors on their way to Kiss Sirius, which I always thought was odd, but maybe they were so focused and scared that it made them find comfort even within these impossibly high stakes. That is shown when they are still in an embrace when they see the Dementors coming, thinking more about their mission than their relationship. Harry and Hermione are always focused, while Ron and Hermione always have something else going on outside the mission to deal with. That torture scene between Bellatrix and Hermione was very well done. Bonham Carter was so convincing in portraying Bellatrix’s cruelty and Watson didn’t even seem like she was acting, her reactions felt so tragically really. Her face was so scared and in so much and it’s hard to fake those kinds of powerful screaming and shakes of terror. Also, after the torturing, Hemrione’s face looks so lifeless and exhausted. It’s so heartbreaking. But props to those two actresses for such a powerful scene and performances. I actually, and surprisingly, liked how the story had them go to Godric’s Hollow and have the realization that it’s Christmas, because it gives us, as viewers, a clear timeline, which is how the holidays worked in all the other films as well. It was also so much more meaningful with Harry seeing his parents’ graves for the first time on this holiday, with it probably being one of his happiest times if his parents had survived, instead of being succumbed to the Dursleys and (based on how shocked he was in the first film that he had presents) present-less holidays. It also makes sense that they would lose track of time and all the days would blend together, much like quarantine, because they were isolated from the rest of the Muggle and Wizarding World and media. also, with how legendary and historic Godric’s Hollow is and Harry’s parents’ deaths are, you’d think there’d be some sort of memorial to the situation, like Harry’s old house as a historical landmark or something. Also, why didn’t Harry bring his Invisibility Cloak to the Ministry?) and the Malfoy Manor debacle qualify, and those moments were very far apart from each other). However, I wish they were wearing dress robes instead of Muggle suits to the wedding because that juxtaposition between Muggle society and Wizard society in that scene, especially in the middle of the hustle-and-bustle would have been a great opportunity for humor before the danger really starts. Also, can we talk about how hilariously naive it was for these on-the-run literal kids to try and infiltrate the Ministry, a place that is more complicated and confusing then catacombs? It’s also hilarious that a supposedly powerful and impenetrable government building got broken into (twice) by a bunch of children, both at very dangerous times. I can assume that this took weeks to plan, even if they don’t show it, as we learn in Chamber that Polyjuice takes a month to brew, and clearly they had a plan about what to do to get in, but they were clearly making it up as they went along once they got into, especially because it was obvious that they didn’t even research their disguises jobs, even Hermione who you just know was at the helm when planning this. And you know they were priding themselves son the carefully concocted plan, and as Harry so brutaly puts it, all hell broke loose, but the trio is resourceful if nothing else, so of course, they succeed. Just the irony is uncanny. Going back to Watson and Hermione in this film, that shot of Hermione walking away from her childhood home after oblivating her parent’s memories might be one of the saddest shots in the whole series. I also loved how in this film we really got to see Hermione’s preparedness and the fact that she is a planner, how she had “everything packed for days.” Her overachieving nature was established but hadn’t really seen this prepared type of way yet. I really related to this because I am the same way. I, too, am an overachiever and really value always being prepared and having everything planned out. Something I think could have helped immensely with pacing in this film is if they showed us what life was like under Snape’s regime at Hogwarts. With Ginny, Neville and seemingly Luna too, before she was kidnapped by the Death Eaters, still being at Hogwarts, I would have loved to see them wreak havoc an make Snape’s life a living hell, because you KNOW they were. After all, they have been watching the trio and the twins do it for 6 movies. Plus, they all really thrived in the DA, why didn’t they start it up again? It would also give Snape, Ginny, Neville and Luna more to do and more development, in order to make how their stories ended even more impactful. Rickman would have portrayed Snape’s hidden guilt so brilliantly, I just know it. Bonnie Wright would’ve finally got her time to shine. Neville would get his time to shine as well as a leader for the first time, taking up the mantle in Harry absence. It would also be such a great full circle moment for Neville beacuse as we find out in Azkaban, Snape is his greatest fear, since his boggart turned into Snape, and so to see him defy Snape and stand up to Snape, that would have been such a great moment. And Luna would finally get to show her smart, self-assured side, rather then just her dazy, peaceful side. Also, Hermione was instrumental in Harry’s success in the final two movies, especially in regard to finding Horcruxes and evading capture from their enemies. I did love that we got to see Harry and Hermione’s chemistry and have that ironed out, making her end up with Ron all the more satisfying. Sometimes people have great chemistry, but that doesn’t mean it’s romantic chemistry. Friendship chemistry and vulnerability with another person are just as, if not more important than romance (also proven with Snape and Lily’s relationship and his unbreakable loyalty to her even in death, through dedicating his life to protecting her son, who he also despises is). This is also shown in previous films as Hermione is also so supportive of Harry’s romantic endeavors (although he didn’t necessarily seek out her support or advice or help), but gets moody and angry when Ron likes someone else, as proven in Phoenix with Harry and Cho (saying that Cho couldn’t take her eyes off Harry in their recruitment meeting and nipping Ron’s teasing in the bud when Harry debriefs with them after his first kiss with Cho) and mainly in Prince with Harry and Ginny (when she tearfully calls out the way he looks at Ginny after Ron kisses Lavender and when she advises Harry to “keep the snogging to a minimum” with Ginny when Ron’s around). Unlike, I presume, many people, I actually like Harry and Hermione’s dance scene. This movie is so slow, sad and intense that we needed a moment of lightness, and so did those characters. Also, there chemistry in the scene, while electric, it was very clearly friendship chemistry. I never got the feeling for a second that they were about it kiss (that’s probably why that Horcrux version kiss was so cringy in my opinion. They are evry clearly friends. Brother and sister. While Ron and Hermione have that friends-to-lovers chemistry perfectly where no matter what the conclusion, it would be electric either way). Their chemistry is like that of siblings, not lovers. It demonstrated their closeness. It’s like slow dancing with your brother or sister at a wedding. It was also performed so naturally and authentically. So much was unsaid about how much their friendship means to each other. It was a beautiful moment of friendship and comfort in times of uncertainty. I really loved the scene where Ron and Hermione reunite and just when you think she will jump into his arms, as he thought, she started pushing him and hitting him and punching him, then saying something like “you’ve been gone for weeks and all you have say is ‘hey’?” and then going after Harry for her wand (Harry is literally more scared of angry Hermione then he is Voldemort, and that just shows how close these characters are), It was a great scene. And Rupert Grint’s monologue and Emma Watson’s attentive listening were just great. The destruction of their first Horcrux and Ron’s reunion with Harry and Hermione was probably one of the best-acted sequences of the whole film. I do wish there was a bigger reunion for Harry and Ron then just destroying the Horcrux. About how Harry loves Hermione like a sister, not like how the Horcrux portrayed it to Ron’s tortured, insecure mind. How, now that Ron has had his hero moment, he has finally realized that heroic moments aren’t all that cool, as he thought when he heard about Harry’s heroics. It would have been a great moment and a great thing to show within male friendships on screen. Showing boys that open conversations between two boys are important. I will say, the scene where Hermione walks in, right before she suggests they go visit Luna’s dad, was a little weird. Was that supposed to show how Hermione still resents Ron for leaving? It was an odd way to translate that to the screen. I also have to say that the scene with Seven Potters due to Polyjuice Potion was hilarious. Daniel Radcliffe’s comedic and fully committed acting was great in that scene, it really had me believing that that was each character dressed up as Harry, not the other way around, which is props both to Radcliffe’s acting and the decision to have each character keep their own voice (although oddly not their eyesight?). That must have been such a weird thing for Harry to experience and Radcliffe to watch, although I imagine it’s similar to seeing a bunch of Harry Potters on Halloween minus the doppelganger aspect of them literally being Daniel Radcliffe. I also loved that shot of Ron and Hermione falling asleep feet to head at Grimmauld Place with their fingers centimeters apart. Especially knowing what happens between them later on in this film and how they end up together in the next movie, it was such a great shot and moment. So symbolic. Also, it just proves how good and brilliant of an actor Daniel Radcliffe is because similar to how I forgot it was Nina Dobrev playing both Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce in The Vampire Diaries, I forget that it’s Daniel Radcliffe playing multiple (already established, only making it more impressive) characters. Also, I don’t know if this was intentional, but I like how the trio’s biggest clue about the Deathly Hallows and it’s connection to Dumbledore was from a children’s book, a subtle Easter Egg about the origins of the Harry Potter universe, how it began as a children’s chapter book and turned into a deep, vast, wonderful franchise that’s beloved all over the world. Itw as a sweet nod. I liked that subtle radio (a Muggle electronic?) announcement of Snape being the new Hogwarts headmaster and that their fellow Gryffindor student Dean Thomas, who is apparently also a Muggle-born (or at least a half-blood) was also on the run. I wish we got to see Snape more in this role and maybe the trio meet up with Dean along the way. So, in Part 1, Godric’s Hollow left the Potters’ house as is, burned and destroyed, but didn’t label it or anything? No landmark status or memorial flowers or anything. Come on! Hermione went through the emotional wringer in this movie. She had to make her parents forget about her to protect them. Her love, Ron, abandoned her. Bellatrix tortured and traumatized her. This is by far Hermione’s bravest film and Watson did an AMAZING job portraying every minute of it. Also, seeing the Order and the Weasleys, his found family, in the Dursley house in Part 1 must have been so trippy for him. I know Ron has been there, but neither him or Hermione (unless Hermione, being a Muggleborn ever visited him during the summer. I highly doubt that though because there’s no way the Dursleys would have left that happen. I mean, in Chamber Dudley literally laughed at the idea that he had friends) have ever been inside of Harry’s home hellhole. That must have been weird for all of them. Also, fun fact: the Forest of Dean and Shaftesbury Avenue are real places in England, not made up for the story. It adds a sense of realism, especially in regards to the series’ relation to the Muggle world, and is also a good tool to remind us that Hermione grew up in the Muggle world, and shows us rather then tells us (the #1 tool of good writing) just how much Hermione is missing her parents and hoping that they are okay and that precautions she put in place are working, especially since she is a known Muggleborn associate of Harry. The Death Eaters would definitely torture her parents for information like they did the Longbottoms (However, oblivating them would almost be a death sentence for them knowing the Death Eaters. Hermione wasn’t just hurt by Ron leaving because she was in love with him, she was hurt because he and Harry were the only family left and now one of them was gone. Did Hermione also alter their memories and identities? I heard from a friend that she convinced her parents to do to Australia under a new identity. I wish that was translated better in the film because that is a way better and more effective precaution. Did she ever track down her parents and un-oblivate them after Voldemort is destroyed?) Also, LOL at Harry going from The Chosen One to No. 1 Undesirable. That just says so much. Also, LOL at how unhappy the Malfoys are for having their mansion be Death Eater HQ. Karma’s a bitch. Although, Bellatrix seems to be hilariously and insanely thrilled. I love how Harry lets Ron destroy the first Horcrux on their Horcrux hunt. Ron has been there for Harry as he’s been the hero and saved the day countless times, but Ron hasn’t been given that chance since the first film. It shows how Harry sees the best in Ron even though Ron doesn’t see the best in himself. That’s what everyone deserves in a friend. Someone who believes in them even when they don’t believe in themselves. It was a beautiful moment for their friendship. I love how by the time we get to Deathly Hallows, it’s clear that the trio is a packaged deal. They go on the Horcrux hunt together. they break into Gringotts together. Even when Ron leaves, you can tell that it’s just not the same. That’s when the movie slows down and begins to drag. Also, the closest Harry gets to dying during this whole film is when Hermione and he go to Godric’s Hollow, without Ron, further proving how the trio needs to be complete to work. Everyone needs to do their part (just like how even with Hermione absent in Chamber, they couldn’t figure out what the monster was, doing her part even in comatose and with Ron in Azkaban with how his rat was the key to finding out the truth about Sirius, even with a broken leg, his part was integral), with one completely out of the situation, as Ron is here, the other two are either frozen at a standstill or in immense danger even greater then it would have been otherwise. The Deathly Hallows are a metaphor for the three abandoned tragic heroes of the story. The Elder Wand represents Voldemort, orphaned by choice (as he was sent to an orphanage which is never a good thing), who seeks power and fear death above all else. Snape, abandoned by his love because of death and wanted to bring her back, represented the Resurrection Stone, seeking forgiveness and fearing her lasting legacy, Harry, would be hurt. And Harry, orphaned by tragedy, who only wanted normalcy and family, and fearing fear itself, represents the Invisibility Cloak, which is passed form son to son. Dumbledore is teh metaphor for death. The mastermind. The puppetmaster. He had all the Hallows at different points in time, making him the Master of Death, before Harry became teh Master of Death at the end of teh final film. He manipulates Voldemort’s and Snape’s deaths and then eventually greets Harry in death as an old friend. Also, every time Harry has a close brush with death in every film, he talks with Dumbledore. In the hospital in the first film. Then in his office. Then after the final task. After the Department of Mysteries. And after the cave, leading to Dumbledore’s actual death. This whole idea proves how deep, rich and detailed this story, these characters and this mythology is. It’s brilliant! Also, I wish we got to see more of Ginny, Neville and Luna at Hogwarts under Snape’s regime. After how they helped the trio in the Order of the Phoenix, it seems like they would be almost the bizzare-o version of the trio, as aforementioned. After all, Ginny and Neville are friends, they went to the Yule Ball together (which was adorable, I wish we got to see Ron’s reaction to that and Neville’s awkwardness while asking her out), and we found out in the finale that Neville has a crush on Luna. I would have loved to see that, I also think that would have helped tremendously with the pacing of the film. Even if that wasn’t in the books (because I assume the books are from Harry’s POV), for a visual format, it would have been better and made the film more dynamic and interesting. I would also have loved to see Snape as headmaster. I just know Alan Rickman would have portrayed that hidden guilt, deep self-loathing and subtle anxiety phenomenally. Speaking of Snape, why wasn’t that Deer Patronus mystery a bigger deal? That Patronus could have exposed Harry’s location if it belonged to the wrong person, effectively giving him away to Voldemort. Why wasn’t that a bigger deal? Shouldn’t he have immediately hollered for Hermione? I mean, I get that Patronuses are shields in a way, and therefore they mean safety, but in a time with such high stakes for Harry, shouldn’t that kind of exposure be a bigger deal, especially because someone could be using a symbol of safety in such a manipulative, opposite way (and yes, I get the irony of my theory and the Deer Patronus being sent by Snape, who was a double agent)? Also, LOL at Harry using Vernon Dudley as his alias when the snatchers come for him. At least he’s kind enough not to use Dursley, but it’s still hilarious to me. Also, Dudley makes so much more sense as a last name, and clearly even Harry thinks so. There are very few scenes in the series that aren’t from Harry’s perspective. Only a few for context (my favorites being the opening scene where Harry gets dropped off in the first film, the Malfoy Manor scenes in Hallows, Narcissa and Snape making the Unbreakable vow, Neville saving Ron and Hermione from Nagini, Snape’s pensieve sequence and Snape’s death). However, this film really could have benefited from e second POV, especially for pacing. Personally, I like Neville’s, because it would parallel nicely with Harry’s with them both being the Chosen Ones in different ways. It also would have kept Hogwarts active in the film because the lack of Hogwarts in this film impacted its charm and appeal immensely. Also, Emma Watson’s face, when Bellatrix has a knife to her throat, is just so heartbreaking. Part 1 (but also Part 2) also really showcases how far these actors have come as actors, particularly in their ability to say so much without saying anything. For example, the way Hermione looks at Harry when he asks for his wand after Godric’s Hollow. She looks so apprehensive. You can tell how much she does not want to tell him the bad news, that is wand is broken. She feels terrible, and she didn’t even have to say anything. I will say, after watching Part 2, I saw a lot of parallels between the Peveralls, the Deathly Hallows and Voldemort, Snape and Harry. Like the eldest Peverall brother, Voldemort died for power. The middle Peverall brother, like Snape, died for love, whether that be romantic love, puppy love or friendship love. And the youngest Peverall brother died willingly, like Harry. Also, the three Deathly Hallows parallel the trio too. Based on the story, it’s clear which one each of the trio would want. Hermione would want the Cloak because as the story proves, it’s the most logical and useful. Ron would want the Elder Wand, as would any wizard who grew up hearing the legend of the Peveralls, although he would be smart enough to not boast about it. He is also insecure. And Harry, of course, would want the Resurrection Stone, so he can see his parents and Sirius again. It made sense how this important Wizarding World version of a Grimm’s Fairy Tales (the Grimm’s Fairy Tales are based on real-life people and events too just like the Peverall’s involvement in the story) would be such a central part of the final story of the series. In many ways, the entire series has let up to this. It made so much sense. This movie was definitely the strongest we have seen in the trio’s friendship yet. That was essentially the arc of the whole film. It was all about testing their friendship. Harry even said that he doesn’t want them to risk themselves for him, but Ron and Hermione are persistent. That’s true friendship. This is also literally a two-second moment, but I really liked that shot of grown-up Harry looking into the cupboard under the stairs before the Order picks him up. It was a very full circle moment that bittersweet. I also love Ron and Hermione’s “always the tone of surprise” bit. Also, Dobby died, which is unacceptable.
7. Chamber of Secrets
It was a great transitional film from a children’s story to a dark story, but as I said before, I hate snakes and they play a huge part in this movie since we find out Harry can speak in Parseltongue. I swear this is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen because of the snakes and the genuinely creepy plot. Maybe it’ll get less creepy when I rewatch it and know how it ends and knows when the snakes come up. However, I did like how we learned Voldemort’s backstory. It was fascinating. I remember watching at camp about Tom Riddle. Even without context, I thought was interesting, and even more so with context. This truly begins the series-long theme of good vs. evil, partially when it comes to Godric Gryffindor, the good versus Salazar Slytherin, the evil. It is also much darker in tone, making it a great transition between the bright and wonderous Stone and the dark and moody Azkaban. This film is very underrated due to its impressive balance between child-appropriate innocence and darker subject matter. I enjoyed the mystery in this film more than the mystery in Sorcerer’s Stone; however, my fear of snakes made me miss some of the biggest moments in the movie because I was so scared I covered my eyes. So, that’s why this film is second to last because I missed most of it. It was a genuinely interesting and intriguing story, but the number of snakes was very unnecessary. Also, the usage of spiders was scary, even though I’m more scared of snakes than spiders. Between snakes and spiders, this movie is terrifying no matter what you fear. It was also highly unrealistic that every person the Basilisk encountered was just petrified and not killed. Especially since no one knew about it and therefore how to protect themselves ahead of time. Someone had to die. I get it’s a children’s story, but come on! Although the film still had the bright saturation cinematically as the first film (still directed by Chris Columbus), it still had a slightly darker look and feel which made sense for its newly dark subject matter, especially right of off Sorcerer’s Stone where Harry burned his professor’s face off at the end. While Sorcerer’s Stone was more fun and adventurous in town, with its dark moments like the troll scene and the Quirrell reveal scene, Chamber of Secrets was more dark and fun and sinister in tone. Also, for this, at this point in time too (with it being only the second film) them still being kids and focusing on a kid’s audience, the subject matter was incredibly dark. I mean, it dealt with serial murder, racism, and monsters. That’s pretty dark, and at lets with this specific film in the franchise, I get why parents raised their eyebrows a bit, especially with really young kids. Ron and Harry’s friendship takes center stage in this film, and because of this, we get to see their ability to be an iconic, dynamic, comedic duo on full display through moments like when Ron shrieks “my wand” and Harry replies “be thankful it’s not your neck,” in the most matter-of-fact, British, dry way. This film also focuses more of the history of Hogwarts and the founders, which I find really fascinating. Wizarding World history is so interesting and complex, it makes it feel so real. It was also our introduction to Dobby, who I absolutely adored. He is so relatable and brought so much light to this film. I also thought it was funny how at the end of the movie, after everything that happened in regard to Tom Riddle’s diary, when Harry asks Dumbledore to borrow it, Dumbledore gives it to him (which could be one of the first hints at Dumbledore really not giving a crap for Harry). But also that freeing-Dobby-work-around with the sock in the diary, knowing Lucius would arrogantly hand it to his servant from Harry was some Hermione-level brilliance. Clearly they are great influence on one another. It was also so sad to figure out why Dobby thinks self-punishment and self-harm is okay. He’s abused. I hope that self-harm humor wasn’t triggering for anyone. Also, was Lucius about to use Avada Kedavra on a literal CHILD?! The same age as his son? He literally is the worst father ever. Worse then Bart Bass. Also, LOL because all I could think during that shot of Harry’s back as he looks into the Chamber of Secrets for the first time was that Harry is in his Reputation era, what with all the snake statues lining the walls of the Chamber. It reminded me of Karyn the snake from her tour. Also, Tom Felton’s age difference, looks-wise, from the first and second films is insane. It’s almost like in two films he went from a 10-year-old to a 13-year-old, which thankfully worked for his bullying character, especially in that Flourish and Blotts scene. The only major age difference, looks-wise, for the trio, in my opinion, was from the second film to the third film. It’s the same thing as with Felton just one movie later, it’s like they went right from 10 straight to 13. Since then, their aging wasn’t as stark and seems to move along accordingly with each film and each character. The thing is, as we learned in his movie, Hogwarts wasn’t just the first place that felt like home to Harry, but it was the way for Voldemort, as seen through his desperation towards Hogwarts not closing down. Also, the way the Chamber of Secrets opens, with that magically metal life-like snake is just so creepy. However, I did appreciate the grandeur through the camera work, set design and score music of the Chamber’s reveal. After all, we have been waiting for it the whole film, For a 2002 film about magic, it was worth the wait, like the reflection of a shot of the Salazar Slytherin statue and Ginny’s body, was so cool. Also, the Chamber of Secrets gives the same vibe as the Wizards’ Chess set. If you told me they just repurposed that set, I’d believe you. They executed the Chamber reveal, the Tom Riddle reveal, Ginny’s rescue, the Basilisk reveal and especially the killing of the Basilisk, the diary and the memory of Tom Riddle so well. I hope it matched the book well because they did such a great job setting all that up for the later movies since that whole sequence, especially with the sword and the diary, are especially important later on, and these scenes were filmed back in 2000/2001, way before the last book was even released in 2007. The Chamber of Secrets is also a great name for a hidden place. Chamber, while its still very clearly a fantastical children’s story, is also significantly darker, foreshadowing how dark the series will become. It takes the concept of Harry Potter and turns it into a tense thriller-mystery. There’s an unseen, unknown force trying to take down Harry and of course, the main mystery, who opened the Chamber of Secrets (also among all the other interrogatives). It also had a good twist, as Ginny was quiet and reserved all film (which ended up being her exact personality during the whole series LOL), which isn’t out of the normal as she is always shy around Harry at this point in the story is from Harry’s POV, however, it was because she was the one to open the Chamber. She lost time and unknowingly unleashed the Basilisk. It was a very good test and one I didn’t see coming. It was surprising but makes so much sense when we saw it as she did have many smaller scenes which gave her obvious screentime for hinting. I also love how Ron’s first instinct after Draco calls Hermione a Mudblood is to protect her, even with a broken wand and a questionable spell, his heart was in the right place (even though Hermione could definitely hold her own). Also, Hermione’s stare of shock, subtle offense and confidence at Draco after he calls her a Mudblood was so good and complex, which is impressive for Watson’s age. At least Hermione gets her revenge in the following film by punching him in the face. I also thought it was so funny to me how low Hermione’s faith in these boys was. She is even proven right multiple times in this film as they fly the Ford Anglia to Hogwarts (I wish we got to see Hermione question where they are on the train to her reaction, the Twins and Ginny’s too to see the car outside the window) and Ron stupidly tries to use his broken wand to save Harry from the Rogue Bludger at the Quidditch match. But then by the end, she was so impressed with them and praised them for their intelligence. It was a great arc, despite how underused, she was in this film. It was also a very important arc as it limited her know-it-all tendencies more and made her trust the boys more than ever. It’s hilarious and ironic because then she makes sit down to the Quidditch Pitch and stops it herself. But I get it, if you want something done right, you got t do it yourself. A very underratedingly well-acted scene is when teh Slytehrin and Gryffidnor Quidditch teams face off and Draco calls Hermione a degregotary term. Oliver Wood’s acting is good. Hermione’s smirk after she says that teh Gryffindor got onto their Quidditch teams due to their “pure talent” is also great. And then teh way Draco turns to face Hemrione and takes his time insulting her by calling ehr “filthy little Mudblood.” That’s honestly more insulting then the actual words themselves. Also, it’s a great Ron and Hemrione moment as Ron tells Draco to “eat slugs (clearly not even a real spell which in the wise words of Hermione Granger ‘is that a real spell? well, it’s not very good is it?’)” after he isnulst ehr and then when it inevitably backfires due to his broken wand, Hermione is the one to ask him if he’s okay, while the Gryffindors merely run to check on him, Colin takes pictures and teh Slytehrins just chuckle at him. I also like how this movie shows Ron and Hermione ina different light then they are seen in all teh other movies (although I don’t think this needed to be achieved by completely sidelines Watson, although maybe her character’s popularity is just to big for it’s own good). Ron is seen a smart hero, helping Harry save Ginny, stand up to Lockhart and get into the Chamber. He also sees right through Lockhart’s foolishness, while Hermione, “the smart one,” notably falls for it as Lockhart says, “books (the things she values most after her friendships) can be misleading.” Hermione also accidentally turns herself into a cat with Polyjuice, not her smartest moment. It shows that while Ron isn’t teh smartest of teh trio, he isn’t stupid, and while Hemrione is teh smartest of trio, that doesn’t make her flawless and perfect. Also, I hate to say it, but I kind of scrunched my face in confusion when I saw that Harry POV shot as he ran across the wall, because it was just so unnecessary to me and was very awkward. The way this is Ginny’s most important movie until Prince and she STILL barely gets enough screen time despite playing a huge role in this movie. They should have used her more by foreshadowing it more. Also, LOL at Draco’s insults in this movie, like “training for the ballet, Potter?” It’s so not funny that it’s funny. Grint’s performance in that spider scene was amazing. The duality of his fear and humor shining through was such a comedically complex performance, making it very mature for how young he was at the time. Also, so you are saying that Hagrid was FRIENDS with Tom Riddle? If that doesn’t prove Hagrid’s bad judgement, I don’t know what does. You could also tell that the young actors were way more confident in being on a set and in their acting abilities. I enjoyed the flying car and the hilarity involving literal 12-year-old driving it. Also, the flying car reflection shot of the Muggle noticing it was very smart. I also thought it was hilarious showing how different Ron and Harry grew up, with one being in the Wizarding World and one in the Muggle World, with Ron ignorantly flying the car right from the King’s Cross parking lot, not driving it away first, and then Harry says in his stellar frank humor “Ron, I should tell you. Most Muggles aren’t accustomed to seeing a flying car.” It was just such a great moment of cultural clash through the wide-eyed lens of wonder of children. The first of many Polyjuice fiascos in order to trick Draco was quite funny too. I love how the previous film ended with Harry saying “I’m not going home, not really” and then when this picks up with Harry pleading with Dobby that “Hogwarts is my home” and Ron even says “welcome home, Harry” when the flying car finally reaches Hogwarts. That fact never changes for Harry. Even though he’s in danger there,e it’s also where he is happiest because it’s where he has friends and love (if it weren’t so genuine it would be quite toxic, but thank goodness Hogwarts loves Harry as much as he loves it, as shown with how the Room of Requirement helps him with DA. He even says “it’s like Hogwarts wants us to fight back”). I also thought it was funny how one of the first things Hermione says when she reunites with Ron and Harry was “congratulations. I can’t believe you solved,” LOL her minisicul faith in these boys. She knows they’d be lost without her (I mean, they even confuse her smartie brain, as seen when she whines “boys” after Ron and Harry make up in Goblet).The Howler that Mrs. Weasley sent Ron was iconic and hilarious and I wish they used them more. It was such a great scene and so well-acted by Rupert Grint (his face in that scene will live in my mind rent-free. He needs to do more comedy. He is so natural at it). It really played to his strengths as a young actor. The only other time they were used was when Harry got “expelled” in Order of the Phoenix. Also, the kids’ acting in the Howler scene is great, which is very impressive because you know that Howler is all CGI. Watson and Radcliffe’s reactions when the Howler zooms up to Ron’s terrified face and Grint’s scared cross eyes face. It’s so well done. I also love how Ron nods obediently and is scared at the Howler like it’s really his mom yelling at him. And even Ginny looks so embarrassed when the Howler turns to her, awkwardly smiling like “I don’t want to be a part of this narrative.” Also, why did Mrs. Weasley have it blow a raspberry (Harry’s Howler form the Ministry in Phoenix didn’t do that after it delivered its message)? That’s her son (LOL), he deserves it, but still. Honestly, the Howler scene and Dobby were the best parts of this film. Also, the transition between Mrs. Weasley’s yelling “Ronald Weasley! How dare you steal that car! I am absolutely disgusted! Your father’s now facing an inquiry at work and it’s entirely your fault! If you put another toe out of line we’ll bring you straight home!” and the Howler directed itself at Ginny saying “Oh, and Ginny dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud,” is so well done and hilarious (however how does the Howler know where Ginny is sitting? Can it sense it?). Also, Ginny’s face is hilarious, like ‘i do not want to be a part of this narrative.’ I also love how when Harry first visits the Weasley house, Ron, fully knowing the socioeconomic of the Wizarding World and having grown up in it, says “it’s not much, but it’s home,” and Harry gives a big, mesmerized smile and says “I think it’s brilliant.” This shows how good of a friend and person Harry is. After all his trauma and hardship, he could care less about riches and fame, even if he has that. All he wants is a family and a true home, and that’s what the Weasleys have, and even better, a truly magical home. I really enjoyed how much they used Maggie Smith in this movie too. McGonagall’s care and concern for her students were apparent throughout the whole movie and I loved getting to know her better. I liked how the whole school was involved, paralleling the finale. Ron is in a mood when he proclaims that butterflies are better than spiders. I also love how this scene shows Harry and Ron’s differences. Harry is focused and brave, more like Hermione. While Ron, yes he’s brave, but it doesn’t come as easily to him, which is okay and doesn’t make him less of a Gryffindor, because like Neville, it’s still a big part of him and who he grows to be. Like when Ron is like “Harry, I don’t like this” and Harry just shushes him, like a good friend (LOL), focused and wanting to get answers. Like Neville, Ron’s arc similarly goes from more fearful and hesitant to brave and confident. But also, I think Ron was also like Hermione in this scene, as he was the realist. I, too, would be terrified, panicking and whining in fear while being surrounded by spiders, and I wouldn’t say I’m scared of spiders I just don’t like them, but I’m not said, and neither is Ron (and naturally Rupert Grint’s priceless horrified facial expressions are also scene-stealing in this scene). I also liked how Ginny was introduced and that her first year was memorable just like Hermione, Ron and Harry’s. I do wish, because she was such a central figure in this movie, that she was used more. And that it was foreshadowed more than just putting a diary in a cauldron. Also, the lack of Hermione, who is honestly the best character of the core three, was actually criminal. This is clear by how it was her tip that caused Ron and Harry to discover what the monster is and put the rest of the pieces together. At least Emma Watson made every second count, as seen with her great acting in the scene in Hagrid’s hut after Draco calls her a Mudblood (which was our first introduction to pure blood prejudice aginst Muggle-borns, and how Draco didn’t fully understand what his and his family’s prejudice meant). And honestly, Ron and Harry’s success at finding the Chamber of Secrets was just dumb luck without Hermione, especially that duel with Lockhart. While Emma Watson was in so little of this movie, she took full advantage of every second she did have, which is quite impressive given how young she was. She had great comedic timing, like when she said “she’s little sensitive,” a great bit of dry, snarky British humor after Myrtle screamed because Ron didn’t know who she was and casually flew into a toilet. Hermione was also a badass in her very few moments, like with how effortlessly she stopped the Cornish Pixies, and the brain of operation, like with hwo she brewed Polyjuice (at 12-years-old) and figured out how to get the real Crabbe and Goyle out of the way, despite being vastly underused in the film’s third act. Harry also tells Ginny in Chamber to save herself and get out and find Ron, sacrificing himself for her. This heroic foreshadowing of their romance (the way both Ron and Hermione and Ginny and Harry’s most romantic moments happen in the Chamber of Secrets), by ironically being their most romantic and passionate moment (these kids are 11 and 12 LOL). After all, what’s more romantic in cinema then a hero? Harry also shows his bravery and foreshadows how he greets death like an old friend when he says “you were brilliant Fawkes. I just wasn’t quick enough,” like he is completely at peace with dying. This also just shows how if anyone is capable of withstanding this insane journey is about to go on in all the following movies, it’s Harry. Also, LOL at Riddle saying the Basilisk venom will kill Harry in a minute, and yet Harry had time to climb down the Salazar statue, walk back to Ginny, kill the diary, wake Ginny up and talk to her, all before Fawkes the phoenix flies in and saves Harry (to be able to cry on cue like a phoenix). Also, can we talk about how good and impressive Fawkes cry aim is? And can we talk about the irony of Dumbledore’s phoenix saving Harry just so he can “die at the proper moment”? That’s so effed up. While Fawkes in Dumbledore’s office is clearly a robot, Fawkes in the Chamber of Secrets is clearly CGI. I prefer the robot, although I do understand that there was really no way to use that robot in this scene. Practical effects are always better because it gives the actors, especially child actors, more to interact with. I also really like the moon phase design on the dueling runway. It was a great ethereal, witchy set choice. If only the costumes matched that aesthetic. Also, “Voldemort is my past, present and future,” is such a good line, because it symbolizes both Tom Riddle’s journey throughout the series as well as Harry’s because every aspect of Harry’s life throughout this story is affected in some way by Voldemort. Also, why did we never see dueling after this movie? Is it in the books more? I feel like, especially knowing how these films end, dueling is a defensive skill all these students need to learn. I also love how when Harry first meets Dobby he repeats to him that he belongs at Hogwarts and that it’s his home. It’s so heartwarming and full circle. Also, the whole jelly arms thing that Lockhart does to harry is just so disgusting. Might be one of the grossest sights of the series. I do have to admit, I let out a chuckle with the whole “grow my bones back” bit due to its pure absurdity. I also thought the Cornish Pixies scene was…interesting. For one, Lockhart is a dick and should have never been allowed to teach children. He literally let CHILDREN handle this? Harry, I get he’s famous for being a powerful baby or whatever, but he barely knows Ron and Hermione. Why them three? And second, it was hilarious for multiple reasons. One; the fact that Hermione, a 12-year-old, could figure out how to stop the Cornish Pixies and not a fully grown wizard, really honing in on how dumb Lockhart really is (how the hell is he a Ravenclaw?), of course Hermione, a child, can do a spell a grown wizard can’t even think of. What an icon. And two; I did let out a chuckle for some reason when Harry whack a Pixie with a book to get it off of Hermione’s hair and when the Pixie stole Lockhart’s wand, karma’s a bitch. Also, LOL at that post-credit scene of post-obliviated Lockhart and his next ‘book’ “Who Am I?” with his moving cover image having him in a straitjacket. Also, can we talk about how Potter did a post-credits scene before they were cool? Once again showing how Harry Potter was ahead of its time in many ways. If there is an upside to Lockhart getting obliviated besides getting him out of Hogwarts was that Ron finally got to get a wand that chose him, not just a hand-me-down wand, which I can assume as everything he seems to have is a hand-me-down, which Draco cruelly points out. Also, the voice cracks Ron has as he says “they’re heading to the dark forest” and “why spiders? why couldn’t be ‘follow the butterflies’?” was just so great. So committed and natural. So fearful and anxious. So genuine and authentic. And most importantly, so hilarious. Also, LOL at the Weasleys being so nonchalant about Harry missaying Diagon Alley when he first used Floo powder. Like, he’s a child and the target of so many dangerous things. Why aren’t they more worried? Why are all weird modes of transportation so dirty and violent? Also, why are Weasleys so dirty after using Floo powder, but the Malfoys and Lockhart, who no doubt use similar systems aren’t? Because they can afford to clean their fireplaces? That’s the only reason I can think of because the trio doesn’t look dirty like that after they use the Floo network to escape the Ministry in Part 1? Although it’s a little too soon for a callback, I do love how the first time Hermione sees Harry again, she fixes his glasses like she did when they first met and Harry says both times “gotta remember that one (yeah, Harry, you really do. Especially in this film where Hermione is barely there).” Also, that shot of Harry after the Basilisk passes him showing how far down the tunnels of the Chamber go is so cool and looks really symbolic because it looks like an eye at the end, watching Harry. Daniel Radcliffe’s acting alongside Dobby was also so good, especially for child actor acting off something that was clearly CGI (and pretty decent CGI for the time period). This movie has a lot of emphasis on eye imagery symbolism just like Azkaban uses a lot of time and clock imagery and symbolism, with all those close-ups of Harry’s face as he bursts his eyes open. It’s symbolic because of how the Basilisk’s eyes kill and petrify with just a glance, and how Harry always has eyes on him, as not only is he the Boy Who Lived, but in this film, he is rumored to be the Heir of Slytherin as well, despite being the baby to defeat Voldemort, the real heir of Slytherin and a Gryffindor. Also, the way that literally all of Gryffindor house is at Harry’s bedside after the Quidditch game from hell, Hermione, Ron, Dean, Semus, Colin, Neville, the Twins, even Oliver, who also crashes, and Harry is just content and happy, meanwhile, Draco is moaning in his bed with only Crabbe, Goyle and two other at his bedside, not even Lucius show as at the game. That is such a great representation of Draco’s insecurity and why he hates Harry so much, he’s jealous. Also LOL at Ron and Hermione being so grossed out by the Polyjuice Potion that they simply drop and smash their cup and run to the toilet to puke. Not even Hermione gives a crap about leaving evidence, that’s how you know it’s bad. I also feel so bad for Hermione. She did something so impressive for her age, by brewing the complicated Polyjuice Potion and while her friends got to reap the benefits of her success, she was stuck as a humanoid cat. It was humorous but pitiful. This especially sucks as the boys are always freaking out while Hermione, being the badass woman she is, always swoops in and saves the day. This movie is the only one where the boys really have to fend for themselves, although Hermione is still the key to their success. At least Hermione didn’t overreact when it went wrong, she was patient, sacrificial and mature, which makes the situation even more unfortunate because Hermione deserved to bask in her success. I am also impressed by how well one of the ADRs for the Polyjuice Potions sequence was, especially with technology at the time being so new. Also, LOL at Ron running into Percy in the hallway while Polyjuiced as Crabbe (him saying “I’m a prefect” so holier-than-thou. Like, does he not realize he’s a student too?). Also, LOL at Draco accusing Crabbe and Goyle of “pigging out in the Great Hall all this time” and Crabbe-Ron nodding nervously. So, is Draco also a bully to his friends? And then Draco calls out Goyle’s glasses and he looks at him suspiciously and is like “I didn’t know you could read,” and Goyle-Harry nods and Draco smirks. While hilarious, it is kind of bittersweet because it shows how Draco doesn’t really have true friends, unlike the trio and the Gryffindors. This scene also shows that Draco bullies all the Weasleys, not just Ron. I wish we could have seen Ginny stand up to him at school, not just her withering glare at him in Flourish and Blotts. Lucius manages to insult Weasley’s economic status and blood acceptance all in one go. However, by the end of teh series, this is humiliating for Lucius because, despite the Weasleys’ poor upbringing, tehir capacity or love and kindness is what helps them (or at least most of them unfortunately) survive, and not just physically, but emotionally. The Malofys are left embarrassed and shame,d while teh Weasleys have nothing to fear, they are saddened due to Fred’s death, but re still teh kind and good people they have always been, and this time that is combined with strength and heroism. Also, LOL at Draco teasing Harry at the beginning of the film, calling Ginny his girlfriend as a cruel nudge, when he was actually predicting the future since Ginny and Harry would end up together (It makes the look Draco and Harry, with Ginny in tow, exchange at Platform Nine and Three Quarters in the Epilogue that much more ironic. maybe Draco was a secret Divination prodigy). Also, LOL at Hermione fixing Harry’s glasses in Chamber the first time she sees Harry again just like she did the first time she met him in Stone. It’s a bit too soon for a callback, but it was really sweet, and yes Harry, you do need to remember that one. Also, Harry telling Ginny “it’s just a memory” after both of them are saved in the Chamber of Secrets, is so sweet and ironic. Sweet, because it’s the first true moment this couple shared and they are really the only two who understand and ironic because, just like Hermione and Ron’s first kiss, their first full conversation and because it was just a memory because the fact that Ginny was possessed was never talked about again, just how Harry destroyed the diary and saved her. making her seem more like a damsel in distress than a victim. Ron and the Twins are such great friends. They risked getting in huge trouble (not that the Twins would care) by stealing the flying car to personally remove Harry from his toxic environment and celebrate his birthday. That’s true friendship. That’s family. This scene cements Harry being an honorary Weasley, made official when he marries Ginny (which based on how forced their relationship is in the film feels like it is only for convenience’s sake to make Harry a Weasley as she’s the only girl, when from what I’ve heard in the books, it’s much more natural). Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint’s performances in this film were fantastic. They were more dynamic and bouncy. I think besides Phoenix for Radcliffe and Part 1 for Grint, this film has some of the best work of the series. This film had a lot of really well-acted moments for the trio with various adult members of the cast, however the most layered, dynamic and well-acted scene of the whole film was at the ending between Dumbledore, Harry and Lucius in Dumbledore’s office. Lucius’ reaction to Voldemort’s name was so well done and his reaction to Dumbledore holding the diary and Dobby tugging on Harry’s robes and eyeing Malfoy, having him put the pieces together about Malfoy, was so good. And of course, Harry frees Dobby and Harry responds to Lucius’ sarcastic “let us hope that Mr. Potter always be around to save the day” comment by saying saying “don’t worry, I will” were just good (it also encapsulated the series so well).Those moments were so well-acted, especially the “Mr. Potter always be around to save the day” exchange. From what my friends say, there was a lot of improvisation in the office scene too, with those two lines being improvised (impressively enough) and Lucius kicking Dobby being improvised too. The freeing Dobby scene was also well-done, and showed off Harry’s intuition, smarts and bravery (Honestly, Hermione would have been so proud of him for how cunning he was in this scene). He puts the sock in the diary, he shoves the book into Malfoy’s hand knowing Malfoy would be superior and ignorant enough to hand it to his servant, retroactively freeing Dobby, all while exposing how he put the diary in Ginny’s cauldron at Diagon Alley after Dobby helped him put the pieces together. I also love how confidently Harry confronts Malfoy, showing how much he has grown in such a short amount of time, and also how much understanding he now has for the Wizarding World. Lucius’ rage-fueled, childish trantrum-like reaction “YOU LOST ME MY SERVANT” was also great. The specificity Jason Isaacs had in this movie, in his portrayal and in his characterization of Lucius was so good. Although, did Lucius literally almost use Avada Kedravra on a literal child, the same age as his own son? That’s the moment he officially went downhill. I mean in this movie, he was the cold, intimidating wealthy villain, but in all the other movies he was a cowardly, insufferable follower. At least Dobby got his revenge on Lucius by throwing him back and saving Harry (his little sassy arm-crossed nod was so cute). Funny how Lucius’ most badass scene was his own House Elf taking him down. Also, Dobby promising Harry not to save his life ever again and then keeping his promise in Part 1 and that promise being what ultimately causes Dobby’s death, it’s just so heartbreaking. Another one of the most well-acted scenes in this whole film was the scene between Tom Riddle and Harry in the Chamber of Secrets where Tom finally reveals his true identity. It was also so well-written with the line “Voldemort is my past, present and future” and showing how Lord Voldemort is an anagram. It was really smart and dynamic. I loved Daniel Radcliffe’s snarky smile when he says “I bet Dumbledore saw through you.” However, LOL at Harry called Dumbledore the greatest sorcerer in the world. More like the greatest liar in the world. At least that ironic proclamation called Fawkes, is the only thing that can really help Harry and Tom Riddle did have one of his dreams come true, becoming a wizard whose name everyone was too scared to speak. And I wish Tom Riddle was right about how Dumbledore was run out of the castle due to the memory of him and fear of his return, and not because the school board hated him and was trying to manipulate a way to fire him. Either way, Dumbledore is still a selfish coward for abandoning his students. Although, I do appreciate the foreshadowing of the line “Dumbledore will never be gone. Not as long as those who remain are loyal to him.” But honestly, one of Harry’s dumbest decisions of the entire series was to leave his wand on the ground far away from him when he runs to Ginny’s cold body in the Chamber, readily available for Tom Riddle to snatch. At least he learned his lesson, because in the future films, he held onto his wand for dear life. In Chamber, Wright’s eyes are the window to her soul. They tell you everything you need to know. She’s aware of her surroundings and impulsive. It’s clear that when given the chance, she can handle what is given, but nothing is ever given to her that is meaningful and purposeful in the future, and that just does a disservice to both the actor and the character. Also, Daniel Radcliffe’s reactive, impulsive and specific acting with Dobby, who was clearly CGI was so good, especially for a kid. It really felt like Dobby was there with Harry, not just CGI. As good and innocent as his performance was in Stone, you can clearly see how much comfort he has gotten in the time between the first and second films. Also, LOL at Ginny throwing Voldemort’s soul down the toilet. Ginny being the one to open the Chamber of Secrets was a good choice that I didn’t see coming, especially since they had established her as so shy, especially around Harry who is in every scene. She is a young girl, the only daughter in her family and the youngest for that matter, which makes her underestimated and an easy target. Therefore, I didn’t see it coming, but after finding it out, it made a lot of sense and was a really good choice. Also, part of why this film is so low, beside the central motif of snakes, is because of how, as riveting a steh mystery is, the resolution doesn’t make any sense. How does teh Basilisk travel from teh Chamber of Secrets to the rest of teh school through the pipes if plumbing didn’t exist 1,000 years ago? How does teh Basilisk petrify or kill students since teh walls int ehc astle are stone? How doe sit poek it’s head out? Literally just what are teh logistics of how teh Baslilsk works. It got to the point where it was honestly distracting (at least until the riveting Tom Riddle-Harry Potter confrontation. I coudln’t look away form that) because I was like “this makes no sense.” And I don’t blame Hermione. I just hope this is better explain din the book. Also, I understand that at this point in the franchise when it’s still innocent and adventurous, having student die would be a bit harsh (and also make Cedric’s death far less impactful), however, I find it a little too easy that no student died due to teh Baslilsk. Like how convenient. Havings oemoen die always makes the stakes that much grander, so while it was a fun mystery, it didn’t have as high of stakes until Ron’s sister was taken (honestly, Hemrioen merely getting petrified wa smroe of an obstacle for Harry artehr then something that grows the stakes). Also, how the Prologue score from the first film, that played during the letter montage, si also sued in this film, particularly in the Weasleys rescuing Harry scene. That score just exemplifies 90s witchy charm, it’s so wodnerous and great. I wish we got to hear Mr. Weasley’s conversation with Hermione’s Muggle parents during the Flourish & Blotts scene. That must have been such a hilarious conversation. I also love how we get to see Hermione interact with her parents in that Flourish & Blotts scene, even though they don’t actually speak. I mean, Hermione was only outside and they still hug her and help her with their books. You can tell how much they love their daughter, which makes her obliviating their memories to protect them later on that much sadder. Also, Harry’s smile as Mrs. Weasley’s maternally wipes off his robes while relieved that he is alright (also LOL because clearly, they didn’t try that hard to look for him even though it was his first time using Floo powder). I also thought it was so funny how Mrs. Weasley kept fixing and priming her hair as Lockhart walks out and begins to talk (and LOL at Ron “mom fancies him” and Mrs. Weasley hitting him). I also love the use of dutch angles (crooked, diagonal framing in shots) in this film. It really helped with the mysterious, ominous and spooky tone. Also, LOL at Harry’s reaction to Floo powder, and also the Weasleys’ reactions, who are used to it. Also, LOL at Hagrid’s ‘subtlety’ while telling Harry and Ron to follow the spiders while they were under the Invisibility Cloak while Hagrid was escorted out of his hut. Also, LOL at tactless Ron telling Myrtle that if someone threw something at her itw ould go right through her, despite Hemrione’s warning about ehr sensitivity. This is prove when Myrtle punches through Ron’s stomach and head after saying this during her immature little tantrum (also this was proven later in Azkaban as Nearly Headless Nick walks straight through Dean Thomas). Also, is it just me or did that Ron and Hermione’s awkward handshake, that awkwardness, it comes out of nowhere, right? This movie also shows us the Weasley home and our first wizard household. It’s so fascinating to see. The location clock. The self-knitting needles and self-cleaning dishes. It’s exactly what you’d expect and so, so, so charming. It only makes you love your family more. I loved the scene in Hagrid’s hut after Draco calls Hermione a Mudblood and Ron tells him to “eat slugs” in her defense. Hagrid can relate to Hermione being called a Mudblood as he’s a half-giant (right? as he is a giant, but also can do magic as seen with the pink umbrella), who no doubt also gets discriminated against (also, the irony that Hagrid says that there isn’t a wizard alive who isn’t half blood or less, with pureblood Ron literally puking right there). Emma Watson’s performance in that scene was really well done. It had so many layers, with her going from sadness to anger to disappointment to shame to joy, which is very impressive for an actor at her young age. The scene was also so well-balanced, with Ron’s puking in the corner not being too distracting from Hermione’s vulnerability and Hagrid explaining what pureblood prejudice is and trying to cheer up Hermione, which says a lot about how well-written and well-directed this important scene is because it could have easily fallen flat with one wrong directorial, dialogue or acting choice. This was also one of my favorite Hagrid scenes of the whole series. I love how he says “they’ve yet to think of a spell our Hermione can’t do,” as a reference to her then, and always, being the best at spells among the trio, and she gives a big, sweet, thankful smile in return. It was a great moment. Also, LOL at Hagrid’s solution, not to bring him to Madame Pomfrey, but to just sit and wait for Ron to stop puking. The trio’s reunion is adorable too. Harry and Hermione’s run-into-each-other’s-arms hug was so sweet, and Ron and Hermione’s awkward handshake was cute (but admittedly came out of nowhere. We go no clues before this way too on-the-nose one that they had crushes on each other. It was adorable and a cute beginning to their slow-burn romance, but the awkwardness came out of nowhere. But at least it made Hermione grabbing Ron’s hand in the Buckbeak scene in the following film make more sense. This was the fastest part of their slow burn because it came out nowhere). I also love how Harry gives Hermione her well-deserved credit. He does the same in the latter movies. His humility is balanced with confidence as the movies go on, but his humility always dominates. He’s such a good protagonist. Also, this has to be mentioned, but Tom Felton looked significantly older than himself in the prior film (like, honestly, at least two years older, not one) as well as the rest of the child cast, who looks maybe a few months older then themselves in the Sorcerer’s Stone (but that’s mostly, I think, due to evolving their hairstyling and re-styling their uniforms). However, I think this worked well because him towering over the other characters worked for his bully persona as a character. The only other child character that seemed game as significantly as Draco is Ginny aka Bonnie Wright. Also, can we talk about how Holocaust-like Salazar Slytherin’s idea (specifically in Chamber of Secrets) of cleansing Hogwarts of Muggleborns, basically saying some people belong in the magical world and others don’t that’s so effed up? However, their insecurities of Hermione, even though she seems proud to be Muggleborn but not naive about it, show how her work ethic is in some way rooted in her having to prove her worthiness to study magic. However, Hermione also just has a hard-working personality, but because of this prejudice, thank goodness she does, as she proves so many people wrong with her skills and smarts. I love how fascinated Harry is when he visits the Burrow for the first time. The wonder as he looks at the dishes magically self-cleaning and the self-knitting needles. The clock has moving photos of all the Weasley kids showing their locations like home, school, Qudiditch and even prison and mortal peril (I’m guessing all of them were pointed there during Hallows). He’s amazed and mesmerized, which a big smile. And then Ron eats a roll and says “it’s not much, but it’s home” and Harry says meaningfully “I think it’s brilliant,” showing how it’s not riches that matter to harry, it’s the simple things; family, friends and love. Also, LOL at Ron and the Twins looking down at their rolls and hiding them behind their backs when Mrs. Weasleys runs to and hollers “where have you been?’ I also love how Hagrid gives Hermione her rightful credit too when he comes back from Azkaban. I also love how the last line in the film is Harry saying “It’s not Hogwarts without you, Hagrid,” and then that comes full circle in Azkaban when Hagrid actually becomes an official professor, cementing his place in the Hogwarts community. Harry saving Ginny in Chamber was also great foreshadowing for their romance. between that and the Chamber being where Ron and Hermione have their long-awaited first kiss, it seems Salazar Slytherin’s place of evil is actually oddly and ironic romantic. Also, the way Draco is angrier at that Mandrake for biting his finger (also, LOL at his arrogance for stupidly putting his finger inside a Mandrake’s mouth), than he is at Harry or anyone in this entire series. Literally, the chemistry between Tom Felton and that fictional plant is electric, it’s hilarious. The fact that they nailed the destroying the diary scene before the rest of the books were written. It set a great precedent for the future quality and success of the film franchise as it set up vital plot points for the future in the fifth, sixth and final two films. Also, the special effects when Harry gets pulled out of Tom Riddle’s diary is probably one of the worst special effects moments of the series, TBH. Also, Harry literally shoots out of that diary and almost falls back out of the chair. That must have taken a million takes. Also, LOL at Harry scaring Hermione by telling her that in the month it takes to brew Polyjuice that Malfoy would be able to kill half the Muggle-borns in the school by then. However, her response is very brave. She could just be helpless, but t least she’s showing patience and taking action. It’s very admirable. Also, Draco’s grand reveal of being Slytherin’s new seeker was a little comedic, as you can clearly see his bleach-blonde hair during the wide shot of the two teams walking up to each other, making that grand reveal more comical than ominous. I also love Hermione’s smirk after she says “no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way, they got in on pure talent.” Way to call out privilege and nepotism Hermione! I love seeing a young girl put a bullying boy in their place, especially in defense of a friend, in this case, Ron’s unhealthy upbringing. It is also made even more badass due to how Draco responds in the simplest, cruelest and most calculated way he could, physically turning to look Hemrioen right in the eye, silent for a few beats, ten puncturing in the same he has seen his father puncture so many other, by calling her a “filthy little Mudblood.” Also, LOL at Harry not giving two craps about how terrified Ron is in the Aragog scene, just focused on getting answers from Aragog. That’s very Hermione of him. Also, these kid actors are honestly so good because of how naturally, casually and authentically they say things like “did you get my owl?” and “my bones grow back.” It’s so absurd and insane, but in this world so normal, and the actors casual and effortlessly committed delivery of those lines really helps make the world feel real and grounded. Also, LOL, did Ron really use Muggle tape to fix his broken wand? I there not a wand repairer at this magic school? How did he get Muggle tape? Also, that was such an unnecessarily grand entrance to Dumbledore’s office, when McGongagall walks Harry to it, my gosh. Dumbledore does not deserve that. Also, LOL at McGonagall’s ‘yeah right’ smirk to Lockhart when he said that he knew the countercurse that could have saved Mrs. Norris. All these professors could see right through Lockhart and see that he was a fraud (even Dumbledore leans his head in a condescending way stares at him like ‘yeah sure’ during this). Why wasn’t tehre a scene with the professors questioning Dumbledore’s judgment in hiring him? You KNOW McGonagall was interrogating him everyday about the decision to hire Lockhart. Draco’s little smirk right before he begins to duel Harry, he is so excited and thrilled, while Harry is just so confident and fierce, not scared or angry, just determined, shown before the send a spell at one another or even before Draco says “scared Potter?” and Harry replies “you wish.” Also, LOL at Ron saying that it’s annoying how Ginny has been talking about Harry all summer. Ron really can’t take a hint. Such a boy! Also, LOL at Mr. Weasley working in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office while also committing that exact same ‘crime.’ No wonder he got in trouble with Ron using the flying car. Now we know where the Weasleys get their rebellious spirit! Man, I wish we got to see the Twins, Percy, Neville and Hermione’s reactions from the train through the window and afterward of Harry and Ron using the flying car to get to Hogwarts. The Twins would be so jealous. Percy would probably have the same reaction as his mom. Neville would be impressed. While Hermione would just be happy they are safe and didn’t get expelled. Such a missed opportunity! Also, LOL at the first ever Floo Powder scene going so wrong for Harry and the reactions of the Weasleys watching it happen from their fireplace are so intense and difficult, while every time it’s used in future films, it’s so normal. Harry gets used to that awfully fast. I also enjoyed the parallel of the scene in Snape’s office after the Ford Anglia incident where Snape is furious and how the two boys think they are getting expelled, but don’t, then later after the Chamber of Secrets incident where Dumbledore is calmly and seemingly angry with them (Ron looks hilariously terrified then) and again they are sure they would be expelled, but in reality, Dumbledore is proud of them (he’s completely okay with child endangerment). It’s a great parallel or microcosm of how different Dumbledore and Snape are and how unlikely their later alliance is. It really begs the question, what does it take to get expelled from Hogwarts (obviously Harry only gets expelled temporarily in Phoenix because Fudge is out to get him)? The scene in Dumbledore’s office also just shows how perfect Harris is in this role. The way he says all those angry, accusatory lines to Ron and Harry so calmly and casually. Harris’ line delivery during the scene this scene was also brilliant. This way of delivering Dumbledore’s lines makes him feel wiser and God-like the way Gambon does it. Gambon also made Dumbledore more like Snape with his quickness and sharpness. Harris showed how polar opposite Dumbledore and Snape are, while Gambon was more in the middle. Also, the fact that Harry and Ron got special awards while Hermione, who literally was the one to find out the key piece of information (what the monster is and how it travels) while still comatose, doesn’t get any credit from Dumbledore? Yeah, that’s fair. Like, what does Dumbledore have against Hermione? She deserves the honor too. At least, Harry, Ron and Hagrid give her the credit she deserves. I also love how Dumbledore started the applause for Hagrid, then McGongall, the professor Hagrid is most opposite from, then the trio and then the school (all while Malfoy is bitter). I can imagine some might say it was a cheesy ending, but I think it worked well for the innocent place the series was somewhat still at during this point in time. It also was great to have a lighthearted ending after a somewhat dark murder mystery-esque storyline. The thing is, why was there no foreshadowing that it was Ginny who opened the Chamber? She never tried to confess to Ron or Harry. There were never any “Ginny is acting weird” comments. Nothing. That would have made the mystery work even better, I think. Also, Madame Pomfrey and Professor Sprout had their biggest work and screentime in this film, and that deserves to be mentioned. Overall, the stakes rose significantly in this film. It got a little darker and it was the first time there was a confirmed danger, not an assumed danger. This film was also less of an introduction (obviously) and instead have events that would remain relevant throughout all the rest of the movies. It was also Richard Harris’ film swan song. RIP!
6. Goblet of Fire
This film was by far the most energetic film of the whole series, tonally, and also because it was the most action-packed film in the series (which is ironic because, much like dystopian and sci-fi, I usually hate stuff in the action-adventure genre). It was a theatrical, bombastic extravaganza, but it also had a mature sophistication and darker complexity to it that showed just how far the young actors, the young characters and the series itself has come. It was the biggest turning point of the series. Gone were the innocent, risky adventures and here come the truly life-or-death stakes. These films were always about good vs. evil, but now they also became about life and death, despite it’s adventurous, spirited central storyline. This film’s storyline is also far more sophisticated and matures for a children’s film (and also in its dialogue with students saying words like “loquacious” even if that student is a brainiac like Hermione). I think its tone has a lot to do with that well-done balance with it being both fun and high-stakes.The young wizards finally saw how truly dangerous it is to be a wizard with the Triwizard Tournament and Cedric Diggory’s tragic death. It was also the most epic in my opinion, even more so than the finale, dare I say. This is because of the sports games, the tournament, the Yule Ball, and two more schools joining the film. This film also expanded the world more then any other film so far in the series. We were introduced to the Wizarding World on an International level and got to know more about how the Ministry works. The tournament itself reminded me of the Family Wizard Competition in Wizard of Waverly Place. We also got introduced to the evilness of the world through the introduction of Death Eaters and Unforgivable Curses, which makes sense for the age the trio was at in these films. But really, Harry really can’t catch a break, man. He thinks, with the Triwizard Tournament, finally someone else can be the center of attention, after a Chamber of Terror and the hysteria of a mass murderer in his two previous years. However, he’s Harry Potter, the titular character, and until the Dark Lord is really defeated, that will never happen, and hence; he becomes the unprecedented fourth champion in the Tournament. One complaint I have about this film is that we had to see Voldemort’s disgusting feet. Like, was it really such an ordeal for Wormtail to get Voldemort some shoes? I mean, props to the makeup team for the attention to detail, but honestly, just ew. And his nails too, are disgusting. Also, Voldemort having the hateful audacity to step on Cedric’s face (ew) AFTER he ordered Wormtail to kill him, like SCREW YOU! Also, LOL at Voldemort saying “Harry, I almost forgot you were here,” like eh didn’t us his followers to manipulate teh entire plot of the movie. ALthough, his preceding quotes of “word is you are almost as famous as me these days” show his arrogance and “I can touch you now” is slightly comedic and cringy. I love a good school dance, and finally seeing these kids let loose and dress up, even Ron (lol), was wonderful. Also, it was fun to gain some insight into what Wizarding pop culture looks like their the rock band that played at the Ball. It was the perfect balance of character-driven storytelling and grandeur and spectacle. This movie, to me, also marked the transition from kids to teenagers for all the students we have come to love in the three previous films. It was the start of Harry Potter becoming more of a coming-of-age film series and less of a children’s story, which as someone who loves some good teen drama, I absolutely loved. The coming-of-age aspects of this film were some of my favorite parts, from asking girls to the dance to the cliquey teen angst of Harry versus Cedric (the Potter Sucks buttons were so accurate it hurts). It was endearing to see that even the famous Harry Potter still gets awkward, unremarkably so, which is rarely seen from a heroic character. It makes the hero relatable and empathetic, instead of larger-than-life, which was a smart choice, being that it’s a series for kids. I also loved Hermione’s ugly duckling, Cinderella-esque transformation. I mean, I may not have loved the dress choice or the hairstyle, and Emma Watson is gorgeous no matter what, but it was such a great and well-acted moment. Every girl has that moment and dreams of that moment, when the people closest to her stop seeing them as a child and starts seeing them as a mature young women. I also loved how outspoken and confident she is by saying to Ron “next time there’s a ball pluck up the courage to ask me before somebody else does.” It was also a great example of adolescent miscommunication. Hermione had her Cinderella moment, a night she has such high expectations for, and Ron was ruining it (I can relate). It was also great to see a young woman so self-assured, especially with how bossy and smart-ass she was in this film, she didn’t seem to care if people were making fun of her about it. I loved seeing that confident side of her because it’s very relatable to young women. Also, when she wakes Harry and Ron up in the beginning of the film, warned the Weasley twins that the aging potion won’t work and when she told Harry and Ron to go to bed at the Yule Ball. It was such a realistic depiction of female adolescent anger, especially in a world where women are told not to be angry, and when we are, whether its through sleep deprivation to genuine rage, we (as teens) don’t know how to handle it, especially when that rage stems from a newly formed crush (a crush on Ron in Hermione’s case, and she, and Ron too, don’t know how to handle it). Emma Watson did a great job portraying that anger with layers of sadness and lost hope as well. Why don’t Krum, Fleur and Cedric have personality? Fleur seems like she’s a sweeter version of Pansy Parkison, but still with a holier-then-thou attitude. These Queen Bee vibes are shown in a shot during the scene where Harry says he’d rather fight a dragon then ask a girl out when she’s leading a pack of girls through the courtyard. Krum seems tough and brawny, but a bit of a cocky nut too. And Cedric, while he was the only one who we really got to know, but still not really. I wish we got to see Harry interact with each of them one-on-one. Especially Fleur, because despite her being in two more movies after this, we don’t really get to know further, except for seeing her sweeter side when joining the Order after marrying Bill Weasley (which is surprising after she was presented as a judge Queen Bee, because Bill seems very grungy. If anything, she seemed to match Percy more then Bill, which I hate to say because Percy sucks and Fleur is actually intriguing). The direction was also kind of off in this movie. Particularly in the scene where Ginny brings Ron into the common room him looking loopy and he says that he asked Fleur Delacour out (LOL the irony), and he told the story, making it sound calm, casual and nonchalantly, and then Ginny outed him being like “actually he sort of screamed at her.” It seems like it was supposed to be a classic sibling tattletale scene, when really it came off so flat and too serious for how funny the scene was, especially with Ron being like “I’m not cut out for this Harry.” One Hermione scene in this film that I particularly love is the scene where she rolled her eyes and opened a book to read while everyone was watching and cheering on Fred and George’s fight after the Age Line debacle. That was such a mood. I love the “you do you” energy in that moment. I loved it so much, because that’s literally me in so many situations (just with art and drawing instead of reading, although honestly based on how much I love these movies, I am truly considering reading the books which is a big deal for me. However, in order to not give JKR movie I’d probably try and find these iconic and globally beloved books as PDFs online, which I am sure exist knowing the internet). God, I love Hermione so much and relate to her so much. I also love Emma Watson’s sing-songy delivery of “it’s not going to work” in that scene. It reminds me of her know-it-all tendencies from the first film, but with more humor, showing her growth. I also thought it was funny how the band that plays at the Yule Ball is called “The Weird Sisters” when that’s the name of the group of popular mean girls in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I wonder if that was in the comic or it was an homage to Potter. I also loved how they used real British rock stars from Pulp and Radiohead. This film’s pacing is also a bit off, and I think the main reason is that they dragged out the tasks and cut the Quidditch World Cup, which didn’t make it feel well-balanced, especially with how jarring the cuts involving the World Cup and the Golden Egg are. The blocking in the Harry and Hermione bridge scene is a bit weird, what with Hermione jumping over from one side of Harry to another (it doesn’t translate very well that she is trying to get him to look at her with that ultra-tight the close-up and how little we see Harry’s reactions to what Hermione is saying), I did think it was a sweet moment between the two, showing just how much Hermione cares for Harry and how good of a friend she is. But also LOL at Hermione saying he got by the dragons mostly on never, then Harry visibly showing that Hermione is getting on his nerve. I also love how the water that runs in the prefect bathroom is each a different color, each the color of a Hogwarts House. I also love how the stained glass windows are animated with the mermaid playing with her hair and the water actually moving. I also appreciated the callback to Chamber and foreshadowing with Myrtle saying she found Polyjucie Potion in a drain the other day. I also thought Ron making up some elaborate lie to tell Harry about the dragons was such a teenage thing to do. And the way Neville looks at Moody-Crouch when he comes to check on him like he’s literally the last person he wants to see right now and the last thing he wants to do is to have tea with him, but he is a good, polite, obedient person and does what he’s told. I wonder how he felt when he found out it was actually the person who tortured his parents who he had tea with. Matthew Lewis’ performance during this whole Unforgivable Curse sequence and the aftermath on the stairs was so good and shows off how good of a lineless actor he is too because he literally only speaks 4 words in the whole sequence. Like, not only is Neville’s arc great, but Lewis’ arc as an actor from the first film to the last is insane, although the nervousness I am sure he felt during the first film actually worked for his character, which is why his performance in that film is just so charming. Also, that shot of the Daily Prophet headline “Teenage Tragedy” being consumed by the fire after Harry talks with Sirius. It’s so sad and the double meaning is so symbolic and great foreshadowing. Also, I do have to say that I sort of chuckled at Harry’s stunned “not this sh*t again” face when Crouch Sr. officially declares him a Triwizard champion and then the wide shot of all the teachers all with vastly different expressions, Karkaroff scolding him like a pouty teen, Snape completely speechless, McGonagall terrified, Maxine scared, Dumbeldore terrified (LOL), Crouch like “f*ck” and Moody-Crouch just cold. I also loved how Neville had the confidence to be the first boy to get up during dance lessons. And then seeing him so happy and excited, loving to dance. It was great (and a little homophobic in the undertones with Harry and Ron watching awkwardly in the doorway of their dormitory). I also loved how he went with Ginny. Ginny is so sweet to go with him, and it was great so all the Weasley kids could reminisce about it. Also, the opening score music with the Warner Brothers’ logo reminds me of a Horror movie, which is fitting for the film’s PG-13, the first time any film in the series was given this rating and due to how traumatizing this film no doubt was for little kids. But also, why must this movie opens with a shot of Nagini? Why?! However, it is pretty smart to foreshadow the graveyard with the winged Grim Reaper (why though?) and the tombstone of Tom Riddle Sr. right in the beginning, especially because we have spent 3 movies opening with Dursleys, so it’s jarring, intriguing and confusing, finally making sense at the very (although, I think it would have made more sense to see Crouch Jr. walking through the graveyard to the abandoned mansion because that Muggle guy literally served zero purpose. We have already seen Voldemort and the Death Eater’s ruthlessness and prejudice, we didn’t need this). One thing about this film that I thought was truly criminal, however, was how little they gave to Alan Rickman. The Veritaserum threat scene was like his only big scene, and while it was a great, well-acted scene, especially with Rickman’s delivery of the lines “the use of it on a student is regrettably forbidden” and “do. not. lie. to. me,” the editing did Rickman’s part of the scene a great disservice, which was very disappointing. Another line he delivered phenomenally was “…we should for the time being let. them. unfold…”, it was just amazing (also McGonagall’s response by saying “offer him up as bait? Potter is a boy, not a piece of meat?” foreshadowing that that’s exact what Dumbledore has been planning to do with Harry all along. Literally had me yelling “one more time for the people in the back!” If only McGonagall knew. She always put the safety of her students first. She was always so protective of them)! However, when he was on screen he took full advantage, from his controlled anger to his subtle eye rolls. Also, the scene itself foreshadowed Umbridge’s use of it, which I thought was clever. Although, I do love how it’s Snape who first notices the Goblet of Fire acting weird during the, what should I call it, reaping scene (like in The Hunger Games?), not to mention his controlled and hidden fear as he looks at Harry as Harry walks up by after his name is called, and how him and Harry eye each other when they discover it was Moody-Crouch stealing the Polyjuice Potion ingredients. I also liked Rickman’s menacing stare and use of the wand prop when watching Crouch as McGonagall alerts Azkaban. Also, LOL at the Twins turning the Triwizard Tournament into a sports betting gig. Their business savvy is so underrated, so with how hard they worked to try and trick the Goblet of Fire, at least they are making the most of a bad situation, at least in their own way. We also see Hermione rub off on Harry a bit in this movie, with how he solves problems by taking matters into his own hands, by turning to Neville and going to the Prefect’s bathroom. He’s also observant like her (after all, she was the only one to notice the trapdoor Fluffy was guarding in the first film), as he notices how Hagrid spruced himself up for his dragon date with Maxine, which Harry hilariously third wheeled on. Also, I find it funny how Harry stands when Dumbledore calls his name from the Goblet of Fire then regrets it and sits back down because he has no idea what is going on and is an awkward boy, then Hermione pushes him towards Dumbledore looking terrified. It was a great way to show Harry’s thought process and show Hermione’s loyalty to Harry and her rule-following nature. Also, why is Dumbledore so energetic in this film? Like, chill dude. Also, isn’t he suppose to be really old? Why is he acting like a man in his 40s or 50s. Also, LOL at Fleur and Cedric’s bubble masks. Maybe that’s how wizards survived COVID. Also, the lack of Sirius, especially after his epic introduction in Azkaban, was so disappointing. like, you have Gary f*cking Oldman and all you give him is a voiceover and a scene where he is talking through a fireplace? That is so disappointing. I know this movie is jam-packed, but you could give Oldman one significant scene? However, the writing in Sirius’ one scene was very…interesting. Sirius was simultaneously trying not to scare Harry by telling him his visions of Voldemort were just dreams, while also telling him that people die in the Triwizard Tournament and saying that he know has enemies at Hogwarts who put his name in the Goblet of Fire, retroactively terrifying Harry. Like I get Sirius wouldn’t want to sugar-coat anything or scare Harry too much, but come on, at least give Oldman a more well-written scene. I will say, for as much as I despise Dumbledore, I did like his line “you have friends here. Remember you are not alone, Harry” at the end of this movie. It was a great segway into the next movie, when Harry feels excluded and lonely. However, then Dumbledore shatters the whole scene by asking Harry if he saw his parents that night in the graveyard, Harry smiles “yes,” and Dumbledore ruins Harry’s happiness by stating the obvious that nothing can waken the dead. Harry’s backflips (in and out of the water) throughout the second task were pretty badass, have to say. Also, Cho being Cedric’s ‘treasure’ must have hurt Harry so much. Neville is also so comedic and adorable when he turns away from the lake during the second task stunned and terrified like “I killed Harry Potter” and missing Harry’s epic flip out of the water as Dean and Seamus laugh in amazement. Neville is so me. Impatient. Panicky. Matthew Lewis and Emma Watson’s acting in the Unforgivable Curses scene was great. Neville’s pain of seeing his parents in the tortured spider and Hermione’s horrifidness of Moody teaching the students Unforgivable Curses, it was all so well-done. Also, the shot of Avada Kedavra-ing the spider in focus then the focus changing into focusing n Harry, cementing how he did the impossible and survived the spell, reminded us that Harry watched his mom die in a similar way he watched that spider and foreshadowing Cedric’s death. Also, I know its a spider, but Moody-Crouch literally had no business killing ANYTHING in front of a bunch of students. Hermione was 100% right, to do that in a classroom is just awful. At least, she was kind enough to check in on a horrified Neville. Hermione’s kindness is very underrated. Unlike most Type-A people, she wasn’t competitive, she was genuinely kind. To my surprise as someone who hates sports, I actually loved seeing the Quidditch World Cup and all it’s spectacle. I wish we got to see more of it. I also thought it was funny seeing Hermione enjoy it because I always got the impression that she went to Quidditch games to support her friends, she didn’t actually like it like Ginny did. The scene where she sits in reads while everyone cheers on Fred and George’s fight seemingly confirmed this to me. It was also ironic seeing her clap for Krum knowing that she doesn’t become one of the girls at Hogwarts that obsessively stalks him, but ultimately ended up doing to the dance with him. I also thought it was such a boy thing for Ron to adore Krum for his athleticism, but the second he shows interest in Hermione, he claims to hate him. Good on Hermione for calling him out on that double standard. Also, Ron’s awkward wave to Cedric when he puts his name in the Goblet of Fire, because Ron’s is younger and wishes he could do the same and therefore admires Cedric. It was so funny, and proves once again how good Rupert Grint is at comedy. Going back to the Quidditch World Cup, seeing Draco and Lucius’ faux power flex, especially Draco’s bragging and then Lucius shutting him up, much to Draco’s embarrassment, was very interesting when it’s revealed at the end of the movie that one of the Death Eaters that invaded the World Cup could have been Lucius himself. Did Draco know that? Also, all Draco was trying to do in that World Cup scene was support his dad and brag to his classmates, he wasn’t trying to embarrass Lucius, and yet that’s exactly how Lucius made him feel in return because it was in front of his classmates that he was jealous of, reminding us again how toxic their father-son relationship is, which was especially interesting because once again like in Chamber, it paralleled the loving relationship between the Weasleys and their father, and how their father teaches them to love, not to hate like Lucius teaches Draco. Also, I loved how fire-face Sirius’ (you have Gary Oldman for Christ’s sake and yous serious make him act through awkward fire animation?) parting words to harry are “keep your friend close” just as Ron is coming down the stairs, while they are still fighting. It was so ironic and meaningful, especially in following him, Ron has learned his lesson that harry will always be honest with him, and therefore stands up for him in front of the whole common room when Seamus is interrogating him in the following film. Also, is it just me, or does Hermione not cast a single spell in this whole movie, once again underusing both Watson and Hermione? She’s a genius and very skilled. Why couldn’t there have been a scene where she helps Harry prepare for either the first or the third task, not just the second, as those were the tasks which needed the most skill in defensive spells? I did appreciate how there was at least one woman contestant in the tournament. In the second task, there was at least some sort of equality with Fleur being in a one-piece swimsuit and the boys not being shirtless, though the unequal sex appeal was a bit odd, because, why couldn’t Fleur just be in a scuba shirt instead (also, what do Wizard swimsuits look like? Are they the same as Muggles)? Although, that could just be Clemence Posey’s beauty (she’s gorgeous!) and skinny privilege showing through. Also, speaking of the second task, LOL at Harry’s…graceful? dive into the Black Lake (also LOL at Harry’s unpleasant look while chewing the gillyweed and pleasant shock at its effects). Also, poor Neville, he finally finds something he’s good at, then his self-doubt falls through and he says “oh my god. I’ve killed Harry Potter” with his back turn missing him epically flip out of the water (Neville honey, you end up SAVING Harry Potter. Never fear). Also, Neville’s face when Harry shoots out of the water onto the platform is so thrilled and relieved. He’s so supportive. Unlike the stereotypical gorgeous mermaids, like on the stained glass in the bathroom in that creepy Myrtle scene (I love how the stained glass windows also move like painting and photos. They even cry, like that one Neville stares into after he sees the spider get the Cruciatus curse. That’s so cool!), the Black Lake mermaids are cruel and ugly, which I think was unique subversion of the trope that was an intriguing surprise. Also, Harry’s hero complex really shines through in the second task. Like, would they really let one of the “prizes” drown in the Black Lake even though they never asked to participate (honestly, I wouldn’t put it past Crouch Sr. or Dumbledore)? However, I did love that he sacrificed himself in the squid attack part of the sequence, because that just cemented that Harry did this not for glory or being her was an overachiever, (because it wasn’t really clear how and why Fleur never finished the task. Of course, they have the woman fall short *eye roll*) but because he is a genuinely good person who wants to make sure everyone is okay. But also LOL at Ron saying at the end of the second task when they are on the dock back on the grounds “even when you go wrong, it goes right.” That should be Harry’s tagline for the whole series. The thing is, Harry heard in Goblet that Snape “at great personal risk” was a Death Eater and then traded sides and became a spy, so he already knew that when he learned Snape’s story, he just didn’t know why, and neither did we, the audience. These clever Easter Eggs were so brilliant. I do appreciate the subverted stereotypes, especially with having that mermaid stained glass, by having the merpeople be vicious and ugly with iridescent skin and rope-like hair. Also, Viktor Krum’s shark head was framed making it look like Harryw as about to be attacked by a shark was such a jump scare. Cedric’s death was so devastating. he was so kind, brave, good and young and did not deserve that at all. He even admired the portkey with a smile on his face, in awe of its brilliance, before Harry made him realize that the situation is dangerous. Knowing Harry, he must feel so guilty for Cedric’s death as he was the one to suggest taking the cup together, not knowing it was a portkey to Voldemort. Cedric’s death was instantaneous and happened in a split second. Harry and Cedric both had no time to try and stop it. It was cold-blooded in the most usually cruel way. It didn’t even take Pettigrew a second thought, he just did as his master said, showing his obedience, cruelty and cowardice. While Cedric’s death was painless, it’s still underserved and tragic. And he was so young which makes it that much more heartbreaking and ruthless. Also, that scene of Harry crying and clutching Cedric’s body as everyone applauds them is one of the saddest shots of the series (but the saddest shot of the whole series is Snape clutching Lily’s body as baby Harry cries in his crib). Also, LOL at Arthur saying “that clear your sinuses, eh?” after Harry’s first venture with a portkey (wouldn’t wizards have a spell to help with sinuses though?). As someone who struggles with sinus issues all the time, I had a lovely chuckle. I also love the big smile Harry gives when he walks into the tent at the World Cup and says “I love magic,”, especially with how tragically this film ends, it just shows how despite it all, Harry still loves the Wizarding World and in a way will always be that wide-eyed boy he was when he first visited Diagon Alley. The romantic tension between Ron and Hermione that began to be hinted at during the end of Chamber came to a head at the Yule Ball when Hermione didn’t just arrive dateless, but in a breathtaking ensemble and had the most sought-after bachelor escorting her. Ron was stunned and jealous but didn’t know how to communicate that. He couldn’t process it, that Hermione was seen as a romantic interest to someone other then him (he couldn’t understand that truly until Prince and even then, he was quite oblivious). Viktor treated Hermione like a true gentleman, with chivalry, something she values being Gryffindor, kindness, politeness and respect. To Ron, it felt like a betrayal, even though Ron only asked her as a last resort, treating her horribly even though to him it was a kind gesture as he rudely thought it was pathetic for a girl to go to a dance stag (I know Ron didn’t mean it that way, but that is still such an awful thing to say. Honestly, Ron had clear moments of sexism toward Hemrione in this series, but it’s clear that it’s more just society and his insecurities speaking, not really himself). Also, LOL at Hermione being like “no, of course” after she finds out Ron asked Fleur Delacour out and Harry asks what she said. She’s still hoping he’d ask her, even though she’s going with Krum. Awww. This movie was so awkwardly paced. Liek at time sit would be so fun and vibrant, but then the action sequences for each task would just drag on tot he point where I felt tempted to skip over the majority of it. The dragon task did not need that castle fight sequence (also, how the hell did they repair the castle after that? Did it magically mend itself or something? Then why didn’t it do that for teh Battle of Hogwarts?) and the Black Lake task just dragged on with a few too many obstacles that felt unnecessary, like eth squids for example. That could have been cut in my opinion. Also, that Triwizard labyrinth was a really cool idea, but the scene itself just dragged on too. Like I didn’t need all those shots of Krum looking crazed, especially because they never amount to anything. We never really got to see the things Fleur was screaming at, just teh maze attack them. The psychological aspect was cool, but not well executed. I hope its better in the book. One thing about the Yule Ball part of the film that I felt was a huge missed opportunity was that I wish we got a getting-ready montage with all the witches for such a dressy and exciting occasion. It would have been a great opportunity to show Ginny and Hermione’s friendship. I love when Hermione anxiously peaks her head out at the top of the stairs and plays with her fingers right before she descends the stairs to the Yule Ball. You can tell how much that moment meant to her. I also liked how when Harry finally gets out of the Black Lake and onto one of the platforms, Hermione kisses his head, proudly, friendly and platonically. It just shows that even if a girl and a guy are just friends, doesn’t mean they can’t be affectionate, when the appropriate occasion arises, towards one another, like when she curls up into his shoulder after watching Ron kiss Lavender and at Godric’s Hollow, it’s sweet and loving, but not romantic. This film is exciting, surprising, energetic, and unexpected. Harry’s whole unwarranted involvement in this tournament is to bring back his nemesis, which is hinted at repeatedly, although it all comes together in an incredibly twisted, shocking and tragic way. So many pivotal and transformative events happen that change the series forever. The Yule Ball, which is the true kick-off to Ron and Hermione’s bickering will-they-won’t-they romance. Cedric’s death motivates the Hogwrats students to fight until the very end. Vodlmeort’s return officially changes the series from a fun adventure to a dangerous mission. However, despite it being energetic, engaging, exciting and jam-packed, this film is also forgettable for me, especially since it’s sandwiched between two of the most important films and two of my favorite ones from the franchise. The part that I remember most, the Yule Ball, is the only reason why it stays with me. The big events are either cut too short to drag on or too long, with the World Cup being an example of the former and the dragon task being an example of the latter. It makes it bizarrely paced. The Yule Ball segment from Ron getting his dress robes to Neville returning to his dorm, is what truly saves this film for me. It was fun, memorable, great for character development and helped show the character’s confidence, growth, and maturity, foreshadowed their future development and was also just so epic, different from anything we have seen before and beautiful. Sure, the return of Voldemort was cool, but I found it a little too long and honestly, Voldemort didn’t seem that scary at that point. Honestly, I feel like the movies he wasn’t in were scarier than the films he was in, like Chamber and Prince, purely due to his followers’ performances or other versions of himself. He was at his most fearsome in Phoenix in my opinion, with how he taunted Harry and fought Dumbledore very impressively. I will say Goblet it a good job dropping hints that Moody-Crouch was the one to put Harry’s name in the Goblet of Fire, like when Moody says that a fourth year like Harry couldn’t produce a powerful enough Confundus charm on the Goblet, when that’s probably what he, himself, did. Everyone, kid or not, watching this film can relate to it. Obviously not the tournament or the magic, but the romance, awkwardness, friendship difficulties, crushes and dances. Pretty much the only negatives in this film are Cedric’s death and the boys’ god-awful long hair. I mean, Voldemort’s return is a negative for the characters, but for the story it’s amazing. I did like how after the first two tasks were more physically challenging, the final, and probably supposed to be the most difficult task, was more psychological, with the maze being almost like a labyrinth of mental anguish, which I think foreshadowed Harry dealing with his trauma in the following movie. Also, having every main boy in the series grow his hair out for this film wasn’t a great choice. Neville, Ron, Harry, The Twins, almost none of the main boys were safe from the overgrown hair syndrome in this movie. At least, they were smart enough to not force Robert Pattinson and his popular, attractive character to grow his hair out. Luckily, Tom Felton didn’t have to suffer from that overgrown hair syndrome (he got his bad hair treatment in the first few films with that bad dye job. I much prefer the even white blonde and short side-parted hair he had in the later films to the slicked-back blotchy hair he had in the first two films). Also, the way Dumbledore basically tackles this poor kid when he says, or rather screams “did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire,” like my god, hasn’t he been through enough terrifying situations already? The best acting choice Gambon made in this whole movie was having Dumbledore seating when beginning his speech about Cedric dying. He is speechless and so distraught that he doesn’t even have the energy to stand, then eventually does when he feels empowered enough. He’s at a loss for words. Although, all of this could have been avoided if he didn’t simply tell Harry not to worry about his visions, he is still compassionate enough to call Cedric’s death a terrible loss and praised his fierceness, kind, hard-working nature and bravery. He also thought the students had a right to know how he died, claiming the opposite would be an insult to his memory and telling them very frankly that he was killed by Voldemort. This makes it Dumbledore’s best moment of the series. This is who Dumbledore should have been, not a hypocritical manipulator. This is the guy everybody needed. Also, but the way each of the trio walks into their final scene of them in the movie fits each of their characters so well. Harry walks into frame. Ron hps through the window. Hermione gracefully swings into frame. I just love it. And then Hermione says “everything’s gonna change now” and Harry nonchalantly answers yet, wise enough to know it’s true, but naive enough to underestimate just how much, it was just great, although after how tragic the ending of this movie really is, is a little awkward to digest the first time around. But also LOL at Hermione making Harry promise to write that summer, and then in the following movie you find out no one wrote to Harry all summer.
5. Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was a great ending to the series. It answered a lot of questions, mainly about Snape, Voldemort, Dumbledore and Harry, and was also very sad and satisfying. The whole movie takes place during an intense battle at Hogwarts. The stakes are higher than they have ever been, but you also see students who have been written off in past movies have time to shine and prove themselves, mainly Neville. His arc in this series was amazing. The editing and special effects in the film are also phenomenal, especially during the action sequences. The editors clearly understood the assignment of “epic finale.” This film also had the best acting, mainly from Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Matthew Lewis, and Alan Rickman. Their performances had me tearing up. You could feel how real Watson’s emotions were in that goodbye scene to Harry because, in a way, she was saying goodbye to the series. You could really see how confident Radcliffe has become as an actor in this film. He was a great child actor in the first film, but his skills have only grown by the final film, and he took full advantage. Lewis and Neville both found their confidence in this film and it was a great sight to see. Neville’s arc was truly one of the best parts of this film. He deserved that victory. I mean, Neville was the ONLY one who was brave enough to step up and speak up against Voldemort when he and the Death Eaters brought Harry’s body back. Not Ron. Not Hermione. Not Ginny. Neville. The Neville from the first film wouldn’t have even left his dorm to fight. That’s an incredible arc! However, in my opinion, Rickman’s performance as Snape in this final chapter was the best part of this movie, truly. This was Snape’s movie. Every one of his scenes left me speechless. That Pensieve montage had me bawling and Alan Rickman’s reaction to seeing Lily’s dead body was so heartbreaking. He was good the whole time. It was Dumbledore who was the fraud. He risked his life every day and Harry never even knew. It was like a gut punch. Those layers made me absolutely love Alan Rickman’s performance as Snape and appreciate his performances in the prior movies way more. The “Prince’s Tale” as I am told it’s called, was the best part of the final movie. Not only is Snape’s backstory sequence so emotionally impactful, eye-opening and powerful, but it’s also so nostalgia as it shows so many moments from the previous films. It’s honestly the most perfect moment of the whole finale. If that was the whole finale, I would have been satisfied, TBH. Neville had the best arc, from starting out as the scared, accident-prone boy to a tough, compassionate leader. He was also the only comedic relief this movie really had besides the Weasley Twins and Ron, so thank you for that Neville. Thank you for showing that even in the darkest of times, there is light and humor. He was finally given his time and boy did Matthew Lewis take full advantage. He really came into his own. I just wish it was him who killed Bellatrix, so he could avenge his parents, but killing Voldemort works too. Neville finally had his badass moment and it was epic, even if I could barely watch it because it was against a snake. Neville finding the Sword of Gryffindor in the Sorting Hat was also such a great callback to the second film (also, as we see in Part 1, the Sword of Gryffindor doesn’t only come from Sorting Hat. Also, Ron and Hermione FINALLY got together (TBH, Yates isn’t that good at portraying romance in these movies, but in my mind, I like to think he saved all his romantic energy for Ron and Hemrione’s epic kiss, because besides Grint’s head being awkwardly angled and blocking the epic moment from the camera, it was well worth the wait, perfectly epic, well-acted (despite the actors’ swearing it was the worst experience of their Potter run) and well-timed, so at least he saved all of that for when it mattered most, because this would have been so disappointing if this moment was just as flat as all the other romantic moments). Their chemistry has always been amazing, but that scene was so palpable and wonderful. Ron and Hermione’s relationship is meaningful, and also very complicated, right from the beginning. They are the definition of opposites attracting, not just as romantic interests but also as friends. They start out annoyed with each other, become friends, and their felling grow into crushes, but they don’t know how to handle it, especially Ron. That’s very complicated,d bute specially or kids who are already dealing with a lot to deal with. After all the hints, like Hermione grabbing his hand when they first meet Buckbeak, their awkward handshake in Chamber of Secrets after Hermione is unpetrified and Hermione cuddling into Ron instead of Harry when Buckbeak is ‘executed,’ this single kiss was so worth it. It was epic, cute and portrayed with a lot of dimensional and authenticity by the actors. What I realized is that we never really get to see Hermione and Ron be a couple. These scenes are always with Harry, almost never just the two of them. So, when they finally get the chance in this movie to have an epic, climatic moment with just the two of them, and they survive it together. It makes sense that that would be the moment they finally give in to their feelings. I loved their awkward and argumentative turned romantic and opposites-attract relationship (Also, LOL at Ron being the one between Ron and Hermione to know how to get to the Chamber of Secrets when they go in the final movie and that being Hermione’s first time going there even though she was the one to figure it out in the first place), especially when compared to Harry and Ginny’s circumstantial, lackluster, stiff and honestly quite forced relationship (I hear it’s more developed in the books, so we deserved to see more of it, and more of Ginny overall. Like that kiss in the middle of the Battle of Hogwarts? That was the least passionate, life-or-death situation kiss ever in cinematic history. It made the moment seem ill-timed, not epic. They had absolutely no chemistry, which is hilarious when you remember these kids who grew up together and knew each other for years before having to kiss on screen. The awkwardness was at least somewhat realistic in Half-Blood Prince because it was the beginning of a new kind of relationship for them and that can be tricky to navigate, but in Deathly Hallows? There was no electricity whatsoever! This must have been so disappointing for book fans because, with Harry being the titular role, they should have been the ultimate couple of the series, and that just didn’t work out. However, I don’t think this is strictly on the actors, I think it’s a mix of writing, character development, especially in regard to Ginny’s character, direction and issues). Ron and Hermione had a great slow-burn, an opposites-attract relationship that was well-acted, realistic for teenagers and impactful. They have their argumentative banter, showing how bad they are at communicating their emotions, as teens are (personally, I love Hermione’s withering glare at him when he interrupts his reading in Sorcerer’s Stone and Part 1. The distance between it also shows that even though they do get together in Hallows and are the definition of “opposites attract,” that their banter has gone from immature taunting to a love language. Like I am sure as a married couple, she still glares at him every time he interrupts her reading). Watson and Grint also portrayed Ron and Hemrione’s jealousy, longing and awkwardness so well throughout the series. Their chemistry was amazing and felt so natural. So, there character’s kiss really paid off mostly because of how well they portrayed their slow burn relationship. I mean, her face when Ron screams “that’s my girlfriend, you numpty,” was just so satisfying after all this time. And that scene where Hermione and Ron walk in holding hands and see Harry, that was another moment that showed how great this cast is at lineless acting, although I do wish we got to hear Harry’s thoughts on his two best friends dating because that can get very complicated. Also, LOL at Harry basically being the third wheel in his own series for its entirety. McGonagall leading the spells to protect the school was just so heartwarming and perfect. Out of all the teachers, protecting the school and it’s students never stopped being her top priority, while the other professors always had distractions like Dumbledore’s traveling, Snpae’s grudges, Slughron’s secrets and Flitwick’s choir. The “Pierotum Locomotor” moment was made for her. It makes me wish even more that e got to see her officially as Headmistress. I also liked the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort. Harry successfully leads him away from his loved ones. Harry lets Voldemort beat the crap out of him because he has another plan up his sleeve. Voldemort beats Harry, physically letting out all the anger he feels toward him. When Harry pretended to be dead,d he had time to think about why he was not dead, and he realized how unnecessary Snape’s death was and who is the true master of the Elder Wand. Then Harry and Voldemort fly around their mutual home of Hogwarts and hurt each other and morph into one and plummet to the courtyard were it’s just them too. They duel as Neville kills his final Horcrux. He’s finally mortal and Harry finishes him off. Finally proving how disarming is far more powerful than killing. the Elder Wand finally lands in his rightful owner’s hands. His Killing Curse rebounds again and hits himself, his mortal self and kills him. He’s mortified to die, his biggest fear and what he sees as the biggest weakness ever, and flakes into oblivion, symbolizing how unstable and fragmented his soul is. He doesn’t move on, he just disappears. It was brilliant. And Harry smiles watching it. He hates that someone had to die even if it is Tom Riddle, because he’s good, but he’s also so proud that after all this time, he did it. He killed Voldemort. He survived. He sacrificed himself, but Voldmeort still failed to kill him, even though Harry let him willingly. He’s not immortal, but his goodness made Voldemort unable to kill him and that arrogance killed him anyway. Harry’s sacrificed also notably made sure that no one died (at least not that we know of) when the battle resumed. his sacrifice, so it seems, gave everyone who survived the first part of the battle the same love and protection his mom gave him, passing the love and protection on. Also, before the Battle of Hogwarts officially starts and McGonagall is telling Neville and the DA the battle plan, you can see Slughorn walk out of the castle in the background and take a tiny potion, which is probably Liquid Luck, right? What a great little nod. He also survives the war unharmed with barely even a scratch, which further proves my theory (not that he’s not skilled enough of a wizard to not survive. I am sure he is a she is a Hogwarts professor). Lupin and Tonks’ deaths are even sadder when you realize they left behind an orphan. They managed to find love in a time of such despair and darkness and were repaid with death. That’s heartbreaking. It’s senseless and cruel. Harry seeing that Tonks and Lupin died, knowing they have a son, knowing there is now another baby just like him, it’s too much for him and he leaves, not wanting to see anyone else who died for him. It’s so heartwrenching. Honestly good casting for baby Harry as the baby in the finale looks very similar to baby Harry from the first film. One thing I wish we got to see more in the finale was the Slytherin students, not just Draco just Blaise, Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle’s moral battle over whether to join their parents or defend their school with their friends. It could have given these minor characters more development, especially Pansy, as she is the one I personally find most fascinating as she’s the only female Slytherin we meet and she barely speaks and she actually spoke out against Harry to his face, showing how self-preservation is a priority for her, but maybe we she saw all the devastation right in front of her eyes during the break in the battle, she, being a kid like Draco, changed her mind. I also think it could have helped with the stigma that Slughorn and Snape helped defy, that all Slytherins are evil, when that is not the case. Salazar Slytherin and Voldemort are just powerful, prejudiced wizards who happen to be Slytehrins. They aren’t all bad, that’s just the stereotype. I may be biased as a Slytherin, but whatever. I think, as an actor and for character development, it would have been an interesting moral quandary. Also, Rickman’s delivery of the line “any person found to have knowledge of these events who fails to come forward will be treated as…equally guilty,” gave me chills due to the impeccably well-paced line delivery itself and the subtle way we see how much Snape hates himself and his position in that moment. He looks exhausted, miserable and terribly unhappy. I wish they actually showed Lily, James, Sirius and Lupin around Harry, with him when Voldemort ‘killed’ him. It would have been a great, powerful visual. Such a missed opportunity. Also, the fact that the trio pulled off breaking into Gringotts, which as Hagrid said in the first place, is the safest place in world after Hogwarts, just shows how skilled and smart each of them are, and how good of a team they are (it also parallels nicely with how teh Death Eaters broke into Hogwarts in Prince). I will say, honestly, those spooky Voldemort voiceovers were kind of cheesy and cringy. I laughed watching them when I think they were supposed to be more about building up the tension and stakes. The editing in this film was also incredibly good, from the fight scenes to (especially) Snape’s Pensieve sequence. All of it was really great and really served the tension-building of the story. I love Molly Weasley’s badass mama bear moment when she goes “not my daughter, you bitch (also LOL at Aunt Marge and Mrs. Weasley both saying bitch in a children’s fantasy series, and the irony of them being totally opposite characters),” and killing Bellatrix. This film also did a great job of showing how strong the core trio’s friendship has become, with made the Epilogue extremely satisfying. They were so in sync during the battle that they basically read each other’s minds. This also hilariously showed how used they are to crisis and getting themselves out of high-stake situations together, knowing which of them has which strength and which weakness. The perfect example of this is the scene in the Room of Requirement, particularly the part where they escape. Also, Hermione may hate flying, but she was a badass while flying on that broomstick in the Room of Requirement scene, and she was a decent flier too. Harry, Snape, and Voldemort also parallel the Deathly Hallows themselves as Voldemort wanted an unbeatable wand and sacrificed everything for power, Snape pined after a girl who he had lost to death and spent the rest of his days dedicated to protecting the only thing she left behind, her son, and therefore keeping her alive in memory, and Harry wanted to live a normal life, and only ever could in the Wizarding World when he was under the Invisibility Cloak, although he often used it for grander and productive deeds, and he eventually treated death like an old friend, going calmly to Voldmeort and seeing Dumbledore, who I guess represents death (how ironic) like an old friend in the afterlife. Also, LOL at realizing that the Malfoy parents only have one wand, and therefore useless, at the Battle of Hogwarts since Lucius’ wand was given to Voldemort, but then he got it back because Harry disarmed him at Malfoy Manor, but Narcissa gave her wand to Draco. I also loved how people from past films came back during the Battle of Hogwarts, showing how news spread and the whole wizarding community came to fight and defend their school and the good side. I saw Oliver Wood for like half a second and of course, Slughorn and Trelawny were there and I’m sure alumni and parents acme even if we have no idea who those people are. Dumbledore isn’t a mentor, he’s a righteous manipulator. This is proven by how he obtained all the Deathly Hallows or at least knew where all of them were, and still ended up dying, unlike Harry who got them all and ended up surviving. This is because like Voldemort, Dumbledore wanted them for power, while Harry wanted them to defeat evil for the greater good. That’s why it is a miracle Harry ended up as good and noble as he did after idolizing such a selfish manipulator. Dumbledore is also dead in the Deathly Hallows parallel between Harry, Snape, and Voldemort. Harry grated him as an old friend. However, death has not been kind to Harry. Death took away almost everyone including Harry’s family and loved ones. James. Lily. Sirius. Lupin. So, Dumbledore isn’t a calming force in this parallel, he is just as tragic and manipulative as he’s always been. Also, can we talk about how impressive it is that the trio was able to break into Gringotts, especially since Hagrid said in the first film that there is “no place safer” other than Hogwarts? This just shows how much they have improved as wizards and how far they have come. I also loved the parallel of Harry saying “not as long as those who remain are loyal to him” about Dumbledore in Chamberand then Neville says in the finale “I’d like to say something. Doesn’t matter that Harry’s gone. People die every day—friends..family. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight. But he’s still with us…in here. So is Fred, Remus, Tonks…all of them. They didn’t die in vain! But you will! Cause you’re wrong! Harry’s heart did beat for us! For all of us! It’s not over!” to Voldemort’s face about Harry. It’s a great representation of Neville’s arc, his loyalty to Harry and how much Harry inspires him. It’s also an incredibly courageous thing to do because his side, harry’s side, was losing and Voldmeort’s was winning. The easy thing to do would be to join Voldemort, especially as a pureblood, but he refuses and instead takes the opportunity to give a powerful and inspiring speech to Voldmeort’s face, and that’s even before he courageously kills Nagini, the final Horcrux, and saves Hermione and Ron. I love how Neville taunts the Snatchers when they can’t get past the barrier, yelling “yeah! You and whose army?” If only Stone Neville could see him know. Taunting to hundreds of Death Eaters. Such a badass! The Battle of Hogwarts gave so many minor characters their moments to shine, like Mrs. Weasley and Narcissa, but no one shined brighter then Neville. He helps Harry defeat Voldemort, barely confronts the Death Eaters and Voldemort himself, defends Harry after he is perceived to be dead, inspires the Hogwarts army to keep fighting and kills Nagini. What a badass! He also learns from harry’s mistakes and lets people help him, mainly Seamus Finnegan who helps him blow up the bridge as the Snatchers chase him. Of course, in classic Neville fashion, he has impeccable timing, and by that I mean impeccably bad timing, as he taunts them just as Vodlmeort obliterates the barrier, enraging them just in time. Luckily, the most unathletic character runs for his life from hundred of irritated and angry Death Eaters, and triumphs, managing to outrun them and survive the bridge falling down into the rocky abyss. Also, Harry’s death scene was very well done. Voldemort relishing the moment, but also not hesitation. Harry’s face with anticipation, determination and anxiety, but not an ounce of fear. Bellatrix waiting in between them like a tennis match with anticipation, jubliationa nd thrilled excitement. Mrs. Weasley’s “not my daughter, you bitch!” moment was epic, and well-deserved. her satisfied and empowered smile after she obliterated Bellatrix was also great. What could have made it better s is if George, who we say watching in teh background, would have said one of the Twins’ classic one-liners, like a wide-eyed, “go mum!” or something. Also Ginny and Mr. Weasley’s reactions would have been great too, especially because ginny’s face was so enraged while blocking Bellatrix’s curse. I wish we didn’t just see Mrs. Weasley and Ron fight like hell after the battle resumed, but all the Weasleys. Mr. Weasley. Ginny. Bill. Fleur. Percy. George, especially. They all deserved to avenge their fallen son and brother, and Fred served that too. Also, the bit of almost every new wizard Harry encounters in the series who knew James and Lily told Harry that he had his mother’s eyes, and that leading up to how Snape’s final act was to finally be the one to tell Harry the truth and his final request is to have Harry look at him, so he could see Lily’s eyes one last time before his death. Ugh! That was heart-wrenching. Dumbledore saying “I should never reveal the best of you, Severus.” Ugh! If anyone deserves to let the best of themselves be told to the world in this story it’s Snape! This is insanely noble of Snape. I don’t really understand why no one can know, even Harry when he gets older, other than to protect his double agent status, but it certainly makes for an incredible story and plot twist! Can we also talk about how some of the most iconic lines from the series, and this movie, in particular, are literally just one single word (“Anything,” “Always,” “Dead”)? It speaks volumes about the writing, the direction and mostly, the quality of the acting (Also, it’s worth noting that 2 out of the 3 examples I gave are from Snape. What an iconic portrayal by Rickman!). The final film had so many great parallels to the first film. Like Harry and Draco’s first full-on confrontation during their first flying lesson where Harry discovers his skills with a broom and surpasses the lifelong Draco by a million in terms of Quidditch potential, and in the finale, his flying skills, which Draco no doubt resents because of this, is exactly what helps Harry save Draco’s life, and therefore his own due to Narcissa later covering for him. This film was almost like Phoenix, but on steroids due to it also having an overarching theme of unity. However, it wasn’t just the students that were unified, it was the teachers and parents alongside them. The acting, action sequence, direction, writing and score music was all amazing. It was a very satisfying ending to the impactful, legendary and staple franchise. Also, as my friend pointed out, the core trio easily dodges cornish pixies, dementors, trolls with broken Quidditch rings as bats, spiders and werewolves, all creatures they encountered in the first 3 movies, showing how far they have come. The trio also encounters creatures they confronted in the first three movies and gets past them easily, showing how far they have come. The creatures are cornish pixies, trolls, spiders, werewolves, dementors, and even a dead Lavender Brown, laying in a similar position to Cedric when he died in the Goblet of Fire. They also confront these creatures somewhat in order of when they confronted them throughout the story. They ran into a troll first like in Stone, then spiders like in Chamber, then Greyback the werewolf like in Azkaban, then dead Lavender Brown like in Goblet, then dementors like in Phoenix then finally meeting up with Snape, who was perceived as a monster after the end of Prince when he seemingly mercilessly murdered Dumbledore. I loved that sequence of the trio getting past the creatures in the courtyard so much. It was exhilarating to watch. They also barely cast spells audibly in this film, which I guess means that inaudible spell casting is an advanced skill, also being used to show how far they have come. I think that says a lot though, about how advanced and skilled they were, to begin with by bypassing those dark creatures so early on in their magical lives. They even hide behind a Wizard’s Chess piece when dodging the troll, as well as the trio escaping the blazing Room of Requirement by broomstick. Such great nods to the first film! Also, the Resurrection Stone scene with Harry and all of his, now dead, parental figures where he says “I never wanted any of you to die for me,” right before he confronts Voldemort and Lily utters Snape’s iconic line “Always,” after his redemption montage, that was just cruel! The section of the movie, from Snape’s death to the Resurrection Stone scene, was probably the most heart-wrenching and well-acted 10, 15 or so minutes of the entire series. I will say the Epilogue was for the most part satisfying, giving the audience security that there is a happy ending. I especially loved when harry called Snape the “bravest man he ever knew” and the full circle moment of a Chocolate Frog jumping on the window of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s kids’ Hogwarts Express compartment just like how a Ron and Harry ate Chocolate frogs when they went on the Hogwarts Express for the first time, right before they met Hermione. However, I did have a few qualms. The first is Harry’s children’s names. Why is it James Sirius Potter and not Sirius James Potter? After all, Harry actually got to know Sirius, he never got to know James. He still could have paid tribute to him, but I just feel like Sirius, who actually got to know Harry, deserves the bigger honor. And why, oh, why did Harry name his kid Albus Severus Potter. Dumbledore betrayed him, while Snape risked his life for him. Snape deserves the bigger honor of a first name. I did like that Harry’s scar was gone and that he called Snape “the bravest man he ever knew,” showing just how much Snape’s backstory and protection meant to him. Also, the Sorting hat anxiety from Albus is so realistic. Like, imagine having every member of your family be a Gryffindor and then getting Slytherin. At least, Harry gave him really great advice, showing how his view of Snape has completely changed. Also, LOL at Harry sending his kids to the same school where he almost died every year. It was the first home he ever had, but still, he nearly died, every! goddamn! year! I wish we got to see if Harry cleared Snape’s name and told the world how much of a hero he really was after his death, especially because of how prejudiced he was against Snape due to his loyalties to Sirius and his father. I also wish we got to see if Harry and Draco ever reconciled. It seems like they did from their quick glances, but I wish there was a nod or a “Hi.” I read that their sons became friends, so why not a handshake, showing how cordial they are now. I would have really loved that. It’s also a good message for kids that you don’t have to like everyone, but you do have to respect everyone. These characters have been through so much and sacrificed so much, so to see them find love, contentment, and happiness at the end was very satisfying. They may have had their fights and disagreements over the years, after all, what friend group doesn’t? However, when push come to shove they are always there for each other. It also completed the series arc, that love conquers all and to appreciate the power of youth. In regard to the former, it was very full circle, especially with the scene being at King’s Cross, where it really all began.
4. Sorcerer’s Stone
This film is just so charming from start to finish. It had so many iconic moments. Moments that I had heard many times before, just out of context, from “yer a wizard Harry” to “it’s leviOsa, not leviosA.” While it was a great starting point and definitely sucked me in, it felt a little slow-paced. It felt more like a TV pilot in many ways than a feature film, which makes sense because it was introducing us into the world of wizards and witches. However, you did get the sense that it had the potential for a sequel, unlike how the first Twilight felt. This film was incredibly charming. Maybe the most charming film ever made, and that’s because of the 90s, nostalgic witchy vibe that is equally comforting and intriguing, which makes it perfect for all ages. I also liked how the kids were really just being kids and in their performances, they acted like real kids. It added a level of authenticity to the film, which is part of why it was a great start to the series. It was also very cinematic, in a way many children’s films aren’t. Especially that first shot of Hogwarts as the first years ride the boats up to the castle, and they all have jaw-dropped expressions due to the stunning view (like how Sirius says in Azkaban that he has always admired Hogwarts for the castle’s beauty). It was a great scene and a truly breathtaking shot, because the audience is having the same reaction as the kid characters. All the kids’ faces when they first see the Hogwarts castle. They all so mesmerized and entranced by it’s grandeur and beauty, and so was I. It was gorgeous. That panning shot to reveal the Hogwarts castle for the first time was truly magical (pun unintended). Also the reveal of the Great Hall was also amazing, especially with those hanging candles, which from the Reunion were really lit and hanging, not CGI, which is insane and very dangerous. There is also CGI in the winged key scene and the trolls scene with Harry, which is fairly obvious, but still manages to not be distracting and be charming. This film did a great job balancing grandeur with charm, which successfully made it come off as child-like wonder. This film is also a great lesson to kids about not judging a book by its cover, a lesson that keeps happens, and therefore reminding teh audience of it throughout teh series. When Harry first locks eyes with Snape, his scar burns, but it’s actually because of Quirrell (I wonder if Harry’s scar burned during his DADA classes during his First Year), who is sitting next to Quirrell and facing his back to Harry so Voldemort can see him through his turban. Harry also finds out from Percy that Snape has been after the DADA job for years. That incident, combined with his menacing appearance and demeanor makes Harry convinced that he’s the enemy, when really it’s Quirrell. It makes for a great story, for all ages. Also, after years of not being able to celebrate his birthday, Harry got the best birthday present ever for his 11th birthday by finding out he’s a wizard. It was also interesting to see how all the characters met and started out. I didn’t expect that to be how Hermione, Ron and Harry became friends. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t that, but it was cute and realistic. It reminded me of camp. How you get so close with people so fast because you live, eat and sleep with them. However, I love how the trio’s personalities are all very clearly defined from tehir first interaction. Harry is modest and kind. Hermione is assertive and smart. Ron is witty and the bright light of the group. They already balance each other out so well and all of this leads them through the rest of the series. The trio complements each other so well because they each have qualities and talents the other lack. Hermione is logical and prepared, while Ron and Harry are action-oriented. Ron is laid-back, while Hermione and Harry are focused and fixated. Harry is a good listener, while Hermione and Ron are more abrasive. The combination of these traits helps them solve problems quickly, even more quickly then a skilled professor. None of them are perfect. Hermione is a know-it-all. Ron is dramatic. Harry has a hero complex. Hermione is the best at spells since the first time, and even her first introduction as she fixes Harry’s glasses in her very first scene. I love how terrified Harry looks when Hermione first points her wand to his glasses, but the she fixes them successfully, which is very impressive as she is Muggle-born and hasn’t even had her first magic class or have been sorted yet. I also love her snark disdain when she politely says “pleasure” to Ron after her introduced himself. Even from their first meeting they are so different, which makes their enemies to friends to lovers arc so great. Hermione, Ron, and Harry definitely had that bond and they balance each other out very well. I really loved the troll scene, because at least to me, that’s when their friendship is cemented. Although, I do find it funny when Ron looks under his cloak and around when Harry asks him to help when the troll has him upside down. It was well acted for a kid, but the exchange that for an adult, it wouldn’t be. And when Hermione is hiding under the sink scared, but not too scared to remind Ron of the swish and flick. And I love how Hermione took the blame, it showed that even though Ron didn’t like her, she was still a good friend and loyal to her classmates. (And Snape’s reaction to Hermione taking the blame was quite funny). Also, it’s hilarious how the one spell they have learned so far is one that unexpectedly helped them. It’s incredibly good luck and good irony. Even from his first night at Hogwarts, you can tell just how at home Harry feels, especially at that moment when he is looking out the window of his dorm with Hedwig. He is the most peace we have seen him. One of Emma Watson’s best-acted scenes of the whole film is after the trio sees Fluffy and she tells them what she noticed; the trap door. She is very confident in saying that it’s guarding something and saying her defining and brilliant line “now I’m going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed, or worse, expelled.” She’s so relaxed, natural, spunky and confident in this scene and shows Hermione blossoming as a leader and Watson’s potential as a scene stealer (she is really one of the biggest scene stealers of not just this film, but the whole series). Another one of Emma Watson’s best acting moments in this film was when Hermione calls Harry a great wizard and he says he’s not as good as her and she replies “Me? Books and cleverness. There are more important things. Friendship and bravery.” That was such a great Hermione scene and such a defining scene for her character because as much as her intelligence defines her, it’s her loyalty and courage that make her memorable and beloved. The three-headed dog scene is also so great because, besides the troll, it’s one of the first times the trio is faces with true danger and they each act in the same way they will for the rest of the series. Harry is internally theorizing, Ron is complaining and inquiring and Hermione is too busy looking at the surroundings to actually be as scared as she probably should be, in this case noticing what the dog is standing rather then being terrified that the dog is gonna eat them (sure she screams at first, but Hermione is a multitasker, obviously, which also something she does in future high stakes situations). Also, can we talk bout how full circle it is that the reason Hermione was crying in the bathroom when the troll came in was because of Ron’s rude comments about her, and then in the end he was the one who saved her? How full circle (it also parallels greatly with their will-they-won’t-they romance) and adorable! One of Emma Watson’s best-acted moments of the whole film is the scene on the stairs in the Gryffindor Tower as they walk back to the dorms after running into Fluffy. She’s confident, determined, showing off her smarts and leadership and is unapologetic. She tells the boys that it’s guarding something, factually, in a very certain way. Then she says one the best Hermione lines ever with such impressive specificity and commitment for an actor of her age “now if you two don’t mind I’m going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed, or worse…expelled!” Such a Hermione line! It is also such a good line to show her arc throughout the series, because by the last two films, she puts her school work aside in order to risk her life to help Harry, showing how now she thinks death is worse then school. I love Hermione in that post-Fluffy encounter scene. She is such a leader. Assertive. Confident. Intelligent. Observant. Especially in her delivery of “it’s guarding something” It’s such a great Hermione moment because since she is like that from the beginning, it’s great to see how she not only becomes more of a leader, but also a more inclusive, valuable team member. And of course, her iconic line now if you two don’t mind, I’m going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed, or worse, expelled,” which not only encompasses her character so well, as she values rules and education but also showcases her bravery, as she would rather be killed then not stand up for her believes.” And Ron’s line in response “she needs to sort out her priorities,” is not only such a great line, but almost prophetic, because by Hallows, she does. The Sorting Hat scene was also great. I love how the Sorting Hat was barely on Draco’s head before hollering out Slytherin, and then Draco’s satisfied smug smirk. It was such a fitting moment. Also, LOL at Dumbledore”s top of fingers to bottom of fingers delicate little clap. Richard Harris is THE BEST Dumbledore. He made great character choices and set such a high standard that Gambon could just never come close to reaching. I honestly think I would have forgiven Dumbledore if Harris played him all the way through. I also find it so funny how Hermione is portrayed as the proper, refined, polite character, and yet her hair is huge, tangled and messy. Her bushy hair later on works much better, still brown and big but more clean and refined. The broomstick lesson scene is also so adorable. It’s great because it’s the first time we see how much Harry belongs at Hogwarts outside of his new relationships. I also love Hermione’s pissed look she gives Harry when the broomstick goes “up” for him immediately and not for her. It’s so her. It also shows how she’s not competitive, she just wants to be good t things for her own validation, which I relate to a lot, shown with how she doesn’t ask Harry how he did it, she just keeps trying (although she does ask how he made a successful potion later on in Prince, probably because unlike this flying lesson which is other of their first times, with potions they have both been in the same class for years and Hermione seems to always be better then Harry, so she is understandably weirded out by him suddenly doing better then her). Also, LOL at Draco challenging Harry being the whole reason he became the youngest Seeker in a century in the first place (however, Draco won’t go down without a fight, as he becomes Slytherin’s Seeker in the following film). I also loved Draco’s smug nonchalant face when it immediately goes for him, as he has clearly ridden brooms before as grew up in the Wizarding World, and grew up rich, so him already knowing how to fly isn’t surprising, so when Ron’s smacks him in face despite him going up in the Wizarding World, this difference only adds to how different those two characters are and how different they grew up. Draco’s love is directly connected to his success, while Ron is loved no matter if he’s successful or fumbles for the first few times before he ultimately succeeds. Even though Draco has been a broom prior to this first flying lesson, as seen with his impressive takeoff and how he can do flips, Harry can do flips his very first time on a broom, which I think just shows how much of a natural he is. Also, the way Neville was so traumatized by this flying experience that he didn’t ride a broom for the rest of the series says so much. I wish we got to see him improve. Why didn’t Harry teach that during DA meetings? After all, broom riding is what saves the trio, Draco and Blaise in the finale. I really liked how distracted Harry was during his first Quidditch match because it’s realistic. It’s not only his first game as a player, but it’s his first game ever, and it’s such an overwhelming thrilling game as a spectator, it must be twice as much as a player, so it makes sense that he would be distracted. Another one of Watson’s best acting moments is when she tells Harry that he’s a great wizard and gives him the strength to finish off their mission by saying that “friend and bravery” are the most important things (revealing why she is indeed a Gryffindor and not a Ravenclaw as even though she values her intelligence, she sees being brave and loyal as much more important qualities). Watson is so genuine and sweet in that scene. You can tell she means every word she is saying. That scene almost doesn’t feel like acting, it feels real. It’s a beautiful moment. McGonagall and the Gryffindor students look so sad when House Points are announced. I particularly love Hermione’s unamused slow clap, respectful, but pitiful. It was perfect for her character. And then when Slytherin wins again and she lazily has her hand at her cheek so uninterested and bored. It’s so unlike her, but also so in character as she is one of the most loyal and strong characters. It was great and just showed how much potential Emma Watson has to be such a scene-stealing force in the series. Draco’s sneer at Ron and Ron turning around so unamused and Harry is clapping while looking so sad and shy. Also, when Slytherin does win for like two seconds, Snape’s fast clap is so funny to me. He doesn’t even look that happy and is just trying to get it over with as soon as possible, which makes it even funnier when Dumbledore is like “recent events need to be taken into account” and he turned to Dumbledore like excuse you WTF are you talking about? What’s great about the part where Dumbledore rewards each of the trio and Neville with their points is how it shows their strengths, and pointing them out like this foreshadows how each of their strengths will help them succeed throughout the series. Hermione’s “cool use of intellect when other are in grave peril,” is exactly why she is so invaluable to the trio and save their lives on numerous occasions. Ron’s wizard chess skills being acknowledged represents how his growing up in the Wizarding World, and being the only one of the trio to have done so, is one of the biggest reasons why he is so valuable to the group. Harry’s courage and nerve are exactly why he ends up surviving and inspiring others. And Neville underestimated bravery and ability to both stand up to and for your his friends is what makes him a great leader. And each of the quad’s reactions to their points is so adorable. Hermione’s big, humble but happy smile. Ron’s utter shock being like “me” and Harry being his endlessly supportive friend “you.” And Neville’s utter shock and disbelief, as if he had never won anything before, when he gets the points that makes Gryffindor beat Slytherin is just adorable, and that shock at his greatness always stays with him, until the very last movie. And then their Draco and his lackies, who are so confused, jealous and angry, with Draco taking his pointed hat off and slamming it on teh table, so defeated and filled with FOMO. McGonagall’s maternal and proud smile at Harry and then her hilarious ‘where are you going with this?’ look to Dumbledore when he awards the last few points to Neville, but proud and happy nonetheless. I also love how much of a math queen Hermione with her being able to calculate all those points in her head to figure out, very fast, that they are tied with Slytherin before Neville’s points are announced. If Dumbledore did one thing right in this entire series, it was praising Beville for his braver and standing up to his friends. I also love how all the Gryffindors cheer for Neville, you can tell how foreign he is to this kind of attention and praise, but everyone is so proud of him. You can tell he finally feels like he belongs. It’s the sweetest thing. I also love when Hagrid is like “yes!” then remembers he’s an adult and calms himself down because that’s so relatable. It’s also very in-line with his character who is basically a big child. This scene is also one of the only times, besides him fighting on the correct side in the finale, that Percy seems like a genuinely kind person. He’s not being a rule stickler or pretentiously yelling “I’m head boy,” he’s cheering on Harry and Neville and so happy for Gryffindor, just like everyone else. I don’t know how the characters were described in the books, but these actors, especially the kids, really encapsulated each character’s needed essence perfectly and effectively. Harry’s curiosity. Ron’s hilarity. Hermione’s intelligence. Neville’s doubtfulness. Draco’s cruelty. Snape’s mysteriousness. Dumbledore’s prominence. McGongagall’s authority. And honestly, when it comes to casting, essence is far more important then appearance. The innocent child-like wonder vibe which turned into the threatening darkness by the end of the film, what with harry burning off someone’s face and all, the beginning of the darkness that would be a mainstay throughout the series, and it was very well done, being horrified, but not too horrified for it too completely loose the child-like wonder that dominated the film. Ron’s confidence in the Wizard’s Chess scene was amazing to see after his insecurities, challenged by Hermione’s smarts and skill, were shown throughout the movie. Rupert Grint played that confidence very well too. You can tell that the actor was much more comfortable at that point both as an actor and as the character. Another moment I love is when Hagrid gives Harry the picture book and it has probably the only picture he has of him as a baby with his parents. His only family photo. And the way he looks at it, with just as much bittersweet sorrow as he does joy and heartfelt-ness. It’s such an adorable moment. The final scene is so symbolic with the trio and Hermione saying “feels strange to be going home, doesn’t it?” and Harry smiling tenderly and saying very matter-of-factly “I’m not going home. Not really.” You can tell at that moment that these kids and these actors’ lives changed forever. It’s so beautiful and heartwarming. That scene of Harry during his first night at Hogwarts, looking out the window with his first ever pet and companion, completely at peace for the first time in his life, and one of the only times in the whole series. He definitely struggles while at Hogwarts, but he also has a home, a place where he belongs now, and it’s a hell of a lot better then the neglect he got while living on Privet Drive. The First Years’ reactions to Nearly Headless Nick, especially Hermione’s with her know-it-all interrogating and disgusted expression after Nick shows her how he is nearly headless, were so realistic and adorable. My friend told me that Susan Bones, who is sorted in Hufflepuff in the Sorting scene, is actually director Chris Columbus’ daughter, and is only in the films her directed. LOL at Harry thinking for even a second about staying with the Dursleys, but also LOL at Harry willingly going with a stranger (I’m guessing the Dursleys never taught Harry stranger danger?). At least it was Hagrid. I guess the fact that he knew his parents helped make him credible (thank god it wasn’t Peter Pettigrew). I love how full circle it is that Hagrid dropped Harry off at the Dursleys, introduced him to the Wizarding World and flew him away from the Dursleys for the last time. I also love how Harry stands up to Draco when he made fun of Neville after Neville’s broom malfunctioned, just like he did for Ron. Harry seems like a very reserved, down-to-Earth kid at his core, without all his fame and legacy, so the fact that he stood up to Malfoy, especially at this point in story, says a lot about Harry and how he is finding his place at Hogwarts, with or without his fame. He’s gaining confidence from hsi sense of belonging and that helps him stand up to Malfoy, especially because after growing with Dudley, he has no tolerance for bullying. The moving staircases are such a cool, and very anxiety-inducing idea to me. Also that moving staircase tower looks insane. Like 500 feet. Also, LOL at how Harry’s first Hogwarts letters literally are addressed to “the cupboard under the stairs.” I love how loyal and kind Harry is to Ron is, as seen when Harry rejects Draco for Ron, even though they have only known each other for a few hours. I think that says a lot about how much goodness is in Harry and I think that meant a lot to Ron as he knew the reputation of his family before attending Hogwarts. The flying keys to a locked door obstacle reminded me of Alice In Wonderland. Also, did it seem to foreshadow Harry getting attacked by Dementors while going after the Golden Snitch in Azkaban, since the reason Harry was able to catch the key in the first place was because how good he was as a Seeker? Also, Hermione rolling her eyes annoyingly when Harry and Ron are late to Transfiguration in such a mood. I am seriously such a Hermione. Like, if Neville and Hermione were in one person, that person would be me. The first film also hints at so many important things throughout the series. Snape’s hidden protectiveness. Voldemort’s striving for immortality. The trio’s friendship. Hermione’s smarts. Ron’s sarcasm. Neville’s bravery. Also, the two faces and conjoined ears was so creepy looking TBH. Also, LOL at Harry’s introduction to the Weasleys through Mrs. Weasley’s line “packed with Muggles, of course,” while they are the most inclusive family towards Muggles in the series. It’s ironic because, at first glance, that line seems very prejudiced when really it’s just matter-of-fact. Also, the way Draco is so transfixed and entranced by Snape’s speech during the First Years’ first potions class (and the way we have to remember this when we get to Prince, the sixth movie, and they don’t remind us once, is insane). I wonder if he is actually good at potions or if it’s just Snape’s favoritism. When you first watch this potions scene and you see and watch Snape badger Harry while he’s just trying to take notes like a good student, and ignore Hermione who obviously enthusiastically knows the answer, you just think he is a cruel teacher who likes toying with his students. However, by the end of the series, you look at that scene so differently. Snape is aware Harry didn’t grow up in the Wizarding World. He is also aware that he is famous because of his parents dying, one parent he hated and one he loved dearly. You can Snape dealing with this complexity when he pierces Harry with questions and then gives him the final blow “clearly fame isn’t everything,” it pierces Snape just as much as Harry because Harry wouldn’t be famous if Lily wasn’t dead, it’s also ironic because Snape ultimately becomes famous for killing Dumbledore and taking his place as Headmaster, however like Harry, Snape was famous for something that wasn’t truly who he was. Harry is an athlete, down-to-earth and kind, but he’s famous for tragedy and being a hero. Snape is brave, smart and heroic, but he is famous for being a villain. I also love how Hermione nudges Harry when she notices Snape is looking at him while he’s taking notes. She is literally me when I was in grade school. The first time Harry feels like he is something special is the first time he is on a broom, not just since entering the Wizarding World and finding out he’s famous but also in his whole due to the Dursleys’ belittlement. It’s such a joy to see because, for the first time, he isn’t just an orphan or a legend, he is a boy who found something he enjoys and is good at. So, it’s no wonder his first instinct when he is learning how to do a Patronus in Azkaban is to think of the first time he was on a broom. It’s the first time he saw himself as something more than people’s expectations of him. Also, the fact that this is his first time on a broom ever and he is amazing at it is so impressive. Also, when Harry flies up on his broom for the first time after Hermione warns him, her hair blows in the broom’s wind, which shows it’s practical effects, and the production’s attention to detail. The way Ron’s face drops after Harry introduces himself. I love how Harry smiles with how impressed Ron is by his ‘badass’ scar saying “wicked” despite being a bit apprehensive to mention it. It’s one of the first times in Harry’s life that it seems that his peer is impressed by him. It’s so sweet and innocent. Also, the way Harry clocks Ron’s sweetly embarrassed face as he holds up his sad sandwich and feels for him so Harry burst with enthusiasm saying “we’ll take the lot,” using his newfound riches in a childish, generous. It’s so adorable and fitting for their friendship. Ron likes to indulge and Harry is just happy to have some good company. Also LOL at McGonagall not even being upset with him and just like ‘yes, we can finally beat Slytherin’ instead (because we see on the Quidditch plack next to James Potter’s name that M. McGonagall was also an impressive Quidditch star when she was at school (however, it doesn’t make sense that she is on the same plack as James since we see later on that she sorted him, Lily and Snape tehri first year, unless McGonagall has a sibling with a first name starting with M). I love how full circle it is that the whole reason Hermione was in the bathroom was that she was crying over what Ron said, then Ron went with Harry to make sure Hermione wasn’t hurt by the troll since she didn’t go to dinner to hear the announcement, and the Ron ended up being the one to save both Harry and Ron as they were indisposed. I love how that’s hwo they became inseparable. It’s so sweet. What’s so impressive about the child actors in this movie is how subtle and natural they are, unlike most child actors who are really energetic and big (think Disney Channel actors), especially Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Felton. I also think that is a microcosm that shows the difference between British actors and American actors. I think it’s even more thought-provoking when you realize how young and green they were in this film. Also, Hermione’s proud evil smile after igniting flames to Snape’s robes at Harry’s first Quidditch match was so adorable. I also love Malfoy’s rude awakening with how he gets the trio in trouble by breaking the same rule. The second time his ass is handed to him in this series, after Harry’s rejection of friendship. Also, LOL at the whole idea of House points being completely erased from the later scripts. Very smart that they didn’t would just waste time and space, but it’s just funny to me because that was such a big thing in the first film. Although, with that film being more childish and innocent, the blown-out-of-proportion idea of House Points works, and would make less sense for a 16-year-old to be obsessed over. One blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment that I loved showing how fast and true Harry and Ron’s friendship is was when Gryffindor wins the House Cup and they all celebrate and one of the Twins starts to show his brother Ron affection by rubbing his head and messing up his hair and then Ron starts to do the same thing to Harry and Harry does the same thing to Ron in return, showing how they are already like brothers to one another after just a year of knowing on another. He is Harry’s first friend ever and they will be best friends forever. It’s so endearing and adorable. Also, LOL at Hermione being like “I know a spell when I see one” as a first-year who is brand new to the Wizarding World. She’s honestly so impressive. Also, LOL at Harry realizing he’s famous. Can you imagine leaving your sad world to enter a new unknown one and suddenly everyone in that one sees you as a hero, and you are only 11? Like, imagine being just a normal kid, and not just that, an abused orphan, and then suddenly find out you’re a famous wizard and everyone in a different facet of the world knows your name because of some historical event. That’s insane. I also liked how in that scene in the Leaky Cauldron, Harry being polite (which is surprising based on the cruel family he grew up around) reached out his hand to shake Quirrell’s after Hagrid says that this strange, nervous man is going to be his teacher and Quirrell, masked as nerve, rudely doesn’t shake Harry’s hand and hilariously and ironically says “fearfully fascinating subject, not that you need it,” foreshadowing their battle at the end. I loved how we got to see how, despite only meeting Harry once and (knowing them) despite his fame, the Weasleys were already starting to take him in (also, despite Mr. Weasley never having met him at this point) by giving him one of his first-ever Christmas presents (the Dursleys never gave him birthday presents, so they certainly never gave him Christmas presents). It was so sweet, and the scene itself just showed how innocent Harry is, how he still gets excited for Christmas and presents, like any kid, despite you know, being Harry Potter. I love when Harry comes out from behind the corner after Hagrid breaks into the Dursleys’ hideaway and reveals himself to Hagrid and Hagrid looks at him and says “well, of course, you are,” knowing that he sees James and Lily in him immediately. It’s so precious. Also, LOL at Hagrid fully breaking down the door, not even bothering to knock. I also like the choice to make Harry skeptical that he is a wizard. It shows his smarts and guts. The scene also shows how much he values his normalcy, even before realizing he’s famous, with how is repeatedly like “I’m Harry, just Harry.” I also love how proud Hagrid is of his mess of a cake (it’s the thought that counts, and Harry, despite growing up around the menaces to society that are the Dursleys, still manages to be polite and say “thank you”) by saying “baked it meself, word and all.” Also, the way mail is delivered at Hogwarts, with all those owls, that just seems so overwhelming and chaotic, and kind of gross that that happens during meal times. I think I would have a panic attack every mail call because of how chaotic it seems. Also, LOL at Hagrid telling Harry who just found the truth about his parents dying that the person who killed them is still alive, just in hiding. Scare the kid, why don’t you? But at least it was Hagrid and not someone less comforting like Snape or Dumbledore. Also, LOL at Hagrid leaving the poor orphan new wizard at a train station all alone. Also, Harry’s sadness and melancholy when he says “how can it? My parents are dead” after Ron suggests that the Mirror of Erised shows the future is just so adorably sad. Also, I loved how Snape saved Harry at the Quidditch match even though the game was against his own House. I wish there were more clues and instances throughout the series of Snape protecting Harry. I mean they were with him protecting the trio from Lupin’s werewolf form in Azkaban and helping the Order in Phoenix, but honestly, those were quite small. I wish there was something like Half-Blood Prince, a whole storyline with Snape protecting Harry, though it’s perceived as reluctantly as Snape did for Draco in Half-Blood Prince. They sort of gave us that in Phoenix with mind-reading thing, but I feel like they could have used that dynamic in a better, different way, but then again then the ending twist of Snape’s loyalty wouldn’t be as impactful (And side note: but one of those CGI Quidditch players looks like it could be a teenage Ginny circa Half-Blood Prince). I also thought it was funny how in that Quidditch scene a literal 11-year-old Hermione thought she could help Harry when his broom was jinxed. Granted, her solution was quite clever and successful, but it’s still funny especially after seeing how far Hermione has come with her spell-casting and just how complex of spells she became able to do, like obliviate, in the latter films. I also thought it was hilarious the point Ron made about Hermione saying “it’s spooky. she knows more about you then you do,” because it seems like once she found out she was a wizard, she researched everything she could about the Wizarding World, and of course came across Harry, furthering proving how, like the Royal Family, since he was a baby, he was a historical legend, so much so that he is literally in the history books (I will say, if my school was as fascinating as a magical school like Hogwarts, I would have probably done the same thing as Hermione). Also, the (very ahead-of-his-time) shot of Draco flying around his classmates then them parting and him flying through them and then flying for some reason gave me Wizard of Oz vibes, especially when accompanied with that score music they used. Neville’s fantastic arc throughout the series is also foreshadowed in this movie, as he is the one to finally put Gryffindor over the edge and beat Slytherin for the House Cup. I love that for him. When you first meet Nevile, you are shocked by how he could have possibly gotten Gryffindor and not Hufflepuff. After all, he is forgetful, accident-prone, and insecure, not heroic, brave and strong like the other Gryffindor characters we get to know well in the first film. But by the end of the first film, you begin to see that there is a lot of untapped bravery underneath his shy nature. Over the course of each film, that bravery and Gryffindor-ness comes to the surface more and more, to the point where it’s impossible to think Neville belongs in any House other than Gryffindor. I love the scene where the Dursley’s house becomes infested with Hogwarts letters, the school being magically determined to have Harry come before we, as an audience, even completely understand why. And Harry begins to jump up to try and grab one f the letters, with the biggest smile on his face, the first true smile we see from him so far. This is like one of the first times in his life, probably, that he felt true amusement and joy, especially because they are his letters, unlike the Dursleys, there is somebody out there that actually wants him in their lives, somewhere he belongs. Someone and somewhere so determined that they are spending 100s of parchment letters to Harry’s house. It was such a beautiful moment. I especially love the bird’s eye shot as the letters fall and Harry jumps towards the camera to catch one (also begging the question why doesn’t simply bend down to grab one as we can see that he is surrounded by them on the ground? But whatever, it’s a cute moment and a great visual). Ron bringing his own sandwich on the train is such a frugal mood. I do the same thing when I take the train back to school. Although, I love how when Harry sees his tragic sandwich he spends his newfound riches on a crap ton of candy for him and his new, and maybe first ever, friend. This shows how from teh moment Harry and Ron become friends, tehir bond is irrevocable and Harry’s days of loneliness are officially gone. Also, the child actors must have loved filming this scene with all the candy. The Hogwarts Express is a very beautiful set too. It reminds me of the train from The Beatles “A Hard Day’s Night” movie. I also love how Neville’s reputation for forgetfulness starts before we have even met him, with Hermione is being teh one to come in and ask if anyone has seen a toad that belongs to a boy named Neville. Also, I wish we got to see Hermione, who at this point in the story has a bossy tone, and a holier-than-thou, know-it-all attitude covering her kind and brave heart, sitting with the timid and fearful Neville on the train to Hogwarts. I would have loved to see Hermione and Neville right to Hogwarts in a compartment together during their First Year and how intimidated Neville would no doubt be by her. I also wish we got more of their friend overall because we didn’t really get to see their friendship at all. They seemed more like two people with mutual friends rather then actual friends. I love how she is the first of the trio that the shy version of Neville meets, and I wish we got to see it, because, besides Harry’s fame and legacy, Hermione is undeniably the most intimidating person of the trio. Hermione is such a mood in this movie too, between her eye rolls, smirks and rule-following protests. I especially loved Watson’s delivery of “what. an. idiot” when Harry flies off after Draco, right after she warned him about Madame Hooch’s wrath and reminded him that he doesn’t know how to fly yet, right before Harry proves how much of a natural he is on a broom. I love the scene where Harry meets the Weasleys for the first time. How he shakes his head in disbelief when Percy goes through the wall to Platform 9 and 3/4. Ginny sweetly told Harry good luck, knowing that she fell for him at first sight, before she even knew that was THE Harry Potter. The shot of Harry running through the wall then turning around and seeing the Hogwarts steam train for the first time was great. It reminded me of the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy opens the door to Oz for the first time and it goes from black and white to technicolor. Emma Watson was definitely too young of an actor at the time for this to be a purposeful, conscious choice, but her nonchalant wave to Hagrid at the end of the film was physically very Ron of her, which coincidentally may have hinted at their future romance. But in all seriousness, Emma Watson was seriously such a great physical actor at such a young age, which I can’t tell was her idea or Chris Columbus’ direction. In the opening feast scene, she is cutting her food and eats it in a very proper way, with a knife and fork and putting it in her mouth with the fork upside down (which is the proper etiquette BTW), which perfectly matches her put-together, polite character, especially at the beginning of the series. She’s not eating like a kid, she’s eating like an upper-crust society girl, which is an impressive choice for such a young actor (I always think this is the only time we actually see him eat besides the Butterbeer mustache in Prince). I also love how the Sorting hat is a literal witch’s hat. it would be really disappointing if it wasn’t. The Sorting Hat’s animation and expressions are also well done, which is impressive given the time period this was filmed in. It’s mouth and eyes are expressive and has wrinkles as well. Also, Dumbledore lifting his goblet to Harry after he was sorte din to Gryffindor, is less tender and more like ‘step one complete!’ Also, LOL at the book screaming at Harry when he ventures into the library’s restricted section because that’s a mood. I also loved Hermione’s equally proud and humble smile when she expertly and easily levitates the feather in the “Wingardium Leviosa” scene, but LOL at Ron fighting his feather with his wand. But it was so sad how Hermione runs past Ron and bumps into him after he naively calls her a friendless “nightmare”…like just you guys wait. I love how when Oliver Wood releases the Golden Snitch during his one-on-one Quidditch lesson, Wood immediately loses sight of it and Harry never takes his eyes off of it, foreshadowing how good of a Seeker he will be. Why, I think, I like Quidditch more than any real-life sport is that it’s more sophisticated and dynamic. In real-life sports, every play runs back and forth to around in a circle all after one ball, which is, frankly, childish and boring. In Quidditch, each player has an active role to play in winning the game. Every player has a job to do and it’s different from what the other players are doing. It’s also fast-paced and exciting, unlike real-life sports that pause every 10 seconds or are all about speed and time. I also think it says a lot about me that my favorite sport is a fictional one (and yes, I know there are real-life Quidditch leagues. No, I won’t ever play on one. I don’t even know how that works). I do have to say the CGI in the Quidditch scenes was hilariously obvious, but you gotta appreciate it for what it is, 90s special effects. It’s obvious and a little distracting, why charming to say the least, right? I like that the first mention of magic from Harry is theoretical “it was like magic” and Vernon snaps “there is no such thing as magic,” fully aware of Harry’s magical heritage. It was smart writing. Also, does anyone think it’s hilarious, fitting and so random how the Dursley’s hideaway from the Hogwarts letter is a spooky, stormy, remote house on an island? It looks like a cozier Azkaban, honestly. At least Hagrid found Harry and save him. The Dursleys deserve to live in that dusty shack (also, LOL at Vernon kind of being right in calling Dumbledore a crackpot in the first film). Also, the fact that the only birthday cake Harry probably got in his whole life, before Hagrid’s was that one he drew in the dirt on the ground (they had a child sleep in the dirt?!) is so sad. I also love Hagrid’s happy face when he says “yer a wizard Harry,” you can tell he’s just as excited as Harry is. Also, the fact that he brought Harry a cake and spelled it “happee birthdae,” is so adorable. It’s the effort that counts. Also, Harry’s politeness in saying thank you despite its obvious inedibility (although Dudley seemed to enjoy it LOL), when all he’s been taught is cruelty, says so much about him too, especially as the Durselsy disrespect Hagrid and his world when they meet him. Harry growing up with them, no matter how badly he was treated by them, still could have easily learned their cruelty, but luckily, Lily’s kind DNA won out. We are also introduced to our first wizarding terms in that scene, and quite possibly the most important; Muggle. Also, imagine being one of those Leaky Cauldron patrons to be one of the first to see the famous Harry Potter as he returns to the Wizarding World. That’s like bragging rights for life. Harry is so weirded out by all the attention, especially after all the neglect he had while growing up (maybe that’s why he tends to isolate himself. he was used to being alone and somehow thinks in a twisted way he’s better off that way). Its like cultural shock. But also LOL at Harry being weirded out by Quirrell due to him acting like a fangirling tween then finding out he’s a professor and being his polite self. Also, I hate to say it, but as a germaphobe, what a mood that Quirell doesn’t want to shake his hand (but in reality, if he does, it’ll burn him). It’s good subtle foreshadowing. Also, can we talk about how adorable all the child actors are in this film? Harry. Hermione. Ron. Neville. Draco. They are all just so adorable. It only adds to it’s charm. I love how when Hermione and the boys sneak out and they run into Neville, they still petrify Neville, but as they walk by they are like “sorry,” showing how pure they are. That scene is just adorable. I also love Grint’s delivery of “brilliant, but scary,” it’s just great! I love how Neville is already beginning to show his capacity for bravery in this scene as well, by standing up to the trio and threatening to fight them, fully knowing that he is too shy to do so. The fact that he was ever willing to speak volumes. Also, LOL at the fact that they were small enough to stand under the Invisibility Cloak in this movie and then by the finale, only Harry piggybacking a goblin could fit under there comfortably. They grow up so fast! Also, I love how Ron steps on Hermione’s foot while under the Invisibility Cloak and that becoming there a thing as he also steps on her foot in Azkaban on the Hogwarts Express when the Dementors search the train. You can already see their love-through-bickering relationship show through in this movie, like the snarky smirk Hermione gives Ron when they are in the Devil’s Snare and Ron is being his dramatic self and yells “kill us fast. Oh, now I can relax.” It also shows how those characters, even as children, flip gender roles as Ron, the boy, is being dramatic and freaking out and Hermione, the girl, is being mature and staying calm. You can also tell that the Devil’s Snare was practical effects as the actor’s reactions and interactions with it are so authentic, which is impressive for the time period, and also made it easier to get the best performances possible from the young actors. It was quite an underrated and impressive achievement. Also, LOL at this being the first time Hermione saves Ron, but already, like, the hundredth time Hermione saves the day. Also, I may be reading too much into this, but was the reason JKR decided on a three-headed dog so there would be one for each of the trio? Also, the slobber from Fluffy that falls onto Ron’s shoulder looks just like the gross troll boogies that got on Harry’s wand, ew! I do appreciate how Fluffy snores and heavy breaths, like a real dog (just times a million). What I love about the obstacles in this film is that each one places to each of their strengths. As Ron says in Part 1, Hermione is the best at spells and more textbooks-based subjects like Herbology and Charms. She also stays the calmest in a crisis and save the day the most, because she is the one that pays the most attention in school. Harry is the best flyer, not just out of the 3 of them, but out of their whole grade level. In the winged key room, the broken-winged key is like a Golden Snitch for him, and as the youngest Seeker in a century, the obstacles play to his strengths. And Ron grew up in the Wizarding World, and grew up playing Wizard’s Chess, which makes him a great, and very underrated (as this is one of the only times in the series his skill set and strengths are used, seen as useful or even bothered to be explored) strategist. Each obstacle is seemingly made by each professor. Hagrid, the gamekeeper and future Care of Magical Creatures teacher uses Fluffy. Sprout, the Herbology teacher, does the Devil’s Snare. Flitwick, the Charms teachers, bewitched the keys. McGonagall, the Transfiguration, like she does with the statues in the finale, transfigures the chess board. And, conveniently, Snape doesn’t seem to have an obstacle, which is smart as it only enforces the trio’s theory, even though Hagrid says he is one of the teachers tasked with helping protect the stone, but as we find out later, he was a double agent, which probably means that he is the one to actually move and hide the Mirror of Erised. Also, how ironic is it that Snape’s first line in the series is “there will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class,” basically belittling the art of magic, however, he ended up being one of the most skilled, talented, brilliant and strategic wizards and duelists in the series? I also love how before the even go down that literal Sorcerer’s Stone rabbit hole, Harry tells Hermione and Ron, for the first time, that if something goes wrong for him then they should save themselves. From the very beginning, before he knew how bad things could really get, he was already a selfless, protective person and that drives him throughout the rest of the series. You can also tell that the Wizard’s Chess set was with practical effects, as they couldn’t do some of those shots without the pieces really being there. It made the whole scene feel more grand and real. The pieces also really moved with practical effects, like robotics rather then CGI, as you couldn’t make those camera moves if they didn’t really move. You can also tell the horse statue Ron ride son is practical and moving mechanically. Also, the fire and candles around the board seemed real, which is insane as those are children. Rupert Grint’s best acting in the whole film was in the Wizard’s Chess scene. For most of the movie, Ron was wide-eyed, naive, hesitant and worried, but in this scene he is self-assured, confident and being a leader (for like the first and only time in the whole series). I mean, he is so confident and is such a good friend that he sacrifices himself, knowing that while he seeks glory, this is Harry thing to do, not his. The heavy-breathing and anxiety on Ron’s as the queen moves toward him, as the most nervous of the trio, this was a huge moment for his character and Rupert played it greatly. Even after he sees what this life-sized magical chessboard is capable of, he uses his fear and turns it into loyalty, determination, strength and shows his capacity for true friendship. This is also the scene that starts the cinematic trend throughout the series of isolation. When they realize the chessboard is real, there is a shot that separates Ron and Hermione from Harry. There are many of these isolated shots throughout the series, especially in Azkaban and Phoenix. Also the way Hermione immediately wants to check on Ron when he sacrifices himself, but can’t, is the first seedling of their slow-burn relations, with others being their awkward handshake in Chamber and Hemrione grasping Ron’s hand while watching Harry with Buckbeak in Azkaban. Also, that moment when she tries to move, but Harry stops her reminding her that they are still playing, shows again the beginnings of him as a leader. Also the whole “not me, not Hermione, you!” scene heart-wrenchingly parallels the trios’ goodbye scene in the finale as Harry heads off to the forest (which also makes the fact that they never gave Ron and Harry a moment to actually say goodbye in the finale and just stare at each other even weirder because Ron, from day one, has always fought like hell to protect Harry and Hermione). This scene also hints that sometimes when you are going for the win, it requires sacrifices, which is something Harry learns throughout the series and eventually does in the finale. Another moment in the Wizard’s Chess scene that shows Harry fitting into a leader’s shoes very naturally and comfortably is when, before he leaves Hermioen with a knocked-out Ron, is when he directs her to go to the Owlery and send a message to Dumbledore once Ron wakes up (why doesn’t Ron go to the hospital wing with Harry?) because he needs to go on on his own. It’s also the beginning of his hero complex. This moment also parallels the trios goodbye before Harry goes to the Forbidden Forest in the finale as Hermione offers to go with Harry both times and both times he refuses and says that he needs to do it alone. Both times, Harry also is a leader and gives Hermione and Ron instructions, in the first film to go to the Owlery and in the last to kill Nagini. Harry’s first look at a broomstick, in amazement, as he walks past all the kids staring at the Nimbus 2000 in the window, foreshadowing his love for Quidditch, is also just so endearing. The Diagon Alley set is just incredible. The crookedness and cobblestone. It’s so gothic, charming, whimsical, wonderous, old-fashioned and quaint. Stuart Craig did an amazing job (TBH it reminds me of the set from the Les Miserable movie a bit. Maybe because from the Reunion, you see that they really built it up, it wasn’t CGI). I love the POV shots of Harry taking everything in. The bats hanging out on the storefront signs. The costumes with robes, cloaks and hats, and all those costume colors of olive green, purple, burnt orange, turquoise, maroon, emerald green, teal, magenta, brown, lime green and burgundy. The attention to detail on every detail and every store front, even the ones they didn’t film in, but we only saw from the outside in incredible. The practical effects in this movie, especially with it being in the 90s-early, early 2000s, are really impressive for the time period (not impressive by today’s standards). It gives it old-fashioned 90s charm (in the same vein as Halloweentown) and is more tangible. You can tell they only used CGI when they absolutely had to like with the troll and in Quididtch scenes. The only scene where it’s hard to tell if it’s CGI or practical lighting is when Harry gets his wand and it lights up and it’s this grand, magical, epic moment, which honestly is a good thing, because that only makes it more magical. The iconicism of this film is also so charming. That image of Voldemort on the back of Quirrell’s head was just so grotesque and disturbing, even for a kids’ film. It’s effective in that way, but just such a discomforting sight (however that’s the point). Also, is it just me, or do goblins look like if house elves smoked a lot of crack and their teeth are really creepy? I love how Hagrid is the one to buy Harry his owl Hedwig. That’s so sweet, but also makes his death in Part 1, by sacrificing himself for Harry and Hagrid, that much more heartbreaking. Also, LOL at the costume team dressing Voldemort up like a grim reaper in the killing Lily flashback sequence. Also, Hermione’s facial expressions in the House Cup scene are great. Her unamused slow clap as Ravenclaw gets their points. Her upset, withering glare as she stuffs her adorable cheek into her hand leaning on the table watching Slytherin cheer as they win the House Cup (also Snape’s very frank, straight-faced, unamused fast clap like he just wants to get this over with in slightly hilarious, but then Dumbledore begins to say that a few last minute points need to awarded and he deadpan turns to him like ‘what the hell are you doing?’ still, slightly, hilariously). Her subtle, shocked fast blinking as Dumbledore shouts her out as Harry and Ron (especially, he already looks in love with her at this point, aww) smile at her admiringly. Then her sweet, humble, shocked smile after Dumbeldore praises her. It’s so sweet. Also he doesn’t just stand up for others because of him finding himself as a leader, she stands up for others because he belongs in the Wizarding World, and even from the first film, that gives him confidence. In Stone, Harry chooses Ron over Draco because Draco insults Ron and he doesn’t want anyone to be treated the way Dudley treated him because luckily eh inherited his mother’s kindness and didn’t become as damaged (although definitely traumatized) and bitter as Snape and Voldemort. Harry also does the same for Neville in the broomstick scene. Also, LOL at Hermione constantly being like “you don’t use your eyes, do you?” and “honestly, don’t you two read?” throughout this film. It makes how low she thinks of their intelligence in the next film and how impressed she is of them with what they achieve next film makes that much more sense, although, with the former quote, LOL at her ridiculing them for being more scared than logical, even though she screamed too. Honestly, that aspect of her, even as an 11-year-old makes her a badass already. Also, LOL at Hagrid saying to the Muggles on the Muggle side of King’s Cross “what are you looking at?” like his height and size is normal. Also, the transitional shot of baby Harry’s fresh scar to the title card to 11-year-old Harry’s scar is really well done. Also, LOL at Hermione’s maniacal and villainous smile after successfully setting fire to Snape’s robes at the Quidditch match. This proves how much of a loyal and dedicated friend she is. Also, does the Devil’s Snare scene remind anyone else of the vines from the Upside Down in Stranger Things? I loved how Hermione, the woman, was calm, and the boys were freaking out, because stereotypically it’s usually the opposite. And if you need proof of that, just look at Hermione’s smirk at Ron when he screaming “kill us faster. Oh, well now I can relax!” Also, the fact that Harry was already so confident on a broom and in Quidditch that he felt he could stand on it to catch the Snitch in his first game ever. That’s so impressive. Also, is it just me or is Hagrid playing the main Harry Potter theme score music on the flute when Harry goes to interrogate him about the dragons? It sounds like it. Also, LOL at an 11-year-old caring about a bank vault, like Gringotts, being broken into to, only the trio would. This movie is also kind of lackluster compared to the other movies and has the least satisfying storyline in terms of its central mystery. I thought Harry burning Quirrell’s face-off was more funny and cringy than intense and scary. This film had a lot of setup for the other movies, which I honestly preferred over the mystery, although the Wizard Chess and three-headed dog scenes are great and iconic. Although, I did like how the adventure in this movie played to each of the kids’ strengths; Hermione’s masterful ability at doing spells and encyclopedia-like brain, Harry’s flying skills (with the broken-winged key being like a Snitch) and Ron’s expertise at Wizard Chess (also, why is this the one time Ron’s unique skills and smarts explored in literally the entire series? Why aren’t they explored and developed more in the other movies? Hermione, Harry and even Neville’s are. Ron deserves the same treatment). Also, isn’t it funny how the Voldemort on the back of Quirrell’s head kind of looks like Ralph Fiennes despite him not being cast until Goblet of Fire? I also thought it was hilarious how, at least it seemed like, the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students also threw their pointed hats in the air when Gryffindor won the House Cup, almost as if saying “anyone, but Slytherin better win this.” It was also hilarious because it reminded me of graduation when people throw their caps in the air. I enjoyed learning about the mythology, the houses, the characters, spells, magic, and the ins and outs of wizarding life, the wizarding world, and Hogwarts more than the mystery. Learning about the Wizarding World’s mythology and the characters was the best part of this movie. The thing about Stone and why it’s so charming is that, despite coming out in 2001, it’s really the only film in the whole series that that that 90s witchy charm. I can just tell that despite this being a book adaption and already having a huge audience, it would have been an instant classic regardless and it’s all because of that intangible charm. Overall, It was a fantastic, wonderful, amazing start to the series.
3. Half-Blood Prince
This, in my opinion, is THE coming-of-age movie of the series (Goblet of Fire is a close second with the first dance awkwardness and Harry’s first crush on Cho Chang). This film also has a big emphasis on romance and focused on two of my favorite characters; Draco and Snape, especially in the case of Snape and how he seemingly double-crossed both Harry and his (ew) mentor Dumbledore (although we find out later that there was more to the story). You get to see Ron and Hermione’s relationship come to a head when he starts dating Lavender Brown, although Lavender and Ron had no chemistry. Ginny and Harry’s relationship begins (although in my opinion, it is very surface-level and boring due to their non-existent development and chemistry, but TBH it was like that with all of Harry’s romances. Like them fighting Bellatrix together at the Burrow could have been such an epic moment, but the execution was so lackluster due to their lack of passion and chemistry. Although, I did like how she encouraged him to hide the potions book and went with him for support. I also admittedly chuckled when she said “I can stay in here too if you’d like?”, a line where she actually showed a bit of her sarcastic personality that I have heard she has in the books although it juxtaposed her character’s reserved film persona oddly, then she disappeared once Harry opened his eyes, and then in the next scene Ron said, “Did you and Ginny do it?” LOL! Also, we should have gotten Ron’s reaction to Ginny and Harry’s relationship. After all, it is his only sister and his best friend and we saw how protective he is of her in Chamber of Secrets and earlier in this film when she’s with Dean in the Three Broomsticks. However, the kiss itself was just awkward. I mean, it somewhat made sense with that probably being the first time they kisses someone other then their first kiss, which were Cho and Dean, but it’s also a film. Weren’t there conversations and rehearsals? Especially in a fantasy series like this, give us the fantasy, not the awkwardness! We can still get the relatable awkwardness through relationship navigation, but awkwardness in kisses themselves just makes the actors seem insanely uncomfortable, which in term makes the audience uncomfortable and makes us cringe. It was such a tight close up and they almost completely missed each other’s lips in that peck. It was clearly supposed to be a subtle, romantic moment, but those moments still need some spark, and this had zero spark). But mainly, Draco Malfoy gets his time to shine, and boy did Tom Felton take full advantage. What I really like about these movies, and especially Tom Felton’s performance in this film, was that when dialogue wasn’t necessary, they didn’t use it. They trusted their actors to convey the right emotion without any words and Felton thrived with it in this film. Draco also never once smiled, not even when he tortured Harry, which from previous films we know caused him enjoyment. Whether that was a conscious choice or not, it was brilliant, showing just how much Voldemort’s and his family, mainly his father’s, expectations were weighing on him and he was doing his best to show a brave face and write it off (that train scene with his Slytherin friends is the perfect example). Felton was always charming and charismatic in this role, and even through Draco’s depression, he was still stealing the show, even in scenes where he has no lines and in those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shots. This film is really the first time Draco’s character is fully fleshed out. He’s given his time and for once he is actually involved in the main storyline besides just faking an injury and getting spied on due to Polyjucie Potion. Tom Felton did such a great job portraying Draco’s anxiety. In all of those lurking-in-the-shadow, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shots he literally looks like he’s about to burst. Also, I think Draco’s self-induced isolation in Prince parallels the lesson Harry learns in Phoenix, that he isn’t alone. However, Draco doesn’t have any real friends like Harry does. Draco’s friends aren’t true friends. This shows even more reasons why Draco is jealous of Harry, and it’s quite sad and lonely, because he also doesn’t have any siblings to bond with about his parent’s cruelty. He could also be jealous of Harry because Harry may have a tragic life with pressure, but t least he doesn’t have his parents putting the pressure on him like Draco experiences. Draco literally spends the majority of the movie brewing over how he was forced to become a Death Eater, depressed and ashamed. He was never truly bad. Also, when Characters spend most of a movie moping, it’s usually not that interesting, except in this case, which is a testament to Felton’s onscreen charm and the storyline, the mystery associated with why he was so depressed and isolated. What’s also so sad about what Draco goes through in this film is that his friends barely notice what’s going on with him. Pansy checks on him once on the train, but never again. Not in the Great Hall or in Potions class. Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise don’t either. It shows how frivolous and surface-level all of Draco’s closest friendships are, which reveals that his constant torment of the trio might be due to jealousy, not prejudice and superiority. This is also foreshadowed in Chamber when he asks Goyle why he’s wearing glasses (because he was really Harry under Polyjuice Potion) and hilariously says, “I didn’t know you could read (which apparently was improvised by Felton, showing how in tune and confident he is as an actor with this character, especially at such a young age it’s very impressive).” While that line is witty, it is also quite sad, as it hints at Draco not really having any true friends. We also see Draco interact with Dumbledore for I think the first time ever. In this season, Gambon, for once, portrayed Dumbledore in a similar manner to Harris, gentle, calm and delicate. He wasn’t scared or anxious by Draco, he was impressed by his gumption and assertiveness, and how he managed to sneak the Death Eaters into the castle (RED FLAG!). He treated him like a child, in a way, how Draco wishes Lucius treated him when he was a child, proud of his accomplishment and reversing his bravery, which is probably why he lowers his wand. he realizes how wrong he is been, he’s regretful, and he is finally getting the praise and admiration he has been craving for his entire life. Also, that plot twist at the end with Snape. Heartbreaking, but once you watch Deathly Hallows: Part 2, it’s oddly heroic. The main highlight of this film was Draco. We finally gained empathy and sympathy for this kid we had seen bully Harry for years. We finally got to see his complexity and I loved every second of it. In fact, I wish we got more of it. We got also many blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shots of Draco alone and brooding when he is usually always surrounded by an entourage. It was so depressing, despite being so established as a bully. From what I heard, my opinion on how much I love the teen drama in this film (and Goblet for that matter too), but let me come to its defense. As a teen drama fanatic, I loved this film because it reminded us, right before the big epic battle of the final two movies, that these characters are kids. They are teenagers and they didn’t ask to be soldiers in this larger battle. In that way, this film is a last hurrah in many ways. It was a darker callback to the innocence and fun of the first two films, just in a more mature way with it’s darker cinematography and higher, deadlier stakes. This is the last time the story can focus on relationships, as the final two films are so task-focused and action-focused. And in order to have Ron and Hermione’s epic kiss, we needed this development to make that as impactful as possible. Hermione and Ron’s fight might seem frivolous in light of everything, but it’s realistic. Just because the stakes are high, doesn’t mean your feelings and personal conflicts go away. After all, there would be nothing worth fighting for, as Harry says at the end of Phoenix. Honestly, both Ginny and Dean & Ginny and Harry come out of nowhere (really, what did Dean see in Ginny anyway? What does Harry see in her anyway too?). Also, LOL at Harry hilariously standing when Ginny walks into that first Slug Club ice cream social or whatever. So awkward! I also appreciated how they foreshadowed the use of a love potion, both at Fred and George’s shop and in Slughorn’s first potion shop, making it more and more obvious that it had something to do with Ron that wasn’t too on the nose as we first see it in his brother’s shop and the Hermione clearly thinking of him as she smells it as she says to her smells like spearmint toothpaste, which he wiped off her mouth earlier at the Burrow. It also hints in that seen that Romilda Vane is the concoctor of it, and later also hinted during that library scene. I thought those Easter Eggs were very smart in their indirectness and mutual obviousness when you look back on it. This film also featured some great comedic moments, like the Romilda Vane love potion debacle with Ron, Harry getting high on liquid luck and Aragog’s funeral. Ron finally got his time to be on top in this film, due to his success on the Quidditch field and how he got his first official girlfriend. This movie he became less of an insecure kid and more of a confident young man, which was really great to see, although, honestly, it didn’t really amount to much, mostly due to that extremely awkward ending scene with the trio. Also, Harry’s most cocky moment is in this film. It’s when Hermione says that Romilda Vane is only interested in Harry because she thinks he’s the Chosen One and Harry says he is the Chosen One and Hermione proceeds to whack the cockiness back out of him for that momentary lapse of conceitedness. It was a great moment and honestly, showed that Harry is just a normal teen who may be humble, but is still capable of being blindly by attention and glory. But I appreciate how this was only one, small moment, because it just added more dimension to Harry’s character, not make him completely change. He was humble and naive and now he is humble and confident. Why does Harry have a momentary lapse of cockiness being like “I am the Chosen One” when he sees Romilda Vane in Prince, when he’s supposed to be crushing on Ginny? Ugh, teenage boys. They are all the same, emotionally idiotic, even Harry Potter. I will say high Ron Weasley is the best Ron Weasley, whether that high on attention or high on a potion, it’s truly hilarious and provides great lightheartedness. I also loved how they continued the trend of Ron reacting with comedic relief during high-staked situations, probably due to growing up around Fred and George. The best example in this film is after Harry saves him from the poisoned mead Slughorn gives them and he says “these girls are gonna be the death of me.” I also loved the layered dynamic of Ron and Hermione’s fight in this book (although I hate when they fight), especially since they become so much closer in the next two movies. Hermione was upset about the luck potion even though she did the Confundus charm at tryouts (which was great at showing how contradictory Hermione is sometimes, even though she was doing it for her friend/crush and wanting to help him succeed). She was upset that Ron was happy and on a high but not because of her, and then she felt even worse when Ron kissed Lavender. She wanted Ron to notice her and appreciate her. Every teen girl can relate to that feeling of never being enough. I mean, just look at Hermione’s face when she sees Lavender’s window art on the train. You can tell she is at her last straw. But I love how proud of herself Hermione is for confundus-ing Cormac too. She’s so loyal and determined and selfless. I just love her! this is also such a realistic thing for a magical teen to do, even if that magical teen is the rule-loving Hermione. It’s the one time Hermione is rebellious just for herself, not for the greater good. Just to help her friend, and her crush. It added a lot to her character. Also, LOL at Ron later telling Hermione that Cormac has a thing for her. Like, don’t hide it, so do you and she has a thing for you back. Oh, teenagers and their lack of emotional communication skills. Also, I’m sorry, but Harry’s hair looks like a middle schooler in this film with et short bangs and a middle part. Also, seeing kids carry messenger bags and backpacks at a boarding school is just odd to me. I don’t know why, it just hits differently. Also, LOL at Harry blocking Ron from leaving potions class, such an authentic bromance moment, like “we are in this together sucker.” Another bromance moment in the scene is when they fight over the clean potions book. In the Potions Class scene, you can tell Hermione is in her element. She’s poised and focused. You can see her being frustrated even before eth potions contest begins as she eyes Lavender who freaks a bit when Ron enters the room. When Slughorn asks someone to name all the potions he’s laid out, her hand shoots up and she confidently walks up and names them all. And then when Slughorn gives her an assignment with a reward, she’s determined to get it. This is her Quidditch, academic excellence (and yet Harry wins anyways LOL). Draco looks so sad in that Potions class scene. He’s so depressed and staring emotionless at the ground. This used to be his favorite class too because Snape taught it, and now he is so melancholy. It’s so pitiful. But then he perks up when Slughorn says “one sip and you will find that all your endeavors succeed” while talking about Liquid Luck. He definitely would have won it if Snape was still the teacher, not Slughorn. I also love how Ron whips toothpaste off of Hermione’s face early on in the film, then in the Potions scene, she smells spearmint toothpaste when she smells teh love potion, hinting at her romantic feelings for Ron, which is especially obvious with how weirded out her reaction is when smelling it. I also found it funny how the girls in the scenes, Lavender, Romilda, Pansy, Katie and Leanne all inch toward it, entranced and hypnotized by it, walking wide-eyed with such synchronicity. It’s very stereotypical but was a cute, feminine moment in the series nonetheless, it was also a great showcase of all the minor female characters used in this film. I also liked how Lavender looked so defeated when Slughorn put the lid on, while all the other girls looked more embarrassed, showing how well that actress knew her character. I also love how at ease Neville is in this potions class with Snape gone. form the position He must be so relieved. I will say that I liked how Ron complained about the attention (the chapped lip comment made me chuckle) because it showed that wanting to be at the top and being at the top are two very different things. I really liked seeing Christmas at the Weasley, Harry’s true family. It was like for the first time in the series, we got to see how wizard families really celebrate Christmas. Not at Hogwarts or the Yule Ball or Grimmauld Place or on the run like in Deathly Hallows. I love the enchanting ice skating decorations. However, Ginny and Harry’s chemistry in those scenes was awkward, like when Ginny fed Harry (although it was hilarious when Ron sat in between them oblivious) and when she tied his shoe (??). It wasn’t sweet or realistic, it was stiff and cringy. While Dumbledore tried to guide Harry in this film (very manipulatively), Harry really ended this film in a similar place as in the Goblet of Fire. He was alone, but not like in Order of the Phoenix. He learned in that film that he has a support system, but now there’s no one to protect him from Voldemort. The only person that can is himself. His mom, his dad and Sirius all protected him his whole life, but they are gone. Also, Neville must have been so upset by Snape becoming the DADA teacher. He had just improved so much with Harry teaching him that now there is no need for the DA, as Snape is the Easter Bunny compared to Umbridge, and now the class is being taught by his worst fear, professor Snape. However, now he has a bit more confidence, so maybe he could have held his own a bit more I wish we got to see that, and also Snape’s misery in his new position. This movie showed Harry that he is the only one who can protect him now. However, he is lucky enough to have many people in his corner willing to help him achieve his goal. I also liked that we got to see Harry make a massive mistake with life-and-death consequences, especially after his good vs. evil struggles in the Order of the Phoenix. He recklessly used the Sectumsempra spell on Draco when he didn’t actually know what it did. Harry knows better, especially when it said “for my enemies,” and yet he took the risk anyway. It reminded us that while he has a hero complex (I mean, he literally saved Wormtail, who is the reason his parents are head. Granted, it was because he’d rather he get the Dementor’s Kiss then have his dad’s two best friends become murders, but Harry or Lupin and Sirius could have at least stupefied Wormtail), as we see when he uses the spell again on Snape aka the Half-Blood Prince after he kills Dumbledore, he is also still a young man learning and growing up. Also, just like Draco was overcompensating for his parents’ effed-up approval and Ron’s was overcompensating for his insecurity due to his inferiority complex, Harry’s hero complex could be rooted to him trying to make up for the fact that his parents died protecting him. He wants to make their sacrifice, as well as Sirius’, later on, worth it. I also love how in the hospital after Ron’s poison potion, Harry looks at Hermione holding Ron’s hand after he says her name in his sleep and says nothing and Hermione still says “shut up” and can’t help but smile. It’s a great moment where Harry kind of gives his approval for their relationship. Also, Snape’s face as Dumbledore says “oh, to be young and feel love’s keen sting.” You know he’s thinking of Lily, with Harry, her eyes, right there. There are also establishing and transitional shots with birds in this film, no doubt referencing Draco using them while repairing the Vanishing Cabinet, but it also reminded me of Azkaban with all those establishing transitional hot of the Whomping Willow through the seasons. Also, Dumbledore tells Harry that it’s imperative that he stays below, knowing that it’s most likely Draco who is there, and who needs to kill him. He literally sent Harry to watch him die, on top of all the trauma Harry has dealt with. Also, Snape’s face as he walks through the castle after killing Dumbledore. He already loathes himself so much, but you can also see how strong and tough he is. And Draco watching his aunt Bellatrix destroy the Great Hall in celebration is absolutely horrified. Poor kid. I wish we got to see close-ups of Snape and Draco’s confrontation after Draco crashes Slughorn’s Christmas party, because just by how powerful, specific and confident their voices are, you can tell how amazing the acting was in that scene and it really does both actor’s such a disservice as we rarely got to see them interact one-on-one and they are two of the best actors of the series. The direction’s emphasis is more on artistry than a powerful story making what surely had the potential to be such a profound scene kind of forgetful, which is just horrible. Also, LOL at Ron falling off the couch behind Harry and Slughorn. Also, Snape’s delivery of the line after Harry accuses Malfoy of cursing the necklace that Katie Bell saying something like how lucky are you to be the Chosen One, was chilling and so layered. It was so good. Prince was an emotional rollercoaster with teen drama and emotional turning points. Prince was a last hurrah of sorts for the kids to enjoy the last of their teen years, and therefore deal with classic teen angst and problem like romances, classes, Quidditch, and relationships. Prince was also more mature in tone due to Harry and Dumbledore’s private lessons, all on borrowed time. The mystery of Snape and Draco also adds to this film’s maturity along with the emotional weight of themes like grief, betrayal, love, anxiety and guilt that are dealt with in this film. While the series has gradually matured since Goblet, which ends with it’s most mature storyline yet, and Phoenix shows the character’s maturity through the students taking matters into their own hands, Prince is truly where the series matures, due to those complex themes and heavy emotional weight, which is performances excellently by the actors, mainly Radcliffe, Grint, Watson, Felton, Rickman and Gambon. Snape especially, as the film is named after his alias, “The Half-Blood Prince,” setting up for his backstory and twist in the finale. Also, LOL at Hermione’s tryouts versus game logic. Although, she sort of has a point. Also, LOL at Ron saying that if you break an Unbreakable Vow you die and then the camera focuses on Lavender’s window art dripping away. As much I loved this film, I do have to admit that some of the directorial choices were very odd, to the point where some of them were distracting. The girl in the diner during Harry’s first scene was more creepy and odd, with her unexplained fascination with Harry Potter. It was supposed to come off as flirtatious, but it really just came off as awkward and nonsensical (although I did chuckle when Harry said “no one” when the Muggle girl asks who Harry Potter is after reading the headline of his Wizard newspaper. That’s so Harry. Always the humble one who seeks normalcy and anonymity above all else). Also, LOL at Harry popping in a mint after talking to that diner girl and Dumbledore casually in his wizard robes in a Muggle train station and extra LOL at him having the audacity to say that Harry has been reckless this summer when he’s been reckless gambling with Harry’s life and Snape’s loyalty. Also, in the scene in the Three Broomsticks when the trio goes in for some Butterbeers, why does Harry direct Ron and Hermione where to sit? I get that’s either so he can keep an eye on Slughorn or Ginny with Dean, but the way it plays out and is directed is just awkward, unnecessary and weird. Also, why, in the Quidditch tryout scene, is Ron standing awkwardly and nervously in front of the group of rowdy players alone in front of Harry and his little sister? This is his first time trying out, right? So, I get that he’s nervous, but the staging is just so weird. I get that these are awkward teens. We have seen their awkwardness in many movies before this film, specifically Goblet and Phoenix, and especially involving romance. However, there is one thing for the actors to play it awkwardly, and it’s another to stage it awkwardly. That just goes to show how impactful the art of filmmaking can be on an audience because you have to choose one or the other, have the actors play it awkward or film it awkward, doing both just makes it borderline cringy, and that’s problem here, Yates wanted it both ways in these moments and it just didn’t work, making it feel forced and bland instead of endearing and comical. Another awkward scene is when Ron is just awkwardly sitting there while Harry and Hermione talk on the Astronomy Tower (also why there? Sure, it looks cinematic but isn’t Harry traumatized? isn’t it too soon?)? He doesn’t even feel left out, he’s just sitting there like a child in a timeout. At least give him a line, make him jealous (to justify or foreshadow his action in the next film) or make him sitting there has an actual point. It’s just awkward and makes no sense to me. Why are Harry and Ron smiling so big watching the chaotic corridor before McGonagall beckons Harry over to tell him about Potions Class in Half-Blood Prince? They look high when they haven’t even been introduced to Liquid Luck yet, and when McGonagall tells them to go to potions, they don’t seem happy about it, even though Snape is no longer the potions teacher. It’s also so odd how the movie starts just after the Department of Mysteries, but the last film ended with the students walking to the Hogwarts Express. Like we don’t need to see that again, especially Harry getting attacked by the paparazzi right after Sirius’ death and seeing that manipulator DUmbledore comfort him. It should have just started with Death Eaters wreaking havoc in the Muggle World and that fast-moving, intense Death Eater POV shot as it black smokes to Diagon Alley to kidnap Ollivander. That would be such a thrilling and exciting introduction to such an important and pivotal film. It also would have let us know the stacks right from the get-go. We didn’t need that paparazzi reminder of Harry’s pain. Let Radcliffe do that through his performance. It’s almost as if they didn’t trust their lead actor when the rest of the film proves how skilled and talented he is. However, despite all of this awkward direction, I still immensely enjoyed this film which I think says a lot about how good the acting and the writing are in this film. Out of the 4 movies in the series that Yates directed, I think this was his worst one directing-wise, which is sad because this one had the most potential and intrigue. Also, I think the fact that it is still one of my favorites speaks volumes about how good the acting, story and writing are in this movie. However, one way the direction really worked well however was by showing Draco’s isolation. That moment of Draco on the Astronomy Tower, both foreshadowing (especially honing in on this foreshadowing since he talked about jumping off the Astronomy Tower on the train earlier) the battle and with the wide angle and Draco’s blonde hair popping on the scene, the host is so lonely. Then there are a couple of split scene shots showing Draco’s isolation, one of Draco hiding and contemplating and another with him walking to the Astronomy Tower while a few schoolmates hang out and act like kids. These shots are very impacting and very sad. Also, the fact that Snape was the one to save Draco after Harry cast the spell for the first time was such a brilliant hint because we were so distracted by the knowledge of his Unbreakable Vow. Also, Rickman’s delivery of “I’m the Half-Blood Prince” is chilling. Wow! Also, Snape going down such a dark path due to the relentless bullying with learned he experienced in school from James in Phoenix pushing him down a dark path (and presumably his path to becoming Death Eater only to thankfully backtrack later) and literally create a spell as brutal and violent as Sectumsempra. Like, wow! Snape’s smarts are so underestimated and underrated. I mean, his notes in the Advanced Potions book just prove how much of an (evil) genius he is between his advanced skills, probelm-solving skills, meticulous attention to details through recognizing flaws in potion recipes (and recognizing the details in Qurriell’s hella suspicious behavior in Stone) and literally inventing his own spells (literally, how doe sone invent a spell? or discover a spell?). I love Harry’s snarky grin to Malfoy when he calls Harry out when he and Luna arrive walk up Flitwick. Also, LOL at Ron being like ‘I can’t watch my sister be with her boyfriend,’ with Harry right there. I love how Luna and her magical sectruspectes is the thing to save Harry when Malfoy petrifies him. Once again, her quirkiness and uniqueness save the day! Just like with the thestrals in the last film. Also, can we talk about the irony and foreshadowing of Draco saying “I think I’d pitch myself off the Astronomy Tower if I thought I had to continue on for another two years.” Geez! I do appreciate how in the Tom Riddle orphanage flashback, we see 7 rocks on his windowsill and a picture of the cliffs, foreshadowing the first location Harry goes to during his individual Horcrux Hunt and the number of Horcruxes there are, which is confirmed in Slughorn’s “key” memory. Ron starts winning and gaining a lot of confidence in this movie. Hermione and Harry help him become a Quidditch star. He gets the clean, new potions book, which in hindsight is the safer one. He starts to see himself as an attractive, romantic person as he gets his first girlfriend, and that gives him confidence, a little too much even. It’s been 5 movies and this 6th film is literally the first time really since Wizard’s Chess that he’s had confidence and won, and he was the one to sacrifice himself during the Wizard’s Chess game, remember? This is LONG overdue. Also, I liked the foreshadowing moment of Harry coming into Dumbledore’s office after his death and picking up his wand, the Elder Wand. Literally holding it in his hand, having no idea how much he’ll need it next year. The trio in the common room after Ron makes the Gryffindor Quidditch team and Hermione asks Harry for the potions book, that shot was really well-framed, with the triangular shape and Ron at the center and higher up, when he is rarely the center of attention or has a moment to shine, and well-done. Ron wins over Harry for the clean potions book (which in hindsight, really was the better book). Also, LOL at Ron falling off Slughorn’s couch. I audibly chuckled. Slughorn and Harry’s reactions were great too. That Unbreakable Vow scene took my breath away. Narcissa’s cold stone-determined face combined while visibly having her eyes water with tears. Snape’s stunned face of fear and shame, trying to hide it all while visibly expressing “dear god, what have I done?”. It was such a powerful scene, especially how Helen McCrory, who barely had anything to do in these movies but proved herself to be a fantastic actor, even without lines, in this scene. And of course, it’s written all over Rickman’s deadpan face, proving his acting abilities to be just as powerful, if not more powerful than the most expressive actor who exists. Literally, no one else could have ever played Snape. I pity the person who plays Snape in a remake, a prequel to a sequel. I mean, that Unbreakable Vow scene is a masterclass in subtlety and lineless acting. I also loved the double meaning behind Snape saying in front of Voldemort’s most loyal follower (Bellatrix) “Over the years I have played my part well. So well I’ve deceived one of the greatest wizards of all time.” I wish there were close-ups during that Snape and Draco confrontation scene when Harry is eavesdropping. Just by their fiery voice acting, you can tell it was such an impactful well-acted scene, I just wish we could have actually seen them and their reaction and all the nuances on their faces. It was such a missed opportunity for two of the series’ best actors and most interesting, complex characters. It was also the only scene where Snape and Draco really got to interact one-on-one, and we were deprived of having that scene be as impactful as it definitely could have been with the lack of close-ups. Really, that quick scene could have been some of the most impactful of the series if they just added two over-the-shoulder angles. Also, McGonagall trying to comfort Harry in Dumbledore’s office after he died was so sweet (even if she meant it when she said that Dumbledore cared about Harry, which she probably did because from his perspective it was probably true, as we found out in Part 2, Dumbledore was full of sh*t). I also love the moment when the trio is blissfully walking through snowy Hogsmeade and Ron and Harry finish Hermione’s sentence when she said she went to the library to look up the Half-Blood Prince (with little success). It just shows how close they are at this point. Finishing each other’s sentences is a surefire way to prove that. I also love how when they walk back through snowy Hogsmeade Hermione is in the middle and puts her arms around Harry and Hermione. That also, visually, shows just how close they have gotten. They’re her boys, and she’s their girl. But of course, the calm, peaceful snowy walk doesn’t last long as the sh*t hits the fan when inevitably they encounter a classmate who got cursed by a necklace filled with dark magic. Another moment that proves this is when Hermione tells Harry to “shut up” after Ron mutters her name in the hospital even though he didn’t say anything, just looking and smirking at the two. Also, I’m sorry but Radcliffe’s haircut in Prince has to rival his in Goblet. They are both equally as bad. For older Harry, I like his haircut in Phoenix best, personally. I also love how Hermione whacks both Harry when he has a rare moment of cockiness and Ron when he’d rather stuff his face than worry about Harry in this movie. I love female rage and I love Hermione’s more outlandish moments because it adds so much to her proper, rule-loving character. Emma Watson also plays these moments so well. She doesn’t over do it, but still makes them impactful and fun. There are a lot of second-long moments where it’s quad of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, and with those characters being two major slow-burn relationships of the series, I wish we got to see that quad interact more impactfully and purposefully because they really balance each other out well (not that the trio doesn’t balance themselves out, the quad just does in a different way). My only real qualms with this film is how so many scenes had so much potential, but often the execution wasn’t there, particularly in regard to almost every one of Ginny and Harry’s scenes, as I aforementioned, and unfortunately the ending scene. It felt half-assed and almost like they didn’t know how to end it. Also, why was Ron just awkwardly sitting there not saying a word? And Why was he standing behind them in the final shot and not on the same level? Maybe it was foreshadowing how Hermione and Harry were on the same wavelength in the next film and Ron was the odd one out, but that’s still sorted of a weird thing to foreshadow after the events of the film. Out of all the films, this film’s ending is the least satisfying. It felt like the finale of a season of television. It’s not necessarily a cliffhanger, but it’s still intriguing. However, almost all the other films, even the tragic-ensued Goblet manage to have an uplifting ending. This film’s ending was more melancholy. It left things up in the air, leaving you begging for more and antsy for the grand finale. I do like that, however, as I have sort of explained, the execution sort of lacked. However, this movie still manages to be, in my opinion, one of the best of the series. Although the final scene is awkward, I think it says a lot how Hermione and Ron (I guess we are supposed to assume Ron too because he’s there and Harry’s best friend. God, they really should have given him a line) want to leave school to help harry hunt Horcruxes. Hogwarts is just as much their happy place as it is Harry’s (despite danger always finding them LOL). Hermione loves academics and Ron’s family is there. they would both be sacrificing so much. It just says so much about how good of friends they are. However, while awkwardly executed, it was a beautiful moment. Hermione reminds Harry of the lesson he learned in Phoenix, that in unity there’s strength. That he does need others’ help, their help, in order to defeat Voldemort. I also love how it ends with them admiring Dumbledore’s Phoenix singing (right?) and the beauty of Hogwarts. That was honestly the most fulfilling and satisfying part of the ending. The scene at the Astronomy Tower in which Draco confronts Dumbledore, Harry hides and is told by Snape to be quiet, and the Death Eaters join Draco and then Snape joins them and Dumbledore says calmly “Severus, please,” which to everyone, the other characters in that scene and the audience, at the time, thinks that it’s Dumbledore pleading for his life, but in reality, as we find out later (since Dumbledore was forcing Snape to kill him) it was Dumbledore giving Snape permission to kill him. Writing-wise and acting-wise, this scene is phenomenal and just might be the best of the entire series. And hearing the truth behind Snape and Dumbledore’s alliance when it comes to protecting Harry and why Snape agreed to do it in honor of Lily, just adds a whole new layer to that whole Astronomy Tower scene with Snape running into Harry under the Astronomy Tower and shhhh-ing him, evitably telling Harry to stay up, then going up and obeying Dumbledore’s orders to kill him, knowing that harry is underneath watching. Ugh! It’s just heartbreaking, and it was performed so beautifully as well.
2. Prisoner of Azkaban
Directed by the great and Academy Award-winning Alfonso Cuarón, aka the director of Children of Men, Gravity, Roma, and Great Expectations, Prisoner of Azkaban is an amazing film from start to finish. This isn’t surprising, with Cuarón being probably the most prestigious director of this series. It was the darkest film and yet and stylistically the most sophisticated. There was a huge improvement in the special effects (literally it was night and day between Chamber and Azkaban, you could have rethought they were 5 years apart instead of only 2). Due to Cuaron’s interpolation, the series earned its first Oscar nomination in the visual effects category but unfortunately didn’t win. In the Reunion, the young actors said that Azkaban was the film when they really became more confident in their acting abilities. Asking questions. Making suggestions. Becoming involved. And you can definitely tell through their performances. It’s part of the reason this film is one of the best in the series. It also makes sense as Stone and Chamber were filed back to back. Giving the kids time to breathe, reflect and focus, really helped their performances. In my opinion, this film was probably the most well-directed film of the series. Honestly, Azkaban felt less like a blockbuster and more like a piece of actual cinema. A prestige film. TBH, choosing a director like Curaon, due to his artistry and directorial, was one of the best choices the franchise made. This film not only sticks out against others in the franchise stylistically but also other young-adult franchises and blockbusters, due to how it seems more artistic than commercial. Cuaron definitely made his mark on the series and succeed on making it stand out against the rest of the films in the series in all aspects. Azkaban is also the only movie where Voldemort isn’t the main villain, which I think helps it immensely as, again, it stands on its own and helps it feel refreshing and singular. It’s the most visually stunning of all the films with some truly breathtaking shots and camera impressive camera movements. It was really well-paced due to how he kept showing us the Whomping Willow which acted both as a piece of foreshadowing and as a way to break up the story (however, is there more than one Whomping Willow, the one inside the grounds in the Chamber of Secrets and the one outside the grounds like in this film? Or are they supposed to be the same one, the filmmkaers just changed the location?). The film also utilized (really well done) long takes, although they didn’t feel long due to the well-timed and well-choreographed camera movement. The mastery of these long takes are also an excellent showcase of just how much these young actors, especially the core trio, have improved as actors in just three films. It had a darker, less saturated color palette which made it feel more moody and mysterious. It also had really innovative camera work and symbolic blocking. This film also utilized the geography of Hogwarts really well, which makes sense as this was the film that introduced the Marauder’s Map. This film was great for world-building in terms of getting the audience as familiar with the Hogwarts grounds as possible, which was especially important to do right before international Wizarding communities were introduced in the following movie the Goblet of Fire. This ability to familiarize the audience with Hogwarts in this film really helped the school feel like a real place, which also made it so much fun to watch. I also liked the use of POV shot in this film. POV shots have been used in the series since the first film, especially during scenes where Harry and Co. wear the Invisibility Cloak, but this film really had fun with it. They made Harry’s “everyman syndrome” feel more tangible and visceral, which helped immensely with translating the emotional turmoil Harry deals with in this film to the audience, especially when translating to the subconscious for viewers who aren’t as familiar with the artistry of film. We learn more about Harry’s parents’ past and get an idea of what his life could have been like if tragedy never strikes the family. He would have had cool uncles, one of them being his Godfather, the person he was meant to live with, not the Dursleys. We also learn the backstory of the Marauders, which is so interesting. It was probably the best-directed film for the franchise, the best score music of the franchise and also had some great comedic and emotional performances from the actors, especially the trio. This film had the best and most riveting mystery. I didn’t want it to end. It had great plot twists. In my opinion, besides Sorcerer’s Stone, the Prisoner of Azkaban is the most rewatchable movie due to its singularity. I feel like, for the most part, you can watch it without much context on Harry Potter lore (as my friends told me it’s called, which is honestly a great name. So mythic and official), after Sorcerer’s Stone, this film is the next film with the most mythology expanding (in my opinion, Chamber of Secrets is more about gaining historical context and more about Hogwarts mythology, not Wizarding World mythology). This became you learn the more new stuff about the world’s mythology in this film, between werewolves, Azkaban, animagi (?), as well as a more currently relevant historical context specific to Harry and his own history. Honestly, after watching these films, I am shocked that my summer camp decided to pick Half-Blood Prince and Chamber of Secrets for the campers to watch out of context because Prince has a HUGE plot twist to the overall story and Chamber I feel like you need all the context from Stone in order to fully grasp the world and storyline. And while I think that Phoenix has the best arc for Harry, I feel like you can’t fully grasp it or its importance without proper context. It also gave Draco some more material and FINALLY gave Hermione her time to shine. I loved how this film was very character-driven; it was the start of the character-driven films in the franchise, and as you can probably tell, those are my favorites (Them being Prisoner of Azkaban, Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince). This was also the start of the series’ tonal shift from bright and fantastical to dark and scary. The kids really come into their own in this film, especially Hermione. She went from simply being an intelligent, bookish secret weapon to an unapologetic, outspoken badass who should not be trifled with. I mean, she was responsible enough to be trusted by the Ministry and Dumbledore with the privilege of time travel, and only used it to innocently go to more classes like a true overachiever, and the extra studying is the only reason Harry saved Sirius. The girl’s got confidence and an incredible work ethic. I love you, Hermione! She is a badass! Honestly, sassy Hermione was the highlight of this film, from storming out of Divination, a SCHOOL class to punching Draco. Hermione and Harry’s friendship takes center stage in this film, and after her disappointing lack of screen presence in Chamber Of Secrets, it was delightful to have her play such a huge role in this film. This movie was also the first time since Sorcerer’s Stone really that we got to see the kids be kids, between that animal noise-inducing treats scene with the Gryffindor boys to the introduction of Hogsmeade trips (the latter showing how the kids, and the trio specifically, are growing up so fast). I loved seeing that, after all these films are essentially about coming-of-age. However bad the American prison system is, Azkaban is just plain inhumane. While people like Bellatrix and Umbridge certainly deserve beings ent there, Hagrid and Sirius don’t. The prisoner there succumbs to a lifetime of not just isolation, but also pain and torture. It’s like a dragged-out execution or drives them into insanity (hence why Bellatrix actually deserves it. Karma’s a bitch). they might as well just execute them then. Also the way Hermione uses teh calm and effective Aholomora spell in Stone and then the brash and loud Bombarda spell in Azkaban to break Sirius out also shows her maturity, as sometimes you don’t just need to do what’s right, but also want will cause the least damage. A bit ironic as she blows the door off it’s hinges, but in actuality it’s smart. It’s so they couldn’t put Sirius or anyone else in there again. Also, even though he is one of my favorite characters and one of the characters I am most fascinated by, I did love how much Draco gets beaten up in this film. First, he fakes being hit by Buckbeak, causing his execution. However, then he is attacked by Harry in the invisibility Cloak, basically gaslighting him (also, him having his Slytherin cronies fend for themselves by pushing them aside while he runs away just says so much about how fake those friendships are, differing from Harry and his many true, real friendships. This is also shown in the hospital scene in Chamber after the Quidditch match where Draco is moaning in pain for attention while basically all of Gryffindor is at Harry’s besides making sure he is okay. That says so much about Draco’s values and Harry’s values and the differences between them, and also Draco’s unlying jealousy and insecurity towards Harry. Like Ron and even Hermione too, everyone is insecure around Harry due to his fame and experience, when Harry is humble about it all, however, Draco is also jealous of the love and friendship in his life, unlike Voldemort and the Death Eaters who are incapable of it. Draco is, and that’s the difference), then, right before Buckbeak’s execution, Hermione fully punches him in the face, fully proving how karma is the biggest b*itch of all. Poor Harry, he is so happy, with the biggest smile on his face when he tells Hermione that it was his dad who did the Patronus that saved him and Sirius from the Dementors and when Hermione is real and honest with him, he snaps in a heat of uncharacteristic, yet understandable anger. It was a great moment of acting for Radcliffe that was impulsive and dynamic but also so revealing of Harry’s character and his vulnerability, reminding the viewer that no matter what happens, he is still just an orphan who misses his parents desperately. I loved teh bit of Ron constantly being like “did yous ee her come in?” which worked both as foreshadowing how Hemrioen solves the conflict in teh end and showed how Ron si always aware of Hermione, whtehr she’s around to not. I particularly love in Divination when she says “what a load of rubbish (very characteristic fo her to think Divination si rubbish as it can’t be learned from a book. Luna probably loved it. I love how much Hermione uses “rubbish” in this movie. Like when she calls Ron’s theory fo Crookshanks killing Scabbers “rubbish.” It justs hows how confident and definitive she’s become. Or Iits just teh fact that just love Hemrione in this movie so much. Either way)” and Ron asks her when she came in as she puts something down ehr cloak unassumingly. It’s obviously teh Time Turner in hindsight, but it just looks like she’s flustered because of Ron in teh moment. It’s just a tiny sweet moment. Also, can we talk about how genuinely scary Boggarts are? They manifest your biggest fear and no one knows what they look like (so how does Lupin manage to capture one?) which as we know from Voldemort, the mystery only creates more fear. That’s so scary. That’s also why this scene is so great, because Lupin made such a scary idea so fun, lively and joyful. It was such a symbolic juxtaposition, both on Lupin’s end and Cuaron’s end directorially. Also, LOL at Hermione being appalled when Harry disarms Snape, as in his eyes his presence is just making the already complicated situation so much worse as he has no idea who to believe, and Hermione, ever the perfect student, flips out when Harry dares to attack a teacher, reminding us once again how Hemrione, as Ron says so frankly, doesn’t always have her priorities straight, as values her academics over her life, at least until Hallows. Also, can we talk about how Dumbledore’s solution to Sirius Black possibly breaking into Hogwarst was to have all the students sleep on the floor in the Great Hall like sitting ducks? I just thought that was the most Dumbledore thing ever, to disguise stupidity with safety. Hermione and Ron’s bickering is at it’s highest peak yet in this film, but thankfully adds humor to the film, like when they find the only semi-open compartment on the Hogwarts Express and Ron asks who the guy sleeping is and Hermione says “Professor R. J. Lupin” and Ron says “Do you know everything? How is it that she knows everything?” and Hemrione very frankly says “it’s on his suitcase Ronald.” I don’t think a single scene goes by where Ron doesn’t attempt to poke fun or notice Hermione, which can be interpreted as him beginning to blossom feelings for her. I love how Hermione doesn’t just punch Malfoy, but she punches him with her whole body. Bringing her arm behind her for full force, fully leaning into it and with no hesitation. I also love the innocent, proud and slightly timid grin she gives Harry and Ron when she says “that felt good,” it was so perfect for her character and just proves how perfect Watson was for the role. And Ron, always her admirer praises her by saying “not good. Brilliant!” praising not just her intelligence, but also her moxie. There is a lot of world expansion in this film as well, with the Knight Bus and Hogsmeade. Also, LOL at Hermione trying not to laugh as Ron is trying is read his tea leaves to Trelawney. Also, I love how Ron and Hermione’s first moment in this film is their bickering because it’s the perfect way to reintroduce their relationship after their awkward handshake at the end of Chamber. They are kids who don’t know how deal with their feelings and we see them miscommunicating that by bickering all movies, even from the first moment we see, or rather hear them. While I don’t like fighting, it’s a very sensical reintroduction to their relationship after that hinting in the previous movie. Also, LOL because Hemrioen looks like she is about to burst with annoyance and anger when Trelawny does her theatrics. Also, LOL at Trewlawney glasses basically being an oversized, magnified version fo Harry curricular glasses. Seamus’ least annoying moment was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in Azkaban as we walks into he common room with harrya after the Fat Lady harrassed all tehs tduents and holst them coming in. They complain about ehr delusional singing skills and it’s honestly so great to see Harry have normal conversation with someone for once. Also, can we talk about how Hermione overheard Snape telling Dumbeldore that someone conjured a Patronus that could have only been done by a very powerful wizard, and that wizard si Harry, which mean that SNape indirectly complimenetd Harry?! Oh, teh irony. Also, LOL at Buckbeak playing with himself with birds andanimals as Hemrioen and Harry wait for themselves to come out of the Shrieking Shack. He reminds me of my dog. It’s so sweet. I also loved the “turn to page 394” scene so much. The way Snape struts in with casual swagger and yet commands the room and it has so much grandeur to it, it was kind of badass. Also, the way Rickman delivers “turn to page 394” like he’s piercing his target and twisting a knife, it’s just so good! One thing, that’s real, really minor, but I couldn’t ignore is that Harry and Sirius (creepily enough) hold Hermione’s hand for an unnaturally long time. Harry when they run to Sirius after Buckbeak saves them and they see the Dementors fly over them and Sirius after helping Hermione get off of Buckbeak. This, in my opinion, was Gambon’s best performance as a whole in any of the films, and seemingly most accurate to the books. He was more soft-spoken, wise and profound, not scheme-y, loud and manipulative. Despite him moving in some scenes at a speed no man that old can realistically move no matter how many magical potions a wizard can concoct, it was Gambon’s most authentic and natural performance as Dumbledore (although Harris’ work in those prior two movies combined was still better). I love how the audibles of Hermione, Harry and Sirius when they are each flying on Buckbeak are so perfect for each of their characters. Hermione screams as she is the practical, safety-and-security-first type of person, and flying that high on Buckbeak is definitely not any of that. Harry hollers “woo hoo” as he loves flying as a premiere and stellar Quidditch player. He is also pretty laid-back as if he wasn’t Harry Potter, he has showcased (usually during Ron and Hermione’s fights) that he is a pretty easygoing guy, just along for the ride. And Sirius laughs carefree and almost manically because he is thrilled to finally be free, and flying is something fun that he hasn’t done in 12 years and his personality, as we come to know is wild and reckless. I loved the running joke of “how can someone be in two places at once?” because it made the trio’s friendship seem more authentic and relatable, mirroring the audience’s relationships with their friends (I am guessing). Also, LOL at Ron and Harry falling asleep while looking into their foggy crystal ball. Its seems like Divination is Hogwarts’ ultimate easy A class. I love how in this scene Hermione tests Trelawny by saying that she possibly sees teh Grim. While it’s not her kindest moment, I think it does show how aunpoalgetic and confident she’s become in this film. It’s very Fred and George of her. Also, Emma Watson’s scolding expressions at Trelawny as she grabs her hand and obliviously insults her seems lethal (while Luna and Trelawny are very similar due to their bluntness and obliviousness, Luna is at least aware she’s like that and owns it, Trelawny is oblivious to her obliviousness, and taht’s why she can be a bit annoying and frustrating. Plus, Trelawney is an adult, it’s just not as endearing. I mean Trwlaney literally calls Hemrione “old” and “dry” and then is expecting hemrioen not to get offended? That’s not the most reddemable behavior, although he cetrianlyd oesn’t deserve what Umbridge does to her in Phoenix. I also think taht’s why Hemrioen like Luna and not Trelawny. Trelawny si fraud, Luna owns it and Hemrioen respects that). Her unapolgeticness and confidence is cmeneted when she pushes the crystal ball off teh table and stroms out of teh class, which gives way to her badass and warranted punch at Draco. This cememnts it more then ehr punching Draco in my opinion though because while punching Draco is out foc character for her, walking out of a classroom without permission or fear of punishment is evenmor eunliek her, and yet it’s totally Hemrioen as it shows tahts he’s grown. HS eknwos who she is. She knows what she excels at and since she is using teh Time Turner to take multiple classes, why not spend her time on those other subjects, not somethings he already sees as a waste of time? I also really enjoyed the Boggart scene, despite the two second shot of the giant snake. Rickman’s acting in the Boggart scene is so great too. How he struts so sly and confident then flips out when he turns into Neville’s grandmother. You can see his smugness and his weirdness, even through his deadpan face, it was hilarious and you can tell how alarmed Snape is at every moment. And his robotic, frantic, rigid, almost, dance, after Neville transforms him into his grandmother’s hideous wardrobe, is just so great and definitely one of Snape’s funniest moments (his conversations with Harry and Cormac during Slughorn’s Christmas party is also just as funny to me). You also visibly see Draco use his ‘broken’ arm to push Neville out of the way, revealing to the audience that he is indeed faking his injury, proving how he used his Slytherin qualities of determination and self-preservation and saw Buckbeak as an opportunity to garner sympathy from his ruthless father, no matter who ends up as collateral damage. While it’s not kind or great, after meeting Lucius in the previous film, it is very understandable. Also, LOL at Draco’s witty snark in the Boggart riddikulus scene when he says “this class is ridiculous (and LOL at Crabbe’s obedient nodding in response). Leave it to Draco to say what everyone is thinking (and Slytherin’s in general like with Snape saying “you’ve been raising him like a pig for slaughter”). Hermione’s heroics are also shown in how she comes to Draco’s defense, someone she hates and was just scolding earlier in the scene, when Buckbeak attacks him, telling Hagrid that he needs to be taken to teh hospital. She may hate him, but not enough for him to have determinantal pain. However, she does hate him enough to give him retribution, which is whys he punches him later after he is so pompous about Buckbeak’s execution. She knows it won’t cause him long-term damage, but he also deserves a punch to the face 100%, not only for Buckbeak’s sake but for everything he’s done to the trio at that point. This micro-arc in Azkaban for Hemrioen doesn’t just reveal her morality and values, but also her boundaries when it comes to right and wrong. It’s also kind of sad how the Boggart scene is so fun and lighthearted, despite being a dangerous and fearful class and creature, and then Harry walks up, and since tragedy basically follows harry throughout the whole series, what starts off as innocent fun ends up in disastrous terror with Lupin once against having the day. It’s also a tale as old as the time of one person ruining it for everyone, but with Harry, it’s very unintentional. Like Phoenix, Azkaban also has a theme of isolation. However, it’s less on-the-nose and more symbolic, almost as if Harry isn’t fully aware of his isolation, while in Phoenix it’s self-induced. This is proven when he’s left out of going to Hogsmeade with his friends. There are many shots where he is separated from the other characters, like when Hagrid tells the trio Buckbeak’s been sentenced to death (also LOL at Hagrid skipping rocks and not pebbles) and when Lupin reveals to Harry that he knew his parents. Also, I don’t know if someone who isn’t a theatre or English major would pick up on this, the song Flitwick’s choir sings during the opening feast ‘Double Trouble” written by John Williams, who also wrote the iconic Harry Potter score took the lyrics straight from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth (Also, LOL at that Hufflepuff girl in the second row singing so intensely. Clearly she’s the Hermione Granger-Sharpay Evans of the Hogwarts choir). Some of the play’s most iconic lines are double, double toil and trouble” and “something wicked this way comes.” Also, LOL at their solution to Sirius Black breaking into the castle is to have every student sleep in the Great Hall like sitting ducks. Daniel Radcliffe’s acting in this film was also so good (I don’t think it’s a coincidence that two of his best-acted films in the whole series focus on Harry’s relationship with Sirius so heavily. Clearly, Radcliffe and Oldman had such a meaningful relationship off-screen and great chemistry). The way he screams “EXPECTO PATRONUM” is just so intense and forceful and determined. It’s fully epic, and combined with the acting, music and vibrating camera movements, it’s so impactful. Also, LOL at Snape literally doing three claps then stopping while the whole Great Hall applauded when Dumbledore announces Lupin at the new DADA teacher, a position he notably desires (and would excel at obviously as he has deceived one of the greatest wizards of all time). What a mood! Also, his annoyed deadpan face at the fact that the nicest of his childhood bullies (like, unlike James and Sirius, it doesn’t seem like Lupin was a tone to outwardly bully anyone, but he also never seemed to stop them, as seen in the Pensieve flashback, as we know he is there since James or Sirius yells out his nickname Mooney) is seated next to him. Also, LOL at Neville crouching down and hiding behind the rock in the Buckbeak introduction scene when Hagrid asks how ants pet the hippogriff. Reason number 5621 is why Neville is me and I am Neville. Also, I love how after Hagrid’s new position is announced, especially after how the last film ended with Hagrid returning for this stint in Azkaban and with him giving Hermione her due credit, she hollers “woo hoo” when Hagrid’s job promotion is announced. The editing in this film is also really smart. One example is when Harry says “why would I go looking for someone who wants to kill me?” and then it cuts to a close-up of molly running with Scabbers, who is actually Pettigrew who did try to kill him, multiple times. Also, LOL at the maid’s magic broom at the Leaky Cauldron literally brushing the dirt under the rug. The set design of Trelawny’s Divintaion classroom is great. The puff seats, bleachers, tapestries, and Middle Eastern influence. If only Trelawny’s costumes also ha dteh same vibe. Although I hate how Petunia and Marge reduce Harry’s dad to an unemployed drunk right in front of him, I do like how this exchange foreshadowed how much James’ legacy, as a Marauder, is a big focus of this film. Hemrione punching Draco was one of ehr bets moments in a filmw here she already stole teh show. The way harry smiles and Ron is shocked and impressed and she innconetly, humbly and proudly utters “that felt good,” trying to hide her satisfaction at such violence and then Ron, impressed, replies, “not good, brilliant” with brilliance beings eomthing Hermioen values. I also just love her subtle and proud smile. It’s agreta moment. It’s also our first tiem seeing Draco as a coward, similar to hwo Hemrioen disarms him in teh Room fo Requirement in the final film. When Draco got jealous of Harry and strutted up to Buckbeak rudely and he attacked him, Draco clearly wasn’t hurt that badly. When he was hurt, he saw it as an opportunity to garner sympathy, and it worked. His dad ordered Buckbeak to be executed in Draco’s defense,w which is why he is so thrilled by it. he doesn’t care about hagrid, or the Trio, or Buckbeak, he cares that his dad is treating him with affection, which as we saw in Chamber, is a rarity. However, even if you don’t see Lucius in the film, we know him well enough to know that he doesn’t actually care about Draco, he cares about obtaining power, which he sees the situation as an opportunity to do. While the initial situation is comical in a ‘karma’s a bitch’ sort fo way, it is disastrous or would be without Harry and Hermione’s heroics. Also, is it just me, or did was Azkaban the only film with no deaths in it? Quirrell died in the first film, Tom Riddle and the Basilisk died in the second, Cedric died the fourth, Sirius died in the 5th, Dumbledore died in the 6th and many people died in the last two. Buckbeak almost died but actually didn’t and they tried to kill Pettigrew but he escaped them. Also, LOL at teh panic in Hemrione’s eyes as she sees Dumbeldore and Fudge leave Hagrid’s Hut while seeing trying to lure Buckebak away. Breaking teh rules is still clearly not ehr comfort zone. Also, LOL at Gambon literally sprinting up the stairs to check on teh Fat Lady when Dumbeldore is supposed to be 150-yeras-old. It’s also so unfortunate how in this film Harry unintentionally and accidentally helped Voldemort return by letting Peter Pettigrew slip through his fingers, giving him the freedom to find Voldemort, which he does and succeeds at bringing back, by mutilating harry when the two come face-to-face again. Also, Scabbers was Percy’s rat and he’s undeniably teh worst Weasley, so it makes so much sense. Hermione’s smile as she holds up Buckbeak’s feather when the Firebolt is revealed to Harry, and Harry’s smile, releasing that it was Sirius who got it for him, his Godfather. It’s so precious. Also, LOL at how Hermione and Ron never officially made up, in typical trio fashion, there was mortal danger, and that just caused their frivolous fighting to be forgotten about. TBH, that’s true friendship, and now clearly they both have their priorities straight. Also, when Harry asks what’s next after saving Buckbeak, fully knowing that their goal at the beginning of all of this was to save Sirius, just shows how much faith he always has in Hermione, proving her to be the true leader. However, even the brains of the group still need to be quick thinker, as shown by how she replies “no idea.” I also like how in that moment she is the first run-off to save Sirius leaving harry standing tehri for a few moments, inquisitive and confused until Hemrione reveals that she actually has no idea what she’s doing, meaning that they’ll have to figure this out together and get going now. Also, Daniel Radcliffe’s acting in this movie is so underrated. His emotional transition from inspired and happy to rage and frustration when he snaps at Hemrioen after telling ehr that it was his dad who conjured teh Patronus, at her for disrupting his fantasy and being realistic, it was just so good. The framing of that Hagrid skipping rocks and telling teh trio about th hearing is so good becaus it represents Harry’s isolation and Ron and Hermione’s sort of isolated storyline centered around tehir animosity and bickering. Also, teh pain in which Hagrid annnocues “Buckbeak’s been sentenced to death,” it’s just too tragic. Poor Hagrid. Also Hermione and Ron look so sad when McGonagall tells Harry he can’t go to Hogsmeade, but at least Harry is selfless enough to not ruin their fun and encourages them to go. Also, LOL at Harry response to Ron’s random unnecessary tap-dancing spider nightmare, “you tell those spiders, Ron.” I love how Hagrid asks Harry how he’s doing during his first class. He values Harry’s opinion so much. It’s so sweet…and tehnn Draco ahs to sabotage it of course. Also, that Hemrione-Ron hand grab during teh Buckbeak introduction scene is adorable. Ron’s expression si great, like ‘did she really just grab my ahdn?’ and Hemrioen being like ‘oh crap’ and unclasping it. Also, the introduction of Sirius Black and the Marauder’s Map was great. It completely changed the dynamic in the films with all the characters, now that Harry has a parental figure and a secret weapon (besides an invisibility cloak). I wish we got to know more about the Marauders because I feel like it could have provided some great parallels and a lot more historical context, especially since we find out later that James, Snape, Sirius, Pettigrew and Lupin were all in school together, and also more explanation about their animagas. I loved the introduction of Hogsmeade trips. It expanded the world of going to school at Hogwarts and showed that the kids were growing up. It also gave them more free time to scheme, which of course, is always fun to watch. I wish they utilized them more because it gave an interesting dynamic and was more relatable for viewers, as kids could relate to going to a certain areas with shops to explore and hang out at (with the Muggle version in the 2000s, the time these films came out, being the mall). The way Harry yells “EXPECTO PATRONUS” with such conviction and power and produces that powerful of a Patronus just shows how good-hearted and skilled he is, regardless of his legacy. Also, can we talk about how Snape called Harry “a really powerful wizard” without meaning to when Hermione played messenger to Harry when they are talking about the Patronus that saved him and Sirius from the Dementors? I also liked it when Snape said in the Shrieking Shack “I could do it you know,” foreshadowing what happens in Prince. This also reveals just how much he was affected by Sirius and James’ bullying, as he was literally willing to kill one of them as retribution for his pain. I also love how the Shrieking Shack is also literally shaking, almost shivering, the visual equivalent of shrieking. It made that scene only more intense and almost made me motion sick, but in a way that a thoroughly and oddly enjoyed. Sirius and Lupin’s 12-year reunion was also well written (although, In my opinion, they’re huge and more awkward than the kind of hug you would give your best friends after being apart for 12 years). Also, the kids really thrived acting-wise. You could tell that they were very comfortable and confident in their characters and they began making choices that stayed with them for the rest of the movies. This is also the only movie I feel like you can show as non-Harry Potter and they wouldn’t be completely lost, they’d still understand the story just fine. It seems very rewatchable and seems to still make a lot of sense out of context, but obviously even more sense in context. It’s very satisfying and intriguing from start to finish. I also really enjoyed the plot twist with Sirius Black. That whole scene was so chaotic and even more so visually with it taking place in the Shrieking Shack. The scene was so bouncy and dynamic and each actor in this very complex scene hit every beat perfectly. That scene was like watching a tennis match. Dare I say, it might be the best scene of the entire series. Brava!
1. Order Of The Phoenix
Phoenix was an emotional rollercoaster, balanced perfectly with joyous empowerment and sadistic dread. I loved the storyline in this film. This film had the intriguing, complicated layer of politics within the Wizarding World, as well as the power of youth and the call for rebellion. As someone who loves the coming-of-age genre, since this film has many coming-of-age moments, I adored it. For example, we see Harry’s first kiss (Also, LOL at Harry randomly word-vomiting about Nargles before his first kiss and the screenwriter and director wanting it to land as sweet and romantic, but instead, it’s awkward, unnecessary and cringy. Also, LOL at Harry describing his first kiss as “wet,” it’s not like she was crying about her dead boyfriend or anything) and the kids overall learning how to use their voice and speak up for what’s right, an important lesson for anyone growing up to learn. The idea of the kids of Hogwarts fed up with not learning how to defend themselves and taking matters into their own hands and starting a rebellion, and then battling the darkest wizards by the film’s end and proving the Ministry wrong about Voldemort’s return, definitely made it one of the most satisfying films of the series (except for the finale with Bellatrix killing Sirius Black, obviously). The thing I really love about the end of this film is how, the whole film Harry feels so isolated and in the ending battle, there is such unity. His friends are there for him, fighting with him, unlike in the previous films where he always had to fight Quirrell, the Basilisk, the Dementors and Voldemort alone. He finally didn’t need to fight alone. This exactly what he needed to not just motivate him, but also motivate the Wizarding World against Voldemort. You can tell how much pain Harry is in because he snaps at Ron after him and Seamus fight (that must have been awkward with them still being dormmates, right? that must have been really awkward during Prince too with Dean and Harry both liking Ginny) and Ron doesn’t deserve that and Harry rarely gets angry unless provoked. Also, I think this was the most relatable and realistic (at least for the fantasy genre) out of all the films, due to the coming-of-age themes that were so centric to these films. I love the coming-of-age aspects of Phoenix and Prince. there are more common room scenes. Teen rebellion in Phoenix. Teen relationship development in Prince. Teen empowerment and independence. It was more politically themed. At this point, we knew how Hogwarts operates, but not really the Wizarding World as a whole, and as these kids grow up, it makes sense that we would learn about the world and the politics within the world along with them, just like real-life teenagers. It reminded me of the National School Walkout for gun violence and how the Parkland survivors were so fed up that they took matters into their own hands and started March For Our Lives, which is still making strides today. The underground rebellion of Dumbledore’s Army and seeing so much strength and unity between Harry and his friend was great. They also had standardized tests, which every high schooler can relate to the stresses of. Because of this, and the fact that almost every film, but especially this one, deals with difficult teachers, this was probably the most relatable film of the whole series. This film had by far the biggest shift aesthetically, becoming significantly darker visually than the past 4 films, which was needed after the turning point in the Goblet of Fire. The cinematography went from light and mysterious to dark and moody, which matches the scale in action and magic, especially after the Triwizard Tournament, helping show how astronomically high the stakes are and the incredibly intricate complexities the later films dealt with. I also really liked the use of newspaper montages, giving us important information really quickly (honestly, a little too fast, I had to pause to read them sometimes). It broke up the film really nicely and was also a great film device to save the viewer a lot of time and tie up a lot of loose ends. It made the film feel better-paced than any of the other films and made it go by faster (which isn’t a complaint, just an observation). The newspaper format also matched the political themes of this film, with the press playing such a huge part in politics. We also got to see Neville grow and see his common ground with Harry of being innocent victims of the Death Eaters’ first reign of terror, and why when Ron and Harry got into a fight in The Goblet of Fire, he turned to Neville. That was very heartwarming to see. I see why this film isn’t as high on many fans’ rankings as it is on mine, similar to how Deathly Hallow Part 1 is sort of a letdown after the plot twist in Half-Blood Prince, but I really enjoyed this film because it was the film were the relatable core of these movies shined through the most (Half-Blood Prince is a close second). Phoenix also introduced some major and important sets and locations, like the Room of Requirement, the Ministry and Grimmauld Place. I can’t help it, but between the floo powder green fires and black tile, the Ministry reminds me of the Wizard’s room and the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz. We also met so many fun new characters in this film. Luna is probably my favorite. We needed her light and optimism in this one. My favorite performance was Imelda Stantons as this film’s awful DADA teacher Dolores Umbridge (this name fits her so well BTW. I’m sorry to anyone who really named Umbridge). It was so riveting and I loved hating her so much. I especially loved the innocent and sweet nuances and delivery of lines. We also met Tonks and Kingsley, who I think deserved more screen time in the series as their appearance was some of the most fascinating and loud. your eyes are drawn to them when they are on screen due to their bright and edgy wardrobe, but there wasn’t much to watch. Kingsley looked bored and Tonks looked tense. It was a disservice not to use that. This film gave so much screentime to two of my favorite characters; Hermione and Snape. Harry also got his best and fullest arc since Sorcerer’s Stone. I also loved seeing the fighting spirit begin to blossom. The Twins also got their time to shine, which makes sense as rebellion (for the greater good) is such a theme in this film. This film was also the major turning point in the young actor’s performances. You can see how much fun they were having and how they really wanted to be pushed as actors. They wanted more scenes like the bouncy fencing match that was the Shrieking Shack in Prisoner of Azkaban. They finally felt confident enough to hold their own against the veterans and wanted to be challenged, as actors, by them. This film had the best overall message too. It shows that harry is strong because he’s capable of love and friendship, and uses that unity to fight on and take action, while Voldemort is just power-hungry, selfish and spiteful, which makes him weak because it causes tunnel vision when it comes to planning and motivation. He’s insecure, but Harry, especially over the course of this film, gains confidence (not be confused with cockiness). Overall, this film featured the best arc for Harry. He started how only, angry (Harry gets angry and has outbursts directed at Dudley, Draco, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and Bellatrix, with this one being the only one that’s 100% justifiable, everything else is due to his trauma and self-isolation. A side of him we have rarely seen in the prior films), traumatized and isolated, and ended the film learning that what really makes him powerful is his ability to love and accept help from his friends and support system. That is a really beautiful message, especially for young people. It’s even more powerful when you remember how Voldemort was tempting him to come onto the dark side the whole movie (all while dealing with trauma from Cedric’s death and even after the shock of Sirius’ death). He chose goodness. He chose love, and that’s how he beat Voldemort in the end. The people who died because of their love for him helped him survive the Killing Curse once again, and how Hermione, Ron, Luna and Neville were all the secret weapons to end Voldemort. It also gave him the confidence to fight back against Voldemort, because he now has the upper hand with Voldemort possessing him actually causing Voldemort pain, like when they destroy a Horcrux (hint, hint). Also, LOL at Moody with his metal leg, scars and Mad-Eye causally walking through the Muggle side of King’s Cross. Also, LOL at Snape saying to a literal teenage boy “control your emotions. No teenage boy can control their emotions. No teenager can at all. Harry also really comes into his own in this film, not just because of his destiny, but as a kid figuring out who he is under immense and insane circumstances. This is mostly because, TBH, Harry was basically the DADA teacher in Phoenix, as he was only in it for a year (like the jinx) and he at least had one good teacher during his time (Lupin) to take inspiration from. Also, at this point in the story, especially after we see the memory of Snape getting bullied by Harry’s dad, Snape seems to be on the one acting childish, which is worse since he is an adult. He is seemingly still holding a grudge against James’ son, because James is dead. He’s biased. We, of course, find out in Part 2 how much deeper this situation is for Snape. The irony is just undeniable for so many reasons. However much this film revealed Lucius to just a mere minion and pathetic failure, the delicately mocking way he said “you really should learn the difference between dreams and reality,” was chilling, it was basically putting salt to Harry’s wound of falling for Voldemort’s manipulation. Also, Phoenix is the first time you really get to see the frankly, shocking, parallels between Snape & Harry and James & Draco and their relationships with each other. I wish we got to see more of Harry’s reaction to realizing that his dad isn’t the perfect, idealized man he built up in his head. I think that would have been really relatable for a lot of viewers. We also got to know Sirius better in this film, especially in regard to his rebellious spirit and how much his friendship with James meant to him and how much he misses him. I also appreciate that they decided to show Harry’s first experience with romance and his and Cho’s development as awkward and new instead of what many films do and make it have a few awkward moments, but mostly like an epic whirlwind romance. Portraying it is awkward, though cringy at times, making it relatable and realistic. Another element of this film that I really liked was that we got to find out how exactly the people closest to Harry’s parents have protected him all these years, through the Order of The Phoenix. Even Snape was in it, and Dumbledore (Unfortunately) founded it. Snape, Sirius, and Lupin were willing to work together despite their past to protect Harry (hint, hint for Snape, I wonder if Lupin and Sirius ever had the slightest suspicion about Snape and his love for Lily). It felt like everything was coming together and the pieces of the puzzle began to come together, which was satisfying after the ending of the Goblet of Fire. I also thought the way they used montages and sound in this film was really smart. In terms of the montages, we got a lot of information really effectively and quickly and I think the other films could have benefited from something similar. Neville really transforms in Phoenix. He is still his timid, reluctant self in the beginning and by the end, he is a confident, brave hero. It’s wonderful to see. The theme of identity is really prevalent in this film. As Neville finds confidence in him, Harry begins to question his, due to him confusing his mind connection with Voldemort for him turning evil due to his traumatic past. Many teens can relate to that kind of identity crisis and questioning, just thankfully not in this exact way. I wish we got to see Neville use his newfound DADA skills more, especially against Bellatrix. It would have been so satisfying as a viewer and for the character of Neville as we get to see how he’s improved and how much he’s grown. This film also really proves how Harry’s friendships with Neville and Luna should have been shown more because while I love the core trio, in this film it’s really Neville and Luna who get harry to understand and feel less alone. Neville relates to him because of their parents and Luna gives him the positivity, light and kindness he desperately needs. However, I love how Harry is like “I don’t want to give Umbridge the satisfaction” when Hermione discovers the scaring on his hand. It doesn’t show that Harry is spiteful as much as it shows his resilience and strength, as this is a terrible form of abuse, but after everything he’s been through with Voldemort, the graveyard and the Dursleys, he’s been through worse. And when Hermione tries to be a good friend and tells him to report it, it reminds me of Maeve supporting Aimee in reporting her sexual assault in Sex Education. Phoenix was the first of the character-driven films that focused more on emotion, psychology and ideology and less on the past and the future. Deathly Hallows Part 1 is the same way. Because of the visual format of a movie, it requires strong acting performances, and Daniel Radcliffe particularly excels in this movie (while Watson and Grint have their moments to shine in Part 1). The other character-driven films, like Azkaban and Prince, focused more on the past with the Marauders and Tom Riddle and the future with Snape’s Unbreakable Vow and the Horcruxes. Goblet also focused more on world-building, while Stone, Chamber, Azkaban, and Prince focused more on mythology. However, Phoenix focused on both; world-building through the introduction the Ministry and the Order and mythology through the introduction of Occulmency and the Room of Requirement. Neville’s furious, determined face after he reads that Bellatrix has escaped Azkaban. You can tell that was the fire under this ass that he needed to really motivate him to work even harder during his DA meetings. He’s so determined that he’s even risking Umbridge’s wrath by practicing during her class when old Neville would be terrified o even attempt that. That just shows how well-done Neville’s arc is in Phoenix (not even including how good it is over the course of the whole series. And that’s not all, because Bellatrix holds Neville in the veil room, no doubt similar to how she held his parents while torturing them, and he is still brave enough to yell at Harry not to give in, despite literally being trapped by his worst nightmare, the person that took away his parents. The possession scene is also such a great showcase of Harry’s values, goodness and strength. He values friendships, stands with the good and is strong enough to survive Voldmeort’s torture. All of this is strong enough to repel the selfish, arrogant, power-craving, egotistical Voldemort. It’s also so powerful because he pities Voldemort at this moment too, showing his compassion, even towards the worst people on the planet. Also after all the trauma Harry has endured, this film gives us a peek into his mental state, which was much needed. It makes sense that after all he’s been through, he would have had to come to a breaking point, and that happens throughout the film, until he finally finds a healthy way to cancel his frustration, with the DA. This arc gave such a better understanding of our hero in a way we haven’t really gotten since the first film. However, in that film we met a wide-eyed kid, he’s not that kid anymore. He is now lonely, confused, regretful, guilt-ridden and frustrated. It also makes sense that this would all come to a head the film right after his archnemesis returns. We also get to understand the full extent of Voldemort and Harry’s connection. We have known it’s existed since the first film, with how he burned Quirrell’s face off, and in the second, with his ability to speak Parseltongue, but we didn’t really understand how, but we begin to int his film, which has the added benefit of raising the stakes to full on danger and horror. The Order is also so helpless when the regroup after Goblet. Sirius is in hiding as people think he’s a mass murderer. Lupin is a werewolf and therefore seen as untrustworthy. Mr. Weasley works for the Ministry. However, Dumbledore, their leader, is using them all to do his dirty work, even though it’s far more dangerous for them. Yes, it’s their choice, but Dumbledore doesn’t even care. Also, Harry got over being isolated and excommunicated by his friends and people who are like family to him offly quickly. Of course, they are like family, and Harry does realize how there are bigger things at stake now than his subtle grudge against his friends for isolating him, but still. You would think Harry would be a bit more furious. However, the Twins apparating into the room and shocking Harry was probably what defuse the situation. They have impeccable timing, both comedically and literally, and always know the right humourous thing to say or do in a volatile situation. Honestly, thank goodness for them. They probably saved Harry from himself and from saying something he would have regretted. Also, LOL at how Moody never formally introduces himself, or Tonks, or Kingsley to Harry, also how Harry calls him “Professor Moody despite him never actually being his professor. I also liked how this movie knocked James off his pedestal because it’s grounded and realistic for kids who lose a parent to idealize that parent as perfect even though they were definitely flawed. This is shown when Snape says “you are just like your father. Lazy. Arrogant.” and Harry replies “don’t say a word against my father.” And Harry gets extremely angry in this scene, possibly angrier then ever before, in defense of a man he never actually got to know, especially when Snape calls James “weak” and Harry yells “I am not weak (which is true)!” However, Snape’s response is incredibly ironic, with him saying “then prove it. control your emotions. discipline your mind” when he may be able to discipline his mind, but definitely not control his emotions as he constantly lashes out through taunting and bullying Harry and his students. Also, LOL at two of the best characters always saying they need to vomit when they see affection; Snape when he sees the memory of Sirius and Harry’s hug at Grimmauld Place in Phoenix saying “I may vomit” and Hermione when she sees Lavender and Ron in the hallway in Prince saying “excuse me I have to go vomit.” The trio’s friendship is also very strong in this film, which is refreshing after there was so much teen angst between Harry and Ron and Ron and Hermione (in hindsight kind of pushing Harry and Hermione on each other and thus forcing his biggest fear to come true, as a defense mechanism of sorts). Their friendship is stronger then ever before, with each showing their capacity for leadership, loyalty, and maturity with some truly heartwarming and touching moments. This film is one of the few in the series with a distinctive theme throughout the whole film, which is unity. The first half, Harry’s friends are trying to convince him of it’s importance, and in the second half Harry’s unity with his classmates is what saves the day, makes him realize that that is exactly how he will win the war. Phoenix undeniably has a darker tone, which makes sense after the last film ended with Cedric’s tragic death. The last thing these kids need is a sadistic, cruel tyrant like Umbridge while they are grieving for their classmate, but actually, there all have the same motivation and a common enemy unites the students like never before, which really paid off during the Battle of Hogwarts. Despite Sirius’ tragic death and Umbridge’s horrific, sinister corporal punishment this film was also well-balanced with lightness and humor, thanks mostly to the Weasley Twins and their new Weasley Wizard Wheezes business and to the DA scenes. The kids’ first full-on battle is in Phoenix, while Harry has battled a Basilisk and Voldemort himself in past films. The kids did so well. They survived and Ginny, the one we know the least well, destroyed the Hall of Prophecies. Clearly, Harry is an amazing DADA teacher. Also, Harry saying “I’m sorry professor, but I must not tell lies,” when he pleads with him to save her from the centaurs has to be one of the best sassy comebacks of the entire series and was brilliant on the screenwriter’s end. So, full circle (and there’s a callback to this comeback when the trio steals the locket off of Umbridge in Part 1 and Harry repeats the iconic “I must not tell lies” statement to Umbridge and before she can react to Harry’s surprise appearance, she gets stupefied). I love it when characters turn their trauma into something empowering, and in this scene, Harry turns Umbridge’s hypocritical and deceptive sentiment into a snarky moment of karma and revenge. It was so satisfying seeing him scold her as she is desperate and cowardly. He triumphs, but not in his typical action-oriented, heroic way, but by being calm, composed and using his words. He did the right thing because she 100% deserved that. It couldn’t have happened to a better woman. One thing I didn’t like about this film, and honestly it’s pretty minor as it only comes up in the last 30 minutes for like a total of a little less than 5 minutes (which shouldn’t define an entire film), was Grawp. I thought he was kind of unnecessary. The centaurs finished off Umbridge and all he did was have a creepy crush on Hermione. Any dark creature in the forest, trolls, spiders, etc. could have finished Umbridge off. Grawp was just kind of unnecessary. However, as aforementioned, this film was also really well-paced, and the montages had a lot to do with that and breaking the story up in new and interesting ways instead of just having to establish shots of the Hogwarts grounds like the past films (especially in Azkaban, because those Hogwarts grounds shots worked especially in that film due to that film emphasis on building the world of Hogwarts grounds). The flashback montages in Phoenix are so powerful, especially the ones when Harry is possessed by Voldemort. It’s so nostalgic and reminds you of just how far these kids have come, starting out as plucky, adventurous kids and now being resilient, brave warriors. Honestly, that flashback montage is way more powerful than when things like that are shown in other shows because you can tell that each individual clip was meticulously chosen to be shown at that moment and that specific shot and moment. It was such a beautiful, full-circle moment. The newspaper montage was a really smart idea. They were productive, detailing a lot of important information for plot development and foreshadowing in a very timely and interesting fashion. They also worked on the politically focused themes the film focuses on. The sound design, specifically in the Voldemort fight scene and when Harry’s agonizing scream after Sirius dies and Lupin holds him back, being silenced was so powerful. Almost representing how his agony was painful that hearing it could be detrimental to the audience. Also, the transition in between the trio meeting Grawp and Harry’s Occulumency lesson with Snape, with a close-up of Harry on the left and then it fades to the close-up of his father James from the Mirror of Erised scene in Stone was very well done and shows how they really do look so much alike, making Snape’s anger towards Jame sin that Occulmency scene make so much sense. Snape taunting in that scene too with “feeling sentimental?” when he walks into the Mirror of Erised memory and “I may vomit” in the hugging Sirius at Grimmuald Place memory, it has so many double, triple, quadruple meanings. Also, the way the Mirror of Erised memory was cut using the original shot but making it look like Harry was looking at Snape, not his parents was so cool and insane. Harry is not only angry and upset that it’s Snape doing this, but he’s also so desperate and in so much pain. He is forced by Dumbledore to be vulnerable to the person he trusts least at Hogwarts. He is angry, but he is also subtly scared of both Snape and the Dark Lord. Snape’s smug sarcasm looking at him like ‘this is the Chosen One? this is the Harry Potter?’ after Harry snaps “stop it” and “that’s private” and he replies “not to me” so villainous, almost like he is enjoying this, which he probably is for complex reasons involving each of the individual Potters. But then his dedication to harry creeps in and he continues “and not to the Dark Lord if you don’t improve.” It’s so well-written and well-acted. The way Snape hates Harry for reminding him of James, but also getting to see Lily again through invading his mind and how scared he is at Harry failing Occulumency due to his hatred at him, the latter proven by him saying “every memory he has access to is a weapon he can use against you. You wouldn’t last two seconds if he invades your mind (which Harry does survive as seen in the finale of the Department of Mysteries battle). He still hasn’t learned how to handle these complex emotions. Also, in this scene, Harry is lashing out, provoking Snape unintentionally. This is because if it wasn’t for his dedication to protecting Harry motivating him to do this, the moment would be confirming to Snape how much Harry is like James, in his mind “lazy, arrogant…a swine.” Harry is also angry because he has been through enough and that out of everyone in the world, Dumbeldore is forcing Snape, his least favorite teacher after Umbridge, to invade his mind. You can also see fleeting moments in this scene of how Snape believes Harry deserves to know the blunt truth about how Snape is protecting him, but he can’t say it because it wouldn’t just put Harry in jeopardy, but also himself as his double agent status is vital with Harry’s protection. An example of this is when Harry asks to rest and Snape runs at Harry (which is similar to Dumbledore tackling him in Goblet, but unlike that moment, it actually makes sense) forcing Harry to back into the table, Snape is clearly terrified for Harry, desperate to be able to protect his mind, but can’t actually say that, because of him being a double agent and how he would completely despise Harry if he wasn’t Lily’s son. This also reveals his reluctant similarity to Siirus, as they both believe Harry deserves to know the truth, but Dumbledore continues to keep this kid in the dark about his own fate, despite Snape looking disgusted at Harry as he says “you and Black are two of a kind.” This last Occulumency lesson is honestly Radcliffe and Rickman’s best scene together. It’s impeccably acted, very well-written, well-directed and just so impactful. Especially the part between the second “legilmens” sequence and Snape’s memory of the Marauders. The best line of the scene is when Snape says to Harry “[You and Sirius] two sentimental children forever whining about how bitterly unfair your lives have been, well it has escaped your notice, but life isn’t fair, your blessed father knew that, in fact, he frequently saw to it.” It’s so multi-faceted. And the deep-seated pain he has as he yells “in fact, he frequently saw to it.” Also, if anyone who aware of how unfair life is, it’s Snape. He’s enslaved by Dumbledore and in the next film, his ‘master’ forces him to become a murderer. It’s ironic and heart-wrenching. You can see all the deep resentment and pain he is in, but he just can’t help it. And Snape only gets even more pissed after Harry persists “my father was a great man.” This pushes Snape over the edge and he physically pushes Harry back into his chair forcing him to learn how to protect himself, because as much as he is his father’s son, he is also his mother’s son ho he swore to protect. He is unable to communicate his loyalty and resentment because of his deal with Dumbledore and is traumatized due to his history with James, so he lashes out and yells “your father was a swine.” This also how and why his worst, most traumatic memory of James was at the top of his mind, and how Harry rebounded Snape’s spell with his protection spell and got inside his mind (also Harry gets out his wand ridiculously fast especially compared to an incredibly skilled wizard who already has his wand out). Also, the kids laughing at the toilet paper on Snape’s foot is so stupid, kids are cruel. Like he is so lonely and depressed, curled up against the wall. Isolated. honestly, if anything, this just shows how much Harry and Snape have in common. Although, I do love hearing young James yell “come on. Moony. Padfoot.” Awww, Snape has so much trauma. Phoenix dealing with Harry’s PTSD is much needed, especially at that point in time. Someone innocent died right in front of him, as a conscious, mindful more grown-up person, not a bay. His arch-enemy has returned. He needs to confront and overcome his own demons that he has put aside in order to gain the confidence to take down Voldemort for good. I also love how much this film parallels Chamber. Harry’s found family rescues him from the Dursleys, the Weasleys in Chamber and the Order in Phoenix (also, LOL at Harry calling Moody ‘Professor Moody’ when he comes to pick him up, when the real Moody was actually never his professor at all. How ironic). Also, he saves a Weasley in both, Ginny in Chamber and Arthur in Phoenix. Also, the set design of Grimmauld Place is very smart with how dark and narrow it is, what with it being the residence of one of the darkest wizard families and is realistic with it being stuffed between two Muggle buildings. But it also begs the question, these wizards are very wealthy, so why wouldn’t they use the same charm that they used on the tent from the Quidditch World Cup to enlarge it? Also, why would these blood purists decide to live amongst Muggles? I love how when Voldemort is possessing Harry taunting him and Harry is having a very difficult time fighting him until his friends show up, and they give him the strength he needs to expel Voldemort from his body. It’s not Dumbledore, It’s his friends. I also loved how we got to see the kids being kids in this movie, like in that scene in the Gryffindor common room where Fred and George are sampling their joke treats on, I assume, First Years from their Weasley Wheezes trunk and Ron is asking Hermione to help him with his essay all while rock music is playing (the song is the British punk song “Boys Will Be Boys” by the Ordinary Boys BTW also fun fact, “One More Day” from Les Miserable is sampled in the score played during the introduction to the Ministry of Magic set. Eddie Redmayne, who is in Fantastic Beasts and Helena Bonham Carter are both in the movie musical adaptation of Les Miserable). it’s just so nice to see the kids be kids before the sh*t hits the fan, and see that same childish spirit throughout this film even through the difficult moments. Ron is so in love with Hermione by Phoenix, and trying to make up for how he treated her in Goblet (and failing especially by Prince LOL). You can tell in that walking sequence while the Gryffindors are hanging out in the common room where he tries to convince her to write his essay for him, he values her intelligence so much, which is such a great thing to show kids onscreen. It’s also a really underratingly well-written, well-acted, well-framed and well-shot scene. The kids using the expandable ears to eavesdrop on the adults is so realistic for teens with magic to do. I love this movie because it shows realistic things kids with magic would do. Eavesdrop with magic. Taunt teachers with magic. Prank people with magic. So realistic! I also love what we hear through the expandable ears. Snape and Sirius’ fighting. Molly says that Harry is “as good as” her son. It’s great. Also, LOL at how Ron still has a grudge against Crookshanks. Harry’s face as he looks at the Howler expelling him. So lost and shocked and sadden. Hogwrats means teh world to him. And he needs it now more then ever after what happened in Goblet. Lucky for him, his hiatus from Hogwarts doesn’t last long. Also, Harry gets his revenge on Malflada efevntually. Also, I just have to say that it’s brilliant on teh animator’s part for them to use the stamp color as the Howler’s lip color. Red in Chamber and an eggplant purple in Phoenix. Also, the scene where Harry gives Snape the coded message about Sirius in front of Umbridge (and keep in mind that this is after Harry saw into Snape’s memory) was also so well played. Snape turns to face Harry, who has a desperate look on his face as Snape is his last hope due to the circumstances. And seeing Lily’s desperate eyes in Harry, Snape plays it clueless by saying “no idea” with his expression also noticeably less deadpan and more wide-eyed than his usual demeanor, and when he subtlety shifts his gaze to Harry, Harry is able to smile with relieve, knowing he got the message. Harry knows that despite Snape’s hatred for Sirius, he knows, at least at that point, that stopping Voldemort is most important, especially because he knows Snape is in the Order with Sirius after hearing them bicker through the Expandable Ears. Snape may resent what Harry did, violating his trauma like that, but he also knows that protecting Lily’s son is the top priority, and at least now Harry understands a bit more of why Snape is that way, without him knowing the full truth (in typical Dumbledore fashion). This also makes Snape’s supposed betrayal of Dumbledore, and by proxy Harry’s trust so much more painful in Prince, before we actually learn the truth. Also, Hedwig poor squeal as Harry punches the wall in a heat of rage after Harry is expelled. Even she knows how unlike himself he’s acting when he’s angry. But I do like how his fit of anger causes the photo of his parents to fall to the ground. It’s such a good transition, shown as he apolgzies to Hedwig for scaring ehr afterwards. I love Sirius and Harry’s reunion hug. It’s long overdue and they both have the biggest smiles on their faces. And Lupin watches them proudly (why doesn’t Harry hug him too?). That’s what Harry’s life should have been. Also, LOL at how two of the best characters, Hermione and Snape, both say they want to vomit when they see acts of love with people that are mad at, with Hermione its Ron and Lavender in Prince and with Snape its the flashback of Sirius and Harry in this film. Now while it’s well established that Hermione is upset when she says this, and similarly with Snape, it’s still a little different with him. It’s one of his more immature He knows Harry is in distress and in a lot of pain from Occulmency, and the comment is almost word vomit itself as it comes off like Snape is trying to get a rise out of Harry, when what he is actually doing is trying to help him. Maybe trying to communicate of the severity of his situation, but doing it poorly attempting to keep his cover, but also not being able to resist trashing Sirius due to his bullying trauma. Sirius’ death was such a sick form of cruel and unusual punishment in this film. You brought him back and made us love him even more, just to rip him away in the end, and not even give harry time to grief him properly or get any closure. It’s especially sad because all Harry was trying to do was save Sirius’ life and it ended up causing Sirius the exact opposite fate. Not that it’s Harry’s fault, to Sirius’, it’s 100% Bellatrix’s. It’s even more heartbreaking when you remember how action-oriented Harry is and how he couldn’t do anything to even try and save Sirius, the closest thing he ever had to a father and a brother. They also gave him no time to process it either. He immediately tried to torture Bellatrix, taking action, but was in such shock that he couldn’t and was good at his core, knowing that no matter what it wouldn’t bring Sirius back. Even though Harry is no stranger to losing, this one, besides Dumbledore, undeniably hurt him the most, but this trauma also motivated him to defeat Voldemort and his Death Eaters once and for all. The great thing about Phoenix is that everyone got their time, despite Harry, more the usual, being the main arc of the film. Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, the Twins, Luna, Cho, Draco, Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Lupin, Sirius, Mr. & Mrs. Weasley and even Crookshanks for Christ’s Sake. Everyone had their moment to shine whether it was through the Order, the DA or just personal growth in general. This is really the only film where that happens, which shows how well-balanced, well-paced and well-written it is. Also, can we please talk about the irony of Draco, Crabbe and Goyle being chased by Fred and George’s fireworks? I love how Fred and George high-five while they are flying in the Great hall during their epic exit’s like a “we pulled it off!” high five. Also, the fact that Lupin, who lost his best friend at the same time as Harry lost his godfather, had to rush in to hold Harry back. That whole sequence and shot was just so heart-wrenching. Both Lupin and Harry can literally never catch a break throughout this whole series. By the end of this film, Harry is finally able to grasp that has people who love him because he’s kind and loyal, and therefore receives that in return, and that’s how he is going to beat Voldemort. Unlike, Voldemort’s followers aren’t loyal because they like him, except Bellatrix, they are loyal because they fear him. This is hard for Harry to grasp because he is an orphan. He’s been isolated all his life. It’s not that doesn’t think he deserves love, isn’t scared of love or isn’t capable of love, it’s that hasn’t experienced it until he found his friends and family at Hogwarts. That’s why he self-isolates. He doesn’t know how to handle it, all he knows is he doesn’t want to lose anyone else like he lost his parents, and he has been taught that the only way to do that is to be alone and do things alone. After all, old habits, they die hard. Harry is obviously physically isolated because of Dumbledore’s immaturity and misjudgment, but he is also emotionally isolated because he is traumatized. No one can relate to the trauma of what happened at the graveyard, only him. That emotional isolation is the main theme, and while hopefully, it’s not due to trauma like this, many angsty teens can relate to feeling emotionally isolated. Phoenix also has Daniel Radcliffe’s best acting of the series, particularly in the Battle at the Department of Mysteries and in his conversation with Sirius in front of the Black family tree. The latter scene between Harry and Sirius is phenomenally well-acted and well-written. Luna telling Harry “well, if I were you-know-who I’d want you to feel cut off from everyone else because if it’s just you alone, you’re not as much of a threat,” and then by end of the film, Harry learned that the exact opposite of this is the reason why he will beat Voldemort, it’s such a great full circle moment. This film not only comes full circle story-wise, but also cinematically, as the first shot we see of Harry is him walking to a playground alone, isolated and depressed, and this final shot is him walking with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna around him, united and inspired. I loved how the film ended with Harry saying “even though we’ve got fight ahead of us, we’ve got one thing that Voldemort doesn’t have – something worth fighting for.” It was also full circle, and similar to how the Sorcerer’s Stone ended with an equally ambiguous, satisfying, and sentimental line. It was the most satisfying movie since Azkaban. It was a great scene and made Harry’s arc in the film feel satisfying and complete. Overall, this was genuinely just such a well-made film.
Characters:
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter isn’t on this list because he’s the titular character and is actually a good one, and therefore, he doesn’t count. If I ranked him too high, it would controversial. If I ranked him too low, then it would be controversial (I mean, my whole list is probably controversial, but still). Harry is an everyman, or I guess an everychild. This means that besides his constant battle between good and evil, his fantastic Quidditch skills (BTW I think Quidditch is the first and only sport I actually fully understand, and I think that says a lot), his father-inherited arrogance and his bravery, which is inevitably a Gryffindor-must, Harry doesn’t really have any definite character traits. Like main characters like Elena Gilbert (who Harry is similar to on multiple levels due to the whole “parents died” thing before the series first started and we first meet them, although Elena does have the privilege of not going through it all alone. At least she had a brother) and Bella Swan, (who coincidentally are also main characters in the fantasy genre) they don’t have definite character qualities, so everyone watching can find a way to relate to them. That’s not inherently a bad thing. Their trademark goodness is inherently relatable because we all aspire to be good people. With that being said, Harry is a genuinely good person and has this great vulnerability, which is rare to see in young male characters and just male characters and male protagonists in general. So, the fact that Harry Potter is such a famous literary character and is a young male written with that amount of (good) quality, complexity and vulnerability, I think is really important. He also subverted male stereotypes, with his Cinderfella-like upbringing (I mean, he literally grew up in a closet), paralleling nicely to Hermione subverting the stereotype of women not being able to be intelligent. Harry Potter is a great hero and had an amazing arc. He was all the things a hero needs to be. Kind. Strong. Brave. Smart. Loyal But he also brought something new to the table. He was resilient, vulnerable, and humble. Unlike most ‘everyboy’ characters who are more of a blank canvas, so everyone can project qualities onto them, Harry is a well-rounded character with definite qualities everyone can relate to. I personally relate to his resilience a lot. Throughout the series, Harry learned a lot, overcame a lot, formed vital relationships, defeated many dangers, and chose goodness above all else. Yes, she was flawed, he was impulsive, headstrong and sometimes very stubborn, but he always had good intentions. He achieved a lot at such a young age, but he remained humble thought the whole story and continued to be the wide-eyed kid we met in the first movie throughout all films at his core, just with layers of resilience, love and toughness on top. I also appreciate how they made him humble and hate for being famous, because that I think was a key part of how likable he was compared to Lockhart and Voldemort. I mean, Harry is undeniably powerful in his own right. He is the only one who go up against the Dark Lord and live, both as an untrained baby and a skilled wizard. Also, it could be seen as an ahead-of-its-time commentary on society’s hunger for fame, even when its because of tragedy (like school shooting and true crime podcasts). Like, yes Harry peaked in high school, but if it wasn’t for his fame-by-tragedy, it would have been because of his Quidditch skills. At least the tragedy gave him some depth and empathy instead of the stereotypical jock. He is a very humble kid. He also didn’t choose this. If he had it his way, he would just play Quidditch and be happy. He relished in feeling normal, like when he was with the Weasleys and the simple moments when he was at school, especially in Goblet before his name way called. His humility and thirst for normalcy are truly what made him so endearing and such a great protagonist. Harry is also an impressive wizard in his own right. He was one of the only wizards to go up against Voldemort and live to tell the tale (with Dumbledore being one of the few others). He also could produce a Patronus at 13 and taught his 15-year-old friends how to as well. He was also a skilled flyer, skilled enough to use it to conquer a dragon and was a Parselmouth. He is proof that age doesn’t define power. He managed to become not just the Boy Who Lived and the Chosen Wand, but also the true Master of Death, and even better, he didn’t care. He discarded the stone and broke the wand. He also let neither his fame or his Quidditch skills define him. He wanted to be defined by the people he surrounded himself with and his choices, not his past or his status. I respect that. I wish more kids who peaked in high school got that message from these films. I also think it’s so funny how so many adults are starstruck by Harry because he, as a baby (at least in the beginning of the series when he meets new people) became a historical legend for the most tragic reason. You could tell he got used to it, but you could also tell that he didn’t love the attention. The thing is Harry’s life is incredibly and insanely tragic that it’s honestly a miracle that he didn’t turn out villainous and bitter, because he had every reason to become that way. Maybe it he never went to Hogwarts, that’s who he would have become. I mean, his parents died, the closest family he had treated him like crap, ostracized him, belittled him (because of his presumed Wizarding heritage, I assume), then he came to a school where he was almost killed every year and the closest people to his parents, who became like family to him, who gave him insight into what his life could have been like, they both died. That’s so tragic. Like the psychological and emotional toll that takes, Harry is incredibly strong. Like he literally showed no anxiety or fear when literally walking through the Forbidden Forest to his death. He was so calm and brave, when I would have been sobbing. Granted, he had the comfort of his dead parental figures being alongside him as seen during their Resurrection Stone conversation. Also, like Elena Gilbert, Harry is always willing to sacrifice himself, so his friend and family and others don’t have to die for him. That’s why he self-isolates because he doesn’t want that to happen, even though no matter what, it’s bound to. I wish we got to see him deal with trauma more (instead of having it just packed into Order of the Phoenix), especially after the Battle of Hogwarts. He obviously has a lot to process and sort through. I mean he was abused by his family his whole life, but was still compassionate (as seen with his forgiveness for Snape), loyal (how he stood by Dumbledore even after his death), honest (how he never lied to the Dursleys, even though he had every right to), noble (how he spared Pettigrew in order to clear Sirius and give me a proper punishment via the Dementors), protective (how he endlessly helped his friends and sacrificed himself for them) and kind (how he genuinely was friends with Neville and Luna despite their nerdiness and weirdness). He defend and stood up for those who deserved it (unfortunately Dumbledore was one of those people) and spent his life protecting others, as seen with his Jesus-like sacrifice in the last movie. He never wanted anyone to die for him, but people were willing to anyway. He would gladly sacrifice himself. Just like Elena Gilbert in The Vampire Diaries. That is so powerful, especially for a children’s story. That also just goes to show that in comparison to Voldemort, and even Snape, how much of an anomaly Harry’s goodness is, not just in the story, but also for parallel situations in the real world (although any examples escape me at the moment). Harry is always willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good, it’s others who don’t let him. An example of this is how he let’s go of Ron and Gabrielle when the squids attack them during eth second task to save them before himself, just as his gillyweed is running out. That’s so noble and brave. That’s why it’s Harry’s shining moment during the tournament, not luck or tragedy like the other two tasks. He is also so exhausted from doing this that he has to shoot himself out of the water, not having the energy to swim, which while some may call this attention-grabbing, it’s actually very smart because he exhausts himself more, he might have actually drowned. Also, like Elena, tragedy didn’t make him bitter. He was still very kind as a person, but over time he became less naive (and mesmerized by the newness and coolness of the Wizarding World) more realistic, not cynical. Like it’s honestly a miracle that he is capable of love after everything he is been through because most people would turn into a cynic. And in Harry’s case, in the very beginning of his time in the Wizarding World, one his first discoveries was finding how he was very rich. That his parents left him a vault full of, what I believe are called Galleons (Is that Wizard currency?). But that didn’t change Harry. Finding out he had money didn’t make him suddenly turn into a cocky guy. He also didn’t spend it all in one place (like any kid realistically would have, Ron would have spent in on Chocolate Frogs and Brooms), which is quite impressive for a kid. That shows that Harry truly is a good guy, not just a good guy because he’s the hero of the good side of the battle. Harry spent the whole series fighting for the safety and well-being of his loved ones. He had the burden of being the ultimate target to the most dangerous wizard and put everyone around him in danger because of this, which is why he often retreats and isolates himself from his loved ones. Everyone who was loyal to him or associated with him was put in danger, and Harry couldn’t control it, even if it was their choice. I also really enjoyed seeing the parallels between Harry and Voldemort and Harry and Snape. Of course, Voldemort and Harry’s similarities was because of how Voldemort killed his parents and tried to kill him, but Snape and Harry’s are very interesting because they are both extremely resilient and brave, but Snape turns evil and eventually learned the errors of his ways, while Harry always was more good than evil. Snape was more gray. It’s just interesting to think about. Harry was well-suited a leader because he never sought power, he sought justice. Leadership was thrust upon him and his motivation for justice gave him teh drive to take in stride. They didn’t chose it, they must do it, and their pain is what helps them ear it well. It’s the same with Neville and his parents. It’s the same with Snape and his guilt over Lily even. Voldmeort and DUmbeldore are teh opposite, they seemed power, and in teh end they ended up murderers, and dead themselves. Harry was forced to grow up very fast due to his abused upbringing, his parents’ death and all the hardships he’s had to deal with throughout his school years, even before Voldemort officially returns. Harry is also a deep thinker, which shows his maturity, as shown when Lupin tells him “what you fear the most is fear itself. that is very wise,” also showing his bravery and how if anyone had to be the Chosen One, thank goodness it’s someone as strong as Harry. Harry is so kind. When he tells Ron “Lockhart may be useless but he’s gonna try and get into the Chamber, at least we can tell him what we know,” proves. He could care less about hwo smart or dumb Lockhart is, his main focus is teh greater good, and in that case, it as teh deadlines of the Chamber and saving Ron’s sister. He also literally army carwls to try and save Ron from the black dog pulling him down teh Whomping Willow. Like, that’s such a good friend. I also really liked the choice to have harry not be okay with people sacrificing themselves for him and risking their lives for him, from his parents to Seven Potters ordeal. It really gave the sense that he really is undeniably good, but it was still balanced out with the flaw of him having a hero complex, although being a heroic figure was also forced upon him due to his parent’s death. I liked that dynamic a lot. Another way they showed how Harry The Hero isn’t perfect is how there are so many times were he wouldn’t have survived if it wasn’t for his friends. The best example of this is how Ron saved him from the pond in Part 1 while he stupidly polar plunged to get the Sword of Gryffindor with the Horcrux locket still on (he left his wand on the edge of the whole, but not the Horcrux? Not your brightest moment Harry) and the Horcrux senses the thing that can destroy it so it attempts to strangle and drown Harry. He would have died if not for Ron. I also like this moment because it is Ron saving his life, having not really done so since the Wizard’s Chess scene (it’s almost always Hermione who saves him if not both of them in some way, shape or form). It’s also even more meaningful when it’s Ron’s return after he left due to a heated fight between the two where they both said things they regretted. It shows how heroic Ron is and how when push comes to shove, they will always be there for each other. They are brothers at this point. However, it also shows us how desperate, stupid and helpless our hero can be, which makes him even more relatable. However, Harry is also a lot smarter and more trustworthy (here’s looking at you Dumbledore) than people give him credit for. He suspected Draco was now a Death Eater and was right, although he was shocked to see how miserable it made Draco, and he could deduct that Draco was planning something, though no one believed him (except Snape ironically but as we know it’s far more complicated than that). I loved how Harry found a found-family in the Wizarding World. I mean, his found-family was so supportive and protective of Harry, and well-aware of how awful the Dursleys treated Harry that they literally “rescued” him from their place, both in Chamber with the Weasleys and in Phoenix with the Order. I also loved how the writers didn’t make Harry perfect. He made mistakes and had his moments of pettiness and dramatics. He had pride, stubbornness, had a temper and he could definitely hold a grudge. He also unwisely used Secsumspempra on Draco without knowing what it would do. With all this being said, I am happy to say that I relate to Harry. Life has not been easy for me. I have been through a lot of adversity and hardship, and like Harry is has made me a stronger, kinder person, not bitter and cruel. I am not perfect. Like Harry, I get frustrated and angry at the hand I have been dealt, but also like Harry, I am determined and resilient. I think this just shows how well-crafted this “everyboy” is. The way Harry has been so brave when literally every od has been put against him. He is an orphan and had a miserable childhood. He had to save multiple people close to him and watch many of them die too. He had to fight multiple creatures. And he literally never asked for any of it, and yet he handled it, give or take a few mistakes and blow-ups, amazingly. That’s insane! I do appreciate that they didn’t make Harry a perfect protagonist or leader, especially because it made sense. Hermione’s smarts and confidence made her a natural leader. Neville’s arc made him a great leader. This whole situation was forced upon Harry. He never asked for it. Also, he was under an insane amount of pressure put on him as the Wizarding World’s “Savior,” “Chosen One,” and “Hero.” It makes sense that since he was forced into this, he would struggle, even after everything he’s been through, but that doesn’t necessarily make him a great leader. In Phoenix, he was because he was genuinely more experienced, and he knew he had the knowledge his classmates needed which gave him confidence. However, in Part 1, on their Horcrux Hunt, he was aimless. Dumbledore told him nothing except that the Horcruxes were the key to Voldemort’s demise. Since he himself was lost, so was leadership, so it makes sense that Ron got furious at him as Ron’s family is at stake as Order members and “blood traitors.” Hermione, herself, is in just as much danger as a Muggle-born as Harry, so even if she was frustrated, as her intelligence and confidence helped her be the leader and mastermind in most of the trio’s schemes during their time at Hogwarts, so she was no doubt frustrated with Harry’s leadership due to her past experience, however, she is smart enough to know it’s better and safer to stay and help Harry then fend for herself. However, Harry is undeniably good. This story wouldn’t be as powerful if Harry wasn’t wholeheartedly good, but also imperfect. A moment that shows just how good and moral Harry is is when he chooses to be friends with Ron instead of Draco in the first film. When Draco offers his friendship then proceeds to insult Ron when Ron chuckles at Draco’s pomposity, Harry doesn’t see Draco as a new alley, but rather as someone like his cousin Dudley, while Ron has been kind and open to him since the moment he met him. He also knows he is well-known at his point, and based on the first thing Draco says “so it’s true then, Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts” Harry gets the vibe that Draco is only after his newfound notoriety, while Ron’s been kind to him since before he knew he was Harry Potter. Harry has also been treated so poorly by Dudley, and his kind heart would never want anyone to be treated as badly as him. Also, Harry’s goodness is also shown in how he can’t do an Unforgivable Curse. Unless it’s absolutely necessary for the greater good, like in Part 2, he can’t do one successfully when, from what we’ve seen, he usually picks up spells rather quickly. That proves how pure-hearted he is. As we see with Luna and Neville, Harry treats everyone with kindness. It takes only true evil for Harry to actively dislike someone, and his first impression of Draco is something associated with evil, bullying. So, he chooses Ron, which was undeniably the right choice. I also think that the way Harry throws Snape back in the Shrieking Shack scene, immediately believing Lupin and Sirus about Sirus’ innocence says a lot because it just shows how family-oriented he is even without ever having one, as he would rather believe James’ best friends, rightfully so, then anyone else, especially a professor, who he knows is skilled and smart and respects that, but he also hates. Despite Tom Riddle saying that Harry was just “a baby with no exceptional magical talent” in Chamber, Harry is actually an impressive wizard in his own right, regardless of fate involving Voldemort. He could produce a Patronus at 13, and not just Patronus, one big enough to defend himself against “about 100 Dementor at once,” as Ron says in Phoenix. He taught other defensive spells at 15, showing his expertise already at such a young age. And he freaking defeated the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time (which he was destined to do, but still). That’s insane! He is also savvy. He may not know every spell in the world, but he knows how to use the ones he does know to his advantage. Harry is a born fighter. He had to overcome so much adversity in his life. But he didn’t do it alone. A key part of Harry’s arc was him learning that he can’t hope for survival and success all on his one. Finding friends who will stand with him, do what’s right and overcome what needs to be overcome was necessary for his success. In this way, Harry was just the Chosen One, all of his friends and classmates were the Chosen Generation. They all had their part to play and that’s how they won. They had been fighting since they were 11, and by finding their strengths and working hard, they were able to win. In fact, being forced to fight from a young age is one of the first things he and his peers have in common. They had to fight the Chamber of Secrets, Sirius Black, the Triwizard Tournament and Umbridge. Each event that led to Voldemort’s ultimate defeat helped prepare them. Neville’s bravery. Seamus’ affinity for fire. Ginny spell casting. Fred and George’s lightness. Luna’s creative thinking. Cho’s kindness. Dean’s loyalty. Hermione’s smarts. Ron’s awareness. It all helped them defeat Voldemort. They all went through this traumatic, heartbreaking fight together. It’s a story of unity in that way and the power of young people, as they were the key to Voldemort’s defeat. Also, can we talk about how Lupin barely let Harry try out the Boggart, and he ended up ruining it for everyone, because he was scared Voldemort would materialize? That’s understandable but so unfair, and just shows how what happened with Voldemort affects every aspect of Harry’s life, and as someone who went through something that affects every aspect of my life, I can relate. Harry is also such a good friend. It was his idea to find Hermione when the troll got out in Stone, he is one of the only ones to believe in Neville’s DADA skills, finally giving him the relaxed, nurturing environment he needed to thrive in that subject matter, sees Ron as cool even though Ron doesn’t see that in himself and genuinely thinks Luna is cool too, while everyone else thinks she mad. I love how selfless Harry is. He knows the Death Eaters are after them when they interrupt the wedding and even in the mist of all the chaos, when he sees Ginny, who with Bill is fighting off the Death Eaters and seems to be doing it rather well, Harry rushes over to help her and it takes Lupin catching him and pushing him away for him to save himself by apparating away with Hermione and Ron. And when he says in Chamber, after he gets Basilisk venom in his system “Fawkes you were brilliant. I just wasn’t quick enough,” he doesn’t even seem scared. He seems content, because he achieved his goal and saved Ginny. That’s an insanely profound thing for a kid to do. Also, Harry was willing to die for Ginny way before he fell in love with her. That just shows how much he values his relationship with the Weasley family. And he comforts her too by saying “it’s over. it’s just memory.” It’s so sweet and speaks volumes of his good-heart. And Ginny is even allowed to hug Harry while Fawkes flies them out of the Chamber as a gift for surviving this Chamber of Secrets ordeal. How sweet. She must have been thrilled! Harry rarely ever gets angry. Only really when something magical affects him like his mind connection to Voldemort or the Horcrux locket, or when it’s an extreme circumstance like when Sirius died and he went after Bellatrix or after they found out the ‘truth’ about his parents’ deaths and their friends ‘involvement’ in Hogsmeade in Azkaban. Also, can we talk about how Radcliffe was given a HUGE task to take on at such a young age, to lead a huge and highly-anticipated multi-million-dollar franchise and took it with stride? That’s insane. But he really proved himself. The wonder and joy he had in harry in the first film were great and you could tell by Chamber and Azkaban that he was becoming so much more comfortable and confident in his acting abilities, particularly when he improvised one of Harry’s most badass lines “don’t worry, I will” in Chamber in response to veteran actor Jason Isaac’s improve as well and in the scene where he threatened to kill Sirius after finding out the ‘truth’ and telling Ron and Hermione in Hogsmeade. Harry didn’t just love the Weasleys for their hospitality, but also for their inclusivity. They were accepting, nurturing, kind, generous, patient and loyal, and those are all qualities Harry craved. It was so different than his life at the Dursleys and made him realize that there not only is something better out there but that he deserves that. He never experienced what is was like to be around people who liked him and valued him until he met Ron and his family, which is a stark contrast to the Dursleys who thought of him as worthless and unpleasant (that’s also what made the fact that he is famous so uncomfortable for him). He was shocked by the Weasleys’ love for him. He values the comfort and peace the Weasleys give him, so it’s no wonder he fell for Ginny in that case. The Weasleys’ acceptance and love for him motivated him and gave him something worth fighting for. Harry has also been trained by the Dursleys to be self-reliant, which only helps in his self-isolation. He is not just depressed because of how the Dursleys treat him, but also because of the fact he’s an orphan. That resilience is both heartbreaking and inspiring. However, this self-reliance is also a superpower for him as he is the only one to save himself and Sirius from the Dementors, the literal personification of depression. He realized then that he is capable of much more than he realized and how strong he truly is. His years of abuse only made him stronger and tougher. He stood up for himself and others and became a true leader and hero. Harry is also so emotionally strong. He has been through so much, and yet he still remains a kind person until the very end. That’s amazing. He is also so so so so so heroic. He confronted Quirrell on his own at 11, defeat both Tom Riddle AND a terrifying Basilisk when he was 12, seemingly tackle the person who killed his parents, got through the Triwizard Tournament AND fought Voldmeort even though he was blindside dby his return, fought Death Eaters and watched his Godfather die, and eventually killed teh guy who made his life a living hell. That’s insane,e specially because he wasn’t even in his 20s yet doing all of this. Harry is also very underratingly insecure because he feels like he owes it to his parents, Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, Mad-Eye, Dobby, Hedwig, Cedric and so many others that they have to make their sacrifices worth it. They died for the boy who lived, and they have to make that worth it. That’s a huge amount of pressure, so it makes sense that he makes mistakes along the way like hurting Draco and saving Sirius only for him to end up dead. I also thought it was funny how Daniel Radcliffe had to spend 8 movies wearing glasses, when the films are literally about magic. Although, as a lover of costume design and storytelling, I appreciated the commitment and distinctive look. Harry says (or behaves in a way to tell the audience) that he wants to kill a lot of people throughout this series. Sirius before he realizes he was framed. Bellatrix after she kills Sirius. Snape after he kills Dumbledore. But he never actually does. Both he and Draco are not capable of murder, and that just shows how much they are two sides of the same coin. Harry’s matter-of-fact sense of humor and Daniel Radcliffe’s dry delivery of those comedic lines is vastly underrated. Harry also has a sassy side, not just a dry, sarcastic side, to his humor. This is best shown when he goes “I must not tell lies” to Umbridge when she is pulled away by centaurs in Phoenix and at the Ministry in Part 1. Harry values Hermione’s opinion and intelligence so much, with her almost always being the first person he goes to when he has a problem to a question. Harry has a huge burden on his shoulders, and especially after Phoenix, but even before, he realizes how others around him have strengths he lacks, and that he needs their support to help him on his journey, one of the most important people in his corner was Hermione. Ron and Harry balance each other out as best friends so well. Harry has had a very tragic life, while Ron has had a life filled with light. This has caused harry to be strong, smart and serious, while Ron is nervous, silly and immature, and they both bring out those qualities in each other. This also made the quite the comedic duo. Harry is also so easygoing and chill. Like if didn’t have to be the ultimate savior, he would be the most laid-back guy ever. Many moments throughout the series prove this, but especially his balancing his friendship with Ron and Hermione after the former begins dating Lavender in Prince. Also with how he obediently obeys Hermione in Goblet when she yells at him to go to bed at the end of the Yule Ball, lashing out due to her anger at Ron. He doesn’t even really care that he’s being yelled at (probably due to his trauma with the Dursleys), he just knows not to mess with and so be hilariously obeys (I also thoroughly love how he is more visibly scared of angry Hermione then he is of Voldemort. that just proves how close they are and how much he respects her). Also, Hermione once said “we’re forgetting one thing. Who’s the one wizard Voldemort always feared? Dumbledore. As longa s Dumbledore’s around, Harry, you’re safe. As long as Dumbledore’s around, you an’t be touched,” but in Goblet, Voldemort could touch Harry, and by Prince, he died. But at that point, Harry has grown and improved so much. He is able to succeed now without Dumbledore’s help. All he needs is his friends and teh Order to support him. Not Dumbledore. Harry is also so polite, proven by how he calmly and hilariously tells Dobby “not to be rude or anything, but this isn’t really a great time for me to have a house Elf in my bedroom.” Harry’s dry, blunt wit combined with politeness seems to be his signature, as he thanks Myrtle for offering to share her toilet with him if he dies in the Chamber of Secrets or Ron when he comforts Harry by saying how Sirius was the first person to escape Azkaban and is a murderous lunatic. And Radcliffe plays it so well. I also greatly appreciate how they didn’t make Harry the perfect Hero. He’s a kid. He makes mistakes. Also, having him be good and likable, but flawed, makes him more relatable to the audience. He holds grudges against people, like the Ministry. He is snarky to the people who have wronged him and upset him. He can lash out, like does at Neville when he tells him he doesn’t care about his passion (although he is kind enough to warn Neville by saying “no offense”). He name-calls when he’s angry, like when he calls Ron stupid in Goblet, knowing that he is insecure about his inferiority to Harry. He can also be blunt in a more cruel way, like when he describes his awkward first kiss as “wet,” while debriefing with his best friends (at least he has enough Gryffindor chivalry to do it when no one else is around), not sweet, but wet due to her tears about another boy, which isn’t exactly flattering in both ways. He also has a single moment of arrogance and cockiness when he tells Hermione “I am the Chosen One” when she tells him about Romilda Vane’s crush on him. He also wasn’t exactly sympathetic to Ron in Chamber during their confrontation with Ron’s biggest fear, spiders, and when his wand broke during their rough landing in the flying car. He also hilariously and uncharacteristically violently snaps at Dobby “you better clear off before my bones come back or I might strangle you,” which while understandable since Harry could have died due to Dobby’s attempted ‘protection,’ it still wasn’t the kindest reaction (also LOL still loving Quidditch after almost being killed at two matches during his first two years playing the sport. Damn, he’s brave and committed. I would have quit 100%). Now, all the kids are adorable in these first two movies, but Daniel Radcliffe is especially adorable. His big bright smile throughout the first two films, his wave as the train pulls away at the end of the first film, and his smiling applause for Hagrid at the end of the second film. Adorable! Absolutely adorable! Filling the titular role at a young age in such a huge franchise can not be an easy task, and yet he made it look easy. Also, the fact that Harry only found out and joined the Wizarding World at age 11, and was a famous kid, a literal living legend, even before he knew about the Wizarding World, and then SO MUCH happened within his first 7 years in the Wizarding World. How he had a more singular experience than most kids his age as he had access to the Ministry, the Order, Hogwarts, and even honestly the Death Eaters, (not to mention that he thinks this is normal and doesn’t know the Wizarding word without this access), it’s insane. Anyway, so, he’s not on here at all. Though, clearly, I liked Harry. I don’t think you could watch this series and not like Harry. That would be a very, very bad sign.
(Also, I will be rewatching, so this list could change, but my top 5 probably won’t. My top 10 could change order, but will probably stay somewhere in that vicinity)
50. Nagini
Nagini is a snake and we already established that I despise snakes. Although, I really can’t think of a better animal companion for Voldemort then a terrifying gigantic snake.
49. Albus Dumbledore
Okay, I know this is controversial. I liked Dumbledore in almost all movies and he has some of the best and most iconic quotes in the series. However, when he talks to Snape in Deathly Hallows: Part 2 about how Harry had to die, my opinion completely changed. I felt lied to for seven movies. I literally thought “he was raising him like a pig for slaughter” during the beat right before Snape said it. And then Harry named his son after him after his betrayal and didn’t confront him about it in the afterlife? What was that? I would have slapped him in the afterlife. He is dead. He can’t have become more dead. Dumbledore seriously might be the worst mentor and leader in cinematic history. He’s not kind. He’s manipulative. He’s not noble, he’s sneaky. He’s not quirky or eccentric, he’s a liar and he uses people. The Order is literally an organization he created so he could always have people at his disposal to use for his dirty work. Like, SO much of this could have been avoided, lives could have been saved (mainly Snape’s and Sirius’), if Dumbledore just had a frank, honest conversation with Harry, about his OWN fate mind you. Dumbledore uses Harry as a pawn in his master plan, much like a supervillain would, putting him in dangerous situations and encouraging his recklessness, despite raising him like a pig for slaughter. Honestly, with how Vernon doesn’t want what Harry to go to Hogwarts in the first place so he doesn’t end up in the same lifestyle as his parents, Dumbledore makes Vernon look like a hero in an odd way. He is the biggest puppet master in cinematic history. Harry deserves the truth, so why is Dumbledore so determined to keep it from him, literally going out of his way to keep Harry in the dark about his OWN life? And yes, I get that people probably wouldn’t want to know when and how they die in the future, but Dumbledore didn’t have to seek Harry out and become a mentor to him. He could have treated him just like every other student. That’s honestly what he would have preferred until Goblet of Fire when he undoubtedly had to accept that he was the Chosen One (even though he didn’t have that nickname yet). He was literally fattening the pig for slaughter with care, special treatment and a false sense of security, and while I may be no vegetarian, I still have a heart. Like Dumbledore saying “I didn’t want to cause you any more pain. I care too much about you” in Phoenix is such BS. He literally taunted Snape about caring for Harry in Part 2. If he truly cared about Harry, he would have treated him like Sirius did and would have been honest with him, not play puppet master and spin this whole web of lies. We also never learned about his backstory. He learned about Harry’s, Voldemort’s, Sirius’, Snape’s and even Draco’s, but never Dumbledore despite him being so admired by all the characters. That’s so sketchy, TBH, because we also don’t know why seeks such power, but not enough to be Minister (which is probably a strategic move in order to keep up his humble reputation). All we learned is that his brother and him have an od sort-of falling out (I assume since we never hear his name or meet him until the final film) and his sister seems toe be dead, but we don’t know why or how all this happened, what Albus’ involvement as and how it effected him. Sure, he was never outwardly proud or vain, but he was so manipulative. Dumbledore disguises his heartlessness with wisdom, and it’s honestly infuriating. He was extremely immature towards Harry in Order of the Phoenix, and he’s supposed to be the wise adult. Now, I am all for flawed heroes. After all, that’s why we all love anti-heroes (as aforementioned, I LOVE an antiheroic character). However, the appeal of characters like those is the fact that they behave badly and know it. To Dumbledore, everything is masked by nobility which just makes him snobby and entitled and as a viewer its mind-blowingly infuriating. It’s honestly hilarious how little Dumbledore deserves his pedestal. He has the worst judgment of any character in this series. He constantly puts his students in danger. Like, instead of the Ministry sending him to Azkaban for threatening a coup (as they thought when the discovered a little something called Dumbledore’s Army), they should have sent him to Azkaban for child endangerment (does the Wizarding World even arrest and give trials for Muggle-esque crimes like these? Things like assault and murder are crimes and both worlds, so surely aren’t things like child endangerment are as well? Is there a less high-security prison then Azkaban for crimes like these?) Like, Dumbledore gave Hermione a coded message in Azkaban about using the Time-Turner to save Buckbeak and Sirius, but why couldn’t he just outwardly tell them what to do? Because keeping his God-like, noble reputation was more important than saving Sirius and Buckbeak. He also let children do it instead of himself, even though he was the so-called greatest wizard of his time. Mr. Wealsey even says in Chamber “Dumbledore must know you’re here, Harry. Doesn’t miss a trick, that man,” when Harry gets his Hogwarts letter while at the Weasleys, which shows how God-like and all-knowing Dumbledore is, however he uses that quality for manipulation, not nobility. Literally, how the hell was Dumbledore ever allowed to be a f*cking Headmaster of a school? He left Harry to be raised by an abusive, neglectful, awful family (McGonagall even said in the very first scene of the series that the Dursleys were “the worst kinds of Muggles imaginable,” and she’s a WITCH and Dumbledore was like “okay! they sound perfect,” like RED FLAG #1! Leave it to McGonagall to spit out the facts. Even Hagrid hated the Dursleys, effortlessly contorting Vernon’s gun and says “dry up, Dursley you big prune, right when he sees them at the hideaway. And Dumbledore literally never cared. Never interfered. Never did anything to help make Harry’s life more tolerable. Dumbledore didn’t give a sh*t about Harry from day one), to sleep under a freaking staircase without a second thought and live unaware that he was loved, live unaware that he was important (it’s miracle this kid didn’t have child depression or PTSD, although I doubt J.K. Rowling would even put in the effort into focusing on his trauma pre- and post- discovering he is a wizard), and live unaware of his destiny, which was totally unfair to put a child in that position, which he never asked for and his parents would probably disapprove of, might I add. If he was actually the kind-hearted God-like figure he was supposed to be, he would have stepped in on Harry’s behalf, not only when Harry came to Hogwarts. Like if you really wanted Harry to have a good life until his imminent death, then why force him to live with such an abusive family? Frankly, Dumbledore caring for Harry was BS. He thought of Harry as nothing more then a tool to get him what he wanted, which of course is better than killing a literal child like Voldemort wanted, but it’s just as selfish, power-hungry, traumatizing and manipulative. He also treated Harry’s friends, Ron and Hermione, the same way. He reeled them in by giving them things in his will. Dumbledore’s ability to speak casually and calmly in very high-stakes, anxiety-inducing situations (except that one scene where he uncharacteristically yelled at Harry in the Goblet of Fire) makes him a master manipulator, literally disguising his altruism with narcissism. He made Harry do his dirty work in Half-Blood Prince despite being the wise, God-like figure who could no doubt get the memory from Slughorn himself with his manipulation talents. I mean he was literally like “I will give you an answer about your destiny if you will give me what I want.” That is so manipulative. While Dumbledore may be ‘the most powerful wizard of the series’ he is also the worst decision-maker in the series, a series that is about kids and teenagers. He left Harry a huge mess to clean up, that mess being to find Horcruxes without knowing where or what they are or how to destroy them, not even telling them they exist, but having him do his dirty work to figure it out for himself at the very last minute (because Dumbledore knew he was dying soon). That is proof he never cared about Harry, he was just his naive, determined, ill-fated puppet. Harry literally risked his life again and again on Dumbledore’s orders or with Dumbledore’s guidance or knowledge, and Dumbledore never even did something as simple as thank him. Literally, WHAT THE F*CK! Like at least Voldemort was complicated. We didn’t sympathize with him, but we understood him, especially after hearing his backstory in Prince. Dumbledore is just selfish and cruel and masks this empathy and altruism. I can’t unsee this after watching the finale. It’s impossible for me to see Dumbledore as anything other than a manipulator, a puppeteer or the ultimate villain of Harry Potter. The ultimate don’t judge a book by its cover, but unlike with Snape and Sirius where you are relieved, with Dumbledore, you feel cheated and lied to. His “for the greater good” mentality was actually him always willing to sacrifice others for his own selfish gain, until he made a stupid mistake and tried to pull as many others down with him, mainly Snape and Harry. Also, the way Dumbledore had a Muggle (Mrs. Figg) keep an eye on Harry instead of an, I don’t know, trained wizard for the Order! Sure, yeah, he definitely cares about that poor traumatized kid. He is also such a hypocrite. In the first film, (literally my only issue with Harris’ depiction of Dumbledore, and its more story and writing based then acting-based) he said in his very first scene that the Forbidden Forest is off limits because of how dangerous it is, and then lets Hagrid, who is literally blind to danger, lead four first years into the first for detention, where Harry was literally put in danger as he was put face-to-face with Voldemort for the first time because he was feeding off of the unicorns (good creature choice on JKR’s part as Unicorn’s are such a precious, unproblematic animal), which was a trend I’m sure Hagrid alerted Dumbledore to, which Dumbledore clearly didn’t care for, showing his true colors and lack of compassion. Dumbledore is also hypocritical because he both favors Harry and manipulates him. He also basically willingly traumatized Harry by having him watch him die, which we realize later when we find out Dumbledore told Snape to kill him. Like, hasn’t this kid been through enough? Also, Dumbledore foreshadows Umbridge by saying in Chamber “one hopes that no one of Lord Voldemort’s old school things should find their way into innocent hands, the consequences for the one responsible could be…severe.” Like, RED FLAG! Also, when Sirius tells Harry not to worry about his scar, it’s because, while he can suspect it has to do with Voldemort, he doesn’t know for sure, while Dumbledore does, and still tells him to ignore it, in a way making it Dumbledore’s fault that Voldemort came back, due to not realizing Moody wasn’t Moody and not telling Harry the truth about his scar, which he had every right to know. Dumbledore was not truthful or noble, he was deceitful and manipulative. And he wasted so much time sending Harry on a wild goose chase with Slughorn in his final few months, something that could have easily been done with Veritaserum or the Imperius curse, instead of training him for his impending battle. He also clearly knew about Horcruxes before Harry found the memory, it just confirmed his suspicions, and he found that cave and locket offly quickly, clearly having it ready for when Harry finally ‘proves himself’ or whatever. Dumbledore also left the school when the Chamber opened. Yes, because of Lucius Malfoy’s manipulation, but he also didn’t fight it or anything. He clearly could care less about his students. I mean, even Aberforth knew Dumbledore was full of sh*t. That the noble God-like man everyone looked up to was actually a manipulative liar. Even though sibling relationships are complicated, you can’t hide things from, and Aberforth saw right through Dumbledore, even though Harry’s description of him, he knew that Dumbledore manipulated him, but Harry, rightfully so since he is in a very dangerous solace, was sin denial, holding onto what Dumbledore told him (naively) for dear life. He also gave Harry so much useless information and things. Like, why couldn’t he simply give Harry the Ressurection Stone and just tell him to keep it safe, and that he’ll need it while hunting Horcruxes? Why did Dumbledore have to make Harry climb through so many hoops? And don’t say, it was to protect Harry or some object, because Harry trusted Dumbledore enough to do whatever he asked regardless, he didn’t need to send Harry on the wildest goose chase ever, with no map or explicit instructions either. Dumbledore gave nothing out for free, he was also bargaining and manipulating, when the stakes were too high to do that. That is such a villain move. Dumbledore also turned a blind eye to Umbridge when she was literally scarring his students. He did nothing to help them. That’s horrible! He always preaches about doing what is right versus what is easy, but that’s exactly what he does. He chooses what’s easy (which is usually wrong), to not tell Harry about his own destiny, instead of doing what’s right, which is telling harry the truth. And unlike Snape, he doesn’t do this for the greater good. Unlike Sirius, he doesn’t do this because he cares about Harry. He didn’t even attempt to praise it to Harry as a necessary deed for the greater good. He just lied, kept secrets and circled around the truth. This isn’t even contradictory and morally gray, showing his compl