Show me a story without plot holes and I’ll show you a story that no one has ever looked at twice. Because it’s not a perfectly sturdy and intact narrative that makes a great piece of art, but a story that knows when to take its conveniences in the service of the greater picture. Though, in the case of Harry Potter, some fans are beginning to think J.K. Rowling has done that almost to a fault when examined from up close.
Even though the Wizarding World is revered by tens of millions of Potterheads around the world, many of them would not find it difficult to list all the plot holes, convenient deus ex machina, and disregarded MacGuffins that have come to their attention over the past two decades. The most popular example of this is the time-turner device that Hermione Granger uses in Prisoner of Azkaban, which, if subject to further use, would’ve solved a lot of the trio’s problems.
Now, one user over at the official Harry Potter subreddit is asking fans to discuss all other plot holes of this nature, starting with the OP themselves bringing up the matter of Lupin’s potion, yet another convenience that helped the plot of the third book.
While we’re on the subject of the apparently plothole-riddled third installment, why didn’t the group just use the Petrificus Totalus curse on Pettigrew?
Sometimes, Harry Potter gets so convenient that you might forget these protagonists are actually capable of using magic, and a whole useful range of it at that, to get out of tough situations.
Harry not opening Sirius’ gift should also get an honorable mention in between these picks.
And then there’s the whole deal with Voldemort’s name being taboo and actually bringing the attention of the Dark Lord upon them.
The grievances just keep coming. This person may have opened up a can of worms, after all.
Well, you know what they say. If it doesn’t immediately make you point out its absurdity, maybe it’s not a plot hole.
