For more than 20 years, the magical world of Harry Potter has captured readers and watchers, constructing a fascinating story that is still praised and dissected by fans worldwide. Beyond the books and movies, a thriving fan theory subculture has developed, providing a fresh perspective on JK Rowling’s adored invention. In this exploration, we dig into the fascinating world of “Harry Potter and the Fan Theories,” where readers’ wild speculations lead them to discover unseen backstories, hidden truths, and alternative endings for their favorite characters. Join us as we explore the wizarding world while being led by the imaginative and occasionally contentious theories of fervent Potterheads.
Azkaban Was a Way Of Containing The Dementors
Witches who are discovered committing crimes in the United Kingdom will be deported to Azkaban, where the Dementors guarded for the longest period. Dementors were chosen to protect Azkaban because they prey on the living and sow despair with their very existence. In Order of the Phoenix, Dementors assaulted Muggles, which caused some fans to hypothesize that Azkaban could exist to contain the Dementors and protect them from wreaking havoc in urban areas.
This hypothesis was supported by a page on Azkaban on Pottermore, which said that the actual reason Dementors were maintained as the guards of Azkaban for so long was so they could be contained because they were receiving souls. As a result, Azkaban served as a jail for both the Dementors and the prisoners.
Voldemort Created More Horcruxes Than Initially Thought
The method used to create a Horcrux is one of the Harry Potter series’ unresolved mysteries. Although JK Rowling has made it obvious that there is more involved when a Horcrux is formed, all that is currently known is that it involves the loss of human life and an item to retain a fragment of the soul that had been severed. Many fans hypothesized that Voldemort had produced more Horcruxes than Dumbledore had ever known because of the obscurity surrounding the process of making one.
When it was discovered on Pottermore that Professor Quirrell was a temporary Horcrux and that Voldemort’s presence inside of him was corrupting him from the inside out, this idea was eventually shown to be true. It is plausible that Voldemort produced other temporary Horcruxes with a similar design when he was exiled, supporting a popular Harry Potter idea.
Lycanthropy Is a Metaphor For HIV
In the Harry Potter universe, werewolves are real, and many witches and wizards fear getting bitten by one lest they mutate into a ferocious beast with the approach of the full moon. Many Harry Potter fans noted the similarities between lycanthropy and how people with HIV are treated in the real world. Due to the continuing beliefs that surround his illness, Remus Lupin cannot even obtain employment and is denied many of the chances that his other wizards enjoy.
Although JK Rowling acknowledged the link between lycanthropy and HIV during the Lexicon Book legal dispute, it was not until a series of e-books that compiled the data from Pottermore that it was made generally known.
The Baby That Harry Saw in Limbo Was Voldemort’s Fate in The Afterlife
In The Deathly Hallows, after being killed by Voldemort, Harry finds himself in Limbo where he sees a disfigured newborn that is writhing in agony. The identity of the kid is never revealed in the narrative, but several fans surmised that it was connected to Voldemort because he was also unconscious while Harry was in Limbo.
Voldemort was the baby, or more specifically, it was the final fragment of his injured soul that still lived, according to J.K. Rowling, who made the revelation on her old website. A dreadful destiny awaited Voldemort in the afterlife as a result of the severe harm that he had caused to his soul by making all of the Horcruxes. This relationship is made a bit more obvious in The Deathly Hallows movie since the infant has a striking likeness to Voldemort.
Hermione Smelled Ron’s Hair in Slughorn’s Potion
When Horace Slughorn replaced Severus Snape as the Potions Master, he made a far better first impression because he was not a bully who picked on his students. One of the fascinating potions Slughorn demonstrated to his class to spark their interest in brewing potions was a potent love potion named Amortentia.
As Hermione proved in Half-Blood Prince, those who inhale Amortentia will detect their preferred fragrances. The last of Hermione’s favorite odors is withheld, and she appears embarrassed by what she is going to say. JK Rowling stated that Hermione’s hidden favorite fragrance was Ron’s hair toward the end of the Harry Potter series, which would have given away the beginning of her affection for him.
Harry And Sirius Are Related
Throughout the story, Harry and his godfather Sirius Black become quite close. Harry notices a family tree painted on a wall in the House of Black in Order of the Phoenix. Fans immediately saw two relatives on the tree that would suggest that Harry and Sirius are related by blood.
Dorea Black wed Charlus Potter and the couple produced an unidentified son. Dorea and Charlus are the grandparents of James Potter, making Potter and Sirius blood relations. In any event, it is not unlikely because all pureblood families in the wizarding realm are likely to cross paths at some time.
Arthur Weasley Created the Magical Clock
The Weasley family has a special magical clock that always displays where each family member is. It is very conceivable that Arthur, who is well-known for experimenting with mundane items and imbuing them with magic (like the flying Ford Anglia), is the brains behind the Weasley Clock.
Even Molly does not appear to be aware of the history of the Weasley clock, which is unique. It makes it reasonable that Arthur would have created the clock, which is highly customized, to offer his wife comfort. Additionally, it seems sense that he wouldn’t inform Molly that he made it because she doesn’t support Arthur’s experiments with magical or muggle items.
Neville Has the Wrong Wand
In Harry Potter, a wand chooses the wizard, not the other way around. This might account for Neville Longbottom’s clumsiness and lack of coordination during his first few years of school, which causes him to frequently screw up spells and potions.
Neville uses his father’s wand to pay tribute to him since his grandmother is pressuring him to carry on Frank’s legacy. Neville discovers his ideal wand once the wand breaks and his abilities immediately advance, enabling him to even defend himself against Death Eaters. Neville isn’t a bad magician; he just lacks the proper equipment.
Bill And Percy Weasley Use Time-Turners
This very recent idea contends that Bill, Percy, and Barty Crouch Jr. used time-turners before Hermione. The guys would require either a time-turner or a miracle to manage their duties during their fifth year since they were the only pupils to have passed 12 O.W.L.S.
Even though Hermione is the smartest witch of her generation and has a vast record of accomplishments, passing 12 O.W.L.S. on her own is practically impossible. As Hermione was granted access to a magical time-turner, Hogwarts almost definitely granted similar privileges to other accomplished and prestigious pupils.
Harry Imagines the Whole Story
The “it was all a dream” twist is one of the oldest literary devices, so it’s not unexpected that some Harry Potter fans have taken to this viewpoint. Many have hypothesized that throughout Harry’s time spent in the Dursleys’ little cupboard, he becomes increasingly depressed, lonely, and hungry.
Harry purportedly transforms himself into the main character of a complex and magical universe within his head to escape the mistreatment he experiences. Even while it might not be impossible, it’s a very depressing notion that not many fans would ever want to have proven.
Ron Weasley Is Albus Dumbledore
Some enthusiasts claim that Ron Weasley is a time-traveling young Albus Dumbledore. This notion is supported by their striking physical similarity (both are described as being tall, with prominent noses, red hair, and blue eyes), their shared love of sweets and chess, and Dumbledore’s knowledge that Ron will ultimately desert Harry in his goal.
Nobody can dispute that this theory has some merit, despite how absurd it looks and how much online animosity it has generated. It explains why, despite their sparse spoken exchanges, Dumbledore was able to understand Ron so well. Additionally, Ron and Dumbledore have the trait of being highly avaricious, unlike Harry (Ron wants to be famous and Dumbledore wants to be acknowledged for his strength).
Dumbledore Uses the Chocolate Frog Cards
In the Wizarding World, images can move and occasionally speak. Some portraits of characters occasionally seem empty because they can change from one of their images to another. Albus Dumbledore has used this function to access information from several sources. For instance, he maintained an eye on Grimmauld’s Place with the aid of Phineas Nigellu.
Fans speculate that he may be doing the same with his image in the Chocolate Frog Cards, which would explain how he is aware of everything that occurs at Hogwarts (and elsewhere in the globe). This makes perfect sense given that Dumbledore is constantly informed and has a unique ability to use magic.
Neville Is the Chosen One
One idea contends that Voldemort attacked the wrong kid and that Harry Potter wasn’t the One to be the Chosen One. A child born at the end of the seventh month would slay the Dark Lord, according to the prophecy uttered by Sybill Trelawney when Harry and Neville were infants.
Neville was also born at the end of July, but Voldemort believes it’s Harry and pursues the Potter family. Neville demonstrates repeatedly that he has what it takes to be the Chosen One, and the course of events might have been radically different if Voldemort had targeted Neville instead.
Lily Potter Owned Crookshanks First
About Crookshanks, Hermione’s cat, several hypotheses have emerged. The most well-known is that Harry’s mother was Croodshanks’ original owner. As most fans are aware, when Voldemort killed James and Lily, the Potters’ cat vanished. Some people think Crookshanks fled the Potters’ house and was subsequently adopted by Hermione more than ten years later.
Given that he would have known Peter Pettigrew before he betrayed the Potters, this argument might help to explain Crookshanks’ intense loathing for Scabbers. Given his intelligence, Crookshanks is likely able to see straight through Peter’s Animagus disguise and is likely motivated by retaliation against his previous masters.
The Dursleys Don’t Hate Harry
Horcruxes influence how others feel around them, as seen by Ron and Harry’s agitation when attempting to conceal the locket in The Deathly Hallows: Part 1. When Voldemort seeks to kill Harry, a piece of his soul enters his body, and Harry subsequently discovers that he too is a Horcrux.
The theory contends that Harry was not the target of the horrible and violent Dursleys’ hatred. Instead, Harry’s status as a Horcrux unintentionally affected their emotions. This idea would at least help to explain the Dursleys’ heinous treatment of Harry, even though it’s not a defense for how they treat him.
Luna Speaks in Code
Fans have hypothesized that Luna may be concealing real truths behind the ludicrous things she frequently reveals since she seems to fervently believe in them. It may indicate that the Minister of Magic permitted Death Eater to slaughter these animals if Fudge is cooking goblin pies.
The Lovegoods have consistently been correct. The Three Brothers tale, which Xenophilius Lovegood related to the Golden Trio, turned out to be accurate. Harry was also told by Luna about the thestrals, and although he initially questioned both Luna and himself, it proved that the thestrals were also genuine.
A Thriving Black Market Below the Wizarding World
Since markets are constrained by rules and regulations, neither buyers nor sellers can take advantage of unfair advantages. However, this also means that unlawful goods and services are offered on the black market, an unrealized space that may exist anywhere.
Due to the Ministry of Magic’s strict regulations on these goods and resources, a black market for magical substances is nearly a given. There are areas where unlawful products are sold, as demonstrated by the fact that Hagrid purchases a Norwegian Ridgeback egg from a dubious salesman who subsequently turns out to be Quirrell. Even magical assassins are available for hire by people to slay their foes.
Ginny Tricks Harry with A Love Potion
When Ginny Weasley first encounters Harry at the train station, she starts to develop feelings for him. Harry has a growing attraction to Ginny even though he only sees her as Ron’s younger sister, but in his sixth year, his sentiments dramatically shift.
In The Half-Blood Prince, Ginny and Harry’s relationship appears to develop out of nowhere. Hermione and Ginny browsed at love potions at Fred and George’s joke store, which gave rise to the idea that Ginny had used one on Harry. Some fans think Ginny used Amortentia to make Harry fall in love with her because she so much wanted to be with him.
George Weasley Opens a Candy Factory
It is peculiar that this idea is based on George Weasley and the Chocolate Factory. But when you break it down, everything makes sense. Many fans believe that after losing his twin brother Fred in the Battle of Hogwarts, George never really recovers. In line with this theory, George travels back in time to reinvent himself as the adored Willy Wonka of Roald Dahl.
Due to his involvement with Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, George has an extensive understanding of sweets. More significantly, he and Wonka share several concepts, such as candy that causes illnesses. In the non-magical Muggle world, the majority of Wonka’s inventions appear to be impossibilities. It is a humorous and interesting thought, albeit implausible.
The Tale of The Three Brothers Repeats Itself
The Tale of the Three Brothers, a legend about three brothers who attempt to elude Death, is something Harry and his companions hear about in The Deathly Hallows. Like Voldemort, the eldest brother brags about how the Elder Wand shields him but perishes due to his pride. Similar to how Snape did for Lily, the middle brother tries to use the Philosopher’s Stone to raise his love from the dead but ultimately kills himself to be with her.
The eldest brother hides from Death using the Invisibility Cloak before accepting his fate and passing the cloak on to his son. This is comparable to Harry, who repeatedly hides from lethal danger by donning his father’s Invisibility Cloak. Additionally, according to this idea, Dumbledore is Death because of his crucial part in the deaths of Voldemort and Snape, his assistance to Harry at the celestial King’s Cross, and his gift of the Invisibility Cloak.
Draco Had a Crush On Hermione
Hermione is Draco’s obsession, and he frequently goes out of his way to belittle her. Fans think that Draco’s vile actions may be concealing his actual affection for Hermione. Although it scarcely makes up for Draco’s mistreatment of this individual, it isn’t absurd.
Draco’s attraction to Hermione would make him feel uneasy because he was bred to think Mud-Bloods were beneath him. As a result, he would assault her and, in the seventh book, Draco finally turns against Voldemort. All of this has served as the inspiration for several Dramione FanFictions on the internet.
Harry Potter Is Godric Gryffindor’s Heir
Voldemort can trace his ancestry back to Salazar Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. He is extremely proud of his genetic heritage but erroneously asserts that the other three Houses are unnecessary. Voldemort finds the ancient Basilisk hiding inside Slytherin’s Chamber of Secrets, establishing his ancestry beyond a doubt.
It is quite plausible that Harry and Voldemort are connected given the familial history of the Wizarding World. Some Harry Potter enthusiasts believe that Godric Gryffindor is Harry’s ancestor, making Harry the rightful owner of Gryffindor’s Sword and creating even more similarities between him and Voldemort.
Neville’s Childhood Trauma Was Obliviated
Frank and Alice Longbottom had less success escaping the Death Eaters than James and Lily Potter, who did it with tremendous difficulty. Bellatrix tortured Neville’s parents to horrible torment, permanently altering their mental state. They battled the Cruciatus curse, but ultimately gave in to its effects, spending the remainder of their lives at St. Mungo’s hospital.
Nobody knows where Neville was when the torture took place, but according to a fan hypothesis, he could have been a newborn when it happened. This explains why his memory is so poor; physicians would have attempted, however unsuccessfully, to reverse his early trauma using the Memory Charm.
Voldemort’s Dastardly Goal After the Triwizard Tournament
Lord Voldemort’s method of operation is quite straightforward: he completes all of his nefarious tasks in secret. A few fans proposed a horrifying alternative to what occurs after The Goblet of Fire, given his predilection for secrecy and intrigue. Voldemort may have chosen to use the Polyjuice Potion to change himself into his now-deceased adversary if Harry had been murdered during their fight.
Voldemort will later cause mayhem at Hogwarts while posing as Harry, displaying Harry’s dismembered body to the Wizarding World. This argument is quite credible because not even Dumbledore could figure out who Barty Crouch, Jr. was.
J.K. Rowling Is Rita Skeeter
Given that it combines the Harry Potter fictional realm with the actual world, this fan theory is squarely in the meta category. Rita Skeeter, the annoying journalist for The Daily Prophet, could be J.K. Rowling. In other words, the author of the entire book had firsthand knowledge of Harry’s life when they wrote it.
Skeeter, however, is far from impartial as seen by her flagrantly manufactured biography of Albus Dumbledore. However, the theory also functions on a different level. JK Rowling opted to use seven “fictional” novels to chronicle the most significant series of events of the late 20th century since she is a Squib, or someone born into a magical family but lacks magical ability.
Conclusion
We see evidence of the lasting ingenuity and curiosity stimulated by JK Rowling’s fantastical invention in the realm of Harry Potter fan theories. These speculations, which range from Snape’s covert allegiances to the private lives of lesser-known people, serve as a reminder of the Wizarding World’s immense complexity and variety. Although not all theories are confirmed, they show the fans’ unbridled creativity and provide fresh perspectives on the original content. Harry Potter fan theories are a gold mine of interest and wonder, capturing the influence of the kid who lived and encouraging us to hold onto the magic in our hearts.
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