# What's your least favorite plot device/character/section of the Harry Potter books (OPEN SPOILERS) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 28, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593 "2009-07-28T20:53:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/61 "2009-07-29T21:21:29Z")
> [@](#): > > And since when are they two-way devices? Since they were first introduced in _Goblet of Fire_. When Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys are set to return from the Quidditch World Cup to the Burrow, they are given the same portkey that brought them there. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/62 "2009-07-29T21:37:02Z")
Lots of stuff in the 7th book. That pirate “radio” station. Not funny. Not important to the plot. Not at all believable in the wizarding universe Rowling had set up, and certainly not something we’d hear about for the first time 7th year. Getting the cup out of Gringotts (for the safest bank in the world, they suck). Escaping from there on a _dragon_. Turning a bunch of kids into Harrys to make the jump to the safe house (not everyone, mind you, turned to Harry - just the half of the party that were kids - making the kids more of targets than the Order of the Phoenix members). That’s a start. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/63 "2009-07-29T23:14:47Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Actually, the text of _GoF_ has Barty Crouch, Jr. explicitly saying that he did turn the Cup into a Portkey. Are you sure? That’s not how I remember it, but _GoF_ is probably my least favorite of the books and I haven’t re-read it in a long time.\* If that’s the case then it does make less sense than I had convinced myself of, unless Crouch/Moody had permission to make the cup a portkey to get the winner out of the maze but set it to the graveyard instead. \*Prior to the introduction of the Grawp subplot I’d have said my least favorite part of the series was the endless Quidditch World Cup sequence. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/64 "2009-07-29T23:48:39Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > There was an _editor_? > > Go on, pull the other one, it’s got bells on. 😃 > > As to Remus J. Lupin, I just can’t help but feel that his parents were setting him up at birth. I want to read about his twin brother, Romulus–the one who wasn’t bitten by a werewolf… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/65 "2009-07-30T00:03:14Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > **Remus J. Lupin** > > Nope, no chance this guy is a werewolf. None at all. > > Where’s **Ima Vampire** and the wise and trusted **Professor Traitor Backstabber Turncoat III**?. THIS! The fucking stupid-ass naming convention she chose wears thin on about the, oh, 2nd fucking name. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/66 "2009-07-30T00:32:10Z")
Wizard duels. One guy with a gun could kill every wizard on the planet if they fought like that. ---
**Author:** ![lshaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@lshaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lshaw)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/67 "2009-07-30T04:50:56Z")
> [@winterhawk11](#): > > I honestly think Rowling has the same problem that I do as a writer–she’s not good at writing female characters, despite being female herself. I mean, look at the females in the series and find me one who has any depth other than Hermione (who is basically Rowling herself). This isn’t necessarily a criticism, but look at all the interesting male characters in the stories: Harry, Ron, Snape, Sirius, Lupin, Fred and George, Dumbledore, Neville, Draco, Mad-Eye…the list goes on and on. Yes, I think so too. It’s a shame. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/68 "2009-07-30T05:56:13Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > This is a small, small thing - but it has annoyed me ever since the first book (I just got around to finishing the sixth.) > > The house contests “That’s 10 points for Gryffindor” or “that’s -100 from Slytherin.” It just seems so stupid and arbitrary. Especially the way the teachers throw out or take back random amounts, willy nilly, & then the end results seem to be constantly manipulated so Gryffindor wins. It’s just dumb. Maybe that’s the way it really works in English public schools, but it comes across as lame. I guess you didn’t go to high school in England, then. ---
**Author:** ![Second\_Star\_to\_the\_Right](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Second\_Star\_to\_the\_Right](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Star_to_the_Right)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/69 "2009-07-30T06:04:26Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Small point but . . . > When Hermione thinks that the bad guys can get into Sirius’ (now Harry’s) house because one rode on her coattails (literally), why not call Kreatcher and ask him if strangers have been traipsing around the house? They do consider this after escaping Grimmauld Place but ultimately decide it’s too risky to summon Kreacher, for fear of Death Eaters arriving with him. > [@Sampiro](#): > > The Time Turner used by Hermione in Prisoner of Azkaban. The problems I had with this are- > > —Why destroy it? Keep it but as a top secret device. That way when Dumbledore destroyed his hand breaking the horcrux ring he could say “Well, that destroys the ring but has consequences, let’s go back” or after the battle at the Ministry “let’s go back and this time have aurors waiting”. The time turner isn’t destroyed in Prisoner of Azkaban. Hermione hands it in after classes are done for the year because using it to juggle her class load was taking its toll. In Order of the Phoenix, the ministry’s collection of time turners were accidently destroyed at some point during the fight at the end. > [@Cazzle](#): > > The final chapter of the final book where we discover > > SPOILER: > all the kids have married their highschool sweethearts the second they left Hogwarts and had babies and lived happily evah aftah!!! You know, I’ve thought about this some, because you do have a point. It doesn’t usually happen that way. And you know, there were times I thought she’d surprise us with Harry/Luna at the end. I think I would have liked that, actually. But the Ron/Hermione pairing has been set up from the very beginning. For them to not end up together after she spent 7 books establishing that relationship would’ve felt very WTF. Agreed, 100%, re Grawp and the giants storylines. Bo-ring and goes absolutely nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/70 "2009-07-30T07:28:31Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > I find the whole masquerade aspect to be pretty inadequately justified. I know Jo is trying to make it seem like our world and all that, but what she said is really the best she could come up with? Look, I can buy Halloweentown’s “yeah… we tried that once, the whole persecution thing was pretty bad.” But “people would want magical solutions to their problems” is what you’re going with? > > Didn’t anyone ever bother to ask “well… why the hell not?” Not even Arthur? He’s played around with Muggle inventions enough that surely he realizes that it’s not like Muggles don’t have anything to offer the magical world in exchange. You give them bone regrowing serum, we give you sniper rifles for your little Death Eater problem. Not to mention that the Muggle world has Chemists out the arse, with all that potion knowledge and putting the heads together of both the alchemists and the chemists I’m sure we could get some pretty stunning breakthroughs on both sides of the table. > > It’s not the masquerade itself, I mean, plenty of stories have worked well with it, it’s just that she seemed to write down the first reason that came to her mind and that reason just ended up being fairly hole filled. > [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Wizard duels. One guy with a gun could kill every wizard on the planet if they fought like that. If I remember correctly: at some point, in an interview that Rowling gave, she said that Hagrid’s speculation was wrong, and the _real_ reason for the masquerade was that a gun-toting mob of Muggles could easily take out a good chunk of the entire wizarding world. And if they could do that, what about an entire army? Basically, the wizards hide because they’re scared. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/71 "2009-07-30T07:33:12Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > As shown at the World Cup match, you can get far enough ahead that you can still win if the other team catches the snitch. Which makes it incredibly stupid to catch the snitch of you’re that far behind. At that point, you’re doing all you can to prevent the other seeker from catching the snitch. Assuming you’re trying to win (apparently Krum wasn’t). ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/72 "2009-07-30T08:00:25Z")
I always thought it odd that Harry had so few relatives. It’s not impossible for a child to be born to young parents and yet have no living grandparents, but it is unusual. It’s even more unusual that he’d have NO relatives on either side other than Aunt Petunia/Dudley/Uncle Vern; apparently Lily had no aunts, no uncles, no other siblings, no cousins who might have given him a loving home. Same with the Potters; both died by the time James was in his early 20s and were apparently both only-children themselves and the children of only-children, for it’s odd that Harry had no apparent relatives in the wizarding world (and for somebody of his fame even a great-aunt or 2nd cousin would likely come forth to introduce themselves, especially if they were poor and knew he was rich, and if they were Death Eaters they’d probably seek custody). Plus Harry has no apparent curiosity about his wizarding family. We’re not talking distant genealogy remember, we’re talking grandparents who were alive just 20 years before; didn’t they have any heirlooms (they were rich after all) other than James’s stuff, or a house (other than the one James and Lily died in) or other property (their money came from somewhere after all)? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/73 "2009-07-30T08:21:47Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > Which makes it incredibly stupid to catch the snitch of you’re that far behind. At that point, you’re doing all you can to prevent the other seeker from catching the snitch. Assuming you’re trying to win (apparently Krum wasn’t). That was addressed, to be fair: someone explained that Krum realized the game was lost, and wanted to lose with dignity. Not that you get to the World Cup finals of any sport with an attitude like that, but did you really expect the author to admit her game was broken? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/74 "2009-07-30T09:40:46Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > I guess you didn’t go to high school in England, then. Awarding and withdrawing points is one thing; some American schools do the same thing with individual students’ grades. But what I really thought was a dick move was the end-of-year banquet in book 1. Slytherin was the top house, as far as everyone knew. Their banners were displayed and (IIRC) the House Cup was already engraved. If Dumbledore was determined to give the deal-breaking 160 points to Gryffindor, he should have left it undecided at the start of the banquet, instead of switching the banners on the spot and effectively pantsing Slytherin. No wonder Slytherins are so full of hate. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/75 "2009-07-30T10:09:45Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > I guess you didn’t go to high school in England, then. Just a note, in the US the “public schools” are the ones the public attend, in England the “Public Schools” are the ones the general public are (mainly) excluded from. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/76 "2009-07-30T12:38:52Z")
some portkeys are timed. in book 7 every one is very concerned as the portkeys arrive with no one attached. it seems as if they can be set for a place with out a time as well. as in book 4. the trophy thingy in book 4 was to transport the champion out of the maze. faux moody tampered with it to transport the champion to the graveyard. when harry and cedric touched the cup they went to the graveyard first. then when harry touched the cup after the goings on in the graveyard it still had the orig. programming and it took them back to where the cup was set to go. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/77 "2009-07-30T16:26:08Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Awarding and withdrawing points is one thing; some American schools do the same thing with individual students’ grades. But what I really thought was a dick move was the end-of-year banquet in book 1. Slytherin was the top house, as far as everyone knew. Their banners were displayed and (IIRC) the House Cup was already engraved. If Dumbledore was determined to give the deal-breaking 160 points to Gryffindor, he should have left it undecided at the start of the banquet, instead of switching the banners on the spot and effectively pantsing Slytherin. No wonder Slytherins are so full of hate. I always thought that was a jerk move on Dumbledore’s part too. It was like he was trying to do it in the way that would be most disappointing to the Slytherins. Malfoy and Co. were little punks and I wouldn’t feel sorry if they were embarrassed, but as far as we saw then the rest of the house played by the rules. Snape did hand out points pretty freely to his own house, but if that wasn’t the fault of the students. The #2 house (Ravenclaw, IIRC) might also understandably have felt that if Slytherin wasn’t the winner then it should have been them. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/78 "2009-07-30T16:48:24Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Plus Harry has no apparent curiosity about his wizarding family. We’re not talking distant genealogy remember, we’re talking grandparents who were alive just 20 years before; didn’t they have any heirlooms (they were rich after all) other than James’s stuff, or a house (other than the one James and Lily died in) or other property (their money came from somewhere after all)? I have no good answer for this (because there isn’t one), but Rowling did say in an interview that she made Harry’s grandparents dead\* to make it easier on her and to not complicate the story. Who knows how or where wizard money comes from–another detail not well thought out (including her basic maths skills re currency). I have no idea what all those people DO in the MoM. It’s (another) one of those things that doesn’t bear scrutiny. \*there is something wrong with this sentence, but you know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/79 "2009-07-30T17:08:24Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > I guess you didn’t go to high school in England, then. Nope. Also, the wizards lack of knowledge & understanding about the “Muggle world” was not well thought out. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/80 "2009-07-30T17:14:58Z")
A lot of things don’t add up properly - number of students in each year at Hogwarts vs. Number of students in each house. Number of people working at the Ministry vs. the entire idea of what the hell people who don’t work there do for a living. I can see some pure Wizarding families not having a lot of understanding of the Muggle world, but the shear number of Muggle Connected Wizards (Hermoine, etc) mean that clueless people like Arthur Weasley would never be put in charge of issues related to Muggles. They have a large enough pool of people who have those connections and know these things. Likewise, Arthur would have a lot of peers who are perfectly well versed in How Muggles Operate and would not long remain in a state of ignorance. (Thus, it’s just a fun plot device.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593.md?page=5)