# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/81 "2009-07-30T17:50:58Z")
So schools in England actually _do_ the points system? Is it set up the same way as in the books? I ask this because I came here to complain about the points, there is no rhyme or reason to them. The teachers randomly give and take away random points for random acts, and then complain when their house loses. What makes them _not_ fight point-for-point? McGonnigal hears Snape took away 10 points from Harry because of a bad potion? 500 points for Harry for showing up to class. Also I _hated_ how AD just gave all the points to Gryff after the first book. Not to mention being crazy vague about the whole thing and probably leaving students saying “what the hell?” after awarding 60 points for friggin chess playing. ---
**Author:** ![Dolukhanova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c68b51/32.png) [@Dolukhanova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dolukhanova)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/82 "2009-07-30T19:02:32Z")
> [@Skara\_Brae](#): > > My major dissapointed is that apparently not one Slytherin stayed to fight in the final battle. Come on… My sense was that, under the circumstances, they couldn’t trust any Slytherins so they all had to go. Even if some individuals might have wanted to stay, they weren’t given the option. But I might just be making that up. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/83 "2009-07-30T19:07:34Z")
No, it didn’t at all seem to be a mandatory evacuation of Slytherins. Pretty clearly none of them were against Voldemort, or at least were willing to take a stand against him. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/84 "2009-07-30T19:59:07Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > Nope. > > Also, the wizards lack of knowledge & understanding about the “Muggle world” was not well thought out. [FANWANK!!!]The boundaries of a wizard-dominated dwelling/public space form a Time Portal, to a temporally dislocated spatial envelope within which everything and everybody exists in the fourteenth century. It stands to reason that folks living in such an envelope would have only minimal knowledge of the modern world outside the envelope.[/FANWANK!!!] ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/85 "2009-07-30T20:03:52Z")
> [@Dolukhanova](#): > > My sense was that, under the circumstances, they couldn’t trust any Slytherins so they all had to go. Even if some individuals might have wanted to stay, they weren’t given the option. But I might just be making that up. What **Elendil’s Heir** said. Also, please to keep in mind that evacuation _was_ mandatory for all students under the age of seventeen. The pool of Slytherins available to fight in the battle was not that large. ---
**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, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/86 "2009-07-30T20:53:43Z")
Slughorn fought in the final battle. Or were you talking about students? I’ll echo the ending. Narcissa Malfoy: He’s dead. Voldemort: Good! I’ll take your word for it even though you whispered something to him, because I your Dark Lord am a trusting sort at heart. Death Eaters, ho! Mr. & Mrs. Miracle Max: Bye boys! Have fun storming the castle! ---
**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, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/87 "2009-07-30T20:56:42Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > 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. [Trekkie monster]In volatile market, only stable investment is porn![/Trekkie monster] I wonder if they’re affected by the Muggle economy at all. It did mention that they exchange wizard currency for Muggle in Diagon Alley. I’m assuming that gold isn’t worth as much in the wizarding world, and that- like leprechaun gold perhaps- wizard gold can’t leave into the Muggle world. ---
**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, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/88 "2009-07-30T21:09:19Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’ll echo the ending. > > Narcissa Malfoy: He’s dead. > > Voldemort: Good! I’ll take your word for it even though you whispered something to him, because I your Dark Lord am a trusting sort at heart. Death Eaters, ho! That I can buy because Voldemort is too busy pacing back and forth grinning fiercely at his followers in his apparent moment of victory to pay strict attention to what is happening with his fallen foe. ---
**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, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/89 "2009-07-30T21:20:04Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > [FANWANK!!!]The boundaries of a wizard-dominated dwelling/public space form a Time Portal, to a temporally dislocated spatial envelope within which everything and everybody exists in the fourteenth century. > > It stands to reason that folks living in such an envelope would have only minimal knowledge of the modern world outside the envelope.[/FANWANK!!!] But that doesn’t work. The wizards have a radio network, and newspapers, and photography. ---
**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, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/90 "2009-07-30T21:22:48Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > [Trekkie monster]In volatile market, only stable investment is porn![/Trekkie monster] > > I wonder if they’re affected by the Muggle economy at all. It did mention that they exchange wizard currency for Muggle in Diagon Alley. I’m assuming that gold isn’t worth as much in the wizarding world, and that- like leprechaun gold perhaps- wizard gold can’t leave into the Muggle world. You crack me up. That is another thing that bugged me. Surely galleons et al would be traded on some market, somewhere? If you can exchange currency, then you must have some kind of trading relationship (even it it’s just currency). Which means that Muggles know all about wizards. I am trying to remember if I was allowed to get any East German currency when our school group toured East Berlin (as part of a larger tour of Germany). I can’t recall. I bring this up only because it seems like the most similar example. ---
**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 30, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/91 "2009-07-30T21:49:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Surely galleons et al would be traded on some market, somewhere? Yes, but only amongst Wizards and other sentient magical creatures, such as Goblins. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/92 "2009-07-30T22:09:01Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > The [Time Turner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Turner) used by Hermione in _Prisoner of Azkaban_. The problems I had with this are- > > —It’s far too powerful a device to risk in the hands of a student (even one as trustworthy as Hermione) because of the risk of it falling into the wrong hands > > —Time travel, even if it’s only 3 hours, opens up way too many plot holes > > —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”. My recollection of the way this worked in Azkaban is that it’s the jigsaw-puzzle style of time-travel. That is, you don’t actually make any changes to anything when you go to the past. The last section of the book has the kids going back in time and experiencing events from another location, but the events themselves don’t change. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/93 "2009-07-30T22:37:15Z")
The thing that has always bugged me most is the Dursleys. I always felt like Rowling was trying to pull a Roald Dahl with them, but she just isn’t Roald Dahl (who is? the man was an utter genius) and doesn’t succeed, IMO. They’re just nasty and boring and not amusing, even when they’re getting some well-deserved magical comeuppance. I’ll agree about the camping in book 7. I can’t figure out why they’re making two movies out of that. Just skim the dang camping, the story will be half as long! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/94 "2009-07-30T23:54:21Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > But that doesn’t work. The wizards have a radio network, and newspapers, and photography. It’s fanwank. Tweak it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/95 "2009-07-31T00:17:54Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Yes, but only amongst Wizards and other sentient magical creatures, such as Goblins. But, no, because Hermione gets galleons from somewhere and she’s muggle-born… The kids DO end up changing events via the time-traveler; that’s the whole point of them using it… Is there anything else we haven’t ripped to shreds, yet? ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/96 "2009-07-31T00:43:01Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Wow. Huh. You might be right. This is food for thought. I agree, winterhawk has made an excellent point. I always wanted to know exactly what a bat-bogey hex could do and what happened with Ginny’s, as she was so good at it. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/97 "2009-07-31T00:45:19Z")
Bogey is Brit for boogers (never mind the golf usage). I cannot (and don’t want to) imagine what bat boogers look like. I do tend to picture the hexed victim as dripping in slime, though. Such a nice girl, Ginny. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/98 "2009-07-31T01:35:04Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > I always wanted to know exactly what a bat-bogey hex could do and what happened with Ginny’s, as she was so good at it. I have always assumed it turned you boogers into bats, a la the time Ron was puking slugs. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/99 "2009-07-31T01:59:58Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > …Is there anything else we haven’t ripped to shreds, yet? Uh… the internal layout of Hogwarts made no sense! Yeah, that’s it! ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/100 "2009-07-31T02:09:06Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > Voldemort’s plan in GoF makes no sense. The imposter Moody just has to turn anything of Harry’s into a portkey: a piece of homework, a sock, his bedspread, anything. The whole Triwizard Tournament thing is pointless. > [@Yzma](#): > > Ah, how shall I do it? Oh, I know. I’ll turn him into a flea, a harmless, little flea, and then I’ll put that flea in a box, and then I’ll put that box inside of another box, and then I’ll mail that box to myself, and when it arrives… [laughs] …I’ll smash it with a hammer! It’s brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, I tell you! Genius, I say! > > Or, to save on postage, I’ll just poison him with this. There’s an Evil Overlord rule somewhere about this. [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=4) [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=6)