# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/141 "2009-08-01T16:04:27Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Even if he had a first cousin living, Dumbledore would have left him with the Dursleys. Lily’s sacrifice saved him; Lily’s blood protects him. > > Lily took James’s name when they married, not his DNA. Yes, I know. Someone else was wondering, however, why Harry never even met any of his Potter relatives once he entered the magic world, and it’s a reasonable thing to wonder about. It has nothing to do with the blood magic. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/142 "2009-08-01T16:35:26Z")
Oh, that. Yes, it is a conundrum. It’s not such a problem James being an only child, but James’s parents also being last surviving scions of their families? That _is_ a bit thick. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/143 "2009-08-01T16:38:17Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Why can’t they just have one of their less conspicuously backwards members buy them in the Muggle world? Because they don’t want to. We see throughout the series that most wizards prefer to isolate themselves from Muggles, that most wizards feel they are superior to Muggles, and that wizard society in general is resistant to change. Why would they go to extra trouble to get Muggle pens when they can easily make or buy quill pens the way their wizard forefathers have done for centuries? It would be inconsistent with the fictional world Rowling created to have wizards eager to get ahold of those great Bic pens the Muggles are making these days. Someone like Mr. Weasley might want one as a curiosity, but there wouldn’t be a big market for them. It’s not like wizard quill pens are exactly like those used by medieval scribes either. They are _magic_ quill pens, and it’s mentioned throughout the series that there are quills with special properties. There are for instance self-inking quills, spell-check quills, and the anti-cheating quills used for exams. Harry also enjoys writing with magical color-change ink. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/144 "2009-08-01T17:05:18Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Lily took James’s name when they married, not his DNA. Well, obviously, she took a little bit of his DNA, or we’d have a different title character. 😉 ---
**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:** [August 1, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/145 "2009-08-01T17:12:11Z")
Heh. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/146 "2009-08-01T18:06:19Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > It’s not like wizard quill pens are exactly like those used by medieval scribes either. They are _magic_ quill pens, and it’s mentioned throughout the series that there are quills with special properties. There are for instance self-inking quills, spell-check quills, and the anti-cheating quills used for exams. Harry also enjoys writing with magical color-change ink. And don’t forget one of Rowling’s most ingenious creations–that nasty quill of Dolores Umbridge. A writing implement that gives pain–that’s worthy of 007, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/147 "2009-08-01T18:08:36Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > Yes, I know. Someone else was wondering, however, why Harry never even met any of his Potter relatives once he entered the magic world, and it’s a reasonable thing to wonder about. It has nothing to do with the blood magic. Not just that, but on Lilly’s side too. What, no grandparents there either? Always smacked me kinda odd that he has no living relatives of ANY kind other than Petunia. And that he’d end up married into the Weasley clan -and thus, Hermoine is kinda-sorta a sister-in-law after marrying Ron, his new brother-in-law - tying them all into one large family. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/148 "2009-08-01T19:18:42Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > And don’t forget one of Rowling’s most ingenious creations–that nasty quill of Dolores Umbridge. A writing implement that gives pain–that’s worthy of 007, that is. I give her a lot of credit for Dolores Umbridge in general. She’s a great fictional example of the “banality of evil”, and although she’s exaggerated I’m sure many kids (and adults!) have encountered an Umbridge type in real life. I once had the misfortune of working closely with a woman who reminded me very much of Dolores Umbridge. Thinking of real life people who resemble Harry Potter characters, my sister “Lisa” could have been the model for Luna Lovegood (although my sister has a much worse temper). The fifth book was published right after I graduated from college, so I was temporarily living at home again and my sisters and I took turns reading the book. Once we’d all finished we were talking about it and Lisa said she really disliked the Luna character because “she was so unrealistic”. My other sister and I looked at each other and said “No, Lisa, she’s EXACTLY LIKE YOU!” It’s been funny for me to see Luna in the movies because, although the actress doesn’t look anything like my sister, her Luna voice could almost be an impression of Lisa. ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/149 "2009-08-01T20:29:50Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > And that he’d end up married into the Weasley clan -and thus, Hermoine is kinda-sorta a sister-in-law after marrying Ron, his new brother-in-law - tying them all into one large family. Known in fandom among shippers as the One Big Happy Weasley Family ending. You either love it or hate it. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/150 "2009-08-01T23:12:48Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > But the wizarding world’s “magic in the air” doesn’t interfere with mechanical objects–just electronic ones, per Rowling, which makes the radio ridiculous. > > I suspect they use quills because it’s tradition and it also helps differentiate the wizard world from our modern day one. I actually thought this wa sa clever statement. I interpreted it to mean that wizarding kind had remained quite backward in the realm of the mechanical, because they had always turned to magic to solve their problems. I also thought that the necessity of remaining hidden had kept them rather rural and agricultural. I thought it was a great testament to the dangers of isolation even within close range of an advanced society. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/151 "2009-08-01T23:15:25Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Oh, that. Yes, it is a conundrum. It’s not such a problem James being an only child, but James’s parents also being last surviving scions of their families? That _is_ a bit thick. I think you’re forgetting that their entire world was at war until Voldemort tried to kill Harry. Most families had lost at least one memebr, and I’m sure the Potter’s, as Gryffindors, were on the front lines throughout. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/152 "2009-08-01T23:19:28Z")
> [@PeskiPiksi](#): > > Known in fandom among shippers as the One Big Happy Weasley Family ending. You either love it or hate it. I don’t think I could have forgiven Rowling if she hadn’t provided Harry with _some_ sort of family at the end. I mean really, he;s lost every paternal figure who came near him except for the Weaslys. It had to be them, either by marriage or adoption. I’m coming across as a Rowling apologist today! . . . don’t mean to. . . I still don’t get Dumbledore’s age at all. If he helped develop the Sorceror’s stone, and whosefratz and his wife were 500 some years, how is it possible thast Dumbledore is only 150? ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/153 "2009-08-02T06:30:03Z")
I don’t think he was involved with the development of the Sorcerer’s Stone. His chocolate frog card just says: > [@](#): > > Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon’s blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. It sounds like they struck up their partnership later in life, and Dumbledore was just hiding the stone as a favor to old Nic. I don’t see a problem with the radio in the last book. In GoF it’s mentioned that Harry’s never had access to a Wizarding wireless and therefore has never heard of the Wyrd Sisters, which makes me think that while a Muggle radio runs on electricity and is designed to pick up radio waves, a wizarding radio picks up magical waves. They have to be completely different from each other, otherwise you’d pick up Muggle broadcasts on a wizarding radio and vice versa. I was kind of bothered in the 6th book by the introduction of Cormac McLaggen. He’s been a fellow Gryffindor for 6 years and we’re supposed to believe Harry, Ron, and Hermione have never met him, in spite of the fact that he’s a loudmouthed douchebag? ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/154 "2009-08-05T18:35:38Z")
Haven’t read the whole thread, but I am currently rereading Deathly Hallows, and the one thing that jumped out at me is that we’re asked to believe that Ron was able to remember how to say “open” in Parseltongue several months after hearing Harry say it once?? This after we’ve been told all series what an incredibly rare ability this is?:dubious::mad: ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/155 "2009-08-05T20:42:21Z")
> [@winterhawk11](#): > > One attitude that annoyed me a lot (and that you just reminded me of) was Ron’s chauvinism. Several times he hassled Ginny about her boyfriends (despite the fact that he was joined at the tongue with Lavender Brown for at least part of the time), telling her who she could and couldn’t see, what she could and couldn’t do…if I were Ginny, I would have let him have it a lot more than she did, and told him to mind his own business or I’d hex him into next week. > > For a guy who was supposed to be a sympathetic character (and one that Hermione would be attracted to–I’m not by any means a “shipper” (I actually despise the concept) but I do think that both in the books and the movies, Harry and Hermione made a much more natural couple)–Ron was a “right git” for a lot of the time. It seemed like the whole Hermione/Ron thing was shoehorned. I have to cut Ron some slack on this. 1. he was profoundly jelous that she was getting some and he was not. 2. She was kinda written like the school bicycle. She stayed out all night with Neville (and gave him the time of his life) when she was _twelve_. Add to that the fact that he lives in a Dorm with 4 other guys and by book 6 (her fourth year) she had manged to date 3 of them, including his best friend and those were just the ones we hear about, Ron’s complaining suggested there were more boyfriends that were ‘offstage’ and not part of the story. I think for even a tolerent borther having is sister working her way clockwise around his roomates is going to wear on him. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/156 "2009-08-05T21:12:07Z")
Wizard money doesn’t have enough denominations. > [@Sampiro](#): > > Unless you count trying to figure the dynamics of a regular sized man impregnating a giantess (who would be the size of and look like Grawp rather than Hagrid) as important, though definitely still unpleasant. Like a hotdog down a hallway. > [@Sampiro](#): > > I didn’t really understand this either, or the fact that Harry had _no choice_ but to participate once his name shot out _even though he was ineligible_. I thought the official explanation was that it was a binding magical contract–if your name came out, you literally had no choice but to participate. I don’t recall that the consequences were ever enumerated though. > [@winterhawk11](#): > > Also, when Sirius bought the Firebolt for Harry–he mentioned that he purchased it in Harry’s name, but took the money out of his own vault. Neat trick! This would be the equivalent of Public Enemy Number One traipsing (to use one of JKR’s favorite words) into the First National Bank and making a withdrawal. Even if he did it by owl post, you can bet there should have been a tracer on that return owl. I got the impression that the Goblins were sort of a neutral party, unaffiliated with the Wizard government. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/157 "2009-08-05T21:51:04Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Unless you count trying to figure the dynamics of a regular sized man impregnating a giantess (who would be the size of and look like Grawp rather than Hagrid) as important, though definitely still unpleasant. This may be too coarse for general consumption, so I’ll spoiler box it. I envision this working via the regular-sized man actually entering the giantesses’ vagina and then copulating with her cervix directly. Breathing aparatus would probably be necessary. I warned you. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/158 "2009-08-05T22:04:39Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I warned you. You did, and I didn’t listen! :eek: ---
**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:** [August 5, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/159 "2009-08-05T22:15:59Z")
Thing Fish: > [@](#): > > This after we’ve been told all series what an incredibly rare ability this is? The ability to speak to and understand snakes is rare. The abiility to copy a sound upon hearing it is not as rare. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-least-favorite-plot-device-character-section-of-the-harry-potter-books-open-spoilers/504593/160 "2009-08-05T22:54:19Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Haven’t read the whole thread, but I am currently rereading Deathly Hallows, and the one thing that jumped out at me is that we’re asked to believe that Ron was able to remember how to say “open” in Parseltongue several months after hearing Harry say it once?? This after we’ve been told all series what an incredibly rare ability this is?:dubious::mad: ron had to give it a few tries. he didn’t get it right the first time. it also wasn’t the first time he heard harry say “open” “open sesame” or what ever the key word is in parseltongue. [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=7) [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=9)