The Harry Potter series provided me with some much-needed escapism and comfort during my beginning school years. I was intensely teased and ridiculed for how much of a nerdy bookworm I was and to solve that…I read even more. On the rare occasion I force myself to reminisce on those times it doesn’t really surprise me how much I was made fun of.
I love how much of a nerd I am now. And I’m so proud of how much I love reading. Whilst I find social media’s impact on my generation intense - for instance, I’ll know when a classmate of mine gets married because even if I didn’t have them on social media to announce it, I have friends that will relay the news to me - I’m grateful for the people it has helped me converse with. I’m not the only one who has never felt as though they fit in. I’m not the only person who lights candles to feel less alone and reads books when the real world feels too intense.
I started the Harry Potter books properly around the time I left primary school and I’m so glad I started them when I was Harry’s age. Outgrowing the protagonists of your favourite books is gutting; you’ll always find solace within the stories but you’ll never relate to them the same way. I saw so much of myself in Hermione, what with her uncontrollably curly hair and desperation to succeed. She had next to no interest in popularity but yearned to at least be liked, tribulations I found myself experiencing when I was Year 7. To this day, she is one of my favourite ever literary characters.
I’ve reread the series repeatedly over the years, most recently being in the first lockdown, and this year, I listened to all of the audiobooks via BorrowBox. That all said, I’m a self-proclaimed Harry Potter expert at this point. Subsequently, I thought writing a blog entry based on my takings and unpopular opinions surrounding the series would be fun.
*one of my favourite ever pieces of fan art, credit to the artist here*
1. I mentioned in my witch post that I thought Harry and Ginny worked well together as a couple. Probably an even more unpopular opinion - I think Ron and Hermione work together too. They balance each other out so well and make up for each other's weaknesses. Through Hermione, Ron is able to tone down his impulsiveness and analyse the consequences of his actions. In turn, Hermione has someone to help her unwind.
Whilst they do bicker constantly, I think it’s important to remember the books are told from Harry’s point of view. Having grown up in an abusive household, I imagine Harry has an almost instinctive dislike for any kind of disagreement, particularly in the first few novels. Additionally, for want of a better term, Hermione is a nagger. And whilst Harry seldom lies to her, he usually responds to her criticism by either ignoring or lying to her (such as when he told her he’d worked out the egg for the second task in Goblet of Fire). Ron, on the other hand, isn’t afraid of challenging her. And in Order of the Phoenix, when Harry tells them both to give it a rest whilst they’re arguing, both Ron and Hermione are shocked and offended. Their back and forth is so normal to them that they don’t see an issue with it. And throughout the series, there are numerous instances when Hermione is in the company of Ron without Harry being there; in Order of the Phoenix, the pair arrived at Grimmauld Place weeks prior to the protagonist. They don’t dislike each other’s company.
My all-time favourite moment between the pair (which I’ll never forgive Steve Kloves for modifying) comes from Prisoner of Azkaban. To the people who have exclusively watched the films, Ron sticks up for Hermione when Snape calls her a know-it-all. In fact, he defensively says “why ask a question when you don't want to be told?” For no reason whatsoever the film changes this to Ron agreeing with Snape and it never fails to irritate me when I watch the scene.
Needless to say, the characters care about each other very much.
2. The fact that there’s a curse that guarantees death and has NO counter whatsoever almost cheapens the entire series for me. There are so many instances where villains within the novels could have utilised them and didn’t bother. It makes every combat less exciting - either party could end the duel imminently.
3. James is a really underappreciated character. It’s unfair to judge him on his decisions as a teenager - I don’t think anyone is particularly proud of what they were getting up to in their adolescence. He opened up his home to his best friend who he knew was going home to a toxic environment every summer. From what we know, it was him who orchestrated the Marauders learning to become animagi. And lets not forget that he tried to shield Harry and Lily from Voldemort on that tragic night in Godric’s Hollow.
From what we know, he’s a fiercely loyal character who is extremely protective of those he loves. More so than Snape.
4. It’s nonsensical that nobody believed Harry in Half-Blood Prince when he was convinced Draco was a Death Eater. At that point, Remus amongst others knew that Regulus had been recruited whilst he was still in school and therefore it’s completely likely that the son of a well-known, Pure Blood family could be asked to join.
For six books in a row 90% of Harry's instincts had been proved correct. So why not this time around?
5. It’s also nonsensical to me that Sirius winds up in Azkaban for as long as he does. Surely any fair trial would have found him not guilty but it doesn’t sound as though one even took place. He had no reason to protect Peter for all those years and I don’t believe he tried to. And from the sound of it, Dumbledore seemed to have an idea that he might be innocent during this time. And yet he permitted the dementors onto the Hogwarts grounds in the fourth book.
6. I wish Luna had been introduced earlier in the series. As a writer, I understand J. K’s motives, though realistically, a character as eccentric as Luna wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by Harry for four straight years. Even in Order of the Phoenix he is still wowed by the magical world and what it has to offer, an attractive classmate reading a magazine upside down should have caught his attention earlier.
I guess it can be argued that she's a Ravenclaw in the year below though surely Ginny would have mentioned her. And Hermione seemed to know who she was when Harry first met her.
7. Half-Blood Prince is the worst of the films. Just because a story is dark plotwise doesn’t mean this quality needs to be integrated visually. I can barely see a thing anytime I watch it. And why did Harry telling Snape 'Roonil Wazlib' was his nickname have to be cut out?
8. I know this isn’t unpopular but I really, really dislike any take that Snape is a good person. His maturity stopped at 21. He was an emotionally abusive teacher, so much so that Neville, whose parents were tortured into insanity, had his potions teacher as his Patronus. This aside, the moment that made me despise Snape was in Goblet of Fire, when he coldly tells Hermione he “sees no difference” to her teeth after she gets hexed by Malfoy.
I find it frustrating that we see no instance in which Dumbledore or at least one other member of staff expresses some form of disapproval. Snape being attracted to Lily doesn’t excuse his behaviour.
9. The ‘Seven Potters’ plot in Deathly Hallows was completely illogical and poorly thought out. Not only was this one of many instances in which Harry’s invisibility cloak could have been utilised (Hermione and Harry’s time travel adventure in the third book would have been far easier if they’d taken it along) but Harry going with Hagrid would have given away which Potter was him immediately. I know other means of travel were being tracked by the Ministry but why not create an illegal portkey? Dumbledore did it on several occasions. Or why not transfigure Harry into an animal or object and have him carried in someone's pocket? Or have him take the Polyjuice potion and become someone else? He could have easily become Dudley and hopped on a bus or train.
Oh, and Hedwig should have been sent to fly off a day earlier. Or a day after. Her death could have easily been avoided.
10. Percy receives too much hate - he was ambitious. He’s hardly the first person to disagree with his family over politics. Granted, he’s still my least favourite Weasley. The moment when Ron rips up Percy’s letter is one of my favourite moments in the series.
11. Ron doesn’t get enough appreciation for how good of a friend he really is. In Prisoner of Azkaban, he defends Hermione from Snape and stands on his broken leg to defend Harry from Sirius. Despite repeatedly expressing how difficult he finds it to get individual attention in a family so large he befriends the most famous wizard in the world and invites him into his home. And throughout Order of the Phoenix when Harry was at his lowest point, Ron’s patience was seemingly unbreakable. He tolerates Harry's temper and with Hermione, encourages him to start up Dumbledore's Army.
The two instances in which Harry and Ron fell out involved the latter allowing his self-doubt to get the better of him, a mistake he owned up to. To me, his whole arc throughout the series exemplifies how loyalty and kindness can help you overcome your insecurities.
12. It's easy to forget that Moody was an imposter throughout Goblet of Fire. Within the fifth novel, J. K. Rowling establishes an almost fatherly bond between Moody and Harry, so much so that his relationship with Harry in later books is almost senseless. The Moody that collects Harry from Privet Drive in Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows is not the same man that taught him Defence Against the Dark Arts for a year.
13. Draco doesn't deserve a redemption arc any more than Snape does. He receives frequent comparisons to Sirius and James, the Marauders having been known for their arrogance and teasing of other pupils, however, Draco was a supremacist. He believed Muggle-borns were filth and for this factor alone, I'll never understand why people ship him with Hermione. He constantly dismissed her for her blood status and unlike Ron, never expressed any admiration or acceptance for her intelligence and abilities.
Harry had no reason to forgive him or befriend him after the war. Whilst I see a vulnerability within Draco that Snape lacks, I doubt Harry and Draco were anything more than civil with each other even if their children became friends.
14. In Prisoner of Azkaban, Hermione was right to get Harry's Firebolt confiscated. And she was right about Sirius sending it - though as we know, Sirius was never trying to harm Harry.
15. The Chamber of Secrets film is my favourite. A lot of fans complain that it's too long, and it is, but that's part of the reason I enjoy it. Its accuracy to the book and its golden storybook visuals provide, for me, the best escapism any of the eight films has to offer. Lockhart is played to perfection by Kenneth Branagh; I think the character's portrayal is hilarious.
The film has the best ending, which I could never watch without crying before Robbie Coltrane passed away. I think I'd sob if I watched it now!
Thank you so so much for reading! I hope you have a great week. Things are about to get very festive around here, stay tuned!
Lots of love, Karisma xxx