Even Hermione's Time-Turner Couldn't Fix These 10 Harry Potter Fails

Potterheads are a passionate fanbase. As with any, their passion runs so deep that they even criticize elements of the world they are immersed in.

Commonly, when compared to the books, it is the film franchise that falls under scrutiny for its shortcomings.

That being said, the novels are in no way perfect, and fans have engaged in lengthy discourse over which moves should have been avoided in the books.

The Time-Turner

The time-turner was introduced in the Prisoner of Azkaban and allowed the one that had it in their possession to shift throughout the fabric of time.

The implementation of time travel opened up a million plot holes by nature and could have had a massive effect on the direction of the entire series.

To some, that seemed worth exploring, except that when they were all destroyed at the ministry, it seemed as if Rowling was backpedalling and hoping you'd forget they ever existed.

It was an innovative idea that was poorly executed and subsequently scrapped as quickly as it came.

The Marauder's Map

The marauder's map was a magical document that housed anything and everything about Hogwarts. The people on its grounds, the secret passages, it was a map that held serious power.

The major issue with its introduction is that Harry sucked at using it so badly that it was essentially useless.

Rowling has even gone on record saying the map would have given the character too much freedom and insight, so she decided to give him a poor understanding of its workings for the remainder of his time with it.

The Misuse of the Veritaserum Potion

Potions play a prominent role in the series (not just because the class is instructed by Snape). Veritaserum was a potion that would rob people of the ability to lie, meaning they would be forced to tell the truth.

It was a valuable potion that could have had many different uses. The one instance where it would have been an asset to both the plot as well as for the characters directly was during the wizarding trials.

It could have added a real vulnerability to those moments as well as spice up some drama for the readers. But to the discontent of many, the books opted to not implement the potion into the trials.

Fred Weasley Dying

Fred was a character that enriched the parts of the story he was included in. His death cast a dark shadow over the tone of the book leaving some to believe that was the point.

His death did not add any significance to the story or unveil a plot-altering discovery — it was simply there as a cheap grab to incite an emotional response from the readers to achieve a higher level of retention.

Quidditch

For such a cultural phenomenon within the wizarding world, Quidditch leaves a lot of blank spaces. The scoring is overly reliant on the seeker, with not enough weight distributed to the rest of the team.

Harry has also been singled out as an inexperienced leader when stacked against the competition. The matches are usually an ABC type of scenario, with no interchanging tactics or game patterns.

The lack of material surrounding the game sheds light on the fact that perhaps sports are not Rowling's forte, and some trouble arose when attempting to keep each match fresh.

Snape's Spells

Severus Snape has whipped out some pretty awesome potions in his time. However, the fact he can make them up whenever and how he chooses is quite confusing.

J.K. seems to flip back and forth between placing the most importance on a spell's pronunciation or its intention.

It raises questions regarding the essence of spell crafting – does the crafter need to emphasize the intended outcome of the spell?

If so, one cannot possibly rely on the pronunciation of a spell if they have no insight as to what those words mean. Interestingly enough, Harry successfully executes spells with butchered pronunciation.

The gray area is too broad and for ease of mind, fans are demanding some clarity.

The House-Elves

Considered a deep reflection of real-world actions, others consider the slavery apologia disgusting.

The concern is drawn from the fact that the slave-elf owners make the same excuses as owners of Slaves did in the American South.

The ending in which Kreacher accepted Harry as his new master for treating him nicely echoes the narrative that slaves don't need freedom.

Even when Hermione attempted to set them free, she was removing their free will by "forcing" them to do so – because elves love being ordered what to do.

There are many arguments for and against it, but a lot of readers view the subject matter as too insensitive for a children's book.

The Perception of Slytherins

The Slytherin house is known as the place where the bad guys go. Its reputation is not without reason, as every Slytherin, in some capacity, is written to appear unintelligent, ugly, and ill-willed.

Potterheads have noted that giving characters such as Draco a redemption arc would have added more layers to the story, especially in the later installments.

The path taken when creating the Slytherin house and its members seem too static and comic book-esque to hold its own among characters that were given a deeper storyline and full-spectrum personalities.

Inconsistency in the Plot

Though not a definitive step, the inconsistencies in the plot relative to Rowling's descriptions of them, leave fans confused and fed up. An example is Dementors.

In the novels, Lupin states that they are creatures that breed for survival. According to Rowling, Dementors never die, meaning that there should be millions of them ruling the world in a Planet of the Apes fashion.

Instances such as this have been on the rise with the expansion of social media.

Varying in importance, these inconsistencies have left fans questioning how the elements of the story went as well as crossed with J.K for providing contradictions to her legion of fans that turn to her for additional clarity.

Harry's Ending

Following the defeat of Voldemort, Harry decides to follow through with his plans to become an Auror. This doesn't sit well with a lot of Potterheads as Harry lived under the threat of Voldemort's entire life.

He lost family, friends, and colleagues at the hands of the Lord's army. However, after Voldemort's final defeat, Harry decides to work for the government instead.

Harry should have pursued education. He had proven himself worthy with the D.A.that teaching was his true calling. He was a leader that united everyone and inspired them to find the best in each other.

That kind of perspective is fundamental in fostering a young child's growth and it is a shame we did not get to witness that outcome come to fruition.

Harry Potter has its share of peculiarities. Positively, they do provide a lasting foundation on which discussion can occur and a legacy to attract a new generation of readers.