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A general thread for discussion of the Harry Potter books. Any new books set in the same world are also on-topic.

Games, films and other adaptations may be more appropriate for other threads if they're being discussed in isolation.

The HBO tv series has its own thread.

Mod Notes:

  • Media threads are primarily for fans of the works they cover. Not everyone will like everything, of course, and that's especially true in a franchise like Harry Potter. It's fine to say a particular story within the franchise doesn't work for you, or to talk about why it doesn't work for you. But please try not to dwell on the negativity for too long. Complaints shouldn't take up too much space on a thread that's intended for fans.
  • This is a thread to talk about Harry Potter and the content of the stories, not a place to talk about J. K. Rowling's more controversial views. If there's something newsworthy where Rowling's activities become relevant (e.g. it affects her relationship to new Potter works and adaptations), that's fair enough. Otherwise it's all been said already and we don't need to repeat it.

    Original text of OP 

there doesn't seem to be a general HP topic...

Edited by Mrph1 on May 27th 2025 at 9:17:24 AM

MiyaKousaka mya~! from Kibitoukoukou Since: Dec, 1969
mya~!
#1726: Feb 10th 2011 at 3:01:33 AM

New to the thread. Just realized something about the first book; if Albus really wanted to keep Tom away from the Stone, then the traps would be like this:

  • Rubeus Hagrid - Can't do anything about Fluffy's weakness.
  • Pomona Sprout - Devil's Snare, however, the room contains Muggle explosives. If someone casts Incendio, they explode. Lumos isn't powerful enough to drive Devil's Snare away.
  • Filius Flitwick - All the flying keys are unsummonable and the right key is imbibed with both the Geminio and Flagrante curses (the curses on the objects in the Lestrange vault).
  • Minerva Mc Gonagall - When you win the game of chess via checkmate, all your pieces turn on you.
  • Quirinus Quirell - discount this; after all, he is the one trying to steal the stone.
  • Severus Snape - Fill each and every potion bottle with poison, making the flame wall impassable to anyone except him or Albus.
  • Albus Dumbledore - Leave the mirror as is.

nishishishi~ Nii-nii no baka... .__.
Medicus Sierra 117 from Australia Since: Sep, 2009
Sierra 117
#1727: Feb 10th 2011 at 3:05:06 AM

All the obstacles were designed for Harry, Ron and Hermione to get through.

The only defence that was really needed was the Mirror.

It's not over. Not yet.
CyganAngel Away on the wind~ from Arcadia Since: Oct, 2010
Away on the wind~
#1728: Feb 10th 2011 at 3:19:02 AM

All of the above are invalid if you consider that he could just as easily blast his way through the walls.

There are too many toasters in my chimney!
MiyaKousaka mya~! from Kibitoukoukou Since: Dec, 1969
mya~!
#1729: Feb 10th 2011 at 3:32:48 AM

Quirell is a relatively incompetent wizard. Prior to Book 1, I think all he did was research Dark creatures. No way he could manage a Confringo that would actually destroy Hogwarts' walls, Voldy or no Voldy.

nishishishi~ Nii-nii no baka... .__.
Medicus Sierra 117 from Australia Since: Sep, 2009
Sierra 117
#1730: Feb 10th 2011 at 3:44:03 AM

I think even Voldemort would have trouble breaking through Hogwarts' walls.

It's not over. Not yet.
MiyaKousaka mya~! from Kibitoukoukou Since: Dec, 1969
mya~!
#1731: Feb 10th 2011 at 4:20:45 AM

^ That too; I think Hogwarts itself is Ancient-tier magic.

nishishishi~ Nii-nii no baka... .__.
Medicus Sierra 117 from Australia Since: Sep, 2009
Sierra 117
#1732: Feb 10th 2011 at 4:34:05 AM

Why is it that Old Magic is always more powerful then Modern Magic?

I mean, you don't have archaeologists crying that they can't get into ancient tombs because the diamond-headed drill they brought along can't break through the mud bricks.

It's not over. Not yet.
CyganAngel Away on the wind~ from Arcadia Since: Oct, 2010
Away on the wind~
#1733: Feb 10th 2011 at 4:50:05 AM

all he did was research Dark creatures

all

wut

You mean, that's not an indicator of how powerful a wizard he is?

Dude... Dark creature's aren't just things like Grindylows. They're things like Dementors and Lethifold.

Also, where are we ever given any indication Hogwart's walls are made of anything but regular stone?

There are too many toasters in my chimney!
MiyaKousaka mya~! from Kibitoukoukou Since: Dec, 1969
mya~!
#1734: Feb 10th 2011 at 4:51:55 AM

'Kay fine, but for all intents and purposes, Quirrell was shown as mostly incompetent. And there's the matter of Hogwarts.

I'd expect the founders to fortify the castle so that Blasting Curses, no matter the power of the caster, don't punch holes in the walls.

nishishishi~ Nii-nii no baka... .__.
Medicus Sierra 117 from Australia Since: Sep, 2009
Sierra 117
#1735: Feb 10th 2011 at 4:54:34 AM

Obfuscating Stupidity, my friend.

And Quirrel met Voldemort while studying abroad. The guy was most certainly qualified.

It's not over. Not yet.
MiyaKousaka mya~! from Kibitoukoukou Since: Dec, 1969
mya~!
#1736: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:00:11 AM

Hmm, point conceded. I still don't think he can Confringo his way through the traps though.

nishishishi~ Nii-nii no baka... .__.
CyganAngel Away on the wind~ from Arcadia Since: Oct, 2010
Away on the wind~
#1737: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:07:27 AM

Transfiguration, my good lad.

Why burn when you can just transfigure the door into a matchstick?

There are too many toasters in my chimney!
Medicus Sierra 117 from Australia Since: Sep, 2009
Sierra 117
#1738: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:09:40 AM

Or use a broomstick to fly over the chessboard.

edited 10th Feb '11 5:09:50 AM by Medicus

It's not over. Not yet.
CyganAngel Away on the wind~ from Arcadia Since: Oct, 2010
Away on the wind~
#1739: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:10:30 AM

Exactly.

Or just walk around.

There are too many toasters in my chimney!
Medicus Sierra 117 from Australia Since: Sep, 2009
Sierra 117
#1740: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:12:47 AM

I'm just imagining Dumbledore having to play chess every time he wanted to check on the Stone....

There probably wasn't even any poison in those vials, but only one of them would get you through the door.

It's not over. Not yet.
CyganAngel Away on the wind~ from Arcadia Since: Oct, 2010
Away on the wind~
#1741: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:25:28 AM

Dumbledore probably just used the front door.

You just know there was one.

There are too many toasters in my chimney!
Medicus Sierra 117 from Australia Since: Sep, 2009
Sierra 117
#1742: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:27:40 AM

Or Fawkes just teleported him in.

I'm surprised that never came up anywhere else. "Hey Fawkes, we need to go into Bellatrix Lestrange's Gringotts vault, can you help us?"

edited 10th Feb '11 5:28:07 AM by Medicus

It's not over. Not yet.
MiyaKousaka mya~! from Kibitoukoukou Since: Dec, 1969
mya~!
#1743: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:28:14 AM

The question is, can you transfigure the doors along the third-floor corridor? If we logically assume that the castle is permeated by old magic from the Founders, then I'd expect the doors to be transfiguration proof because they're going to be ripe for prank material.

Refute me if I'm wrong; i.e. there's an actual case of someone transfiguring a Hogwarts door in the actual books.

^ That's a valid point. Fawkes would teleport anyone he trusts after some great coaxing, methinks.

Wait, I just remembered something that makes my entire argument moot: Augustus Rookwood brought the ceiling down in the Battle of Hogwarts, killing Fred. My bad, then.

Also Cygan, Confringo is the spell name for the Blasting Curse; it's not an incendiary spell.

EDIT 2: Rookwood was able to bring the ceiling down after the wards had been breached. It's probably still safe to assume that you can't blast your way through Hogwarts while the wards are still up.

edited 10th Feb '11 5:36:21 AM by MiyaKousaka

nishishishi~ Nii-nii no baka... .__.
CyganAngel Away on the wind~ from Arcadia Since: Oct, 2010
Away on the wind~
#1744: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:53:05 AM

Also Cygan, Confringo is the spell name for the Blasting Curse; it's not an incendiary spell.

Which works by rapidly superheating an object. Ergo, fire.

Also: It was never specifically stated what the wards did, but they always seemed to be more anti invasion than defensive.

edited 10th Feb '11 5:53:57 AM by CyganAngel

There are too many toasters in my chimney!
MiyaKousaka mya~! from Kibitoukoukou Since: Dec, 1969
mya~!
#1745: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:56:47 AM

^ Silly me, how could I have forgone something so obvious in physics, derp.

As to the wards, I'd always thought that "anyone with malicious intent on the castle or any of its inhabitants" was what they were countering.

Except for the dubious DADA professors, since they were already inside and didn't bother with trying to blow objects/doors/walls up

edited 10th Feb '11 5:57:56 AM by MiyaKousaka

nishishishi~ Nii-nii no baka... .__.
CyganAngel Away on the wind~ from Arcadia Since: Oct, 2010
Away on the wind~
#1746: Feb 10th 2011 at 5:59:25 AM

In this case, at least, that's how the spell works.

We don't even know what the wards ARE.

This is pointless until we find that out.

edited 10th Feb '11 6:00:07 AM by CyganAngel

There are too many toasters in my chimney!
MiyaKousaka mya~! from Kibitoukoukou Since: Dec, 1969
mya~!
#1747: Feb 10th 2011 at 6:07:13 AM

Yup. All hail MST 3 K.

nishishishi~ Nii-nii no baka... .__.
DrRockopolis Rock On from Barsoom Since: Sep, 2009
Rock On
#1748: Feb 10th 2011 at 6:37:44 AM

Dumbledore wanted the other professors to feel important; Leadership!

As for ancient magic...I guess it's just one of those gropes leftover from Older Than Steam.

  • In story...inbreeding? All those highly destructive magical wars and ethnic cleansing magical species control campaigns.
  • Or maybe the Romans were that good.

edited 10th Feb '11 6:43:41 AM by DrRockopolis

[[tvtropes.org/pmwiki/lb_i.php?lb_id=12919183980B30760200 Liveblog of]] John Carter Of Mars
vifetoile Since: Jan, 2001
#1749: Feb 10th 2011 at 1:05:20 PM

[up] In my fanfiction, I have it mentioned off-hand that the United States is actually 49 states according to Wizards, because native Hawaiian magic is a very, very bad thing to get on the wrong side of. Therefore, according to wizards, Hawai'i is its own nation that chills out with America.

It also gives the US cred in terms of Arithmancy: it started as 13 colonies, very unlucky, but ended up as 49 - 7x7, as good as it gets. Therefore, the US has a reputation for being very lucky.

... I did overthink this, yes, why do you ask?

Probably one of the things that made the Hogwarts founders so renowned is their ability to have created a building that had so much enduring, protective magic built into it. (BTW the Room of Requirement lives.)

Also, the other guards on the Philosopher's Stone, besides the Mirror, weren't exactly meant to kill the intruder, but to slow them down, so that by the time the Headmaster receives an alert (he got an alert, right?) the intruder is still in the Chess Room and desperately summoning all their strategic know-how short of "How fast can I run?" (I speak as someone who has only ever won one chess game in her life, and that against a five-year-old with ADD.)

Plus, until you know Fluffy's weakness, he's a good guard dog.

Medicus Sierra 117 from Australia Since: Sep, 2009
Sierra 117
#1750: Feb 10th 2011 at 2:33:19 PM

No, it's pretty clear that the obstacles were designed for Harry, Ron and Hermione to get through. All of them play to their strengths. It was all a set up by Dumbledore to reinforce to Harry The Power of Friendship. As fiction, it works remarkably well. In reality, like pretty much everything else in Harry Potter, it fails logic forever.

I like to think the US is the de facto world superpower in the magical world as well as the muggle world. It has one of the largest magical populations in the world, swelled by Europeans fleeing persecution and war. I wonder how many made the exodus to the US and former White Dominions during Voldemort's first reign of terror...

It's not over. Not yet.

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