As one of the globe’s most instantly recognizable brands, Harry Potter has unleashed a torrent of books, blockbuster movies, stage productions, video games, and even theme parks. The films have raked in roughly $7.2 billion worldwide, while the novels have pulled in an even heftier $7.7 billion, catapulting J.K. Rowling to the top of the UK’s wealth charts, surpassing icons like Richard Branson and even the queen. These 10 disenchanting lawsuits show how the magic attracted plenty of legal mischief.

10 Disenchanting Lawsuits: The Legal Side of the Wizarding World

10 Nancy Stouffer

US writer Nancy Stouffer first caught wind of Harry Potter in 1999, two years after the debut novel hit shelves, and she was instantly alarmed. She claimed Rowling had brazenly lifted the term “Muggles” and had barely tweaked the name of her own character, Larry Potter, to create the Boy Who Lived.

Stouffer’s creations originated from a pair of booklet series she had drafted in the late 1980s as part of a planned monthly activity pack for kids. Only two installments ever saw the light of day, none were ever sold, and the overlap with Rowling’s saga can only be described as ‘almost coincidental’ at best.

One of those pamphlets, titled The Legend of Rah and the Muggles, described a tiny, hair‑covered race called muggles who never grew taller than 51 cm (20 in) and zipped around on bees. Another, Larry Potter and His Best Friend Lilly, was a simple colouring book about a boy who was down‑hearted because he needed glasses.

In 2001 Stouffer launched a second publishing imprint under the moniker N.K. Stouffer to re‑release her material, and she promptly sued J.K. Rowling. Rowling’s legal team tore the case apart, pointing out that the two stories bore no substantive resemblance and flagging a pattern of serious fraud on Stouffer’s part.

During discovery Stouffer could not produce any original copies of her alleged works, and investigators uncovered that the lone reference to “Larry Potter” appeared in a solitary paragraph written in a font that hadn’t even existed in the 1980s.

Further forensic analysis showed that The Legend of Rah and the Muggles had originally been printed simply as Rah, with the extra words tacked on later. The printing equipment used at the time could not have reproduced the later‑added font, exposing the tampering.

Ultimately Stouffer was slapped with a $50,000 fine and her lawsuit was dismissed. An appeal was filed and rejected, and although she hinted at future action in 2006, no additional suits have surfaced since.

9 Willy The Wizard

Another tale that allegedly landed on Rowling’s radar was Willy the Wizard, a story penned by Adrian Jacobs. Ironically, it wasn’t Jacobs himself who filed the claim – it was his surviving family members.

Jacobs had been dead for twelve years when his heirs launched a lawsuit in 2009. By that time Rowling was already a multibillion‑dollar mogul, and the estate argued that she had pilfered major plot points from Willy the Wizard for the fourth installment, The Goblet of Fire.

The contested elements supposedly included a magical tournament where participants had to free a captive from half‑human, half‑animal beasts. In Potter’s version the foes were mermaids; in Willy’s version they were kangaroo‑centaurs.

Both books also featured wizard’s chess, wizard‑run newspapers, and a wizard prison. In Willy’s narrative the “prison” was actually a seaside spot called Banish Bay. Trains also made an appearance in each story. The court dismissed the claim in 2011.

8 EBay And eBooks

Digital editions have become a boon for the publishing world, letting readers anywhere download virtually any title in a flash and at a fraction of the cost of print. The flip side is that anyone with a computer can churn out counterfeit copies and push them en masse without paying for printing or securing the author’s permission.

In 2004 Rowling ran into this exact dilemma on Baazee.com, the Indian affiliate of eBay. Baazee itself wasn’t the pirate, but the platform allowed a swarm of users to host illegal Harry Potter e‑books.

A quirky injunction was granted to Rowling, compelling the site to purge the infringing files unless it chose to do so on its own. In practice the order left little wiggle room, and the unauthorized e‑books, their sellers, and related ads vanished from the marketplace.

7 Harry Potter And Bao Zoulong

Thinking back to The Goblet of Fire, who could erase that cliff‑hanger? The Dark Lord was back, and readers waited with bated breath for the next installment, only to crack open the fifth book and be greeted by a bizarre opening line.

‘Harry has no idea how long it will take to scrub the sticky cream cake off his face. For a respectable young man, having grime on any part of his body is downright revolting. He lies in a fine‑china bathtub, keeps wiping his face, and contemplates Dali’s visage, which is as plump as Aunt Penny’s bottom.’

Those were the exact words that greeted anyone unlucky enough to pick up the counterfeit 2002 Chinese edition. Western media initially mistranslated the title as Harry Potter and Leopard Walk Up to Dragon, but it was later identified as Harry Potter and Bao Zoulong, a sham fifth volume concocted by an anonymous writer.

In this phony tome Harry is turned into a magic‑less dwarf forced to battle a dragon. It soon became obvious that the bulk of the story was a copy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit with names swapped. Fans quickly saw through the charade, and the publisher that released the fraud was fined a paltry £1,600 (about US$3,400).

6 Claire Field

When you have the backing of a massive multinational, you can—and often do—mobilize a legal army to silence anyone who even brushes against your brand. The flip side is that sometimes that legal muscle is turned on a teenager.

That scenario unfolded in late 2000, just days before Christmas, when Warner Bros. zeroed in on 15‑year‑old Claire Field. Claire, a die‑hard Potter fan, ran the site harrypotterguide.co.uk. Anticipating the debut film, Warner Bros. began snapping up any domain containing ‘harry potter’ and sent Claire a stern cease‑and‑desist letter.

The dispute quickly made UK headlines, and Warner Bros. eventually relented. Although they claimed that media scrutiny didn’t sway their decision and blamed a clerical mistake, the episode underscored how far a corporate legal machine will go.

5 Harry Potter Lexicon

Claire Field wasn’t the only fan‑site proprietor to clash with J.K. Rowling. In 2007 RDR Books announced plans to convert the Harry Potter Lexicon website into a printed encyclopedia that would catalogue every spell, potion, creature and character from the series.

Even though Rowling had once publicly praised Steve Vander Ark, the site’s creator, she objected, stating she intended to release a similar volume herself and could not endorse a fan‑run project that was “for their own personal gain.”

A Manhattan judge in 2008 halted the Lexicon’s publication, ruling that it lacked sufficient original commentary and merely rearranged Rowling’s text. The court also ordered Rowling and Warner Bros. to receive $750 per each of the seven novels and the two companion books, Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them—adding a modest $6,750 to the franchise’s bottom line.

Vander Ark eventually issued a condensed edition, prominently labeling it “unauthorized” to make the distinction crystal clear.

4 Wyrd Sisters

Naming a band these days can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack, especially when the group only appears as a background gag a handful of times. It’s easy to see why Rowling might have settled on the un‑inspired moniker “Weird Sisters.”

The Winnipeg folk ensemble The Wyrd Sisters, however, were far from forgiving. After producers offered them a $5,000 buy‑out for the name’s use in the film, the band retaliated with a staggering $40 million lawsuit.

Even though the spelling differed, the band’s acknowledgment by the film’s producers gave them a foothold to allege Warner Bros. infringement. After five years of courtroom drama, the parties reached a confidential settlement.

3 Asda vs. Bloomsbury

A core business principle is to stock what customers crave, so carrying the final Harry Potter volume should have been a straightforward decision. The next principle—profitability—adds a twist.

When supermarket chain Asda declared it would sell half a million copies for £8.97, well below the suggested £17.99, the situation heated up. In a fiery press release Asda accused publisher Bloomsbury of “holding children to ransom,” prompting Bloomsbury to warn that Asda could face a libel suit.

Soon after, Bloomsbury, unrelated to Asda’s price protest, abruptly canceled the order a few days before launch, citing unpaid invoices totalling roughly £38,000. Asda retaliated, claiming Bloomsbury also owed them £122,000. With the release date looming, Asda back‑tracked, settled the outstanding balances, and issued an “unreserved” apology, restoring the partnership.

2 Right To Read

When a blockbuster like a new Harry Potter novel is on the horizon, keeping its plot under wraps is critical. In 2005, fourteen copies of Harry Potter and the Half‑Blood Prince slipped onto Canadian shelves ahead of schedule, prompting Rowling and her legal team to act—not against the errant retailer, but against the eager fans who purchased them.

The Supreme Court of British Columbia swiftly issued an injunction barring anyone who owned the early copies from selling, displaying, or even reading the book before the official launch. The ruling sparked a heated debate over the “right to read,” with one camp likening a book to a private diary—unreadable without permission—while the other insisted courts cannot police what a person does with a book they already possess.

A comparable blunder occurred with the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when two distributors inadvertently shipped copies early. In both instances, no punitive damages were pursued.

1 Aaron Lambert

While accidental early releases have occurred before, Aaron Lambert believed he could turn a tidy profit by slipping copies of Harry Potter and the Half‑Blood Prince to the press more than a month ahead of the official launch.

Working as a security guard at a massive warehouse, Lambert pilfered two of the ten million copies stored there, then reached out to journalists at the Daily Mirror and The Sun, striking deals that netted him roughly £80,000 (about US$111,250).

One reporter, John Askill, agreed to meet Lambert but secretly intended to snatch the books and return them to J.K. Rowling. When Askill made his move, Lambert brandished a fake pistol, prompting police to intervene and place him under arrest.

After posting bail, Lambert attempted to blackmail the publishers, but the authorities caught up with him again, sentencing him to four and a half years behind bars for theft, illegal firearm possession, and blackmail.

You can follow the saga’s commentator Simon on Twitter here.

The problem with being a fan of a book‑turned‑movie saga is that the silver screen often can’t capture every nuance the pages provide. Translating sprawling novels into a handful of two‑hour films forces writers and editors to trim, shift, or even discard details to keep the story moving and the box office happy. In short, the movies had to balance storytelling with market appeal, and that’s why we’ve compiled this list of the top 10 things the Harry Potter movies got wrong.

Why These Top 10 Things Matter

Each omission or alteration changes how we experience the wizarding world. From misplaced creatures to altered character ages, these ten slip‑ups shape the way fans remember the saga. Let’s dive into the specifics, one magical misstep at a time.

10 Sneaky Snake

*Adjusts glasses* Alright, let’s start at the very beginning. In the first film, Harry discovers his ability to speak to snakes, and we get a tense moment with a reptile in the Hogwarts greenhouse. The book tells us that the creature is a boa constrictor, a classic, non‑venomous snake that fits the British setting. The movie, however, swapped it for a Burmese python – a much larger, exotic species more commonly kept as a pet.

One could argue the filmmakers wanted a snake that looked imposing and fit the visual language of a captive animal. Burmese pythons are notorious as oversized pets, far removed from their native habitats, mirroring Harry’s own feeling of being out of place. Still, the switch is a noticeable deviation from J.K. Rowling’s original description.

9 He Who Shall Not Be Named Is French

The pronunciation of Voldemort’s name is a subtle but telling detail. Split the name into “volde” and “mort”: the former can be linked to an Old Norse root meaning “to cause,” while “mort” is French for “death.” Proper French pronunciation drops the harsh “t” at the end, allowing the “r” to linger in the back of the throat.

In the original audiobook of *The Sorcerer’s Stone*, the narrator nailed this French nuance, and J.K. Rowling confirmed its accuracy. The film versions, however, pronounce the final “t,” giving the name a sharper, less authentic sound.

8 Your Mother’s Eyes

According to the books, Harry inherits his mother Lily’s striking green eyes – a detail that helps define his appearance. Daniel Radcliffe, however, does not naturally have green eyes, and the production team initially planned for him to wear colored contacts.

Unfortunately, Radcliffe suffered an allergic reaction to the lenses, forcing the filmmakers to settle for his natural blue eyes. The subtle genetic cue was thus lost in translation.

7 If I Could Turn Back Time, I Wouldn’t Have a Time Turner

Hermione’s relentless studying schedule is a hallmark of her character, and the Time Turner appears as a clever plot device to justify her packed timetable. In the books, Professor McGonagall gifts her a small hourglass necklace that lets her travel back one hour per turn, with a chain long enough to accommodate multiple users.

The rules are strict: you must avoid being seen by your past self, and any interference could cause paradoxes. The movies, however, gloss over these constraints, showing Hermione and Harry breezing through time‑travel scenes without much caution.

Beyond the narrative shortcuts, the Time Turner raises practical questions about how many hours one could realistically reclaim and why the Ministry eventually destroys all of them in *Order of the Phoenix*.

6 A Bunch Of Old Guys

In the novels, James and Lily Potter were in their early twenties when Harry was born, and their classmates—Sirius, Lupin, and Snape—were roughly the same age. The film adaptations, however, cast considerably older actors for these roles, making the trio appear as seasoned veterans rather than peers.

While Alan Rickman’s portrayal of Snape remains iconic, the age discrepancy subtly shifts the dynamic, making the older teachers feel more like mentors than contemporaries of Harry’s parents.

5 Ginny Weasley

The movies present Ginny mainly as Harry’s eventual love interest, offering limited insight into her own strengths and agency. The books, by contrast, flesh out Ginny as a fierce, independent witch who proves herself repeatedly—whether in Dumbledore’s Army or on the Quidditch pitch.

Rowling has emphasized that Harry’s partner needed to be strong, capable, and his equal. The cinematic treatment, however, reduces her to a background role, missing the depth that makes Ginny such a compelling character.

4 Voldemort’s Death

Literary deaths often rely on vivid description rather than spectacle. In the books, Voldemort’s demise is swift: the Killing Curse rebounds, and his body collapses lifelessly. The film opts for a more dramatic visual, showing his form crumbling and disintegrating in a cascade of ash.

Additionally, the novel makes it clear that the rebounded curse—originally cast by Voldemort—causes his downfall. The movie simplifies this, having Harry’s own spell directly end Voldemort, while also spotlighting Neville’s heroic act of destroying the final Horcrux.

Both approaches deliver closure, but the cinematic rendition trades subtle narrative nuance for visual flair.

3 Calm Down, Dumbledore

One memorable scene involves Dumbledore confronting Harry after the Goblet of Fire spits out his name. In the books, Dumbledore approaches calmly, gently asking Harry about the unexpected entry. The film, however, portrays a much more agitated Dumbledore, who practically shoves Harry against a wall and delivers a terse, one‑word query.

This shift reflects the change in actors—from the warm, soft‑spoken Richard Harris to the sharper, more forceful Michael Gambon—mirroring the darker tone of the later books.

Fans have noted the contrast, debating whether the cinematic Dumbledore’s urgency adds tension or betrays the character’s original composure.

2 Voldemort Has…His Mother’s Eyes, Too?

Voldemort’s appearance in *Goblet of Fire* is described as pale, skeletal, with red, cat‑like eyes that hint at his cruel nature. The movies, however, give him stark white eyes during his resurrection, a visual choice that softens the original description.

While the white‑eyed effect creates an eerie, otherworldly vibe, it diverges from Rowling’s vivid red‑eyed imagery. Some viewers wish the cinematic version had retained the crimson gaze to emphasize his lingering humanity—and perhaps a hint of disappointment at his bald, grotesque form.

1 The Story Behind Neville’s Parents

Neville Longbottom stands out as the underdog who blossoms into a hero, ultimately slaying Nagini. The books delve deeply into his tragic backstory: his parents, Frank and Alice, were tortured into madness by Bellatrix Lestrange, leaving them confined to St. Mungo’s Hospital.

The films skim over this trauma, offering only a fleeting reference to his parents’ condition. A full scene showing Neville visiting them in the asylum would have provided powerful emotional grounding and highlighted his resilience.

Such a glimpse would also deepen the connection between Neville and Harry, underscoring the shared theme of overcoming loss.

Despite the cinematic shortcuts, avid readers know just how formidable Neville truly is, and his quiet bravery remains a cornerstone of the series.

The world of Harry Potter has captured the imagination of fans for a variety of reasons, not least the incredibly diverse number of creatures, plants, and supernatural entities which lead to a rich and beloved fantasy world. While some of these are familiar to many of us from a number of different sources, here are ten examples of those who have their origins in myth and folklore from around the world.

Related: 10 Interesting Secrets In Harry Potter

10 Mandrake

The famous mandrake root, introduced in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a plant that not only screams when it is being repotted but is also a “powerful restorative” used to treat those who have been cursed, transfigured, or petrified. While the screams of the mandrake can, in some cases, be fatal, those of the younger plants only result in causing unconsciousness.

In reality, the Mandragora officinarum is not only interesting for the shape of its roots, which frequently resemble human figures, but also for its hallucinogenic and hypnotic effects. The combination of these factors makes it unsurprising that a wealth of legends have surrounded this particular plant that predates the Bible.

While in Genesis, the plant is reputed to have cured Racheal’s infertility (Genesis 30:14-17), the later writings of Josephus of Jerusalem (c. AD 37-100) describe the mandrake in a much more recognizable fashion for the fans of J.K. Rowling’s infamous series. To ensure the mandrake’s scream doesn’t kill when dug up, Josephus describes digging a furrow to expose part of the root before being tied to a dog that will then excavate the root and also perish in its master’s place.

Mentioned in the writings of famous occultists Eliphas Levi and Jean-Baptise Pitois, it was later seen as a key ingredient in flying ointments used by medieval witches to attend gatherings or meet with the Devil himself. ^[1]

9 Dragons

Some of the earliest dragon myths date back to sources such as the Indian Rig Veda (c. 1500 BC), which recounts the release of heavenly waters to the earth following the death of the great dragon Vrtra by the god Indra. Similarly, the Mesopotamian god Marduk battled the dragon Tiamat for control of humanity.

Something more recognizable to us can be found in the Iranian Zoroastrian tradition, which talks of the serpentine “azi,” described as poisonous beings that swallowed both horses and men. And once we reach the 10th and 11th centuries, the Persian Book of Kings recounts the feats of mighty heroes such as Rustum, who frequently found himself pitted against the mighty beasts. Indeed, the idea of the serpentine monster appears throughout various world mythologies: The afore-mentioned Tiamat, the Judeo-Christian Leviathan, the Hydra of Greek myth, and the Norse Jormungandr, the latter of which had a clear influence on the epic Old English poem Beowulf, where we can see the word “dracan.”

More modern depictions of dragons often draw inspiration from these tales, portraying brutal and jealous defenders of their hoarded treasure. However, it is possible that the heraldic use of the dragon has led to the traits of high intellect as well as a benevolent protector and friend to humans in many stories.^[2]

8 Pixies

Cornish Pixies, as chronicled by Rowling, are small, blue troublemakers. Traditionally, they are described as often mischievous beings that were frequently the reason for people becoming lost when traveling. Myths of pixies are not exclusive to Cornwall but also appear in Devon, Dorset, and Hampshire.

Pixies are reputedly fond of dancing and gathering together in large groups to play, cavort, or wrestle at night, such as the gathering of 600 at Trevose Head, where the celebrations were cut short when the pixie Omafra lost his laugh. Thankfully for Omfra, King Arthur was able to restore his laughter, and he returned to his pixie queen, Joan the Wad.

The pixies of Dartmoor are incredibly small and friendly. However, they do have a penchant for disguising themselves as rags in order to entice children to play. They may even help with the housework, but if you are traveling and become “pixy-led,” it may be wise to turn your coat inside out in order to find your way once more.

Far from benign, It is sometimes said that the pixies are, in fact, wandering pagan souls, stuck forever in limbo, or even the unbaptized souls of babies.^[3]

7 Boggarts

The boggart familiar to fans of the Harry Potter series bears little similarity to their mythological namesake.

With their origins in English folklore, the boggart gets its name from the Welsh “bwg” and, much like pixies, is described as being a mischievous trickster, though with a more malevolent streak.

While its origin was as a hearth-spirit, a boggart is actually a transformation of the usually helpful hobgoblin. If mistreated, it will become a boggart. Its mischievous nature will be present when becoming frightening or even dangerous as it seeks to punish those who have offended or abused it.

Boggarts are often blamed for objects disappearing, milk souring, or even dogs becoming lame. Those who dwell in swamps or marshlands have been reputed to be the cause of missing children.

In the story of “The Farmer and the Devil,” we see that even with all his cunning, a boggart can be bested. Though, let’s hope the farmer in the tale didn’t meet the wrath of Owd Hob, the Lancashire boggart king! Incidentally, those bumps in the night may just be a boggart, more commonly known nowadays as Bogey or the Bogeyman.^[4]

6 Basilisk

Another creature that differs greatly from the description given in the Potter books is the basilisk. While said to be the king of the snakes, its huge size is not reflected in the source material: Pliny the Elder writes in his Naturalis Historia that the basilisk of Cyrene is a small snake of “not more than twelve fingers in length.” It is the most poisonous of snakes, with its poison able to flow up the shaft of a spear or lance to kill both horse and rider. With venom and poisonous skin, the serpent was also said to be able to kill with a glare, turning its attention on herbs and plants if humans were not at hand.

Luckily, the odor of a weasel is all you need to repel this nightmarish creature, a legend that may have its roots in stories of the king cobra, whose natural predator is the mongoose.^[5]

5 Centaur

The centaurs of J.K. Rowling’s creation share much with C.S. Lewis’s Narnian counterparts. Healing, prophecy, and stargazing become healing, archery, and astrology in the Potter canon. While they are noble creatures, Rowling does not eschew the savagery of the original Greek myths. Wild and untamed, the centaurs are birthed by the union of Ixion and Nyphele and often are representative of the duality of human nature.

While centaurs are generally depicted as male, there have been some descriptions of centaurides, or female centaurs, with a 4th-century mosaic from Tunisia. Also, there is a mention by Ovid of a centauride named Hylonome who committed suicide following the death of her husband.^[6]

4 Yeti

Gilderoy Lockhart is said to have spent a “Year With the Yeti” in The Chamber of Secrets, which is not surprising when muggle sightings of the infamous beast have been plentiful. However, the legend of the Yeti dates back to ancient Himalayan folklore, and tales of the creature have been spread by travelers for time immemorial. Indeed, following the conquering of the Indus Valley in 326 BC, Alexander the Great demanded to see a Yeti, although he was disappointed when informed that they could not survive at such a low altitude.

Much like purported sightings of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, little solid evidence has been presented for the existence of the creature. The famed Sir Edmund Hilary—the first man to scale Mount Everest—found what he believed to be a Yeti scalp, though it later proved to be nothing more than a serow hide, a creature similar to a goat and native to the region.

What better person to have hunted the Yeti than the great Brian Blessed? The actor/explorer has not only scaled mountains and faced off against polar bears but has published a book on his hunt for the elusive giant. If there’s anyone out there that could coax one out, I’m sure it’s the man who has been known to talk of how much female gorillas like him! ^[7]

3 Elves

Elves have a long and storied history, though none of them are the servile, meek beings found in Harry Potter.

First appearing in Old English and Norse texts, elves are indeed magical creatures and are usually described as either being possessed of incredibly long lifespans or, in some cases, immortal. Being of diminutive stature in the English and Scottish traditions, elves are often elusive, childlike, and, at times, troublesome and mischievous. Although they are not inherently evil, much of the folklore of this time recounts humans journeying to Elphame, often described as unsettling and ghostly. It’s also not unknown for elves to antagonize or even kill humans in certain circumstances.

In Norse tradition, elves are of a more human height and are even able to procreate with humans. Despite this, the alfar, as they are known, were not bound by physical laws and could pass through walls. Elves were more beautiful than humans, though men could ascend to elfhood—if worthy enough.

Yet not all elves are equal: while Freyr reigned over Alfheimr, the land of the light elves, the dark elves dwelt in Svartalfheimr, where they hid from the light of the sun, lest they be turned to stone. These dark elves were the cause of nightmares. So much so that there is even an explanation for sleep paralysis in the form of dark elves sitting on a sleeping person’s chest in the form of a mare.^[8]

2 Sphinx

The sphinx, as depicted in The Goblet of Fire, fulfills much the same role as her namesake in the myth of Oedipus, presenting our hero with a riddle that will result in his death if answered incorrectly. Depictions of the sphinx in the Egyptian tradition show a woman’s face, a lion’s haunches, and the wings of a bird. This differs from the description given in Goblet—a large leonine body with a human head.

Due to the riddles of legend, the sphinx became the symbol of not only intelligence and knowledge but also omniscience. Subsequent depictions of the sphinx, such as the Great Sphinx of Giza, are believed to show the faces of pharaohs. In this particular case, pharaoh Khafre, the pharaoh also responsible for the Great Pyramid at the same location.^[9]

1 Werewolves

Legends of the werewolf date back to the earliest known example of prosaic western literature; in The Epic of Gilgamesh, our titular hero refuses a potential lover as she had turned a previous lover into a wolf.

Greek mythology also features early depictions of werewolves: Lycaon serves the god Zeus a meal made of a sacrificed boy. In his anger, Zeus transformed Lycaon and his sons into wolves—hence the term lycanthropy.

Tales of transformation into wolves thanks to magical wolf pelts feature in the Nordic sagas. However, far more gruesome are the acts perpetrated by historical figures such as Pierre Bergut and Michel Verdun. They were purported to have sworn allegiance to the Devil and be in possession of an ointment that could to turn them into wolves. These two were burned at the stake after confessing to the murder of multiple children. Similarly, sixteenth-century Frenchman Giles Garnier was also burned at the stake after allegedly transforming into a wolf and killing and eating children.

One of the most famous real-life cases is that of Peter Stubbe, a wealthy farmer in Bedburg, Germany. After children’s disappearances in the area, he was cornered by a group of hunters who claimed to have witnessed him shapeshifting. He later confessed under torture, though while these events may have stoked rampant fears of werewolf activity around Europe, some did not believe in his guilt and thought him to be a victim of a witch-hunt. Perhaps it was more of a case of a scapegoat in wolf’s clothing.^[10]

The Harry Potter universe captured the imaginations of children and adults around the world, and continues to do so with spin-off material. The idea of a world where magical people not only exist under our feet, but use their own way of doing things and eschew most modern technology is certainly a novel idea. However, it also raises a lot of interesting questions about the world itself due to the way they interact with magic and technology, and there are some fascinating unanswered questions around many of the characters as well. 

10. Would A Gun Be Something Lord Voldemort And Other Wizards Are Prepared For? 

This is something that has bugged many fans for some time, and is a question that may never be entirely put to rest. We all know that Voldemort hates technology of all kinds, despises Muggles, and thinks them stupid and incapable. However, the question is: how much he has researched how to protect himself, even though he thinks them that idiotic? In Prisoner of Azkaban, a man named Sirius Black escapes, and an ad sent out to the Muggles calls a wand a “gun.” Later on in the book, someone from a wizarding family refers to a gun as “a kind of metal wand Muggles use to kill each other.” In other words, he has absolutely zero clue how it works. 

Now, this leads people to wonder if Voldemort, or for that matter any wizard of consequence, is prepared for this kind of threat. A bullet fires very quickly, so many people would argue even a prodigious wizard would hardly even be able to get off a nonverbal spell with a quick hand gesture in time. However, if Voldemort knew about the threat properly, he may have some kind of spell that keeps him constantly shielded from such Muggle threats. It’s also possible he simply underestimates Muggles and does not imagine ever being in a situation where he could be threatened by them, or their technology. 

9. Did Dumbledore Hide His Homsexuality Because It Was A Stigma, Or For Other Reasons? 

In an interview after the seventh book had already been published, J.K. Rowling shocked much of the world by telling the audience that the wizard who wore high-heeled boots and flamboyant purple robes was gay. Many parents were upset because it challenged their personal views, and others were simply upset because they felt she was changing a character after the fact. Now, the truth is that Rowling always planned for him to be gay — we know now that he was in love with the dark wizard Grindelwald. 

However, you don’t need that as evidence to know this was not a retcon. All of the hints were already there long ago, and many of the more well-read fans were not at all surprised. The question many fans had was why Dumbledore seemed to keep it a secret in the books. Now, some might suggest it simply wasn’t brought up, but Dumbledore seems to take flirtatious comments from women occasionally in the books, and he tries to politely deflect without being too flirty back. This would suggest these women were not aware. Now, the question is whether wizards have an issue with homosexuality, or perhaps Dumbledore just hid it because he didn’t want anyone to ever realize his romantic connection to Grindelwald.

8. Did Professor Umbridge, Being Evil In Every Other Way, Also Torture Her Cats? 

Professor Umbridge is one of the most evil characters introduced in the stories. She starts out abusing schoolchildren and making one of them repeatedly scar his hand by writing in his own blood, and eventually graduates to a point in the series where she is in charge of an inquisition to root out people who are not pureblood wizards, and have their souls sucked out by dementors. She takes absolute joy in this job, and has a dark and vicious glee in her voice as she repeatedly mocks people and claims they “are not really wizards” and never have been, because they are not pureblood. At the end of the series, she was apparently tried and found guilty of crimes against humanity, but some people may wonder more about the fate of her cats. 

In the Harry Potter stories, we learn that Umbridge has a lot of cat pictures, and likes to display them regularly. This is a woman who likes to keep her surroundings absolutely pristine, and has a nasty personality that can be both passive aggressive — and just plain aggressive — depending on her mood and the situation. It’s hard to imagine such a woman being kind to animals, or putting up with any mess they might make. And according to secondary sources Umbridge hated the cleanup and mess. However, if she learned to hate the mess, did she at one time try to care for live cats? And what kind of horrible person would she have been to a live animal? 

7. Were The Dursleys Evil Because Of The Piece Of Voldemort Inside Harry? 

Some people have pointed out that, in the final book, Ron got upset and awful because he was wearing a horcrux, and that even Hermione and Harry got more irritable while it was on them for an extended period of time. We also know that Harry himself was a horcrux. This has brought some people to speculate that the Dursleys were so evil, and so mean, because Harry — being a horcrux — brought out the worst in them. 

To its detriment, the house was supposed to be well defended magically to protect Harry, so it is hard to imagine how much even seeping influence his presence could have over time. It also begs the question of how the horcrux didn’t turn Harry’s dorm-mates evil or nasty, over time, simply by being around him. In support, though, it is possible it just amplifies existing traits. If Harry’s roommates were normal people it would have no undue influence on them; however, Ron — in a state of heavy resentment while wearing one regularly — could not take the pressure. And the Dursleys were already said to be pretty nasty people, but it does seem plausible that Voldemort’s presence within Harry could have helped amplify their already evil traits. 

6. Should Hermione Have Really Gone With Ron, Harry, Or Someone Else Entirely? 

Not long ago, J.K. Rowling both shocked the world and made a lot of people facepalm by suggesting that Hermione should not have wound up with Ron because she would simply never be happy longterm with him, and should have gone with Harry instead. Now, Rowling is being a little silly here because, well… she already wrote it one way. And also, if Harry goes with Hermione this kind of leaves Ginny out in the cold. Even sillier, it was Rowling herself who used to adamantly be against all of the ‘shippers who kept claiming it should really be Harry and Hermione up until the end. 

Now, she claims she wants to change the outcome of her own story, but just like Rowling herself not being happy with the ending, perhaps the real answer here is that Hermione would not have been truly happy with either of them, or perhaps anyone in the books. Hermione likes being around people to an extent, and she likes having friends and she can talk up a storm, but overall she is a loner and a bookish type. She likes to study, learn and succeed on her own and she is incredibly invigorated by working alone. Such an introverted person, who would also run circles around most people in the room in terms of intelligence, would likely find it difficult to really get along with anyone long term as a partner. Perhaps somewhere deep down, Rowling knows this, because there are a lot of similarities between her and Hermione. 

5. Can Anything Ever Really Redeem Severus Snape For Being So Unapologetically Evil? 

Some people like to romanticize Severus Snape, partly because he was played by a man who was truly kind and charming in real life. Also, people tend to see Snape’s final memories in the story and come away with a touching picture, while many of us just see the sad, wasted life of a messed up person. The memories show Snape knew Lily from a young age, always loved her, and fought Voldemort all along (in secret) in order to keep his love of Lily alive, and even sacrificed a few times to protect Harry himself. 

However, the truth is that Snape was not just a tortured lover — who “lost” a girl he never even had — and used that love to bring him back to the “good side.” He was nasty, and Dumbledore used him to get as much good out of him as he could, but he was never a “good” man. Rowling herself has been pretty clear on this, but some people do not seem to get it. He claimed he loved Lily, but it was a selfish, evil, possessive (and extremely one-sided) love, because he did not truly care about her wishes or her memory. No one could say a mother would want her son abused in such a way, simply because his father was a different man than the man who once courted her. This doesn’t mean he was pure evil, though, and Rowling has said as much. But can any sacrifice make up for so much awful behavior? 

4. What Exactly Happens To The Soul That A Dementor Eats, And What Is Your Afterlife Fate? 

In Harry Potter, we learn in the third installment about horrible beings called dementors. They suck the happiness out of the air around them, and it slowly makes you weaker and weaker. They feed on your despair and sadness, and if they manage to get close enough to you and truly grab a hold of you with their rotting hands, they can give you something called the “dementor’s kiss” where they literally suck out your soul. Now, perhaps to not scare children, Rowling doesn’t really go into details here, so we are left to speculate. 

We know that the afterlife exists in Harry Potter — Sirius Black accidentally enters it through a one way curtain in the fifth book, but that still leaves a lot of details unclear, especially when it comes to dementors. Is the soul “killed” and sent on to the afterlife? Or is it somehow consumed and actually destroyed? Is the person in question killed, their body now just being a husk, or is there some kind of life to it now, being only an animal existence? While it is a kids’ series, and we cannot expect Rowling to address these things in too much detail, it would be interesting to know how it is all really supposed to work. 

3. Did Snape Hate Neville For Being Weak, And A Gryffindor, Or For More Insidious Reasons?

In the early Harry Potter books, we quickly notice that apart from picking on Harry for being himself, and picking on Hermione for being a know-it-all, Snape really seems to enjoy tearing Neville Longbottom into tiny little bits and dissolving him into tears on a regular basis. Now, most people always assume that this was just because Neville was clumsy and stood out as an annoying and awkward Gryffindor, and many of us went through the entire series believing this. But some have read more closely and noticed something interesting that makes Snape even more despicable as a human being. 

In the fifth book, we learn about a prophecy that caused Voldemort to think Harry would have the power to destroy him, so he attempted to murder Harry and his entire family. We also learn this prophecy could have also applied to Neville, but it ended up applying to Harry instead because Voldemort essentially chose Harry as his nemesis. Snape was always well aware of this, and it may have driven his insane hatred of Neville. If Neville’s parents had been attacked, Lily would never have been killed, and if Harry hadn’t been born, Lily wouldn’t have been killed either. According to this theory, as far as Snape was concerned, Neville and Harry were both to blame, with the bonus of Harry being half the kid he wanted to have with Lily, but looking so much like the man who got to be with her instead. What this meant to Snape, of course, was that both boys needed to be systematically punished for as long as they were in his power. 

2. Does The Ministry Know, Or Care, How Ridiculous Their Underage Magic System Is?

In the second Harry Potter installment, we find Harry dealing with a visit from some people Uncle Vernon is trying to get a big drill contract with, and Harry himself being hustled out of sight. A house elf who wants him to stay away from Hogwarts gets him into big trouble with both his aunt and uncle, and the Ministry of Magic as well, by making it look like he used magic in the house. The Ministry warns him that if he uses underage magic again without permission, they will boot him from school. This makes things even worse for him, as he then gets punished severely with his aunt and uncle knowing he cannot retaliate against them with magic. 

Now, Harry is aggrieved because he did not actually use magic, and wonders if the system is not actually very well designed. He later finds out that he is entirely correct. It turns out that the Ministry’s system cannot actually tell who used the magic, just that it was used in the household. That means — presumably — if it was a wizarding household, you could get away with underage magic all the time and no one would ever know. The only people who would get caught are orphans, and they are the ones most likely to panic and use magic because they are vulnerable and have no one to protect them. Instead of sending a Ministry representative to ask why an underage child in a non-wizarding household was using magic, they just send a letter and threaten expulsion after just one little levitation charm. 

1. Is There Any Way To Force Someone To Make An Unbreakable Vow?

In the Harry Potter novels, we learn early on about something called the unbreakable vow. Two people clasp hands while holding their wands and go through an oath about their actions. The vow is literally unbreakable, in that if you cannot find a way out of the wording and you break the oath, you simply die. Ron mentions once that when he was a little kid, his older brother Fred almost got him to do one, and then his mom noticed and came and gave his older brother a spanking he would never forget. We are never told what he wanted him to agree to in this oath. Snape also takes an oath in book six, agreeing to kill Dumbledore if needed instead of Draco — something Snape had already agreed to with Dumbledore in the first place. 

However, apart from these instances, we don’t really know much else about it. It seems unlikely that using the imperius curse would work to force someone into an unbreakable vow, but other methods seem plausible. A big question would be how much the vow “understands” intent, as it talks about Ron being almost tricked into it as a very young child. Also, we don’t know how smart magic is, and whether the spell would recognize conditions of duress or not. Obviously the imperius curse would not work or a dark wizard would have tried that one, but what about simply waving a gun in someone’s face, or threatening their family? Would the unbreakable vow allow such threats to work, and give you life and death control over another human being?