Five Questionable Things in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
The Harry Potter universe is full of wonderful, magical moments, but there are a few of them in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone that are somewhat questionable.
Getting onto Platform 9 ¾
According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl. (SS 91)
As if Harry’s re-entry into the wizarding world wasn’t hard enough, he was forced to figure out how to get onto the platform by himself. Hagrid really should have given Harry more information when he left Harry with the Dursleys. If it weren’t for the Weasleys, Harry would have been stranded at King’s Cross Station for a while.
Troll in the Dungeon
Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore’s chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, ‘Troll — in the dungeons — thought you ought to know.’ (SS 172)
Even after Quirrell let the troll in, how was it able to get to the dungeons so easily? Surely a school full of children should have had enough defenses that one professor wouldn’t be able to let a dangerous being just walk through the door. Dumbledore’s judgment of good security was incredibly lacking.
Quidditch
‘Harry, you need your strength,’ said Seamus Finnigan. ‘Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team.’” (SS 184)
Generally, Quidditch is not the safest activity, what with all the flying balls, the broomsticks, and the players determined to win even at the expense of the other team’s safety. What’s absurd is that parents don’t need to sign a form letting their kids play, but they do need to give their children permission to visit Hogsmeade to buy sweets and tricks.
Detention in the Forbidden Forest
We can’t go in there [the Forbidden Forest] at night — there’s all sorts of things in there — werewolves, I heard. (SS 249)
Allowing first years to serve detention in the Forbidden Forest late at night — with minimal adult supervision — was probably not the wisest decision on Dumbledore’s part. Fortunately for Harry, Hermione, Malfoy, and Neville, nothing too bad happened, but given that Voldemort was in the forest at the time, things could have ended very differently. It was lucky that Firenze was nearby to help keep the students safe.
Quirrell’s Turban
Harry spotted Professor Quirrell, too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban. (SS 122)
How did none of the teachers suspect that something besides Quirrell’s head was under the turban? Even Harry, who doesn’t have the best observation skills, noticed that something was off. Clearly, the generally intelligent Hogwarts professors missed something.
What do you think of my list? Do you think anything else was questionable in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? Let us know in the comments!