Kara S. – Page 2 – CinemaFlux

Professor Snape HATED Harry Potter. But his feelings for Harry’s mum often motivated him to protect the boy. Is this why Snape’s Potions textbook ended up with Harry in his sixth year at school? Or was it just a happy accident?

From the moment Harry stepped onto the the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it was no secret that Professor Severus Snape hated him.

Much later on, however, Snape shared with Harry that he had kept other feelings hidden. He was—and always had been—in love with Harry’s deceased mum, Lily.

So, despite truly hating Harry, is it possible that Snape planned for him to find his textbook in an effort to protect him? In this article, we take a look at why—or why not—this may have been the case.

Why Snape May Have Left His Textbook for Harry

Alright. So, let’s say that Snape did in fact leave his textbook for Harry to find in an effort to help him. Why would he have done this? To protect him, yes. But what would he have been trying to accomplish?

Because if the past was any indication, it certainly wasn’t to help Harry get better marks in Potions…

Reason: To Assist Dumbledore in Getting the Truth Out of Slughorn

Throughout the series, Dumbledore constantly seemed to be working an angle. So, maybe Professor Dumbledore simply asked Snape to give Harry his old text in an effort to execute yet another plan.

And which plan would that be, exactly? The one to entrench Harry into Horace Slughorn’s inner circle of “pet” students, of course! You know, so that he could uncover the truth about what the Professor had told Tom Riddle about Horcruxes decades before.

Think about how much effort Dumbledore put into convincing the former Hogwarts’ Potions Master to return to his old position. Dumbledore knew how much Slughorn loved teaching impressive students. So, he went out of his way to pick up THE Harry Potter before going to offer him the teaching position. He basically dangled The Boy Who Lived like a carrot in front of the old wizard. And it worked.

Once Slughorn agreed to come back to Hogwarts, Dumbledore then wanted to give Harry every advantage of succeeding in getting the truth about Tom Riddle out of him. And knowing how masterful a potions student Severus Snape was in his youth, perhaps Dumbledore requested that Severus leave his old textbook in a place that Harry could find.

Considering the great lengths and sacrifices that Severus later madeat the request of Dumbledore—such as killing him—leaving his old textbook for Harry to find really doesn’t seem like that big of an ask, does it?

The following interaction between Snape and Harry supports the idea that Severus knew Harry had his old textbook:

“This is your copy of Advanced Potion-Making, is it, Potter?”
“Yes,” said Harry, still breathing hard.
“You’re quite sure of that, are you, Potter?”
“Yes,” said Harry, with a touch more defiance.
“This is the copy of Advanced Potion-Making that you purchased from Flourish and Blotts?”
“Yes,” said Harry firmly.
Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince

With even a quick glance at the textbook, Snape most certainly would have recognized his old textbook and all of its annotations. So, if he wasn’t in on it, why wouldn’t he have punished Harry for cheating? After all, he loved punishing Harry for much less!

Why Harry Finding the Textbook May Have Been an Accident

Now, on the other hand, the idea that Snape did not purposefully leave his textbook for Harry can also be explained quite simply.

Reason: Slughorn Was a Bit Absentminded

In terms of the textbook, remember that Professor Slughorn distractedly rummaged through a random cupboard to grab Harry and Ron old copies of the Potions text.

Perhaps, Slughorn, who was taking over the position from Snape, had simply been moving his stuff into the classroom and came across some previously used textbooks. Without really looking at them, he then offered the texts to students like Harry who were without a book at the beginning of term.

But when Snape was the Potions Master, these textbooks were probably kept under lock and key. So, if Snape had still been the Professor in that classroom, it’s rather unlikely that these books would have been available for student use. And Harry never would have ended up with Severus’ old textbook.

What do you think? Did Snape leave the textbook for Harry on purpose? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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What Did Voldemort Do for 10 YEARS After His FIRST Defeat?

By Kara S. May 14, 2024 All Posts

Over a decade passed between the end of Voldemort’s first rise to power and the beginning of his second reign of terror. Here’s everything the Dark Lord did during those many years in between.

As a young wizard, Tom Riddle did many dark and horrifying things—many of which are well documented. Then, as Voldemort, his actions became absolutely infamous within the wizarding world. Everyone knew his name—and feared speaking it aloud.

But after the Dark Lord disappeared in 1981, and before he officially returned in 1995, there is much mystery surrounding where he was and what he was doing.

Keep reading to find out what exactly happened to Voldemort in the decade that took place between his fall in the early ’80s and his triumphant return in the mid-90s.

A Timeline of Voldemort’s “Missing” Decade

Lord Voldemort from 1981 to 1989

After he disappeared on the night of October 31, 1981, in the wake of his failed attempt to murder a baby Harry Potter, not much is known about where he was or what he did. But what we do know is that Voldemort developed a close bond and relationship with Nagini, the serpent Maledictus.

Since Nagini was living in the forests of Albania during that time, it’s believed that there too resided the Dark Lord throughout the majority of the ’80s. Here he remained for years without a body, only able to survive due to the multiple Horcruxes that he had created during the 1970s.

Existing as neither a living creature nor a ghost, it’s rumoured that Voldemort would experiment on the local animals, trying to inhabit their bodies. Sadly, these hosts were unable to survive the experience of being possessed by the Dark Lord for very long and would quickly die.

Some believe, however, that since Nagini had the mind of a witch, she was able to withstand Voldemort’s presence within her body. This may actually account for the pair’s incredible bond.

Perhaps, the two were able to communicate with one another whenever Voldemort possessed her body—a theory made even more plausible by the fact that he could speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes.

The Dark Lord from 1990 to 1995

In 1990, a tragically optimistic Professor Quirrell came to the forests of Albania in search of first-hand experience with the Dark Arts.

The rumour goes that he was trying to find out what had happened to Voldemort, which he did. Sadly, this discovery is what eventually led to the Professor’s demise.

Upon finding Voldemort’s shadowy form in the jungle, Quirrell was quickly possessed by the Dark Lord. Voldemort then forced Quirrell to bring him back to the UK.

Right before Harry’s first year at Hogwarts in 1991, Voldemort had Quirrell attempt to steal the Philosopher’s Stone from Gringotts—but he failed. Quirrell was then defeated by Harry at Hogwarts later that school year.

Over the next few years, Voldemort committed more murders, including Bertha Jorkins, and began to rally his most trusted Death Eaters behind him. His murder of Bertha Jorkins enabled him to create another Horcrux of Nagini.

Voldemort then finally regained his body and officially began his second rise to power in 1995, at the end of the rigged Triwizard Tournament.

Did I miss any important milestones that took place between Voldemort’s two ascents to power? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

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How Did Wormtail Stay Transfigured for YEARS?

By Kara S. May 13, 2024 All Posts

Peter Pettigrew—former Marauder and friend, turned traitorous Death Eater—managed to STAY transfigured for many years without changing back to his human form. But how was he able to do this for as long as he did?

Peter Pettigrew, known by those closest to him as Wormtail, attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the 1970s at the same time as Harry Potter’s father, James.

As both Peter and James were in Gryffindor House together, the pair—alongside Sirius Black and Remus Lupin—became inseparable friends. The four housemates even came up with a name for their little gang: The Marauders.

But after years of friendship, Wormtail betrayed James and his wife Lily, and framed Sirius for his crimes. He then went into hiding as a RAT for the next decade.

How did Wormtail manage this? Keep reading to find out!

The 12-Year Transfiguration of Wormtail: EXPLAINED

How did Peter Pettigrew transfigure himself into a rat?

Peter “Wormtail” Pettigrew didn’t actually TRANSFIGURE himself into a rodent. Instead, he was what the wizarding world calls an Animagus.

You see, in addition to all the mischief the Marauders got up to during their time at Hogwarts, they also worked diligently to support Remus Lupin with his condition as a werewolf. They did this by becoming Animagi, wizards who are able to transition back and forth between their human form and the form of a specific animal.

Aside from Remus, whose monthly transformations into a werewolf were outside of his control, the Marauders gained the ability to transition into the following animals:

James Potter – A stag the friends called Prongs.
Sirius Black – A dog the friends called Padfoot.
Peter Pettigrew– A rat the friends called Wormtail.

Why did Wormtail transform into a rat and disappear?

When Peter betrayed the secret location of the Potter family to Lord Voldemort in 1981, it led to James and Lily’s deaths. A bereaved Sirius then went to confront Wormtail, as Black was the first—and only—person to discover the truth about what Peter had done.

To avoid blame and imprisonment, Wormtail faked his own death and framed Black for his murder. Peter did this by cutting off his thumb, turning into his Animagus form and simply disappearing.

How did Peter Pettigrew get away with murder?

Peter was able to get away with blaming Sirius for his death and other crimes because no one—except the Marauders—knew he could turn into a rat. That and he left his severed thumb at the scene with a devastated and disoriented Sirius.

Since Animagi are legally required to register with the Ministry of Magic, and the Marauders never did, Peter was essentially untraceable. No one knew that Peter could transform into a rat except for James, who died, Sirius, who was charged as a criminal, and Remus, who was still keeping his status as a werewolf quiet.

So, no one thought to look for Peter as a rat. Not to mention that everyone thought he was dead.

How did he stay in his rat form for so many years?

Peter was able to live exclusively as a rat for over a decade because there aren’t any restrictions on how long one can remain in their Animagus form. In fact, even if a witch or wizard decided to live out the rest of their life as their animal self, their life expectancy would still be human.

Basically, it’s not harmful at all for an Animagus to stay in their animal form for as long as they want!

Do you have any thoughts on Wormtail’s decade as a rat? Share them in the comments below!

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Why Didn’t Dumbledore Tell Harry About Basilisk Fangs?

By Kara S. May 9, 2024 All Posts

Dumbledore didn’t share his knowledge about Basilisk fangs with Harry before he died. And yet, this information could’ve made things much easier for Harry, Ron and Hermione as they attempted to knock off Voldemort’s Horcruxes.

There are many things that Professor Albus Dumbledore did throughout Harry’s time at Hogwarts that people don’t really understand.

From his mysterious absences from Hogwarts when students needed him most to hiring a few really questionable professors, Dumbledore made some pretty terrible choices over the years. And yet, most of the worst decisions that he ever made all seemed to revolve around Harry.

While this article won’t focus on Dumbledore’s bigger Harry-related blunders—like, say, “raising him like a pig for slaughter” and never telling him—we will be taking a look at why he kept an important secret from him. Namely, how Basilisk fangs could have helped him in his mission to destroy Voldemort’s Horcruxes.

Read on to find out more!

What Is a Basilisk?

A Basilisk is essentially a giant, deadly snake. Sometimes referred to as the King of Serpents, this enormous reptilian creature was first bred by the Dark Wizard, Herpo the Foul.

Most Basilisks have the ability to live up to 900 years old, although it’s said that Salazar Slytherin’s Basilisk, which guarded the Chamber of Secrets, was closer to 1,000 years in age.

These creatures were green in colour with impenetrable scales and could grow up to 15 metres in length. As they were basically giant snakes, witches and wizards who knew Parseltongue could communicate with them.

In addition to being enormous, Basilisks had the ability to kill people with their stare, and petrify those who came into their peripheral vision. They also had rows of incredibly sharp, poisonous fangs, which were good for more than just eating its victims.

Dumbledore’s Secret About Basilisk Fangs

The secret Dumbledore knew but kept from Harry? The venon in Basilisk fangs have the ability to destroy Horcruxes.

Why did Dumbledore keep this secret from Harry?

The answer to this question is likely two-fold:

Dumbledore gave Harry an alternative weapon to destroy Horcruxes
He didn’t want to risk Voldemort finding out that Harry knew about the Horcruxes

1. Dumbledore gave Harry an alternative weapon

Since he left Godric Gryffindor’s sword to Harry upon his death, Dumbledore likely felt that this was enough of a weapon to help him and his friends take down the remaining Horcruxes.

It’s worth mentioning that the Sword of Gryffindor was only able to destroy Horcruxes since it had absorbed venom from the Basilisk in the The Chamber of Secrets when Harry killed the beast with the sword.But, in any case, Dumbledore knew that it would enable Harry to destroy additional Horcruxes.

2. He didn’t want to risk Voldemort finding out the plan

The second part of this close-held secret is that Dumbledore didn’t want to reveal his plan to defeat Voldemort, in case the information got into the wrong hands.

This is supported by the fact that he never explained to Harry what he was meant to do with the Sword of Gryffindor, imbued with Basilisk blood. If he had, the Minister for Magic—who delivered and observed the opening of the items left for Harry by the deceased Headmaster—would’ve become privy to the plan. While maybe not the most dangerous wizard to learn about Harry’s quest to destroy Horcruxes, this information very easily could have then gotten back to Voldemort.

As it were, Voldemort didn’t realize until much later that Harry, Ron and Hermione knew about his Horcruxes and were hunting them down.

And so, the former Headmaster likely assumed that Harry would be able to determine that the Sword was significant to defeating Voldemort in some way. After all, it was a rather eccentric gift to give a student. Never mind that the Sword didn’t even belong to Dumbledore and was not his to give away…

Should Dumbledore have risked telling Harry about the Basilisk fangs and their ability to destroy Horcruxes? Or was he justified in keeping it a secret? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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The Most Powerful Bloodline in Harry Potter: Dumbledore’s Relation to Merlin

By Kara S. May 8, 2024 All Posts

Albus Dumbledore was one of the most celebrated wizards of his time. But, in addition to his many accolades, was he also a descendent of the great and powerful Merlin?

Other than being the most prominent and well-loved Headmaster to ever grace the hallowed halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore was also one of the most powerful and respected wizards of his time.

Considering his success, intelligence and abilities, it’s not hard to image that he could be related to other, equally as brilliant wizards from centuries long ago. Someone like the 6th-century’s Merlin, the wizard who is most famous for his adventures and involvement with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

But with hundreds and hundreds of years between these two prolific wizards, is it even POSSIBLE for them to be related? Let’s take a look.

3 Facts Supporting that Dumbledore Is Related to Merlin

FACT #1: It’s possible through Albus Dumbledore’s ancestry

Born in the summer of 1881 in the wizarding village of Mould-on-the-Wold, Albus was the eldest child of Percival and Kendra Dumbledore.

Considering the rumours about Kendra Dumbledore being a Muggle-born, it is quite unlikely that she was a descendent of the wizard Merlin. This means, that Albus was not related to Merlin on his maternal side.

Albus’ father, Percival, on the other hand, came from an English pureblood or half-blood wizarding family, meaning that it is possible for HIS family lineage to be connected to Merlin.

FACT #2: Wizarding world Merlin is not the same as Arthurian Merlin

Much of the Arthurian Legendsabout Merlin do not align with the Merlin as described in the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

This means that everything we know about the Merlin of Camelot cannot be broadly applied to the wizarding world’s version of Merlin. Why? Because they are clearly two different people.

The is best proven by the fact that the two Merlins existed centuries years apart, within their respective narrative worlds.

Arthurian Merlin lived around the 500s

According to the legends and texts, the Merlin known within the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table lived within the early 6th century.

Wizarding world Merlin lived around the 1,000s

The Merlin of the wizarding world, however, lived much later—likely around the 1,000s. This is supported by the fact that Merlin was a well-known Slytherin pupil at Hogwarts—an institution which didn’t exist until the 10th century.

And, as he would’ve been only 11 when he first began his studies there, he clearly hadn’t been alive before Hogwarts’ founding in the 900s.

There’s also the fact that the Order of Merlin, a designation awarded “for acts of outstanding bravery or distinction in magic”, was created in the 1400s. This would’ve been almost a century after Camelot’s Merlin lived.

It seems a lot more likely that the Order of Merlin was created in homage to a more recent wizarding figure—Merlin, the Slytherin.

FACT #3: There are no coincidences in Harry Potter

With the previous two facts, you can see that it is indeed possible for Dumbledore and Merlin to be related within the context of the wizarding world. And, with all the coincidences that surround these two wizards, it actually seems probable.

For example, the Order of Merlin designation mentioned earlier, was awarded to Dumbledore for defeating the Dark Wizard, Grindelwald. And, not just the Order of Merlin—but the much rarer Order of Merlin, First Class.

Of course, I’m not suggesting that every recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class was related to Merlin himself. But, it certainly seems quite coincidental that the highest achievement within the wizarding world, which was bestowed upon Dumbledore, was also an honour created in recognition of Merlin himself.

There’s also the interesting coincidence of Albus’ father’s name, Percival. Percival just so happens to be the name of one of the knights of the Round Table in Arthurian Legend.

Fact or Coincidence?

While there is very little evidence to support that Albus Dumbledore was a descendant of Merlin, there are so many coincidences, that it seems like a strong possibility.

After all, the wizarding world of Harry Potter offers very few true coincidences. Rather, it seems more likely that each of these examples are little clues meant to indicate a connection between the two wizards. One that goes beyond their magical accomplishments and reputations.

What about you? Do you think Dumbledore is related to Merlin? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Is Butterbeer…ALCOHOLIC?

By Kara S. May 7, 2024 All Posts

How much alcohol—if any, at all—is in this magical drink served to witches and wizards, young and old, in the Harry Potter series?

I’ll start off today’s topic by acknowledging that the Butterbeer served at Universal’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter does NOT have any alcohol in it.

Whether you order it hot, cold, or frozen (all of which you can do, by the way), it will be completely devoid of any alcohol. Presumably, this is so that children of all ages who are visiting the park can participate in the enjoyment of this famous magical drink.

As for the books, we’re first introduced to the idea of this delicious-sounding beverage in The Prisoner of Azkaban, when Harry Potter and his friends first venture to the wizarding village of Hogsmeade.

For the purposes of this article, it’s the latter Butterbeer, the one depicted within the novels and films, that we’ll be focusing on. Read on to learn more!

Your Every Question About Butterbeer: ANSWERED

What is Butterbeer?

Butterbeer is a common drink in the wizarding world that’s “a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch” but in beverage form.

Where do you get Butterbeer from?

From what we know, Butterbeer is served in various bar-like establishment within the wizarding world, such as:

The Three Broomsticks
Hog’s Head
The Leaky Cauldron

How is Butterbeer served?

Typically, Butterbeer is served in foaming hot mugs or in cold bottles.

How much does Butterbeer cost?

At the Hog’s Head, customers pay two silver Sickles for a Butterbeer, which is about £0.60. It’s unclear whether this is the standard rate for the drink, or just the Hog’s Head price.

It’s also up for debate whether or not the price differs depending on if you order the drink hot or cold.

Does Butterbeer have ALCOHOL in it?

It’s widely believed that Butterbeer is alcoholic—but only slightly, since witches and wizards of all ages consume the beverage. This includes students visiting Hogsmeade from Hogwarts, who—throughout the Harry Potterseries—often buy the drink while in town.

Although the alcohol content of Butterbeer is never explicitly stated, we’re certainly led to believe that there’s some sort of substance in it. For example, in The Half-blood Prince, there’s a quote that suggests that witches and wizards may experience affects from drinking it…

“Harry supposed he would just have to wait to see what happened under the influence of Butterbeer in Slughorn’s dimly lit room on the night of the party.”
Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince

Another piece of evidence supporting that there’s possibly alcohol in Butterbeer is the following interaction between Harry and Dobby in The Goblet of Fire:

“Winky is getting through six bottles a day now,” Dobby whispered to Harry.
“Well, it’s not strong, that stuff,” Harry said.
But Dobby shook his head. “‘Tis strong for a house-elf, sir,” he said.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

So, clearly, there’s something in Butterbeer. That said, it’s possible that whatever it is is not alcohol at all—but something else entirely.

It could be that Butterbeer is made with a substance that’s more magical in SPIRIT than alcohol. (See what I did there?) What exactly that may be is anyone’s guess!

If Butterbeer IS indeed alcoholic, I’d wager it’s in the realm of non-alcoholic beer at 0.5% or so. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comment below!

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Why Didn’t Harry Potter SHARE His Gold?

By Kara S. April 26, 2024 All Posts

Harry Potter had a small fortune in wizard gold. But despite his heaps of money, he very rarely shared his wealth with others.

It’s no secret that Harry had a tidy little fortune after inheriting some SERIOUS wizarding cash from his parents. This is something fans of the series learned early on in The Philosopher’s Stone, when an 11-year-old Harry visited his family vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank for the first time.

With a small mountain of Galleons at his disposal, it’s impossible to argue that Harry wasn’t a well-off wizard. And yet, despite his wealth, there are very few examples of him sharing his gold with the people in his life.

Why didn’t Harry ever share his good fortune with those he was closest with? Continue reading to find out!

All Your Questions About Harry Potter’s Gold Answered

Where Did Harry Potter’s Fortune Come From?

Harry’s fortune was the result of one of his distant relatives’ success as the inventor of Skele-gro, the potion that grows bones back.

Evidently, throughout the years, Harry’s lineage took a great deal of care in maintaining this initial fortune, as well as growing their wealth.

How Often Did Harry Potter Share His Gold?

Although it may be difficult to believe, Harry did not share his gold very often. Aside from a few Galleons every once in awhile, there’s just one instance of Harry giving away a substantial amount of money.

Who Did Harry Share His Money With?

The people who benefitted the most from Harry Potter’s wealth were the Weasleys. However, there’s actually only one time that we can truly say that Harry GAVE them his money.

Fred and George Weasley: The Triwizard Winnings

After winning The Triwizard Tournament in The Goblet of Fire, Harry was incredibly keen on getting rid of the award money. This was due to the dark circumstances surrounding his win—mainly the death of Hufflepuff student, Cedric Diggory—and the overwhelming guilt Harry felt about the entire thing. Add to that the fact that he already had SO MUCH gold, and not only did he not want it, he didn’t need it.

And so, upon receiving the 1,000 Galleon reward, Harry managed to convince Fred and George Weasley to accept the money to fund their dream of opening up a joke shop.

Of course, Harry always WANTED to give more of his gold to members of the Weasley family—primarily Ron and Ron’s parents, Molly and Arthur. But the family was all together too proud to accept it.

A few other examples of Harry sharing his gold include:

Ron Weasley: Treats on the Hogwarts Express

During his first journey to Hogwarts in The Philosopher’s Stone, Harry shared his new-found wealth with his train-compartment companion, Ron Weasley. As Ron was unable to afford any sweets off the snack trolley, Harry decided to buy the whole cart for the two of them to enjoy.

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger: Omnioculars at the Quidditch World Cup

At the beginning of The Goblet of Fire, Harry purchased Omnioculars for himself, Ron and Hermione at the Quidditch World Cup.

Each pair of Omnioculars set him back 10 Galleons, which is roughly about 50 British pounds, meaning Harry dropped about 150 pounds on these things for himself and his friends.

Why Didn’t Harry Share More of His Money?

Despite there only being a few instances of Harry sharing his gold, it seems as though he wasn’t against it. Perhaps if the Weasleys had been more open to the idea of taking Harry’s money, there would be more examples of him being generous with his wealth.

Are there any other instances of Harry giving away his money? Why do you think there aren’t more examples of him sharing his gold? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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How the Hogwarts’ House Points System REALLY Works

By Kara S. April 25, 2024 All Posts

When Harry Potter first arrives at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy, he discovers many new and exciting things about the wizarding world, magic, and the enchanted castle in which he will live.

Among these new magical concepts is that of the Hogwarts’ House Points System. Meant to help the staff moderate students’ behaviour while at school, the Points System is a large part of Harry’s experience during his first couple years at Hogwarts.

But, despite being a significant part of both The Philosopher’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets, the actual workings of this system remains somewhat murky. This is especially true if you’ve only ever seen the films.

So, in today’s article, we’ll be taking a look at how the Hogwarts’ House Points System REALLY works. Read on to learn more!

What Is the Hogwarts’ House Points System?

The Hogwarts’ House Points System is a reward-based practice that gives points to the associated Houses of students who do well. It also provides for the deduction of points when students perform badly.

Throughout the series, “doing well” translates to everything from answering a question correctly in class to winning a Quidditch match. Points are most often taken away when students disobey school rules.

“Your triumphs will earn you points, any rule-breaking and you will lose points.”
Professor McGonagall, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Awarded or deducted points are then tallied up by House. At the end of the school year, whichever of the four Houses has the most points, wins.

What Does the Winning House Get?

The House who accumulates the most points throughout a school year at Hogwarts wins the House Cup, which is supposedly a great honour.

How Are House Points Recorded?

Each point within the House Points System is represented by a gemstone that corresponds to its House colour:

Rubies for Gryffindor
Sapphires for Ravenclaw
Emeralds for Slytherin
Yellow diamonds for Hufflepuff

The stones are kept in four separate hourglasses, and each time a student earns his or her House a point, a gemstone of that House’s colour falls through to the bottom. Presumably, a gemstone is then removed when a student loses a point for their House.

At the end of the year, points earned by the Houses are calculated by tallying up the number of stones within each of their corresponding hourglasses.

Who Can Award House Points?

While students are the ones who earn and lose points, those who can award and deduct said points are made up of a more diverse group. They include:

Professors
Prefects
Head Boys or Girls

During the school year that took place between 1995 and 1996, Dolores Umbridge’s Inquisitorial Squad also had the ability to award and deduct points from students.

3 Cons of the Hogwarts’ House Points System

While all of this seems fairly straightforward, the Hogwarts’ House Points System does present a few issues.

1. Points can be awarded/deducted outside of school

Throughout the series, it appears as though points can be taken off during the holidays, before the start of term, as well as after a school year has ended.

This seems unfair if not a little odd. Why would you be praised or reprimanded on behalf of your school’s House when you’re not even there?

2. Professors can give points to their own house

Examples of this run rampant throughout the series with Professor Snape, Head of Slytherin, frequently awarding Malfoy and other Slytherin students points, and McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor, often giving points to Harry and other Gryffindors.

This is clearly a direct conflict of interest. For, with power like this, couldn’t Snape just go ahead and award 1,000 points to Slytherin students for some unnamed “good deed” if he wanted to?

Not to mention the fact that Snape seems to frequently deduct points from Gryffindor simply due to Harry’s existence…

3. It’s all a little (okay, a lot!) random

There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to how points are awarded or deducted. This is actually proven quite a few times throughout the series.

For example, in The Philosopher’s Stone, Ron and Harry are awarded a mere five points each for saving Hermione’s life from the Troll that breaks into Hogwarts. But just ONE year later, Harry and Ron are awarded 200 points for saving Ginny’s life in The Chamber of Secrets.Now, either the professors at Hogwarts are A LOT more keen on Ginny Weasley, or the Points System runs on arbitrary, in-the-moment decision-making.

What do you think? Does the Hogwarts’ House Points System make sense to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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What Happened to Luna Lovegood’s Mother?

By Kara S. April 24, 2024 All Posts

As any fan of the Harry Potter series will know, Luna Lovegood was the loyal and incredibly quirky Ravenclaw student who was first introduced to Harry and his friends at the beginning of The Order of the Phoenix.

Often described as having her head in the clouds, some classmates went so far as to refer to her as “Loony Lovegood”—a rather unkind nickname meant to reference her eccentric views. The more we learned about Luna throughout the series, though, the more we understood that she came by her outlandish beliefs all too honestly.

Her father, Xenophilius Lovegood, raised her on his own from the time she was nine, and he was quite the eccentric himself. Editor of the rather niche publication, The Quibbler (which marketed itself as The Wizarding World’s Alternative Voice) Xenophilius ran articles about things like conspiracy theories and creatures that did not exist.

In any case, Xenophilius and Luna lived just the two of them near the village of Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon. But where was Luna’s mother? What happened to her? Read on to find out!

Everything You Need to Know About Luna Lovegood’s Mother

Who Was Luna Lovegood’s Mother?

Luna’s mother was a British witch by the name of Pandora. Looking much like Luna, Pandora married Xenophilius Lovegood sometime in her youth and the two went on to have one child together—Luna.

Why Wasn’t Pandora in Luna’s Life?

Well, sadly for Luna and Xenophilius, there’s no conspiracy here to account for Pandora’s absence in Luna’s life—and no chance of her magically reappearing decades later. Rather, she died as the result of a spell gone wrong around 1990 or 1991.

How Did Pandora Lovegood Die?

Apparently, Pandora loved to experiment with magic and the events that led to her death were nothing more than a tragic accident—a spell of her own creation backfiring on her.

What’s worse is the fact that a nine-year-old Luna was present at the time of the accident and witnessed her mother’s death; something she shared with Harry:

“Yes, it was rather horrible,” said Luna conversationally. “I still feel very sad about it sometimes.”
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

This, of course, was the reason that Luna was able to see Thestrals, the frightening black, skeletal, and winged horse-like creatures that can only be seen by those who have witnessed death.

Was Pandora Lovegood Gone for Good?

While Luna never had the chance to reunite with her mother in the living world, she did believe that she would one day see her again.

This is supported by that same conversation she had with Harry. After she shared how sad she was that her mother was gone, she also expressed her belief that she would see Pandora again in the afterlife.

“And anyway, it’s not as though I’ll never see Mum again, is it?”
“Er-isn’t it?” said Harry uncertainly.
She shook her head in disbelief. “Oh, come on. You heard them, just behind the veil, didn’t you?”
“You mean…”
“In that room with the archway. They were just lurking out of sight, that’s all. You heard them.”
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Which brings us to the end of all that we know about Pandora Lovegood and what happened to her.

What type of spell do you think Pandora was trying to use that backfired so horribly? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Why Hogwarts Legacy Topped Sales PRE-LAUNCH!

By Kara S. April 19, 2024 All Posts

**Ahead of its official launch date of February 10th, 2023, Hogwarts Legacywas already one of the best selling games across the board.**

Early last year, it didn’t just feel like everyone was buying Hogwarts Legacy.Everyone WAS buying Hogwarts Legacy.

Publications, such as Forbes, reported that Hogwarts Legacy was the top selling game on multiple gaming platforms and online stores like Steam, Epic Store and Amazon. On Amazon, specifically, this immersive, role-playing game was ranked #1, #2 and #3 due to the fact that you could buy two different deluxe editions, as well as the regular edition.

The game broke records BEFORE it even launched.

But why was this exactly? In this article, we’ll review three of the most likely reasons why Hogwarts Legacy out-performed its competitors before it went live.

3 Reasons Hogwarts Legacy Was #1 Before It Launched in 2023

**#1:Hogwarts Legacy is a multi-platform release**

The game is not exclusive to one gaming platform over another, meaning that whether you own a PlayStation4, a PlayStation5, an Xbox or a Nintendo Switch—you can play Hogwarts Legacy. You can even play this game on your PC.

This obviously puts Hogwarts Legacy above other games that can only be operated on a specific console or platform.

#2: The wizarding world has an insanely strong fan base

From the books to the films, the wizarding world of Harry Potter has SO MANY fans.

Since Scholastic first published The Philosopher’s Stoneover 25 years ago in 1997, the world of Harry Potter has grown and expanded with fervour. Alongside the seven novels are the eight corresponding movie adaptations. And it didn’t stop there!

The universe is made up of many different pieces of fiction in the form of books, short stories, and even a play. Here’s a list of just some of them:

An archive of short stories and histories on wizardingworld.com
A collection of magical creatures in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
The history of the wizarding world’s most beloved sport in Quidditch Through the Ages
A book of wizarding children’s fairytales in The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Three instalments of the Fantastic Beastsfilms

As you can imagine, with such a vast body of work rooted in the wizarding world, there are a lot of fans who have been following the Harry Potteruniverse for many years.

#3: It’s been awhile…

Another possible reason the pre-sales of Hogwarts Legacytopped the charts last year? Simply put, it was the first game within the context of the wizarding world in over a decade! At least, the first good one. Fans of Harry Potterwho like to game were likely feeling rather excited at the prospect of something new to explore!

Were you one of the people who pre-bought the game? Why do you think people were so excited about it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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