Harry Potter is one of the most beloved book series of all time. The entire franchise is loved by so many fans all across the world. While loving Harry Potter unites many nerds, the series definitely isn’t perfect.
While many of the issues with the magical world that Harry inhabits weren’t very noticeable on a first read through, especially if you read them as a kid, they become more obvious with time. How magic works and many of the cultural things in Harry Potter are pretty messed up when you think about them. We’ve put together a list of 10 things wrong with the Harry Potter universe in the books that many of us don’t think about.
10. THE GENERAL ATTITUDE ABOUT MUGGLES
One of the central issues and conflicts in the book is between people like Voldemort and how they view Muggles and people like Harry. While there clearly are extreme views on Muggles touted by the likes of Death Eaters, the entire magical community is pretty prejudiced towards Muggles overall.
Even good wizards like Hagrid and the Weasleys at times make disparaging remarks about Muggles. This goes to show how deeply ingrained the idea is that magical people are better than non-magical ones.
9. THE SORTING HAT SYSTEM
The entire Sorting Hat system is pretty weird when you think about it. The Sorting Hat places students into one of four categories when they are only eleven years old. This is a pretty reductive and also very consequential personality test.
But the most messed-up thinking about it is when it comes to Slytherin house. The entire perception is that everyone in that house is evil. If that was really the case, then maybe any child sorted into that house shouldn’t be allowed at Hogwarts at all. Overall, it’s just a weird system that’s pretty messed up.
8. LOVE POTIONS
Love potions are one of the most disgusting potions that a witch or wizard can make. Of course, when it comes to magic, it can be used for good or bad purposes. There are many nefarious spells and potions, but this one isn’t viewed as that bad by the wider magic community.
Love potions aren’t addressed in the books as to how they violate consent. The fact that love potions don’t seem to be illegal in the wizarding world is highly suspect.
7. THE LACK OF TEACHER OVERSIGHT AT HOGWARTS
The things that go on at Hogwarts are really just wild when you think about them. The students are regularly put in danger by magical creatures and more.
Even without Harry Potter and the threat of Voldemort around, there are many dangerous things about the castle and grounds. Beyond that, the way the teachers act is often appalling. There doesn’t seem to be any standard for how professors are supposed to teach the students, and sometimes they are downright abusive, especially Snape.
6. DUMBLEDORE LEFT HARRY ON A DOORSTEP
The messed-up things in the Harry Potter books are many, and one of them happened right away. In the beginning of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Dumbledore leaves baby Harry on a doorstep.
Instead of having a conversation with the Dursleys or even making sure Harry gets picked up by them at all, he literally leaves him in a basket outside overnight. Who leaves a baby outside on a doorstep?
5. THE LACK OF BASIC EDUCATION FOR WIZARDS
The wizarding community seems to look down on Muggles overall, but in many ways, they live much more backward lives. While Muggle-born witches and wizards get a basic education at school in the Muggle world, not much is known about how this works for magical kids.
It seems like public schools aren’t really a thing for magical people before Hogwarts. This seems like a big gap in education and doesn’t make a lot of sense.
4. TREATMENT OF MAGICAL CREATURES
This entry could really be made into multiple points since this is a huge problem in the books. Many magical creatures really aren’t creatures at all. They are just as intelligent as a human, and yet they are treated as second-class citizens.
The House Elf issue is the most obvious problem. Most magical people see no problem with the fact that these intelligent humanoids are used as slaves (except for House Elf activist Hermione Granger, of course).
3. DEMENTORS
When it comes to the justice system of the Harry Potter world, there don’t seem to be a lot of checks and balances. Azkaban itself is an extremely cruel institution that doesn’t seem in any way regulated. It’s definitely a case of cruel and unusual punishment being used.
The Dementor’s Kiss is even more messed up. If souls exist in the Harry Potter universe, the Dementor’s Kiss is essentially damning a person for eternity.
2. THE ABUSE OF HARRY OVERALL
This is a case where many people are aware of things happening when they read the books, but it’s kind of just brushed over. Harry is abused in multiple ways while under the care of the Dursleys.
While the reason for him being subjected to this is because of the magic and protection it provides Harry, no one really seems that concerned by all of the emotional and verbal abuse, not to mention neglect, he was put through. It’s also pretty disturbing that no one who knew the Dursleys in the Muggle world noticed this and that no one did anything about it.
1. NO APPARENT MENTAL HEALTH OFFERINGS
Similar to the fact there doesn’t seem to be any public elementary school for magical children, there also don’t seem to be any mental health services or awareness in the community. The medical help that is actually available seems pretty strange, too.
It seems like a community that is dealing with a lot of trauma should have access to mental health services. In many ways, the wizarding community should take a lot of ideas and technology from Muggles if they want to make their world a better one.
