Many things from the Harry Potter saga still seem too misunderstood today by some readers.
Besides the fact that the brilliant Albus Dumbledore was obviously not an evil being, that Professor Severus Snape was not a healthy one, that our hero’s father, James Potter was not a tyrant, that his best friend, Ron Weasley was not an idiot and his worst enemy, Draco Malfoy, was not a nice, misunderstood boy, one thing still seems to be of concern.
It is clear that one of the most misunderstood elements of the Harry Potter saga is clearly Harry himself, during his fifth year of school at Hogwarts.
Far too many times we’ve heard people say, “Harry Potter, I don’t like this character, he’s so insufferable, especially in Order of the Phoenix.” A surprising observation to say the least.
Indeed, how can some people be so lacking in understanding?
Certainly, the young wizard was more than angry during his fifth year of study. However, the latter clearly had very good reasons to be angry. Things became exceedingly serious for him at this point in the wizarding world.
In fact, after months and months of stress and preparation, in order to participate in a more than dangerous Tournament, for which he had never applied, Harry will end up being betrayed by one of his teachers. A professor in whom he saw an ally.
“- Did Karkaroff run away? In that case… he wasn’t the one who put my name in the Cup? “No,” replied Moody. No, it’s not him. It’s me who did it. Harry heard it, but he couldn’t believe it. “No, it’s not you,” he said. You didn’t do that… You can’t… – I can tell you it was me, Moody repeated. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Indeed, Mad-Eye Moody will ultimately reveal himself to be the Death Eater Barty Crouch Jr, who knowingly orchestrated the plan which was to send Harry into the cemetery, in order to face Lord Voldemort. A plan that will succeed perfectly and will lead to the death of one of his comrades in front of his own eyes. Cedric Diggory will be killed before Harry’s helpless gaze.
In addition, the latter will still find himself facing the murderer of his parents, a more than despicable man who has sought to kill him since his tender birth. No one really wants to be around that kind of person.
“The skeletal man then came out of the cauldron. He looked at Harry…and Harry looked straight at the face that had haunted his nightmares for three years. More livid than a skull, wide-open scarlet eyes, flat nose, with two slits for nostrils, like snakes… Lord Voldemort had just been reborn in front of him. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Add to this that Harry will witness the total rebirth of one of the most dangerous wizards of all time. Worse than that, it is even entirely thanks to his own blood that this will be possible.
Then, he will finally have to fight a duel against his enemy, will eventually succeed in defeating him, and finally, to escape alive, thanks to the help of the ghosts of his deceased parents. What a beautiful day.
Obviously, all of this is traumatic for a young man of barely fifteen years old. Harry will suffer significant post-traumatic shock, for which he will receive absolutely no help.
“I heard you last night,” Dudley replied, his voice breathy. You were talking in your sleep. And you were whining. – What do you mean ? Harry repeated. But he felt his stomach sink. The night before, he had seen the cemetery again in his nightmares. Dudley burst out with a hoarse laugh like a bark, then he began to moan in a small, high-pitched voice: — Don’t kill Cedric! Don’t kill Cedric! » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Worse than that, he will be sent back to his adopted family, to his uncle and aunt, completely abject beings who had no knowledge of what he had suffered, and above all, who had no use for it.
Add to all this, total radio silence from the wizarding world and its friends throughout the summer. Then, when he finally gets news from the Order of the Phoenix, they will ask him to stay at home carefully, and above all, not to be reckless. Harry is then completely treated like a child, even though he was already fifteen years old.
Clearly, we are able to think that all these reasons are sufficient to be in a deep malaise, or even a depressive state, but no.
As if that wasn’t enough, Harry will later have to try to fight two Dementors who were sent on purpose to kill him. Then, he will have to face, alone, his own expulsion from the place he loves most in the world, namely Hogwarts.
Not forgetting of course that when he returns to the wizarding world, no one will believe what he says about the return of the most dangerous dark mage in the world. Harry, helpless, was even blamed for trying to draw attention to himself. The community called him a liar and he was completely ignored and discredited by a Ministry of Magic that could have acted.
Furthermore, Albus Dumbledore, his mentor, one of the only people he trusted, completely ignored him. Even going so far as to refuse to look him in the eyes.
Let’s also not forget that the rest of the school year he will have to deal with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dolores Umbridge. A despicable woman, who will treat him unfairly, punish him and even go so far as to torture him for daring to tell the truth. The latter will even go so far as to deprive him of his only source of happiness and freedom, his favorite sport, Quidditch.
“Harry placed the tip of the quill on the parchment and wrote: “I must not tell lies. » He then stifled an exclamation of pain. The words were written on the parchment in a sort of bright red ink. But at the same time, they had also appeared on the back of his right hand, traced into his skin as if with a scalpel. As he looked at the cut, still glistening with blood, the skin gradually closed and the inscription faded, leaving only a slightly red mark that was smooth to the touch. Harry turned to Umbridge. She watched him, her wide, toad-like mouth stretched into a smile. – Yes ? “Nothing,” Harry replied quietly. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Above all, let’s not forget the most important thing. At this point in history, Lord Voldemort had regained his body and his omnipotence. Thus, the Horcrux inside Harry was in turmoil . His scar hurt much more than usual, because now he could feel all of Lord Voldemort’s emotions. In fact, it was mainly the anger of the latter towards his faithful Death Eaters who were unable to seize the prophecy.
Additionally, Harry’s own very fragile emotional state didn’t help, so he channeled Lord Voldemort’s anger far too often.
Clearly, Harry literally felt abandoned by everyone, especially Albus Dumbledore, the authority figure. A very limited attitude on the part of the director. Indeed, no one leaves a young adolescent to deal with such trauma alone.
So why do some people still judge him so much? In reality, Harry was just a simple fifteen-year-old boy full of hormones. An age where you can start having your teenage crisis. There’s nothing fun about being a teenager. It’s already pretty hard to deal with normally, so with a life like his, and having part of the soul of such an evil being in your body certainly doesn’t help.
During the second round of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry Potter was presented with a choice: whether or not to help Fleur’s sister and the others. He chose to help them, but received more criticism than praise.
The general consensus, whether from the characters in the book or from fans, seems to be: what an idiot, it was pointless, why does he always need to play the hero.
Of course Dumbledore wouldn’t let any innocent people die.
But the thing is, from Harry’s point of view, Dumbledore would let these innocent people die.
Dumbledore, who didn’t even fight for at least one trial for Sirius.
Who helped Harry, but only from afar, for fear of political repercussions.
Harry had to learn from a young age that he is the only one he could count on, he has no trust in authority figures.
After all, where were they when he saved the stone, or when he saved Ginny, or when he saved Sirius?
Some people don’t understand that Harry is not trying to save the participants because of a hero complex, or to draw attention to himself.
He does this because he has been shown, again and again, that he is the one responsible, that these things are his responsibility.
Which Harry Potter character didn’t get the ending he deserved?
The character in the Harry Potter saga who did not get the ending he deserved, to his advantage, is undoubtedly Lucius Malfoy. By extension, we could say that his son and his wife, Draco and Narcissa were also to be put in the same basket. However, the father clearly stands out.
Remember who Lucius Malfoy really was and all the misdeeds he knowingly committed?
It is certain that this character was one of those who reinforced the idea that Slytherin house was full of vile and evil beings. Which of course wasn’t entirely true. For every Lucius, Voldemort or Lestrange, there was a Merlin, a Slughorn, a Regulus and an Andromeda Black.
Certainly, the members of this house were known for their cunning and ambition, but these qualities alone are not a bad thing. It is what we choose to do with it that determines the path we will take. This is what makes it the least morally pure Hogwarts house, unlike Hufflepuff whose traits were not ambiguous.
“It’s not our abilities that determine who we are, Harry, it’s our choices!” » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Obviously, Lucius Malfoy exploited these different characteristics in the worst possible way and deliberately chose to take the wrong path. His great devotion to the cause of Lord Voldemort and his mania for pure blood is clearly no longer to be proven.
Indeed, Lucius was a fully committed supporter of pure-blood supremacy. He despised muggles and muggle-borns, those he considered blood traitors, and instilled these values in his family, as his family had instilled them before, without ever any introspection.
Clearly, his beliefs fed his ego. In fact, he believed himself superior to those who did not share his opinions. Certainly, they were already odious, but he went beyond his ideas by directly joining Lord Voldemort’s close circle and consciously helping him in his quest to purify the wizarding world. He was also at his side during the two wizarding wars and played a more than decisive role.
Lucius’s aspirations centered primarily on power and influence in the wizarding world.
In truth, Lucius, Narcissa and Draco were the characters in the Harry Potter saga who were created to symbolize cowardice and opportunism. Each of them is defined by this characteristic. They have always known how to place their pawns, since the beginning of history. Never, in seven volumes, did they think of anything other than themselves or their interests.
In fact, Lucius had never done anything that wasn’t personally beneficial to him.
He worked his way into Cornelius Fudge’s good graces to ensure he could influence the decisions of the Ministry. He knowingly slipped Riddle’s diary into a child’s cauldron, intending to harm the Weasley family for personal satisfaction. He secured a place on the Hogwarts board of trustees to try to maintain control of the school and get rid of those he didn’t like. Not to mention attempted murder and other torture, among other things.
Ultimately, Lucius was an incredibly cowardly being, who possessed an immense talent for self-preservation. After all, he was one of Voldemort’s loyal disciples when the latter was still in power, but did not hesitate for a single moment to deny all allegiance to the Death Eaters during the dark wizard’s first fall. Cowardly asserting to the Ministry of Magic that he was forced by the Imperium Curse.
Finally, he subsequently repeated his behavior towards his master and crawled back into his ranks, even though he had betrayed him. Although his beliefs were nauseating, his willingness to abandon them whenever it was beneficial was pure cowardice .
In short, his ambition fueled his rigid nature and he clearly didn’t care who he hurt to get what he wanted. He was a completely despicable and uninteresting wizard, both cowardly and fundamentally opportunistic.
“He walked down the aisle between the tables and saw the three Malfoys, huddled together, as if they weren’t sure if they belonged here, but no one was paying them any attention. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Therefore, needless to say, he deserved the worst. Few villains in the Harry Potter saga deserved a life sentence in Azkaban more than him.
However, do you know what happened to Lucius Malfoy after the Battle of Hogwarts, in which he cheekily joined the victors, in the company of his family? Was he sent to prison to pay for all the war crimes he had committed? Nope.
After the final battle, he was forgiven of his crimes, as he had abandoned Voldemort, although again, out of expediency. Deep down, his ideas had not changed, but no longer in the odor of holiness with his master, it no longer brought him anything to be a Death Eater, so he deserted. Moreover, it is clear that he had sensed that the tide was turning for Voldemort, and therefore, that the latter was going to lose.
Thus, his crimes, and those of his son at the same time, were forgiven due to the fact that they had, it seems, abandoned the cause of Voldemort, for… what? A few hours ? And of course, because of Narcissa’s lie to the latter, who saved Harry’s life, in the Forbidden Forest.
Obviously, these actions were once again done out of pure cowardice and opportunism on their part. The interest in abandoning Voldemort, when the tide began to turn for him, and lying to him for the sole purpose of finding their son, was purely out of self-interest.
“Were Lucius Malfoy and the other Death Eaters who escaped sent back to Azkaban?” JK Rowling: No, the Malfoys managed to get away with it (once again), using the fact that they had helped Harry (albeit selfishly) at the end of the battle. » — Cat by JK Rowling: the translation! — The Daily Prophet
Certainly it served good, but it was beneficial for them. Let’s not forget that as a good Slytherin, they were intelligent and cunning.
Ultimately, none of them served time in Azkaban. Sure, Draco was young, although an adult, and Narcissa had helped Harry in a way, but Lucius had done nothing.
In fact, it was thanks to the information he provided on the Death Eaters and his help in capturing Voldemort’s many fugitive disciplines that he was not locked up in prison for the rest of his life. In addition to being a coward, he was a snitch. Are we surprised?
Even though the revelation of their loyalty to Lord Voldemort had destroyed their precious reputation and few wizards forgot the Malfoy family’s loyalty to the forces of evil, Lucius’ punishment was not enough. Especially since it is certain that if Voldemort could have returned a third time, he would surely have crawled into his ranks again.
Why was he allowed to walk free for all the same, the second time, when his only action was to turn away from Voldemort at the very last second and hand over his colleagues?
Plus, we know for a fact that he hadn’t changed one bit after the final battle. His ideas remained exactly the same.
Indeed, from the marriage of his son Drago to Astoria Greengrass, his only grandson Scorpius will be born. It appears that due to Astoria’s change in views on blood purity after the war, Lucius and Narcissa felt that she was a disappointing daughter-in-law, despite her pureblood heritage. Thus proving that he had not changed his opinion that the purity of blood.
“Draco married the younger sister of one of his classmates. Astoria, who had acquired a more tolerant view of the pureblood, was a beautiful girl full of disappointment for Narcissa and Lucius. They had placed high hopes on the girl whose family was on the list of the “Sacred Twenty-Eight”, but as Astoria refused to raise their grandson Scorpius believing that muggles were months of nothing, the meetings of family were often full of tension” – Draco Malfoy | Wizarding World
Additionally, it was proven that Lucius still enjoyed collecting dark magic artifacts years later. No surprise.
“Lucius still enjoyed collecting dark magic artifacts, especially those that no one else had. Theodore Nott worked for him and together they created a prototype Time Turner, having decided that those created by the Ministry were not suitable and, having been destroyed, were unavailable. » – Lucius Malfoy
Finally, we see that after the final battle, Lucius Malfoy once again used others, to his advantage, as he had always done. His opportunism helped the cause of our heroes so much that they very naively forgave him. Once again, the Malfoys succeeded in making the wizarding world believe that they were much more innocent than some might believe.
Obviously, Lucius did not evolve after the Battle of Hogwarts. The Malfoys were certainly shocked to have fallen off their pedestal so stupidly. Above all, they realized that their opportunistic attitude, which worked so well throughout their lives, was simply not always effective. However, she was enough to avoid the maximum penalty, namely prison.
It’s difficult to accept that Lucius escaped in the end without receiving his sentence and returning to Azkaban. The fact that he ended up living the rest of his life in peace without ever being punished is a great allegory for how corrupt the wizarding legal system was. JK Rowling proved it very well here.
The fact that Lucius could have been forgiven by magical justice, simply because he had denounced his comrades, left a bitter taste. Even though it is obvious that his misdeeds must have been significant, given that he used his position within the Ministry to leak information to Voldemort.
Lucius deserved life in prison and Draco should have been sent to Azkaban for a time for trying to assassinate Albus Dumbledore and almost murdering Ron and Katie Bell.
Unfortunately, this kind of practice also happens in real life. Justice is often blind when criminals can offer valuable information about others. Thus, Lucius’s information was clearly more useful to the Ministry of Magic than his imprisonment.
In the end, it had always worked that way. Even after Voldemort’s first defeat, when Harry was a baby, many should have been locked up, but remained free, because they knew the right people.
Thus, we bitterly note that the magical world was also very fallible. But after all, just because they were wizards didn’t mean they weren’t human. Humans are clearly fallible.
Ultimately, not having the satisfaction of seeing Lucius Malfoy punished for his actions is tantamount to preparing the young reader for the reality of life, and the fact that even those who most deserve to be punished by justice, are simply not often.
What are the biggest weaknesses and errors in the Harry Potter plot?
The time turner (very bad idea because then we wonder why they are not used more often). Even the author realized that she had shot herself in the foot and tried to justify in hindsight why they were not used, but could have been lent to a student.
The animagus, still in volume 3 we are told that it is difficult to become one and when we are told the procedure in Pottermore… well anyone can do it, it doesn’t require any particular talent, just follow the instructions. long instructions to the letter.
In first year Voldemort (even weakened) was held back by a 3-headed dog and a series of ridiculous traps, those of Chouvre, Minerva, Flitwick… even children passed them. The only ones that were truly dangerous or could have been an obstacle were Dumbledore and Snape.
There are too many magical creatures, even with magic it’s unrealistic that wizards could have hidden their existence from muggles.
Volume 4, the Death Eaters should have been able to stop Harry before he reached the portkey (personal opinion).
Felix felicis should also be used more despite its side effects.
Aside from Lord Voldemort, who was the most evil character in Harry Potter? For what ?
There are those questions to which the answer seems obvious. However, it is certain that the answer to this question is not what we might have expected in the first place.
The Harry Potter saga is full of characters, each more interesting and ambiguous than the last. So, it was easy to imagine that the worst character after Lord Voldemort was obviously one of his disciples.
However, it would be far too simple to think of, for example, the Malfoy family.
Indeed, although we cannot say that Father Malfoy inspired much sympathy, after all, he was the basic racist , the one who hated everyone they thought below his rank, believing that muggles were worthless. wizards and hating blood traitors like the Weasleys. Add to this that he was a faithful follower of Lord Voldemort, who would not hesitate to enlist his son among the Death Eaters.
It is more than obvious that Lucius Malfoy’s main motivations remained cowardice, opportunism and fear. Nothing that really makes a great villain.
Speaking of his son, dear Draco’s attitude was clearly questionable throughout the saga. Every year, the young wizard showed us his different failings.
He shared his father’s racism , mocked Ron’s poverty, hoped for Hermione’s death more than once, lied to get teachers fired, laughed about Cedric Diggory’s death, associated with Dolores Umbridge and to Rita Skeeter, tried to torture Harry, put lives in danger by bringing Death Eaters into the school, and finally, tried to kill Albus Dumbledore.
Nothing too glorious. However, Draco was more of a brat, too spoiled, than a real monster. He will eventually realize, in the worst way, that life was much more complicated than the small comforts to which he had been accustomed. Above all, he was like the rest of the Malfoy family, both opportunistic and cowardly.
It’s also difficult to forgive Vernon Dursley for his abominable behavior.
The latter was one of the main reasons why Harry experienced a more than atrocious and loveless childhood. Where Petunia and Dudley showed a little remorse towards Harry, Vernon saw him as a danger and will always be unfair to Harry.
However, he was motivated more by fear of the judgment of others than by real cruelty. He was almost too stupid for that. Above all, he was an idiot who judged others and who never left his suburbs. A caricature, but not a real “big” villain.
Peter Pettigrew, on the other hand, was beyond detestable. His ultimate betrayal of James and Lily was despicable , but he was not the big bad of the story. Above all, he was the biggest coward and fearful of humanity. He had no convictions and always chose the side that suited him. He only acted out of fear and selfishness. Furthermore, it seems that he had some remorse at the end, since he died paying his debt to Harry.
Conversely, those who would characterize Albus Dumbledore as being almost as evil as Lord Voldermort have clearly not fully understood the Harry Potter saga.
Albus Dumbledore was a complex character. He knew the quest for omnipotence. He had paid the price when he was young, so he would later give his life to fighting the forces of evil. He will consider Harry almost like a son and will make him his protégé. He was clearly his mentor.
Certainly, Albus Dumbledore was by no means a sane person. Like every character in the saga. He was iconized at the start, but we eventually understood that he is not a superman. We understand him very well when we learn more about his past. He was a living being with emotions, shames and weaknesses . He will not use Harry, but will guide him to the destiny, from which the latter could not escape. He was a very old gentleman, who had a difficult task to accomplish. So he certainly wasn’t a bad guy.
Likewise for Severus Snape. An abject being, who will redeem himself at the end of the story. Antihero par excellence. A character far too gray to give a real opinion on him.
Bellatrix Lestrange, on the other hand, was the definition of a killer. The most loyal Death Eater of the gang. His loyalty was so unwavering that it was frightening. She devoted herself body and soul to Lord Voldemort in the hope that he would recognize her loyalty. She will be one of the only ones not to be part of his disciples out of fear. Moreover, she will not hesitate to kill certain members of her family for her ideals.
She tortured, she killed, she was atrocious, but she did not hide her hatred.
So, that was the exact reason that led me to our dearest employee of the Ministry of Magic, the loathsome, the horrible, the unspeakable Dolores Umbridge.
The latter is often, if not always, considered the most hated character in the Harry Potter saga . Sometimes almost more than the main antagonist, Lord Voldemort.
JK Rowling will say it herself in these words.
“Dolores Umbridge is one of the characters I only feel negative things about. […] In my opinion, his desire to control, punish and harm, in the name of law and order, is just as reprehensible as the decidedly evil aspect of Lord Voldemort. »
It is more than obvious that Dolores Umbridge is so hated, quite simply because we are “lucky enough” to spend an entire school year with her.
Indeed, let’s not forget that we see this universe through Harry’s eyes. Obviously, the latter logically hated Lord Voldemort, the murderer of his parents. However, he spent an entire year seeing Dolores Umbridge daily. Enough to have time to hate her.
Indeed, she was a more than straightforward villain. Much more than Voldemort in the end. Certainly, he was the big bad, a notorious assassin, but we were not in contact and only saw him act directly rarely in the saga.
Dolores Umbridge, on the other hand, was not a villain that Harry Potter and his friends heard about “vaguely”. She was a despicable woman that they encountered every day. She was totally real. The daily opposition of their rebellion. Moreover, his decisions directly influenced their everyday lives. Which, on their scale, was much more serious.
“Still smiling, she rolled up the parchment and put it back in her bag. “So I think I’m going to have to permanently ban these two from playing Quidditch again,” she said, looking back and forth between Harry and George. Harry felt the Snitch thrash furiously in the palm of his hand. — Forbid us? he said in a voice that seemed strangely distant. Definitely… playing Quidditch again? “Yes, Mr. Potter, I think a lifetime ban should do the trick,” Umbridge said. Her smile grew even wider when she saw the vain efforts Harry had to make to grasp the full extent of what she had just told him. — This ban will apply to you and Mr. Weasley here. To be on the safe side, this young man’s twin brother should also be excluded. »– Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Thus, we had time to get to know her in depth and therefore, logically, to hate her. Clearly, she is exactly the type of person, just like Rita Skeeter, who is much more likely to come across on a daily basis, unlike a Death Eater like Bellatrix Lestrange or Lord Voldemort himself.
Let us add to this that it is clear that our hatred is due to the fact that it was hidden behind false pretenses . Clearly, someone who hides being evil is almost worse than someone who fully owns their wickedness. Almost giving us the impression that she did not take responsibility for her nastiness. At least, it was simpler and more pleasant for her to act in the shadows.
We know for a fact that a character like Voldemort was evil. Everyone knew it. This was its main function. He wanted to dominate the world. Certainly, he was a complex and multi-dimensional character. Nevertheless, it was a perfectly established fact to the wizarding world that he was evil incarnate. There was no surprise there. Especially since he did not represent authority at all.
While Umbridge was a huge sadist who hid behind the government. Moreover, she acted so well that some at the Ministry of Magic, such as Percy Weasley, did not even seem to be aware that she was evil.
“Maybe you’re afraid to break ties with Potter – I know he’s not very balanced and can, as far as I know, be violent – but if you have any concerns whether on this subject, or if you have noticed something worrying in his behavior, I implore you to go and speak to Dolores Umbridge, a truly charming woman who will be only too happy to advise you, you can m ‘believe it. » – Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
In truth, Dolores Umbridge was not a Machiavellian villain, whose only interest was to secretly work on a plan to dominate the world. The witch had no great ambition. She would much rather just enjoy her status. The latter sought at all costs to preserve the stability in which it lived and which it had established, and above all to retain the power it had acquired. Then, she took advantage of a chaotic situation to climb the ladder and establish her little retrograde opinions.
She was a little girl in a woman’s body. She wore too much pink and big bows, she loved kittens too much, and she behaved too much like a capricious little girl. She was cruel, made fun of others, refused to be told no, otherwise she would sulk, throw tantrums and be jealous. In the end, she was all at fault.
Behind her respectable and tidy appearance hid a true psychopath. She will still torture her students, forcing them to write with their own blood, leaving lifelong marks on their hands. Not to mention the fact that once named headmistress, she will authorize Argus Filch to use corporal punishment on students.
Furthermore, her actions were only motivated by her personal ascension, and this hatred of difference that boiled within her. She dedicated her life to making it impossible for minorities. Even going so far as to deprive them of their jobs or their homes. Simply because they were not “like her”. All this, with the worst smirks and pouring himself a small cup of tea in passing.
“—Repugnant hybrids! Umbridge shouted, her hands still clenched above her head. You wild beasts! Bands of wild animals! – Shut up ! cried Hermione. But it was too late. Umbridge, her magic wand pointed at Magorian, had shouted: “Incarcerem! Ropes appeared out of nowhere, like large snakes, and wrapped themselves tightly around the centaur’s torso, pinning his arms. He screamed in rage and reared, trying to free himself as the other centaurs charged. » — Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
In truth, Dolores Umbridge was the quintessential honeyed and petty woman. The one who was always on the lookout for trouble, the one who never meddled in her own business and who reveled in the misfortune of others.
According to JK Rowling, it even seems that she was, like Lord Voldemort before her, a half-blood. Clearly, there are some who experienced this very badly.
Fortunately, Umbridge will eventually pay and be imprisoned in Azkaban for discriminating against Wizards born to Muggle parents. Clearly, it was greatly deserved.
In his review of Order of the Phoenix , published in 2003, Stephen King described the character as one of the best elements of the book and almost as frightening as Hannibal Lecter.
“The gently smiling Dolores Umbridge, with her little girl’s voice, her toad-like face and her plump fingers, is one of the most credible fictional villains since Hannibal Lecter.” – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Stephen King Review
Coming from the master of horror himself, that was clearly no small thing. A comment that says a lot, when we know that he himself will invent the worst monsters.
Let us add to this that the inspiration for this character seemed to come from reality. Unsurprisingly, this is not a first for JK Rowling. In fact, Dolores Umbridge is apparently inspired by one of the author’s real teachers.
“ A long time ago, I took courses in a certain subject or a certain field (I remain as vague as possible for reasons which, you will understand, are obvious). Then I met a professor or instructor who I immediately hated ” — Pottermore
Just the idea that a woman like her could exist almost sends shivers down your spine. No ?
What is the biggest mistake JK Rowling made with Harry Potter?
I recently reread the saga and a number of questions emerged.
Why did Wormtail never appear on the Marauder’s Map before the end of Volume 3?
In volume 4, why does the portkey cutter work the other way? It was explained at the beginning of the novel that portkeys were active in a specific direction and for a specific amount of time.
Why did the members of the Order of the Phoenix, when they seem to have inviolable means of communication, not at least made this known to Harry, knowing the relations he had with the only member he was around school and the direct connection he had with Voldemort, especially after the first fireplace incident?
Why these complicated rules for changing wand ownership in volume 7 when the disarming spell has already been used throughout the novels without changing ownership?
What is the saddest death in the Harry Potter novels?
The death of Severus Snape.
What a shock ! Over the course of seven volumes, we learned to fear him, to read his spicy remarks, particularly to the attention of the eponymous hero…
Finally, we learn that he held a complex position: at the same time in love with Lily Potter, hating James and finding in Harry the traits of his father, while he also had to protect him…
Alan Rickman gave, it seems to me, all his credibility to this character! It is regrettable that the films were not sometimes directed more intelligently…
What detail in the Harry Potter saga did you notice but which went completely unnoticed?
In the Harry Potter saga, many people found Professor Trelawney to be a pitiful psychic. Without counting on the prophecy about Harry and that of the third volume in relation to Wormtail, which were the only true prophecies. But I don’t agree with this:
In volume 4 called Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, during the first divination class of the year the students see the influence of the planets. Harry is woken up by Ron because he had dozed off. There Professor Trelawney tells him that he was born under the evil influence of Saturn and she says that this planet must have had a dominant side at his birth. She justifies it by her black hair, her average height and the early loss of her parents. She then said to him: “I think I am not mistaken in saying that you were born in the middle of winter.” Harry tells her that he was born in July and that she is wrong.
But remember, Harry is a horcrux and therefore part of Voldemort’s soul lives inside him. The Dark Lord was born on December 31, 1926, a date that falls in the middle of winter! What if Professor Trelawney had not been mistaken but had sensed the part of Voldemort in Harry? 😉