Our Favourite Harry Potter Fan Theories
Harry Potter has some unique fan theories
Since the last installment in the classic series was released, fans of JK Rowling’s boy wizard have been holding out for more Potter tales with bated breath. To fill the wand-sized gap in our hearts, Harry Potter fanfic was born.
The story defined an era and, while new generations of kids are reading and watching it for the first time, many adults are rediscovering the magic.
The intensity of HP fandom has resulted in priceless anti pick-up lines like ‘You had me at hello, but lost me at I hate Harry Potter’.
It’s unsurprising that the series was so insanely successful as the characters and fantastical plot connected on a deep level with thousands and it’s a rare example of an adaptation that’s just as high quality as the original books. This has led to numerous Harry Potter fan theories, some plausible and some pretty out there.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite Harry Potter theories that will shock, and others that are fairly ingenious
The best of the best
1. Harry, Ron and Hermione ended up in Gryffindor because they were brave enough to ask
‘Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it’.
Remember Harry’s wrestle with himself while wearing the Sorting Hat?
His two friends could have also wished to be placed in the house of courage too! (Or anything but Slytherin given their slimy reputation!)
It would have made perfect sense for the big-brained Hermione to be in Ravenclaw or for the hapless but hilarious Ron to be sorted into HufflePuff but ultimately proved they all had lion hearts.
2. Dumbledore is Death
A JKR-approved hypothesis based on the The Tale of the Three Brothers argues that since the story goes that whoever cheats death obtains the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone and Invisibility Cloak, this is plausible since Harry receives all of these and nearly dies, then Dumbledore ‘greets him like an old friend.’
3. ‘You’re immortal ‘Arry!’
A quite a convincing interpretation of the line, “either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives.” Many fans are open to the possibility that since Harry defeated Voldemort, he is invincible.
Theories Loonier than the Lovegoods
1. JK Rowling is Rita Skeeter
Um, what?! Y’all know that Harry Potter is a work of fiction, right?
2. It was all a dream (kind of)
One of the strangest Harry Potter fan fic meta-theories we’ve come across—apparently poor neglected Harry went mad in the cupboard under the stairs and developed the fantasy of Hogwarts as a form of escapism. Someone’s had too much Firewhisky if you ask us!
3. Draco Malfoy is a werewolf
There were a few warning signs that all’s not right with Harry’s arch enemy throughout the series and a major sign is said to be the fact that Fenrir Greyback is described to bite the offspring of those who have failed in their duties so it would make sense if Lucius’s serious mistakes were met with such grave punishment.
There was also that suspicious comment by Voldemort that Draco could ‘babysit the cubs’ of Lupin and Tonks.
Theories we hope are left unconfirmed
- Neville Longbottom was the true chosen one
Neville’s transformation from bumbling Hogwarts student to kickass soldier of Dumbledore’s Army was admirable but although his situation was similar to Harry’s, he’s definitely no HP!
- James and Remus did a body swap
A particularly confusing Harry Potter fan fic theory—Harry’s dad and Lupin used a Switching Spell, though sadly that means they both still definitely died by the end of the series.
- Snape is a vampire
Some vehemently insisted that the deathly pale Potions Master was a blood sucker, but we think it’s a little too kitsch and obvious.
