Harry Potter TV Series Could Reverse Plot Hole That JK Rowling Intervened On

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Harry Potter TV Series Could Reverse Plot Hole That JK Rowling Intervened On

Can the show fix the mistakes?

As children, many of us thought that the Harry Potter series was practically perfect.

However, now that we are older, we can appreciate the various plot holes that make themselves known throughout the J.K. Rowling tale but hopefully, some of these will be addressed in the upcoming HBO television show.

One such plot hole centers around the emotional moment between Hermione and her parents during Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

After learning that they are now being hunted by Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Harry, Ron and Hermione flee and go into hiding as they come up with a plan to thwart him.

However, this would mean that Hermione would need to find a way to protect her parents in her absence and she finally settles on casting the Obliviate charm on them, allowing their memories to be wiped so they would have no recollection of Hermione ever existing.

A devastating moment in the films (Warner Bros)
A devastating moment in the films (Warner Bros)

That being said, eagle-eyed fans will notice that although Hermione casts the Obliviate charm in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, the spell she used is never actually mentioned in the book.

“I've also modified my parents' memories so that they're convinced they're really called Wendell and Monica Wilkins”, Hermione says in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

"You're the boss," said Ron, sounding profoundly relieved. "But I've never done a Memory Charm."

"Nor have I," said Hermione, "but I know the theory."

The legendary final book in the Harry Potter series (ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)
The legendary final book in the Harry Potter series (ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

As you can see, Hermione admits to never having used the Obliviate spell in the books, but simply used an unnamed spell to “modify” her parent’s memories.

However, for film-only fans, this moment also caused a bit of confusion with memes still being made about it to this day.

Did Hermione’s parents ever wonder why there were photographs with big gaps in them around their house? Or a spare bedroom which somebody obviously used to inhabit? What about people asking them how Hermione was?

Addressing the plot hole, J.K. Rowling later revealed that after the Wizarding War, Hermione “brought [her parents] home straight away” so it never really mattered much in the first place but it was definitely clear that the author overlooked this humorous mistake at the time of writing.

JK Rowling spoke about what Hermione did after the Second Wizarding War (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
JK Rowling spoke about what Hermione did after the Second Wizarding War (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Nevertheless, it is plot holes such as this that could be rectified in the upcoming Harry Potter television show but with things looking to feature no changes whatsoever so far, we could be sorely disappointed.

Luckily we don’t have long to find out as HBO’s Harry Potter airs some time in 2027.


Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros.

Topics: Harry Potter, Warner Bros, TV And Film