The Most Surprising Harry Potter Fan Theories

The universe of the Harry Potter saga, created by British writer J. K. Rowling is so rich that it allows endless reinterpretations. This, and the fact that every fan wants to keep the young wizard's adventures alive forever, led to the invention of many theories. Some are more surprising than others, and they include many clues hidden in the books and even secret connections between the characters. Want to discover some of them? Keep reading.

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The Etymology of the Word Abracadabra

You don't have to be a genius to realize the similarity between the Muggle word "abracadabra" and "Avada Kedavra." But this Reddit user links the resemblance to a relationship between wizards and muggles that existed before the Secrecy Statute was passed in 1692. 

Another user suggests that the curse was initially used to cure or kill diseases. This makes a lot of sense because, as the Huffington Post pointed out, at one point in history, people thought that "abracadabra" could cure the symptoms of bubonic plague.

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Ten Points to Neville in the Philosopher's Stone

During the holiday banquet in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Dumbledore rewards the houses with points for Harry, Ron, and Hermione for successfully defeating Voldemort. He also gives Neville 10 points because, as he says, "it takes a great deal of courage to face our enemies, but even more to face our friends." 

This Quora user points out that Dumbledore might know precisely how much bravery it takes. That is because he had to fight his best friend Grindelwald as well. So we guess maybe the points were out of empathy for Neville.

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Divinations Exercise in The Goblet of Fire

In The Goblet of Fire, Harry and Ron give up their divination exercise and decide to completely invent their predictions. This Tumblr user says that what they predicted seems to be exactly what happens to Harry throughout the rest of the book.

He is put "at risk of burns" during the First Task, "loses his most precious treasure" during the Second Task, and he is "stabbed in the back" by a friend, Professor Moody. And, finally, "fails in a fight" against his enemy.

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The Dursleys Attitude

The Dursleys may have been so rude to Harry because he was a Horcrux. We already know how being close to a Horcrux makes Ron become more than a little horrible. But the Dursleys lived with Harry for years. 

That makes us wonder... while no one is saying that Harry's family would have been otherwise charming, having pieces of Voldemort living in their house probably didn't help. Do you think they might have been different without Harry living with them?

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Hermione's Cat Belonged to the Potters

This particular Quora user has an incredible theory that Crookshank, Hermione's cat, was actually indeed Lily Potter's cat. When Hermione buys the cat at the shop Magical Menagerie, in Diagon Alley, the owner says that they had the cat "for a long time."

This particular theory is made even stronger by the fact that Crookshanks immediately recognizes Wormtail and Sirius in their animagus forms. Why is that? The user says it is because they would have visited the Potters frequently in Godric's Hollow.

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Child of an Enchantment

Exploring a little more of Voldemort's past, we find another interesting theory: that the villain would be unable to know a pure feeling like love and that, therefore, he would have been so shattered by the protection that Lily gave to young Harry.

This is due to the fact that the love between Voldemort's parents happened in a fabricated and artificial way, since his mother, Mérope, enchanted Tom Riddle with a love potion. Because of this, he would be the result of enchantment and not true love.

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Hufflepuff's Secret

According to some people, the Hufflepuffs take some kind of medicine. They are the kindest, they accept almost everyone, they are not overly concerned with athletic or academic performance, and even their common room is right next to the kitchen.

Because of all these things, some people theorize that they might consume something special to keep them so happy. Probably it has to do with the head of Hufflepuff, which is the Professor of Herbology. Hey, whatever it is, we are not judging!

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Hermione Chose Her Own House

It's explicitly made clear in the first Harry Potter movie that Harry chooses Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat thought he was better suited for Slytherin, but Potter was firmly opposed to it. Some people believe that Hermione chose her house like him.

Everyone knows that Hermione would make a fantastic Ravenclaw. So why did she ended up in Gryffindor?  According to some Quora users, Hermione chose this house because she admired its bravery, and wanted to prove that she could be brave herself.

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More Attractive to Dementors

This Reddit user points out that, as Harry was a Horcrux, he had a little more soul than everyone else. So, maybe that's why he would be more attractive to Dementors. This, however, contradicts an explanation given by the books.

Although Lupin explains to Harry that the Dementors are more interested in him because of the horrible things he has experienced in his past, that could be the real reason. And it would explain why they don't seem to be interested in other people with similarly sad backgrounds, like Neville.

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Voldemort and the Destruction of His Horcruxes

Although different wizards destroyed all seven of Voldemort's Horcruxes, this Quora user theorizes that the destruction of them was made possible by Voldemort. Five of the Horcruxes, the diary, the medallion, the cup, the ring, and Nagini, were destroyed using the poison of Basilisk.

That was either from the fangs of Basilisk himself or using the sword of Gryffindor, which was impregnated with the poison. Voldemort opened the Chamber of Secrets, thus, allowing access to the Basilisk in the first place. And the final one, Harry, was destroyed by Voldemort himself.

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Professor Dumbledore's Great Role

This theory is that, throughout the entire length of the story, Professor Dumbledore was playing a complicated game, thinking of many moves ahead. The objective of the game is to win the war against Voldemort. However, Harry is introduced to the game when he is very young, and, to properly prepare him for the final battle, Dumbledore resorts to different antics.

Many details are confirmed by the fact that all the tests were prepared by Dumbledore, especially for Harry. For example, in the beginning, it can be observed that tests protect an artifact as dangerous as the Philosopher's Stone that a first-year student can overcome. The omniscient teacher influences all the events from there. 

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Harry and Hemione are Siblings

We know almost nothing about Hermione's parents, other than the fact that they are dentists. Also, she even had the ability to erase her family's memory and send them to Australia near the end of the story. Another important fact about this theory is that Hermione knew she had a connection with Harry. 

She also knew that if she had Lilly's blood, she would be able to magically protect him, just like his mother. This would explain why Hermione was always close to Harry from the beginning. Only a blood connection could explain such dedication.

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Dumbledore and the Mirror of Erised

Presented in the first book of the saga, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the Mirror of Erised is a magical object that provides its user with a view of his most intimate desire. Through it, Harry finds himself next to his parents and the rest of the Potter family. The other person who also saw something in the mirror was Albus Dumbledore.

When Harry asks what he sees, the headmaster replies that he finds himself holding a pair of socks. Harry is suspicious but says nothing. However, with the revelations given in The Deathly Hallows, many theorize that Albus sees himself next to his family, alive and reconciled, and J.K. Rowling herself confirmed this.

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The Weasleys and British Royalty

An interesting theory about the franchise: all the names of the members of the Weasley family, except Ron, belong to members of the British royalty or Arthurian legends. Also, Ron brings Harry to his family. There have already been eight kings in power named Harry.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The biggest curiosity here concerns the fact that King George III was deaf in one ear and only became king due to the death of Prince Frederick. Does that remind you of anything? That's precisely what happens in the movies.

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Weasley Twins and Patronus

The Patronus of each wizard always has a special connection to their "soul mates." This explains why Ron's Patronus is a terrier dog, and Hermione's is an otter, as terriers chase otters. However, after Fred's death, it is speculated that George was never able to produce a Patronus again because he lost his true soul mate: his own brother.

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Ron Weasley Is A Time-Travelling Dumbledore

Fans of Harry Potter will know that this theory has been around since 2004. The chess game where Ron plays the knight and then the king – just like Dumbledore does is what ignited this belief. The pair also share similar looks with their long noses and auburn hair (before Dumbledore went grey). 

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Neville and Luna Get A Happily Ever After 

The gentle Neville Longbottom and the clever Luna Lovegood were a couple that fans were rooting for. Yet, this theory was eventually debunked by the author herself. Rowling revealed that Neville weds Hannah Abbott while Luna married Newt Scamander's grandson, Rolf!  

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Dumbledore Is Death

This fan theory is one of our favorites because there is a big possibility that it is true. It suggests that Harry Potter characters relate to others and have their own mirrors in real life, further explaining that Dumbledore is Death. The best part about this theory was when the author, JKR, called it "a beautiful theory [that] fits." 

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There Was More to Harry's Invisibility Cloak than People Thought

"Fantastic Beasts" fans knew that invisibility cloaks are woven from Demiguise hair, so they were surprised when Harry's own invisibility cloak was not hairy. They started suspecting there was something more to Harry's cloak. In "Deathly Hallows," Ron discovered that Harry's cloak was, in fact, Ignotus Peverell's legendary Cloak of Invisibility.

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There Was More Than A Friendship Between Dumbledore and Grindewald

When fans discovered in "Deathly Hallows" that Dumbledore had quickly become friends with Grindelwald in their teen years, rumors sparkled about a possible romantic connection between them. In 2007, Rowling confirmed this theory by saying that the late Headmaster was, in fact, gay and that he had fallen in love with Grindelwald.

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How To Pronounce Hermione's Name Correctly 

According to one Harry Potter fan, J.K. Rowling explained how to correctly pronounce Hermione's name in the book "The Goblet of Fire". In the book, Rowling explains that Viktor Krum was mispronouncing her name, calling her "Her-my-own" instead of "Her-my-o-knee." Rowling tweeted saying, "Theory correct."

Over the years, interest in books and films about Harry Potter has not diminished. The fans are creating different theories, trying to observe something more in the actions of the characters, putting the pieces together as if they were a puzzle. Which of these theories surprised you the most?