The Plothole Map

[spongebending.livejournal.com]

This gave me a laugh, I thought it might be appreciated here. :)

Comments

[sweettalkeress.livejournal.com]

That is actually really funny.

[sunnyskywalker]

That is excellent! Actually it woul be interesting to see a theory or fic in which the twins see all this stuff with a full explanation for not mentioning it.... I mean was there profit in keeping quiet or what? (I'm sure they just conveniently missed every clue in "reality." But what's the far out fun version?)

[josephinestone.livejournal.com]

When did they find it again? Didn't they get it from Flich? Like how did Harry's dad and freinds just let the map go and never try to get it back? I suppose they just could have made another one, which brings the question why didn't they make another one?

[attilathepbnun.livejournal.com]

Easy. The Marauders made the map when they were all drunk on illicit alcohol, and couldn't remember how they'd done it when they sobered up!

[oryx_leucoryx]

The Marauders may have left the map behind when they left Hogwarts. They had no use for it post-school (in contrast with Harry who used it to stalk Ginny).

[hwyla.livejournal.com]

It does seem strange that Filch was able to sneak up on them, however, I also find it a bit unbelievable that he would file a blank piece of parchment as 'highly dangerous' (or something similar) IF he didn't confiscate it directly from someone in particular.

It is possible that someone else had hold of it and he took it from them as they attempted to make it work, but I doubt he picked it up out of their dorm after they left it there on leaving. IF they left it behind, then I think it was left with someone younger that they liked. No idea who, since we have no canon to suggest younger friends, but someone less experienced in using it might miss Filch coming up on them.

I will say that I doubt it was Snape stealing it from them and then trying to work it out. I think he honestly believed Remus had given Harry the parchment -- so, he wouldn't have any reason to think Filch might have had it.

[aikaterini.livejournal.com]

Ha, this reminds me of that comic strip I read where Harry, Hermione, and Ron solved the mystery for every book by using the Internet. XD

[jana-ch.livejournal.com]

I like that one, too. Then there’s the comic in which Ron makes up the most ridiculous predictions he can think of for Trelawney’s class, consisting of everything that happens in Book Seven. Finishing with the Dreaded Epilogue:

“Then you’ll grow up, marry a total loser, have some messy haired babies and you’ll name one of them after Snape. … Oh yeah—and you become the godfather of a multi-coloured teddy.”

He and Harry laugh their heads off, then four years later Ron says to Harry after the Final Battle: “…And you know what the worst part is? I got a fuckin’ T for Divination.”

[jana-ch.livejournal.com]

http : // slinkers (dot) deviantart (dot) com/art/Tivination-Major-DH-Spoilers-64817464

[jana-ch.livejournal.com]

I was just looking at this comic again and skimming through the comments (ninety-five pages of them). Quite a few people point out that Ron makes a number of remarks that turn out to be accurate predictions, beginning with “wrestling a troll.” If I could survive reading the entire series again, it would be interesting to note how many there actually are.

Naw, I’ve got the Canterbury Tales in proper Middle English on order. That will be much more fun.

[madderbrad.livejournal.com]

Heh, good stuff.

The first three panels/years are spot on but didn't the twins give the map to Harry in his fourth year? I think he may have even seen Barty Crouch in the same room with Mad-Eye Moody on the map once or twice and thought they were just collaborating about the tournament or something. Maybe my recollection is incorrect.

[vermouth1991.livejournal.com]

That incident happened in the pre-2ndTask chapter "The Egg & the Eye", Harry was just back from hearing the underwater song, and he got stuck in that stupid staircase, dropped the egg, and the screams brought the attention of Filch+Norris, Snape (he ran several storeys from his dungeon quarters, and people say he doesn't care) and not!Moody. not!Moody intercepted the dropped map, and realized that HOLY FUCK PEOPLE CAN KNOW THAT I'M REALLY BARTY II. Prior to the accident, Harry saw Barty's dot in Snape's dungeon area, but was too fucking stupid to realize the truth. After that Barty II borrowed the map away, and it helped him track down Barty Sr. and kill him.

[madderbrad.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks for that. I thought Harry had seen Barty on the map once (although I was wrong thinking it was when he was in Moody's office with Moody in the trunk).

not!Moody intercepted the dropped map, and realized that HOLY FUCK PEOPLE CAN KNOW THAT I'M REALLY BARTY II.

Typical Rowling, plotting a one-book wonder and then dropping/forgetting it. Although in this case she just ignored all of the plot holes of books 1-3 as per the cartoon.

[oryx_leucoryx]

Yes, the other side of the coin of forgetting one-book-wonders is ignoring how a new wonder fits with previous books. Another example is the Pensieve. And Felix Felices. Veritaserum (though it has work-arounds). Side-along Apparition.

[madderbrad.livejournal.com]

G'day Oryx!

Whereas the 'first side' of the coin is simply ignoring the one-book wonder for the *later* books. Because doing otherwise would be difficult and hard and well I can't be bothered ... the story of the series as a whole.

For me the House Elves are the most egregious example of that. Dobby was introduced in book 3 and could stop the wizarding postal system, could subdue a grown wizard with one snap of the fingers, etc. Kreacher could escape the cave trap of the dark lord himself and kidnap a wizard with ease. All the elves can apparate at Hogwarts.

But no-one ever ever ever thinks to use the elves. Except Harry, when he needs something done and the author keeps the boy himself mired in mediocrity.

And when Rowling decided she wanted all of the magical races present at the final battle ... she has these magically super-powerful creatures enter the fray ... wielding kitchen utensils. Even Harry didn't think to instruct them to each snap their fingers and clobber a Death Eater. Because Rowling didn't want anyone to do that.

Another example is the Pensieve.

What plot holes exist in earlier books that beg for the use of a Pensieve?

And Felix Felices.

Ah, the abomination known as Felix Felices; of course. Again, only the kids think to use it; grown wizards/villains/aurors don't. Riiiiight.

The biggest - certainly the first of the obvious 'making this up as I go along' plot holes on the other side of the coin - was all the modes of instantaneous travel that Rowling came up with post book #1, where she had Dumbledore absent from the castle, visiting the Minister, over a full day/night; do you agree? Or was there a canon reason for Dumbledore deliberately staying away?

I'm starting to forget the (poor) plots. In DH Rowling tries to justify why we readers had spent ten years reading seven books about a boy with no more importance than a destined role as a sacrificial pig by saying that it was 'essential that he try his strength', which was bollocks. Did the headmaster who deliberately stashed the Stone in a school full of children similarly stay away so Harry could confront Quirrell? Or did she stop short of stating that (knowing the silliness for what it was)?

All those times that Harry was in danger ... yet on receiving Snape's memory he calmly accepted everything that Dumbledore had done and just walked to his death like a zombie.

What a horrible series. I'm pretty sure it's that big a mess, but I could be forgetting some detail?

[vermouth1991.livejournal.com]

Another example is the Pensieve.

What plot holes exist in earlier books that beg for the use of a Pensieve?

~*~

In a sensible year PoA, this would have happened:

"You see Minister, I am in possession of a device that reenacts objectively scenarios based around, but not limited to, a person's memory. Give me five minutes and I'll show you how accurate it can be, it even shows us the parts where the memory's owner's head was turned and couldn't really see..."

"There you have it, Cornelius, a full-scale reenactment of the time you and Lucius Malfoy visited Hagrid in his home, where I was also present. And now, here are the memory accounts from Sirius Black in the Shrieking Shack; and lest you worry that he's making this up, after that we'll cross-examine it with Hermione Granger's account, as she was also in the room..."

[madderbrad.livejournal.com]

Ah, okay.

When Rowling waved her hand and the pensieve materialised in book 4 that's certainly a point - why hadn't Dumbledore used it to prove Sirius's innocence, as you say?

But in HBP we're told that memories can be fabricated or altered. Slughorn did a poor/obvious job on his, but may the book 6 altered/new canon still gives a reason why a Pensieve can't be admitted as conclusive evidence?

Overall I still agree with you about the Pensieve being something that Rowling introduced without concern for the continuity with her earlier books. But maybe she tried to plug that particular error later on.

[jana-ch.livejournal.com]

But a Pensieve memory would raise serious doubt about the veracity of everyone’s assumptions and allow (1) Sirius to be held someplace safe while his case was properly investigated, (2) a search to be started for Peter Pettigrew, (3) Snape to be treated for concussion, and (4) the kids to be punished for assaulting him.

Also, it could be made clear to everyone (except certain stubborn Gryffs) that Lupin had to be fired for the valid reason of not taking his Wolfsbane, not because SNAPE IS A MEANIE!!!

[oryx_leucoryx]

She also says the true memory still exists and a talented Legilimens can recover it. Plug. Unplug.

Have Severus be the one that obtains the memories from the kids. Or have him participate in the evaluation of the memories.

[madderbrad.livejournal.com]

Plug. Unplug.

Heh.

That whole 'task' with Slughorn was ridiculous anyway.

I was particularly offended (by the slur on her readers' intelligence) when, upon finally being presented with Harry's findings - the real memory - Dumbledore merely spends two seconds patting himself on the back saying "yes, as I thought so".

And the memory is no actual guarantee on the limit of the number of Horcruxes anyway!

Just a pathetic plot. But the characters weren't allowed to think any differently.

Have Severus be the one that obtains the memories from the kids. Or have him participate in the evaluation of the memories.

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, none of that back in book 3; Rowling hadn't worked it out yet.

But the breach of continuity didn't stop here when she needed a one-book wonder later on. :-(