The Plothole Map

[spongebending.livejournal.com]

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

Comments

[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. :-(