The Best “Potter” Plot Twists – Part 2

In The Best “Potter” Plot Twists, Monet wrote about seven of what she viewed as the most surprising plot twists throughout the Harry Potter series. Because of the great creativity and worldbuilding skills that J.K. Rowling has, however, Monet’s list was just the tip of the iceberg. I wanted to share what I think of when I hear “Harry Potter plot twists,” because we all know there is no shortage of them. Let’s go!

 

1. Barty Crouch Jr. was disguised as Moody.

I’m pretty sure that I let out an audible gasp when I got to Chapter 35 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The movie gave us a more obvious reveal – we saw Barty Crouch Jr.’s tic again and again in Moody. But when that bomb was dropped in the book, I definitely didn’t see it coming.

 

 

 

2. Sirius was innocent.

Basically, the entirety of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was a roller coaster of emotion. A Dark wizard escaped Azkaban? He’s after Harry?! He was Harry’s dad’s best friend?!?! He’s actually innocent?!?!?! Chills. JKR sure knows how to keep us on our toes!

 

 

 

3. Mrs. Figg is a Squib.

She was watching over Harry his whole childhood. Imagine, your cabbage-scented neighbor knew about your magical heritage and kept an eye on you for Dumbledore without your knowledge. And you didn’t even find out until some Dementors attacked you and your cousin. A woman whom you felt indifferent toward was now giving testimony of your innocence from the charges brought against you by the Ministry.

 

 

 

4. Saying Voldemort’s name is Taboo.

…the name’s been jinxed, Harry, that’s how they track people! Using his name breaks protective enchantments, it causes some kind of magical disturbance — it’s how they found us in Tottenham Court Road!… It was only people who were serious about standing up to him, like Dumbledore, who even dared use it. Now they’ve put a Taboo on it, anyone who says it is trackable — quick-and-easy way to find Order members!” (DH, ch. 20)

I swear that my childhood neighbor told me this was a thing before it was actually a thing, but she has no recollection of it. Regardless, how brilliant was it of Voldemort and his Death Eaters to put a spell on the saying of his name? Because they knew that no one except Dumbledore and his truest followers would dare to even mutter it.

 

 

 

5. Harry, himself, was a Horcrux.

We were always told that Lord Voldemort had seven Horcuxes. If you’re like me, you knew the math wasn’t adding up throughout Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. But I definitely didn’t see this one coming! Much like when Voldemort attached himself to Professor Quirrell, part of his soul also clung to Harry when he attempted to murder him as an infant. He didn’t mean to make Harry a Horcrux, but to top it all off, Voldemort destroyed the Horcrux within Harry himself!

 

 

 

6. Dumbledore had planned for Snape to kill him.

I wore a T-shirt in middle school with a large picture of Snape and the words “Friend or Foe?” written on it. I’m still not convinced of Snape’s inherent goodness, but I had no idea that Dumbledore had planned for Snape to kill him when the time came. I spent the aftermath of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince just as angry and confused about Snape killing Dumbledore as Harry was. And it was all for J.K. Rowling to confuse my feelings toward Severus within a few paragraphs near the end of the final book!

 

 

 

7. Tom Riddle? Yeah, he’s Voldemort.

Okay, c’mon, nobody saw this coming. Seriously! At this point, we knew next to nothing about Lord Voldemort. Tom Riddle really gave us the backdrop to who he was, but we weren’t even aware of it. And then boom, “Voldemort… is my past, present, and future…” (CoS, ch. 17).

 

 

 

What Potter moments surprised you the most?