how do we know that Harry Potter ISN'T real?

Question

in the books, the magical community has charms and spells to prevent discovery by muggles. JK Rowling says Harry Potter is fiction but how do we know she isn't under some charm to say so herself?

Answer 1

I was thinking the same thing when I was younger - when I left primary school I was wishing so hard to get a Hogwarts letter that I actually believed I would get one! I was so dissapointed when it never came and I got sent to my secondary school instead.



Being brought up by a Christian family, I have always believed that there is more out there than what normal people see day to day. But whatever the explanation for all the unexplained things in the world, I don't really believe that a world like HP exists. You can never rule out the possibility, but I doubt it is.



Looking at the books logically, they have all the coincidences and plot tricks that would appear in fiction, not real life. In real life, what are the chances of Hagrid finding out Harry has the Invisibility Cloak just in time to sneakily show him the dragons? In real life, what are the chances of Trelawney seeing a death omen that looks exactly like Sirius' Animagus form, just as Sirius has escaped from Azkaban and Harry's spotting him all over the place? In real life, wouldn't Umbridge have been put on trial for using an obviously Dark method in detention? And so on. Not to mention, from the psychology point of view, Harry would probaby have had a nervous breakdown before he even heard of the Triwizard Tournament. Of course, you could always argue that JKR changed things to make it a more exiting story.



I suppose it comes down to whether you believe magic exists or not. The things about the hurricane and the news about Sirius Black, could have been covered up if the world really existed, but I don't think it's real.



Personally, I hope it isn't - I want to be an author myself and JKR's genius was what inspired me. Learning upon the release of DH that I had been reading too deeply into the books was a letdown for me - if the world never came from her head in the first place, it would be an even bigger letdown.

Answer 2

The chances of Harry Potter's universe being real are very small. For one thing, if they didn't want to be discovered, they would have erased Rowling's memories completely rather than just changing them so she still knows about it but just thinks it isn't true. Certainly they would never have allowed the Harry Potter books to come out in the first place. But those aren't the only reasons. If some areas, even as large as Hogwarts and the Quidditch World Cup, were made unplottable, then we should see blank spaces on Google Maps (or at the very least, spy satellites would come up with blank spaces), alerting us that something was wrong very quickly. Also, as far as I know no alerts about a criminal called Sirius Black were ever broadcast in the summer of 1993, and no 'hurricane' (read: Giant rampage) occured in England the 1995-1996 period. The spell effects in Harry Potter should also be visible; every time someone casts an avada kedavra curse that misses, there's a good chance that it would go into the air and be visible by thousands of muggles, or drill right through the ground (it only affects living things) until it emerged in some siberian farmer's wheat field, and the wizards would find it difficult tracking down these people in order to erase their memories. And of course, the potions that the wizards make are often made entirely of ingredients that muggles have access to, so they could concievably be tested (and some of them probably have); if the Harry Potter universe is real, then potion tests should come up with positive results, but we all know they don't. The Harry Potter books are also logically inconsistent towards themselves: In real life the power of the time turners would not remain so unbelievably untapped as it was in the books, and carnivores as large as dragons would not only be unable to fly, but probably couldn't survive at all for ecological reasons. When you take all this kind of stuff into account, logic just says no, the Harry Potter universe just plain isn't real.

Answer 3

I don't think your question is stupid at all. Sure, we could all laugh at it and say it's ridiculous because Rowling's books are obviously fiction. But it is a perfect question that would be more than welcome in a philosophy club or group. It gets the creative juices flowing on how to defend the answers of either end of the argument.



You could say, how could anyone prove it doesn't exist if there was a Ministry of Magic that keeps on top of things as they do. Take the 'men in black' stories. How do we know they aren't just ministry officials that deal with the situation. What about all of the paranormal stories out there. You could definitely mount quite the exciting argument for the wizarding world to exist.



On the other hand, although I am most certain it is fiction, I think it would be a little more difficult to disprove the remote possibility. Unless you don't believe in anything paranormal that is. This argument obviously could take you into all sorts of other philosophical arguments.



So, try adding "just for a philophical discussion topic--just for fun" and try the question in the philosophy section.

Answer 4

Don't let all the negative answers on here get you down - some people have no imagination/sense of humour/life.



I love Harry & it would be nice to think magic etc was real, however I do know a work of fiction when I see one!

Answer 5

omg i was thinking the same thing. i mean, her story going: "he just popped into my head fully formed" on a train. Yeah, sure!!! I really want it to be real, it seems so exciting and fun. And i believe it could be real. Give me proof that it isn't!!! But, alas, i have already had my 11th birthday. Just hold on to the hope that she was made to say that and it is really your 14th birthday that you get the letter... :)



I dont think you are sad. I agree with you. I so badly wish to get that letter!!!



Guys- this is a question involving someones opinion. if yuou cannot take that then go somewhere else and dont take the crap out of the asker.



Magic4eva xxx

Answer 6

lol, to some of these answers. Fiction is the way a lot of things are brought to the light. But there is no way of know if HP is real of fake. Because "muggles don't see nothing"; thus out perception is our reality!

Answer 7

Harry Potter is real...I went to school with him.



Ron Weasley

Answer 8

ok...my 11 year old son got his Hogwart's admission letter this morning...and Professor Mc Gonagall (she is headmistress at Hogwarts) came to our house to explain to us everything because my husband and I are muggles and my son is the first wizard in the family...but I asked her about Harry and she said it's just a story, there is no Harry and no Voldemort...but JK is a witch and the Weasleys are cousins of hers.

Answer 9

Truth be told, you can't really be sure. I mean a lot of scientifically unprovable and incoherent stuff happens all the time. It's highly likely that something of the like could really exist, and we are just oblivious to it, but it's more likely, that we simply chose not to believe in that stuff because science can't prove it. Since science can't prove it, it must not exist. That's the general opinion.

Answer 10

Because if there was then maybe we would know...like when LIly got her letter Petunia knew. So ...maybe it is but we don't know but I dont' think it is. I really wish it was and I was attending Hogwarts. I believe that is the only place I belong.

Answer 11

I agree. Some people on here have no imagination, all the wizarding community could exist, I hope it does, I like that idea :-)

Answer 12

You're right. And how do we know that Spongebob squarepants isn't real? Did anyone check bikini bottom to see if he was there? I think not!

Answer 13

Because only a child (and that is who the books and films are for not sad childish adults that should grow up) would believe the tripe she has written. The number of sober looking, professional looking adults in suits I see on the train each morning reading these children's books is astounding.

Answer 14

Harry Potter is obviously a work of fiction.



How many ginger kids do you know with 2 friends?

Answer 15

He is as real as Santa Claus.

Answer 16

a good point...



interesting



and how do we know u have nothing better to do with your time than ask stupid questions*raises one eyebrow*(not really...i can't do that*frown*)



only joking

Answer 17

... No way the Minister of Magic would let her expose all their secrets like that...

Answer 18

what snowy owl said

Answer 19

words fail me

Answer 20

shut up such a stupid question. i say u get baittings in school.harry potter is not real u fool.

Answer 21

r u this sad all the time or is it just a spell that has been placed upon you

Answer 22

I think this is a similar way in which religion was born :)

Answer 23

oh my god... the guy who made the point about the ginger kids made me laugh..

Answer 24

PROJECT HEROSTRATUS



*SNAPE IS ON DUMBLEDORE'S SIDE, HE GETS KILLED BY NAGINI

*BELLATRIX KILLS DOBBY

*FRED DIES

*TONKS DIES, LUPIN DIES

*CRABBE DIES, HEDWIG DIES

*MAD EYE MOODY GETS AVADA KEDAVRA'D

*COLIN CREEVEY DIES

*LUNA'S FATHER BETRAYS HARRY TO THE DEATH EATERS

*PETTIGREW GETS CHOKED LIKE BART BY HIS OWN SILVER HAND

*MRS WEASLEY KILLS BELLATRIX



*THE GREY LADY IS THE DAUGHTER OF RAVENCLAW

*THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENT HAS A VANISHING CABINET THAT CONTAINS A HORCRUX

*UMBRIDGE HAS SLYTHERIN'S LOCKET

*HUFFLEPUFF'S CUP IS IN BELLATRIX LESTRANGE'S VAULT

*NEVILLE IS THE NEW HERBOLOGY PROFESSOR

*HARRY POTTER’S INVISIBILITY CLOAK IS ONE OF THE DEATHLY HALLOWS

*HARRY POTTER IS A HORCRUX



You ought to be congratulated, you have become the victim of the final assault of Project Herostratus.

Answer 25

people beat you up a lot don't they?

Answer 26

you are a moron who will, in all likelyhood, never get laid

Answer 27

hahahah....

No, it isn't real!!!! Because, it can't be!!!!!!!