Flaw in Harry Potter: How did Ron and Harry land straight into Hogwarts in the car in Chamber of Secrets?

Question

Ive just been reading all the Harry Potters again, and I keep noticing things that dont make sense!
In Chamber Of Secrets when Harry and Ron fly the Ford Anglia into Hogwarts, how did they get in there when Hogwarts is apparently full of protective charms?!?!
Its confusing because in the other books, it makes out that its impossible to enter Hogwarts and how many protective charms there is around it not even allowing you to see it as Hermoine and Dumbledore both state.
Im jus really peeved now, everytime I go back and read Harry Potter I keep noticing so many mistakes and contradicitons! Grrr am i missing something?

Answer 1

For every Harry Potter mistake theres a BS explanation from J.K. Rowling.



Maybe the enchantments were temporarily lifted for the arrival of the Hogwarts students?



edit: maybe flying cars has the same privileges as owls that do mail runs? (that was actually a joke)



edit: the enchantments may have been strengthened in book 6. But there must have always been enchantments on Hogwarts. Why would there be any enchantments at all if all voldemort had to do was climb the wall?(in response to alex's comment on THBP)



edit: why would it matter if the car has been enchanted? these people are wizards, with a lot more magic and power than a flying car. so if a magical car can get past those enchantments, so could anything else.



Like I said. For every HP mistake there is a BS explanation from J.K. Rowling. (ask her about this, and she would probably say the car didnt fully understand the concept of magical protection.)



But I can't hold little mistakes against her. She created a huge series it would be a miracle for someone to not make a small mistake like that. Imagine having to do that. Lol. :)

Answer 2

Well, I think firstly the Hogwarts is invisible to all those who are not students of Hogwarts, or magical folk. But because Ron and Harry are students they are naturally Allowed to eneter... doesnt really matter how. Of course there are protective charms around the castle, but I think because of Voldermort was till hiding in Albania, he didint really pose a threat to the place, so it is highly unlikely that there were inpenetrable charms on the castle.

I think another possiblitiy to consider, is that Dumbledore might have known. Doesnt Harry always say, that Dumbledore has a very good Idea of what happening in and around the castle? I thinik Dumbledore (or Someone at least) would have noticed that Harry Potter was not on the Hogwarts express, and that he was not at the opening feast....So I think Dumbledore might have laxed the protection so that Potter and weasley could get in...

To be honest, Im looking for possible loop holes, But I think you have a point, Rowling might not have thought that one through properly!

Good question!!

Answer 3

I think perhaps you are putting too much thought in to Harry Potter, why cant you just go with the flow of the books?



anyways...it is possible that Dumbledore and the Ministry never would have thought that a flying car would soar over the boundaries of the castle and land in its grounds. Also, the spells and enchantments are meant to stop muggles from entering the castle (Hogwarts, A History) and to stop wizards from apparating in and out of the castle, not to stop anenchanted muggle car from entering the grounds!

Answer 4

I don't think they were expecting a car to fly into Hogwarts, so I highly doubt they had a protective charm for it. I'm guessing an alarm or something goes off because how else would Snape know to get them?

Another theory: Harry and Ron were Hogwarts students, so maybe the charms were void to them?

Answer 5

The protections were only very strengthened once everyone knew Voldemort was back, such as the Half-Blood Prince.

Look at this, page 159 (HBP):

(when Harry and Tonks arrived at Hogwarts, after Harry had been full-body binded by Draco:

"I could climb a wall," he [Harry] suggested.

"No, you couldn't," said Tonks flatly. "Anti-intruder jinxes on all of them. Security's been tightened a hundredfold this summer."



Therefore, there obviously had to be security in the Chamber or Secrets (of course, no apparation, etc) but not as strong as it soon was. I hope this helped!



EDIT: I read other answers and I guess the car being "magic" would also contribute. Interesting theories!

Answer 6

The car was magic. The Hogwarts protective charms only protect against Muggles and apparating/disapparating. They don't prevent every single person getting in/out.

LuthienT

Answer 7

It's magic!



Well the protection charms were introduced near the end of the series and they probably weren't that strong anyway in the second book because noone knew about the chamber of secrets yet and muggles wouldn't be able to see hogwarts either.

Answer 8

If the barrier can be bewitched to keep only certain people out, maybe the school's protections only allow certain people in - like students, teachers and various visitors. Plus, various people arrive without Dumbledore being aware in this book I think - Fudge, Lucius Malfoy. And Black, in the next book. They are not surprised that he got up to the school. The protections mainly mentioned are about dissapperating and getting into the castle, not the grounds.



Plus, I bet they never expected a flying car.

Answer 9

The chams protect Hogwarts from MUGGLES. Harry and Ron are not muggles, they are wizards, so they can find Hogwarts.

Answer 10

I think the charms were just for Apparating in and out and that maybe the reason why they were able to get in was because security around Hogwarts wasn't as tight when they were 12 and that this was before Voldemort came back, the Death Eater attacks started again and the Dementors got wild.

That's just my thoughts though

Answer 11

Don't you remember they got into trouble right after they got out of the car? Snape told them they got caught by Muggles, flying overhead?

It's possible that Dumbledore found out, and did some kind of magic to let them through. Not only that, they also followed the train.



Don't forget.. this story is about wizards and witches and SPELLS and MAGIC.

Answer 12

It's full of protective charms against muggles. Harry and Ron are not muggles, they're wizards. Your "mistakes and contradictions" are pretty inaccurate.

Answer 13

the protections were to stop you from apparating in and out, and to stop muggles from seeing it. they would not have stopped someone who knew where hogwarts was from flying over the wall, but more protections were added after that, to protect it from happening again.

Answer 14

The second book was before voldemort was powerful so the school was guraded from MUGGLES not wizards in the 5th book and on security became more intence

Answer 15

because it's magical. how else would fly in mid air. and hogwarts have to do with magic so magic doesn't need to be protected by magic. (if it's good magic)

Answer 16

It is very weird.

Because i thought the only way was to enter through the train station.

How could they have found the train if it was in some other demension or whatever.

And how did they know the way to hogwarts anyways?

Answer 17

the magic blue car

Answer 18

No. It's just taken you a while to realise that JK isn't as good as everyone thinks she is.

Answer 19

It sensed that it was Harry and Ron, and so it was ok and let them in...



>_>.....

<_<....

Answer 20

they flew onto the grounds.

Answer 21

You're RUINING the magic of HP by thinking TOO much!!!! Just READ don't think!

Answer 22

cuse the car is magic duh!