10 Biggest Harry Potter Plotholes That Still Irritate Fans, Ranked From Least to Most Ridiculous

But even with all the charm and magic of the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling, it isn't without its flaws. Obvious story plot holes, from minor to clearly visible, continue to irritate Potter fans to this day.

Here is a list of the top 10 inconsistencies from the books, from least to most ridiculous.

10. The Trace

The trace, as mentioned several times throughout the books, is the Ministry's method of tracking the use of underage magic, which is considered illegal. Harry gets reprimanded twice for using unauthorized magic before age 17, yet both circumstances are questionable. Many fans often wonder why the Ministry couldn't tell it was Dobby's magic, not Harry's. Also, it seems clear that wizard-borns likely get let off much easier for the offense than muggle-borns.

9. Time-Turners

The first introduction of Time Turners in the series is when Hermione uses one with Harry to help save Sirius from the Dementors. The inclusion of such devices within the magical universe does not seem unusual at all. Yet Hermione obtaining one simply to help with her junior school studies seems like overkill. Such powerful technology not being used for more seems like an obvious blunder in the narrative.

8. Multiple Wands

For the most part in the books, witches and wizards only use one wand; although wands of others can be used if needed. Yet one brief moment in Deathly Hallows, Harry uses three wands together to cast a "triple spell" against the werewolf Greyback. Therefore, why doesn't everyone use more than one wand at once to cast more powerful spells? Was Harry just lucky, or does this expose a gaping plot hole that never gets explained?

7. The Elder Wand

As one of the fabled Deathly Hallows, the Elder Wand is described as the most powerful wand ever to exist, able to defeat all others. And yet… Dumbledore somehow beat his former lover Grindelwald, its previous master. Although the Elder wand can supposedly change allegiances, no further explanation is given. Also, if it was so powerful, why could Dumbledore not defeat Voldemort in their battle at the Ministry?

6. The Unbreakable Vow

The notion of the 'unbreakable vow' is simple enough. Two witches or wizards would make a magically binding agreement, which, if either broke, would die instantly. But why did certain characters never use it? Voldemort, who constantly looked for loyal followers to do his bidding, should have been a keen user of the spell. Even the Order of the Phoenix could have benefitted from having its key members make an oath of allegiance.

5. Veritaserum

In the period straight after the First Wizarding War, the hunt for Death Eaters began. However, many dark wizards avoided capture by denying their involvement with the Dark Lord. Yet the use of the beneficial Veritaserum truth serum could have significantly helped. Even if its unauthorized use was prohibited, Sirius Black, who was falsely incriminated, would have done anything to prove his innocence but was denied and had to suffer Azkaban.

4. Harry, Ron, and Hermione's Food Dilemma

Much of the Deathly Hallows involves the heroic trio attempting to source food while hiding from the Death Eaters. However, this reveals one of the franchise's most significant plot holes for many fans. It's mentioned throughout the series that one of the fundamental rules of Transfiguration is that food can not be created from nothing but can be multiplied or summoned. Therefore their need to find more food instead of conjuring it seems entirely pointless.

3. The Fidelius Charm

One of the franchise's most powerful spells, the Fidelius charm, hides any secret that has not been shared. Its only weakness is that one individual must keep the secret, and only they can share it. This very spell was meant to keep the Potters safe from Voldemort. Yet, they made Peter Pettigrew their secret keeper, who betrayed them. Why the Potters did not make themselves the secret keeper is not only questionable but genuinely confusing.

2. The Bubble-Head Charm

Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent weeks searching for a solution to the second clue of the Triwizard Tournament. They knew it would mean breathing underwater, but none of the three could find a solution. But then Fleur and Cedric show up on the day and use the incredibly useful bubble-head charm, which apparently no one else could find. The sheer ignorance of such a spell from especially Hermione, seems remarkably out of character.

1. The Marauder's Map

Possibly the most ridiculous plot hole that irritates fans is how Fred and George, who initially possessed the Marauder's Map, never notice Peter Pettigrew always with their younger brother Ron? The map clearly displayed Peter's presence beside Ron, even when alone. It seems unlikely that nobody, including Harry, would have ever connected the dots and realized Ron's rat was actually animagus. But no explanation has ever been given to this frankly gaping inconsistency.