Probable Potter Hypotheses

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J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter is something nearly all of us grew up on. It has naturally developed its own subculture, a big part of which resides in Internet fan theories. Some fans have taken reading between the lines to a whole new level, touching on everything from Dumbledore being a time-travelling Ron Weasley, to Draco being a werewolf. Here are some fan theories you may not know about.

Ginny won Harry's affection through a love potion

For: This theory is based on the fact that Harry didn't return any of Ginny's affections until book six, at which point things blossomed quickly. After waiting nearly five years for Harry to pay her any mind, who can blame her for trying to sway the odds? A love potion wouldn't have been difficult to come by either. Ginny could have gotten her hands on some bottles from Fred and George's joke shop. Even Molly Weasley admitted to having brewed a love potion in her time at Hogwarts. The Weasley clan has an affinity for manufacturing love.

Against: This theory can be quickly discredited when we look at how Romilda's love potion affected Ron in Slughorn's office. He was verbal about his infatuation and clearly under the influence of a potion, whereas Harry fights with his feelings for Ginny throughout the entire book, worried about ruining his friendship with Ron. Finally, the potion smells different to each person, according to what attracts them, and what Harry smells is the scent of Ginny. It may be an abrupt romance, but there are passages to suggest that it's true love.

The Peverell brothers are still alive

For: If the name doesn't ring a bell, these brothers were the original owners of the Deathly Hallows, whose untimely deaths are destined to be repeated throughout history. The first brother, who sought power through the wand, is Voldemort. He wanted to vanquish all his enemies, and in the end died because of his own pride. The second brother, who sought his lost love through the stone, is Snape. He wanted nothing but to be reunited with Lily, to hold onto whatever remained of her, and thus protected Harry until his death. The final brother, who took off the cloak and greeted death as an old friend, is Harry. In book seven Harry willingly dies at the hands of Voldemort and is greeted in the afterlife by Death in the form of Albus Dumbledore, an old friend. The parallels between these main characters and the Peverell brothers are uncanny, but there are some discrepancies over who the second brother is.

Against: Voldemort and Harry each had their respective Deathly Hallow at one point (the wand and the cloak) but Snape, who is supposed to be the second brother, never had the resurrection stone in his possession. So who did? Why, Dumbledore of course. When Albus found the stone, in his haste to resurrect his late sister, he accidentally activated a hex placed on the stone, which inadvertently sealed his fate. Knowing he was doomed anyways, he arranged his own death to save Draco from Voldemort, which could be argued as a kind of suicide.

Dumbledore is a time-travelling Ron Weasley from the future

For: For whatever reason, Ron has gotten himself stuck in the past and has grown up to be this mythical all-knowing plot device who constantly gets the main characters out of jams. Clearly Albus' omnipotence can only be explained by time travel. There is little evidence to support this claim but alas, people are clinging to it. The characters are both natural red heads, have big hands and both injured their left leg at some point. Dumbledore also claims to have enjoyed Bertie Bott's candy in his youth, despite being born 54 years before Bertie Bott himself. The final bit of support to this theory is that Dumbledore sees himself holding woolen socks in the Mirror of Erised. This might be a nod to missing his mother, who always knit him woolen clothing for Christmas.

Against: These facts are most likely coincidence and clerical errors as Dumbledore has an extensive background history woven throughout the books and J.K. Rowling's Pottermore website. He didn't merely pop out of thin air at the age of 100 and become the headmaster at Hogwarts. In Dumbledore's back-story, he was always an incredibly gifted wizard, considered to be the finest student ever to graduate Hogwarts. Ron, on the other hand, isn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. Not to mention that Ron marries Hermione at the end of the series, which doesn't really mesh with the fact that Dumbledore is gay.

The Dursleys aren't actually evil

For: It's a hard concept to swallow but hear me out. The Dursley's were unpleasant people to begin with, but after a decade of living with Harry it's not entirely their fault; the kid was a Horcrux. In the second book we see how Tom Riddle's diary possesses Ginny without her realizing, and in the seventh book we see Ron slowly lose his mind to Voldemort's ring. Horcruxes can drive anyone into madness; now imagine how warped a person would be after living with one for 10 years. If anything, the Dursleys should be commended for not being admitted into a mental asylum. The Dursleys are insufferable, but is it completely their fault?

Against: This theory falters a little when we consider Harry Potter's dorm mates. Why didn't any of them go mad after living so close to Harry for the school year? Why were Ron and Hermione not at his throat after seven years of friendship?

Draco Malfoy is a werewolf

For: It might not be common knowledge, but Voldemort frequently employed the werewolf Fenrir Greyback to ensure people followed his will. If a person happened to fail the Dark Lord, Fenrir Greyback would happily turn their children into werewolves as punishment. Who do we know that's repeatedly failed Voldemort? Lucius Malfoy. This would presumably make his son, Draco, a prime candidate for becoming a werewolf. In the later books, Draco's deteriorating health is attributed to the stress of being a Death Eater, but perhaps it has more to do with his furry affliction.

Against: The only counterpoint to this theory is that Draco doesn't have a werewolf-y name. J.K. Rowling took great care in naming the two prominent wolves of the series, Lupin and Fenrir. Lupin is a derivative of the Latin word lupus, meaning wolf, while Fenrir comes straight out of Norse mythology. Legend has it that Fenrir was the wolf monster son of Loki, the trickster god. So what does the name Draco have to do with werewolves? Nothing. In fact, if we're going to rely on names to dictate a person's magical form, then Draco Malfoy might be the first undercover dragon to ever attend Hogwarts.

Harry freed Nagini in book one

For: It is rumoured that Voldemort's pet snake and Horcrux, Nagini, was first set free by Harry during book one. This theory has gained its acceptance due to a falsified quote of J.K. Rowling, and is one of the few theories with hard evidence against it.

Against: The snake freed in book one is a boa constrictor, while Nagini is a viper. If this isn't enough proof, Voldemort underwent extreme measure to conceal each of his Horcruxes, so why would he leave this one in plain sight where anything could happen to it?

While it may be fun to seek out these fan theories, and even more enticing to believe in them, at the end of the day we have to remember that they are just theories. If you have a craving for more canon Harry Potter content, try reading Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them or The Tales of Beetle the Bard. If that's still not enough, perhaps make an account on the Pottermore website. Just remember these wise words before continuing on your magical adventure:

“Never insult Albus Dumbledore in front of me,” — Hagrid.