Since it first began in 1997, the Harry Potter franchise has offered fans a magical refugee from the real world. Everyone wants to belong to the wizarding world and visit places like 12 Grimmauld Place, Diagon Alley, and, of course, Hogwarts. However, this extraordinary universe is also plagued with dangers no one should have to deal with.
The wizarding world is far from a safe place. From shady potions to murderous creatures coexisting with humans, it's full of absurd and live-threatening aspects each wizard and witch tends to underestimate. When considering the reality of living in this universe, fans soon realize how the muggle world is a better place.
10 Although Efficient, Transportation And Communication Methods Are Impractical
Throughout the seven books and eight films, Harry learns all about the wizarding day-to-day customs and their super useful objects. For instance, they mostly communicate using owls, and they move from place to place using portkeys and the Floo Network.
Although these systems take them wherever they need to go very quickly, they also have several problems wizards haven't solved. For example, an owl can only carry a limited amount of letters, so communication in this way is pretty slow. Additionally, according to Harry, portkeys and the Floo Network are particularly uncomfortable modes of transport.
9 Quidditch Could Easily Kill A Player If They're Not Careful
Quidditch is one aspect of the Harry Potter universe fans would love to be real. This broom-based sport, which is played with four different balls at a time, sounded like a blast from the moment Oliver Wood introduced it to Harry during his first year.
However, it's also incredibly dangerous. Not only is it played in the air, but Quidditch players barely wear any protective gear during a match. Additionally, two out of the four balls in the game are literally meant to hurt players. As a result, it feels like a poorly regulated sport.
8 Nobody Learns Common Subjects At Hogwarts School
One of the coolest things about Hogwarts is its curriculum. From their first year, wizards and witches learn about interesting subjects such as Transfigurations, Potions, and Charms. These classes help them develop skills for their daily lives in the wizarding world.
Unfortunately, they don't get to learn anything else. Considering the education system starts at Hogwarts when they're eleven years old, wizards and witches are probably homeschooled by their parents, who were likely homeschooled as well. This means those in the wizarding world must be incredibly ignorant when it comes to basic stuff like math or reading.
7 Several Meals And Ingredients Have Weird Consequences In The Harry Potter Universe
One of the most interesting things about the Harry Potter universe is its gastronomy. Whether it's snacks, dishes or drinks, the wizarding world has a lot of interesting edibles. While some are just regular meals (even inspired by British cooking), others are magical, which isn't always a good thing.
There are many meals with disastrous consequences in the Potterverse. These include the Canary Creams, which turn people into a bird for a while, and the Ton-Tongue Toffee, which elongates the consumer's tongue. Although these products have short-term effects, the possibility of having to go through a bad experience when eating something in the wizarding world is too high.
6 They Have No Electricity Or Technology
Thanks to magic, most of wizarding society's needs have been met. As a result, they haven't had to invest in scientific progress, which also explains why they don't use man-made materials like plastic or have any kind of technology. They don't even have electricity. In fact, their culture seems like it's straight out of medieval times.
This is probably the worst thing a fan from the 2020s would have to endure when living in the wizarding world. As muggles, fans are way too used to having technology at their fingertips, especially in recent decades. Even if the wizarding world doesn't need it, anyone raised in a world with electricity would miss it eventually.
5 There's A Very Strong Social Hierarchy In The Magical Society
One of the main topics of the Harry Potter books and films is social disparity. The main villain, Voldemort, wants to eradicate muggle-born wizards, and he isn't the only one. In fact, many pure-blood wizards and witches consider themselves superior for their exclusively magical heritage. Additionally, the series explores house-elf slavery and squib social stigma.
The magical society has a very pronounced hierarchy when it comes to races. Wizards and witches consider themselves better than other creatures, which has led to the very unfair treatment of those in underprivileged positions.
4 Magic Is Incredibly Dangerous If Misused
During their fight against Voldemort, Harry and his allies learn about several helpful resources. Sadly, those same resources are useful to evil wizards too. For example, Polyjuice Potion is an excellent tool for gathering information from Malfoy in their second year, but it also allows Barty Crouch Jr. to conceal his identity for a whole year.
These kinds of powerful potions are very common. Besides Polyjuice Potion, there's also Veritaserum and Invisibility Potions, not to mention the Invisibility Cloak or the Marauder's Map. These objects give any wizard a lot of power, so when they're in the wrong hands, they're murderous.
3 The Wizarding World Is Full Of Dangerous Creatures
Like everything else, animals in the wizarding world are incredible, especially when compared to muggle fauna. For instance, some of them have useful abilities, like the Phoenix, whose tears can heal. Others, like unicorns, have blood that keeps a person alive, even on the brink of death.
However, this perk is also a problem. Since these creatures are super powerful, they often pose a threat to humans. For example, the basilisk can kill with only a look while Blast-Ended Skrewts, which are manticore/fire crab hybrids, shoot fire from their rear ends. Sadly, even magic can't save someone from getting hurt if they're too close to one of these beings.
2 It's Way Too Easy To Control, Torture And Kill Someone
During his fourth year, Harry learns about the Unforgivable Curses, which are three completely illegal curses only criminals dare use. First, the Imperius Curse, which allows wizards to control others, then the Cruciatus Curse, which is used to torture people, and finally the Killing Curse, which Harry himself survived as a child.
While these aren't the only dangerous spells in the Potterverse, they're certainly the worst. The idea of living in a society where a simple world could control a mind, make a person feel the worst pain imaginable, or simply die, is one of the scariest things in the wizarding world.
1 The Muggle World Is Mostly Safe From Voldemort
Tom Riddle showed an interest in the dark arts from a young age. As he matured, his talent for magic and his resentment towards his own heritage turned him into a full villain. After he changed his name to Lord Voldemort, he became the most dangerous wizard of the 20th century.
The best part about being a muggle is living in a world without Voldemort. Although the wizard's plan includes conquering the muggle world, and he has murdered many muggles, Voldemort isn't a constant threat in the non-magical world like he is in the wizarding one.