I grew up in the Harry Potter generation – I stood in line for the books and movies (even dressed up for several of them); I listened to Harry Potter podcasts (when podcasts were just starting to be a thing); and I obsessively read all of the books, some to the point of breakage. The books had an incredible influence on me growing up and continue to have a special place in my heart. (I also really love this New York Times review of the last installment of the series.)

There are so many things that I love about the books but I don’t think that the books (and movies) are perfect and I know for a fact that there are plenty of problematic things in both. The complete lack of diversity and whitewashing of the series is really problematic and Dumbledore doesn’t really even count a representation for the LGBTQ+ community.

Honestly, some of my favorite things about the Harry Potter universe are some of the head canons, fan theories, and criticisms that reshape the story and characters. I’ve found some really amazing fan theories and criticisms that I wanted to share here:

• PoC!Harry (and why it really makes sense within canon)
• The Main Trio recasted
• Hermione possibly being Jewish
• Apparently all illnesses, disorders, disabilities, etc are just fixed with magic because that’s how much JK Rowling didn’t want them in the series
• This critique of Dumbledore is also A++ material and brings up points about the headmaster I never really considered

[Rachel Rostad – “To JK Rowling, from Cho Chang”]

Headcanons are also so amazing.

• 17 Harry Potter Headcanons That Will Change How You Read the Books
• This Harry Potter fan fic wondering how the series would have been different if the Dursleys didn’t take him in legitimately made me cry

Ultimately, I do still get really emotional about the boy who lived but I also really love all of the critiques, headcanons, what ifs about the writing and the stories. (Don’t even get me started on the inconsistencies in the movies… There are so many.)