Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we're discussing the history of one of the most infamous spells known to the wizarding world - the Cruciatus Curse and its incantation "crucio". For those of you who may not know, the Cruciatus Curse is one of three of the wizarding world's most formidable spells, which have come to be known as the "Unforgivable Curses". Alongside the Cruciatus Curse, this trio of Unforgivable Curses is made up of the Killing Curse and the Imperius Curse, with the the most fatal curse - and therefore likely the most well known - being the Killing Curse, which is also known by its incantation, "Avada Kedavra". Outside of the Unforgivable Curses,-"Avada Kedavra" may also be the most well-known spell in the entire Harry Potter universe due to its horrifyingly memorable usage throughout the series. After all, this is the incantation used by Lord Voldemort to murder Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter. It's also the spell used in the Dark Lord's attempt to kill Harry himself - not once, but twice - the first of these failed murder attempts occuring when the Killing Curse infamously bounced back at Voldemort, resulting in the demise of his first reign of power in the 1970s and early 80s. The Avada Kedavra Curse once again went awry when Voldemort tried to kill Harry with it during the Battle of Hogwarts almost two decades later. The Imperius Curse, on the other hand, is arguably the least dark and ominous spell of the three. Cast by uttering the incantation "imperio", this curse is used to essentially possess another person and control their actions. So, while certainly not a GOOD spell, it doesn't cause physical harm in the same way the other two do - which I guess makes it less terrifying, and therefore less memorable. This, of course, brings us to the third and final spell of the Unforgivable Curses, and the one that we'll be focusing on today - the Cruciatus Curse. Also known as simply the Torture Curse, the Cruciatus Curse is used by saying the word "crucio". Within the wizarding world it has a reputation as one of the darkest spells, as it causes unimaginable pain to its victim. In fact, the suffering endured at the hand of this curse is so intense and powerful that it typically results in the victim becoming permanently afflicted mentally or physically if they are subjected to it for prolonged periods of time. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing a bit of Harry Potter NEWS- specifically, news pertaining to the possibility of a new Harry Potter TV show. A few days ago reports of this alleged show began flooding my news feeds across nearly every social media platform, and it's been sent to me COUNTLESS times, so I thought I'd add my 2 cents. The headline (which originated on bloomberg.com) reads: Warner Bros. Nears Deal for Harry Potter Online TV Series The article then goes on to detail how and why this new Harry Potter series may happen... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we're discussing the house of Slytherin and whether or not its students are inherently EVIL. First off, I'd like to address...why would Slytherin House be EVIL? Well, throughout the centuries, Slytherin hasn't always had the best reputation. In fact, it started off with a pretty poor one almost as soon as it was founded. This is, of course, because the founding wizard of Slytherin House, Salazar Slytherin had what we might call a rather ... "limited" view of what it meant to be a TRUE witch or wizard. In fact, as one of the four founding members of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Salazar Slytherin indeed advocated for the school to ONLY admit pureblood pupils. He believed that Muggle-born or half-blood witches and wizards were "less than" and shouldn't be permitted access to a magical education such as the one the founding members were offering at Hogwarts. Now, while these views certainly suggest that Salazar Slytherin was a rather prejudiced and narrow-minded wizard, they don't necessarily mean that he was an EVIL man. However, Salazar Slytherin did do a great many other things that bring his character - and inherent evilness - into question. One of the most obvious examples being his creation of the Chamber of Secrets. I mean, what good and sane person puts a gigantic, incredibly dangerous Basilisk with a fatal stare and sideways glance that petrifies people right beneath a school full of children? What good could possibly come out of that? And speaking of snakes, there's also the fact that Salazar was a parseltongue, meaning that he had the ability to speak to snakes and serpent-like creatures. This alone certainly doesn't make him evil - but if you add the fact that almost every parseltongue that we're aware of was pretty evil - like Voldemort and the Gaunt family - it definitely doesn't do Salazar Slytherin any favours in supporting his character.- ...Let's continue See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing Harry Potter and his immense stacks of gold. However, the focus of today's video examines Harry's riches from a bit of a different angle- looking at not JUST how he acquired all of his gold- but also at how much gold he actually had. I've done this with the help of an r/harrypotter redditor that I'll mention later on. To kick things off I'm going to briefly summarize WHY Harry was so rich, then we'll segue in to the sheer volume of gold that young Mr. Potter actually boasted. ...Let's dive in! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're going to be discussing the economic status of the beloved wizarding family, The Weasleys. In a world full of magic where seemingly ANYTHING is possible, it might surprise you to hear that even witches and wizards can face financial hardship. The advent of magical abilities makes life easier (and certainly a lot more interesting) in a LOT of ways, but one limitation of note is that gold CANNOT be multiplied. The result is that even magical families who can do amazing things like fly through the air, summon objects with the flick of their wand, and teleport can find themselves in financial dire straits. Within the novels, there are numerous examples of fan-favourite witches and wizards exemplifying this. But perhaps the greatest example of wizarding poverty (that is alluded to TIME AND TIME AGAIN) is the Weasley Family- the 9 person-strong wizarding family that embraces Harry with open arms right near the beginning of the first book. These 9 family members are Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny.- And what makes their poverty even more evident is the fact that it's constantly contrasted with Harry's massive fortune. We're approaching the wizarding world very much from the perspective of Harry, who has no financial woes whatsoever. Right near the beginning of the first book we're shown Harry's massive stacks of gold in vault 687.- But what I want to explore now is..Why? Why are the Weasleys SO POOR? How is it that they're living in such derelict conditions? They're a pure-blood family with deep ties in the wizarding world, Arthur has a good job at a long-standing wizarding institution, and (seemingly) there's an abundance of family members with the ability to contribute to the family's income. Let's dive in. Are they actually THAT poor? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing a character that you MAY have heard of. I am of course talking about the primary protagonist for the Harry Potter story- Harry Potter himself. Now, ever since the last book came out, Harry has been on the receiving end of a considerable amount of scrutiny- at least, from some of the internet. And I say after the last book came out, because at that stage we had a better picture of the whole Harry Potter story, and everything that Harry had endured.- Before we dive in further let me say this: Harry is a talented young wizard- HOWEVER, what many have criticized the series for doing is essentially giving Harry 'plot armour'. For those unaware, 'plot armour' otherwise known as 'script immunity' or a 'character shield' is essentially a term used to describe a main characters inability to die. The idea behind it is this: the main character is too important to the story to be removed, therefore his/her health/life are safeguarded by plot conveniences. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we're going to be taking a look at muggle/wizard affairs throughout history. When we crack open our history books, and take a look at famous events and conflicts between muggles and the wizarding world, you might be surprised at what you find. Before the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, which was established in the year 1692, wizards weren't exactly unknown. Although, even at that time, many considered the concept of witches and wizards outlandish... There were plenty of people who had firsthand experience with members of the wizarding world. In fact, in different corners of the world, at varying times, entire countries were swept into anti-magic crazes that threatened to destroy almost every magic-using man, woman, and child in their community. Today, we're going to take a look at some of these events, and their long-lasting legacy, as we discuss the history of muggle and wizard affairs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing 5 spells from the wizarding world of Harry Potter- spells MORE POWERFUL than the Killing Curse Avada Kedavra.-- Now, within the wizarding world magic can be leveraged for a wide variety of functions- from help with every day tasks (like cleaning), to picking locks, to teleportation. But perhaps one of the most IMPORTANT uses of magic in a tumultuous wizarding world (that seems to face a new dark wizard every few decades) is the ability to perform martial magic - that is, magic for combat.- Now, in every day context martial magic is not necessary, but it certainly never hurts to be prepared for an invasion of death eaters or dark wizard acolytes, and that's probably why most of these 5 powerful spells were created in the first place. Anyway, I won't dawdle any longer. Without further ado- here are 5 of the most POWERFUL offensive spells in the wizarding world. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing the topic of ancient magic / sacrificial protection in the wizarding world of Harry Potter and the potential reasons why this type of magic isn't used more frequently against fatal spells like Avada Kedavra. To begin with, sacrificial protection is an ancient form of powerful magic, often referred to as a "counter-charm" - which, to be quite honest, makes it sound rather less powerful than it actually is. As rare as it is old, this particular brand of magic appears to come to a witch or wizard's aid rather unintentionally. Simply put, when a witch or wizard chooses to forfeit their life in exchange for the life of someone they love, the spell works its magic, initially shielding their loved one from immediate harm and then forming an incredibly strong and long-lasting protective after-effect. As dying in an effort to save another person's life is seen as the ultimate sacrifice by many, it's no surprise that this particular spell has been known within some communities of the wizarding world as "the ultimate protection". One that may seem rather familiar... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we're discussing the portraits hanging within the hallowed halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While I suppose the EXACT number of portraits lining the walls of this famous building is somewhat debatable - many subjects have more than one portrait and who knows what secret portraits may hang in closets long forgotten - there are around 60 portrait subjects that we DO know about. Over the course of a few videos, we'll cover each and every one of them, diving into who the witch or wizard was, why they have a portrait hanging up in Hogwarts, and anything else of note. Today, we'll kick things off alphabetically, which brings us to the portrait of a wizard who needs no introduction... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing an incredibly scandalous topic: Why Hermione should have been with Harry instead of Ron. For those of you who are primarily fans of the Harry Potter novels, or enjoy both the books and the movies, I imagine that this particular sentiment sparks outrage at the very mention of the idea. On the other hand, for all you movie loyalists out there, I'm fairly certain many of you are likely nodding your heads along in agreement. And it is for this EXACT reason that I'd like to further define today's topic – so that there is no confusion on the matter. That is, I only believe that Hermione should have been with Harry in the FILM adaptation of the Harry Potter series. Now, there are exactly three reasons for why I feel this way, and they ALL revolve around the liberties that were taken with Ron, Hermione, and Harry's characters when translating the books into films. For Harry, the films seem to have removed his wittier, more rebellious side, turning him into a hero with minimal flaws. In the case of Hermione and Ron, the writers simply seem to have taken away a lot of Ron's lines and important moments and given them to Hermione, degrading his character and enhancing hers. As I explain in the other videos, a large component of this may have been to simplify the source of information for the audience. That is, by giving Hermione all of the educational lines in the movies, viewers would clue in that when Hermione was talking, she was often explaining things about the Wizarding World. In my opinion, this was completely unnecessary, and really didn't make all that much sense. For example, while in the books, yes, Hermione was very intelligent when it came to book learning, it was Ron who was the source of information on how the Wizarding World worked. This made great sense, since Ron, a pureblood wizard born into a magical family, had lived in this world his entire life. Hermione, on the other hand, was a Muggle-born witch, who had no idea that the Wizarding World even existed until she received her letter of acceptance from Hogwarts. In any case, I digress...But that's just a little bit of backstory for you on some of the MAJOR differences between the book and film versions of these three main characters. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we're discussing 5 famous Slytherin witches and wizards who went on to make history. Within the wizarding world, anyone referred to as simply a "Slytherin" is a current or former student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who was sorted into Slytherin House upon their arrival at the school.- The House of Slytherin is representative of one of the four founding members of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin, a powerful wizard who believed in magical blood purity and argued that only pureblood families should be offered enrollment at the school. As such, many people associate Slytherins with cruel, dark or simply prejudiced witches or wizards. Unfortunately, this view of Slytherins is further supported by the sheer number of graduates who went on to become entangled with Dark Magic. BUT, it's important to note that that's NOT ALWAYS the case. There are lots of *quote* good witches and wizards who have been former Slytherin students, some of which we'll touch on in today's video. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at five famous Slytherins who made history. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing the 4 founders of Hogwarts- Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff. Specifically, we're going to be tackling the question of WHY these 4 founders weren't immortalized in some way (besides the Hogwarts houses of course). The primary purpose of wizarding portraits in the Wizarding World is to preserve the memory of a person long after they have passed away. This ensures that their knowledge and wisdom can be passed down to future generations. But, unlike muggle portraits or photographs, which merely capture a still image, wizarding portraits can be animated to capture the essence of a person's personality. Often, portraits are enchanted to mimic the behaviour and mannerisms of the portrait's subject.- Hogwarts headmasters are an integral part of Hogwarts history, and so it makes sense that their portraits would be immortalized in this very special way. However, I would argue that the Hogwarts FOUNDERS are an even more important part of the school's history- so, the question remains: why didn't THEY get portraits? Why weren't THEY immortalized? I think the founders portraits would fit just perfectly at the entrance to each common room- or perhaps even in a row overlooking the great hall. It also occurred to me that the portraits of the founders could potentially aid in the sorting ceremony. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing Harry's 'death' from Voldemort's Avada Kedavra in the Deathly Hallows. More specifically, we're going to be diving in and dissecting the nuances of HOW it happened, WHY it happened, and HOW Harry was able to come back to life. To set the scene – we're in the Forbidden Forest and Harry comes face-to-face with Voldemort once again. However, unlike previous confrontations – from his meeting with a fragmented Voldemort attached to Professor Quirrell, to their duel in the graveyard of Little Hangleton – this time Harry does not intend to defend himself or fight back. He's come to die. Fans of the book will remember the chapter as the aptly named "The Forest Again" and movie lovers will certainly know this scene as the one right after Harry sees his dead loved ones through the magic of the Resurrection Stone – one of the three fabled Deathly Hallows. Okay, so what happened? Well, it appears that Harry gets hit with Avada Kedavra- THE KILLING CURSE. It's well reinforced in Harry Potter that 'Avada Kedavra'- a terrible dark curse that is known to emit a blindingly intense green bolt of light, kills people. In fact, the only function of the spell is to kill. So, how is Harry able to come back from it?- Let's get in to it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we're discussing Lord Voldemort and the horrifying guards of Azkaban- Dementors. Specifically, we're going to be taking a look at what would happen if Lord Voldemort himself were subjected to the Dementor's kiss. Let's get in to it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we''ll be addressing all of the rumours surrounding prospective Harry Potter TV Shows and future Harry Potter films. I've been seeing a lot of commotion online and in my own comment section lately discussing the future of the Harry Potter franchise and what may be next. Most likely, these conversations have been re-ignited by the success of the newly released Harry Potter game Hogwarts Legacy. Fans are now wanting additional Harry Potter content more than ever, which puts franchise owner Warner Bros in a good position. Harry Potter is arguably in the best state that we've seen since the original films came out- with previous Harry Potter game and film releases (Fantastic Beasts) succumbing to the incorrigible scrutiny of devote Harry Potter fans across the globe. Finally things seem good. Nature is healing. And with this recent success, I've been bombarded with article after article online boasting about the next big film and/or tv show that's going to fit in to the franchise. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing Harry Potter and Hogwarts Legacy. Most importantly, however, we're going to be looking at where these two worlds diverge- tackling the question of whether or not Hogwarts Legacy should be considered a genuine part of Harry Potter canon. What IS Canon? But now many of you may be asking yourselves- what exactly is canon? And what prior content that's been published under the wizarding world label fits this description? In order to set the stage, I feel that this needs to be appropriately defined. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing Molly Weasley's defeat of Bellatrix Lestrange bearing NEW information in mind from the latest Harry Potter game Hogwarts Legacy. In the Deathly Hallows Molly Weasley, the sweet caring mother, stands up for her daughter and KILLS one of the most infamous Death Eaters in the Wizarding World - Bellatrix Lestrange. We'll be taking a look at HOW it happened and what spells may have enabled this nurturing mother to take down one of the most powerful dark witches in history. Let's dive in. In the Deathly Hallows Part 2 there's A LOT going on. Voldemort is regaining immense levels of power, Hogwarts is under siege from Death Eaters, and the characters we had grown to love over the years suddenly start dropping off like flies. But while The Battle of Hogwarts certainly had a healthy number of fatalities, not all of them were quite so sad. The deaths of characters like Remus Lupin, Severus Snape and Fred Weasley undoubtedly pulled on our heart strings, but we also got to witness the death of some less..favourable characters. One of the most significant being Bellatrix Lestrange. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we'll be discussing the history of the infamous wizarding dynasty - the Gaunts -a family that's recently been brought back to the spotlight by OMINIS Gaunt who is featured in Hogwarts Legacy. This prominent pureblood magical family is sometimes also referred to as the House of Gaunt. You may remember hearing the name here or there over the course of the Harry Potter series, but if you're having trouble putting your finger on why the name sounds so familiar, allow me to remind you. This once proud and powerful dynasty is the ancestral family of the Dark Lord himself, Voldemort.- Let's start from the beginning... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're discussing the history of the British Ministry of Magic. Of course, there are A LOT of things that took place there throughout the Harry Potter series. But today, we'll be focusing on what happened PRIOR to our dear boy Harry showing up on the wizarding scene.- Formed in 1707, the British Ministry of Magic is the main governing body of the magical community of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was created to preserve magical law within Great Britain and represent these countries to the larger Wizarding World. Its formation came as a direct result of the previously created Wizards' Council.- "Prior to 1707, the Wizards' Council was the longest serving (though not the only) body to govern the magical community in Britain. After the imposition of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1692, however, the wizarding community needed a more highly structured, organised and more complex governing structure than they had hitherto used, to support, regulate and communicate with a community in hiding. " This, of course, led to what is now known as the Ministry of Magic.- Let's continue... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we're going to be discussing ANCIENT MAGIC- a phenomenon that has recently become popularized through the best-selling Harry Potter game: Hogwarts Legacy. "A magic this powerful can do great harm in the wrong hands. It must be wielded by a select few." But, what exactly IS ancient magic? How does it differ from REGULAR magic, WHERE does it pop up in the Harry Potter story, and what do we know of its history? All of these questions, and more, will be answered in today's video, so sit back, relax, and enjoy as we peel back the layers of the enigmatic phenomenon known as ANCIENT magic. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're going to be discussing one of the most feared curses in the wizarding world- AVADA KEDAVRA- also known as the KILLING curse. Specifically, we're going to be taking a look at where it came from, who created it, why it's unforgivable, why it may be merciful, and what the very surprising function of this spell may have once been. Let's get in to it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're going to be discussing Hogwarts Legacy and DLC - which stands for 'downloadable content'. We're going to be tackling the important questions like: Is it happening? When is it happening? What type of DLC can we expect? The first thing that I want to address is a quote from Alan Tew - Lead Game Designer at Warner Bros Interactive- which has been circulating around the internet. In this quote, Alan discusses the future of the game and his thoughts on the current state of DLC. The quote was made at the IGN Fan Fest: "We've been really heads down bringing Hogwarts Legacy to life, so at the moment there are no current plans for DLC." Unfortunately the internet ran with this a little too quickly, as his statement invariably sparked the creation of thousands of videos and articles in which the respective authors so proudly titled their new piece of content 'No DLC for Hogwarts Legacy EVER'. ..But, there's much more to it than that. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we're going to be discussing Harry Potter Events in the Medieval Period. Do you know the tale of Godelot the Dark Wizard?-Or the history of early Quidditch?-How about the very first Triwizard Tournament?-If you take a moment, and look back at the history of the medieval wizarding world, you'll find the answer to all these questions, and more. So join me, as we trek back a few hundred years, and learn a thing or two about wizards and witches in the middle ages. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Have you ever wondered... How spells are created? Well, the answer is simpler than you might have guessed. It's all thanks to a handful of extremely cunning witches and wizards, who saw a problem in their life, and tried to create a magical solution. As we look through the historical records of the wizarding world, we find no shortage of famous wizards and witches who have left their mark on magic, and created spells that are still in use in modern times. Today, we're going to take a look at some of the most famous spells, and their creators, as we go over the history of magical inventors. Let's get in to it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.