10 Times Harry Potter’s Actions Could Have Got Him Expelled From Hogwarts
Harry Potter enjoys many advantages as “The Chosen One,” including interviews with The Daily Prophet and special favouritism from professors like Slughorn and McGonagall. Most significantly, he gains access to the wisdom of Albus Dumbledore. A notable perk of his fame is that Harry often evades punishment for rule-breaking that would have serious consequences for others.
Throughout the first six books and films, there are numerous instances where Harry could have been expelled from Hogwarts. Many actions that would lead to expulsion for any other student are overlooked for him. For example, Harry sneaks into Hogsmeade, the nearby wizarding village, despite lacking a signed permission slip from the Dursleys.
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He uses a secret passage behind a painting to access the village and even runs into Draco Malfoy without facing any repercussions. Later, Harry cleverly finds a loophole when his godfather, Sirius Black, signs his permission slip, though he should have received at least detention.
In ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’, Harry and Hermione help Hagrid smuggle a dragon named Norbert out of Hogwarts. While they technically receive detention for sneaking around at night, the severity of their actions could have warranted expulsion given the dangerous nature of dragons. Additionally, in his sixth year, Harry excels at Potions using tips from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. Although Professor Slughorn is impressed, no one questions how Harry, a mediocre student, suddenly excels.
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Harry’s rebelliousness continues in ‘The Order of the Phoenix’ when he and his friends form Dumbledore’s Army, a group created to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts despite Dolores Umbridge’s oppressive regime. Harry’s many rule violations, like using an invisibility cloak to sneak around or brewing Polyjuice Potion, should have resulted in serious consequences, but he consistently avoids them due to his reputation and Dumbledore’s protection. In essence, Harry’s celebrity status allows him to evade accountability for his numerous infractions at Hogwarts.
–Farheen Ali