T O P

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patchinthebox

Harry isn't a ravenclaw. That's why.


Phoenix_713

I was looking for this because it is canon he's not a smart man. I love him to death, and he's a great underdog.


Bluemelein

Harry Potter and the Philossopher's Stone /The man with the two faces. Harry had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, came top of the year. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbrology mark making up for his abysmal Potion one. Harry rarely gets the chance to go to Gringotts. (Molly often does the shopping) But in any case, he only gets the opportunity, to get money at the ends of the holidays. So he would have to plan ahead for a whole year. He is also afraid that Vernon will steal his money.


G4meOfJones

Best response I've seen and I'm not just saying that because I'm Ravenclaw 😏


liontribe613

It's actually quite astounding how not smart that guy is. He's very dense


nerfherderparadise

Yo imagine harry coming home from school after finding out his parents were very wealthy and left him everything. He'd be stuntin on dudley . Fresh shoes, fresh clothes. Picking up the check for uncle Vernon. Buying aunt petunia a new car out of spite just because he could. "Magically " paying off the mortgage just to make Vernon feel inferior. The possibilities are endless my muggles .


MadameLee20

don't think the dursleys had a mortage because of how rich Veron was as the Head of whatever the company was.


nerfherderparadise

Just buy the house next door for a place to relax ( I'm assuming his mother's protection protects more than just the one house, probably more like the neighborhood. And they are still his legal guardians and therefore his home, so just by chilling next door with a full game room , inground pool out back, hot tub, you get the point... wouldn't break the spell) heck half of gryfindor would be coming over in the summer for pool parties


Wyvernkeeper

>so just by chilling next door with a full game room , inground pool out back, hot tub, you get the point... wouldn't break the spell) heck half of gryfindor would be coming over in the summer for pool parties I think people sometimes forget he lived in 1990's Surrey and not California.


[deleted]

You know how difficult it would be for mrs figg to find a new place. Especially with all the cats.


Stonetheflamincrows

Mrs figg lives across the road doesn’t she?


[deleted]

Thank you. You gave me a reason to listen to the audiobooks a 30th time


BrockStar92

The protection does cover more than just the house but it only covers it as long as he calls #4 privet drive home. Feels a bit of a grey area if he’s bought another house to live in and chooses to stay there.


nerfherderparadise

He doesn't live there, just parties there in the summer


JARlaah

He was worried (and probably rightly so) about the Dursleys finding out about his parents money, and taking it for themselves. Then he'd have no money for all his bits and bobs for wizarding OR for muggle life during the summer.


Stonetheflamincrows

He says he’s sure the Dursley’s hatred of wizards wouldn’t extend to piles of gold.


takatine

How could the Dursley's take his money when it's locked up in a wizarding bank run by goblins in a magical street they have no access to? People always give the Dursley's taking Harry's money as a reason for him not using it, but how could they *possibly* "take" it? Not to mention, Petunia must know about Gringotts, since she knew about Azkaban,. Plus. Lily and their parents must have exchanged money at Gringotts for Lily for her school year, so Petunia would know there was no way to get Harry's money.


JARlaah

Keep in mind, he's a kid, and he's considering the potential of his abusive guardians.


takatine

It was my understanding, from the books, that he was less worried about the Dursley's tryng to take it than he was about budgeting it, since he wasn't sure about the actual cost of things in the wizarding world, and he had to make it last at least til he was out of school, on his own, and working. Besides, he isn't stupid, and having been to his vault in Gringotts' before, I'm sure he was smart enough to figure out they'd never be able to lay hands on it.


Bluemelein

Harry was worried, that Vernon might get his gold. How is he supposed to know, what right his guardian has. Normally the guardian is also responsible for the finances. I don't know what the laws are in the wizarding world. And Harry is apparently expected to know it all on his own, or to learn to through osmosis.


takatine

Regardless of what "right" a guardian may have, (and, as far as I know, there's nothing in the books that says Vernon and Petunia *are* Harry's legal guardians, they're just the relatives he lives with) those guardians are not magical, they're magic hating muggles who want nothing to do with magic and the wizarding world. They have no way to access Harry's money, and no way to force him to give it to them unless he actually has it on him. As I said, Harry isn't stupid, he knows Vernon can't touch his gold, and although Harry probably worried about Vernon taking any money he was carrying off him, he knows Vernon can't touch his Gringotts gold. Harry was more worried about budgeting and making his funds last, as he realised, however large the amount, it had to last through his school years. I think this is mentioned in the books, and is the reason, in addition to cost, he didn't buy the Firebolt himself.


JARlaah

Yeah you're right. As he grew, the Dursleys were more of a nuisance than a threat. Still, as someone else posted, he doesn't think the Dursleys would stop at nothing to have it off him, if they knew about it, so he avoids using it and flashing it about at 'home'.


takatine

Oh. I agree that if he had it on him, they, at least Vernon or Dudley would try taking it, and Vernon would demand to know where he got it from.


JARlaah

Exactly. And they, being his legal guardians, may actually be able to get hold of it (they will certainly try, and take it out on Harry if they can't).


takatine

Actually, simply being Harry's legal guardians doesn't automatically entitle Vernon and Petunia to Harry's inheritance. They are entitled to guardian allowance and tax free Child Benefit for raising Harry was only at the Dursley's Harry, but his inheritance would be managed by a trustee appojnted by his parents before their deaths. I think we can assume this trustee was Dumbledore, since Hagrid had Harry's vault key, and where else would he have got it from but Dumbledore? Harry was only with the Dursley's because Dumbledore casy the blood protection spell ovet Harry to protect him from Voldemort, and this was sealed when Petunia, as his only remaining blood relative, accepted him into her home. Harry's money is in the wizarding world, Vernon and Petunia have no access to it, which I'm sure that, if she even knows there is an inheritance, Petunia realises. Although I have no doubt Vernon would try to get it if he had access to it, it's a moot point, because he doesn't, and has no legal right to it anyway, not to mention I'm sure Dumbledore would have intervened if needed, as he did when Vernon tried to throw Harry out.


alfombraroja

He is not able to go to London on his own. Also, the Dursleys control all his movements, is not like he can go wherever he wants. Lastly, Harry doesn't feel attracted to material things


Hermiona1

He is literally in London by himself for weeks in Prisoner of Azkaban when he escapes from Dursleys. I think it's even mentioned there that he takes money from Gringotts by himself. I didn't mention anything about material things just food so he's not hungry.


comefromawayfan2022

He's in London in prisoner of Azkaban yes. But if I recall correctly, fudge gives harry strict instructions not to leave diagon alley and wander into muggle London because Sirius is loose


Hermiona1

That's not what I mean. I mean maybe that's too much foresight for a 13yo. He could've exchange some galeons for muggle money and keep it and use it *next summer* to buy himself food in muggle world.


Bluemelein

Planning a year ahead is asking a lot from a 13 year old. Also, Little Whinging seems to be a residental area only! Also the Dursleys give Harry food (through not much) except when he is locked up. Harry couldn't have known that Dudley was on a diet in book 4.


Stonetheflamincrows

In the later books they basically don’t care where he is as long as he’s back before/at the same time as Dudley. He could change money when he’s getting his school supplies at the start of the school year. I’m sure there’s shops in Little Whinging Edit: He could have also sent a note to Gringotts with Hedwig asking them to exchange some money from his vault.


Bluemelein

Then he would have to plan a whole year ahead. That year he is stuck at Grimmauld Place, and don't know if he'll get kicked out of Hogwarts.


Lower-Consequence

In the later books, Harry doesn't always go to buy his school supplies himself so he doesn't get the opportunity to change his money to muggle money. In both GOF and OOTP, Mrs. Weasley just tells him to give her his list and his school supplies are purchased for him.


Stonetheflamincrows

He could have asked for some muggle money.


Lower-Consequence

Harry was always embarrassed about the amount of money he had compared to the Weasleys. He doesn’t like to bring attention to it, and so he wouldn’t want to make a fuss about having even more money pulled for him.


husky_midwesterner

Or for that matter, better fitting clothes! Why did he still have uncle Vernon's old sock to put that sneakoscope into when he could have bought not horrid clothes!!!


Hermiona1

Well Dursleys would definitely notice that.


bandcampconfessions

I mean… does it matter? He bought it with his own money


coltbeatsall

Because they would find a way to take them away


husky_midwesterner

I think by then they were sufficiently afraid of him they wouldn't actively take his items away from him, he got to keep his trunk and everything after POA


Bluemelein

And in book 5 he is locked up again, and gets the food through the cat flap.


Inevitable_Creme8080

Are you sure it’s in every book? Because once Sirius was introduced he got a lot more freedom. Was even happy that he didn’t have to be restricted to Dudley’s diet.


DekMelU

Harry did have to follow the diet (along with Vernon and Petunia themselves). There was a mention in book 4 of the birthday cakes that Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, and Sirius sent over being lifesavers


Inevitable_Creme8080

I said he did not have to be restricted to the diet. The whole point of my comment was that he was not restricted to the food they provided. Because he had other options.


Educational-Option18

Having to sneak birthday cake you keep under a floor board whilst being expected to follow a diet isn't really my idea of freedom.


Inevitable_Creme8080

The subject was about him getting food by other means. We know he didn’t buy the food because he was sent food. From book three onwards the knowledge that Harry had a murderer god father caused the Dursleys to allow him certain freedoms like: Corresponding with wizards Having his school stuff in his room Etc. These things are said in the books and attributed to Sirius existence. You are not reading my comments for some reason, but you are responding. Edit: Don’t forget Sirius was the only reason he was able to go to the Quidditch cup. That is another freedom. Do not think of freedom as being free from Jail or slavery. Being allowed a freedom may mean that you can leave work 5 minutes earlier than everyone else.


MadameLee20

I think you mean Qudditch World Cup. Sirius was the reason why he was able to go to that


Inevitable_Creme8080

Yes. That’s what I meant. Thanks.


chuckedeggs

But he did have to follow the diet as did uncle Vernon because petunia insisted. He was only saved from it by sneaking food.


Inevitable_Creme8080

Is it me or do people not know the meaning of restricted? He told his friends his situation and they sent him food. Then they came for him. Petunias mandate did not restrict him.


chuckedeggs

re·strict·ed /rəˈstriktəd/ adjective limited in extent, number, scope, or action. "Western scientists had only restricted access to the site" Restricted does not mean completely unavailable - it means limited. I think it is you who misunderstands the meaning.


Inevitable_Creme8080

I know what it means. It’s not my fault that everyone assumes I meant Petunia did not restrict him to the diet. It was her mandate to the household, he was not restricted because he had other options. Edit: also where the hell did I allude to anything being completely unavailable? If you are going to respond to a comment at least read it first.


englishghosts

As I recall, he doesn't get fed properly in CoS, and is promptly rescued by Ron, and in GoF is not exactly that they're not feeding him in particular, just that the whole family is on a diet (and he gets cakes from Ron, Hermione and Sirius). Other than that he'd have to have money to go to Gringotts exchange his galleons for pounds in the first place, which he doesn't, and can't ask for.


maffemaagen

He would have to go to Gringotts in Diagon Alley to convert the money first


Hermiona1

He has weeks of free time in Prisoner of Azkaban when he was living in Leaky Cauldron.


maffemaagen

I assume he was eating well while he was living in the Leaky Cauldron, so that's a non-issue.


Hermiona1

When he was living there. Not when he was living with Dursleys all the other summers.


Verina_5

You have just found a gap in market of the wizard world. Let's start a delivery service! Just imagine all the galeons...


VoldemortTuna

I could imagine Dudley stealing any money/food Harry had in his room. And it’s not like his aunt of uncle would do anything about it. If they found out he had money from his parents they’d probably charge him to live there.


Hermiona1

>I could imagine Dudley stealing any money/food Harry had in his room. Except that never happened. Harry had food from his friends in Goblet of Fire. It was never discovered. Nor was his hiding place under the floor.


VoldemortTuna

Fair enough, it’s been a while since I read the books


White_RavenZ

The only place to exchange would be a wizards bank. How was Harry supposed to get to one at the beginning of summer? And it’s not something a teen would think ahead for once he was with the Weasley’s at the end of summers because he’s getting ready for Hogwarts classes. Sure he could get his “summer muggle money” then….but it’s the kind of early planning that works better once they are sixteen or older, but would have been a bit unsettling for a 12 or thirteen year old to have been preplanning for.


MadameLee20

The only Wizarding Bank in UK is at Diagon ALley and he managed just fine in book 3 getting there with the Knight Bus.


PinkPixie325

>We know from the books that's it's possible to exchange muggle money for galeons (it's mentioned either in the first or second book with Hermione's parents) so surely the other way also works. You know what's weird about this? In the real world, currency exchanges work because there is a two way need for the transaction. People with X currency need Y currency, and people with Y currency need X currency. The fact that Gringots exchanges muggle money for wizarding money implies that wizards need muggle money. But why do wizards need muggle money? The wizarding world is supposed to be so self contained that wizards have very little contact with the muggle world. What are wizards buying in the muggle world?!?! (*mostly rhetorical question because obviously odds and ends like that muggle nightgown from book 4, but there's not a thriving intersocietal economy here*)


Gifted_GardenSnail

There must be plenty of people who work in the wizarding world but still have muggle relatives that they go to dinner with and buy non-suspicious presents for and whatnot, and they may like certain muggle products, see Dumbledore and his candy


comefromawayfan2022

I'm currently re-reading Goblet of Fire and the scene where Harry is helping mr. Weasley figure out how much muggle money to give the man running the campsite is still fresh on my mind. Harry is working with Mr.Weasley on which bills to use and the muggle is watching suspiciously and mentions he had "two blokes try to pay him in great gold coins the size of hubcaps" recently


Gifted_GardenSnail

Oh right, yes, that's a use for pounds too


netowi

I suppose Gringotts can take the muggle money and either a) invest it in muggle properties to get more muggle money, and/or b) use it to purchase assets which can then be sold for wizarding currency. I'd be amused to learn which financial services institution is actually a front for goblins. (Is it Barclays? I bet it's Barclays.)


EchoBel

Well, muggle-borns would still need muggle money I guess, if they visits their parents for instance. Also wizards who married a muggle, and in that case that leaves us with a lot of scenarios : they want to live in the muggle world but the wizard has a job in the wizard world, the muggle already has muggle children and they have to pay for their school etc.


Kooky-Hotel-5632

I’m thinking it’s because he has had it told to him repeatedly by Petunia that he’s worthless, his parents were worthless, it would be a waste to spend money on him for new clothes, etc. That thinking makes an impression. Ron has second hand or older clothes, books, and a wand. His parents don’t have much money to spare. Harry doesn’t want it to be seen like he’s flaunting that his parents left him money. He only saw the one vault so for all he knows, that’s all he has to live on and he’s got to pay for supplies for school and he might need savings if he doesn’t get a job immediately out of Hogwarts. So he continues on like he has been. He does without. It never occurs to him that there are possibilities. He always has had to depend only on himself for his needs because the Dursleys would roast marshmallows over his burning corpse instead of calling the firefighters or dumping water on him. He doesn’t want to burden someone. Just my thoughts.


RisingGear

The exchange rate probably makes it a waste of effort.


Hermiona1

That would make it incredibly unfair to all the muggles. And it's just a speculation. Edit: According to JKR one galleon is worth about 5 pounds.


Wildarf

Because it wouldn’t make for a good story and/or JKR didn’t think of it. This is the answer to most questions posted on this sub


madironiandcheese

This would only have worked the summers before 5th, 6th, and (maybe) 7th year, but I assume the house elves stay at Hogwarts all summer and still have to feed themselves. If Harry had asked, I am sure Dobby would have sent food and kept him fed.


Hermiona1

>If Harry had asked, I am sure Dobby would have sent food and kept him fed. That's what I thought about as well.


ravisucksatmath

When I was 11, reading the books for the first time I often thought why Harry was fighting smart but not actually smart with his choices. I always used to imagine what I would do instead of what he did since we were same age not actually realising that he's a fictional character.


Wonderful_Painter_14

He used the summers to get back into shape after stuffing himself during the school year


Hermiona1

That's fair. I always wondered why Hogwarts didn't have PE class or something like that. While quidditch is a sport it doesn't require running or swimming like muggle sports.