Talk:Harry Potter

Voldemort

Can we add the fact evryone callers Voldemort he who must not be named Theonlyapple (talk) 08:36, 14 July 2026 (UTC)

Wikipedia is here only to summarize what reliable sources say on the topic. If you can find such a source, feel free to propose an edit in the WP:EDITXY format, with the source. EducatedRedneck (talk) 11:04, 14 July 2026 (UTC)

Call it children's series in the lead?

@Whynsome has repeatedly attempted to remove the word "children's" when describing the series, despite it being described thus in RS and within the article. Literature critics and the Guinness Book of World Records all describe it as "Children's".

Whysome has again removed the word "Children's" and provide two sources. this one seems to just raise the question "is it Children's, middle grade, or YA?", and this one which actually charactarizes it as a children's series. It also ignores that the lead summarizes the body, which describes it as a children's series. Finally, its main objection is that, the label [of children's] undersells the series as a crossover phenomenon and a YA work per this edit summary. Wikipedia is not here to over or undersell anything, only to report what WP:RS say.

I'd like other editors to weigh in. Should the lead characterize the series as children's? As the prior longstanding consensus was yes, I've reverted it back to say that pending the resolution of this discussion. EducatedRedneck (talk) 17:38, 29 July 2026 (UTC)

Most sources seem to refer to it as, or have it under "Children's Literature", so we should keep it like that (ex. The Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature or Children's Fantasy Literature: An Introduction). Interestingly though, The Oxford Companion to English Literature categorizes the final few books as YA or even adult literature. ARandomName123 (talk)^{Ping me!} 20:21, 30 July 2026 (UTC)

That is interesting. Does it classify the series as a whole, or only its individual components? EducatedRedneck (talk) 21:12, 30 July 2026 (UTC)

As a consequence, her original audience of child readers matured with her characters and gradually the books became young adult novels and arguably, in the case of book six, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005), and book seven, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007), largely for adults, though they continue to have crossover appeal. ARandomName123 (talk)^{Ping me!} 21:57, 30 July 2026 (UTC)

Interesting. I'm starting to think we need to rework the Harry Potter#Genre and style section. There doesn't appear to be any source for it being urban fantasy, contemporary fantasy, or low fantasy. The given source characterizes it thus: The Harry Potter series of children's/young adults' novels... The "boarding school genre" source does not mention the genre, and another fails verification.

The source you mentioned should be included; though it doesn't define the books explicitly as moving towards young adult, it does provide context for other sources which do. And there's a lot of what seems to be OR in there regarding the many genres which could be removed. EducatedRedneck (talk) 02:08, 31 July 2026 (UTC)

Of course we will have to go with what sources have to say about it, but just a remark: the original audience of this series grew up with it as the books and movies were coming out. People who were 10 years old for example when the first movie came out and stayed along for the ride were 20 years old when they went to the cinemas to watch the last movie. Calling it a children's series is a stretch. ContextCreator (talk) 20:28, 4 August 2026 (UTC)

This is why we go by WP:RS. It'd be so easy to argue this either way; Sesame Street premiered in 1969. It is not an senior citizen's show just because the original audience is now drawing retirement, even if they kept watching the whole time. EducatedRedneck (talk) 23:17, 4 August 2026 (UTC)

I clearly said we have to go by what sources said. But aside from that, you also completely missed the point of what I was trying to say. The difference with Sesame Street is that the characters in the movies and books grew up together with the audience here. Again, calling this a children’s series is a stretch. The target audience clearly shifted with the age of the characters and viewers. ContextCreator (talk) 23:22, 4 August 2026 (UTC)

You did say that. You also then began arguing that it's likely not a children's series because of your own reasoning. EducatedRedneck (talk) 23:29, 4 August 2026 (UTC)

You’re asking others to weigh in and this is your response? I’m weighing out. ContextCreator (talk) 23:37, 4 August 2026 (UTC)

I engaged with an argument you made. Why did you make it if you didn't want anyone to address it? EducatedRedneck (talk) 23:45, 4 August 2026 (UTC)

The fact that fans "grew up with it" does not change the genre. Lots of middle-aged women go to reunion concerts by a boy band they enjoyed in their teenage years; this does not change the fact of it being a boy band. The language, plot, characters and themes are all 100% consistent with it being children's literature. Msalt (talk) 15:22, 29 September 2026 (UTC)

Cultural impact

@EducatedRedneck I agree re: article length, when I edited this page I was surprised there is no dedicated cultural impact article. The fandom one certainly is warranted but has a different focus. Spinning one out might be a better way to keep this article manageable. (There's definitely enough reporting to warrant an inclusion though, and NOTNEWS doesn't really apply here) — jonas (talk) 17:19, 11 August 2026 (UTC)

First, thanks for starting this discussion! You're walking the walk of WP:BRD, which I admire.

I'd very much support a spinoff article; Harry Potter has so much coverage about it that I don't think we can do it justice in one article.

In the meantime, my thinking is that what the article is covering happened today. A lot of stuff happens in a news cycle. I don't think we'd argue that Paisley should mention Brenda Morgan publishing a book about that locality, even though there's an article on it. If we wait a week or so, and are still seeing coverage, it's clearly something worth summarizing here. If it's just one day of coverage, and the news story would still make sense if we replaced it with some other book series' character (e.g., Aragorn's grave, or the grave of Anne of Green Gables), it doesn't seem like it's actually Harry Potter that's making a difference.

I've been wrong before, though. If nobody else chimes in, we can put it back in, though I'd like to see what other editors think. If I'm wrong, it'll be useful to know that! EducatedRedneck (talk) 17:28, 11 August 2026 (UTC)

roles?

Who played the roles? ~2026-44638-83 (talk) 00:23, 14 August 2026 (UTC)

See the big banner at the top of the article directing you to the article of the media of your choice. Those articles will have information on their cast. EducatedRedneck (talk) 00:42, 14 August 2026 (UTC)

"Patronus Charm" listed at Redirects for discussion

The redirect Patronus Charm has been listed at redirects for discussion to determine whether its use and function meets the redirect guidelines. Readers of this page are welcome to comment on this redirect at Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2026 September 7 § Patronus Charm until a consensus is reached. Thepharoah17 (talk) 19:46, 7 September 2026 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 29 September 2026

~2026-52271-86 (talk) 07:02, 29 September 2026 (UTC)

Harry Potter is an excellent sigma boy. Twelve years ago the not so skibidi jk Rowling published harry potter. Many people read it to the ay of today. Did you know that voldemort wasn't supposed to be pronounced with a t in the ned. Actually it was supposed to be voldemor according to the author jk rowling the skibidi ohaio rizzler.

 Not done: Nonsensical request. Theeverywhereperson talk here ^{In solidarity!} 07:44, 29 September 2026 (UTC)

I'd call it vandalism, luckily only on a talk page. Msalt (talk) 15:19, 29 September 2026 (UTC)

It is, but the slang overuse did not look lime a typical vandalism edit to me. Theeverywhereperson talk here ^{In solidarity!} 15:25, 29 September 2026 (UTC)