3 Questions That Could Spark Great Stories in the HARRY POTTER Universe

With Harry Potter and the Cursed Child hitting stages next week, I’ve been reflecting on the Harry Potter world. J. K. Rowling has been giving us little bits of details, like confirming Dumbledore is gay, or that there are 11 wizarding schools in her world, for several years now through Twitter, Pottermore, and other releases.

This is, to an extent, awesome! I started reading Harry Potter probably in 5th or 6th grade, and I devoured those books. I was ecstatic when my grandmother took me to see the first movie in theaters! I was angry when Snape killed Dumbledore. Oops, spoiler alert! However, I feel like after 14 years of books and movies, Harry and company deserve to be left alone.

I am excited to hear that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them isn’t taking place in London with the Golden Trio. I don’t think we need more stories of Harry or even wizards in the London area; we already got seven books about that. Instead, here are three questions that could spark great stories from the Potterverse.

1) How do Technology and Magic Coexist Today?

As I already mentioned, I’m a little done with London wizards, so this could take place in America, Canada, Brazil, etc. Also, Harry Potter took place before the internet was huge and before smartphones. How do those things affect wizards? Are wizards a dying breed because they stop using their magic in favor of Candy Crush or Angry Birds? Do they finally allow for pens instead of silly quills? I understand that in Goblet of Fire they explain magic can interfere with electricity and other technology, but have they found a way to use magic and technology? That could be a struggle for a Muggle-born or a squib. They have to do normal school but can’t do their research because mom used magic and crashed their computer. Again.

2) Can Wizards Combine Magic with Martial Arts?

Can you manipulate your magic to enhance your skills and do crazy stuff like in anime? If so, is it based on your martial arts style? Tai chi can be used for water-based magic, while Mantis lets you do crazy acrobatic stunts a la Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Also, do martial arts spells involve wands at any point, or incantations, or just specific movements?

3) How do Wizards Keep Magic a Secret?

I’m sure there’s a team on each of the ministries of magic whose job it is to make sure muggles don’t see paranormal stuff like ghosts or spells. What’s a day in their life like? I can picture it now, a ghost flies by causing mischief, so the team is dispatched to keep it secret. They arrive and thankfully no one has seen the ghost yet, but wait, here comes a couple down the alley. How can we stop them from seeing this thing and freaking out?

These are all stories in waiting that Rowling could explore, make money off of since they’re in the Potterverse, and we are less likely to get sick of the characters if she keeps them varied (Note: we don’t need another seven book series on one wizard, I’d love just one book on each of those stories.) Star Wars was so beloved by fans because it had a core story (the Original Trilogy), and then it had the Expanded Universe allowing for additional stories to those that wanted them. Harry Potter has the potential to be like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. So while I’m not terribly excited to hear the story of Harry’s child, I hope Rowling branches out more like she has with Fantastic Beasts.