The Time-Turners in Harry Potter: A Blessing or a Curse for the Series?

Highlights

Time-turners in Harry Potter may have created more problems than fans would care to admit, as they allow for altering timelines and introducing new actions.

The claim that time-turners cannot create significant problems within the series is refuted by Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, which demonstrates that anyone can manipulate any timeline as they please.

The fact that time-turners were not used to prevent Voldemort raises doubts, indicating that the author may not have considered this concept during the primary conflict of the series.

Throughout the Harry Potter series, fans are introduced to a range of intriguing magical objects and artifacts that both assist and obstruct the heroes. Among these, the time-turner stands out as one of the most significant, playing a crucial role in not just one, but two different Harry Potter stories. This humble device grants witches and wizards the ability to navigate through time at their own discretion.

However, it cannot be denied that while time-turners may appear to be incredibly useful, they have the potential to create more complications than Harry Potter fans may be willing to acknowledge. The Prisoner Of Azkaban, widely regarded as one of the finest movies in the entire series, introduces a contentious viewpoint: that time-turners somewhat diminish the overall narrative. Although there is an in-universe explanation that initially limits their significance, this explanation is later disregarded for the sake of convenience.

What Problems Were Created By The Time-Turners?

Time-Turners present a multitude of problems, which have been widely disputed. While examples in the series attempt to prove that they don't cause significant damage, one must overlook the fact that those utilizing the devices may have no intention of making significant alterations to the timeline. Essentially, the devices supposedly transport individuals back to relive the same events within a predetermined timeline, offering a different perspective. This means that Buckbeak never truly dies in The Prisoner of Azkaban; viewers simply don't witness its survival until later. However, disregarding the inconsistencies that arise from this particular movie, there is no explanation provided for the consequences if a time traveler were to become rogue.

Unfortunately, the much-criticized Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has debunked the explanation that previously kept major issues at bay within the series. According to this story, anyone using a time-turner has the ability to completely alter any timeline they desire at any given moment by introducing new actions. With this narrative being considered canon, the entire series is now subject to intense scrutiny. Even with the caveat that the time-turner used in The Cursed Child is unique, significant modifications could still be made at any point.

Hogwarts faculty could have easily reversed the petrifications in The Chamber Of Secrets and immediately identified the issue at hand. Other significant consequences would have been the potential expulsion of Harry Potter from the Triwizard Tournament, the avoidance of Dumbledore's curse leading to an untimely demise, and even the prevention of his death entirely. With regards to these newly developed time-turners, it is indeed possible that one could have been employed to travel back in time and eliminate Voldemort, although it goes without saying that such a plan would carry an incredibly high level of risk. Essentially, every issue in the wizarding world could have been averted, or alternatively, a malevolent dark wizard could exacerbate every situation with no plausible means to thwart their actions.

Why Weren’t Time-Turners Used To Beat Voldemort?

Considering what we learn about time travel in Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, it's hard to understand why no one would go back and prevent Voldemort's initial rise to power. Dumbledore and others must have been aware of his existence, so there seems to be no valid excuse for not intervening and stopping the evil from growing. Some may argue that the forces of good in the Harry Potter series would never resort to something as terrible as killing a child, but desperate situations sometimes demand extreme actions.

Confronting Voldemort at the height of his power would undoubtedly be unwise for anyone other than Dumbledore. However, it is worth noting that during a significant portion of Voldemort's early life, he was merely a student or even an untrained boy. Given the immense fear Voldemort instilled in the wizarding community, it is astonishing that no one within the Ministry of Magic devised a drastic plan to neutralize Voldemort before he became a threat. Furthermore, despite their potential usefulness, time-turners are rarely mentioned in relation to the Order of the Phoenix's efforts to combat Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

Why Didn’t Voldemort Use A Time-Turner?

The reason why Voldemort didn't use a time-turner is probably because the author of the series wasn't aware of that concept when writing the opening conflict. Time travel can complicate things if it becomes the main focus, as seen in The Cursed Child. Some may argue that the limitations placed on these devices made them insignificant to Voldemort. However, why wouldn't someone so desperate for power try to tip the scales in their favor as much as possible? This same logic could also be applied to Felix Felicis. It's likely that he would have used it, considering he was willing to go to extreme lengths, even to the point of killing a baby who had even a slight chance of becoming a threat in the future.

While not everyone may approve of the changes made to the Harry Potter canon in The Cursed Child, it is evident that Delphini, Voldemort's daughter, inherited her intelligence from a different source. Her mission is to utilize the time-turner in aiding her father's return to power and prevent the unfolding of any significant events from the Harry Potter series. Surprisingly, she almost succeeds in this endeavor. Perhaps, had Voldemort shown a bit more dedication to his quest for wizarding world domination, the most dreaded sorcerer of all time would have been even more feared. Catch Harry Potter now streaming on MAX.