Book Theory Confirmation & Behind-the-Scenes Insights

We’re still a long way off from the premiere of Harry Potter season 1, but I officially feel confident that it will confirm my favorite Philosopher’s Stone book theory. HBO announced early on that this TV remake would be a book-faithful adaptation, with a season dedicated to each of J.K. Rowling’s books. This means that the first batch of episodes will be based on Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Harry Potter season 1 will consist of 8 episodes, which is pretty fantastic. This will be plenty of time to really dive into the story, allowing HBO to include scenes that the Harry Potter movies had to cut. Interestingly, it appears that the TV remake will do a bit more than just bring scenes from the books to the screen. Set images indicate that new scenes will be added as well.

Now don’t worry. From what we can see so far, the Harry Potter remake is only adding scenes that can be considered canon. For example, one set of images shows Dumbledore chatting with Nicolas Flamel and his wife—a scene that wasn’t described in the books but that we still know happened. It’s precisely these sorts of scenes that can confirm some of our long-running Harry Potter theories.

The Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone Dumbledore Theory Explained

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is, naturally, the simplest of the Harry Potter books. Harry is at his youngest here, and his adventures and conflicts are the most innocent. However, later books in the series make it clear that Albus Dumbledore was already busy at work during Harry’s first year at Hogwarts, figuring out how Harry was going to fulfill Professor Trelawney’s prophecy.

Of course, we never get Dumbledore’s perspective during Philosopher’s Stone, so it’s impossible to know from the books what the professor was doing behind the scenes. My favorite theory, in this regard, is that the Hogwarts headmaster orchestrated nearly every major development of Harry’s first year. While it seemed these 11-year-olds figured everything out themselves, it was really Dumbledore.

It’s always been a little too easy for three children to make it through the protections that adult wizards had set around the Philosopher’s Stone.

It’s always been a little too easy for three children to make it through the protections that adult wizards had set around the Philosopher’s Stone. It seems more likely that Dumbledore specifically catered the trials to Harry and his friends. Similarly, the only reason that Dumbledore would have brought the Philosopher’s Stone to Hogwarts was to lure Voldemort there.

This theory suggests that Harry and Voldemort’s meeting in front of the Mirror of Erised was a moment carefully orchestrated by Albus Dumbledore. He wanted to see what would happen—perhaps he even thought that the prophecy would be fulfilled that night. It’s a bit harsh, of course, but we know from Deathly Hallows (and every other book, really) that Dumbledore wasn’t beyond putting students in some danger to test their strength.

Harry Potter Season 1 Set Images Have Me Convinced This Theory Will Be Confirmed

Dumbledore holding baby Harry in Philosopher's Stone

The set images teasing an on-screen conversation between Dumbledore and Flamel are a reassuring sign. They suggest that the Harry Potter TV show will take Dumbledore’s perspective, allowing us to see what sorts of strings the headmaster was pulling behind the scenes.

Though the Harry Potter books suggest that Flamel asked Dumbledore to protect the Philosopher’s Stone at Hogwarts, this doesn’t quite make sense—especially since both men agree to destroy the thing in the end. Instead, it’s likely that Flamel had already decided the time had come for him to die, and Dumbledore (knowing Voldemort couldn’t resist a chance at immortality) asked to borrow the Stone first. A conversation between these characters in Harry Potter season 1 would confirm this.

Of course, Harry Potter season 1 can’t reveal too much too soon. New audiences can’t know about the prophecy, and it mustn’t look as if Dumbledore is being entirely reckless with Harry’s life. However, it can at least be confirmed that this Harry Potter character wants Harry to have a chance to confront Voldemort—the why of it all won’t come until later.