Thomas - stock.adobe.com Reading fantasy books is a favorite pastime, and few mythical worlds have captivated readers quite as much as the famous wizarding school in the Harry Potter books. But as fans grow up, the enchanting elements of an education in magic start to look a little less glamorous. In a thread in r/harrypotter, one redditor questions the reality of attending such an unpredictable school: When I was younger, Hogwarts felt like the ultimate fantasy. But rereading/watching as an adult, a lot of everyday Hogwarts life sounds much less magical in reality - no privacy, shared dorms, dangerous classes, moving staircases, public embarrassment built into the school culture, and being sent away to boarding school at 11. What part of Hogwarts life sounds amazing as a kid but would actually be awful in real life? In the comments, redditors point out everything from exhausting daily routines to the lack of child psychology professionals at a boarding school. The physical toll of moving staircases Readers point out the physical stamina required to navigate a giant medieval castle on a daily basis — especially one with magical moving staircases. Comment in r/harrypotter That's the least believable part about the Hogwarts legacy game, that everyone isn't completely caked up from sprinting up and down stairs all day. Comment in r/harrypotter Yeah but imagine trying to leave the astronomy tower if the stairs were escalating up. Neville would end up falling down them for an hour. Comment in r/harrypotter Imagine being muggle born and hearing they have moving stairs, in you head you imagine escalators, but nope, stairs that change paths lol Limited amenities and wandering ghosts Unpredictable ghosts and portraits that constantly observe students make finding a quiet moment to decompress at this boarding school nearly impossible. Comment in r/harrypotter The ghosts just casually popping up wherever. Myrtle proved that this could be when you're in the bath, on the loo, or having "personal alone time". Comment in r/harrypotter Given that there is absolutely no privacy for the students (shared dorms, shared bathrooms, shared everything) "personal alone time" would be very difficult all whatsover. Comment in r/harrypotter Limited access to food. God forbid you’re not hungry at breakfast, or want a late snack while studying The complete lack of real oversight Being sent away at 11 years old is daunting enough, but the absence of emotional support for homesick children would be a real concern in actuality. Comment in r/harrypotter Not seeing your parents for months at the age of 11 sounds terrifying Comment in r/harrypotter Just the fact that there are no support staff, who is helping these 11 year olds adjust to being away from their parents? Making sure they brush their teeth and was their faces and help them if they are upset at night and stuff. Real boarding schools have so much support staff lol Comment in r/harrypotter Real boarding schools certainly don't have a Head of House who is also deputy head and has a full teaching load. They have pastoral care!! A surprisingly incomplete curriculum Learning how to turn a teacup into a gerbil is entertaining, but redditors question how these students function in society without learning core academic subjects. Comment in r/harrypotter I'm just stuck on them not having any "normal" muggle classes. Like... are they going to study literature? Mathematics? A foreign language? I suppose they have science in the form of potions, but what about anatomy, biology, physics, etc.? Because there is no way you are expert enough in any of these topics at 11 to just not need to study them further. And I get that magic replaces the need for some of these areas, but certainly not all. Comment in r/harrypotter 17 sickles in a galleon, and 29 knuts in a sickle (493 knuts in a galleon), and they don’t teach basic math in school. Imagine being stuck behind a Hogwarts grad in a checkout line in Diagon Alley. Comment in r/harrypotter Yes, I always wondered HOW so many kids that grew up in magical households actually COULD read and write? Their first experience with school is Hogwarts, which implies that their parents need to teach them. We know that a lot of parents are not good teachers (ask any kindergarten teacher- it’s appalling how many kids start without knowing numbers and letters at all!) so how can they read, write, do math, have study skills, navigate getting around a school by themselves when they’ve had no practice and it’s huge, know how to sit still, listen in class, raise hands…muggle borns have the advantage there. Maybe that’s why Hermione is so smart (plus her eidetic memory, at least for things she reads) The daily dangers of wizardry and witchcraft The whimsical nature of spells and brews quickly loses its charm when you realize students carry what are essentially unregulated weapons. Comment in r/harrypotter I know there's more lore to it, but I always thought wands are pretty much like guns if you know the correct password. Comment in r/harrypotter And they kinda treat it like that. Magic can be very dangerous, which is why they're so strict about how and when it can be used. And expulsion is a common enough threat for breaking the rules or laws. Comment in r/harrypotter Understanding potions would severely reduce the whimsy. “Just a sip of this potion and your allergies are gone.” “Amazing! How do you make it?” “Just some armadillo bile, crushed up dung beetles, pickled frog brains, grasshopper eyes, spider eggs, and a mold that only grows from a tomato rotting in dead goat. Let it stew for 4 months, scrape the slime up and squeeze it through cloth made of yak hair. Drink up!” Comment in r/harrypotter Transfiguration is terrifying. Someone could just randomly turn you into a rat if they wanted, potentially staying that way for the rest of your life. I guess friends and family would go on a search mission but the chances of being recognised would be essentially impossible. Admittedly, I'm not educated enough on this aspect but I suppose it's temporary or the Ministry would be able to detect your whereabouts and reverse the spell. Still though, even for a minute I wouldn't be okay afterwards. The world of Hogwarts relies heavily on a suspension of disbelief, as real children would require significantly more sleep, emotional support, and foundational academics to survive. Luckily, the magic remains safely contained within the pages of the series. What part of the wizarding world would you want to avoid IRL? Read the full story in r/harrypotter, and find more conversations like this in r/books, r/Fantasy, and r/AskReddit. This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.