
So it only took me a couple decades, but I finally finished the Harry Potter book series. Partially because I wanted to see why everyone uses it as a stand in for their politics, and partially because I needed something to clean Trigger Warning by William Johnstone (RIP) out of my brain.
I can't say I was expecting what I ended up finding. Of course we've known since book 2 that there is an entire slave race with magic that far outstrips the human wizards and witches, but Book 7 takes us even deeper into the fascism of the humans when we learn that all magical beings are banned from using wands, which somehow focus and enhance magic. Grimhook the goblin tells us all about this, as well as the various uprisings from his race, against the humans and the ministry of magic. Rightfully so, I'd think.
Then we learn the sword of Godric Griffendor was made by goblins, and the very ownership of said sword is in question. Was it stolen? Was it gifted? Do the goblins deserve to have it back as is their custom after a buyer passes on? All these questions are pondered for about seven seconds before Harry starts plotting a way to trick Grimhook so they can keep the sword for themselves to destroy the horcruxes.
Let's be honest, if it wasn't for stolen treasures, what would the British fill their museums with?
The story itself of good vs evil is perfectly fine, but the world building foundation mixes the blood of "lesser" races in with the stone. "Mudblood" is a horrible insult, but only to humans. Humans can't stand the idea of wizards being divided into class warfare. But the slave class? The banker class? The merpeople and the Centaurs? Fuck em. No wands, no training, and it's prison for you if you dare disobey your human overlords.