How could the surprise-villain thread have been less contrived in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone"?

Throughout Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry is certain that Snape is serving Voldemort, and bulling Quirrell into helping him. At the climax, we learn that Snape is protecting Harry, while Quirrell's master is Voldemort himself.

Unfortunately, Harry's misconception is built up through a series of unfortunate encounters which, in retrospect, are blatantly contrived. These include:

• Harry just happens to hear precisely the right portion of a conversation between Snape and Quirrell.
• Harry hears Quirrell being bullied, but conveniently nothing manages to disclose that Snape is nowhere around.
• Hermione thinks Snape is casting a hex on Harry during a Quidditch game; she just happens to disturb Quirrell on her way to stop Snape, which conveniently stops the hex right when she was expecting.

These developments all depend heavily on being in the precise right place at the precise right time and noticing precisely the right things; when such events are the basis of a climactic plot twist, it smacks of author fiat.

What changes might be made to the story to let Harry's misconception feel better-justified and less contrived?

posted almost 13 years ago

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