*Shrugs* Look it up. It's a bit counter-intuitive, but apparently there's quite a bit of math and theoretical physics to back the theory up.

Something to do with how subatomic particles can be in many different places at the same time, which means, after a series of deductions and mathematical models that are waaaay over my head, that every moment where something could have gone differently, a parallel universe branches off in which it did go differently. According to the theory, there are trillions upon trillions of parallel universes in which everything is the same- except that an atom of oxygen interacted differently with anther atom of oxygen 10,000 years ago, or that you decided to tie your shoelaces differently last tuesday.

Where it gets interesting is the part about the oldest parallel universes. Even the slightest change during the big bang could have had tremendous consequences not just for the shape of the universe, but for the very laws of physics. If the theory is true, one could plausibly extrapolate that, if the laws of physics are different in some universes, then it's highly possible that there's a universe (or several) in which HP (or Star Trek, Dresden Files, Naruto, etc...) is real.

Reverse time travel, because you would be making something go differently, would result in the creation of a new universe with a history identical to that of your original universe, up until the moment of your arrival.

 

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I'd agree with the OP that if they tried this at my high school, there would have been a competition to see who got the lowest score. People would have been trying to see if it would be possible to have negative points. I could also see a group literally picking a number and trying to see if they could keep it at that number all year long.

Maybe it's just me coming from a public school background, but I honestly can't think of anyone I knew in high school who would have given a shit about something like this. Actually I take that back, I can think of a few, but they likely would have been laughed at for trying so hard and someone likely would have caused their points to be wiped out within minutes.

The one thing that always got me though is that there doesn't seem to be any reward at all for winning the House Cup besides having the Main Hall decorated with your house colors at the end of the year feast. It makes me wonder why anyone bothered to try at all.

 

As McGonagall says in PS Houses are the students family whilst at Hogwarts. For 7 years they spend more time with their Housemates than with anyone else. Obviously there must be a sense of pride, and desire to prove oneself to ones own family.

 

Just because she says so doesn't make it true. If the houses are Rowlings concept of 'non-blood family', it's truly and utterly pathetic.

 

Thank you. I was about to say the same, but I checked to make sure no one else already had, and you- obviously- already had.

Oh, and there is a reason why most fanfictions never even broach the subject of House Points- unless said fanfiction is a 7 year (or rather, usually less than 4) AU rewrite:

Besides in the first book when JKR needed them for a few plot devices, or when Snape takes them, none of the characters, whether main or background, really care when points are taken.

 

Please note that losing points is also coupled with alternative punishment. The students that don't give a shit spend their evenings helping the janitor or the half-giant groundskeeper, that will MAKE them care. Even if very few will go out of their way to earn more points even fewer will make the effort to sabotage them.

 

My criticism doesn't only apply to canon, where it is admittedly treated differently all the time, but also to fanfiction - which started my rant.
Especially as it's often used as a reason for why someone is mobbed by his/her classmates. I just thought that this would be the least likely reason why anyone would get mobbed/ostracised in any school environment I've ever experienced.