When the seventh season of Game of Thrones premiered, some fans started speculating about a potential connection between its setting and that of Harry Potter. This is because some people recognized that Archmaester Ebrose was played by Jim Broadbent, who also played Professor Horace Slughorn in the Harry Potter movies. Furthermore, the TV show referenced that fact by having Sam ask Archmaester Ebrose for the right to consult the restricted archives as part of his research into the White Walkers, which sent fans into a moment of amused semi-frenzy.
Is There Anything to It?
With that said, there is no proof of this being anything more than a small bit of fan-service, meaning that it is premature for people to speculate about potential connections between Game of Thrones and Harry Potter. However, those who are fond of speculation should know that the Maesters are a focus for a wide range of theories, which is something that can be said about Oldtown in which they are based as well.
Theories About the Maesters
For example, the Maesters are speculated to have been responsible for suppressing knowledge about magic. In main, this was because of the statement of Archmaester Marwyn, who outright stated that the Maesters were responsible for killing off the last of the dragons following the Targaryen civil war called the Dance of the Dragons. Some might believe Marwyn the Mage to be nothing more than a crackpot, but we have strong reason to believe that the man has real knowledge of magic, as shown by Mirri Maz Durr’s own statement that he taught her at one point. However, we have further cause for suspicion because of Maester Luwin’s statement that magic no longer exists in spite of the fact that he has studied enough to earn a Valyrian steel chain link, which is handed out for magic and nothing but magic. Considering that Archmaester Marwyn was a known promoter of the reality of magic, that is interesting to say the least.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the Maesters are speculated to have been active participants in Westerosi politics in spite of their self-professed neutrality. Although she has not shown up in the TV show, Lady Barbrey Dustin stated her suspicions that the coalition between the Starks, the Baratheons, the Arryns, and the Tullys was the product of Maester influence, which would be in line with theories about the Maesters being anti-magic and thus anti-Targaryen. However, that should be not taken as the absolute truth, both because of her clear biases and because those Great Houses had excellent reasons to be nervous of a king who was slipping into madness.
Theories About Oldtown
Moving on, it is interesting to note that there are plenty of theories about Oldtown as well, though these are much more tenuous because of a lack of information. In brief, the Hightower that stands at the center of Oldtown is said to be made out of fused black stone, which is often seen as a characteristic sign of Valyrian architecture. However, there is no real proof that the Valyrians ever established enough of a presence in Oldtown for them to have raised a tower that stands hundreds and hundreds of feet tall. Furthermore, the fused black stone of the Hightower is bare and unadorned, whereas Valyrian architecture was known for its fantastic decorations. As a result, the curious nature of the Hightower is often a component of theories that speculate about the distant past of the setting, with a particularly interesting example being the one that suggests Deep Ones living in the waters. However, that is a story for another time.
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