Exactly, what part of my post did you get the idea that I did not enjoy what I read,
dwndrgn?
This is just plain observation how JK Rowling seems to have borrowed lots of ideas from previous works, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy Harry Potter. I am part of that fandom, and have written many successful fanfics for it.
Comparing written pieces to Chili is really not the analogy I'd use, but let us use it for purposes of the debate which you have opened. The reason why there are so many versions of Chili (while non can claim ownership as being THE ORIGINAL) is because everyone's palate is different and therefore many, "season" their Chili's, "To taste". But then again, it's still Chili, there's no patent for recipe's so no one can can lay claim that someone copied someone else.
Literature, especially original works of fiction, might get into an entirely different avenue as far as scrutiny is concerned, because stories are copyrighted original works of the Author. So readers are prone to notice similarities - no matter how small they are.
That's why there is a law against plagiarism but no law against recipe modification.
I don't read anything I don't enjoy. When a book is not to my liking I give it away or burn it.