Books and movies are vastly different storytelling mediums. Sometimes, what works well in a book won’t adapt well to being on-screen. Or, other times, movies need to alter things slightly to better show audiences what the scene is trying to get across. The Harry Potter series is no different and has numerous scenes that are in the movies but not in the books.
Some are smart additions, giving unforgettable scenes with emotional weight. Others, less so. Some are even powerful-looking, but are downright confusing and do a disservice to the plot. Interestingly, these larger changes only seem to happen from The Order of the Phoenix and on (most are in The Half-Blood Prince), with the earlier 1–4 movies being relatively faithful to the plot.
Cho Chang Is Made To Betray Dumbledore’s Army
This Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix moment may feel like a small one, but it really does do a disservice to the growth of both Harry and Cho. In a desire to move the story along more quickly, the film makes Cho Chang betray Dumbledore’s Army against her will after being given Veritaserum (truth potion). As a result, the DA turns its back on her, and her relationship with Harry ends without a word being exchanged (although she attempts to explain herself).
In the book, it was her friend Marietta Edgecombe who told Umbridge out of fear that her mother’s position at the Ministry would be threatened by her secret. Marietta was then cursed with pimples that spelled out “sneak” on her face. Cho is disappointed that her friend did this, but empathizes with the position she was put in. Harry does not, and the two grow apart due to their differences, instead of Harry turning his back on someone who was forced to drink truth serum and meanly cutting her out of his life entirely.
The Burning of the Burrow
This moment is a perfect example of a time when a movie thought that a scene needed more excitement visually and emotionally, but it really didn’t. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, this moment happened towards the middle of the movie and showed a group of Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange, flying in to set fires in an attempt to draw Harry out. During this, the Burrow ended up burning down, which was both emotionally devastating for the fans and for Harry himself, leading to further emotional instability for him.
There’s a problem with this scene. Well, there are a few, but there’s one main one. The Burrow has protective enchantments over it, to protect the Weasleys, of course, but also to protect Harry. There’s no reason why the Death Eaters should’ve been able to get even close to the Burrow, let alone burn it down. Also, the movies never truly acknowledge what happens to the Burrow beyond this scene, and it seems to be fully fixed up and functional in the very next movie.
Slughorn’s Story About Lily and the Fish
A moment that was well-acted and well-intentioned, just unnecessary, this scene from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince showed Slughorn telling Harry a story about his mother from when she was a student. He details that she was a favorite student of his, and she had enchanted a lily flower petal to turn into a fish. Slughorn looks wistful and remorseful while talking, and says that one day the fish was gone, and that was the day Lily died.
Truly, this scene didn’t really add much to the characterization of Lily or Slughorn. Viewers already know that Lily was a kind and gifted witch, and they already know that Slughorn has favorite students that he cherishes greatly, if not pompously. More than anything, it feels like a filler scene used to make the actor, Jim Broadbent, shine with his acting skills.
Nigel’s Inclusion in Dumbledore’s Army
The inclusion of Nigel in Harry Potter was an odd choice, as he doesn’t exist in the books and seems to take over plot points from the previously established Gryffindor student, Colin Creevey. It’s never mentioned why Colin never shows up again after The Chamber of Secrets, or why Nigel takes his place; he just shows up in The Goblet of Fire and takes a more significant role in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
It’s also odd that Nigel takes on a few characteristics of Colin, but not all of them. He’s the admiring fan in The Goblet of Fire, seeking an autograph like Colin. In the next movie, he joins Dumbledore’s Army and learns alongside his hero, and he generally pops up now and again throughout the rest of the series. But the movies don’t have Nigel die in the Battle of Hogwarts, as Colin did. Colin’s death hit Harry differently and showed how multiple types of people can be incredibly brave, so why did Nigel take on so many Colin scenes, but not that one?
The Great Hall Confrontation Between Harry and Snape
At times, this Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 scene feels like a good addition to the movies, and at other times it feels as if it was an unnecessary moment that takes away from Professor McGonagall. In the book, Harry is present during this moment in the Great Hall, but is under an invisibility cloak. He does not confront Snape, and instead, McGonagall does, duels him, and drives him out. But in the movie, Harry confronts Snape for his actions, and when Snape pulls out his wand, that’s when McGonagall steps in.
Some fans enjoy the righteous anger that Harry holds during the movie confrontation, as it makes the realization of Snape’s true nature even more tragic down the line. But others point out that McGonagall was robbed of a scene where she decided to take matters into her own hands and prompt the confrontation, guarding all students, not just Harry, and showing how powerful she is with extended dueling scenes.
Harry and Voldemort’s Mid-Air Battle
This part of the movie draws parallels to the battle scene in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. Not because of how the battle looks, but because the book version of events was much more tame than the movie version. It’s also understandable why both movies chose to change the battle scene, in that the visual medium of movies does require more excitement for its viewers, since some things need to be shown, not told.
In the movie battle in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Harry and Voldemort fight throughout multiple parts of Hogwarts, giving a visual layout of the battleground not only for the dueling pair, but also for others in the battle. When Harry grabs Voldemort and pulls him off the edge of a building, the two fight while in mid-flight, creating a highly entertaining visual, although the logistics of the flight seem a bit up in the air – literally.
Hermione and Harry Have a Silly Dance Moment
One of the more controversial add-ins to any of the movies, this silly dancing scene comes during a sad, tense moment in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Ron has left the Golden Trio, and Harry and Hermione are left to deal with the sadness of what it means to lose a friend to anger in the way that they did. Additionally, they lost the support he gave for their quest, which made the journey seem even more daunting.
As a result, this little dancing moment was included to lighten the mood of the scene. Some fans dislike this, saying it went against the book and was too silly, but others love it. In any case, the dance scene was a reminder for Harry and Hermione that, no matter what, their friendship remains strong and that they love each other dearly and platonically.
Dumbledore Is Honored by the Students
One of the most quietly touching moments of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, this moment came immediately after Snape killed Dumbledore and the headmaster fell from the tower and into the courtyard below. Students and teachers gather around him in horror as the Dark Mark streaks through the sky. But, after a few moments, all of the students raise their wands with a light at the tip, and their collective light banishes the darkness away and honors the deceased headmaster.
No, this moment isn’t in the book, and it’s not one that necessarily needed to be in there, but it is still a welcome addition to the movie. Sometimes, movies need scenes that provide more of a visual impact than books had playing out, so this change was small but powerful, and extremely well-placed.
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