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It’s natural to think that when you’re translating a book into a movie, something will eventually get cut. More often than not, the films cut out a lot of what the books spend heaps of time setting up for the reader.

This was, of course, inevitable in the Harry Potter series. You know, Harry Potter, the wizard with the scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead? Yeah, the movies left out a lot of context and subplots.

Throughout the seven books, there’s a number of facts and scenes that are never mentioned in the movies that the fandom agrees is a huge shame. The absence of some of these is more significant to the plot than that of others, but, overall, people missed these tidbits in the movies.

Bored Panda has collected some of the best facts in the Harry Potter universe that are mentioned in the books, but were unfortunately not included in the movies. Vote and comment on the ones you like the most in the list below!

Oh, and spoiler alert! Some of the things you’ll read in this article will spoil some things if you haven’t read the books.

#1

House Elves Were Combatants In The Battle Of Hogwarts And Fought Against The Death Eaters

House Elves Were Combatants In The Battle Of Hogwarts And Fought Against The Death Eaters

The Battle Of Hogwarts was an epic final battle in the Second Wizarding War that included a bunch of combatants. One particular group of fighters was never shown in the movies, particularly the house elves who came rushing out of the kitchen, brandishing knives and fighting the Death Eaters.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish they put this in the movie. It helped show that the house elves arent inherently weak and submissive and that they can fight if they need to. ALSO IT IS TOO SOON TO SHOW ME DOBBY

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#2

Neville Longbottom Could Have Been The Child Of Prophecy Instead Of Harry Potter

Neville Longbottom Could Have Been The Child Of Prophecy Instead Of Harry Potter

Neville was actually one of two infants who were referred to in a prophecy made by Professor Sybill Patricia Trelawney regarding the person with the power to defeat the Dark Lord. However, Voldemort chose to target Harry instead.

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#3

Before Severus Snape Kills Dumbledore, Dumbledore Paralyzes Harry And Throws The Invisibility Cloak On Him

Before Severus Snape Kills Dumbledore, Dumbledore Paralyzes Harry And Throws The Invisibility Cloak On Him

Before Snape said the decisive words—Avada Kedavra, the killing curse—Dumbledore actually cast an immobilizing spell on Harry and threw the invisibility cloak on him so that he’d not intervene and not be seen by anyone in the Astronomy Tower. Unlike in the movie, where Harry just stood on the lower floor and stared.

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#4

Harry Didn’t Break The Elder Wand—he Actually Returned It To Dumbledore’s Tomb

Harry Didn’t Break The Elder Wand—he Actually Returned It To Dumbledore’s Tomb

In The Deathly Hallows, Harry is seen breaking the Elder Wand and tossing it out. In the books, however, Harry returns the Elder Wand to Dumbledore’s tomb. It’s said that nobody apart from Harry could actually use it at this point, and he’s had enough adventures with it for this lifetime. Besides, originally, it was Dumbledore’s wand in the first place.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That was a really sweet thing in the books. I guess it looked "cooler" for him to break it.

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#5

Snape Actually Called Lily Potter A “Mudblood” During Snape’s Worst Memory

Snape Actually Called Lily Potter A “Mudblood” During Snape’s Worst Memory

Some people are of the conviction that what makes Snape’s Worst Memory the worst one is the fact that he is bullied by the Marauders. However, it is actually the fact that he, in the heat of the moment, calls Lily, his love interest, a “mudblood,” for which Lily never forgave him.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That made me very very sad. I was incredibly emotionally invested back then and i cried when i read it.

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#6

Dudley And Harry’s Relationship Wasn’t All Negative As The Two Shared A Touching Moment When Dudley Thanked Him For Saving His Life

Dudley And Harry’s Relationship Wasn’t All Negative As The Two Shared A Touching Moment When Dudley Thanked Him For Saving His Life

At one point, Dudley was attacked by the Dementors and Harry saved him. He ended up thanking Harry and shaking his hand when the Order of the Phoenix was escorting the Dursleys into hiding. Harry thought that such an awkward thanks was the Dursleys’ equivalent of a genuine thanks. This never made the cut, but it was filmed.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That was one of the best moments of the books. It really showed true growth in dudley. He really changed in only a few years

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#7

Hermione Founded The Society For The Promotion Of Elfish Welfare

Hermione Founded The Society For The Promotion Of Elfish Welfare

Hermione Granger doesn’t tolerate injustice—so much, in fact, that she established S.P.E.W., the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, which fought for the equality of house elves. This was prompted by an act of great injustice that she saw in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, whereby Barty Crouch treated the family’s house elf Winky cruelly.

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#8

Rita Skeeter Is An Unregistered Animagus Who Would Transform Into A Beetle To Collect Information

Rita Skeeter Is An Unregistered Animagus Who Would Transform Into A Beetle To Collect Information

Rita Skeeter is a journalist for the Daily Prophet and an unregistered Animagus who would often turn into a beetle and snoop around to learn people’s secrets for her articles. This is never mentioned in the movies, but there are speculations of it being hinted at in The Goblet Of Fire when Skeeter conducts an interview with Harry and as she shoves him into a broom cupboard, she says “you should feel right at home, then,” possibly meaning that she knows Harry used to live in a cupboard under the stairs. The only way she could have known that is by listening to anyone who knew about it and mentioned the fact.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was a great part of the story. I loved when they trapped her in a bottle and it was a fun mystery as too how she got her info.

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#9

Harry’s Aunt Petunia Wrote Dumbledore A Letter Of Request To Attend Hogwarts

Harry’s Aunt Petunia Wrote Dumbledore A Letter Of Request To Attend Hogwarts

When Petunia’s sister Lily, Harry’s mom, got a letter from Hogwarts confirming she was a witch, Petunia also wrote Dumbledore asking if she could also study there. She was kindly rejected and felt hurt that she was left out. It is also believed that she felt so because of her parents being very proud of Lily’s wizarding talent.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This part made me cry when i first read it. It also really helped flesh out petunia

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#10

When Visiting His Home In Godric’s Hollow, Harry Actually Saw A Sign There With Graffiti On It Expressing Support For Him

When Visiting His Home In Godric’s Hollow, Harry Actually Saw A Sign There With Graffiti On It Expressing Support For Him

Harry and Hermione went to visit Harry’s parents’ cottage in Godric’s Hollow. According to the book, there was a sign set in the ground outside it that was a monument to the Potters and a reminder of the violence that destroyed the family. The sign was graffitied over with messages of support for Harry, which he thought was touching.

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Norma
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

JKR thought of SO many minor details that just makes the series totally alive...

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#11

Peeves The Poltergeist Is Never Seen In The Movies Despite Being In All Of The Books And 3 Video Games

Peeves The Poltergeist Is Never Seen In The Movies Despite Being In All Of The Books And 3 Video Games

The mischievous poltergeist Peeves is considered by many a pretty significant character in the Harry Potter universe, but he was never mentioned in the movies. Scenes with Peeves were actually filmed for The Philosopher’s Stone, where he was played by Rik Mayall, but they never made it into the final cut, and to this day were never released to the public.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i remember watching the movies and waiting for peeves. When i was younger he was my favorite character

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#12

Hermione Granger And Ron Weasley Were Actually Appointed Prefects Of House Gryffindor

Hermione Granger And Ron Weasley Were Actually Appointed Prefects Of House Gryffindor

A prefect at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a student who is bestowed additional authority and responsibilities by the Head of House and the Headmaster. Hermione and Ron were appointed prefects of House Gryffindor. In fact, Ron was one of four members of the Weasley family to become prefects, with Bill, Charlie, and Percy being the other three.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That was one of the best humanizing things in the book for harry. He had to get over his jealousy over not being a prefect

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#13

In The Movies, Nobody Ever Tells Harry That His Dad Could Turn Into A Stag

In The Movies, Nobody Ever Tells Harry That His Dad Could Turn Into A Stag

Harry’s father James Potter spent three years learning to become an Animagus, a wizard who can transform into an animal. He ended up perfecting it and became a stag Animagus. And, according to Reddit user alexi_lupin, nobody tells Harry that his dad could turn into a stag in the movies, which “cheapens the Patronus, cheapens Harry's relationship with his father (which never recovers), and also Snape's reveal later.”

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is an injustice. as a huge potterhead i can say that him knowing that caused some things to have much less impact

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#14

Harry Used Crucio On Amycus Carrow After He Spat At Professor Mcgonagall’s Face

Harry Used Crucio On Amycus Carrow After He Spat At Professor Mcgonagall’s Face

There’s a scene in the book where Amycus Carrow, a Dark Wizard and Death Eater, came up to Professor McGonagall, too close for comfort, and spat in her face. Harry was near, he dropped the cloak of invisibility, and cast Crucio, a curse that inflicts excruciating pain to the victim, on Carrow.

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#15

The Battle Of Hogwarts Also Included Dropping Crystal Balls And A Transformed Desk Stampede Against The Death Eaters

The Battle Of Hogwarts Also Included Dropping Crystal Balls And A Transformed Desk Stampede Against The Death Eaters

The epic Battle of Hogwarts not only included a scene where over a hundred house elves rushed to fight the Death Eaters, but also, Professor Trelawney dropped crystal balls on the heads of Death Eaters and Professor McGonagall transformed desks to stampede towards them.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Im sad about alot of the cuts from BOH. Alot of the potential for cool magic fights was wasted with death eaters using AVADAKAGUN. And harry essentially using EXPELATAZEROUS. Using cool magic to fight is something i wanted more of and got in the BOH

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#16

The Ministry Of Magic Couldn’t Actually Detect Who Was Casting Spells In Places With High Wizard Populations

The Ministry Of Magic Couldn’t Actually Detect Who Was Casting Spells In Places With High Wizard Populations

While it is a known fact that the Ministry of Magic can detect where magic is used outside of the magical realm, it’s actually impossible for them to do so in areas that are heavily populated by wizards. This is why underage wizards and witches are seen using magic during the holiday break without any repercussions.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love this kind of minor world building that makes the world truly feel real. Also its just cool to see this kind of cool ideas and concepts.

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#17

Dumbledore Actually Told Harry What Voldemort's Horcruxes Are

Dumbledore Actually Told Harry What Voldemort's Horcruxes Are

In The Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore tells Harry of Voldemort’s horcruxes. He mentions six in particular because he doesn’t want Harry to know that he is actually the 7th one.

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Hope Hartleroad
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Voldemort intentionally split his soul into 7 pieces: Diary, Ring, Locket, Cup, Diadem, Nagini and himself. Harry contained the 8th piece of Voldemort's soul.

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#18

Edward “Teddy” Lupin Would Often Visit Harry At His Home And He Was Actually Raised By His Grandmother Andromeda Tonks

Edward “Teddy” Lupin Would Often Visit Harry At His Home And He Was Actually Raised By His Grandmother Andromeda Tonks

Edward “Teddy” Lupin is the son of the late Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks. Soon after he was born, his parents died in the Battle of Hogwarts. So, he was raised by his grandmother Andromeda Tonks and eventually became the godson of Harry, whom he frequently visited at his home.

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Bob Ross
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How was this found out? I don't remember this from the books. The Cursed Child maybe?

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#19

Voldemort Is Incapable Of Love Because He Was Born From His Parents’ Loveless Union

Voldemort Is Incapable Of Love Because He Was Born From His Parents’ Loveless Union

In the books, Voldemort’s mother Merope Gaunt gave his father a love potion. J.K. Rowling explained that this was a symbolic way of showing that he was conceived in a loveless union. Things would have certainly been different if he was raised by Merope herself, had she survived, and not in an orphanage.

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Googleman1234
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Voldemort is a kinda tragic figure.I feel bad for him but also kinda hate him. The best type of villain

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