Top 10 Harry Potter Moments Even Potterheads Hate

If we had a penny for every time Harry’s told he has his mother’s eyes, we’d be giving even J.K. Rowling a run for her money. While actor Daniel Radcliffe tried green contacts to match the book’s description, a bad reaction reportedly brought that plan to an end. However, in the films, Harry’s eyes are still a talking point. But there’s just one problem: Daniel Radcliffe has blue eyes but Ellie May Darcey-Alden, who plays the young version of Lily, actually has brown eyes. The studio’s kept quiet on exactly how this mistake was missed, but the fans certainly clocked it.

For anyone who’s read the books, the Quidditch World Cup Finals in the fourth instalment, sound like theplace to be. The ultimate Quidditch celebration, it proved a nail-biting game with plenty of theatrics, magical creatures, and all with Ludo Bagman providing the commentary. Complete with mascots’ performances, it could have been such a spectacular movie scene. So, it’s a shame we didn’t get to actually see any of it. In the books, Bagman claims people would be talking about the final for years. In the movies, not so much.

We know that the Dursleys were never the warmest of hosts to Harry, but as they pack up to leave Privet Drive, they don’t even bother to say goodbye. In the books, their exit is far more satisfying as Dudley shakes Harry’s hand and tells him that he doesn’t think he’s a waste of space. While this is Dudley’s moment of redemption and, the foundations for what we later learn is a warmer relationship between the cousins as adults, it’s a touching and heartfelt moment that, in the films, was reduced to only a deleted scene that didn’t make the final cut.

Hermione should really have handed out S.P.E.W leaflets and badges to the “Harry Potter” creative team, given that the plight of the House Elves was all but axed from the film franchise. Dobby is grossly underused in general, Kreature just grumbles in the background and where on earth are Winky and the rest of the Hogwarts kitchen elves? What’s more, it’s hard not to cringe at Ron’s dismissive attitude toward the elves in the books and the films. Although this storyline does partly show Ron’s character growth, it’s one of the less commendable traits from Harry’s best friend.

Another missed opportunity for the CGI team, the maze is arguably the most exciting task in the entire Triwizard Tournament – in the books. Filled with weird obstacles and dangerous creatures (including blast-ended skrewts, boggarts, a sphinx and an acromantula), it’s the Wizarding World at its wildest. Alas, we can only imagine how visually thrilling this section couldhave been… because what we actually get is kindadisappointing. In the movie, the biggest threats come when the hedges that make up the maze either move or attack people. It should’ve been fantastic, instead it fell frustratingly flat.

As per the first Potter book, in their quest to find the Philosopher's Stone, our heroes get themselves trapped in a room, forced to solve a logic riddle as their only hope of getting out. In terms of tasks between them and the stone, this is Hermione’s opportunity to shine… but, disappointingly, it’s completely omitted from the film. While Harry and Ron get to use their magical abilities during the other challenges, Hermione’s only important contribution is reminding the boys not to struggle against the Devil’s Snare. She’s already on her way to becoming “the brightest witch of their age”, but apparently there’s no time to show off her skills here.

There was a great sense of poetic justice in the way Rowling wrote Wormtail’s death for the books. In a moment of mercy, he loosens his grip on Harry. But, his silver hand, which was gifted by Voldemort, senses the move as betrayal, turns on him, and chokes him to death. All in, it’s feels far more fitting and satisfying than the pathetic non-ending we’re given in the movie series, at Malfoy Manor. Dobby simply stuns him before he can even reach Harry, and the friends make their escape, leaving the unconscious Pettigrew on the floor. Accio a better death scene, please!

For fans, it’s an all but universal truth that book Ginny is superior to film Ginny, and most are on board with her romance with Harry (as Rowling wrote it). Book Ginny’s smart, funny, brave and she’s as tough as nails. Film Ginny, though, is presented as more of a background character, who’s never really given the chance to show any of that personality. And so, in the movies, the Harry/Ginny relationship is as awkward as it is mismatched. One re-read of the books, and you’ll spot the signs that they were obviously meant to be together… But, the films just don’t capture it.

Dumbledore’s greatness is played up a lot in the books andfilms, so it was more than a little surprising when his on-screen funeral didn’t really happen– especially as Rowling dedicated a whole chapter of “Half -Blood Prince” to it. We’re told in the books that people from all walks of the Wizarding World came to pay their respects. But, in the film, the actual funeral scene is cut. Yes, the moment when everyone at Hogwarts lit their wands was pretty emotional, but it still seems a fairly hurried send off for the inimitable headmaster.

For all those wasted opportunities for the CGI team we’ve already mentioned, here is a scene nobody asked for. Rowling made a deliberate point of making Voldemort’s death in the books very ordinary. He collapses, and he dies, just like any mere mortal would. For some, the final showdown in the film is unnecessarily flashy. But, the worst comes when the Elder Wand chooses Harry, and Voldemort just disintegrates into lots of tiny little shreds. Supposedly showing that he’s nothing but a hollow shell, it misses the point of stripping him of his dark lord status – and amounts to quite the anti-climax for the iconic villain.