Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory.
Today we’re going to be discussing BOOKS vs FILMS - honing in on some of the darkest
BOOK moments that, for varying reasons, simply never made their way on to the silver screen.
While the film adaptations brought the magic of Hogwarts to life on the big screen, they
were not without their limitations.
In the process of adapting the complex and intricate world of the books into a more visually-driven
medium, certain dark and unsettling moments were omitted or altered, leaving fans with
a somewhat diluted version of Rowling's original vision.
Today, we’ll delve into these dark moments left out of the films, exploring the reasons
behind their omissions and the impact of these changes on the overall story.
Let’s dive in.
10.
Greyback’s Darkest Instincts
Fenrir Greyback is undoubtedly a malevolent character.
As a werewolf and pseudo-Death Eater, he revels in assaulting his victims and follows Lord
Voldemort's orders without hesitation.
And for the most part, Greyback’s dark nature is showcased pretty well on screen.
HOWEVER, there is a moment from the books, which occurs at Malfoy Manor, where we’re
forced to look at Greyback through an even darker lens.
After being captured by Snatchers, Hermione, Ron and Harry find themselves in a dangerous
situation.
Among the captors is Fenrir Greyback.
Greyback's interaction with Hermione at Malfoy Manor is a tense and disturbing moment, as
he takes an unsettling interest in her, which is consistent with his sadistic tendencies.
During this moment, Greyback not only talks about wanting to eat her, but also implies
that he might have ‘other’ plans for her.
*shudder*
9.
Winky’s Addiction Issues
Winky the house-elf had a sorrowful life filled with hardships and a tragic butterbeer addiction.
Originally, she served the Crouch family loyally, taking care of Barty Crouch Jr. while he was
under the Imperius Curse.
However, when Mr. Crouch suspected Winky of conspiring with his son to cast the Dark Mark
at the Quidditch World Cup, he dismissed her from their service.
This dismissal was a devastating blow to Winky, as house-elves are deeply attached to their
families and rely on their masters for a sense of purpose and belonging.
Following her dismissal, Winky was employed at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
but her heartbreak and loss of purpose led her to develop an addiction to butterbeer.
The drink, which has a minimal effect on humans, is considerably more potent for house-elves,
which caused Winky to become intoxicated and emotionally unstable.
She spent much of her time at Hogwarts in a state of despair, drowning her sorrows in
butterbeer, unable to recover from the trauma of losing her family.
As Winky was omitted from the films ENTIRELY, her sad story never made its way on to the
silver screen.
‘Winky is getting through six bottles a day now,’ Dobby whispered to Harry.
‘Well, it’s not strong, that stuff,’ Harry said.
But Dobby shook his head.
‘’Tis strong for a house-elf, sir,’ he said.”
8.
Death Eaters TORTURE Muggles
The Death Eater attack on the Quidditch World Cup in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."
is rife with chaos.
After a thrilling match between Ireland and Bulgaria, a group of Voldemort's followers
launch a surprise assault on the campsite where wizards and witches are celebrating.
During this attack they cause chaos and destruction, terrorizing attendees.
However, one particularly dark component of this event left OUT of the films was the torturous
attack on a group of innocent muggles- the Roberts family.
“A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight
upward, was marching slowly across the field.
Harry squinted at them....They didn't seem to have faces....Then he realized that their
heads were hooded and their faces masked.
High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted
into grotesque shapes.
It was as though the masked wizards on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above
them were marionettes operated by invisible strings that rose from the wands into the
air.
Two of the figures were very small.”
7.
Neville’s Parents
Neville’s parents aren’t mentioned that often in the films- and they also sort of
lead us to believe that they had been KILLED by Bellatrix.
However, book readers will know that this is NOT the case.
In the Order of the Phoenix the trio run in to Neville and his grandmother at St.Mungos
Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
It’s here that it’s revealed that Neville’s parents are in fact alive, but were just driven
insane through Bellatrix’s horrific torture.
In heartbreaking fashion, Neville would go and visit his parents every Christmas to spend
the day with them, despite them barely recognizing who he is.
One of the most heartbreaking moments is when we witness Alice, Neville’s mum, giving
him a candy wrapper as a gift:
“She did not seem to want to speak, or perhaps she was not able to, but she made timid motions
toward Neville, holding something in her outstretched hand.
"Again?" said Mrs. Longbottom, sounding slightly weary.
"Very well, Alice dear, very well- Neville, take it, whatever it is..."
But Neville had already stretched out his hand, into which his mother dropped an empty
Droobles Blowing Gum wrapper.
"Very nice, dear," said Neville's grandmother in a falsely cheery voice, patting his mother
on the shoulder.
But Neville said quietly, "Thanks Mum."
6.
Tom Riddle KILLING his family
Over the course of the Half Blood Prince the true story of Tom Riddle unfolds, revealing
his dark past and the murder of his family in Little Hangleton.
Born to a Muggle father, Tom Riddle Sr., and a witch mother, Merope Gaunt, Tom Riddle grew
up in an orphanage after his mother's death and his father's abandonment.
As he discovered his magical abilities and heritage, he developed a deep hatred for his
father and the Muggle side of his family.
Upon learning about his family's location, Tom Riddle, now a Hogwarts student, visited
Little Hangleton to confront his father and grandparents.
In a cold-blooded act of revenge, he used the Killing Curse to murder them.
“The police had never read an odder report.
A team of doctors had examined the bodies and had concluded that none of the Riddles
had been poisoned, stabbed, shot, strangled, suffocated, or (as far as they could tell)
harmed at all.
In fact (the report continued, in a tone of unmistakable bewilderment), the Riddles all
appeared to be in perfect health - apart from the fact that they were all dead.
The doctors did note (as though determined to find something wrong with the bodies) that
each of the Riddles had a look of terror upon his or her face - but as the frustrated police
said, whoever heard of three people frightened to death?”
5.
Harry’s Change of Heart
The first time Harry Potter tries to use Crucio, it’s pretty ineffective.
After Bellatrix Lestrange kills Sirius Black, Harry chases after Bellatrix and attempts
to torture her with the infamous curse.
However, the curse is largely ineffective due to the fact that Harry didn’t really
‘mean it’.
This scene is included in the films.
Now, Harry wasn’t an evil person, and he didn’t derive any kind of joy from torturing
people, which is why the curse didn’t work.
HOWEVER, there is a moment in the books (omitted from the films) where Harry IS able to use
the curse effectively- revealing a darker side of Harry and what he was capable of after
all that he had endured in the years prior.
Harry pulled the Cloak off himself, raised his wand, and said, “You shouldn’t have
done that.”
As Amycus spun around, Harry shouted, “Crucio!”
The Death Eater was lifted off his feet.
He writhed through the air like a drowning man, thrashing and howling in pain, and then,
with a crunch and a shattering of glass, he smashed into the front of a bookcase and crumpled,
insensible, to the floor.
“I see what Bellatrix meant,” said Harry, the blood thundering through his brain, “you
need to really mean it".
4.
Barty Crouch Jr’s Imprisonment
…And I’m not talking about Azkaban
Barty Crouch Jr is best known for impersonating Alastor Moody over the course of the Goblet
of Fire.
However, he has a substantial backstory that seemed to be entirely glossed over in the
films.
Prior to his appearance in the Goblet of Fire, Crouch Jr had been sentenced to Azkaban for
his crimes during the first Wizarding War.
His mother, a forgiving woman that found out that she was dying, convinced Crouch Sr to
help her bail their son out of Azkaban using Polyjuice Potion and put her in his place.
The Crouches were successful in their endeavour, however, the tension between father and son
wasn’t going anywhere.
After his escape, Barty Sr kept the younger Barty under his control by way of the Imperius
Curse.
On the rare event that Barty Senior would allow his son out in public, he kept him concealed
under an invisibility cloak.
After being kept under lock and key for over a decade, Barty Junior was basically insane
at this point.
And I think it’s safe to assume that his mental state was likely a culmination of his
father’s neglect while growing up, the fact that he was put on trial and sentenced to
life in prison by his own father, the time he spent in Azkaban under the depressing influence
of the Dementors, and his father’s mental imprisonment of him through the Imperius Curse.
Barty Crouch Jr was undoubtedly an evil wizard that deserved some level of imprisonment,
but I think that his father keeping control of him via the Imperius Curse for a DECADE
was simply a step too far.
3.
Molly Weasley’s Boggart
In the Order of the Phoenix we’re given a glimpse into the deepest fears of Molly
Weasley, the loving and fiercely protective matriarch of the Weasley family, through her
encounter with a Boggart.
While cleaning 12 Grimmauld Place, Molly Weasley comes face-to-face with a Boggart that transforms,
one by one, into the lifeless bodies of her loved ones- revealing Molly's greatest fear:
the death of her family members.
The Boggart cycles through several forms, including her husband Arthur, her children
Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny, and even Harry Potter, whom she considers
as one of her own.
“‘No!’
Mrs Weasley moaned.
‘No ... riddikulus!
Riddikulus!
RIDDIKULUS!’
Crack.
Dead twins.
Crack.
Dead Percy.
Crack.
Dead Harry ... ‘Mrs Weasley, just get out of here!’
shouted Harry”
This heartbreaking scene offers a deeper insight into Molly's character, showcasing her profound
love and concern for her family's well-being.
As a mother and wife during a time of great turmoil in the Wizarding World, Molly is painfully
aware of the dangers that her family faces.
2.
Peter Pettigrew’s Death
In the seventh book, the Deathly Hallows, Pettigrew meets his end during the Battle
of Malfoy Manor.
This event takes place when Harry, Ron, and Hermione are captured and held prisoner in
the cellar of the Malfoy family's estate.
In the films Pettigrew’s fate is left very UNCLEAR, but in the books we’re given a
clear picture of his brutal death:
“The silver fingers slackened.
Harry had not expected it: He wrenched himself free, astonished, keeping his hand over Wormtail’s
mouth.
He saw the ratlike man’s small watery eyes widen with fear and surprise: He seemed just
as shocked as Harry at what his hand had done, at the tiny, merciful impulse it had betrayed,
and he continued to struggle more powerfully, as though to undo that moment of weakness.
“And we’ll have that,” whispered Ron, tugging Wormtail’s wand from his other hand.
Wandless, helpless, Pettigrew’s pupils dilated in terror.
His eyes had slid from Harry’s face to something else.
His own silver fingers were moving inexorably toward his own throat.
“No —” Without pausing to think, Harry tried to drag back the hand, but there was
no stopping it.
The silver tool that Voldemort had given his most cowardly servant had turned upon its
disarmed and useless owner; Pettigrew was reaping his reward for his hesitation, his
moment of pity; he was being strangled before their eyes.
“No!”
Ron had released Wormtail too, and together he and Harry tried to pull the crushing metal
fingers from around Wormtail’s throat, but it was no use.
Pettigrew was turning blue.
“Relashio!” said Ron, pointing the wand at the silver hand, but nothing happened;
Pettigrew dropped to his knees, and at the same moment, Hermione gave a dreadful scream
from overhead.
Wormtail’s eyes rolled upward in his purple face; he gave a last twitch, and was still.”
1.
Weasley Twin Torture
Ron’s older brothers Fred and George Weasley are mischievous twin brothers known for their
pranks and light-hearted antics.
However, in the Order of the Phoenix, they take things way too far when they lock a Slytherin
student named Montague in the Vanishing Cabinet for several weeks.
The incident occurs when Montague, working for the Inquisitorial Squad, tries to take
points away from Gryffindor for their rule-breaking behavior.
In retaliation, Fred and George force him into the broken Vanishing Cabinet, intending
to teach him a lesson.
However, the prank takes a dark turn when Montague becomes trapped inside the cabinet
for weeks, unable to escape or communicate with the outside world.
“Montague told me that when he was stuck in the Hogwarts one, he was trapped in limbo
but sometimes he could hear what was going on at school, and sometimes what was going
on in the shop, as if the Cabinet was travelling between them, but he couldn't make anyone
hear him ... in the end he managed to Apparate out, even though he’d never passed his test.
He nearly died doing it.
During his confinement, Montague suffers from extreme physical and emotional distress, nearly
dying in the process.
He eventually manages to escape by using a combination of Apparition and sheer desperation,
despite not knowing where he was or how to Apparate properly.
This results in him being severely injured, reappearing within the Hogwarts plumbing system,
and requiring extensive medical attention.
And that’s it for this video!
Did you guys know about all of these DARK moments from the books?
Which one is the darkest?
Which dark moments would YOU have included?
Please leave a comment down below!
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Until next time
Remember
There is plenty to be learned even from a bad teacher: what not to do, how not to be