Harry Potter finished its eight-movie saga with a massive war, but there were several Battle of Hogwarts movie changes from the books. In the final Harry Potter battle, Harry teamed up with the Order of Phoenix, his Hogwarts professors, and fellow students to defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all. But the movie version of the Battle of Hogwarts is quite different from that of J.K. Rowling's book, and there are several reasons behind that. The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book is over 600 pages long and almost every scene is essential to wrap up the very complex story of Harry Potter.
Director David Yates split The Deathly Hallows movie into two parts, doing justice to Rowling's story, but the two movies ended up cutting scenes from the book. However, The Deathly Hallows Part 2 also added scenes that weren't in the book, and others were simply rethought from a stylistic or aesthetic point of view. The Harry Potter final battle is a long one, both in terms of written pages, screen time, and in terms of time span. It thus comes as no surprise that there are several differences between the movie and what happened at the Battle of Hogwarts in the book. The upcoming HBO Harry Potter streaming series will likely have an incredibly different Battle of Hogwarts if it remains more loyal to the text — here's why.
Voldemort's Ultimatum: Midnight In The Book, One Hour In The Movie
The Battle of Hogwarts begins as Professor McGonagall orders students to evacuate the school so that the Order of Phoenix and the Hogwarts teachers can fight Voldemort. However, Voldemort urges the students to hand him Harry and join him, as fighting him is futile. The movie scene is pretty loyal to the book, except, in the book, Voldemort gives everyone until midnight. In the movie, Voldemort gives them one hour.
In the novel, Voldemort also says, "I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill any blood." In the movie, this is the moment McGonagall showcases her Transfiguration skills and casts Piertotum Locomotor, summoning a huge army of giant statues to their aid. However, in the written version, McGonagall does this before she fights Snape.
The Gray Lady And The Story Of The Ravenclaw Diadem
While everyone else is preparing for battle, Harry must find Voldemort's last Horcruxes and destroy them before he can fight him. These are the Ravenclaw diadem, Nagini, and himself (which he doesn't realize until later). In the book, Harry realizes it's the diadem through a telepathic moment with Voldemort, then finds the Gray Lady (Helena Ravenclaw's ghost) via Nearly Headless Nick. In the film, it's Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) who both thinks of the diadem and points Harry toward the Gray Lady. The movie also changed and streamlined the story of the diadem itself. In the book, Helena explains to Harry that she stole the diadem from her mother, Rowena Ravenclaw.
When her mother was fatally ill, she wanted to see her one last time, so she sent the Bloody Baron (before he was a Hogwarts ghost) to get her. Helena hid the diadem in a forest, and when she refused the Baron's advances, he killed Helena, then killed himself out of guilt. Centuries later, a charming student named Tom Riddle convinced Helena to give him the location of the diadem and later, Harry figures out the diadem must be in the Room of Requirement. The Battle of Hogwarts movie changes it to Harry convincing Helena to tell him where the diadem is because he wants to destroy it.
In The Movie, Seamus Blows Up The Bridge (& Other Added Scenes)
In the Harry Potter movies, there's a recurring gag that Seamus Finnigan accidentally sets things (or himself) on fire. McGonagall gives Seamus Finnigan permission to blow up the Hogwarts bridge in the movie when the Death Eaters step on it in the final battle. This is something the Battle of Hogwarts movie changes, as Seamus doesn't have the same "particular proclivity for pyrotechnics." Also, very importantly, the book tells the story from Harry's perspective, so there are several scenes that the film adds. The movie adds Lupin and Tonks, as well as Fred and George, connecting one last time before the battle.
Ron and Hermione also found the Basilisk fang in the Chamber of Secrets and had their first kiss. In the book, they do go to the chamber, but Harry learns about this when they all meet in the Room of Requirement. Another scene the movie added was Voldemort taking down Hogwarts' protection shield and breaking the Elder Wand in the process. Scabior is also a central Death Eater that the Battle of Hogwarts movie changes, whereas in the novel, he is not present at Hogwarts at all. In the book, the only thing preventing the Death Eaters from entering the school grounds is Voldemort's orders.
The Room Of Requirement Scene
In both versions of The Deathly Hallows, Harry must go to the Room of Requirement to get the Ravenclaw diadem and destroy it. But in the book, he doesn't go alone. He reunites with Ron and Hermione before entering the room, and inside, they find Ginny Weasley, Tonks, and Neville's grandmother. In Rowling's story, Crabbe tells Draco he doesn't take his orders anymore: "You an' your dad are finished." As a fight ensues, Crabbe casts an incredibly powerful curse (Fiendfyre, as Hermione figures out later) that he can't control and ends up setting the Room of Requirement on fire.
Harry summons two broomsticks: one for himself and one for Ron and Hermione. Harry saves Draco and retrieves the diadem, and Ron saves Goyle, but Crabbe dies in the fire. In the movie, however, Harry Potter goes in alone and faces Draco Malfoy, Blaise, and Goyle. Rather than being Crabbe, like in the books, it's Goyle who casts the curse and dies in the fire, and Harry summons three broomsticks. He already had the diadem before the fire, and he just throws it into the flames, as Fiendfyre can destroy Horcruxes.
In The Book, Fred's Death Is A Big Moment
The Battle of Hogwarts movie changes Fred's death to offscreen, whereas the book describes the awful explosion caused by Rookwood and the gut-wrenching moment when Percy and Ron realize what has happened. Percy refuses to leave Fred's body (after they had just bonded for the first time in years), and he has to be dragged away. He then pursues Rookwood, and Hermione stops Ron from doing the same, as they have to find Nagini. While Fred's death is still tragic in the movie, it doesn't have the emotional impact that it does in the books.
Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy, And Snape: The Shrieking Shack In The Book, The Boathouse In The Movie
When Harry searches Voldemort's mind to find Nagini in the books, he's in the Shrieking Shack, but in the movie, this scene occurs in the boathouse. In the novel, Harry, Ron, and Hermione put the Invisibility Cloak on and go together to the Shrieking Shack. On the way, they save Draco again and see Hagrid dragged away by his beloved Acromantulas. Luna and Seamus also help Harry and his friends cast a Patronus charm to fend off the Dementors. The movie shows the trio without the cloak, and the scene skips ahead to the Patronus, which is cast by Aberforth Dumbledore.
Then there's the heartbreaking scene of Voldemort killing Snape. In the book, Snape picks up on the danger and lifts his wand before Voldemort has Nagini bite his throat. In The Deathly Hallows Part 2, Snape doesn't attempt to defend himself, and Voldemort slits his throat with a spell before Nagini bites him. Harry goes into the house alone in the movie, and retrieves Snape's tears for the Pensieve, whereas in the book, he retrieves his memory wisps, much like Dumbledore is seen doing earlier in the saga. The movie also added Snape's final line, "You have your mother's eyes," hinting at his undying love for Lily Potter.
Snape's Memories Of Lily
As the trio is trying to recover from the shock of Snape's death in the movie, they hear Voldemort's voice bellow over Hogwarts and challenge Harry to meet him. Before facing Voldemort, Harry goes to Dumbledore's Pensieve and watches Snape's memories, learning about his devotion to Dumbledore and his love for Lily. In the movie version, Lily doesn't seem to be quite as close to Snape, but she's friendly to him and stops others from bullying him. However, they grow apart as Snape befriends pureblood-loving Slytherins. The distance continues as Lily grows very close to James after they both were sorted into Gryffindor.
Despite that, he always loved Lily and in the movie version, Snape goes to Godric's Hollow and mourns Lily's death. The book version of their story plays out differently, however. Surprisingly, early in their friendship, Snape tells Lily that he believes there is no difference between a Muggle-born and a pureblood when it comes to skill. The two seem to be very close until Lily's first train ride to Hogwarts, where she befriends James Potter and Sirius Black. But the book shows that Snape goes as far as calling Lily a Mudblood, and that is the final straw in their strained friendship.
Snape begs Dumbledore to protect Lily from Voldemort, as he seeks to kill baby Harry following Trelawney's prophecy, but in the Harry Potter book, Albus Dumbledore is far harsher with Snape. He tells Snape "You disgust me," as Snape doesn't care about saving James or Harry, only Lily. Likewise, in the novel, Dumbledore gives him the news of Lily's death in his office. The Battle of Hogwarts movie changes also cuts a few other scenes from Snape's memories, such as Snape accidentally hitting George's ear during The Battle of the Seven Potters as he was trying to save Lupin's life.
The Forbidden Forest
In both the book and movie, Harry knows he must face Voldemort and die, and he must do it on his own. In the forest, he tells the Golden Snitch he is ready to die, and the Snitch opens to reveal the Resurrection Stone, letting Harry meet his parents, Sirius, and Lupin. The book adds that Harry apologizes to Lupin for letting him die with a baby at home. Also in the movie, Harry tries to touch Lily's hand, but it goes through it. The book and film somewhat differ after Harry's "death," too. After Harry dies, he meets Dumbledore in King's Cross.
In the book, Dumbledore's spirit talks to him about the Deathly Hallows, Grindelwald, and the dark mystery of Ariana Dumbledore. It's revealed Grindelwald died protecting Dumbledore and the Elder Wand, offering redemption for the dark wizard. The movie offers no such redemption, as Grindelwald sells the location of the wand to Voldemort. Back in the forest, Narcissa Malfoy checks if Harry is dead and chooses to cover for him after she asks him if Draco is alive and Harry says yes. The book version of Voldemort casts Crucio on Harry's presumed dead body to defile him and Harry struggles to stay limp. The film glosses over this torture.
Voldemort Brings Harry Back To Hogwarts
After they return to Hogwarts with Harry's body, both the film and book give Neville Longbottom a couple of big moments, but they differ. In the book, Voldemort announces that Harry died while running away, then Neville charges at him. Voldemort casts a Binding Curse on him then summons the Sorting Hat, placing it on Neville's head and setting it on fire. Grawp and the centaurs then arrive, charging at the Death Eaters and giving Neville the momentum to kill Nagini with Godric Gryffindor's sword.
Despite the Battle of Hogwarts movie changes, Neville still got a few hero scenes. Neville has the addition of giving a moving speech in front of everyone before Voldemort sends him flying, and his killing of Nagini plays out differently. In the film, Ron and Hermione struggle to kill Nagini inside the castle, and Neville arrives at the last moment, slicing the snake with the sword. Harry then jumps out of Hagrid's arms. Only, in the novel, he does so by putting the Invisibility Cloak on and disappearing from the crowd.
The Final Duel: Great Hall In The Book, Schoolyard In The Movie
Rowling's original story has Harry duel Voldemort in front of everyone else, in the Great Hall, but the movie's final showdown happens outside. Harry goes into the Great Hall in the books and witnesses several fights: Ron and Neville vs. Fenrir Greyback, McGonagall, Slughorn, and Kingsley vs. Voldemort, and Hermione, Ginny, and Luna fighting Bellatrix Lestrange. When Bellatrix almost kills Ginny, Molly Weasley (in one of her best scenes) delivers her famous "Not my daughter, you bi**h!" and kills the dark witch. Apart from Molly's scene, the Battle of Hogwarts movie changes this moment entirely.
Harry and Voldemort duel each other around the castle while everyone else fights in the Great Hall. Harry grabs Voldemort and calls him "Tom," throwing themselves off the castle and morphing in the air, before hitting the ground outside the castle and starting the final duel. The book duel has a lot of tension build-up: Harry belittles "Tom Riddle" in front of everyone. He tells him Dumbledore orchestrated his own death and that Snape had always been loyal to Dumbledore. He goes on to explain that the Elder Wand never belonged to Snape, so it doesn't belong to Voldemort either, but to Harry himself, as he disarmed Draco after he disarmed Dumbledore.
When Voldemort finally casts Avada Kedavra on Harry, the spell rebounds and Tom Riddle hits the floor "with a mundane finality." The movie not only cuts the complex dialogue, but has Voldemort die with great dramatic effect, and with no witnesses. Among the spectators who cheered over Harry's victory in the novel was the Malfoy family, who, in the film, runs off before the last duel. In the Harry Potter book version of the aftermath, Harry, Ron, and Hermione go to Dumbledore's office and are applauded by all the portraits, including a teary Dumbledore. Harry uses the Elder Wand to repair his old wand, then returns it to Dumbledore's grave. In the movie, however, the friends share a peaceful moment on the stone bridge, and Harry snaps the Elder Wand in half, throwing it over the bridge.
The HBO Harry Potter Show Can Get The Battle Of Hogwarts Right
With the news that Harry Potter is returning with a new HBO series on the Max streaming service, there is a chance that all these Battle of Hogwarts movie changes can end up playing out on the new series. The truth is that the Harry Potter movies could only show so much in their running times, which were mostly under three hours per book, outside the last movie. Even with the final movie mostly consisting of the Battle of Hogwarts, there was only so much they could add into the movie time. However, the series can add so many things the movies left out.
Looking at how HBO turned the final battle on Game of Thrones into a feature-length episode, that is how this 10-season series could end up concluding. It could end up as one of the most epic fantasy television battles ever, especially if it plays out as it did in the novels. With three more seasons than there are books, Max can create so many special moments that book lovers never got to see in the movies. If the Battle of Hogwarts plays out all by itself in one feature-length episode, and the lead-in moments in the penultimate episode, this could be every Harry Potter fan's dream.