The Harry Potter books and movies show off many wondrous locations, from the Great Hall of Hogwarts to Godric's Hollow, Diagon Alley to Knockturn Alley. The Forbidden Forest, however, may just be the best of the lot. Sitting on the outskirts of Hogwarts, it's a dangerous and mysterious setting. If its dark and broody aesthetic wasn't enough, it's also home to some fearsome creatures such as Centaurs, Werewolves, and Spiders. Though students aren't allowed inside, Harry, Ron Weasley and Hermione enter in every book in the series barring the Half-Blood Prince.
The majority of scenes that take place at the Forest are shown in the movies - but not all of them are. Here are 10 scenes that only fans of the source material will be aware of--this list also includes scenes where the forest is mentioned or discussed in the books but not in the films.
Harry Eavesdrops
In The Sorcerer's Stone movie, Harry nearly collides with Severus Snape and Quirinus Quirrell while strolling around Hogwarts at night. He eavesdrops on a conversation between the pair, with Snape warning Quirrell he 'doesn't want him as his enemy.' However, in the book of the same name, this late-night chat actually takes place inside the Forest.
After helping Gryffindor win at Quidditch, Harry gets on his broom and follows the duo into the wooded space. He then hears this conversation play out, with Snape then turning on his heel and leaving the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher with much to ponder. Harry mistakenly thinks Snape is serving Lord Voldemort at this time - but it's later revealed it's actually Quirrell aiding the Dark Lord instead.
Draco's Prank
Another difference in the first movie of the series is when Harry receives detention. In that film, the Boy Who Lived is joined by Ron, Hermione, and Draco Malfoy after Minerva McGonagall punishes them for being out of bed after dark. Yet this isn't the case in the book, with Neville taking Ron's place instead.
Therefore, there's a moment that's missed out on. Rubeus Hagrid initially goes with Harry and Hermione when red sparks go up, getting their attention. When they race to Draco and Neville's location, they find the Slytherin pupil had played a prank on his victim - forcing him to cry out for help. This is the last straw for Hagrid, who then tells Harry to go with his enemy because he won't be scared so easily.
Firenze's Telling Off
In The Sorcerer's Stone, Firenze the Centaur saves Harry just when it looks as though Lord Voldemort is about to get to him. They then have a brief conversation without interruption before Hagrid collects the Chosen One to take him back up to the school. However, things don't play out the exact same in J.K. Rowling's novel.
Other Centaurs turn up and slam Firenze for interacting with Harry, insisting it isn't their job to get involved with the business of humans. One, named Bane, also takes aim at his friend for agreeing to carry the Boy Who Lived on his back - like some common mule. Issues between humans and Centaurs is detailed far more in the seven books than it is on the big screen, with Warner Bros choosing to omit much of their backstory.
Charlie Weasley's Scene
Charlie Weasley is the only member of the family who doesn't appear in any of the movies, which is understandable given he's a minor character in the grand scheme of things. That means he's absent from the scene where Hagrid shows Harry the Dragons for the Triwizard Tournament in The Goblet of Fire blockbuster, with the Care of Magical Creatures teacher taking action to ensure his close friend is well-prepared for the challenging tasks ahead.
Charlie, in the fourth book, tells Hagrid that he's not told his mother, Molly, about the dragons yet because he doesn't want her to worry. That's probably for the best because Molly, being the protective surrogate mother she is, would definitely have disapproved. Harry ends up getting the better of the aggressive Hungarian Horntail in the First Task, against all odds, with the Weasley family cheering him on from the stands.
Barty Crouch Sr. Is Spotted
The Goblet of Fire novel makes the character of Barty Crouch Sr. far more interesting. After regularly visiting Hogwarts to oversee the preparations for the Triwizard Tournament, he then ends up vanishing, much to the confusion of the wizarding world. Percy Weasley fills in for him during the competition and some of his colleagues are definitely concerned.
However, Barty then reappears out of the blue. He confronts Harry and Viktor Krum on the edge of the Forbidden Forest while the pair are talking about Hermione Granger. Harry then leaves to get help but ends up being slowed down by Severus Snape. By the time he's able to finally disclose his information to Albus Dumbledore, Crouch Sr. is gone.
Barty Crouch Sr.'s Death
It's later revealed in the fourth book that Barty Crouch Sr. was ruthlessly murdered by his son, Barty Crouch Jr. The latter spends the whole year disguised as Alastor Moody in order to get close to Harry and ensure Voldemort's horrible plan go ahead. So when his father appears, threatening to disclose the truth and deal Voldemort a huge blow, David Tennant's character intervenes.
At the end of the story, once his cover has been blown, Crouch Jr. reveals he killed his father inside the Forbidden Forest. After that, he transformed the corpse into a bone and buries it so it's never found. This was never made clear in the film and that's probably because it was simply too dark for younger audiences to see.
Umbridge's Inspection
The Order of the Phoenix movie shows the vile Dolores Umbridge inspecting Hogwarts teachers during her time at the school. She grills Severus Snape, Sybill Trelawney and even has the audacity to measure Filius Flitwick while he's in the middle of Charms class. What the movie doesn't show, however, is Umbridge watching Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures lessons on the outskirts of the forest.
In the book, she watches on as the half-giant teaches students about Thestrals. Umbridge later concludes Hagrid isn't fit to teach at the school (which isn't the biggest shock) and attempts to remove him from his post in the dead of night. Hagrid avoids arrest and goes on the run, while Minerva McGonagall is sent to St. Mungo's Hospital after coming to the rescue.
Snape's Search
Following the heartbreaking death of Sirius Black, Harry is angry. He vents his fury at Albus Dumbledore, insisting the Hogwarts headmaster didn't do enough to help his godfather during his lonely, miserable time at 12 Grimmauld Place. And the Boy Who Lived also takes aim at Severus Snape.
Dumbledore, though, attempts to set the record straight. He reveals Snape went into the forest to look for Harry after he went there with Umbridge, only to find the Boy Who Lived was already gone at this point. Harry ended up leaving to go to the Department of Mysteries, wrongly believing Sirius was in trouble. If he'd crossed paths with Snape, his godfather would likely have survived.
Negotiating Umbridge's Escape
Dumbledore also reveals during this hostile chat with Harry that he himself went into the forest to plead for the Centaurs to release Umbridge after she's captured for insulting them.
This is why she's able to get away relatively intact. The Order of the Phoenix film also doesn't show her final goodbye at Hogwarts, with Peeves the Poltergeist making sure she doesn't leave the place quietly. He chases her from the property, effectively throwing her out, while students celebrate. Understandably so, too, given all she put them through.
Hagrid's Bombshell
In the Half-Blood Prince, Harry is extremely suspicious of Snape, especially after learning the Potions Master had made an Unbreakable Vow with Bellatrix Lestrange. And his interest is peaked when Hagrid reveals he heard the Potions Master arguing with Dumbledore during a private conversation heard inside the Forbidden Forest.
It's later revealed Snape didn't want to kill Albus Dumbledore in the event Draco Malfoy failed in the task, but the Hogwarts headmaster put his foot down and insisted it was the only way to spare the Slytherin student's soul. Snape later obliges and it isn't until after his death in the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 that all his heroic acts are revealed to the rest of the world.