Conversations about a Harry Potter TV show are being had at WB, and Potterheads are more than ready to go back to Hogwarts once more with their favorite characters. The Harry Potter movies were and still are excellent cinematic translations of the novels, and fans would obviously look forward to seeing a TV adaptation of the epic story.
The Harry Potter novels are also still widely loved, but many Redditors have found that J.K. Rowling had some very particular phrases and words that she tended to use very often in each book. These made many characters and situations immediately recognizable, but also seemed like overkill at times.
"Spread-Eagle"
One of the harsh realities of rereading the Harry Potter books is that some words and phrases seemed out-of-place, yet are oft-repeated, as was the case with characters who always seem to be lying spread-eagle on the floor or the bed. Cedric Diggory was described as such after his death, Harry on his bed and the bathroom floor of Grimmauld Place, and Dumbledore after he was killed, among too many other examples.
ThatWasFred on Reddit said, "Lots of people lying spread-eagled on the ground," and the huge number of upvotes on his comment proves how many people agreed that the phrase was used a bit too much.
"Harry Answered Coolly"
Some of the cringiest parts in the books involved Harry, and one mannerism of his that replayed too often was the way in which he answered a nemesis. DandyCustard emphasized how the line, "Harry answered coolly," was a staple in almost every book.
There could have been other ways to depict how annoyed Harry was with the person to whom he was talking, but this phrase was somehow the only one that got employed and became associated with Harry and his sarcasm.
"Indignantly"
Another word that was written into the books too much was "indignantly," especially in relation to Hedwig's reactions in her cage when she was irritated with Harry. Annddiiii exclaimed, "Indignant was EVERYWHERE in the series!" Even Ron reacted with indignation towards Harry and Hermione when the talk of Grawp came up.
There were many angry characters in the books, and Rowling surely could have found different ways to describe such a universal emotion. Although, Rupert Grint did nail this particular Ron mannerism well in the movies.
"(Character) Beamed"
Being a magical book, the characters in Harry Potter found happiness often, and as a result, ended up "beaming" in their joy. Almost every character, from Hermione to Ginny and Ron had beamed, and it became a running joke within the fandom.
Julius666Caesar said "Everyone’s beaming at each other all the time..." which made them feel a bit awkward, while tee-dog1996, who first shared the phrase, got almost 2,000 upvotes from people who agreed how overused this epithet was.
"Harry Pocketed It"
"Harry pocketed it," as MaxCWebster also says, is a phrase that makes an appearance several times, and it also has a hilarious history to it. Stephen Fry, the narrator of the audiobooks, was unable to say the line that well, and when he asked Rowling to change it, she refused.
This then sparked a rumor that suggested she went on to intentionally put the phrase in four books, just to trip him up, as she felt he was condescending toward her, but Rowling cleared the rumor up, stating that it was simply not true and it's not in four books at all. Nonetheless, no matter how many times it does appear, it's a line that stands out for fans as one that is overused.
"Ron's Ears Went Red"
Poor Ron was always going to be associated with the color red, and the books often spoke of how his ears turned red when he was embarrassed, humiliated, or even blushing. Sometimes, it would even be his whole face, but flushing scarlet was one of the only ways he showed any emotion.
Arobthedog's comment reiterating the use of this line received 1,800 upvotes, thus proving how many readers agreed. Surely there must have been more ways for Ron to express himself around Malfoy or Hermione.
"Roared With Laughter"
With well over 2,200 votes, ReasonableTwo4's comment, “Roared with laughter,” gave rise to several others which pointed out how "shrieked with laughter" and "a hacking cough" were also favorite phrases used in relation to characters like Pansy Parkinson.
The Weasleys were known to be a jovial bunch, so they were described as roaring with laughter very often. Some readers were a bit confused about how that would sound in real life, but they accepted it, nonetheless.
"His Half-Moon Spectacles"
Dumbledore is a Harry Potter character who shouldn't be idolized, as many fans have realized upon rereading. However, his twinkly eyes and crooked nose are iconic, especially with his half-moon spectacles. Wevegotscience quipped, "I'm pretty sure he looked over his half-moon spectacles more than anyone else in history."
When talking to Harry, Rowling's go-to descriptions included the spectacles and their shape, which he was always peering over to look at The Boy Who Lived. That said, he had other defining features she could have spoken about more.
"My Dear Boy"
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Variations of this line, like "My boy/dear boy/my dear boy" were used a lot in the books, according to Reyussy. Many adults referred to Harry in this manner, not limited to Ollivander, Dumbledore, Professor Slughorn, Nearly Headless Nick, Armando Dippet, and many more.
Amos Diggory famously grieved Cedric's death by calling him "my boy," and Oliver Wood also cheered for Harry in the stands with this term of endearment. It seemed quaint and old-fashioned, but that was perhaps how the wizarding society worked.
"Harry's Scar Hurt"
Sparkyisduhfat's comment saying, “Harry’s scar hurt,” got much support on Reddit, because Harry's scar was in this state, perennially. It either "hurt" or "prickled" alternately, and these are instantly recognizable lines that are connected to the character and his backstory.
Many readers got fed up with how often the poor teen's scar hurt him and felt J.K. Rowling clearly struggled to come up with ways to convey the same message and his varying degrees of pain.