14 Things That Didn't Make It Into The "Harry Potter" Movies, But Will Hopefully Appear In The New TV Series

Will S.P.E.W. finally have its moment to shine?

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This Hufflepuff is still coming around to the idea of a new Harry Potter adaptation. When I heard that a TV series is in the works for HBO Max, I wanted to scream, "SILENCIO," because I, like so many others, have such a deep love for these books and films. However, I'm willing to accept my spruced-up Hogwarts letter and give HBO's rendition a shot.

Your Hogwarts letter is here.

Max has ordered the first ever #HarryPotter scripted television series, a faithful adaptation of the iconic books. #StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/3CgEHLYhch

— Max (@StreamOnMax) April 12, 2023

Twitter: @StreamOnMax

The movies will forever be beloved, but it will also be fun to see HBO's "faithful adaptation" which will have time to include many of the amazing plot nuances that weren't able to make it into the films.

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As a fan who re-reads the series every few years for my mental health, here are 14 moments from the books I hope we get to see included in HBO Max's new TV series:

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1. James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew all become Animagi to assist Remus Lupin during his werewolf transformations.

Warner Bros. Pictures / Alamy Stock Photo / Scholastic / Mary GrandPré

The Prisoner of Azkaban movie fleetingly mentions that Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail, and Prongs were the originators of The Marauders' Map, but I'm hoping the show goes deeper into its origins. This foursome of former Hogwarts students, comprised of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter, has a pretty cool history in the book. To help Lupin during his werewolf transformations, his three friends each became an unregistered Animagi with the ability to turn into an animal. The Marauders utilized their magical map to sneak out of school after dark. 

2. The prophecy about Harry being the Chosen One also could've been about Neville Longbottom.

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The book series dives deeply into a prophecy foretold by Sybill Trelawney regarding a boy who is destined to defeat the Dark Lord. It is predicted that the boy will be born at the end of July and that his parents defy Voldemort three times. Both Harry and Neville fit this description, though Voldemort assumes the prophecy to be about Harry and therefore attempts to kill him. While the movies glaze over this, it would be an interesting possibility to explore in this new adaptation — especially given Neville's heroic arc at the end of the series.

3. Dumbledore blames himself for the death of his younger sister, Ariana.

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Albus Dumbledore is a hugely important character in both the books and the movies. While we don't see much of his backstory or family life in the films, readers will know that the headmaster endured tragedy during his early life. After being attacked by muggle boys at age six, his little sister, Ariana, was unable to control her magic and accidentally caused the death of their mother. Albus becomes her guardian, though Ariana is later killed in a duel between Dumbledore, his brother Aberforth, and Grindelwald. These sad events impacted how Dumbledore perceives himself and the world. 

4. Hermione meets Winky the house elf and begins The Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare (S.P.E.W.).

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While Dobby the house elf gets plenty of screen time in the movies, The Goblet of Fire introduces Winky, another house elf who is employed by Barty Crouch Sr. Unlike Dobby, Winky says she enjoys her work, which deeply troubles Hermione. Inspired to fight against the mistreatment of house elves, Hermione founds an organization known as The Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare (S.P.E.W.) and recruits Ron and Harry. While the house elves employed at Hogwarts don't receive her efforts well, it's a major plot for Hermione during the fourth book.

5. Over the years, Hogwarts' resident poltergeist, Peeves, continually gets into mischief.

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While Fred and George Weasley can cause enough mayhem on their own, the books consistently mention the school's resident poltergeist, Peeves, whose trouble-making streak is unmatched. This ghost, who exists simply to wreak silly havoc on staff and students, only obeys orders if they are coming from Dumbledore or the Bloody Baron. Peeves notably enjoys pranking Professor Umbridge in The Order of the Phoenix and joins the Battle of Hogwarts in The Deathly Hallows.

6. As a child, Aunt Petunia wanted to go to Hogwarts and actually wrote a letter to Dumbledore asking permission to attend.

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If you've only seen the films, Petunia Dursley's disdain for Harry feels one-dimensional. Of course, there's no reason for a full-grown woman to treat her nephew so horribly, but the books provide insight into what made her so bitter and hateful. As a kid, Petunia was extremely jealous of her sister Lily's acceptance into Hogwarts. She actually wrote a letter to Dumbledore asking if she could attend but was denied given she did not possess magic.

7. Harry, Ron, and Hermione learn that Gilderoy Lockhart still hasn't gotten his memory back after the events of The Chamber of Secrets.

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After Mr. Weasley is attacked by Nagini in The Order of the Phoenix, Harry, Ron, and Hermione visit him at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries on Christmas Day. This snippet in the book actually provides readers with some pretty interesting insights. Firstly, we learn that Gilderoy Lockhart, the pompous Defense Against the Dark Arts professor from The Chamber of Secrets, now resides here. He still can't recall who he is after that mishap with Ron's broken wand in book two. We also learn more about Neville when the trio bumps into him visiting his parents. 

8. Once Voldemort returns and the Ministry of Magic begins to fall into corruption, Percy chooses to estrange himself from the rest of the Weasley family.

Warner Bros. Pictures / Scholastic / Mary GrandPré

As the politics of the Wizarding World become volatile, the Weasleys actively speak out against the Ministry and openly support Harry in his journey to defeat the Dark Lord. Since the Ministry refuses to acknowledge that Voldemort has returned, Percy, who has risen through the ranks, chooses not to associate with his family members. The rift between the Weasleys and Ron's rule-following elder brother lasts all the way up until the Battle of Hogwarts in the final book.

9. Harry and Dumbledore go into the Pensieve to witness memories of Tom Riddle's family.

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The Half-Blood Prince is truly an essential installment of the book series. We learn so much about important character backstories, including the origin of Voldemort himself. There is an entire passage of the book devoted to Tom Riddle's family, the Gaunts, which sheds light on Voldemort's parents and his pure-blood uncle and grandfather. 

10. Ron and Hermione both become prefects for Gryffindor during their fifth year and have to monitor the halls.

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I'd love to see the new show touch on the Prefect Era that occurs in book five. It's really no surprise that Hermione is entrusted with this responsibility, but a total plot twist that Ron is, too. Prefects at Hogwarts are essentially glorified hall monitors that are charged with keeping order within their respective houses.

11. The Minister For Magic and the British Prime Minister know one another.

Warner Bros. Pictures / Scholastic / Mary GrandPré

With so much story to fit into the span of a feature film, it's no wonder muggle-related plot often gets nixed in the Harry Potter movies. One chapter in The Half-Blood Prince reveals that the Prime Minister actually knows about the Wizard World. In fact, Britain's leader traditionally meets with the Minister For Magic to ensure that peace is kept between the two worlds and that magic is properly concealed from the muggle eye.

12. Tonks is actually related to Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy, and Sirius Black.

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Sirius Black's family tree is a bit more complicated than the movies let on. We know that Bellatrix Lestrange is his cousin, but the familial connection with other prominent characters is more heavily explored in the books. For example, Bellatrix and Narcissa Malfoy (Draco's mother) are sisters, but they also have an estranged sister, Andromeda, who is Nymphadora Tonks' mother. Like Sirius, Andromeda chooses not to be associated with her pure-blood-obsessed family.

13. The books give more context to romantic pairings such as Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, Bill/Fleur, and Lupin/Tonks.

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I have very few qualms about the Harry Potter movies, but I do wish they were given the time to explore some of the relationships between characters. Ron and Hermione are a fun slow-burn, but there are a ton of important little moments we get in the books that start to grow something beyond friendship between the pair. I also enjoy that Harry's love life isn't a primary focus, but I do wish we saw more evidence of a budding romance between him and Ginny. The books dive into a couple of other romances, too, such as Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour, and Remis Lupin and Tonks.

14. 19 years after the events of The Deathly Hallows, Teddy Lupin is practically part of the Potter family.

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The last scene of the final movie gives viewers a glimpse into Harry's future, 19 years later. Harry and Ginny are saying farewell to their youngest son, Albus Severus, who is about to board the Hogwarts Express for his first year of magical schooling. We also see that Ron and Hermione's children attend Hogwarts. The book's epilogue features a few additional characters that would be interesting to see included in this new adaptation — namely Teddy, the son of Lupin and Tonks, who has grown up alongside the Potters.

Which storylines from the Harry Potter books do you hope to see in HBO's new TV series?

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