Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 released nine years ago - something we’re still in shock about, It feels like just yesterday that everybody flocked to their local movie theatre to see the Boy Who Lived’s fight with Lord Voldemort come to a head in the most dramatic of circumstances, amassing quite the body count along the way.
Warner Bros decided to put their own spin on certain elements of JK Rowling’s blockbuster, so we now take a look at the 10 biggest changes they made to the final outing of the series.
There’s Nothing On Teddy Lupin
The movie begins at Shell Cottage, the home of the recently-married Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour. The previous instalment had ended with the death of Dobby and Harry, along with Ron, Hermione and Griphook the Goblin, waste no time in plotting their break-in on Gringotts.
In the book, though, there’s some light among the darkness. Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks have a child named Teddy Lupin, with Harry being given the responsibility of being godfather. This is all cut from the film, though, with Teddy never being mentioned and Lupin and Tonks only appearing during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Aberforth Doesn’t Tell The Truth About Ariana
Harry, Ron and Hermione decide they need to get to Hogwarts following their successful assault on Bellatrix Lestrange’s Gringotts vault - and opt to do so via Hogsmeade. They set off the alarm, though, and Aberforth Dumbledore comes to their rescue.
In the blockbuster, Aberforth makes references to Dumbledore’s shady past, implying that he let his own greed get in the way of looking after his sister Ariana. The source material, though, has a far deeper story. Ariana was attacked by Muggles and, years later, dies in the middle of a fight between Albus and Gellert Grindelwald. We suppose Warner Bros left this out, though, to ensure the story progress fluidity and not to go off-topic.
No Harry Defending Minerva McGonagall
Ah, this is a scene we really wished had been included. In JK Rowling’s novel, Harry and Luna Lovegood sneak into Ravenclaw tower as they hunt for a Diadem that had been turned into a Horcrux by Lord Voldemort. Death Eater Amycus Carrow suspects this, though, and goes to try and stop them.
Harry and Luna manage to hide under the invisibility cloak and Carrow’s screams alert Minerva McGonagall, who goes there. When Carrow spits in her face, however, Harry leaps into action and knocks her out. That, certainly, would have been awesome to see.
Fred Weasley’s Death
How we wish Fred Weasley had survived. His death is tinkered with for the movie version of the story, showing a witch standing over him. This gives the impression that he was killed in combat.
It’s different in the book, though, with Fred perishing when an explosion hits Hogwarts hard. He dies with a smile on his face, and with recently-redeemed Percy by his side. Perhaps it’s for the best they altered it - it would have probably made audiences weep even more than they already did.
No Neville Torture
Torture is involved in some of the Harry Potter books, but usually cut down for the movie version in order to not scare or alarm younger members of the audience. And it’s the same for the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
In the original version of the story, Voldemort freezes Neville before placing the flaming Sorting Hat on his head. This, obviously, would be excruciating and agony to bare. Instead, the movie merely shows the Dark Lord sending him flying in a fit of rage when he discovers Harry is alive - despite casting the killing curse at him for a second time.
How Bellatrix Dies
Bellatrix Lestrange is a repulsive character and, while we wouldn’t wish harm on anybody, let’s just say that she deserved her comeuppance at Molly Weasley’s hand. In the movie she dies via a bizarre old curse that sees her age before combusting into loads of small black bits.
But it’s better-handled in the book. Mrs Weasley’s curse strikes her in the chest and she dies with a laughing look on her face, echoing the same death of her cousin, Sirius Black, who was killed by the Death Eater in the Order of the Phoenix two years before.
No Voldemort Three-Person Duel
The movie does a brilliant job at bringing the events of the Battle of Hogwarts to life on the big screen. And it’s great seeing Voldemort when he’s riled up, with the Dark Lord coming across as the most-terrifying from any movie in the franchise.
But it would have been awesome to see his three-way duel with Minerva McGonagall, Horace Slughorn and Kingsley Shacklebolt. It would have been extra good to see Slughorn fighting the man he once taught when the villain was Tom Riddle. Alas, it wasn’t to be.
Voldemort’s Death
Voldemort dies in the courtyard in the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 movie. We assume everybody else is fighting each other in the magical castle itself - because there’s absolutely nobody around. He disintegrates after his killing curse ends up consuming him thanks to some trickery involving the Elder wand.
But, in the book, he dies in front of everyone inside the Great Hall. People stand around and watch his and Harry’s final confrontation - and then mob the Boy Who Lived afterwards in a moment of sheer, magical triumph.
The Malfoys And Other Post-War Details
The movie shows Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy and Deaco Malfoy all fleeing from the scene towards the end of the Battle of Hogwarts, never to be seen again. In the source material, though, they’re actually present at Hogwarts for the post-war celebrations.
And that’s not the only thing that’s altered. Warner Bros chose to skip any mention of Kingsley Shacklebolt becoming emergency Minister of Magic, the Death Eaters being rounded up and the innocents being freed from Azkaban. The movie actually ends rather abrupty but, despite that, it’s still one of the series’ best entires.
Many Cameos
While there are many people president for the Battle of Hogwarts, there are also plenty of people who don’t pop up in the movie - but do in the books.
Colin Creevey, Augusta Longbottom, Ted Tonks, Grawp, Oliver Wood, Charlie Weasley and much, much more are all present. We understand why many weren’t included, though, particularly given the bulk of them had been snubbed in other Harry Potter movies.
