History AdaptationInducedPlotHole / HarryPotter

** In Oliver Wood's film explanation of Quidditch rules to Harry, he says, "You catch [the Golden Snitch], Potter, and we win." This makes it sound even more like an InstantWinCondition than it is. Catching the Snitch only awards 150 points and, while rare, it is still possible to lose when catching the Snitch if the opposing team has a more than 150 point lead; the houses also play a round-robin schedule in the novels, so point differential is a major factor. Wood's book explanation, "Whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins his team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win," makes it far more understandable why the Keeper and Chaser positions even exist, while they are implied to be completely superfluous in the film. However, this detail ''is'' mentioned later on by Lee Jordan.

** In the Gryffindor/Hufflepuff Quiddich match, the Hufflepuff seeker is struck by lightning and falls out of the sky. Soon after, Harry also falls off his broom when the dementors appear. Wood in the first movie already said that if Harry (as seeker) catches the golden snitch, the game is over, so how did the game end? Did the Hufflepuff seeker get better? Did they just call the game after Harry fell?

** The very beginning of the book has Harry, the Weasleys, and a whole bunch of other wizards and witches attending a Quidditch Tournament. After one team wins, there are large amounts of drunken celebrations. Some of those celebrating were former disciples of Voldemort. Barty Crouch Jr., who is still a loyal disciple, gets angry and casts a large Mark of Voldemort (while pinning it on a house elf) into the air as a reminder to the former Death Eaters about their true master. Chaos ensues. This admittedly is a bit of a complicated setup, but the film simply has a bunch of Death Eaters casting the Mark, and ''attacking'' the Quidditch tournament. No explanation is given why everyone flees in terror without trying to fight back against this small, obvious group, nor why no one believes Harry about Voldemort's return later despite the fact that Voldemort's minions have obviously returned to cause trouble.
** Krum has MindControlEyes while under the Imperius Curse in the fourth film. In the [[Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows seventh film]], the curse is portrayed more like in [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire the]] [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows books]] wherein it appears: the Gringotts goblin just has a vacant smile. It's noted in the books that several of Voldemort's agents escaped justice by claiming to have been under the Imperius Curse, and a handful of minor characters are placed under the curse for long periods of time. If the curse's effects included obvious MindControlEyes, then it wouldn't be nearly as effective as either an excuse or an espionage tool.
** The films omit the entirety of Percy Weasley's minor-but-existent character arc from ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire Goblet of Fire]]'', ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Order of the Phoenix]]'', ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince Half-Blood Prince]]'', and ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'', leaving it totally unexplained why he's suddenly working for [[ArcVillain Umbridge]] in the fifth movie, then just as suddenly back with the good guys in the finale.

** In [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire the fourth book]], [[spoiler:Barty Crouch Jr]] had infiltrated Hogwarts and manipulated things so that Harry would fall into the hands of Voldemort, which allowed for the latter's return. After confessing everything to Dumbledore, Fudge was informed about the culprit, who decided to have a Dementor accompany him -- the Dementor saw the culprit and [[AFateWorseThanDeath sucked out his soul]], which left him to no longer be able to give testimony anymore, and nobody to verify Harry's story of Voldemort's return. The movie removed this side-effect by stating the culprit has been taken back to Azkaban, but is otherwise perfectly alright. The media still portrays Harry (and, to an extent, Dumbledore) as liars based on nothing but bad propaganda.

** In the PC version of ''Chamber of Secrets'', Harry says that he thinks he and Ron will get expelled as punishment for flying the Ford Anglia to Hogwarts... and then it's never mentioned again.

** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] by pure luck in the Gameboy Color version, which has Harry stab Riddle's diary with the Sword of Gryffindor instead of a basilisk fang. As ''Deadly Hallows'' would later reveal, the sword can indeed destroy horcruxes after being coated in basilisk venom.
** Almost every version skips the King's Cross scene, resulting in some really flimsy logic for why Harry and Ron take the car to Hogwarts. In the [=GameCube/PS2=]/Xbox version, Ginny and the Malfoys leave Flourish & Blotts in the middle of Gildenroy Lockhart's book signing. Literally ten seconds later, Ron bursts in and reveals that the Hogwarts Express left five minutes ago, which raises all sorts of questions. How did Malfoy, Ginny and every other student in Diagon Alley get to the train in time? Why wouldn't Harry and Ron seek help from their new teacher Lockhart, who is standing right next to them? And where is Mrs Weasly -- the one who convinced Harry to go to the book signing in the first place -- and why did she leave one of her kids behind? The PC version has the same problem, but there's at least a loading screen between the two scenes which allows for some time to have passed. The [=PS1=] version doesn't even mention that they missed the train -- they just take the car with zero explanation.
** The PC version retains the reveal that the basilisk's gaze can kill people, but removes the part where Harry realizes why all the victims were petrified instead. Neither Harry or Ron seem to notice this contradiction.
** The 6th generation console version includes a scene from the book (and extended version of the film) where Harry sees Lucius Malfoy selling some items to Mr Borgin. He claims that he wants to get rid of them because the Ministry of Magic is conducting raids and he doesn't want to get caught with anything that could get him in trouble... which apparently includes a spellbook for Lumos, a harmless lighting charm which is taught to first-graders.

** Harry becomes a pariah to the magical world because of Rita Skeeter's articles in the previous year, where she made him out to be an arrogant, attention-seeking child and liar for his insistent claim that Voldemort has returned. In [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire the fourth book]], [[spoiler:Barty Crouch Jr]] had infiltrated Hogwarts and manipulated things so that Harry would fall into the hands of Voldemort, which allowed for the latter's return. After confessing everything to Dumbledore, Fudge was informed about the culprit, who decided to have a Dementor accompany him -- the Dementor saw the culprit and [[AFateWorseThanDeath sucked out his soul]], which left him to no longer be able to give testimony anymore, and nobody to verify Harry's story of Voldemort's return. The movie removed this side-effect by stating the culprit has been taken back to Azkaban, but is otherwise perfectly alright. The media still portrays Harry (and, to an extent, Dumbledore) as liars based on nothing but bad propaganda.

** Snape asks students how to distinguish between a werewolf and a true wolf (and werewolves look like normal wolves in this case), but in the films, werewolves are clearly distinguishable from normal wolves. However, Snape's question is actually how to tell the difference between werewolves and animagi in the film.

** Krum has MindControlEyes while under the Imperius Curse in the fourth film. In the [[Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows seventh film]], the curse is portrayed more like in [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire the]] [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows books]] wherein it appears: the Gringotts goblin just has a vacant smile. It's noted in the books that several of Voldemort's agents escaped justice by claiming to have been under the Imperius Curse, and a handful of minor characters are placed under the curse for long periods of time. If the curse's effects included [[IncrediblyLamePun blindingly]] obvious MindControlEyes, then it wouldn't be nearly as effective as either an excuse or an espionage tool.

** This change causes an additional problem: In the film, Harry was out of bed because he saw Peter Pettigrew on the Marauder's Map and, having heard Pettigrew died years ago, went to investigate. After he's caught, he tells this to Lupin, who declares "That's not possible"... And then apparently decides not to do anything with this information, as the corresponding scene doesn't happen until later. In the book, Harry never saw Pettigrew on the map. Instead, Lupin confiscates the map, and then weeks later makes the discovery himself (he was using the map to discreetly make sure Harry stayed out of trouble during Buckbeak's execution, only for Pettigrew to coincidentally cross paths with them that day) causing him to immediately figure out Pettigrew faked his death and rush off to confront his former friend. This is also the reason he didn't take his wolfsbane potion -in the book, he was overwhelmed by emotion and forgot about it. Since his reaction in the film is apparently more level-headed, with him waiting days to confront Pettigrew, it seems less plausible for it to have slipped his mind.

** The circumstances of Lupin preventing Harry from performing the Ridikkulus charm against the Boggart in the film are changed, so that instead of stopping Harry before he confronts the Boggart, Lupin steps in after he has already seen it transform into a Dementor before Harry. In and of itself, this is a fair change from [[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban the book]] that helps indicate Lupin's desire to protect Harry ... but in a later scene, Lupin still tells Harry, as in the book, that he came between him and the Boggart because he feared it might take the form of Lord Voldemort, despite the fact that he clearly saw it transform into a Dementor.

** In an [[InvertedTrope inversion]], on the other hand, Tom Riddle in the film tells Harry [[spoiler:that the Basilisk only obeys him and no other Parselmouths. The book shows no attempt on Harry's part to control the monster himself, nor does it try to explain why such wouldn't work.]]

** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] by pure luck in the Gameboy Color version, which has Harry stab Riddle's diary with the Sword of Gryffindor instead of a basilisk fang. As ''Deadly Hallows'' would later reveal, the sword can indeed destroy horcruxes after being coated in basilist venom.

** The Ministry of Magic does not send a letter to the Dursley's house warning Harry for the apparent violation of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery after Dobby levitates and drops Petunia's pudding, which is how the Dursleys knew of this rule in the books. How Vernon seems to know of this rule in the following movie, despite noticeably not being aware in this one, is not explained [[note]]While Petunia might know of this, she does not appear in this movie, and says nothing about it to Harry or her husband when it would be relevant[[/note]].

** The Ministry of Magic does not send a letter to the Dursley's house warning Harry for the apparent violation of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery after Dobby levitates and drops Petunia's pudding, which is how the Dursleys knew of this rule in the books. How Vernon seems to know of this rule in the following movie, despite noticeably not being aware in this one, is not explained [[note]]While Petunia might know of this, she does not appear to in this movie, and says nothing about it to Harry or her husband when it would be relevant[[/note]].

*** Of course, this also causes an example of the trope being PlayedStraight. In the book, before returning the Elder Wand, Harry used it to repair his own wand. In the film, he never gets around to this, leaving him apparently without a wand going forward. [[spoiler:However, it is entirely possible that Harry either fixed his wand off-screen or continued to use Draco's wand, which answers to him.]]

** Almost every version skips the King's Cross scene, resulting in some really flimsy logic for why Harry and Ron take the car to Hogwarts. In the [=GameCube/PS2=]/Xbox version, Ginny and the Malfoys leave Flourish & Blotts in the middle of Gildenroy Lockhart's book signing. Literally ten seconds later, Ron bursts in and reveals that the Hogwarts Express left five minutes ago, which raises all sorts of questions. How did Malfoy, Ginny and every other student in Diagon Alley get to the train in time? Why wouldn't Harry and Ron seek help from their new teacher Lockhart, who is standing right next to them? And where is Mrs Weasly -- the one who convinced Harry to go to the book signing in the first place -- and why did she leave one of her kids behind? The PC version has the same problem, but there's at least a loading screen between the two scenes which allows for some time to have passed. The [=PS1=] version doesn't even mention that they missed the train -- they just take the car with zero explanation.[[/folder]]

* Every version of ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone Philosopher's Stone]]'' completely glosses over Harry's [[ConvenientlyAnOrphan backstory]] with a vague mention of "Harry Potter...the boy who lived", possibly because talking about how Harry's parents were murdered by the BigBad would [[UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications bump up the age rating]]. [[note]]Or possibly because anyone who would play that game already knows Harry's backstory, and EA didn't want the prologue to take too long.[[/note]]

* The UsefulNotes/PlayStation version of [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets Chamber of Secrets]] removes a lot of plot-relevant events, possibly due to space limitations. It is never explained that the Basilisk "kills" people by looking at them, but the scene with Fawkes blinding the snake still plays. Harry still hears the Basilisk speaking to him through the pipes, but this is never mentioned nor explained in any way. In the final battle, Harry falls unconscious due to being bitten by the Basilisk, except he was never bitten in the game, and so on.
* In the PC version of ''Chamber of Secrets'', Harry says that he thinks he and Ron will get expelled as punishment for flying the Ford Anglia to Hogwarts... and then it's never mentioned again.
** The third chapter of Gilderoy Lockhart's book "Marauding with Monsters" contains a CriticalResearchFailure regarding the Diricawl (he calls it by its {{Muggle}} name and believes it is extinct) and ends with him declaring an intent to assist poachers in driving a known EndangeredSpecies to extinction. This is ostensibly supposed to foreshadow Lockhart's true nature as a fraud, but it's [[ViewersAreMorons so utterly blatant]] it makes everyone in-universe look like complete idiots. Are we seriously expected to believe that a supposedly world famous professor is both as knowledgeable as a {{Muggle}} about the Diricawl and an admitted ''criminal'' yet nobody noticed or cared?
* [[AvertedTrope Averted]] by pure luck in the Gameboy Color version of ''Chamber of Secrets'', which has Harry stab Riddle's diary with the Sword of Gryffindor instead of a basilisk fang. Fortunately, he still did so after killing the basilisk, so the sword is perfectly capable of destroying a horcrux.[[/folder]]

[[/folder]]

*** Of course, this also causes an example of the trope being PlayedStraight. In the book, before returning the Elder Wand, Harry used it to repair his own wand. In the film, he never gets around to this, leaving him apparently without a wand going forward. [[spoiler:However it is entirely possible that Harry either fixed his wand off-screen or continued to use Draco's wand, which answers to him.]]

*** Of course, this also causes an example of the trope being PlayedStraight. In the book, before returning the Elder Wand, Harry used it to repair his own wand. In the film, he never gets around to this, leaving him apparently without a wand going forward [[spoiler:(however it is entirely possible that Harry continued using Draco's wand which answers to him)]].

** In the PC version, when taking Norbert to the tower the goal is to avoid Filch and get back to the common room after handing Norbert to Charlie, hence Harry losing the invisibility cloak and going into the Forbidden Forest for his detention are not part of the game's storyline (although there is some DummiedOut dialogue suggesting that the Forbidden Forest part was dropped at some point). When going to the forbidden corridor Harry no longer has his invisibility cloak even though there's no reason for him to have lost it in this version, and he just "has to take their chances" with Filch.

** In the PC version, when taking Norbert to the tower the goal is to avoid Filch and get back to the common room after handing Norbert to Charlie, hence Harry losing the invisibility cloak and going into the Forbidden Forest for his detention are not part of the game's storyline (although there is some DummiedOut dialogue suggesting that the Forbidden Forest part was dropped at some point). When going to the forbidden corridor Harry no longer has his invisibility cloak even though there's no reason for him to have lost it in this version, and the trio just "have to take their chances" with Filch.

** The Thestrals are explained as beings who can only be seen by people who have experienced the death of someone firsthand. In the [[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone book]], Harry passes out before [[spoiler:Quirrell]] dies. As the potency of Lily's protective magic on Harry was kicked up a notch for the film, it burns [[spoiler:Quirrel]] so badly that he crumbles to dust and ash right before Harry's eyes, and yet Harry still can't see the Thestrals (which appear invisibly in ''Prisoner of Azkaban'', both the [[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban book]] and [[Film/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban movie]]) until after also seeing [[spoiler:Cedric Diggory]] get murdered in the [[Film/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire fourth film]]. Meaning that the [[Film/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix fifth film]] should not be the first time Harry is able to see the Thestrals. The first movie was released before the fifth book (2001 vs 2003), so the filmmakers couldn't have known about Thestrals unless Rowling had already come up with the concept and told them.

* Every version of ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone Philosopher's Stone]]'' completely glosses over Harry's [[ConvenientlyAnOrphan backstory]] with a vague mention of "Harry Potter...the boy who lived", possibly because talking about how Harry's parents were murdered by the BigBad would [[UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications bump up the age rating]].

** In [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix the fifth book]], Hermione beginning to refer to Voldemort by his chosen name is a step forward for her in terms of CharacterDevelopment that gets Harry fully on board with deciding to start what becomes Dumbledore's Army. It's acknowledged in the book that this is the first time she has ever uttered the BigBad's name. In the [[Film/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone first movie]], however, she says the name unflinchingly: "Who was the one wizard Voldemort always feared?" And in the [[Film/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets second film]], when [[ArcVillain Lucius Malfoy]] mocks Harry for "be[ing] very brave, to say his name," she gets Dumbledore's line from the end of the [[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone first book]], [[ShutUpHannibal "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."]] This softens the ''Phoenix'' moment's impact in the movies' continuity.

** In Oliver Wood's film explanation of Quidditch rules to Harry, he says, "You catch [the Golden Snitch], Potter, and we win." Catching the Snitch only awards 150 points and, while rare, it is still possible to lose when catching the Snitch if the opposing team has a more than 150 point lead; the houses also play a round-robin schedule in the novels, so point differential is a major factor. Wood's book explanation, "Whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins his team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win," makes it far more understandable why the Keeper and Chaser positions even exist, while they are implied to be completely superfluous in the film. However, this detail ''is'' mentioned later on by Lee Jordan.

** In the novel, Hermione asks Professor Binns to tell the class about the Chamber of Secrets. Binns is the History of Magic teacher, so it is perfectly reasonable for her to ask him about something connected to the history of Hogwarts. However, Binns is absent in the film, so Hermione asks Professor [=McGonagall=] about it, which makes far less sense and is completely off-topic from the subject she teaches (Transfiguration). This can, however, be justified in that [=McGonagall=] is the deputy headmistress, and thus would be the most likely of the film's teachers to know about it.

** The Thestrals are explained as beings who can only be seen by people who have experienced the death of someone firsthand. In the [[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone book]], Harry passes out before [[spoiler:Quirrell]] dies. As the potency of Lily's protective magic on Harry was kicked up a notch for the film, it burns [[spoiler:Quirrel]] so badly that he crumbles to dust and ash right before Harry's eyes, and yet Harry still can't see the Thestrals (which appear invisibly in ''Prisoner of Azkaban'', both the [[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban book]] and [[Film/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban movie]]) until after also seeing [[spoiler:Cedric Diggory]] get murdered in the [[Film/HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire fourth film]]. Meaning that the [[Film/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix fifth film]] should not be the first time Harry is able to see the Thestrals. The first movie was released before the fourth and thus fifth books, so the filmmakers couldn't have known about Thestrals unless Rowling had already come up with the concept and told them.