Twelve Scenes From The “Prisoner of Azkaban” Movie That Weren’t in the Book

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is often considered a fan-favorite movie, and we can totally see why: the gloomy vibes add more mystery to the atmosphere, the soundtrack’s amazing, and most importantly we see lots of fun and interesting moments that make the film stand out. It’s also the transitional movie between the first two parts, which feel more like fairy tales, and the rest, where things get even darker and more serious.

Unlike the two previous parts, the PoA film has quite a lot of additional significant scenes: some make the storyline more complete, while others just add a bunch of plot holes to it. Today we’re going to explore all these moments and see which ones add more charisma to the story, and which ones don’t really make sense.

1. Harry uses Lumos at home.

Every freshman at Hogwarts knows the most essential rule: no magic outside the school. However, the directors seemed to ignore this canon from the very beginning of the movie. As Harry’s doing his homework under his bedsheets, he’s learning how to use the spell, Lumos Maxima. In the book, Harry is indeed hiding from the Dursleys while studying, but he’s using a lamp as a source of light. However, let’s give some credit and say that despite everything, the scene indeed looks magical.

 

 

2. Hogwarts’ choir performs.

There’s no mention of Frog Choir anywhere in the books, and we’re really glad they added some more music to the movie. The song Double Trouble has become a kind of hymn for Potterheads all over the world, who know the lyrics by heart. It fits perfectly well with the stormy and mystical atmosphere of the Welcoming Feast.

 

 

3. Harry and his friends goof around.

Another hilarious scene shows Harry, Ron, Neville, Dean, and Seamus goofing around in their dormitory, eating candy that makes them sound like different animals and having fun. It’s moments like this that add more coziness and comfort to the story, and we wish we saw more simple scenes like this, where the characters are enjoying their careless teenage years instead of worrying about the deathly problems and threats.

 

 

4. Harry flies on Buckbeak.

Who else was super jealous of the awesome ride around Hogwarts on Buckbeak? In the book, the flight scene is very short, and Harry gets to fly the hippogriff only once around the paddock, but in the movie, there’s a whole long scene where Harry’s enjoying himself and screaming at the top of his lungs. It looks like so much fun!

 

 

5. Sirius is sighted.

Well, we don’t actually get to see Sirius, but we love the short moment as everyone’s gathered around the newspaper, discussing Black. And don’t forget about one of the most intense and dramatic quotes of the movie: “Black could be anywhere. It’s like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands”.

 

 

6. Malfoy’s sketches Harry.

Sadly, we didn’t get to see much of the rivalry between Malfoy and Harry in the movies, at least compared to the books. So, the scene where Malfoy’s making a little paper bird and sending it to Harry is pretty cool. Not to mention how good the little sketch looks, that’s a real talent! And did Draco just predict the awful weather for the next day’s match?

 

 

7. Lupin has a walk with Harry.

We love the bond that Harry creates with Lupin, without even knowing that he was James’s best friend.  In the book, Harry spends some time with his professor as well, but only in his office. In the movie, they’re having a walk around Hogwarts, which symbolizes that Lupin isn’t merely his teacher, but rather a really good father figure for Harry.

 

 

8. Harry finds out about Sirius.

After he learns the truth about Sirius being his godfather, Harry’s devastated to know that his parents were betrayed by their best friend. The scene where Harry’s crying is touching and significant, as it’s the first time we see him showing the grief of losing his parents. We should mention Daniel Radcliffe’s acting skills as well, cause he perfectly managed to show sadness, pain, fury, and a desire for revenge with his simple lines and facial expressions.

 

 

9. Harry wanders in Hogwarts at night.

And the award for the scene adding the biggest plot hole to the story goes to this one. Harry’s investigating the Marauders Map and suddenly sees Peter Pettigrew’s name on it. In the corridor, Peter’s name is approaching Harry, but he doesn’t see anyone pass nearby. This scene was kinda cool because it adds more spookiness and mystery to the story, but there’s one big BUT. It means, that all these years, Fred and George saw a random guy named Peter hanging out with their brother (and even sleeping in the same bed) and never said anything about it. Feels weird, doesn’t it?

 

 

10. Snape protects Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Snape’s character was the most interesting to study because you can’t simply call him either a hero or a villain. We like the simple scenes that give a little more credit to his good side, like when he notices the transformed Lupin and instinctively shields Harry and his friends. Moreover, he tries to hold on to Harry, as he’s running after Sirius and Lupin. It’s a very short moment, but makes his character more deep and ambiguous.

 

 

11. Buckbeak saves Harry and Hermione from the werewolf.

In the book, Harry remembers that the transformed Lupin will be soon running in their direction, and they simply decide to hide in Hagrid’s hut. In the movie, Hermione saves the “past Harry” from Lupin without realizing that the werewolf is now coming at them. Luckily, Buckbeak was there to save the day, as he scares Lupin away.

 

 

12. Sirius talks with Harry.

This moment was quite short in the original, and we love that they extended it in the adaptation. As Hermione and Harry save Sirius, he gets a few minutes to talk to his godson, comfort him, and give one of the many amazing quotes of the series – “the ones who love us, never really leave us. You can always find them in your heart.” This felt like a proper goodbye for a while, and a good reminder, that he’s always there for Harry.

 

 

Did you enjoy these extra scenes while watching The Prisoner of Azkaban? Let us know which moment was your favorite and why in the comments!