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New scenes, and scenes the films cut

With eight episodes for one book, HBO’s Harry Potter has room for scenes the films left out, and for scenes that are not in Philosopher’s Stone at all. This page lists both, as far as they are known from the teasers, the official HarryPotter.com, interviews and reports from the filming. Each one is marked with its source. The list will be updated as the episodes air; for the changes to what the book says, see the differences.

Scenes that are not in the book

Dumbledore meets Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel

In October 2025, John Lithgow was filmed as Dumbledore on the cliffs of Kynance Cove, in Cornwall, with Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel [Redanian Intelligence]. In the book the Flamels never appear: Harry, Ron and Hermione only read about Nicolas Flamel, the maker of the Philosopher’s Stone, on a Chocolate Frog card and in an old library book (ch. 13), and Dumbledore mentions him at the end (ch. 17). The French actor Lambert Wilson has said that he plays Nicolas, and that the couple are seen making the Elixir of Life with the Stone [Paris Match]. Marthe Keller has been reported as Perenelle. Source: press and the actor.

Hermione on the Hogwarts Express, before she meets Harry

HarryPotter.com itself describes this scene from the second teaser as one that is not in the books [HarryPotter.com]. In the book, Hermione first appears when she comes into Harry and Ron’s compartment looking for Neville’s toad (ch. 6). Source: official.

The Burrow, Ron’s letter and a pillow fight

The second teaser shows the Weasleys at the Burrow, with Ron’s Hogwarts letter stained with ketchup, and a pillow fight between Harry and Ron [HarryPotter.com]. In Philosopher’s Stone the reader never sees the Burrow: Harry first goes there in Chamber of Secrets. Source: official.

The Weasleys at the Burrow © HBO

More of Ron, Hermione and McGonagall

According to SYFY, the second teaser is full of moments that are not in the novel: Ron struggling to measure up to his older brothers, Hermione putting other students off before term has even started, McGonagall urging Harry to make friends, and McGonagall and Dumbledore arguing over whether to prepare the students for danger or to protect them from it. In the book, Ron’s feelings about his brothers come out only once, when he sees himself as Head Boy and Quidditch captain in the Mirror of Erised (ch. 12). Source: press.

Draco at home

Lox Pratt, who plays Draco, said in an interview that viewers will see Draco at home, and that the series shows “so much more than the books” [ComicBookMovie]. The book only shows Draco at Madam Malkin’s and at school. Source: the actor.

The night at Godric’s Hollow, on screen

In October 2025, the village of Lustleigh, in Devon, was turned into Godric’s Hollow on Halloween night, with children in costumes [ComicBook.com]. In the book, the night Voldemort killed James and Lily Potter is only told: by McGonagall and Dumbledore (ch. 1) and by Hagrid (ch. 4). Jasper Talbot and Hannah Chinn have been cast as James and Lily, and appear in the first season [Variety]. Source: press and fans.

Petunia’s voice and Harry’s Muggle school

The first teaser opens with Aunt Petunia (Bel Powley) telling Harry how ordinary he is, and shows him being chased by Dudley at his primary school [TheWrap]. The book is told from Harry’s side, never in Petunia’s voice, and mentions Dudley’s gang chasing Harry at school only in passing (ch. 2). The teaser does not prove that the first episode opens with Petunia. Source: the teaser.

Hagrid’s snow angel

The snowball fight in the first teaser is in the book (see below), but Hagrid making a snow angel in it is not. Source: the teaser.

Book scenes the films cut

• Mr Dursley’s strange day (ch. 1): Vernon sees people in cloaks on his way to work and is hugged by a little old man in a violet cloak. Set photos show the series filming wizards celebrating in the streets [ComicBook.com]. Press.
• Peeves the poltergeist (ch. 7): left out of all the films. Peter Serafinowicz plays him in the series [HarryPotter.com]. Official.
• Professor Binns (ch. 8): the ghost who teaches History of Magic, never seen in the films. Richard Durden plays him. Official cast list.
• Ronan the centaur (ch. 15): in the book, Harry meets Ronan, Bane and Firenze in the Forbidden Forest; the film kept only Firenze. Jake Curran has been reported as Ronan [Redanian Intelligence]. Fans.
• The Christmas snowball fight (ch. 12): “a furious snowball fight in the grounds” on Christmas Day, shown in the first teaser. The teaser.
• Charlie Weasley: only mentioned in Philosopher’s Stone, he is played by Harry Gilby and appears in the first season [Variety]. Press.

What the showrunner has said

Francesca Gardiner has said that the series will include moments viewers have never seen, both from the books and from what J.K. Rowling wrote for Pottermore, according to JoBlo. We have not found her exact words.

See also the differences from the book, the filming locations and the episode guide.