Book Mistakes v2

[PhoenixUK]

Version 1 of this thread is here (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=12211).

Please discuss mistakes that you've found in the books here, thank you!

[Selyr Black]

Don't you hate those? I have copies of both for the 4th book. One Hardback and one Paperback. :)

[SpAzZz553]

ok, you know how people asked about the map, how did harry get it back, well im sure someone answered it already, but didnt when harry feel threw the step or w/e the fake moody give it too filch cuz he didnt know what it was, but then since he could see threw the cloak harry signaled it was his, then moody told filch it was his and gave it backk.... i think thats what happened but im not sure... i havent read that book for a while..

[Alastor D]

When Harry signalled it was his, faKe Moody summoned it from the floor. Then,with Harry's permission he kept it. How Harry later got it back wasn't said in the book. It was in an interview JKR told Harry had sneaked into his empty office to take it back.

[DarkThunder]

It was in an interview JKR told Harry had sneaked into his empty office to take it back.

...and that she presumed we all would think of that but she was wrong, apparently.

[Flaming Phoenix]

I'm rereading OotP right now and I have spotted several possible mistakes...too bad I can't remember them all at the top of my head at the moment, but I would like to point out something. On JKR's official website, she said that when Ron said that prefects can't dock points from houses, Ron was wrong and prefects CAN dock points. However, on page 625-626, there is a bit of dialogue that contradicts what JKR said. Here it is:
Draco Malfoy had slid out from behind the door, closely followed by Crabbe and Goyle. His pale, pointed face was alight with mailice.
"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," he drawled.
"It's only teachers that can dock points from Houses, Malfoy," said Ernie at once.
"Yeah, we're prefects too, remember?" snarled Ron.
"I know prefects can't dock points, Weasel King," sneered Malfoy; Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad [can]..."

Now, based on what they were saying, that means that Ron was right after all! Prefects CAN'T dock points from houses. Both Ernie MacMillan and Malfoy also said it right out of their own mouths. So JKR was wrong.

[Evangelina]

She wasn't wrong, Ron was. And Harry got his map back from Dumbledore at the end of GoF. She just didn't include that info in the book.

[cableguy]

I had just assumed (and we all know what happens...) that Umbridge took away the authority of prefects to take points away. Percy had docked points in an earlier book, no?

[Darkillness]

Yeah. In OotP, we never hear about the detentions with McGonagall that Harry gets for beating up Malfoy or the ones Umbridge assigns him, let me find it: OotP Ch26 pg 581 US ed: "There will be no more Hogsmeade trips for you, Mr. Potter," she whispered. "How you dare...how you could..." SHe took a deep breath. "I have tried again and again to teach you not to tell lies. The message, apparently, has still not sunk in. FIfty points from Gryffindor and another week's worth of detentions." No mention of those anywhere after that. Probably not important, but still.

[no1 potter fan]

...and that she presumed we all would think of that but she was wrong, apparently.

Well I didn't think of that I thought he got it back when they were all in moody's office at the end of book 4. I think she just made it up.

[Marissa]

I'm rereading OotP right now and I have spotted several possible mistakes...too bad I can't remember them all at the top of my head at the moment, but I would like to point out something. On JKR's official website, she said that when Ron said that prefects can't dock points from houses, Ron was wrong and prefects CAN dock points. However, on page 625-626, there is a bit of dialogue that contradicts what JKR said. Here it is:
Draco Malfoy had slid out from behind the door, closely followed by Crabbe and Goyle. His pale, pointed face was alight with mailice.
"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," he drawled.
"It's only teachers that can dock points from Houses, Malfoy," said Ernie at once.
"Yeah, we're prefects too, remember?" snarled Ron.
"I know prefects can't dock points, Weasel King," sneered Malfoy; Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad [can]..."

Now, based on what they were saying, that means that Ron was right after all! Prefects CAN'T dock points from houses. Both Ernie MacMillan and Malfoy also said it right out of their own mouths. So JKR was wrong.
I hate finding mistakes, but we all know the book way to good to be able to look over them.
I noticed this one about the docking points.

[Alienet51]

Well as for the whole docking points thing for prefects, In SS, Percy docks points from his own house when he was a prefect to stop the trio from standing outside the 3rd floor corridor and waiting for Snape. So really instead of JKR being wrong it just means Draco, Ernie, and Ron are just dumb and didn't listen to the rules of being a prefect.

[TheLoveOf Fred]

In the English hardcover version of OotP I found some...

on page 479, it says "Ron gave a very shaky laugh and downed the rest of his butterbeer in one." Shouldn't there be a word after one?


Then when Fred and George let off there fireworks, don't they let them off on the first floor? Harry is in Umbridges office, and shes trying to get him to drink the fake Veritaserum to find where Dumbledore and Sirius are. Earlier in the book it says that Umbridges office is on the 3rd floor... unless thats a mistake... but anyways, heres the possible mistake qoute, this was when Harry was leaving Umbridges office. page 632 "It was not difficult to find. One floor down, pandemonium reigned." so that would be the second floor. but here, farther down the page, is this "Meanwhile, several of the dragons and a large purple bat that was smoking ominously took advantage of the open door at the end of the corridor to escape to the second floor" So I'm pretty sure thats a mistake, since the DADA office is on the third floor, or at least thats what OotP said.

[fleur magique]

Then when Fred and George let off there fireworks, don't they let them off on the first floor? Harry is in Umbridges office, and shes trying to get him to drink the fake Veritaserum to find where Dumbledore and Sirius are. Earlier in the book it says that Umbridges office is on the 3rd floor... unless thats a mistake... but anyways, heres the possible mistake qoute, this was when Harry was leaving Umbridges office. page 632 "It was not difficult to find. One floor down, pandemonium reigned." so that would be the second floor. but here, farther down the page, is this "Meanwhile, several of the dragons and a large purple bat that was smoking ominously took advantage of the open door at the end of the corridor to escape to the second floor" So I'm pretty sure thats a mistake, since the DADA office is on the third floor, or at least thats what OotP said.
I think it is that there was an open door at the end of the hallway in the second floor and it went rought that door. Plus didn't Harry sneek down to see what was happening. So he would have been in the second floor.

One thing that I noticed was that in PS/SS it says that Percy got his OWL scores before they went home for the summer, but then in OotP McGonagall told the class that they wouldn't get thier scores untill the summer vacation already started.

[Ginny1976]

Has anyone noticed that in GoF when crouch jr. is explaining his becoming moody that he says that he and wormtail make the Polyjuice Potion in a week? It takes a month to make!

[starxgazer]

Has anyone noticed that in GoF when crouch jr. is explaining his becoming moody that he says that he and wormtail make the Polyjuice Potion in a week? It takes a month to make!

I though about that, but I thought I was mistaken. Maybe he had already started making it a about 3 weeks before he said that, or maybe JK had him say that for a specific reason.

[Alastor D]

Quote: 'Wormtail and I did it. We had prepared the Polyjuice Potion beforehand' Unquote.
Where was it said it was made in a week?

[dumbleedore]

on page 479, it says "Ron gave a very shaky laugh and downed the rest of his butterbeer in one." Shouldn't there be a word after one?

No- you can drink something in one- there's no need to put one sip, one gulp or anything like that.

[Selyr Black]

Has anyone noticed that in GoF when crouch jr. is explaining his becoming moody that he says that he and wormtail make the Polyjuice Potion in a week? It takes a month to make!

No, it took them a month to make because they had to stew it on the full moon, which was a month away. If --- wait, scratch that, It takes the lacewings 21 days to stew, but I'm guessing you can buy pre-stewed ones as well.

[oryon]

i hope that this possible mistake wasn`t already discussed (if yes, I`m sorry): when I rad the GoF, and after that the OotP, I spotted something: if the thestrals can be seen only when someone saw someone (sorry for the rep.) die, then Harry why didin`t saw thies animals when he was going home after Voldemort came back? First we find out about them is in OotP, but Harry should have seen them in the end of the OotP. Isn`t it so?

[Hero_Of_Time]

i think that you'r kinda all forgetting what kinda world this book is set in, everytime you notice a mistake or things swapping places it was MAGIC! lol atleast that should be JK's Answer! lol

[cableguy]

Oryon...
JKR addressed that mistake by saying that she did that one on purpose. She did not want to introduce another element into a book that was about to finish, and waited until OotP to explain. As I remember the interview, and I wish I could remember where I saw it, she said that Harry was still in shock after the Cedric experience and therefore didn't notice the Thestrals.
A bit vague, I know, but I think there is a link to the interview on the Mugglenet site.

[atherella]

Oryon...
JKR addressed that mistake by saying that she did that one on purpose. She did not want to introduce another element into a book that was about to finish, and waited until OotP to explain. As I remember the interview, and I wish I could remember where I saw it, she said that Harry was still in shock after the Cedric experience and therefore didn't notice the Thestrals.
A bit vague, I know, but I think there is a link to the interview on the Mugglenet site.

Right, I don't have the link in front of me, but it had to do with Harry needing time to process and deal with the death he witnessed, before he was able to see the thestrals. :)

[Dedalus]

In the English hardcover version of OotP I found some...

on page 479, it says "Ron gave a very shaky laugh and downed the rest of his butterbeer in one." Shouldn't there be a word after one?


Then when Fred and George let off there fireworks, don't they let them off on the first floor? Harry is in Umbridges office, and shes trying to get him to drink the fake Veritaserum to find where Dumbledore and Sirius are. Earlier in the book it says that Umbridges office is on the 3rd floor... unless thats a mistake... but anyways, heres the possible mistake qoute, this was when Harry was leaving Umbridges office. page 632 "It was not difficult to find. One floor down, pandemonium reigned." so that would be the second floor. but here, farther down the page, is this "Meanwhile, several of the dragons and a large purple bat that was smoking ominously took advantage of the open door at the end of the corridor to escape to the second floor" So I'm pretty sure thats a mistake, since the DADA office is on the third floor, or at least thats what OotP said.

Doing something "in one" is a commonly used term. I especially hear it a lot for people downing a drink in one.

And the second question ... I don't think stairs hold much of a problem for fireworks ;)

[Hermywormy]

She wasn't wrong, Ron was. And Harry got his map back from Dumbledore at the end of GoF. She just didn't include that info in the book.

But Hermione didn't say anything, so she, Ron, Draco, Ernie, basically everyone was wrong. I'm just gonna say J.K. made a mistake!

[Nickel]

Harry gets off the train and is able to see the Thestrals. It is later explained that you can see them after you have seen death. Harry had seen the death of his mother and possibly his father before he saw Cedric Diggory die, so why didn't he see the Thestrals before? -Submitted by Kerry
JKR's response: You can't see them until the death "sinks in."

Taken from Mugglenet.com (http://www.mugglenet.com/books/mistakes/ootpmistakes.shtml)

[Kelfa21]

I can't go through all of the posts...there are too many!

Anyway...I'm sure it has been discussed in another specific thread...but I think there is a huge mistake with the cronological birth order of the weasleys...not so much who was born first but when...

Some say there is nine years between Percy and Charlie...because if all of the Weasley's were born two years apart...than Ginny's quote in CoS would fit. I'm not sure what the exact quote is because I can't find my CoS book...but I know that she is terrified of being expelled after waking up in the Chamber of Secrets and she had been looking forward toward Hogwarts since Bill went.

However...if the Weasley's were born two years apart...than Charlie would have been a seventh year when Ron began...making it un-nessicary for a new Gryffindor seeker.

[Nickel]

I can't go through all of the posts...there are too many!

Anyway...I'm sure it has been discussed in another specific thread...but I think there is a huge mistake with the cronological birth order of the weasleys...not so much who was born first but when...

Some say there is nine years between Percy and Charlie...because if all of the Weasley's were born two years apart...than Ginny's quote in CoS would fit. I'm not sure what the exact quote is because I can't find my CoS book...but I know that she is terrified of being expelled after waking up in the Chamber of Secrets and she had been looking forward toward Hogwarts since Bill went.

However...if the Weasley's were born two years apart...than Charlie would have been a seventh year when Ron began...making it un-nessicary for a new Gryffindor seeker.



Luisa: How old are Charlie and Bill Weasley in relation to their other siblings?
JK Rowling replies -> Oh dear, maths. Let me think. Bill is two years older than Charlie, who is two years older than Percy.

Which would in theory put Charlie in his 7th year when Harry & Co. started at Hogwarts, unless Charlie was 3 years ahead of Percy because of the cut off age to enter Hogwarts. If Percy's birthday was after the cutoff date to enter, then Charlie would still be 2 years older, and 3 school years ahead of Percy.

[stupiddeer]

for the weasley ages it's a mistake, JKR once said that there are about two years between bill and charlie and then two years between charlie and percy, but in one of the books wood said it had been seven years since gryffindor had one the house cup, i always just guessed charlie was 3 or 4 years older than percy because that makes the most sense

did anyone else notice though that it seems harry only ever has one flying lesson at hogwarts. is it just a one time thing or does his class have other flying lessons that just weren't important enough to mention.

i've also noticed that ron was a prefect, so naturally we assume he is one of the smartest kids in his class, and harry usually does about the same as ron, so that would mean dean and seamus are really stupid, and harry doesn't seem very smart. i want to know how they keep passing and going to their next year at hogwarts

[atherella]

did anyone else notice though that it seems harry only ever has one flying lesson at hogwarts. is it just a one time thing or does his class have other flying lessons that just weren't important enough to mention.

i've also noticed that ron was a prefect, so naturally we assume he is one of the smartest kids in his class, and harry usually does about the same as ron, so that would mean dean and seamus are really stupid, and harry doesn't seem very smart. i want to know how they keep passing and going to their next year at hogwarts

I'm not even going to touch the topic of the Weasley's ages. It makes me dizzy. :lol:

I did notice that about the flying lessons with Mdme. Hooch though. Funny. I imagine that there must've been more, just not important enough to ever mention. Who knows though.

As for the prefect aspect.... I'm not sure that prefects are chosen simply because they are the smartest, does it ever say that directly anywhere, or is that just implied and we are supposed to assume that?

[SYDDYP]

I don't think the prefect system is done on inteligence as both James and Sirius were very clever but didn't make prefects because of their behaviour.

[stupiddeer]

dean and seamus don't seem very smart though still, seamus always blows stuff up, dean is never really mentioned. they don't seem to pay any more attention that harry and ron in classes

[Aquaria]

There's this one thing that confuses me about Lupin: In PoA, he doesn't turn into a werewolf until he sees the moon. (p.409 english paperback edition: "The grounds were very dark now. [...] A cloud shifted. [...] Their party was suddenly bathed in moonlight.") It is nothing said about the moon rising just yet. It was just hidden behind a cloud.
Does that mean he would be save if he was inside a completely sealed room where the light of the moon couldn't reach him?

But why was it then that he had to hide in the shrieking shack when he was young?
And I believe the shack was completely sealed, to make sure, no one would be able to see Lupin as a werewolf. But he still did transform there.(p. 380 english paperback edition: "Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle into this place, to transform.")

[oryon]

to your first question: I believe that He must see the full moon to transform,he can be ok if the moon is for ex. hidden with a cloud...you could read that book about Fantastic Animals, it could be written there I`m not sure:)

to your 2nd question: he probably was already transformed when he entered the Shack, maybe he let himself see the moon before entering the tunnel, and after that going with the help of his buddies :evil: in the Shack....at least this is my opinion ;)

[percivalwulfric]

I dont know if this has been sed before, there is so many posts to go through but at the quidditch worl cup when they are in the forest they use magic "lumos" in the forest, álough i do suppose that it was an emergency situation and could of got away with it!

Iknow some more cases of this i think ill take a look, please give help if you can?

[Reverie]

I dont know if this has been sed before, there is so many posts to go through but at the quidditch worl cup when they are in the forest they use magic "lumos" in the forest, álough i do suppose that it was an emergency situation and could of got away with it!

Iknow some more cases of this i think ill take a look, please give help if you can?Yes this has been metioned before, but I think that since it was an emergency and there was no way to tell who was doing magic and who wasn't with so many wizards around the trio the ministry wouldn't know the trio used magic.

[tao]

for the weasley ages it's a mistake, JKR once said that there are about two years between bill and charlie and then two years between charlie and percy, but in one of the books wood said it had been seven years since gryffindor had one the house cup, i always just guessed charlie was 3 or 4 years older than percy because that makes the most sense

did anyone else notice though that it seems harry only ever has one flying lesson at hogwarts. is it just a one time thing or does his class have other flying lessons that just weren't important enough to mention.

i've also noticed that ron was a prefect, so naturally we assume he is one of the smartest kids in his class, and harry usually does about the same as ron, so that would mean dean and seamus are really stupid, and harry doesn't seem very smart. i want to know how they keep passing and going to their next year at hogwartsThe Weasly age thing is annoying . It says that Gryffindor hasn´t won the Quittish cup since "the legendary Charly Weasly" left. So he can´t have left the year before Harry starts, because then Wood would have said: "We havn´t won since last year." AND THAT MAKES NO SENSE He has to be at least 5 years older than Percy, but JK doesn´t know it.

I thought about the flying lessos and figured they only have them in first year.

I don´t understand why Dean and Seamus are really stupid just because they would get worse grades than Ron. I think Ron, like Harry, does averagly well and Dean and Seamus do averagly well but a little bit worse than Ron.
Neville is much worse but I don´t see problems for him to pass the year either. I honestly don´t know what you are talking about.
And I think Ron has to be a bit better (than D and S) otherwise it would be unfair to make him prefect, it´s definitly not because he likes the rules so much.

Other points:
Lupin transforms as soon as the full moon rises, no matter if he sees it or not. Otherwise no werewolf would ever go through the pain of transformation. JK also said so in an interview.

Prefects docking points - the most annoying mistake ever. Percy Weasly seemed to be the only prefect ever who realised his power to dock points. That would be OK with me if there wasn´t the IS in book 5 and the G/H/R prefects would have really needet this power in self defence. And how could Hermione out of all people miss something like that. Its impossible.

[Xtina Tares]

Originally Posted by tao:
I don´t understand why Dean and Seamus are really stupid just because they would get worse grades than Ron.

I think I read somewhere in the books that Dumbledore doesn't only choose prefects based on grades, or intelligence. He chooses them based on a number of different things.

[Aquaria]

to your first question: I believe that He must see the full moon to transform,he can be ok if the moon is for ex. hidden with a cloud...you could read that book about Fantastic Animals, it could be written there I`m not sure:)

to your 2nd question: he probably was already transformed when he entered the Shack, maybe he let himself see the moon before entering the tunnel, and after that going with the help of his buddies :evil: in the Shack....at least this is my opinion ;)


Well, Looks like I'm answering my own question...
In another thread I've been told that JKR has said in an interview that the moon wasn't really up until the moment it shows behind the clouds and that Lupin would have transformed anyways, even if he hadn't seen the moon, at that very moment.
I think it's still a little sloppy. But that doesn't make her less a genius... :)

[oryon]

Well, Looks like I'm answering my own question...

I only said my opinion about your question, I think thats the way things happened... if you knew Jo`s response then compared to that we can only say our opinion, so there is no sense in the your question...isn`t it? :)

[GredandFeorge]

I can't take credit for this, but someone in another thread pointed out that it's said in GofF that Fred and George wouldn't be of age to try out for the Triwizard till Feb., but their birthdays are on Apr. 1 - April Fools Day!

[Nicole]

Just because Charlie Weasley was the Griffindor seeker does not mean they won the Cup every year that he was at Hogwarts.

[Rosmerta]

Is it possible that prefects can only take points from their own houses? It'd prevent them from completely abusing the power, after all.

[oryon]

Is it possible that prefects can only take points from their own houses? It'd prevent them from completely abusing the power, after all.

Maybe...I think so too....To be sure someone sould ask JK in the Edinburg Book Festival to be sure :)

[atherella]

Maybe...I think so too....To be sure someone sould ask JK in the Edinburg Book Festival to be sure :)

The EBF already took place. There's a transcript of what JKR said on her website. :)

[Black_Lily]

the big thing that annoys me is way back in PS/SS-

if drinking the Elixer of Life makes you immortal, how could Flammel and his wife die? and why would you need to keep drinking it? if you're immortal, you never die. it doesn't make sense

[Nicole]

The Elixir made from the Philosopher's Stone evidently does not make one immortal with one drink--one must continue to imbibe x amount on a regular basis. It keeps you alive as long as you continue to drink it (every day? once a week?). Think Polyjuice Potion....

[missypotter]

Quote #12 Alienet 51 - You are absolutely correct. I don't know why there is so much discussion about something so obvious. They are all new prefects and you know they don't pay attention.

Percy was the kind of prefect who new everything he could do with his power. It is that simple. :cool:

[tao]

Is it possible that prefects can only take points from their own houses? It'd prevent them from completely abusing the power, after all.That´s the only solution. Somebody should tell JK because she didn´t think about it herself.

Quote #12 Alienet 51 - You are absolutely correct. I don't know why there is so much discussion about something so obvious. They are all new prefects and you know they don't pay attention.

Percy was the kind of prefect who new everything he could do with his power. It is that simple. :cool:?????? What kind of prefect is Draco then? Hermione doesn´t pay attention? Please!


Just because Charlie Weasley was the Griffindor seeker does not mean they won the Cup every year that he was at Hogwarts.
But why does Wood say: We didn´t win the cup since Charlie Weasly left. That means they did win in Charlies last year, doesn´t it?

[smartypants]

However, on page 625-626, there is a bit of dialogue that contradicts what JKR said. Here it is:
Draco Malfoy had slid out from behind the door, closely followed by Crabbe and Goyle. His pale, pointed face was alight with mailice.
"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," he drawled.
"It's only teachers that can dock points from Houses, Malfoy," said Ernie at once.
"Yeah, we're prefects too, remember?" snarled Ron.
"I know prefects can't dock points, Weasel King," sneered Malfoy; Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad [can]..."

Now, based on what they were saying, that means that Ron was right after all! Prefects CAN'T dock points from houses. Both Ernie MacMillan and Malfoy also said it right out of their own mouths. So JKR was wrong.


Except that the english pocket version goes:
Draco Malfoy had slid out from behind the door, followed by Crabbe and Goyle. His pale, pointed face was alight with mailice.
"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," he drawled.
"You can't take points from fellow prefects, Malfoy" said Ernie at once.
"I know prefects can't dock points from each other," sneered Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad -"

However...if the Weasley's were born two years apart...than Charlie would have been a seventh year when Ron began...making it un-nessicary for a new Gryffindor seeker.

That's not a mistake per se. The subject of Weasly ages have been thoroughly discussed elsewhere. I think we can conclude that the mistake is saying that they haven't won since Charlie *left*. Because if that is true, they must mean "Left the Quiddich team" and then he only played one year, so that is probably a misunderstanding or missaying from Woods side. ;) Well, OK, JKR messed it up. :)

[Alastor D]

Except that the english pocket version goes:
Draco Malfoy had slid out from behind the door, followed by Crabbe and Goyle. His pale, pointed face was alight with mailice.
"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," he drawled.
"You can't take points from fellow prefects, Malfoy" said Ernie at once.
"I know prefects can't dock points from each other," sneered Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad -"


Must be an edited version, because the original Bloomsbury hardback had it exactly as Flaming Phoenix quoted it. On the second page of chapter 28.

[smartypants]

Yup. So it was a book mistake (or they reasonably wouldn't have fixed it). :)

[tao]

Very interesting, prefects cannot dock points from each other now.
But why wouldn´t they dock points from other Slytherins, so that no house would have any points left? Are all the 18 prefects of the other houses to mature to go down on the Slytherins level? (like Ron!!!???)
Would they really allow Slytherin to win that way?

[fanofpotter]

Prefects being able to dock points from students undermines the teachers punishments in my view. Prefects were never there to behave as mini teachers at my school. They were almost like big brothers and sisters to the younger students. SOmeone you could go and see if you didn't know how to do something or where something was. It was not in their rights to discipline.

Anyway, that's an aside, I do think that JK is likely to have made a few mistakes - they are nothing major, just things that would never have been picked up if the books hadn't been so over analysed by us! She is only human after all, and I like the fact that the mistakes are all down to magic anyway!

[oryon]

Prefects being able to dock points from students undermines the teachers punishments in my view. Prefects were never there to behave as mini teachers at my school. They were almost like big brothers and sisters to the younger students. SOmeone you could go and see if you didn't know how to do something or where something was. It was not in their rights to discipline.

Anyway, that's an aside, I do think that JK is likely to have made a few mistakes - they are nothing major, just things that would never have been picked up if the books hadn't been so over analysed by us! She is only human after all, and I like the fact that the mistakes are all down to magic anyway!

That is the way I think it too :tu: :tu: :tu:

[Saiorri]

Ok, i have a mistake from book 5---

How did Harry get his wand back after Malfoy took it in Umbridge's office?? When Ron and the rest of the kids met up in the forest with Harry, he mysteriuosly gained HIS wand,but hermione did not have hers. B/c remember she asked umbridge if they could use her wand for light?? Did Ron or someone swipe the wands back after hexing/stunning the squad??

[clone]

"So" said Ron, pushing aside a low-hanging branch and honding out Harry wand< "had any ideas?"(760 american)

Seems your wrong

[Saiorri]

ok.kool. my mistake.:)

[clone]

Hey um in the book mistakes section of this web ste it says that Lily could not do magic at home because of the rule in Harrys time but do we know how long that rule has been in effect. Lily could have been able to perform magic out of school but them in later years there were problems(such as kid doing magic carelessly like trying to trasform themselfs into a raven or something) so they changed it.

[oryon]

In the CoS, after Harry (better said Dobby) performs that charm, Harry get`s the letter from the MoM, and in this letter sais the date from which on students can`t do magic at home....i can`t remember, but I`m sure that there sais..:)

[Saiorri]

how come harry didnt get a howler/owl from the MoM when he let the snake out on dudley in SS? Or for that matter, when he made his hair grow after his aunt would cut his hair or had things happen when he was scared?? does the underage magic thing only apply to when a wizard uses a wand and not wandless magic?? b/c i know we all have to think at least once that harry is a morphamangus just like tonks and doesnt know he is!

[smartypants]

I guess that nefore he started at Hogwarts, he was not old enough to be responsible for his actions.Any magic performed then therefore would not get him in trouble. Like any kids, really, if a 5-year old do something wrong he doesn't go to jail.

[Saiorri]

thanx :)

[TerrierMom]

I think i have a book mistake that is cleared up. My US version of SS is a paperback. I bought it at a grocery store in 1999. In it, Nearly Headless Nick watches Harry eating at the Start of Term feast and says he hasn't eaten in almost 400 years. this has always caused conflict for us when trying to decide when the books are set, because in conflicts with the 500th Death Day Party in COS, where it's stated Nick died in 1492.

When I was on vacation in Canada last week, I bought the Canadian versions of the books. In the Candian version of PS, Nick tells Harry he hasn't eaten in almost 500 [I]years. Discrepency is corrected or just was never there in the Canadian version. Matches up with the Death Day date in COS. Looks like HP is set in the early to mid 1990's, not the present or the 1970's as I've also seen debated.

Oooh, not so sure now. I went to a store today, same grocery chain as wehre I bought SS 5 years ago. I looked at the hard copy and paperbacks they had of SS. They still have "almost 400 years". Could the US versions be wrong? The Canadian version of PS is the same as the UK version, and it says almost 500 years. Does anyone have an actual UK version they could check.

[LuvHP_001]

I don't even know how you guys find these mistakes....ur good...ur really good.

[oryon]

I have a Hungarian Hard cover SS, and there it says 400 years...I don`t know why.. :huh:

[LuvHP_001]

WHOA! I found a mistake!

Viktor Krum is said to be 18 years old...but in some other book (don't remember which one) it said they finish school at 17! how can that be? or do foreign schools go on longer?

[smartypants]

They might go for longer, yes. There is no reason to assume they have the same school system.

[Nickel]

WHOA! I found a mistake!

Viktor Krum is said to be 18 years old...but in some other book (don't remember which one) it said they finish school at 17! how can that be? or do foreign schools go on longer?

Either they go longer, or he had his birthday mid-school year.

[LuvHP_001]

Either they go longer, or he had his birthday mid-school year.


o....so i didn't find a mistake... :sigh:

[Libertine]

it's funny, my ss book also says nick hasn't eaten in almost 400 years. and it's not an early edition either; it came in a set of the first 3 books, so there was plenty of time to correct it. it is the u.s. version.

[Dedalus Diggle]

it's funny, my ss book also says nick hasn't eaten in almost 400 years. and it's not an early edition either; it came in a set of the first 3 books, so there was plenty of time to correct it. it is the u.s. version.
It just goes to show you how slow his beheading really was :wow:

[Kirsten]

I have the Bloomsbury 1997 paperback version of Philosopher's Stone, and it says four hundred years. It's four hundred years, not 400, so it's not just a 400/500 typo.

[oryon]

I have the Bloomsbury 1997 paperback version of Philosopher's Stone, and it says four hundred years. It's four hundred years, not 400, so it's not just a 400/500 typo.

It actaully is written four hundred years? wierd, there are so many editions, why can`t they follow one pattern, and not make thiese things..:(

[ravenfeather]

i see that i'm about a week too late for the prefects-can't-dock-points discussion, but i just have to post because this has just been eating at me since i read OotP. drives me crazy!
so, here's my magical explanation: prefects actually can't dock points. it's just that percy was already trying to seize a bit of power in his fifth year! :)
ron told us that percy was ambitious!

[Alastor D]

Or perhaps just an empty threat.

[lewis8604]

i see that i'm about a week too late for the prefects-can't-dock-points discussion, but i just have to post because this has just been eating at me since i read OotP. drives me crazy!
so, here's my magical explanation: prefects actually can't dock points. it's just that percy was already trying to seize a bit of power in his fifth year! :)
ron told us that percy was ambitious!
It is my opinion that prefects can dock points. Yet only from their own house. That would make sense so that the system would be kept clean. This would also explain why noone usually knows about it because who would deduct points from their own house except really ambitious soon-to-be prats, hopefully reconciled

[oryon]

It is my opinion that prefects can dock points. Yet only from their own house. That would make sense so that the system would be kept clean. This would also explain why noone usually knows about it because who would deduct points from their own house except really ambitious soon-to-be prats, hopefully reconciled

This seems the only logical explanation because we know that from the children only Umbridge`s little gang can dock points from other houses and nieghter one prefect has that capability, just to dock poionts from thier own houses so really this is the answer...that somebody really thought this rule very whell...no prefect could be that crazy to dock pionts from their own house...well maybe Percy... :D

[ravenfeather]

actually, i was just kidding in my previous post. i did, in fact, read all the explanations people thought up earlier. i just thought they all (including JKR's) sounded a little contrived.
it also seems like, if prefects could only dock points from their own houses, percy wouldn't have said "five points from Gryffindor" and in OotP, ernie would've said "prefects can't dock points from other houses.
personally, i think this was just a mistake on JKR's part which could easily be resolved by removing that one line of percy's in CoS in future editions! :)

[Saiorri]

yah, i have the 1997 soft cover SS and it says "over four hundred years".sir nick was around 498 or 499 years of age, its not quite 500 years of age, so he prolly just said he didnt eat in ova 400 years b/c he didnt care to round off to the nearest hundreth. come to think about it, JKR might not have made a mistake......a 500th death day does count "technically" as being over 400 years ago.heck, the years have gone by so much he can't keep up with the exact amount everytime he tells some one. so at that point when tellin harry, it was over 400 years.last i checked, 500 is more than 400.maybe this too was something that JKR wrote but didnt think we would over analyse what she meant.kinda along the lines of how harry got his marauders map back :)

[oryon]

it is true that 499 isn`t 500 but it`s ok as it is...:D

[ramones]

It is my opinion that prefects can dock points. Yet only from their own house. That would make sense so that the system would be kept clean. This would also explain why noone usually knows about it because who would deduct points from their own house except really ambitious soon-to-be prats, hopefully reconciled
This makes a lot of sense. If prefects could dock points, you can be sure that Malfoy would have docked points from Harry.

I actually don't remember where it says that prefects could dock points. What confused me was JK, who in an interview clearly stated that they could. I just bought OotP american paperback and I too noticed that they changed the dialogue.
I wish JK would hire a fan to read the book before it's published and correct all the mistakes!!

[ravenfeather]

This makes a lot of sense. If prefects could dock points, you can be sure that Malfoy would have docked points from Harry.

I actually don't remember where it says that prefects could dock points. What confused me was JK, who in an interview clearly stated that they could. I just bought OotP american paperback and I too noticed that they changed the dialogue.
I wish JK would hire a fan to read the book before it's published and correct all the mistakes!!


it doesn't ever actually say that prefects can dock points. back in CoS, though, percy docks 5 points from gryffindor when he catches harry and ron coming out of the girls' bathroom. i think the 'only from their own house' theory makes sense, but not with the information we're given in the books, i.e. the scene in OotP. several students clearly say that prefects can't dock points. period. which goes against CoS and JKR's interview. let me post the scene from OotP, just so we can discuss the pertinant points. boldface is mine:

OotP p.625-626 AmHCEd.:
"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, " he drawled.
"It's only teachers that can dock points from Houses, Malfoy, " said Erine at once.
"Yeah, we're prefects too, remember? " snarled Ron.
"I knowprefects can't dock points, Weasel King, " sneered Malfoy; Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad-"
"The what? " said Hermione sharply.
"The Inquisitorial Squad, Granger, " said Malfoy, pointing toward a tiny silver I upon his robes just beneath his prefect's badge. "A select group of students who are supportive of the Ministry of Magic, handpicked by Professor Umbridge. Anyway, members of the Inquisitorial Squad do have the power to dock points.... So, Granger, I'll have five from you for being rude about our new headmistress.... Macmillan, five for contradicting me.... Five because I don't like you, Potter... Weasley, your shirt's untucked, so I'll have another five for that.... Oh, yeah, I forgot, you're a Mudblood, Granger, so ten for that.... "
Ron pulled out his wand, but Hermione pushed it away, whispering, "Don't!"
"Wise move, Granger, " breathed Malfoy. "New head, new times... Be good now, Potty... Weasel King..."
He strode away, laughing heartily with Crabbe and Goyle.
"He was bluffing, " said Ernie, looking appalled. "He can't be allowed to dock points... that would be ridiculous.... It would completely undermine the prefect system.... "

[Sugabeen]

Can anyone offer an explanation ( other than sheer big-headedness ) why the Dursleys would believe that they had won the All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition...in a drought!

As the first chapter of Ootp states

lawns that were once emerald green lay parched and yellowing

I wondered if Vernon had been doing a spot of watering during the night ( in defiance of the hosepipe ban ) but he seemed quite vehemently opposed to rule breaking of this kind...

...drought in the Southeast " I hope he's listening next door" bellowed Uncle Vernon " Him with his sprinklers on at three in the morning


Not a major point, but curious! Also I always thought the Dursleys were sound sleepers...obviously not, if Vernon knows what his neighbour is doing at three in the morning - unless its an educated guess based on the state of his neighbours lawn!

[Lynia]

I'm guessing that the Dursleys thought that they won the contest simply out of sheer stupidity. The Dursleys pride themselves on being superior to others and they go out of their way to show themselves off to neighbours (ie. they'd brag loudly about a new car so that the neighbours would be able to hear), that they really wouldn't be surprised at hearing that they won something they didn't even enter. Or perhaps a member of the Order put some sort of spell on them? Still, they wouldn't have to fool the Dursleys with a lawn contest if they did that. Either way, it probably isn't too unbelievable.

About the prefects docking points; I'm just really confused on this one. It would make sense if prefects could only dock from their own house, but then why would the very idea of prefects being able to dock points strike people like Ernie Macmillan as being 'ridiculous'? Hermione obviously didn't know about it either, and since she's so up-to-date on rules and such, she should have known. It also doesn't make sense to keep prefects in the dark about docking points.

It would've made more sense if JKR had said in an interview that Percy had gotten it wrong in Book 2, and that he was only lying about docking points just to scare Harry and Ron. It's just plain confusing the other way around.

[marji]

Has anyone ever noticed that in Ootp, they just smashed a bunch of prophecies that weren't their own? Why didn't the Order just smash Trelawney's prophecy?

[ravenfeather]

Has anyone ever noticed that in Ootp, they just smashed a bunch of prophecies that weren't their own? Why didn't the Order just smash Trelawney's prophecy?

erm... because then there wouldn't have been much point to book 5? :)
no, really, there are some plot convolutions in any good book which are necessary to continue the story. for instance, a friend of mine once said (regarding the LoTR trilogy) "why didn't gandalf just take the ring, call gwaihir, fly into mordor and drop the ring the cracks of doom??" to which i could only just stare blankly. i finally firmed up my jaw and said "because that would make an incredibly crappy (and short) story!"

[smartypants]

OotP p.625-626 AmHCEd.:
"Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, " he drawled.
"It's only teachers that can dock points from Houses, Malfoy, " said

The Bloomsbury pocket still says that prefects CAN dock points, BUT NOT FROM OTHER PREFECTS. Which works perfectly with all other known information.

[oryon]

Has anyone ever noticed that in Ootp, they just smashed a bunch of prophecies that weren't their own? Why didn't the Order just smash Trelawney's prophecy?

Maybe because if they have destroyed the profecy then the members from the MoM, who work in the Departament of Misteryes would have made a huge scandal and then somehow maybe Voldemort could have find out more easily with his spys in the Departament...:D

oo....and ravenfeather`s answer can be ok too...:D

[ravenfeather]

The Bloomsbury pocket still says that prefects CAN dock points, BUT NOT FROM OTHER PREFECTS. Which works perfectly with all other known information.

you're right, of course. that would solve the problem nicely. the difficulty, though, is that both the regular bloomsbury and the scholastic editions don't include that information (as far as i know. bloomsbury edition owners, please correct me if i'm wrong). so, since this thread is about book mistakes, i think the prefects-docking-points conundrum can be safely called a mistake. :)
unless someone has the hungarian translation and the mistake is resolved there, too. :D

[smartypants]

It is indeed a mistake, corrected in the bloomsbury pocket (which is a very recent edition, and would be expected to have many corrections).

[HarryPotter190]

Someone said that it was one of J.K.'s mistakes on the part where Trelawney said in the GOF (in class) that judging by his dark hair, Harry was born in mid winter. Well, I don't think it is. The same person also said that it was J.K.'s mistake because of when Trelawney made the prophacy and new when he was born. Well, Trelawney can't remember when she makes prophacys. Remember PoA, where she went kind of rigid and then when she was finished saying the "true prediction" she couldn't remember saying anything like that.

:)

[skistar123]

Trelawny made the prophecy but there is no proof anywhere that she
a) remembers doing it (remember the other one she made in POA?)
b) if she remembers doing it she may not know who she was talking about, she never directly mentions a name..

Thats what i posted in the other thread

[ramones]

I think there is a big mistake in OotP and I don't know if it has been discussed before.

As we all know, Harry wanted to learn how to conjure a Patronus in case the Dementors showed up at the Quidditch match again.
In the match vs Ravenclaw, Harry sees the Dementors and conjures a stag Patronus.
Lupin even says: "That was quite a Patronus". We can assume everyone at the match saw it.

In the Hogs Head, when it's mentioned that Harry can produce a stag Patronus, everyone was impressed and suprised.
Wouldn't they have seen it at the Quidditch match? They couldn't have possibily thought a professor conjured it, because if they were looking up at the game, they would have seem where it came from.

[atherella]

I think there is a big mistake in OotP and I don't know if it has been discussed before.

As we all know, Harry wanted to learn how to conjure a Patronus in case the Dementors showed up at the Quidditch match again.
In the match vs Ravenclaw, Harry sees the Dementors and conjures a stag Patronus.
Lupin even says: "That was quite a Patronus". We can assume everyone at the match saw it.

In the Hogs Head, when it's mentioned that Harry can produce a stag Patronus, everyone was impressed and suprised.
Wouldn't they have seen it at the Quidditch match? They couldn't have possibily thought a professor conjured it, because if they were looking up at the game, they would have seem where it came from.

There was some great discussion about whether or not Harry's patronus was a corporeal one at the Quidditch match in the All About Remus Lupin thread. I'm trying to locate the post where the discussion started as there's a lot of free flowing Lupin love in there to dig through otherwise. It does seem like there is a lot of evidence that it was in fact the stag patronus at the game, but for reasons known only to JKR, she didn't want to introduce the 'stag' as the form of Harry's patronus just yet. A great discussion really.

Discussion about Harry's patronus in the Lupin thread (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=32530&page=27&pp=30)
(Starting on the last post of the linked page (*post #810 but then REALLY continued with Elf's post # 829 and thereafter. It's definitely worth a peek. It convinced me that Harry did in fact conjure a corporeal patronus at that game).

[ramones]

atherella! Stop following me! :rotfl: :rotfl:

[MasterDarkNinja]

There's always some mistakes I can think of I don't see listed at mistake sites, but now all of them slip my mind. :(

Lets see here, in book 3 Professor Trelawny made quite a few predictions that came true that she could have never made if she was a fraud, but then in the books after that it paints her as an old fraud. If she's really a fraud then just how did she know stuff such as one of the students in the class would leave, that something that one of the students had been dreading would happen on October 16th, and all of those other book 3 predictions other then Harry dying?

It is my opinion that prefects can dock points. Yet only from their own house. That would make sense so that the system would be kept clean. This would also explain why noone usually knows about it because who would deduct points from their own house except really ambitious soon-to-be prats, hopefully reconciled Actually I'm pretty sure that Prefects can dock points from any houses, that's based on J.K.R.'s answer to a question asking if it was a mistake when Ron said that Prefects can't dock points.

Has anyone ever noticed that in Ootp, they just smashed a bunch of prophecies that weren't their own? Why didn't the Order just smash Trelawney's prophecy? They probably didn't think that it was important enough to keep the Prophacy away from Voldemort to just destroy it, that's my guess at least since Voldemort already knows most of it except for the last part of it about who he goes after determining which person born in the month Harry was that it is.

[Claudia]

My humblest apologies if this is covered in another thread (and please point me there if it is)!

This is perhaps more a curiosity rather than a mistake, but in Book 1, it seems as though JKR has not quite got her feet under her yet. I am referring to the POV shifts that occur throughout the book. Here are the examples (page numbers are from the first American hardcover edition):
(p.176) Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand--not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa"During the Harry's Quidditch match (pgs.188-191), we see the action in the stands more or less from Ron's POV--we don't have access to what he thinks, but we see him watch Hermione try to break 'Snape's' jinx (as opposed to having the reader follow Hermione directly).

During Harry's second Quidditch match, we get this:(p. 222) Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched onto the field, something that Ron noticed too.

(p.223)Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell him, Neville."
...
Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about Harry.

(pg.224) Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground.The first couple of times I read Book 1, I didn't notice these things at all. But having since become accustomed to seeing everything through Harry's eyes, when I reread the series over the summer, these scenes just jumped out.

Do you suppose, that if JKR had the chance to rewrite Book 1, that she would change those scenes? The troll incident is very easy to fix. The Qudditch matches are tougher, because she wants to show us stuff that Harry cannot see when it happens, as opposed to having Ron and Hermione describe it to Harry afterwards. But JKR could probably still change it successfully.

[ravenfeather]

Do you suppose, that if JKR had the chance to rewrite Book 1, that she would change those scenes? The troll incident is very easy to fix. The Qudditch matches are tougher, because she wants to show us stuff that Harry cannot see when it happens, as opposed to having Ron and Hermione describe it to Harry afterwards. But JKR could probably still change it successfully.

i just reread the first book and noticed the shifting POV, too. it does make for a more jagged read, particularly, as you said, when you've become accustomed to harry's POV.
i've also noticed some mistakes that are rooted in the first book. (sorry, can't think of any particular ones just now) and some (so far) useless information. it would be really fun to get a PS/SS rewrite at the end of the series!

[oryon]

maybe in the POV of JKR these things are not! mistakes, she just wanted to write the books this way, maybe she saw something in these things (aka mistakes) that u ladds discovered.:D

[ramones]

There was some great discussion about whether or not Harry's patronus was a corporeal one at the Quidditch match in the All About Remus Lupin thread.

Towards the end of PoA, DD and Harry talk about what happened that day. DD said Lupin admitted that James, Sirius and Peter became Animagi.
He also said something about the 'peculiar form your Patronus took at the Quidditich match. Prongs rode again tonight.'

Lupin told him that James became a stag and DD understood why Harry's Patronuc was a stag, meaning Harry produced a corporal Patronus during the match.

[atherella]

Towards the end of PoA, DD and Harry talk about what happened that day. DD said Lupin admitted that James, Sirius and Peter became Animagi.
He also said something about the 'peculiar form your Patronus took at the Quidditich match. Prongs rode again tonight.'

Lupin told him that James became a stag and DD understood why Harry's Patronuc was a stag, meaning Harry produced a corporal Patronus during the match.

Right you are, but you did quote me out of context. After the part you quoted, I also stated that there was evidence in the books that implied that it was indeed a corporeal patronus. I'm not doubting for a second it was, I cleared that up in my mind in the thread I mentioned, which is why I linked to the posts as those are what cleared it up for me. :)

[Hogwart_fan]

Has anyone ever noticed that in Ootp, they just smashed a bunch of prophecies that weren't their own? Why didn't the Order just smash Trelawney's prophecy?

Didn't Dumbledore say in OotP that only the people named in the prophecies could obtain it. That's why Sturgis and Bode failed.

This may not be a mistake, but a bit contadicting. In CoS when Harry and Ron are getting in trouble for the Whomping Willow, Dumbledore says that if they mess up again they would be expelled. How is this possible with Dumbledore knowing that Harry will have to face Voldemort one day? Would be hard for Harry to defend himself against the Dark Lord without a wand and only one year experience. Maybe it was an empty threat, but DD did say he "would have no choice but to expel them.

[slavetopadfoot]

Can anyone offer an explanation ( other than sheer big-headedness ) why the Dursleys would believe that they had won the All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition...in a drought!

As the first chapter of Ootp states



I wondered if Vernon had been doing a spot of watering during the night ( in defiance of the hosepipe ban ) but he seemed quite vehemently opposed to rule breaking of this kind...




Not a major point, but curious! Also I always thought the Dursleys were sound sleepers...obviously not, if Vernon knows what his neighbour is doing at three in the morning - unless its an educated guess based on the state of his neighbours lawn!

maybe it's for the irony...? that's my best assumption... and vernon? make an EDUCATED guess?!?! ahahahahaha!!! *dies laughing*

[DanDumbledore]

In SS/PS, the following is said:

Harry: "So you got Hermione's owl?"

Dumbledore: "We must have crossed in mid-air. No sooner had I reached London that it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left."


Then later on in that chapter this is said:

Hermione: "Well, I got back all right. I brought Ron round - that took a while - and we were dashing up to the Owlery to contact Dumbledore, when we met him in the Entrance Hall - he already knew - he just said, "Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?", and he hurtled off to the 3rd floor."


How could Dumbledore and Hermione's owl have crossed in mid-air, if Dumbledore was already back at Hogwarts before Hermione even reached the Owlery?

[oryon]

maybe it's for the irony...? that's my best assumption... and vernon? make an EDUCATED guess?!?! ahahahahaha!!! *dies laughing*

good answer :rotfl: :rotfl: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Pilum]

In SS/PS, the following is said:

Harry: "So you got Hermione's owl?"

Dumbledore: "We must have crossed in mid-air. No sooner had I reached London that it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left."

Then later on in that chapter this is said:

Hermione: "Well, I got back all right. I brought Ron round - that took a while - and we were dashing up to the Owlery to contact Dumbledore, when we met him in the Entrance Hall - he already knew - he just said, "Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?", and he hurtled off to the 3rd floor."


In fairness, that's not a mistake. All Dumbledore tells Harry - by omission - is that he didn't get Hermione's owl, and that he returned almost instantly. Simply by meeting Ron and Hermione in the Entrance Hall is no indication of what they've just done or are about to do. All he knows about an owl is that Harry's asked him if he got Hermione's message. So it's a perfectly true and honest statement - from a certain point of view.

[jmcc]

Maybe I'm the only one to have noticed it (I searched for other mentions of it here, though my search skills could be lacking) or the library copy I read was a rare misprint, but in the last chapter's picture (Rita Skeeter in beetle form) she's shown with 8 legs. What kind of insect has 8 legs? For some reason that error bugs me more than the errors in the text.

[filius]

Maybe I'm the only one to have noticed it (I searched for other mentions of it here, though my search skills could be lacking) or the library copy I read was a rare misprint, but in the last chapter's picture (Rita Skeeter in beetle form) she's shown with 8 legs. What kind of insect has 8 legs? For some reason that error bugs me more than the errors in the text.
I don't think that really counts as a mistake. It's an artist's impression of a beetle. In the british version, there aren't any chapter pictures. I don't think this is very important. It's also very nit picky. :lol:

[Pigleto972001]

going back to trelawny...i thought the midwinter thing was a sign that she pretty much didn't know her way around a crystal ball...at least, most of the time :D

what i want to know is what was the huge plot hole/mistake that jk did initially for gof then had to rewrite a portion of it...

[jmcc]

I don't think that really counts as a mistake. It's an artist's impression of a beetle. In the british version, there aren't any chapter pictures. I don't think this is very important. It's also very nit picky. :lol:

Or maybe it's not a mistake. Maybe it's the most important clue of all. Let's see, what kind of wacky theories can I build around it...

[ramones]

Right you are, but you did quote me out of context. After the part you quoted, I also stated that there was evidence in the books that implied that it was indeed a corporeal patronus. I'm not doubting for a second it was, I cleared that up in my mind in the thread I mentioned, which is why I linked to the posts as those are what cleared it up for me. :)

I just quoted you to bring back the topic. I thought JK made a mistake in OotP, and then I remembered what DD and now I'm sure she did make a mistake. :p
But I forgive her. :)

[oryon]

what i want to know is what was the huge plot hole/mistake that jk did initially for gof then had to rewrite a portion of it...

I strongly believe that we will find out only from JK, untill we will be just doing wild guesses.:D But that`s ok too.;)

[starlette01350]

In CoS, Ron is nervous about going into the Forbidden Forest with Harry, and Harry thinks that Ron is worried because he's never been in the forest before. But in PS/SS, didn't Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Draco all go into the forest with Hagrid?

[Reverie]

In CoS, Ron is nervous about going into the Forbidden Forest with Harry, and Harry thinks that Ron is worried because he's never been in the forest before. But in PS/SS, didn't Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Draco all go into the forest with Hagrid?
No, I think it was like that in the movie although I could be wrong.Anyway in the book it is Harry,Hermione,Neville, and Draco.

[Benko Opening]

In PS, Ron is in the hospital wing at the time. Although, in the movie Neville was replaced by him.

[puer]

i am aware of this for an example is should have been lilly out of the wand first not james.

[atherella]

i am aware of this for an example is should have been lilly out of the wand first not james.

That mistake was fixed in subsequent printings.

From JKR's website:
At the end of 'Goblet of Fire', in which order should Harry's parents have come out of the wand?

Lily first, then James. That’s how it appears in my original manuscript but we were under enormous pressure to edit it very fast and my American editor thought that was the wrong way around, and he is so good at catching small errors I changed it without thinking, then realised it had been right in the first place. We were all very sleep-deprived at the time.

[ramones]

No, I think it was like that in the movie although I could be wrong.Anyway in the book it is Harry,Hermione,Neville, and Draco.

I don't remember the movie, but I would be really upset if Ron went into the forest. If such a stupid little detail, but why change the book?? :grumble:

[starlette01350]

No, I think it was like that in the movie although I could be wrong.Anyway in the book it is Harry,Hermione,Neville, and Draco.

Whoops, sorry everyone. Apparently I need to re-read SS! Sorry, again!

[ramones]

Starlette This is what happened: Harry and Hermione went to the tower to meet Charlie's friends, who are taking Norbert to Romania. Draco went to spy on them and tell them off. If I'm not mistaken, Neville was trying to stop Draco or maybe tip Harry and Hermione off.

[ravenfeather]

I don't remember the movie, but I would be really upset if Ron went into the forest. If such a stupid little detail, but why change the book?? :grumble:

i know, i know! because in the book, ron was bitten by norbert while taking his turn at helping/convincing hagrid and had to go to the hospital wing. he was there when hermione and harry brought norbert up to the highest tower to meet charlie's friends. none of that stuff actually happened in the movie. malfoy saw norbert right as he hatched and went off to snitch. therefore, since ron had to be present for the dragon hatching at hagrid's, he was also present for the detention. efficiency of plotline.

[starlette01350]

Thanks guys! I completely forgot that Ron was bitten by Norbert. Although I reread all of the other HP books this summer at least once, I haven't read SS in awhile. It's too bad Neville got cut out of that scene, it helped to explain why he was put in Gryffindor. Thanks again!

[ramones]

It's a conspiracy against Neville!!!! :upset:

[oryon]

Ye I`m sad too that Neville is such a little lost boy in the first books, I really like him when he is in the OotP and begining to be more powerfull wizard. I think that he will be a powerfull wizard in the future books. ALL HAILE NEVILLE!! :D:D:D:D

[dumbleedore]

I was having a read through PoA before, and I noticed this, I don't have the page numbers, but there's one part where someone says that the Ravenclaw's are all on Cleansweep Seven's, but then several pages later it remarks on Cho riding a Comet Two-Sixty.

[lewis8604]

I was reading SS again and i think i found a mistake. During the sorting Harry says that he sees three kids left waiting to be sorted, then JK right four names. Am i right? Has this been brought up already

[jesssa]

In the US Scholastic edition of Sorcerors Stone, p 122:

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "THOMAS, DEAN" a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table. "TURPIN, LISA' became a Ravenclaw and then it was RON's turn. He was pale green by now. Harry crossed his finger under the table and a second later the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" Harry clapped loudly as Ron collapsed into the chair next to him. "Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy pompously across Harry as "ZABINI, BLAISE" was made a Slytherin.

I've italicised all the names of the kids. Seems to me that's FOUR kids left to be sorted, so you're right, Lewis8604. That's really weird you noticed that cause I started reading PS/SS just yesterday and noticed that as well. When I came to post, I was suprised to see that the last post [yours] was about this!

[lewis8604]

In the US Scholastic edition of Sorcerors Stone, p 122:

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "THOMAS, DEAN" a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table. "TURPIN, LISA' became a Ravenclaw and then it was RON's turn. He was pale green by now. Harry crossed his finger under the table and a second later the hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" Harry clapped loudly as Ron collapsed into the chair next to him. "Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy pompously across Harry as "ZABINI, BLAISE" was made a Slytherin.

I've italicised all the names of the kids. Seems to me that's FOUR kids left to be sorted, so you're right, Lewis8604. That's really weird you noticed that cause I started reading PS/SS just yesterday and noticed that as well. When I came to post, I was suprised to see that the last post [yours] was about this!
I just can't believe i never notied it before. I atfirst thought i read it wrong so i had to read it a couple of times.

[ramones]

I just can't believe i never notied it before. I atfirst thought i read it wrong so i had to read it a couple of times.

Oh please! It's pretty easy to miss that mistake! I personally would have never noticed it. Maybe that's because I never read SS :p

[Lavender Brown]

This has probably been brought up before (I guess everyone says that) but: Hagrid says in Sorcerors stone something like "There wasn't a witch or wizard that went bad that wasn't in Slytherin". But what about Peter Pettigrew. And Percy isn't evil (as far as we know) but he's not perfect. I'm sure there are others that weren't in Slytherin but I can't think of them. Also in Sorcerors stone Hagrid was listing the things people think Voldemorts up to (Some say he died, others think he's biding his time, but I think he is out there too weak t carry on, except he says this in longer sentences.) but then in Goblet of FIre he says "I always knew he was out there biding his time". I actually thought this was meant to be amusing the first time I read it, because Hagrid was contradicting himself.

[Alastor D]

At that moment Hagrid didn't know that Peter went bad. It wasn't revealed before GoF.

[ComicBookWorm]

I was reading SS again and i think i found a mistake. During the sorting Harry says that he sees three kids left waiting to be sorted, then JK right four names. Am i right? Has this been brought up already
Well actually if you count that there were three in line waiting, and one being sorted then it isn't really a mistake.

[kenmarekestrel]

I dont know if anyone has posted this yet but I just noticed something. I recently obtained a set of Scholastic HP books (which is a feat in itself, I live in Australia). In the Bloomsbury version of PoA in the Chapter called The Servant of Lord Voldemort, Sirius said "Voldemort's been in hiding for TWELVE years, they say he's half-dead." But in the Scholastic version, Sirius said "Voldemort's been in hiding for FIFTEEN years, they say he's half-dead."
Personally, I think the Scholastic version is wrong because it doesnt tally with the story. LV wasnt in hiding for 3 years before his attack on the Potters.
Also my Bloomsbury book is 15th edition and the Scholastic one is 19th so obviously none of the editors have noticed if either one is wrong.

[jesssa]

Well actually if you count that there were three in line waiting, and one being sorted then it isn't really a mistake.

jkr actually admitted that this was a mistake though.

[woop]

I dont know if anyone has posted this yet but I just noticed something. I recently obtained a set of Scholastic HP books (which is a feat in itself, I live in Australia). In the Bloomsbury version of PoA in the Chapter called The Servant of Lord Voldemort, Sirius said "Voldemort's been in hiding for TWELVE years, they say he's half-dead." But in the Scholastic version, Sirius said "Voldemort's been in hiding for FIFTEEN years, they say he's half-dead."
Personally, I think the Scholastic version is wrong because it doesnt tally with the story. LV wasnt in hiding for 3 years before his attack on the Potters.
Also my Bloomsbury book is 15th edition and the Scholastic one is 19th so obviously none of the editors have noticed if either one is wrong.


hey you know, i just started a thread about that. i listened to the audiobook today (the jim dale version), and it says 15 years!

[kenmarekestrel]

hey you know, i just started a thread about that. i listened to the audiobook today (the jim dale version), and it says 15 years!
I know. I posted in that thread too. I thought the 15 year thing didnt sound right coz I've read the bloomsbury PoA 16 times, so I checked it in both books. I've only had the scholastic books for a week so I havent had a chance to read them yet. I would have picked up on that anyway. I just thought that the mistake belonged in this thread too.

[ComicBookWorm]

jkr actually admitted that this was a mistake though.Can you point me to the quote where she says that for future reference for me?

[Sheep]

Dunno if this has been discussed before, but in book 1, when Hagrid gets Harry to Privet Drive 4, he says that he'll take the motorbike back to Sirius. However, at this time Sirius should allready be in Azkaban, and in Book3 Hagrid says nothing about this thing at all..

[Slim_Moody]

errr...... there's pretty much here but the mistake i am about to put here is not mentioned here and i'll see whether anyone else picks it up in the book!
Lets see anyone can detect it! if not then i'll mention it later.

[jesssa]

Can you point me to the quote where she says that for future reference for me?
I don't know if there is an actual quote from her. But apparently it was something the editors changed because initally Dean wasn't necessarily going to be a first year with them. I'll find it somwhere. :blush:

[Alastor D]

Dunno if this has been discussed before, but in book 1, when Hagrid gets Harry to Privet Drive 4, he says that he'll take the motorbike back to Sirius. However, at this time Sirius should allready be in Azkaban, and in Book3 Hagrid says nothing about this thing at all..
I'm afraid that not telling us what happened to the bike can't qualify as a mistake.

There is a thread about the motorbike lurking somewhere here, you might try a search for it. :)

[Stayce]

This has probably been brought up before (I guess everyone says that) but: Hagrid says in Sorcerors stone something like "There wasn't a witch or wizard that went bad that wasn't in Slytherin". But what about Peter Pettigrew.

I think this was a statement rather than a factual point. It was meant to say generally that is what the case is. The whole conversation reads better if viewed this way.

[DarkThunder]

And I dont think that means all Slytherins are bad, it means all bad wizards happened to come from Slytherin...

Did that make sense?

[oryon]

And I dont think that means all Slytherins are bad, it means all bad wizards happened to come from Slytherin...

What a weird coincidence, isn`t it?:D

[PennyPotter]

First off I want to let you know that I've been through all the replies on versions 1 & 2 of Book Mistakes, plus have gone through all the replies in the dead thread on Sirius' motorcycle & Hagrid.

Now, on to the post. There is a discrepancy which some here noted between the American editions and the British editions of Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone. From what my friends and I have come up with, the discrepancy begins with the Bloomsbury editions from 1997. In some, Hagrid tells DD he's putting the motorcycle away while in others he says he's returning it to Sirius. After 1997, Bloomsbury editions maintain Hagrid getting the bike "away." Yet, world translations, from what we can gather, tend to follow the American edition which say that Hagrid is taking Sirius his bike back. Since JK has said the bike is around and will show up again, we don't understand the discrepancy. Why change it in the British editions and leave American and world editions unchanged?

I know someone here traced back a Bloomsbury 1997 hardback 3rd edition which has the "away" line. What I'd like to know is if anyone has a first or second edition Bloomsbury edition of book 1 (hard- or paperback) and how the line reads. Feel free to PM me if you like. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Norbertha]

I also sent this one in to The Wizarding Wireless Network (this was before I discovered Mugglenet/Cos-forums), and they said they had never seen it before.
Sorry if it's already been mentioned:

There is an extra day in Book 4. On page 168 (British ed.) it is "the Sunday before they were due to return to Hogwarts". The next morning they go back on the Hogwarts express, spend the whole day on it, and attend the feast in the evening. The morning after that, it is Monday, because on page 213 Ron is heard saying "today is not bad" while running his finger down the Monday column of his time table. Which day was it that they spent on the Hogwarts Express? Sunday-and-three-quarters?

[Rythmelody]

On the subject of Prefects docking points - it says in COS when Harry gets the singing Valentine from the Dwarf that he drops his bag on the floor smashing ink everywhere and Malfoy picks up Tom Riddles diary and wont give it back, so Harry uses the Expeleramus (can't spell)Charm and Percy tells him he will have no choice but to dock points from Gryffindor for using magic in the corridor. Is that relevant?

[cemour]

First off I want to let you know that I've been through all the replies on versions 1 & 2 of Book Mistakes, plus have gone through all the replies in the dead thread on Sirius' motorcycle & Hagrid.

Now, on to the post. There is a discrepancy which some here noted between the American editions and the British editions of Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone. From what my friends and I have come up with, the discrepancy begins with the Bloomsbury editions from 1997. In some, Hagrid tells DD he's putting the motorcycle away while in others he says he's returning it to Sirius. After 1997, Bloomsbury editions maintain Hagrid getting the bike "away." Yet, world translations, from what we can gather, tend to follow the American edition which say that Hagrid is taking Sirius his bike back. Since JK has said the bike is around and will show up again, we don't understand the discrepancy. Why change it in the British editions and leave American and world editions unchanged? I know someone here traced back a Bloomsbury 1997 hardback 3rd edition which has the "away" line. What I'd like to know is if anyone has a first or second edition Bloomsbury edition of book 1 (hard- or paperback) and how the line reads. Feel free to PM me if you like. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

My daughter has a first edition Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic (American) Edition and it says:
"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall--Professor Dumbledore, sir"

[PennyPotter]

Originally posted by cemour
My daughter has a first edition Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic (American) Edition and it says:
"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall--Professor Dumbledore, sir"

Thanks, cemour. This helps as it establishes that the American editions have retained the 'Sirius' line since the first edition.

Still wondering what the first and second Bloomsbury editions (1997) say. Anyone?

[PennyPotter]

Well, one mystery solved. Bloomsbury has confirmed in personal communique that they changed the line in PS to 'Away' after Hagrid revealed in PoA that Sirius said he wouldn't need the bike anymore.

Waiting for response from Scholastic as to why the line was not changed in their editions.

[lewis8604]

I don't know if this is a mistake but JK says thatthere is around a thousand kids in Hogwarts that would be more than a hundred per year right, But when Harry and co. have flying lessons with the slytherins there are only twenty brooms set out.

[kenmarekestrel]

I only just noticed a small but interesting detail while reading Sorcerers Stone (after reading Philosophers Stone 16 times :rolleyes: ). Dumbledore slid off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry when he explained what the Mirror of Erised was. Its sort of the first indication of just how fit and strong Dumbledore still is despite his great age.

[ComicBookWorm]

I only just noticed a small but interesting detail while reading Sorcerers Stone (after reading Philosophers Stone 16 times :rolleyes: ). Dumbledore slid off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry when he explained what the Mirror of Erised was. Its sort of the first indication of just how fit and strong Dumbledore still is despite his great age.I noticed that too and was also impressed with how spry he was.

[Goldenhair]

How could DD have helped Nicholas Flamel develop the potion for immortality? If NF is over 660 and DD is approx 150 then NF would have had to taken the potion approx 500 years before DD was born.

[lewis8604]

I don't think it ever said DD helped him w/ the stone. I think it said he helped with alchemy. Hermione said that Flamel was the only known maker of the stone. If dd would have helped he would have been given credit

[Alastor D]

That's right lewis8604. The card said "...his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel." There is more to alchemy than the stone.

[Goldenhair]

errr, I don't think so. Alchemy is specifically the making of the stone for the purpose of immortal life and turning ordinary metals into gold. If he already made the stone and attained immortality (albeit having to continue to take the formula) it is difficult to think he needed 500 more years and DD's help to turn ordinary metals into gold??? although I guess that could be the loophole.

Or does it say "among other things"?

[lewis8604]

errr, I don't think so. Alchemy is specifically the making of the stone for the purpose of immortal life and turning ordinary metals into gold. If he already made the stone and attained immortality (albeit having to continue to take the formula) it is difficult to think he needed 500 more years and DD's help to turn ordinary metals into gold??? although I guess that could be the loophole.

Or does it say "among other things"?
I think there is a lot more to alchemy than the making of the stone. Where did you get that from? I just went to hplexicon and they don;t have anything on alchemy. We don;t know what it is so we can't really say what alchemy specifically is. Unless i;m wrong

[Goldenhair]

Actually the book says alchemy is the making of the stone in the chapter titled Nicholas Flamel. Then it says the stone can be used to turn any metal into gold and can be used in the elixer of Life.

That means either JKR has an error or DD is older than we think...it certainly could be a hint from JKR?

[Ciorstaidh]

According to About.com's Chemistry forum (http://chemistry.about.com/library/glossary/bldef175.htm)

Definition: Several definitions exist. Originally, alchemy was an ancient tradition of sacred chemistry used to discern the spiritual and temporal nature of reality, its structure, laws, and functions.

Hope this helps,
Kirst

[Nicole]

Nicolas Flamel, the real person of the 14th century, donated lots of money (or at least paid for building construction) during his own lifetime. He claimed he had discovered the way to produce the Philosopher's Stone (which many alchemists had as their goal). After his death, people believed he had faked that because of the immortality the Stone should/would have given him.

Don't know about your link to chemistry, Kirst, but alchemy research produced many of the tools used in modern chemistry (vials, distillation apparatus, controlled heating, etc). It may have been a sacred (but more likely just secret) study, but it certainly had very little to do with chemistry as we know it today.

I would think that the HP world of witches and wizards would still use alchemy, rather than modern chemisty, in their research projects (particularly potions making). It doesn't bother me that the Nicolas Flamel of JKR's world would still be using his old alchemical methods. Nor does it bother me that Dumbledore may have been 'apprenticed' to Flamel in order for them to have worked together.

It does amuse me that one of the twelve uses of Dragon blood is as an oven cleaner, though. lol [I just can't quite figure out if JKR was joking about that part. She did say she wouldn't tell what the other eleven were....]

[Goldenhair]

Nickyg,
Think we may find out some of the other 11 in books 6 and 7? It has occured to me since Hermione's comments about Hagrids giant blood protecting him against spells that Dumbledore may have protection even against Avada Kedavra.

[Nicole]

We may not know what the 12 uses are, but I would guess that the wizarding world does. If it was useful against AK I think we would have heard about it from Barty/Moody in the DADA class when AK was discussed. It may have just been 'filler' info for the chocolate frog card. Alas, we haven't seen DD bowling or listening to chamber music, both activities also mentioned on the card....:(

[BlackChidori]

I got one

In Goblet of Fire, Hermione says "We were going to do the Impediment Curse! We'll have to really get down to it tomorrow!..." and there are numerous other mentions of the Impediment Curse in the 4th book.

However in Order of the Phoenix, on page 397 it says "He and the D.A. were resisting her under her very nose, doing the very thing that she and the Ministry most feared, and whenever he wa ssupposed to be reading Wilbert Slinkhard's book during her lessons he dwelled instead on satisfying memories of their most recent meetings, remembering how Neville had successfully disarmed Hermione, how Colin Creevey had mastered the Impediment [u]Jinx after three meetings' time...."

Curse to Jinx eh?

Sorry if this has been said before, but I don't think it has, at least not in this thread.

Also, maybe like 90 years ago or something Dumbledore helped Flamel perfect the Gold Transmuting part of the Sorcerer's Stone, or maybe he helped Flamel make the (original) Stone smaller or something like that. Alchemy isn't really only gold and immortality, you'd know if you watched Full Metal Alchemist lol. More scientifically, there are symbols for Mercury, Gold, Silver, Aluminum, and other elements in one of my SCHOOL textbooks (thats funny).

[HannahBlack]

Hiya, this is my first post.
I don't know whether this mistake has been shown already but i couldnt fine it in this thread.

"Dumbledore, come!" said Crouch angrily. "Don't you think you might be prejudiced in her favour because of hagrid? p503 in the English versdion of GOF

It shouldn't be Crouch because in the chapters before he has been killed and Dumbledore is talking to Fudge.

[Ella Marauder]

Remus Werewolf on the thread I started:
yes it's inhabiet also by centaurs.

[Alastor D]

Hiya, this is my first post.
I don't know whether this mistake has been shown already but i couldnt fine it in this thread.



It shouldn't be Crouch because in the chapters before he has been killed and Dumbledore is talking to Fudge.
This must have been corrected in later editions. In my Bloomsbury paperback it's Fudge who says it.

[natemac]

I noticed something in the first book.


A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you’d have thought he’d just popped out of the ground.

I don’t understand this. We know for a fact that when you apparate or disapparate that there is a loud "crack" noise. As far as I know, there can’t be another apparate-type transportation. The only logic I can make out of this is that he had an invisibility cloak on. But why would he do that when he could apparate? This isn’t really a book mistake, just something really weird that was written.

[page 8 of American Version]




"I suppose [LV] he really has gone, Dumbledore?" [Mcgonnagall said ]

"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore
[page 10 of American Version]

Well, according to the OotP, Dumbledore heard Trelawney say the prophecy of HP and LV. That stated that they were equal, etc. Also, I think somewhere in the series Dumbledore said that he knew all along that LV wasn’t really gone, and he would return someday. (??)

[BlackChidori]

Hiya, this is my first post.
I don't know whether this mistake has been shown already but i couldnt fine it in this thread.



It shouldn't be Crouch because in the chapters before he has been killed and Dumbledore is talking to Fudge.

Are you sure about the page number?

I went to 503 and its about the Second Task when Ron tells Harry Dumbledore wouldn't have let them drown and he didn't need to bring Fleur's little sister.

[Nicole]

Are you sure about the page number?

I went to 503 and its about the Second Task when Ron tells Harry Dumbledore wouldn't have let them drown and he didn't need to bring Fleur's little sister.
It's on p. 580 of the US version, but it doesn't say "Crouch", it says Fudge. So, yes, it is an error in the UK version.

[willi]

I guess that nefore he started at Hogwarts, he was not old enough to be responsible for his actions.Any magic performed then therefore would not get him in trouble. Like any kids, really, if a 5-year old do something wrong he doesn't go to jail. Same with the little tot at the Quiddich world cup who was inflating a slug with his daddy's wand.

[Dog_star]

Okay if anyone checks this page I want you all to do me a favour. post it.. k ta. right page numbers aren't always the same so in the brittish copy its page 613

'You'll forgive me, Dumbledore, but I've heard of a curse scar acting as an alarm bell before...'

Thats the quote if you get the same stick it on the thread if not stick it on any ways. I wanna kno if this is a genuine mistake or part of the plot for the forthcoming books or.. just JK bein sarcastic lol

[BlackChidori]

Page 706, U.S. Version:

"You'll forgive me, Dumbledore, but I've never heard of a curse scar acting as an alarm bell before. . . ."

[hermioneforever]

I do remeber seeing a mistake in the wording in the.....oh I think it was in the 4th book when Dumbledore was greeting the school for a new year and the words got all jumbled in the one sentence.

[BlackChidori]

I hope this hasn't been said but I just noticed that in Prisoner of Azkaban, when Harry ran back from Hogsmeade after Malfoy had seen his head and Snape tells Harry to turn out his pockets, it says:

Cold with dread, Harry slowly pulled out the bag of Zonko's tricks and the Marauder's Map.
Snap picked up the Zonko's bag.

[Scarlet Crystal]

really? it says snap? i never noticed!

[Alfonzo]

In POA when Sirius is describing how he sent Harry the firebolt, he was talking about how he used the money from his own vault to pay for the broom - surely the ministry would either have closed his account or placed some sort of tracing measures on it, surely they would not turn a blind eye to money being withdrawn out of an escaped convict's bank account... :huh:

[ComicBookWorm]

In POA when Sirius is describing how he sent Harry the firebolt, he was talking about how he used the money from his own vault to pay for the broom - surely the ministry would either have closed his account or placed some sort of tracing measures on it, surely they would not turn a blind eye to money being withdrawn out of an escaped convict's bank account... :huh:
Well maybe they are secret accounts like Swiss accounts. You have to have the vault number and key to the vault, so who has the account may be a secret.

[Alfonzo]

Well maybe they are secret accounts like Swiss accounts. You have to have the vault number and key to the vault, so who has the account may be a secret.
The Gringotts goblins would have to keep a record of who the bank account belonged to though. Perhaps he used another name?

[Machiavelli]

The Gringotts goblins would have to keep a record of who the bank account belonged to though. Perhaps he used another name?I think it's fairly clear that the goblins do not work for, nor normally cooperate with the MoM. I would imagine they ask few questions, and don't bother to make trouble.

[Rapunzel]

I think it's fairly clear that the goblins do not work for, nor normally cooperate with the MoM. I would imagine they ask few questions, and don't bother to make trouble.
I agree. I don't see goblins cooperating with the MoM at all, for any reason. Certainly not when it comes to dealings with their bank.
I also think that Fudge was incompetent, so it's logical to assume that the MoM wasn't running as efficiently as possible and whoever should have been monitoring that account (if the Goblins would allow it) just didn't do it.
I don't see this as a mistake.

[Professor Gray]

If there ever was a portion that seemed filled with mistakes to me, it’s Chapter 17 in Sorcerors Stone.

For example. Snape is supposingly a undetected spy for the Order in later books and yet Voltemort knows Snape has helped Harry in the past as illustrated in the following passage:
"But Snape tried to kill me!"
"No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a countercurse, trying to save you."
"Snape was trying to save me?"
"Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again."
And…
"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me - as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side...."
Here Harry says that he shook hands with Quirrell:
Quirrell's voice trailed away. Harry was remembering his trip to Diagon Alley -how could he have been so stupid? He'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.
and yet:
"But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"
"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."
Also, in GoF, the ghostly remnance of Harry’s father exits Voltemort’s wand before his mother and since his wand is spewing out the spells that had been cast in reverse order, shows James as killed after Harry’s mother. Yet in book 1, Voltemort states:
I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight... but your mother needn't have died... she was trying to protect you.... "

[Machiavelli]

Here Harry says that he shook hands with Quirrell:You might want to back read a bit because this one and the one below are dealt with. Quirrell could shake hands with Harry at the Leaky Cauldron because he didn't have Voldemort with him yet. V possessed Q after the failed break-in at Gringotts. It failed because Hagrid had already taken out the stone, something that happened after Harry met Quirrell.

Also, in GoF, the ghostly remnance of Harry’s father exits Voltemort’s wand before his mother and since his wand is spewing out the spells that had been cast in reverse order, shows James as killed after Harry’s mother. Yet in book 1, Voltemort states:This was an admitted error and the order was changed in later editions.

[paloma]

Has this been mentioned before? In OotP, the DA group is practicing stunning spells in the Room of Requirement: "Space was really too confined to allow them all to work this spell at once; half the group observed the others for awhile, then swapped over."
Earlier, when Fred and George needed a place to hide from Filch, the RoR presented itself as a broom cupboard.
So if the RoR can change its dimensions, wouldn't it have provided enough room for all the DA members to practice stunning spells at the same time?

[Lindy]

Sorry if this has been posted before.. don't have time to sift through the posts. But in GoF, after Voldemort's return when Harry is in the hospital wing, Dumbledore promises he will see Harry go to bed, but leaves before Harry even gets his pajamas on. Forgetfulness on Dumbledore's part, or JKR's? =]

[Alastor D]

Unfortunately that's not what Dumbledore promised. He said "I will be back as soon as I have met with Fudge, Harry." And he did come back.

[katie]

Not really a mistake as such (and it has probably been said before because I didn't look through all the posts), but book 4 was a bit pointless. Why couldn't "Moody" have just made Harry's pillow or something a portkey? Also, how come Harry could use the cup to come back when at the quidditch world cup isn't there a pile of "used portkeys" implying that "Moody" could have made a "one way" portkey?

[PotionsPunk]

The mistake I found is a typo in OotP. ON page 670 Sirius says:
If we were sometimes arrogant little berks, you mean.
I think it's supposed to say: "Jerks".

[Machiavelli]

The mistake I found is a typo in OotP. ON page 670 Sirius says:

I think it's supposed to say: "Jerks".Nope - it's British slang! It means about the same thing but it's ruder.

[Rapunzel]

The mistake I found is a typo in OotP. ON page 670 Sirius says:

If we were sometimes arrogant little berks, you mean.

I think it's supposed to say: "Jerks".

dictionary.com:

berk
n : a stupid person who is easy to take advantage of

[Machiavelli]

Not really a mistake as such (and it has probably been said before because I didn't look through all the posts), but book 4 was a bit pointless. Why couldn't "Moody" have just made Harry's pillow or something a portkey? Also, how come Harry could use the cup to come back when at the quidditch world cup isn't there a pile of "used portkeys" implying that "Moody" could have made a "one way" portkey?The plan was to kill Harry without alerting the wizarding world to the fact that Voldemort was back. Had Harry disappeared there would have been a massive search. The cup had to be two-way because someone would need to return Harry's body to the maze so he could be found in a place where no one would suspect how he had really died.

[Nobleone]

I just want to say you guys are brilliant. Every detail is so well thought out.

[atherella]

dictionary.com:

berk
n : a stupid person who is easy to take advantage of

Yeesh, that definition is pretty harsh.

[Machiavelli]

Yeesh, that definition is pretty harsh.
It's a little different from how I've heard the word used too - my friends and I usually mean jerk, idiot and other less family friendly words - not dumb as in easy to take advantage of... odd...

[weasley]

I'm sure this has been said before, but Dennis Creevey managed to get into Hogsmead when he was only in secound year. Also in the Death Eater scene there's alot of punctuation that needs to me added, mainly speech marks.

[kingwidgit]

Neither Ron (& other prefects) or JKR made a mistake about prefects docking points, the passage was simply misunderstood.
Prefects can dock points from fellow students (of any house) or hand out punishments, but Prefects may not punish other Prefects.
Chap. 10, OoP, "..we can give out punishments if people are misbehaving. I can't wait to get Crabbe or Goyle for something." (said Ron)--"I'll make Goyle do lines, it'll kill him, he hates writing."
"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention," drawled Malfoy....

Chap. 28, OoP, "Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," he drawled (Malfoy).
"You can't take points from fellow prefects, Malfoy," said Ernie at once.
"I know that prefects can't dock points from each other," sneered Malfoy; Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad---"....."members of the Inquisitorial Squad do have the power to dock points...."
Has this been mentioned before? In OotP, the DA group is practicing stunning spells in the Room of Requirement: "Space was really too confined to allow them all to work this spell at once; half the group observed the others for awhile, then swapped over."
Earlier, when Fred and George needed a place to hide from Filch, the RoR presented itself as a broom cupboard.
So if the RoR can change its dimensions, wouldn't it have provided enough room for all the DA members to practice stunning spells at the same timeNot necessarily, it may have been expanded to it's fullest capacity...we just don't know enough about the RoR to say for sure...

[Machiavelli]

Not necessarily, it may have been expanded to it's fullest capacity...we just don't know enough about the RoR to say for sure...Also Harry might not have known how much space they'd need when he got to the room - remember it just adapts to his needs at the time. I don't know if it can change dimensions after the fact.. although it can certainly provide the odd accessory - didn't Harry find a whistle after he thought of the need?

[illbethere4u]

dictionary.com:

berk
n : a stupid person who is easy to take advantage of


Yes it is - but its also a meaning in cockney rhyming for a far harsher term.......

[HP_ROCKS]

Okay I couldnt read all these posts to see if what i was curious about was brought up.. and tried to search... but not too good at that yet..


PS page 278 Paperback Am Ed. Quote:
"Well, hurry up, I cant breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.
"Devil's Snare, "Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout say?-- it likes the dark and damp--"
"So light a fire!" Harry choked
"Yes--of course--but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.
"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"
"Oh right!" said Hermione and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered somethign and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it loosenign its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.
"Luck you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as he joined her by the wall wiping sweat off his face.
"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis--'theres no wood,' honestly


Okay so my question is this ... why does Ron say something about Harry not losing his head... isnt Ron the one who figures it out? Not sure if this is a mistake in the story line?.. a typo-type mistake that was later fixed? (have had it in both copies I've seen.. paperback and hardback if that matters any) ... or if its not really a Mistake at all and I am just reading it wrong?