![Alexis Askew](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Alexis_Askew.png)
August 22, 2024
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone | Book and Movie Differences
Learn about the main differences between the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone book and movie, including altered scenes and character changes!
![All Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Cover](http://poggers.com/cdn/shop/articles/All_Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Cover_1115x627_crop_center.jpg?v=1724313237)
![All Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Cover](http://poggers.com/cdn/shop/articles/All_Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Cover_1115x627_crop_center.jpg?v=1724313237)
Buy: Harry Potter Merchandise & Gifts
Buy: Harry Potter Merchandise & Gifts
Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Baby Harry](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Baby_Harry.jpg?v=1720082081)
Movie |
Book |
The scene starts with Dumbledore using the Deluminator while conversing with McGonagall. There is no reference to Muggles observing any unusual occurrences. |
The scene opens with Vernon Dursley observing unusual sights, including odd people, owls, and a cat, while he's at work at Grunnings. |
McGonagall refers to him as “You-Know-Who.” |
McGonagall uses Voldemort’s name. |
Hagrid does not reveal the source of the flying bike. |
Hagrid reveals that the bike belongs to Sirius Black. |
Aunt Petunia and Dudley both have dark hair. |
Aunt Petunia and Dudley both have blonde hair. |
Chapter 2: The Vanishing Glass
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Dudley Behind Glass](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Dudley_Behind_Glass.jpg?v=1720082082)
Movie |
Book |
Harry accompanies Dudley, Vernon, and Petunia to the zoo with minimal fuss. |
They attempt to have Mrs. Figg, Vernon’s sister Marge, or Petunia’s friend look after Harry, but all are unavailable. They end up taking Harry with them reluctantly. Dudley’s friend, Piers Polkiss, is also present. |
The snake is native to Burma. |
The snake originates from Brazil. |
As the snake slithers away, it expresses its gratitude to Harry by saying “thanks.” |
As the snake departs, it says, “thanks, amigo.” |
The glass suddenly reappears, locking Dudley inside the reptile house. |
The glass stays missing, and the reptile house keeper asks where the class has disappeared to. |
As he locks Harry in the cupboard, Vernon declares, “There’s no such thing as magic.” |
Vernon is so enraged that he can barely articulate his words, stammering, “Go—cupboard—stay—no meals.” |
Chapter 3: The Letters From No One
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Hogwarts Letter](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Hogwarts_Letter.jpg?v=1720082084)
Movie |
Book |
Dudley is suspicious of Harry, as though he senses that Harry is different. |
Dudley is completely clueless about what's happening, just as oblivious as Harry. |
Harry doesn't receive Dudley's second bedroom until after his first year at Hogwarts, as noted at the beginning of the second movie. |
Harry moves into Dudley’s second bedroom, and the address on his letters is updated. |
Vernon is depicted only as burning the letters and sealing the mail slot. |
Vernon sleeps in front of the door to intercept the letters, and Harry accidentally steps on his face. |
Vernon takes Harry and his family directly to the island hut. |
Vernon first pulls into a hotel and repeatedly halts the car to look for a hiding spot. |
The way they arrived at the island hut is not depicted. |
An elderly man with no teeth rows them to the island hut. |
Chapter 4: The Keeper of Keys
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Hagrid](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Hagrid.jpg?v=1720082084)
Movie |
Book |
At first, Hagrid confuses Dudley for Harry. |
Hagrid instantly recognizes Harry. |
Hagrid bends the gun, causing it to discharge. |
Hagrid takes the gun and twists it into a knot. |
Hagrid brings a birthday cake for Harry. |
Hagrid doesn’t bring a cake but instead cooks sausages for Harry. |
Hagrid sees Dudley eating Harry’s cake and angrily curses him with a pig's tail. |
Hagrid curses Dudley in response to Vernon's insult towards Dumbledore. |
Hagrid merely says that he isn’t allowed to perform magic. |
Hagrid informs Harry that he was expelled from Hogwarts. |
Chapter 5: Diagon Alley
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Harry Holding Wand](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Harry_Holding_Wand.jpg?v=1720082085)
Movie |
Book |
Hagrid doesn't explain how Harry's parents died until after their visit to Diagon Alley. |
Hagrid reveals to Harry at the hut the details about Voldemort and how his parents died. |
Quirrell wears a turban and declines to shake Harry’s hand when they first meet. |
When they first meet, Quirrell isn't wearing a turban and shakes Harry’s hand. |
Harry is by himself when he receives his wand, and Hagrid later arrives with Hedwig as a birthday gift. |
Hagrid accompanies Harry to Ollivanders, where he sits in a chair and accidentally breaks it. Later, Harry goes with Hagrid to get an owl, choosing the name Hedwig from a History of Magic book. |
Harry tries two wands before he finds the right one. |
Harry tries numerous wands. |
Harry doesn't encounter Draco Malfoy until they arrive at Hogwarts. |
Harry first encounters Draco Malfoy at Madam Malkin’s in Diagon Alley. |
Harry learns about Quidditch during his first flying lesson. |
Draco explains Quidditch to Harry when they first meet. |
After collecting his supplies, Hagrid takes him directly to King’s Cross Station. |
Harry goes back to live with the Dursleys for a month, and Vernon takes him to King’s Cross Station. |
Chapter 6: The Journey From Platform Nine and Three-Quarters
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Nine and Three Quarters Sign](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Nine_and_Three_Quarters_Sign.jpg?v=1720082086)
Movie |
Book |
Harry only glimpses Fred and George from afar. |
Harry encounters Fred and George on the platform, and they assist him in loading his trunk onto the train. Afterward, they excitedly inform their family about meeting him. |
When Ron sits with Harry, he doesn't recognize who Harry is. |
When Ron sits down with Harry, he already knows who Harry is. |
Harry sees Flamel’s name on Dumbledore’s chocolate frog card. |
Harry doesn't discover who Flamel is until Hermione finds his name in a book. |
Hermione visits the compartment to ask if they’ve seen a frog, as a boy named Neville had lost one. |
Neville visits their compartment to inquire if they’ve seen his frog. He later comes back with Hermione. |
Before the Sorting Ceremony, Malfoy introduces his friends and makes an insult toward Ron. |
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle enter the compartment, insult Ron, and invite Harry to be their friend. A brief scuffle ensues, during which Scabbers bites one of them. |
Ron is shorter and has an average-sized nose, while Hermione has ordinary teeth. |
Ron is described as tall and lanky with a prominent nose, while Hermione is noted for her bushy hair and large front teeth. |
Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Sorting Hat](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Sorting_Hat.jpg?v=1720082087)
Movie |
Book |
The Sorting Hat does not perform a song. |
The Sorting Hat performs a song. |
The first years are called up in a random sequence. |
The first years are summoned for sorting in alphabetical order. |
Chapter 8: The Potions Master
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Professor Snape](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Professor_Snape.jpg?v=1720082088)
Movie |
Book |
Snape continues to quiz Harry, who doesn’t know the answers and stays mostly silent. |
While Snape is quizzing Harry and Hermione keeps raising her hand, he sarcastically suggests asking Hermione, since she appears to know the answers. |
The scene concludes following Snape's attempt to embarrass Harry. |
Snape keeps deducting points from Gryffindor for trivial reasons, such as taking points off for Harry not warning Neville to avoid putting a specific ingredient in his cauldron. |
Chapter 9: The Midnight Duel
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Three Headed Dog](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Three_Headed_Dog.jpg?v=1720082088)
Movie |
Book |
During Flying Class, Ron gets struck in the face by his broom. |
This never occurs. |
McGonagall approaches Harry calmly after watching him fly. |
McGonagall is upset with Harry after witnessing his flying. Ron and one of the Patil twins step in to defend him. |
McGonagall brings Harry to Oliver Wood, who is currently in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. They discuss Harry becoming a seeker in the hallway. |
McGonagall takes Harry to find Oliver Wood in Charms class. They discuss Harry's new role as a seeker in the classroom, where they encounter Peeves. |
Harry discovers that his father was once a seeker when Hermione spots his name on a trophy. |
McGonagall informs Harry that his father was a seeker. |
The duel doesn't occur in the book. Instead, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stumble upon Fluffy when the staircase shifts unexpectedly. They end up on the third floor and come close to being caught by Filch. |
Malfoy challenges Harry to a duel, so Harry and Ron sneak out. Hermione follows to stop them. They encounter Neville outside the common room because he forgot the password. With the Fat Lady missing, they can't get back in. Malfoy has alerted Filch, and they're almost caught. They end up running into Fluffy while searching for a hiding spot. |
Chapter 10: Halloween
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Halloween Great Hall](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Halloween_Great_Hall.jpg?v=1720082090)
Movie |
Book |
Harry gets the broom after the Troll attack, but there is no accompanying message. |
Harry receives the Nimbus 2000 with a note and begins his training, which happens before the Troll attack. |
Ron suspects that someone is pulling a prank. |
Ron believes that Peeves might have been the one who let the Troll in. |
Harry and Ron rush into the girls' bathroom to rescue Hermione. |
Unaware that the Troll has entered the girls' bathroom, Harry and Ron accidentally lock it in with Hermione and must rush back to rescue her. |
Seamus Finnigan accidentally blows up a feather and his drink. |
In the books, Seamus Finnigan doesn’t blow things up. |
Chapter 11: Quidditch
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Harry reaching for Snitch](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Harry_reaching_for_Snitch.jpg?v=1720082090)
Movie |
Book |
When the teachers arrive in the girls' bathroom, Harry notices Snape's injured leg. |
Snape takes Harry’s *Quidditch Through the Ages* book. When Harry tries to retrieve it, he sees Snape bandaging his injured leg. |
Hermione sets Snape’s robes on fire, and while trying to put out the flames, Snape accidentally knocks over Quirrell. |
While rushing to the teacher’s stand to set Snape’s robes on fire, Hermione accidentally knocks over Quirrell. |
Chapter 12: The Mirror of Erised
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Harry and His Parents](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Harry_and_His_Parents.jpg?v=1720082091)
Movie |
Book |
This doesn’t occur. |
Fred and George enchanted snowballs to track Quirrell and hit him on the back of the head. |
For Christmas, Harry receives a sweater from Ron’s mom and an Invisibility Cloak. |
Harry gets the cloak and sweater along with a wooden flute from Hagrid, Chocolate Frogs from Hermione, and a fifty pence piece from his aunt and uncle. |
Ron instantly identifies the cloak as an Invisibility Cloak. |
Ron doesn’t know what the cloak is. |
In the Mirror of Erised, Harry sees his parents. |
In the mirror, Harry sees his parents and grandparents. |
Chapter 13: Nicolas Flamel
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Chocolate Frog Card](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Chocolate_Frog_Card.jpg?v=1720082092)
Movie |
Book |
This doesn’t appear in the movie. |
Snape referees a Gryffindor-Hufflepuff match, causing concern for the trio as they think he might have tried to jinx Harry’s broom. |
While hiding under his cloak and trying to leave the restricted section, Harry overhears an argument between Snape and Quirrell. |
After the match, Harry sees a hooded figure run into the Forbidden Forest and follows them on his broom. He overhears an argument between Snape and Quirrell. |
This does not occur. |
During the match, Ron and Neville end up in a fistfight with Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. |
Chapter 14: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Norbert](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Norbert.jpg?v=1720082093)
Movie |
Book |
Hagrid says that Norbert was taken and sent to Romania. |
The trio helps send Norbert to Ron’s brother, Charlie, who works with dragons in Romania. |
Draco spots Harry, Ron, and Hermione at Hagrid's, leading to them all receiving detention. |
Harry and Hermione sneak the dragon up to the top of the Astronomy Tower. They leave the cloak behind and are caught by Filch. Neville also gets caught because he was trying to warn them that Malfoy, who was also apprehended, had seen them at Hagrid’s Hut. |
Neville does not get detention since he is not a part of what took place. |
Ron is recovering in the Hospital Wing after being bitten by Norbert, therefore he isn’t with Harry and Hermione to get detention. Since Neville got caught, he also gets detention. |
Chapter 15: The Forbidden Forest
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Forbidden Forest](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Forbidden_Forest.jpg?v=1720082093)
Movie |
Book |
No one responds to Harry and his friends losing so many house points. |
Other Gryffindors begin to dislike Harry and his friends for frequently causing the loss of house points. |
During detention, Harry is accompanied by Malfoy and Fang. |
During detention, Harry is initially paired with Hagrid and Hermione, while Malfoy and Neville are paired together. They later switch pairs. |
Only one centaur, Firenze, who saves Harry, is introduced. |
Two additional centaurs, Ronan and Bane, are introduced. |
The others find Harry speaking with Firenze after he has seen Voldemort. |
Firenze brings Harry to Hagrid and the others. |
Chapter 16: Through the Trapdoor
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Fluffy's Paw](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Fluffy_s_Paw.jpg?v=1720082095)
Movie |
Book |
No such incident occurs. |
While under the Invisibility Cloak, Harry nearly gets caught by Peeves. He pretends to be the Bloody Baron, whom Peeves is afraid of. |
There is a harp in the room that is already playing. |
The trio uses the flute Harry received for Christmas to put Fluffy to sleep. |
When the trio falls into the Devil’s Snare, Hermione stays calm and manages to escape. She advises Harry and Ron to do the same, but Ron remains panicked. Hermione uses Lumos Solem to drive away the plant and free him. |
When the trio falls into the Devil’s Snare, Hermione climbs onto the wall to avoid the plant. She starts to panic, but Ron helps calm her down. She then uses Bluebell Flames to drive the plant away. |
Harry is the only one who mounts a broom and chases the keys. |
All three of them mount brooms to chase the keys. |
The chess pieces knock each other out. |
The chess pieces knock each other out and drag the defeated pieces off the edge. |
After the chess match, Hermione stays with Ron, while Harry proceeds alone to confront Quirrell. |
In the book, there are two additional obstacles: Quirrell’s mountain troll, which is already unconscious when the trio discovers it, and Snape’s Potion Puzzle. After the chess match, Hermione continues with Harry and helps him solve the puzzle, providing him with the potion needed to proceed. |
Chapter 17: The Man with Two Faces
![Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Voldemort](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0400/9767/7479/files/Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone_Voldemort.jpg?v=1720082095)
Movie |
Book |
Quirrell snaps his fingers and creates a wall of fire to block Harry's path. |
Quirrell snaps his fingers, causing ropes to coil around Harry. |
Harry defeats Quirrell by touching him, which causes Quirrell to disintegrate into dust. |
Harry’s touch causes blisters to form on Quirrell’s body. Quirrell dies when Voldemort leaves his body. |
Harry reunites with his friends on the stairs. |
Harry is reunited with his friends in the Hospital Wing. |
At the train station, Hagrid gives Harry a photo album containing pictures of his parents. |
In the Hospital Wing, Hagrid gives Harry a photo album of his parents. |
The movie concludes with the train departing from the platform. |
Harry meets his Uncle Vernon and the rest of his family at King’s Cross. |
Buy: Harry Potter - Gryffindor Merch
Buy:Harry Potter - Gryffindor Merch
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest differences between the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone book and movie?
+The movie omits several scenes and characters from the book, alters dialogue, and shortens or combines events to fit the film's runtime.
Why are some characters' appearances different in the movie?
+The filmmakers made changes to some characters' appearances, like Aunt Petunia and Dudley, for creative or casting reasons, which differ from their descriptions in the book.
Does the movie include all the chapters from the book?
+No, the movie condenses or skips some chapters and details, focusing on key events to streamline the story for a cinematic format.
Is the Sorting Hat scene the same in both versions?
+In the book, the Sorting Hat sings a song and sorts students alphabetically, which is not shown in the movie, making the scene less detailed.
Why is there no potion puzzle in the movie?
+The potion puzzle, part of the final obstacles in the book, was omitted in the movie to keep the pace quicker and the story more visually engaging.
Are there any characters in the book that don’t appear in the movie?
+Yes, characters like Peeves the poltergeist and certain centaurs in the Forbidden Forest are left out of the movie adaptation.
Is the ending the same in both the book and the movie?
+The movie ends with Harry leaving Hogwarts on the train, while the book includes additional scenes with Harry reuniting with his family at King’s Cross Station.
The old Harry Potter video game series was a huge part of every fan's childhood. With the recent release of the new...
Chapter 1: The Dark Lord Ascending Movie Book Snape comes to Malfoy Manor by himself. Snape shows up at Malfoy Manor accompanied...
Chapter 1: The Riddle House Movie Book The movie begins with Harry having a dream of a man being murdered by Voldemort....
Chapter 1: Dudley Demented Movie Book The movie opens with Harry in the park, where Dudley and his friends come over to...
Chapter 1: Owl Post Movie Book Harry casts the Lumos Maxima spell while hidden under his blanket. Harry is wielding a flashlight....
Chapter 1: The Worst Birthday Movie Book The movie begins with the Dursleys getting ready for the Masons. The story starts on...
Chapter 1: The Other Minister Movie Book The Death Eaters are depicted assaulting Diagon Alley and abducting Ollivander. The attack and abduction...
Chapter 24: The Wandmaker Movie Book Harry is the only one who digs Dobby’s grave. Dean assists Harry in digging Dobby’s grave....
The Harry Potter universe expands across many forms of media, from books to films to video games. While each form tells the...
In the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald film, directed by David Yates, the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald has broken free...
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, is the third installment in the series by Warner Bros, starring Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, and...
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, directed by David Yates, follows Newt Scamander, a magizoologist on his global excursion to find...
“You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart.” ~Harry Potter and...
“Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, If you've a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind.”...
“You might belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil.” -Harry Potter...
In the fourth installment of the Harry Potter series, we experience a darker story through the lens of a new director, Mike...
The third installment of the Harry Potter series features the Golden Trio returning for their third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft...
The series that introduced us to the wizarding world only gets better as the movies progress and the second installment in the...
The Harry Potter book series by J. K. Rowling is known across the world. Rowling and her world became household names for...
Leave a comment