MISTAKES

On page 133, 4th paragraph, it says that Hermione lent Harry Quidditch through the ages: "She had also lent him Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read." On page 46 paragraph 3 of QTtA, it says "The most successful Japanese team, The Toyohashi Tengu, narrowly missed a win over Lithuania's Gorodok gargoyles in 1994." However, Harry borrows QTtA in Book 1 which is set in 1991. -Thanks Rajan
Arguable: When Hagrid brought Harry to Diagon Alley for the first time, Harry heard a woman say "Seventeen sickles an ounce for Dragon Liver. They're mad." But Hagrid told Harry that there were seventeen sickles in a galleon. So that would be like saying "100 pennies" instead of a dollar.
When Hagrid comes and gets Harry out of the little hut on the rock, they use the boat that the Dursleys used to get to the rock. So how do the Dursleys get off the rock?
Harry buys the book "One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi", but later in the book it says Harry looked up 'dittany' in "One Hundred Magical Herbs and Fungi."
Petunia Dursley says that Lily would "...come home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats...," but according to ministry rules, this is illegal. If she did this in her Muggle home she would most likely be expelled as Harry almost was.
Arguable: Just a thought but...security for the Sorcerer's Stone could have been much better. If three first years can get past it, you'd think any full-trained wizard could too. The only thing Quirrel did for them was take out the troll, but they proved earlier in the book that they are able to take on trolls.
In chapter 7, page 122, it says that Harry looked up at the Sorting Stool, there were only 3 people left to be sorted, Professor McGonagall calls the names of 4 more people instead. -Submitted by Mac
In Book one (it said), Prof. McGonagall brings out a 4 legged chair with the sorting hat (to the sorting ceremony). In book four (it said) she brings out a 3 legged chair with the sorting hat. What happened to one of the legs? -Submitted by Ryan
In Harry's letter from Hogwarts it says he could bring a cat, an owl, or a toad, but Ron brings his rat, Scabbers.
It says in Book 1 that Marcus Flint is in his 6th Year (American book). He is still at Hogwarts in Book 3. This would mean he was in his 8th year and students only have seven years at Hogwarts. Explanation: JK said in an online interview "He had to do a year again! :-)."
During the chess match, it said that Ron was the knight in the giant chess set. However, it later said that he had to 'move ahead one' so the Queen could take him, opening the path for Harry to checkmate the king. If he was a knight, he could only move 1) ahead one, sideways two, or 2) ahead two, sideways one, like an "L".

Arguable: In the first book it said that by drinking the Elixir of Life it would make the drinker immortal, but later in the story Dumbledore says to Harry that the Flamel's had enough Elixir stored in them to set their affairs straight. But, if drinking the Elixir of Life makes you immortal then if you had some, you would never die, ever. You can't just be immortal as long as you have a certain item, then that would mean you could still die. You would be still mortal like Achilles. Immortality means you can never die.
In book 1 when Harry is under the Invisibility Cloak and running away from Snape, he says that he thought he was near the kitchens. However, in the fourth book, Fred and George have to tell Harry where the kitchens are. – Thanks to Michelle
In book 1, on page 27 (American paberback), it mentions that the snake in the zoo winked at Harry. Harry can't be blamed for being so surprised, as snakes don't have movable eyelids. – Thanks to Bethany
On page 123 (Chapter: The Sorting Hat), Nearly Headless Nick says that he hasn't eaten in "nearly four hundred years", but in the second book, Harry goes to his 500th Deathday Party, meaning that Nearly Headless Nick has been dead for 500 years, not 400. – Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
The first years buy their Hogwarts robes in Diagon Alley before they are sorted. Their robes have badges that represent their houses . If they don't know what house they'll be in yet, how do they know which robes to buy? - Thanks to Darcy
Possible Explanation: The badges are attached to their robes after they are sorted.
In "Sorcerer's Stone" (page 302 American paperback), Ron visits Harry in the hospital wing, and says, "You missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you..." But on page 217, in rejecting Ron and Hermione's advice to book off the match that Snape will be refereeing, Harry says, "There isn't a reserve seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all." - Thanks to Loren
If Petunia (Evans) Dursley had already gone through the experience of having a family member leave for Hogwarts (her sister Lily), why did she stare (page 89) when Harry named Platform 9 3/4 as the departure point of the Hogwarts Express? They didn't keep Lily's talent secret: "...my mother and father ... were proud of having a witch in the family!" (p 53) - Thanks to Loren!

Book 2 Mistakes

At the end of the second book Dumbledore tells Harry that Lord Voldemort is the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin. But it should say that Lord Voldemort is the last remaining descendant of Salazar Slytherin.
When Tom Riddle was talking to Harry in the Chamber of Secrets he said that they were similar because they were both half-bloods. But Harry isn't a half-blood. Lily and James were both wizards and witches. (Many people say that because Lily was muggle born that makes Harry a half-blood, but that is not true. If both parents are witches and wizards you are a pure-blood. Half-blood means ONE parent is a witch/wizard and the other is a muggle.)
Arguable: When Harry goes back in Riddle's memory, Hagrid was expelled when Dumbledore wasn't headmaster - Professor Dippet was - but Hagrid said Dumbledore let him stay as gamekeeper at Hogwarts. Explanation: Dumbledore convinced Dippet to let his stay on. Page 230, Riddle says "Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippit to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper."
Rose tells us: "In the first book, Nearly Headless Nick says that he hasn't eaten in "nearly four hundred years." But, in the second book, he's celebrating his "five-hundredth deathday."
Page 283 at the start of Chapter 16, very last word on the page is Professorr, it should be Professor, with only one R. -Submitted by Ryan.
Arguable: On page 29 on the second to last paragraph George says that his mum has always wanted a house-elf to do the ironing. But if house-elves get freed by their master giving them clothes then wouldn't they be automatically be free? -Submitted by mikedim.
Possible explanation: Mrs. Weasley wouldn't want the house-elf to leave, and the house-elf wouldn't want to be freed, so it wouldn't leave even though it had clothes.
Dobby seems to be apparating and disapparating inside the grounds of Hogwarts. He also seemed to apparate and disapparate while Harry was in the hospital wing recovering from his arm accident. But in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hermione states numerous times that it is impossible to apparate and disapparate inside the grounds of Hogwarts. How can this be? -Thanks to Nick. Possible Explanation: House elves have their own magical powers and can disappear at will in a different way to apparating.
There is a typo on page 157. It says '"Get-- away--from-- there," Perry said striding towards them.' It's supposed to say Percy not Perry.
In their Hogwarts Equipment list, it says the Lockhart book "Wanderings with a Werewolf." However, later in the book, it mentions "Weekend with a Werewolf." -Thanks Tali
In Lockhart's equipment list, it says "Year with the Yeti" but on page 78 (British version), he mentiones his book "Year with a Yeti." -Thanks Kerry
On page 133 at Nearly-Headless Nick's deathday party, Harry and Ron were standing by the ghostly, mouldy food. Harry asked the ghost, "Can you taste it if you walk though it?" It should say through instead of though. -Thanks Krystal
(NOTE: This mistake applies only to the US versions.) When Professor McGonagall took Harry to Professer Dumbledore's office, the password was "lemon drop", but then in the 4th book when he's going to tell Dumbledore about Mr. Crouch in the forest it says "...five minutes later he was hurtling towards a stone gargoyle standing half way along an empty corridor. "Sher-sherbet lemon" he panted at it. This was the password to the hidden staircase to Dumbledore's office- or at least it had been 2 years ago."
After Fred, George, Ron and Harry arrive at The Burrow after flying the car, Mrs. Weasley shouts at Fred first; "You will not," snapped Mrs Weasley. Then she says "And you two," glaring at Ron and Fred. It should say George as she has already spoken to Fred. -Thanks Binx.
On page 182 of Book 2, Harry is still in the hospital. But it says: "Harry woke up on Sunday morning to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and his arm reboned but very stiff." He wasn't in the dormitory. He was in the hospital. -Thanks Tommy
On page 95, it states that Nearly Headless Nick "took several deep breaths, and then said, in a far calmer tone, 'So what's bothering you?'" However, on page 506 of GoF, Myrtle says that ghosts do not breathe: "When I can't ...when I haven't...not for ages..."
At Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday party, Hermione says that Myrtle haunts the bathroom on the first floor. However, she should say on the second floor. Just before they find the writing on the wall, it says "Harry hurtled around the whole of the second floor" and when Hermione is talking to Myrtle, she says "because a cat was attacked just outside your front door on Halloween." Her bathroom is on the second floor, not on the first. -Thanks Phillip
In the back of the paperback version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, on the last page where it gives a preview of the next book, it reads: "Harry Potter has to sneak back to his third year at Hogwarts after accidentally inflating his horrible Aunt Petunia." It should say he inflated his Aunt Marge.
The chapter picture for the chapter "The Rogue Bludger" shows Harry's left arm deboned, but in the story, his right arm has been deboned. – Thanks to Amy
On page 166, Hermione is telling Ron and Harry that one of the ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion is lacewings, and that they have to be stewed for twenty one days. But on page 184 it says Ron pours dead lacewings on top of the leeches. They couldn't add the lacewings already, it being only their first day making the potion. – Thanks to Sharon
On page 96, 1st paragraph, it says that Colin Creevy held an ordinary Muggle camera. However, in the magic world, muggle technology doesn't work. – Thanks to Sudha
The books state ghosts cannot eat or drink, yet Nearly Headless Nick is revived with the Mandrake Potion. How could he be revived if you had to drink the potion? – Thanks to Brooke
The people who were petrified in book 2 because of the basilisk were not killed, because they were looking through some type of lens, mirror or glass. So why would Moaning Myrtle have died? She was wearing glasses at the time of her death, with glass thicker than the matter that makes up a ghost, so logically she would have been petrified, not killed. – Thanks to Victoria
Possible Explanation: If Myrtle was crying when she died, she would most likely have her glasses off. And when she heard a noise she probably wiped the tears off her eyes and then she saw the basilisk. - Thanks to Spargmiester
Fan comment: If simple glasses are adequate protection, then Harry would be in no danger since he wears glasses, and I don't think JKR would have made it that easy. There's adequate mythological precedent for mirrors/reflections preventing "paralyzation by stare" (i.e. Medusa), but none for simple lenses. - Thanks to Bob
On page 4, the day of Harry's Birthday, Rowling says, "and then, exactly a year ago, Hogwarts had written to Harry..." but they had actually written before Harry's 11th birthday. He'd been receiving them before, he just never had the chance to read one. So technically he had been written to before his 11th birthday. – Thanks to Kelsey
In CoS, when Dumbledore finds Colin Creevey petrified, he immediately opens the back of the camera to see if anything is there. However, when someone opens the back of a camera, with the film advanced, the exposure to light will immediately destroy any image that may have been on the film, leaving even the print completely black. And even if there was a reason for that, until the film has been developed, nothing but the blank film (which is a very unhelpful puce color) can be seen. - Thanks to Kiara
In CoS, on page 119 of the American version, it states, "...Harry was dragging his feet along the SECOND floor corridor to Lockhart's office. He gritted his teeth and knocked." However, on page 141, after Mrs. Norris is found petrified on the second floor, Lockhart urges Professor Dumbledore to use his office to examine her, saying that it is just upstairs. That would mean that his office is on the THIRD floor, not the second. - Thanks to Christina
Colin is patrified in the begining of his first year and stays petrified all year. How then is he able to go on to second year? He didn't learn enough in his first year to go on to a second year level! - Thanks to Zoe

Book 3 Mistakes

In Chapter 19, The Servant of Lord Voldemort, page 370, it states that Voldemort had been hiding for 15 years. If his power was lost only twelve years ago, why was he hiding that extra three years?
In chapter 3, The Knight Bus, the driver Stan told Harry that the price to get to London was 11 sickles. But in the book it said Harry shoved some GOLD into Stan's hands. Sickles are SILVER, not gold.
Response from Amy: Although in the American version it says the Harry shoved some gold into Stan's hands, in the Australian version, it says that he shoved some silver into his hands. – Thanks to Amy
In chapter 15, The Quidditch Final, it said Madam Hooch's whistle rang out as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin SEEKER. It should say the Slytherin Keeper.
Page 428, chapter 22: it took a moment for Harry to realize what a person called "Dumblefore" had just said. Note: This was fixed in later versions.
Harry's exams finished on June 6th because that is the day when they go down to Hagrid's (it says in a letter that Buckbeak will be executed on the 6th and Ron says that's the day we finish our exams). After they leave Hagrid's, they go down through the Whomping Willow. When they come out, the full moon shows when a cloud gets pushed away and Lupin turns into a werewolf. The problem is that in 1993, the Full Moon fell out on June 4th not June 6th. Therefore, Lupin should not have turned into a werewolf as it was not a full moon. -Thanks Elan
Harry, Ron, and Hermione identify Lupin by his trunk, on which could be read PROFESSOR R.J. LUPIN in peeling letters. But he was only a professor from then on, so why would the letters be peeling?
On page 341 (American Hardback) it says "Ron crawled to the four-poster and collapsed onto it" but then when Professor Lupin comes in, it says "His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor." This cannot be, as Ron is lying on the bed. -Thanks Kaylyn
After Harry and Hermione get back from saving Sirius and Buckbeak, Dumbledore locks them inside the hospital wing. However, it says "Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory." It should say hospital wing. -Thanks parselmouth_11
When they first leave the Shrieking Shack, Crookshanks went first, followed by Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron, and then Snape, Harry and Hermione and finally Sirius. However, when they go back in time and see themselves come out, Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron come out first, followed by Hermione, then Snape, then Harry and Black. -Thanks Jeli.
On page 285 (American book) somebody called Snap picked up Harry's Zonko bag. The e on Snape is missing.
On page 429 (American version), it says that for a half hour Harry believed that he would be staying with Sirius at his home. Yet in the Goblet of Fire (page 23, American version) it says that for one hour Harry believed he would be staying with Sirius. Either the Prisoner of Azkaban should say one hour, or the Goblet of Fire should say half an hour. – Thanks to Zachery
In chapter 5 (The Dementor), page 57 it says: "Next moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters..." But, wasn't the barrier made of bricks? - Thanks to Katie
Fan response:This is factually wrong. Only in the movies is the barrier shown as brick. In the first book, the only word used to describe the barrier is "solid", In the second book, Chapter 5 page 68 (US paperback), the barrier is said to be metal: "The metal remained solid". In the third, obviously, it's decribed as metal. In the fourth, only as "solid" again. And finally, in the fifth, no description is given. It's just called "the barrier". I think the reason people (including the movie producers) assume it's brick is because, in the first book, Harry wonders if maybe there's some trick to getting on the barrier, "like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley." - Thanks to Bob
On page 199, chapter 10, the second paragraph after the Ministry of Magic notice, the sentence reads: "Yes, but, but" Hermoine seemed to be struggling to find another problem. Hermione's name is spelled incorrectly, the "o" before the "i". – Thanks to Kayla
In book 3, page 174, it says "...Harry fumbled for his alarm clock and looked at it." However, alarm clocks are muggle technology, and therefore should not work within Hogwart's grounds. - Thanks Crystal
It says on page 250, (American hardback), chapter thirteen, that all of the players on the Ravenclaw ride on Cleansweep Sevens, but on page 254 it states that Wood told Harry that Cho Chang (Ravenclaw Seeker) had rides a Comet Two Sixty. - Thanks to Jordan
In Book 3 on page 133 Lupin says, "Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone..." However, in Book 5 Mrs. Weasley believes there is a boggart in the drawer of the dresser upstairs. She then asks Mad-Eye Moody what it is and he says that it is a boggart (he can see it because of his magic eye). He would be seeing what a boggart looks like when it's alone, wouldn't he? - Thanks to Pearce R.
On page 65, Mr. Weasley says, "You know what Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves - they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice!" By the third book, Harry had been in the Forbidden Forest twice, but Ron had only been once. - Thanks to Maranda

Book 4 Mistakes

In book four, during Priori Incantatem, Voldemort's victims came out in reverse order. BUT, James came out BEFORE Lily. That would mean that James died after he killed Lily and it said all over in the books that he killed James first. (Fixed in later versions of the book.)
After Hermione dropped Muggle Studies, she said she had the same amount of subjects as Ron and Harry. But she still had (besides the mandatory ones) Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, and Ancient Runes. Which is more then Harry and Ron who each had only Divination and Care of Magical Creatures.
Not really a mistake, but...: When Dumbledore was telling everybody about the Triwizard Tournament during the start of term speech he said: "We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger." Don't you think facing a Hungarian Horntail that breathes fire forty feet would classify as 'mortal danger'? Even if there were trained hit wizards nearby, you catch one of those flame-bursts and you're a corpse before the wizards can do anything.
In the second book it says that Moaning Myrtle haunts the U-BEND of the toilet. But in book four, it says that she haunts the S-BEND of the toilet.
Possible Mistake: On page 264, Hagrid says "Never thought I'd live ter see the Triwizard Tournament played again!" However, Dumbledore says earlier: "...an event which has not been held for over a century." If Hagrid was expelled in his third year, 50 years ago, he must be 63, so he could not have seen a Triwizard Tournament before. However, Hagrid might have meant that he didn't think he'd live to see the tournament played again, in relation to when it was played before, not to when he last saw it. -Thanks Casara
When Fudge, Dumbledore, and Moody are talking about Crouch, instead of Fudge yelling to Dumbledore, it says: "said Crouch angrily". He wasn't in the room...they were talking about him, not with him.
On page 701 (American version), toward the middle of the page, it says "...the warmth of the feather matress." Matress should have 2 't's: mattress.
Portkeys are supposed to transport whoever is touching the portkey at a prearranged time. But, Harry and Cedric were transported to Voldemort and the Death Eaters the second they touched the Triwizard cup. Don't you think that sounds a little bit too...coincidental? Also, couldn't Moody/Crouch have just made Harry's pillow or something a portkey and transported him when he went to sleep at night? Wouldn't that have been a little easier then guiding him through the whole Triwizard Tournament?
On page 256 (UK version) when Harry is writing a letter to Sirius telling him about the Triwizard Tournament he says "I don't who put my name in the Goblet of Fire because I didn't." It should say "I don't know who put my name in..." -Thanks Kirsten
Sirius says, "You three and Dumbledore are the only people who know I'm an Animagi." But Snape and Lupin know too. -Submitted by Linie
NOTE: This was corrected in later versions. In Goblet of Fire, page 229 (english version), Dumbledore speaks to Fred and George after they've tried to cross the Age Line: "'I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little, too.'" But on page 371, at the Yule Ball, it says: "'Ten points from Hufflepuff, Fawcett!' Snape snarled, as a girl ran past him." Possible Explanation: Fawcett in Ravenclaw has a brother/sister/cousin in Hufflepuff.
On page 618: "I will settle, in the short term," said Dumbledore, with a bite of impatience in his voice, "for lack of hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who know the truth stand united, there is no hope for any us." The "of" is missing in the last sentence. -Thanks Kyle
How does Dumbledore know to summon Winky to Moody's office when he doesn't yet know that Moody is really Barty Crouch Jr in disguise? Possible Explanation: Dumbledore realised after Moody took Harry that it wasn't actually Moody, but it's unlikely he knew exactly who it was.
In one of Harry's letters to Sirius he mentions that Dudley got angry and chucked his Playstation out of the window. However, the playstation was not out at this time. GoF is set in 1994; the Playstation came out in 1995
On page 152 in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire it says, "'Well, Father feels he's got to make up for his mistake at the match, doesn't he?' said Percy. 'If truth be told, he was a tad unwise to make a public statement without clearing it with his Head of Department first--'" The thing is, is that Arthur Weasley is the head of his Department so who was he supposed to clear it with? Arthur Weasley was established as Head of Department in the Daily Prophet article in Prisoner of Azkaban about the family's trip to Egypt. -Thanks to "Snuffles"
In The Goblet of Fire, Chapter 35 (Veritaserum), there is an error on page 594. Dumbledore asks, "How did your father subdue you?" The book then states: "The Imperius curse," Moody said. Yet the Polyjuice Potion has already worn off and Barty Crouch Junior is speaking! - Thanks to Laura
In GoF on page 232 it reads, "Moody had insisted on putting Harry through his paces four times in a row, until Harry could throw off the curse entirely", referring to the Imperius Curse. However, on page 661 it says, "And Harry felt, for the third time in his life, the sensation that his mind had been wiped of all thought..." Wouldn't that be the fifth time instead of the third? - Thanks to Annette
On page 111, The Quidditch World Cup, Bagman calls flying deliberately to collide "skinning". The correct term is "blatching", according to Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennelworthy Whisp. – Thanks to Rachel
In GoF, chapter 26 (page 505) Krum tells Hermione that she has a beetle in her hair, "but Hermione brushed away the beetle impatiently". In Chapter 37 on the train after she had captured Rita Skeeter Hermione says, "and Viktor pulled a beetle out of my hair...". Hermione says Viktor pulled the beetle out, yet the book says that she brushed it away. – Thanks to Emma
Just before the World Cup began, when Ludo Bagman was taking bets from Fred and George, he handed them a piece of parchment pertaining to the details of their bet, which Fred "carefully slipped into his robes." At the time, Fred wasn't wearing robes, he was wearing muggles clothes just like the rest of his family. - Thanks to Jaimy
Hermione says that muggle technology does not work around Hogwarts. However, Harry's watch (being muggle technology) still works after four years at Hogwarts. It then stops working in the second task of the fourth book. – Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
In Quidditch through the Ages it says, "1473 saw the first ever World Cup...the World Cup has been held every 4 years since". But at the start of the 1994 World Cup Final Ludo Bagman says, "Welcome to the Four Hundred and twenty-second World Cup Final." How can there be 422 World Cups into 521 years with a four year gap between each? – Thanks to Eilif
If Harry does indeed begin school in 1991, and the Goblet of Fire ceremony takes place on a Saturday in 1994, then Halloween, which is when the book states that the Goblet ceremony happens, does not fall on a Saturday in 1994. It falls on a Monday. – Thanks to Eilif
In book 4, when Cedric Diggory dies, Voldemort says, "Kill the spare" to Wormtail. Later, Cedric comes out of Voldemort's wand, even though Wormtail killed Cedric. - Thanks to Kristoff
Possible Explanation: Wormtail could have used Voldemort's wand to kill Cedric.
Not a mistake, but...: If Veritaserum could make you divulge the truth, why wasn't some administered to Barty Crouch Jr. when he was under trial? That would have been a far easier and better alternative than to send a possibly innocent person to Azkaban! - Thanks to Nandhini!
During Harry's first task with the Horntailed Dragon, the goal was to collect the gold egg. He went to the trouble to use the Summoning Charm to get his broom, which he then flew around on and picked up the egg. Wouldn't it have been much easier to simply have said, "Accio egg"?
Possible explanation: Harry's task was to collect the golden egg. There were dozens of eggs and saying "Accio egg" would have brought all the eggs towards him, enraging the mother dragon. With eggs rushing towards him, he could have also fall to the ground. He also would have earned less strategy points by merely saying "Accio egg." - Thanks to petronus
In book four, (page 181) it says "The Bloody Baron was the Slytherin ghost, a gaunt and silent specter covered in silver bloodstains. He was the only person at Hogwarts who could really control Peeves." It states twice that the Bloody Baron is a ghost, then calls him a person. -Thanks to Elizabeth
In this excerpt from Book 4, why was Mrs. Weasley was worried at all? Didn’t she had the grandfather clock which showed all the Weasley family and what they were doing at any given time? If they were hurt, injured, or in danger, the clock should have been at 'mortal peril.' As they were traveling from the World Cup site, the clock hand should have been on 'traveling'. She should have been more worried about Harry or Hermione for that matter, because there was no hand for them in that clock. - Thanks to petronus
On page 169 (American version), it says, "A gleeful smile spread across Malfoy's pale face" with no period at the end of the sentence. - Thanks to Laura
In the third book, when Harry gets his birthday gifts, Hermione writes Harry and tells him she's been getting the Daily Prophet delivered. She states, "It's so great to know whats going on in the wizarding world." But in the fourth book, halfway through, she said she had taken a subscription because she was tired of finding everything out from the Slytherins. Did she cancel her subscription in between books? - Thanks to Dee
When Rita Skeeter is interviewing Harry, she calls herself a "Daily Prophet reporter." However, her article on the Harry-Hermione-Viktor love triangle appears in Witch Weekly, not the Daily Prophet. - Thanks to McDonnell
Possible explanation: She is a reporter for the Daily Prophet and occasionally writes articles for Witch Weekly, as well.

Book 5 Mistakes

Before the first Quidditch match, Harry is relieved that it's cloudy as he won't have the sun in his eyes, but moments later the stadium is in "dazzling sunlight".
Second-year student Dennis Creevey goes to the Hog's Head for the first DA "meeting", but only third-years and older are allowed to go to Hogsmeade during term time. For those of you who don't believe us and insist that he's a third-year, open your copy of Goblet of Fire to see him introduced in the chapter involving the Sorting Ceremony (making him a second-year in Order of the Phoenix). Don't e-mail us saying that this is a mistake of ours -- it isn't.
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."
Chapter 28, pages 625-626, Malfoy starts docking points from both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff after becoming part of the Inquisitorial Squad and Ernie Macmillan says, "He can't be allowed to dock points...that would be ridiculous...It would completely undermine the prefect system..." But in the second book, chapter 9, page 158, Percy, a prefect at the time, takes 5 points from Gryffindor after finding Ron, Hermione, and Harry looking around Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. So how was Percy able to take points from Gryffindor if prefects aren't even able to?
There's an illustration mistake in chapter thirty-eight, The Second War Begins. Nymphadora Tonk's t-shirt is supposed to say 'The Weird Sisters'. In the illustration, you can't see all of the writing, but if you look closely you can see that only an 'erd' is visible on the first line. Since 'weird' has an 'i' after the 'e', the 'i' should be visible as well--but it's not. -Submitted by Laura
Page 120: "'He came last night, while you were in bed,' said Mr. Weasley. Harry dropped his own eyes to his plate. The thought that Dumbledore had been in the house on the eve of his hearing and not asked to see him made him feel, if that were possible, even worse."
But the hearing is the following morning from that. So Dumbledore wasn't there on the eve of the hearing, but two nights before! -Submitted by Thyme
Possible explanation: It's possible that Dumbledore came after midnight, which would be considered the eve of the hearing, but is still sometimes referred to as "last night" by people. This is more than likely because the book also says that Harry was not sleeping well, and maybe he could not fall asleep until past midnight. - Thanks to petronus
In book 1, Hagrid said that Lily and James where Head Boy and Girl. However, in book five, it's said that James was never a prefect.
JKR's response: You don't have to be a prefect to be a Head Boy or Girl.
On page 710 it says that Parvati and Lavender were practicing basic locomotion charms making their pencil cases race each other. They use scrolls and quills, what would they be doing with pencil cases? -Submitted by Kim
Arguable: Page 147: "'Dumbledore was having real trouble finding a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year. Not suprising, is it, when you look at what's happened to the last four?' said George. 'One sacked, one dead, one's memory removed and one locked in a trunk for nine months.' Quirrel is dead, Lockhart's memory's gone, Moody was locked in the trunk but Lupin didn't get sacked, he resigned. -Submitted by Tegan
When Harry is talking to Professor McGonagall about career advice and Aurors, McGonagall says: "I don't think anybody has been taken on the last three years." But, at the begining of the book, Tonks says, (about her becoming an Auror) "I only qualified a year ago." -Submitted by Sarah
Possible explanation: McGonagall meant that no one had been accepted in the advanced Auror training program, not as an Auror, in the past three years. She had mentioned that for Harry to be an Auror he had to first attend another more advanced training that takes 3 years. That means that Tonks was accepted into the training for Aurors 4 years ago. She was a fully qualified (for one year) Auror when she met Harry. -Submitted by Larissa
In chapter 28, page 626, Malfoy docks Ron five points because his shirt's untucked, but since they were in between classes, Ron would being wearing his robes, not a shirt. -Submitted by Thomas
Possible explanation: Malfoy was referring to the shirt that Ron wears underneath his robes. - Thanks to everyone who sent that in!
On page 166, chapter 9 ("The Woes of Mrs. Weasley"), it says: He pretended to be rummaging for something while Hermione crossed to the wardrobe and called Hedwig down. A few moments passed; Harry heard the door close but remained bent double, listening...He straightened up and looked behind him. Hermione and Hedwig had gone. Harry hurried across the room, closed the door...Yet, Harry had already heard the door close. – Thanks to Amy
On page 504 of the American OotP, Harry says, "Dobby did, he left the Malfoys' to give me warnings two years ago. He had to punish himself afterward, but he still managed it." This is in the fifth book, and what he is talking about happened in the second book. So, it wouldn't be two years ago, but in fact three years ago. – Thanks to Katie
In book 3 when Neville lost all the passwords and Sirius gained entrance into the Gryffindor tower, Neville is banned from all of the Hogsmeade visits. But, on page 339 of book 5 he is in the Hog's Head with the DA. - Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Possible explanation: Maybe Neville was only banned from all Hogsmeade visits during that year, and not for the rest of his career at Hogwarts. Another explanation may be that when it was found out by Dumbledore that Sirius Black was innocent, the ban on Neville was lifted.
We are told that fifth-years are allowed out in the corridors until nine o'clock. Later in the book, during the DA meeting when Umbridge comes hunting for the group, Harry hopes that his fellow DA members will have the sense to take refuge in the library, the Owlery, or a bathroom instead of trying to make it all the way to their dormitories, because it is only ten to nine. However, not all the members of the DA are in fifth-year or above, so they would not be allowed in the corridors at ten to nine, and they would have to make it all the way to their dormitories or else get in trouble anyway. – Thanks to Erin
In book 5 on page 185, the Sorting Hat sings:
For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards,
of greay cunning, just like him.
However, Voldemort wasn't a pure-blood and he got sorted into Slytherin. – Thanks to everyone who sent this in, especially Ella
Response from Lisa: The key word in the above phrase is "took". It doesn't mean that the house only allows pure-bloods anymore, it means that it USED to only allow pure-bloods. Also, Tom was the heir of Slytherin. So there is no doubt he would be in that house, even if he was a half-blood.
In book 5, page 117, 6th paragraph, it states, "Snape might refer their work as 'cleaning' but in Harry's opinion they were waging war on the house...." Shouldn't it be Sirius? After all, it was his house they were cleaning. – Thanks to everyone who sent this in
Repsonse from PotterFan651: On page 83 (American), Sirius says, "...listening to Snape's reports, having to take all his snide hints that he's out there risking his life while I'm sat on my backside here having a nice comfortable time...asking me how the cleaning's going..." So, Snape did refer to their work as cleaning.
In the British version of book 5 on page 480, when naming the death eaters who escaped, it says, "Algernon Rookwood, convicted of leaking ministry of magic secrets to he who must not be named." and in the British version of book 4 on page 512 it states: "Rookwood? said Crouch, nodding to a witch sitting in front of him, who began scribbling upon her piece of parchment. Augustus Rookwood of the Department of Mysteries?” – Thanks to Laura
The Order of the Phoenix, Chapter twenty-seven, page 614:
"Oho!" said Fudge bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet again. "Yes, do let's hear the latest cock-and-bull story designed to pull Potter out of trouble! Go on, then, Dumbledore, go on ---- Willy Widdershins was lying, was he? Or was it Potter’s identical twin in the Hog’s Head that day? Or is there the usual simple explanation involving a reversal of time, a dead man coming back to life, and a couple of invisible dementors?" Fudge never knew about Hermione and Harry using the Time Turner to go back in time to save Sirius and Buckbeak. – Thanks to Carrie
Questionable (JKR said that the death has to “sink in” in order to see the thestrals): On page 628 to pg 629 Harry, Ron and Hermine are waiting for the carriages to take them back to the Hogwarts Express and they mention the horseless carriages twice "...the carriages would take them back to the Hogsmeade station" and "...smiling at the horesless carriages.." But as it states, the three clearly saw the carriages but Harry doesn't mention the Thestrals. He should see them since earlier in the book he had seen Cedric die. – Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Page 714: It says that when they are taking they O.W.L.s practical exam that Harry is performing for his judge and he says that Hannah Abott was trying to vanish a iguana! But they wre called in in alphabatical order by last name, so why would Abott and Potter be together? - Thanks to Chelsea
O.W.L.s are taken in fifth year and N.E.W.T.s are taken in the seventh year. On page 228 Ron is talking to Harry and Hermione about what Bill had told him about the career advice meeting they'd be having that year. Ron says, "...so you can choose what N.E.W.T.s you want to do next year..." Next year they'll all be in the sixth year not the seventh, so they wont be taking their N.E.W.T.s next year. – Thanks to Casey
Fan response: Harry, Hermione & Ron are able to choose what N.E.W.T. subjects they want to do next year, not necessarily that they are doing the exams. They prepare for their N.E.W.T. testing 7th year by taking the courses 6th year and 7th year.
When Harry is taken to Dumbledore’s office by Dolores and Dumbledore escapes, it says that next day that talk was going around about how Dumbledore had overcome two Aurors, The Minister of Magic, The High inquisitor, and Fudges junior assistant. However, Percy had left minutes earlier to send his notes to the Daily Prophet. – Thanks to Kristoffer
Possible Explanation: This was just a rumor, and rumors are often changed to make things seem more impressive.
In book five, chapter 30 (Grawp), pages 683 and 684, at the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw Qidditch match, it says: "They [Harry & Hermione] found seats in the topmost row of the stands." Later on, when Hagrid comes to take them to see Grawp, it says: "Apparently he [Hagrid] had squeezed his way all along the row behind." How can that be if Harry and Hermione were in the top row? - Thanks to Cassie
The cover of OotP shows Harry in the Department of Mysteries holding his wand in his left hand. However, it is clearly stated that his right arm is his wand arm.
In the Astronomy O.W.L. exam, Harry is completing his drawing of the constellation of Orion. At England's latitude Orion would only be visible approximately from November until March. However, they are taking their exams in June. - Thanks to Stuart and Sailor Unicorn
In book 3, Fred and George receieve their O.W.L. results before the end of school. However, in OotP, Harry, Ron, and Hermione have to wait until July to get their results. - Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
In the chapter "The Sorting Hat" in the first book (page 121), a "Perks, Salley-Anne" is sorted before Harry; however, in the fifth book (page 713) she is not called to take her O.W.L.S. - Thanks to Nathan
Possible Explanation: Salley-Anne Perks may have left the school between books 1 and 5.
On chapter 5, page 86, third paragraph, it reads: "... and then," choked Mundungus, tears running down his face, "and then if you'll believe it 'e says to me, 'e says, ''ere, Dung, where didja get all those toads from 'cos some son of a Bludger's gone and nicked all mine!' And i says, 'Nicked all your toads, Will, what next? So you'll be wanting some more, then?' And if you'll believe me lads, the gormless gargoyle buys all 'is own toads orf me for twice what 'e paid in the first place--" But two paragraphs down, he says "But, you know Molly, Will nicked 'em orf Warty Harris in the first place, so i wasn't really doing nothing wrong--" But how could Will buy all his own toads of Dung for twice what he paid in the first place if he stole the toads? He wouldn't have paid anything! - Thanks to Milo
In Chapter 1, Harry hears a sharp crack, the sound of someone Apparating. Later in the book, when he arrives at Grimmauld Place, Fred and George are also Apparating in and out with sharp cracks. However, in previous books the sound of someone Apparating was a *pop*. - Thanks to JoJo
On page 593 (UK edition), 2nd to the last paragraph, it says: "Students were standing all around the walls in a great ring (some of them, Harry noticed, covered in a substance that looked very like Stinksap); teachers and ghosts were also in the crowd." The word "much" is missing in the book. - Thanks to Dan
On page 625 (UK edition), 1st paragraph, it says: "You will sit the theory papers in the mornings and the practice in the afternoons." The word practice should be practical. - Thanks to Dan
On page 709 (UK edition), 4th paragraph, it says: "Harry flung the prophecy across the floor, Neville span himself around on his back and scooped the ball to his chest. Malfoy pointed the wand instead at Neville, but Harry jabbed his own wand back over his shoulder and yelled, 'Impedimenta!'" It should read "Neville spun himself" instead of "Neville span himself." - Thanks to Dan
In the American version of OotP on page 386, Dobby is telling Harry about the Room of Requirement and says that "it is a room that a person can only enter." However, later on in the same paragraph Dobby says that "when Winky has been very drunk; he has hidden her in the Room of Requirement and he has found antidotes to butterbeer there, and a nice elf-sized bed to settle her on while she sleeps it off, sir... and Dobby knows Mr Filch has found extra cleaning materials there when he has run short sir, and-". If only a person can enter how could Dobby use it for himself and Winky? - Thanks to Jags
In Chapter 27 of book 5 ("The Centaur and the Sneak"), Professor McGonagall says that "usually when a person shakes their head, they mean 'no'. So unless Miss Edgecombe is using a form of sign language as yet unknown to humans..." Actually, in some countries and cultures, like in Bulgaria, you shake your head when you mean "yes" and nod when you mean "no." - Thanks to LEPrecon
Page 583, "Seen and Unforseen": After Harry had given his interview in the Quibbler about the night Voldemort returned, a disgruntled Umbridge banned the artical after its release, though this didn't keep students from finding out and reading it, including Seamus. Umbridge was monitoring the mail, both in and out of Hogwarts, as she said elsewhere in the book. Seamus, however, informed Harry that he beleived him and he'd sent the article to his mother. Obviously, there's a glitch here because Seamus surely would have been punished for being in possession of the article, had Umbridge come across it in the outgoing mail. - Thanks to Gracie
On page 293, chapter 15 (The Hogwarts High Inquisitor), Hermione has previously suggested that Harry teach Defence Against The Dark Arts and Harry has started to freak out at her and Ron. Then Hermione tries to reason with him by saying, "Harry, don't you see? This...this is exactly why we need you...we need to know what it's really like facing him...facing V-Voldemort." Then it states that "this was the first time that Hermione had ever said Voldemort's name and it was this, more than anything that calmed Harry." But in the first movie Hermione clearly says "Voldemort" after the visit from him in the Forbidden Forest. She says, "Were forgetting one thing...who's the one wizard Voldemort always feared? Dumbledore! As long as Dumbledore's around, Harry, Voldemort can't touch you!" So, the fifth book was not actually the first time that Hermione said Voldemort's name. - Thanks to manda~HP luver
In OotP, page 60, it is describing Number Twelve, Grimmauld place. It reads:"The silver door knocker was in the form of a twisted serpent. There was no keyhole or letterbox." However, it clearly shows on the title page (the drawing of Snuffles exiting Number Twelve) that there a keyhole, and no letter box. - Thanks to Cindy

General Mistakes

Every year, students board the Hogwart's Express on September 1, and the next day when their classes start, it's always a Monday. How can Septermber 2 be a Monday EVERY year? - Thanks to Koffee!

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