Errors in the HP Books

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Errors in the HP Books

Postby Rory Pridinham » Wednesday 7 May 2003 12:45:49am

I was reading my HP books for about the 10th time (while waiting for number 5 *sigh*) when I came upon some errors (:eek:) in the GoF (American version) For example:

1. page 503, where the older wizards / teachers are talking with Dumblydore, when Barty Crouch was acting strangely on the Hogwarts grounds
-------> paragraph 10 says: "Dumbledore, come!" said Crouch angrily. I do believe that Crouch wasn't present at that time?

2. Page 594, where Barty Crouch Jr. is under the influence of the Truth Potion
--------> approx. paragraph 7, it says "The imperius curse,"

Moody said. Ahem! That was BC Jr. speaking, not Moody (though he was pretending to be)

Okay, you probbly think I'm a raving lunatic to notice these errors (maybe I am, whaddya gonna do??) but I was wondering if anyone else had seen any more errors in the earlier books or had any comments.
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Postby Neo » Wednesday 7 May 2003 4:36:30am

I have seen some in book three:
-the most common is why Lupin didn't transform in the cabin?
-I also noticed that it is explained that Lupin most take the potion one week before, so there is no reason for Snape to go to Lupin's office to give him the potion, right?

And yeah, we surely are lunatics, but is better than collecting stamps for example.
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Postby Holly Golightly » Wednesday 7 May 2003 9:28:56am

I thought that the potion thing was every night starting from a week before?? Too slack to check it though!
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Postby Mistress Siana » Wednesday 7 May 2003 1:32:43pm

And yeah, we surely are lunatics, but is better than collecting stamps for example.


hehe...I'll remember that one!

In the german translation of the books is an which I think is hilarious.
You know the kids in HP often play "exploding snap". My childhood is not that long ago, so I remember what game is referred to, but the translator obviously didn't. He just saw the similarity of the words "snap" and "Snape" and therefore translated the name of the game into
"Snape explodiert" - which means exploding Snape. I laughed my guts out when I found out about that one!
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Postby Holly Golightly » Wednesday 7 May 2003 1:50:55pm

Now that's damn funny!!!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Postby MikeT » Wednesday 7 May 2003 4:43:28pm

HAHA, i don't really like the gramatical errors, i prefer the ones when things don't really fit in!

That Snape/snap one is great!
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Postby Holly Golightly » Wednesday 7 May 2003 4:50:26pm

Hrmmm Rory, I think that I have a later eddition than you do, because those things are fixed up in the version I have...

For no 1, my book says that Fudge said that, and for no 2, mine does say Crouch, not Moody... I think that these are just accidentals, which is why they have been fixed in later editions! Like that thing in book four where people with th ehardcover edition *I think* have James coming out of voldies wand first, but the one I've got has Lily coming out first...

:-?
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Postby Mistress Siana » Wednesday 7 May 2003 6:36:48pm

The most most funny thing about that Snape/snap one is that noone thinks it's necessary to correct it! I've read all four books (latest editions of 1 and 2), and until I accidently found the right version in the HP lexicon, I thought they were actually playing "Exploding Snape". Hey, can you imagine how disappointed I was? I thought that was a really cool invetion!
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Postby Neo » Thursday 8 May 2003 6:03:35am

:lol: , lol, that would have been great.
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Postby Rory Pridinham » Sunday 29 June 2003 11:36:14pm

I've found a lot more *grins proudly to herself* :grin:
Here u go.....

Marcus Flint, 8th year student?

First, go to the Quidditch chapter of Sorcerer's Stone.
On pg 185, bottom half of the page in the paperback version, the book tells us that Marcus Flint is the Slytherin Captain in his sixth year.
That means Harry's second year is Marcus Flints seventh and final year at Hogwarts.
In the Harry's third year, the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Quidditch Final chapter, page 306, fourth line, Wood and Flint shake hands.
HOLD ON! This year would be Flint's eighth year. You are only supposed to go to Hogwarts for seven! An arguable error indeed, J.K. Rowling has since clarified that Flint has held back a year, which makes sense considering Flint's character.

Headmaster Albus Dumblefore?

In chapter twenty-two (pg 428), Owl Post Again, close to the end when Harry and Dumbledore are talking in Lupin's office after he left, J.K. spelled Dumbledore's name as Dumblefore. This is found only in American First Edition books.

Dark Mark, Where?

In the Goblet of Fire, when Harry gets stuck in the stairs and Snape and Moody comes along, Moody makes some statement. I forgot what it was, but it was something pertaining to the Dark Mark on Snape's arm. Snape suddenly grabs his right arm, therefore the mark should be on that arm. But later, he shows Fudge the mark on his left arm...

Slytherin, Ancestors or Descendents?

Not quite halfway through the final chapter "Dobby's Reward" in Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore explains to Harry why he can speak Parseltongue. In this explanation, he refers to Lord Voldemort as "the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin." He quite obviously means descendant, not ancestor, unless the Slytherin family reproduces differently from the rest of humanity.

Snape or Snap?

If you look on page 285 of the Prisoner of Azkaban, in the chapter "Snape's Grudge", on the second line from the bottom of that page you will see Snape's name spelled as "Snap"! Found in first American Edition, Hardcover.

Chess Lessons

In 'Through the Trapdoor' in book 1 Harry, Ron and Hermione take the place of the chess set pieces. Ron takes the place of a knight but when it comes to him sacrificing himself to the queen he only takes a pace forward. Knights cannot move just 1 pace forward.

Confused Clock

In Book 2, the Weasley's clock shows phrases such as Feed the Chickens but in Book 4, it only states the locations of family members. We may be able to conclude that the Weasleyes have two clocks. In book 2, the clock is described as hanging on the wall and in book 4, it is the 'old grandfather clock'. Grandfather clocks aren't known to hang on walls.

Stupid Seeker?

In one of the books, the Slytherin Keeper makes a foul during a Quidditch match, but J.K. marks it as "a foul on the Slytherin Seeker".

Perry Weasley?

In the Goblet of Fire, when Harry gets stuck in the stairs and In Chamber of Secrets, the paperback, on page 157 after PERCY says "Get--away--from--there--" his name is misspelled as "Perry". It's on line 11 from the bottom.

Nearly Headless Nick is Nearly 500

In book 1, it is almost Nearly Headless Nick's 400th death day (years since he died). But in book 2, he celebrates his 500th deathday.

Charlie works in "Rumaina"

In book 4 (English Hardback), it states that Ron's brother Charlie works with dragons in "Rumania" surely this should be "Romania". It is found on chapter 5 first page on line 21.

Bill Weasley: Left Hogwarts When Harry Came?

In the 4th book, Bill Weasley says that he has not been to Hogwarts in 5 years. Since Harry is in his 4th year, that would conclude that Bill had left the school the year before Harry joined Hogwarts. This cannot be true because Bill is the oldest child of the Weasley family. Charlie (the second oldest) is younger than Bill, but he was not at school when Harry was. Charlie probably left the school at least three years before Harry came. We can determine this because Fred and George were talking about how they had not won a single game since Charlie left (Fred and George said this in Harry's first year). They probably would not have been talking as though Charile had left the year before. This was pointed out to J.K Rowling, she said that Bill visited the school for one of Charlie's Quidditch matches.


Priori Backwards

In book number 4, when Priori Incantatem is preformed, the spells that Voldermort's wand cast out are all the people he has killed, from his most recent to his first. However the mistake made is as follows: James Potter appears first out of the wand, followed by Lily Potter. This suggests that Lily was killed before James, which we know for a fact is not true.


Sorry... that was a long one.... oh well
(by the way... I do have a life.....)
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Postby techjohn » Monday 30 June 2003 9:53:52am

While reading the 5th book, I noticed that JKR had written about 2 people speaking in the same paragraph - twice!

I won't mention the actual bits here, but the first was on page 57.

I've always been taught that you're not allowed to do that! :???:
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Postby Hermione » Tuesday 1 July 2003 8:50:29pm

techjohn wrote:While reading the 5th book, I noticed that JKR had written about 2 people speaking in the same paragraph - twice!

I won't mention the actual bits here, but the first was on page 57.

I've always been taught that you're not allowed to do that! :???:


Technically, you're not supposed to do that, but a lot of authors do anyway.
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Postby techjohn » Tuesday 1 July 2003 9:02:00pm

Hermione wrote:
techjohn wrote:While reading the 5th book, I noticed that JKR had written about 2 people speaking in the same paragraph - twice!

I won't mention the actual bits here, but the first was on page 57.

I've always been taught that you're not allowed to do that! :???:


Technically, you're not supposed to do that, but a lot of authors do anyway.


I didn't think you were meant to. I would have thought, though, with HP being such a best-selling book that she could have put it right. Isn't it setting a bad example?

I suppose it doesn't matter really, though. Noone cares about grammar these days, do they?
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Postby Mint » Wednesday 2 July 2003 3:26:31pm

Nope :evil grin:

Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.
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Postby HuffleDuck » Thursday 10 July 2003 11:54:27pm

Holly was right about Lupin taking potion every night cause of full moon is coming. And some of the mistake you guys have mentioned it, some of them are wrong but some are right too. jsut read the book carefully., cause you might make a mistake too. Like one time somebody mentioned that the Weasly's grandpa clock have 2 hands in 2nd book and then it have 9 hands in 4th book. The one that was mentioned in the 2nd book is not a grandpa clock( gonna check on it again).


I don't really pay attention to these mistakes. doesn't really concern me. :)
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