History Awesome / HarryPotterAndThePrisonerofAzkaban

* Like the novel it's based on, the scene where Harry realizes that he is the caster of the patronus that saves himself is a pretty awesome moment for him. It solidifies for him that he doesn't need his parents to be heroic; he can be heroic all by himself like a true Gryffindor. The accompanying John Williams score, a soothing choir and the pulsating glow of his patronus certainly help as well as a triumphant delivery of the spell.

* Harry reassuring Arthur that he accidentally overheard their conversation about Sirius Black, and he's not scared. After all, Voldemort's been trying to kill him for a while. He confusedly promises that he doesn't want to seek someone trying to kill him.

* Sirius shows ''exactly'' why he was the right person to be Harry's godfather - he breaks out of Azkaban, a supposedly inescapable prison, [[PapaWolf because a murderer is going to be near his godson]]. This whilst being severely affected by the dementors, emaciated, probably out of practice magically, and something which required him to ''swim from an island in the middle of the ocean to the mainland'' while in the form of a ''dog''.

** "If you want to get to Harry, you'll have to go through me!"[[note]] Said while ''standing on a broken leg and staring down someone he believes to be a mass murderer, no less.[[/note]]

* Normally, according to J.K. Rowling, it takes exceptionally powerful magic to keep working after the caster is dead (hence why Neville's parents are still insane after Bellatrix Lestrange dies). The Marauders are all dead by the end of the series, but the map is ''still'' working.

* Hermione slapping Draco in the face for making fun of Hagrid, who was crying over Buckbeak being sentenced to death ... and then driving Draco (who, remember, never hesitates to toss a taunt or racial slur her way) into full retreat by merely ''pulling out her wand.''. The little twat had it coming for a long time. It suddenly occurred to him that he's just pushed the most talented witch in the school one inch too far. And to make it better, she outsped Harry and Ron who were charging to do the same.

* Snape gets one he never got in the books. Runs out of the Whomping Willow, fuming about Harry's unprovoked attack on him, sees a werewolf about to eat them, and his first gut response is to stand between the kids and the wolf. Not bad, Snape, not bad at all. His getting Remus sacked the next morning [[FridgeBrilliance doesn't seem that spiteful]] when you consider this scene: it no doubt reminds him of what happened when ''he'' was at Hogwarts, and all he's thinking is "there go the bloody Marauders, [[JerkassHasAPoint putting students in danger again]]."

** "If you want to get to Harry, you'll have to go through me!"

** In hindsight, Lupin driving off a Dementor with an incorporeal Patronus. Harry produces what may be the most powerful Patronus of his class year, but even his initial one is useless against an imitation of a dementor in its incorporeal form. The teachers are appropriately on another level entirely.

* Harry arrives at the Leaky Cauldron and Tom, the Innkeeper, mentions that Hedwig arrived "not five minutes before yourself"; as far as we're aware, Hedwig ''was in a cage'' the last time we saw her. So, she's gotten herself ''out'' of the cage, out of a room ''with a closed window'' and '''''all the way to London''''' in a period of about fifteen to twenty minutes. Who's a good Owl?

* Normally, according to J.K. Rowling, it takes exceptionally powerful magic to keep working after the caster is dead (hence why Neville's parents are still insane after Bellatrix Lestrange dies). The Marauders are all dead by the end of the series, but the map is ''still'' working. Talk about some power...
* A Meta example: the extremely minor scene when [=MacNair=], the executioner, eerily grins at Harry when he passes by. ''Goblet of Fire'' reveals [=MacNair=] to be a Death Eater, adding a new level of depth to the tiny, otherwise inconsequential scene. While [=MacNair=] never does anything else in the series notable besides preside over Buckbeak's execution, it's a very coy, ShownTheirWork type of {{Foreshadowing}} that must be given credit, and may have been unintentional!
* Another Meta example: This is the second highest-rated film in the franchise according to both Website/RottenTomatoes (92%) and Metacritic (81%). It's almost even with the number one spot: ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallowsPart2'' (RT 96%, MC 87%).
* And a third, anyone? Creator/GaryOldman, Creator/DavidThewlis, Creator/AlanRickman and Creator/TimothySpall were ''all in one room together''. How did the cameras ''not'' explode from the sheer awesomeness?
* Kudos to Creator/EmmaWatson, that is one fucking loud, long scream she manages when flying on Buckbeak! How the hell she managed that ''without'' actually being scared, we'll never know.

* Sirius whooping as he, Harry, and Hermione fly away from his cell on Buckbeak.

--> "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! DumbassHasAPoint Why ask if you don't want to be told?”

--> "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! [[DumbassHasAPoint Why ask if you don't want to be told?]]”

** What's more awesome is that the punch fazes Malfoy so much, that he and his colleagues ''immediately'' [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere book it]]. Malfoy then looks back at Hermione donning an expression of ''terror''. If that's not awesome, what is? This moment is now easily one of the most iconic of the films.

* Hermione slapping Draco in the face for making fun of Hagrid, who was crying over Buckbeak being sentenced to death. Little twerp had it coming for a long time... And then driving Draco (who, remember, never hesitates to toss a taunt or racial slur her way) into full retreat by merely ''pulling out her wand.'' It suddenly occurred to him that he's just pushed the most talented witch in the school one inch too far. And to make it better, she outsped Harry and Ron who were charging to do the same.
** As revealed in ''Order of The Phoenix'', when you make Hermione angry, you're going to ''pay.'' Draco has made Hermione angry and he ''realizes this'' and runs as fast as he can.

* The entirety of the Shrieking Shack scene.

** "YOU'RE PATHETIC!"
** "''THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!'' DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

** In hindsight, Lupin driving off a dementor with an incorporeal Patronus. Harry produces what may be the most powerful Patronus of his class year, but even his initial one is useless against an imitation of a dementor in its incorporeal form. The teachers are appropriately on another level entirely.

* While it came to naught due to Aunt Marge's visit becoming a disaster, Harry straight up blackmailing Uncle Vernon into signing his Hogsmeade form in exchange for sticking with the lies they have told her about him. It's extremely satisfying especially when you realize that this is one of the few times Harry on his own, without anyone else to assist, is getting back at the Dursleys for their abuse, and with just his wits and not magic. Vernon reluctantly agrees to sign the form if Marge's visit goes well, and we know he would have kept his word. This bit is extremely sweet:

'''Vernon:''' You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you?\\

** Even more awesome considering Harry and Ron had just talked her out of hurting Draco (she had him at wandpoint). She calms down, turns his back on him, Malfoy almost immediately recovers his smug look, and then she turns right back around to [[http://24.media.tumblr.com/dd9f5e7cb47580a2b14dd3fc4a1109e2/tumblr_my20y9Mkpw1sxvqgfo1_500.gif clock him right in the face.]] Malfoy's head even seems to ''bounce'' off the brick wall behind him!

** What's more awesome is that the punch fazes Malfoy so much, that he and his colleagues ''immediately'' [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere book it]]. Malfoy then loos back at Hermione donning a look of ''terror''. If that's not awesome, what is? This moment is now easily one of the most iconic of the films.

** If you pay attention to his face the moment he shields Harry, Ron and Hermione, you can see he's almost as alarmed as they are by the werewolf. The last time he was this close to a fully-transformed werewolf he was only a few years old than the students and it probably was just as frightening an experience. Yet he doesn't move, even when the werewolf is almost right on top of him.
* When Buckbeak attacks the werewolf to defend Harry and Hermione and quickly scares it off! In the novel Hagrid worries outloud about whether Buckbeak encountered the werewolf during its escape. It turns out Hagrid had nothing to worry about.

* Though there's not denying that his actions were loathsome, the fact that Peter Pettigrew was able to spy for Voldemort and the Death Eaters without suspicion is pretty awesome. Even Dumbledore himself didn't seem to suspect him.
* While it came for naught due to Aunt Marge's visit becoming a disaster, Harry straight up blackmailing Uncle Vernon into signing his Hogsmeade form in exchange for sticking with the lies they have told her about him. It's extremely satisfying especially when you realize that this is one of the few times Harry on his own, without anyone else to assist, is getting back at the Dursleys for their abuse, and with just his wits and not magic. Vernon reluctantly agrees to sign the form if Marge's visit goes well, and we know he would have kept his word. This bit is extremely sweet:

* The second and third Quidditch matches. Oliver finally gets to finally hold the award he has wanted and been denied the last two years (due to [[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone Harry being in a coma]] and [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets the season being called off due to students being petrified]]).

*** This is especially juicy considering what happened [[[[Film/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets the previous summer]] where Vernon basically put Harry under unlawful imprisonment. Vernon even reminds him that he'll face legal actions if he uses any magic, but Harry just challenges his uncle to "try [him]."

* Ron has had his leg broken by Sirius and can basically be defeated by a stiff wind. So he tells Sirius, while standing on said broken leg, probably through excruciating pain, placing himself between them, if he wants Harry, he'll have to [[GoThroughMe go through him.]] Creator/SteveKloves can be safely ignored on this front: Ron is Harry's man, through and through. An easily missed example of this is when Sirius attacks Harry, Ron, and Hermione [[spoiler:to get at Pettigrew]]. Out of the three, Ron has been the most superstitious about the Grim throughout the whole book. So what does he do when he sees a massive dog that looks like a Grim attack Harry? He instantly gets to his feet and pushes Harry out of the way, letting Sirius take him instead.
* ''Expecto Patronum!'' A lone, small, underfed 13-year-old boy against more than a hundred soul suckers. [[spoiler:The lone, small, underfed boy wins.]]

** "The Marauder's Map never lies. [[spoiler:Peter's alive, Harry. Ron's holding him]]."

* Boy scouts [[TheBully they weren't,]] but the Marauders — a bunch of teenagers not much older than Harry and his friends were at the time of this book — not only learned the highly advanced process of becoming Animagi [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments for the sake of a friend]], (to have an idea how difficult that is, registered Animagi in '''their century''' were less than twenty) but also created a detailed map of the near ''entirety'' of Hogwarts Castle that is also capable of tracking the location of any person that sets foot there. It's stated to work well enough that Harry can use it nearly twenty years after its creation... [[spoiler: and implied to still work just as well after nearly ''another'' quarter-century, at which point WordOfGod says Harry's son (fittingly named for two of the Marauders) takes the map for himself.]] The fact that they innovated such a powerful magical artifact at probably around '''14-15 years old''' (they completed their transformations in their fifth year which took them three years to prepare which meant they started in Year 2-Year 3) speaks to some ''great'' talent. [[spoiler:Death can't see anyone under the Invisibility Cloak. The Marauder's Map ''can''.]]

* While it came for naught due to Aunt Marge's visit becoming a disaster, Harry straight up blackmailing Uncle Vernon into signing his Hogsmeade form in exchange for sticking with the lies they have told her about him. It's extremely satisfying especially when you realize that this is one of the few times Harry own his own, without anyone else to assist, is getting back at the Dursleys for their abuse, and with just his wits and not magic. Vernon reluctantly agrees to sign the form if Marge's visit goes well, and we know he would have kept his word. This bit is extremely sweet:

'''Harry:''' Knocking the stuffing out of me won’t make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her.

---> None of us are hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks.

--->'''Harry''': What if I accidentally let something slip?
--->'''Vernon''': You’ll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won’t you?
--->'''Harry''': Knocking the stuffing out of me won’t make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her.
*

--->'''Hermione''': That felt good.
--->'''Ron''': Not good...brilliant!

--->'''Harry''': [[ViolationOfCommonSense What are you doing?]]
--->'''Hermione''': ''Saving your life!''

--->'''Harry''': EXPECTO PATRONUM!!!

* The second and third Quidditch matches. Oliver finally gets to finally hold the award he has wanted and been denied the last two years (due to [[Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilsophersStone Harry being in a coma]] and [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets the season being called off due to students being petrified]]).

** Harry, Ron, and Hermione actually ''physically subdue'' Sirius, and later Snape (albeit accidentally).

** Harry, Ron, and Hermione actually ''physically subdue'' Sirius.

* Unlike in the book, if you ignore the AdaptationalInducedPlothole, Lupin ''saw'' the boggart turn into a Dementor and Harry freezing in terror. He immediately goes PapaWolf and dives in front of Harry, risking his werewolf status being out when the full moon appears instead, or the boggart Dementor affecting him.

** As revealed in ''Order of The Phoenix'', when you make Hermione angry, you're going to ''pay.'' Draco has made Hermione angry and he ''realises this'' and runs as fast as he can.

** In hindsight, Lupin driving off a dementor with an incorporeal patronus. Harry produces what may be the most powerful patronus of his class year, but even his is useless against an imitation of a dementor in its incorporeal form. The teachers are appropriately on another level entirely.

* While it came for naught due to Aunt Marge's visit becoming a disaster, Harry straight up blackmailing Uncle Vernon into signing his Hogsmeade form in exchange for sticking with the lies they have told her about him. Its extremely satisfying especially when you realize that this is one of the few times Harry own his own, without anyone else to assist, is getting back at the Dursleys for their abuse, and with just his wits and not magic. Vernon reluctantly agrees to sign the form if Marge's visit goes well. This bit is extremely sweet:

* Harry arrives at the Leaky Cauldron and Tom, the Inkeeper, mentions that Hedwig arrived "not five minutes before yourself"; as far as we're aware, Hedwig ''was in a cage'' the last time we saw her. So, she's gotten herself ''out'' of the cage, out of a room ''with a closed window'' and '''''all the way to London''''' in a period of about fifteen to twenty minutes. Who's a good Owl?

** If you pay attention to his face the moment he shields Harry, Ron and Hermione, you can sees he's almost as alarmed as they are by the werewolf. The last time he was this close to a fully-transformed werewolf he was only a few years old than the students and it probably was just as frightening an experience. Yet he doesn't move, even when the werewolf is almost right on top of him.

* Harry's flight on Buckbeak. Especially the moment when they're flying over a lake and Harry sits up, spreads his arms out, and whoops in joy! Particularly since in the book Harry doesn't enjoy the flight (which is depicted as short, stilted and awkward) at all. It's nice to see him having a chance for a bit of fun.