Poor Hermione...
WARNING: Spoilers are unmarked.- Ron and Harry's reactions to Hermione being petrified.
- Hagrid being carted off to Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit. Doubles as Fridge Horror as the experience scares the crap out of a half-giant who thinks a giant three-headed dog is cute and a young dragon makes an adorable pet.
- Just as bad is the description of Fang howling at the locked cabin door after Hagrid is taken away. Anyone who's ever owned a pet knows how upset they get when their owners are gone for a long time.
- McGonagall's heartbroken reaction to Hogwarts potentially having to close.
- Also, her response when Harry and Ron claim they were out of their dorm because they wanted to go visit a petrified Hermione.
- It's stated that the boys are a little shaken by McGonagall's reaction that they go and visit her anyway.
- Also, her response when Harry and Ron claim they were out of their dorm because they wanted to go visit a petrified Hermione.
- While perhaps not the biggest one, as it comes after Tom Riddle is defeated and you know everything is going to be alright, but seeing Ginny sobbing with guilt and confessing to Tom manipulating her, all while convinced that she's going to be expelled is pretty sad to watch.Ginny: [in tears] I'm going to be expelled! I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and- w-what'll Mum and Dad say?
- Sure, he's a Jerkass, but it's hard not to feel bad for Filch when he finds the petrified Mrs. Norris. Especially if you're a pet owner. Just how broken and angry he becomes can be hard to watch, especially for anyone who loves their pets. The film version, however, makes him a lot less sympathetic during the scene, as he yells "I'll kill ya!" at Harry.
- As HE is absolutely NOT a Jerkass, Neville's reaction to the attacks is heartbreaking. He's bought an evil-smelling onion from the twins, and when told he should be fine as he's Pureblood, he comments how they went for Filch first, and apparently, everyone knows Neville's almost a Squib too.
- Anytime Dobby hurts himself. Since his masters, the Malfoys, have punished him for doing anything "bad", he instinctively punishes himself if he feels like he's done something wrong. It's so heartbreaking to see him be accustomed to an abusive lifestyle.
- It gets worse. They mostly only punish him for great transgressions nowadays (such as Dobby giving Lucius away at the end), because he has been so drilled to act in certain ways that he instinctively punishes himself for tiny ones, so much so that the family turns a blind eye to him punishing himself as they figure Dobby must have done something they didn't notice but since he is already paying for it, it's all right.
- His reaction to Harry asking him to sit down is to burst into tears. Harry is worried he's offended Dobby... he hasn't. Dobby is just shocked that Harry would treat him like an equal as opposed to a servant.
- It gets worse. They mostly only punish him for great transgressions nowadays (such as Dobby giving Lucius away at the end), because he has been so drilled to act in certain ways that he instinctively punishes himself for tiny ones, so much so that the family turns a blind eye to him punishing himself as they figure Dobby must have done something they didn't notice but since he is already paying for it, it's all right.
- Harry eavesdropping on Ernie Macmillan telling other Hufflepuffs that Harry is a Dark Wizard and the Heir of Slytherin. It gets worse when Harry actually thinks he's going crazy and the Sorting Hat tells him he should've been a Slytherin. Remember, Harry grew up with his aunt and uncle always falsely accusing him of being a psychopathic freak; now, his escape from that world is telling him that the abuse he suffered is justified. Plus, his upbringing is very similar to Snape's.
- You thought Harry's life before Hogwarts was bad at the Dursleys'? His first summer after getting a taste of the school is terrible. His relatives start by taking away all his school stuff and locking it in the wardrobe under the stairs; they padlock Hedwig's cage so he cannot contact any of his friends, they are terrified and aggressive; and they "celebrate" his birthday by having him stay still in his room and act like he isn't there while Vernon has important guests. Not only that but, thanks to Dobby, Harry has no letters all summer so he thinks Ron and Hermione forgot him when in actuality they are worried sick because he's not replying. When Dobby makes sure the guest night goes terribly, Vernon locks Harry up behind barred windows and a locked door with only a cat-flap to push cold food (and so little of it that George called it starving Harry) through, only allowing the boy to use the bathroom twice a day and says Harry is not going back to Hogwarts ever. Thank goodness Ron, Fred, and George had enough and decided to check on Harry themselves...
- The opening of the film: Harry looking longingly at photos of his parents and friends, immediately followed by Hedwig desperately trying to get out of her birdcage, with Harry regrettably telling her he's not allowed to do anything about it. Just a couple of minutes into the movie and you already feel sorry for both of them.
- The "Mudblood" scene is played for far more drama in the film than it was in the book where Hermione didn't know what the word meant. Here, she knows exactly what it means and she's incredibly hurt. Despite being an excellent witch and one of the smartest students in the school, she's disrespected and demoralized by a slur for having non-magic parents. For someone who's experienced real life racial, religious, sexist, or ableist taunts, it's bound to hit home.Hermione: It means "dirty blood". Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who's Muggle-born. Someone with non-magic parents. Someone like me...
- Both Ron and Professor Flitwick's reaction to learning Ginny has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets. Both heartwarming in a way, too: it shows Ron deeply cares about his family, and Flitwick deeply cares about his students.
- For that matter, Fred and George's reaction. No jokes, all seriousness.
- Moaning Myrtle crying about being attacked with a book can be sympathetic, particularly her angry rant to Ron when he unintentionally offends her.
- In a deleted scene, Harry picks up a Kwikspell invitation for Filch, and he hands it to him, saying he dropped it. Filch quickly puts it in his pocket without looking at it, but after Harry and Ron walk away, he begins to silently cry. Kwikspell is a course for wizards who are inept at magic. Filch had received an invitation and was hoping there was a chance he was still a wizard, just a terrible one. Poor guy gets some old memories after Harry gives him the card.
- Harry and the other Weasleys waiting helplessly in the common room after it's revealed that Ginny had been taken.
- In the ending of the movie, when Hagrid comes back and thanks the trio for solving the problem of the Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk, Harry says this:Harry: There's no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid.
- While it's a heartwarming moment with a hug between Harry and Hagrid, this memorable line has become especially tearjerking due to Robbie Coltrane's death in 2022, 20 years after the movie was released.
