Continuity mistake: When Stan Shunpike begins, "Welcome to the Knight Bus emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard...," in Harry's close-up the lamppost is directly behind Harry. However, in the shot from behind Stan when Harry says, "I fell over," the post is about 6 ft away, to Harry's left. (00:08:25)
Continuity mistake: When Harry is about to pass out and says "Sirius", he says it in two breaths (Siri-us). The second time, when Harry and Hermione are watching this same exact scene occur in time, he says it in one breath (Sirius).
Continuity mistake: While Harry is in Lupin's office, Lupin's coat, which lies on a trunk, changes its position multiple times, as does the trunk. (02:06:30)
Continuity mistake: When Harry picks up 'The Monster book of Monsters' you see him holding his right hand at the top at the book. When it cuts to a closeup of the book while he is holding it, you can see his hand is on the middle of the book. In the following shot his hand is on the top of it again. (00:14:35)
Continuity mistake: When Potter and Hermione watch Fudge, Dumbledore and the executioner heading down to Hagrid's, Hermione says "Fudge is coming." Potter then turns his head. When it cuts he turns it again. (01:46:40)
Continuity mistake: When Potter points his wand at Vernon and Vernon says, "You're not allowed to use magic outside school," you see Vernon holding his hands down. When the scene cuts back to Vernon, he has his hand by the banister. (00:06:25)
Continuity mistake: The first time we see Dumbledore tell the executioner his services are no longer required (in a shot from the stone circle), he lifts his staff and points at him. The second time (in a shot from the pumpkin patch), Dumbledore does not lift his staff. (01:23:25 - 01:50:30)
Continuity mistake: At the Shrieking Shack, when Scabbers tries to run away, as he runs towards the small hole in the wall, the shape of the hole differs in the shot facing the rat's hind and the next shot facing Scabbers, just as he enters the hole. (Obviously before the hole enlarges to accommodate Peter.) (01:35:05)
Audio problem: The song "Something Wicked This Way Comes" is staged with a mixed choir, with a majority of girls. However, to the trained ear, you can tell the song is sung by an all-boys chorus.
Continuity mistake: The position of the "little old lady at twelve o'clock" in comparison to the bus while she's crossing the street changes quite a few times.
Continuity mistake: While everyone is in the Dursley's dining room, before and after Aunt Marge's inflation, the plates, cutlery, food, etc., on the table and kitchen counters change positions in subsequent shots, depending on the camera angle, not due to anyone touching them. (00:02:40)
Revealing mistake: In the first overhead shot as the Dementors swoop down towards Sirius and Harry, Sirius lies in a particular position. During the Dementor attack his clothes move, then after Harry's Patronus repels the Dementors, Sirius breathes again and he now lies flat. After Harry collapses, in the last overhead shot, Sirius and his clothes lie in precisely the same position as the first overhead shot. His position differs later, in the repeat timeline as well. (01:42:50 - 01:45:20)
Revealing mistake: The first time the bus conductor shows Harry the newspaper with the picture of Sirius Black on the front, one of his fingers disappears "underneath" the moving picture for a split-second.
Continuity mistake: In the Leaky Cauldron, the Minister takes the lid off of a pot of pea soup. Yet after reprimanding Harry, he shakes Harry's hand and walks past the table, and you can see the lid is on the pot of pea soup. It isn't in any other shots. (00:13:05 - 00:13:55)
Continuity mistake: When Aunt Marge says "Actually, it's nothing to do with the father..." you see Aunt Petunia lift her right arm. When it cuts her arm is down. (00:03:45)
Character mistake: When Arthur Weasley takes Harry aside in The Leaky Cauldron to warn him about Sirius Black, he says, "13 years ago, when you stopped.... You-Know-Who...Black lost everything." Harry is 13 yrs. old in Prisoner of Azkaban and was a 1 yr. old when he stopped Voldemort. Hence, Harry stopped Voldemort 12 yrs. ago, and not 13! Harry turns 11 just before school starts in Philosopher's Stone, turns 12 before school in Chamber of Secrets and turns 13 yrs. old before school in Prisoner of Azkaban. Just an aside, the last digit of Harry's age always coincides with Harry's year at Hogwarts. So, he's 13 in his 3rd year at Hogwarts, which is entitled Prisoner of Azkaban. (00:17:50)
Continuity mistake: While HRH sit in the Leaky Cauldron, as Ron says, "Even Scabbers enjoyed himself," and continues, "Yeah, along with the dung beetle," the stool behind Harry is straight and not under the small table at all. In the next shot as the twins get on Ron, the stool is crookedly pushed under the table. (00:16:40)
Continuity mistake: Draco Malfoy starts eating an apple during Hagrid's lesson about Hippogriffs. During the lecture, his apple changes back and forth from having a few bites taken out to being whole again. Draco himself also moves in the background from shot to shot. (00:33:40)
Continuity mistake: When Hermione tries to coax Buckbeak to follow Harry she holds up the ferret in her hand. Between the shots facing Hermione and then Buckbeak, the ferret and its paws change the direction that it faces while she grips the hind of the animal. This is only in regards to when she grasps the ferret and does not let go. (01:54:00)
Continuity mistake: When Hagrid is telling Harry, Ron and Hermione that Buckbeak must be executed, you see Harry in the background sitting on a rock, then stand up when he hears the news and walk away from the rock behind him. In the very next shot from behind, Harry is sitting down again (the water ripple from the small stone is visible at Hagrid's left). (01:10:00)
Chosen answer: It's not known what it is. It is left to the audience's imagination of what exactly is in the room or what some witch or wizard was doing in there. This is only meant to be a humorous bit and is unrelated to the plot. It didn't happen in the book.
raywest ★