Harry Potter: 10 Amazing Chapters That Aren’t In The Movies
5. The Beetle At Bay (The Order Of The Phoenix)
Unlike the movie adaptation, Harry actually goes on a date with Cho Chang during his fifth year at Hogwarts. But unfortunately, the entire thing is a disaster.
Harry fails to read Cho’s signals and makes a major blunder when he tells her he’s meeting up with Hermione later on. Cho takes this the wrong way, leaving Harry in an embarrassed silence. It’s a fun scene to re-read once you’re aware of Cho’s intentions (which Hermione explains later on), but the best part of this chapter comes at the end.
After entering the Three Broomsticks, Harry spots Hermione sitting with Luna Lovegood and Rita Skeeter. Hermione then explains her plan: she wants Harry to recount the story of Voldemort’s return for Rita, who will write up the interview so it can be published in The Quibbler, the magazine owned by Luna’s father.
The dynamic between these three women is a match made in heaven. Hermione’s cool logic clashes with Rita’s bitter resentment, and Luna’s maddening personality makes everything even funnier. She spends more time listening than talking, yet her amusing comments are key to why this scene works so well.
This is one of the most memorable conversations in the series, and it’s a shame it doesn’t go on for longer.