Although theHarry Pottermovies are rightfully beloved by so many, there are plenty of examples of things being left out of the films, including deleted scenes, that would’ve made supporting characters more interesting and more layered. It was always a given that some aspects oftheHarry Potterbook seriescouldn’t be adapted for the big screen based purely on time restraints but a handful of scenes were filmed and then cut, including a pivotal one for Aunt Petunia.
Most prominent in thefirst fewHarry Potterinstallments, Petunia is part of scenes that showcase how poorly she and her husband Vernon treated their nephew Harry. For the most part,Petunia is portrayed as an unlikable womanwith no layers and her only shining moment is a short monologue she gives about her sister’s death. However, there’s one deleted from the penultimate film that could’ve given her more to work with.
The Aunt Petunia Deleted Scene Adds To Her Character
The aforementioned monologue that Petunia gives inHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stoneis one of three notable moments she gets in the series. The second is inThe Order of the Phoenix, whenshe receives a Howler from Dumbledore, shocking everyone that she’s been in touch with at least one person in the Wizarding World. However,the deleted scene in question is fromThe Deathly Hallows Part 1as Harry says goodbye to the Dursleys.
Petunia is shown to be somber at having to leave her home and is reluctant to go, so Harry warns her about Death Eaters showing up if they stay. She notes that she understands what Death Eaters are capable of and adds, “You didn’t just lose a mother that night in Godric’s Hollow, you know. I lost my sister.” It’s not the kind of line that redeems Petunia in any way, as she was still vile to her nephew but it shows that there’s more to her than just being an antagonist.
Petunia may have disowned her sister and not been happy about taking in Harry, but she feels a loss at Lily’s death. The flashback scene in the final film showing Snape, Lily, and Petunia as children could’ve also been expanded to include more about Petunia’s relationship with Lily and it would’ve made her a more nuanced character.
There Are Other Harry Potter Deleted Scenes That Hurt Side Characters
Aunt Petunia wasn’t the only supporting character to get shafted by a deleted scene. In that same sequence that seesHarry say bye to the Dursleys, his cousin Dudleygets a welcome moment. He wonders why Harry isn’t coming with them and Harry says they wouldn’t want a “waste of space” with them, to which Dudley responds that he doesn’t think Harry is a waste of space. Like Petunia’s scene,it doesn’t redeem Dudley but it shows there’s more to him as he cares about his cousin.
Characters like Draco Malfoy, who gets a shockingly low amount of screen time across the films, also ran into this issue. InThe Deathly Hallows Part 2, just as Harry reveals himself to be alive and ready to confront Voldemort,a deleted scene saw Draco toss him his wand to use in battle. It’s a moment that completes Draco’s redemption and shows he’s on the side of good. Alas, it was cut and instead, Draco just awkwardly runs away with his parents during the fight. These cut scenes led to disappointing final moments for theseHarry Pottercharacters.
