Continuity mistake: When Harry unbuckles the belt around the Monster Book of Monsters, the belt lies open, across the bench. As the book chomps at Harry, in the shot behind Harry's feet the belt is curled up on the floor, to the side of the bench. (00:15:05)
Continuity mistake: When Potter is leaning over the bed watching the 'Monster Book of Monsters' on the floor when it goes back under the bed, we can see the sheets on the edge are fine. When it cuts they are crinkled. (00:15:05)
Deliberate mistake: When Harry drops the Monster Book of Monsters, in the first shot facing Harry's feet as the book chomps at him, he runs backwards a few steps and he stands at the foot of the bed. However, in the shot facing the fireplace, there is actually plenty of floorspace now, much more than other shots, between the rug and bed for Harry to continue to run backwards. (00:15:15)
Continuity mistake: At the hotel, when Harry tries to catch the Monster Book of Monsters, a train passes and some wood powder falls from the ceiling but when Harry steps on the book, there's no more trace of powder on the floor. It can't be completely under the book, because there was powder at different places. (00:15:15)
Continuity mistake: As Harry is about to drop his shoe on the floor in front of the Monster Book of Monsters, there is a closeup of Hedwig sitting on the chair. When it cuts to a wide shot, you can see that Hedwig has moved to farther to the left on the chair. (00:15:15)
Continuity mistake: As the Monster Book of Monsters falls to the floor and chases Harry's feet, the ripped seat cloth of the chair Hedwig sits on is visible. This ripped seat cloth changes significantly a total of four times in the following shots. (00:15:15)
Continuity mistake: The actual width between the two front large wood bed posts in Harry's room at the Leaky Cauldron inexplicably changes between shots, as do their position on the wood plank floor. After Harry removes his shoe and dangles it in the first overhead shot, there are five specific wood planks between the posts. Yet when he drops the shoe in the next overhead shot, there are now over five and a half wood planks between the two posts. The left post has moved to the right - by 1/2 a wood plank and the right post actually moved over one whole plank. (00:15:20)
Continuity mistake: Watch as Harry drops his shoe to the floor from the bed. You can see the shoe change angle between the shots. (00:15:20)
Continuity mistake: The Monster Book of Monsters' torn papers change amount/position in subsequent side and top shots when there has been no movement on the floor by the book or Harry nor any floor shaking by the train either. (00:15:20)
Continuity mistake: In Harry's room at the Leaky Cauldron, the rug and log holder's positions change. For instance, in the shot from under the bed, as Harry's head looks upside down at the Monster Book of Monsters, the rug in front of the fireplace is directly ahead. The right edge of the rug is aligned with the bed post on the wood floor. However, in the shot from the top of the bed the rug's position is now much farther to the right, use the wood planks as a guide. (00:15:25)
Revealing mistake: When Harry first opens the Monster Book of Monsters, when looking closely, you can see the hollow part of the book that spits out the paper. Easiest to see when Harry is looking under the bed. (00:15:40)
Continuity mistake: At the Leaky Cauldron, after Harry takes off his sneaker, to distract the Monster Book of Monsters, he stands at the edge of the bed. In the wide shot, the very long ends of the shoelace dangle over his fingers at his knuckles, yet, in the next close-up, it's now the short ends that are held tightly in his fist, the opposite way. (00:15:55)
Continuity mistake: When Harry and Ron are looking at the clipping from Egypt the clipping lies on the table. Its position changes in the shot when the Weasleys arrive. (00:16:15)
Continuity mistake: When one of the Weasley twins says, "Not flashing that clipping again." to Ron, we see Ron holding Scabbers. The way he holds Scabbers changes in the next shot. (00:16:20)
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)
Other mistake: When Harry is talking with Arthur Weasley at the Leaky Cauldron, the number '301' (colored in white) digitally pops up right underneath the wanted poster. The composite people neglected to remove it. This mistake occurs in a DVD widescreen version, and not visible in all versions. (This is not referring to Sirius Black's number '390' written on the paper that Sirius holds in the poster). (00:16:50)
Other mistake: When Arthur takes Harry aside at the Leaky Cauldron, the moment before Arthur says, "There are some within the Ministry who would strongly discourage me from divulging what I'm about to reveal..." we can see the digital number "300" flash on the stone pillar to the right of the wanted poster. (This occurs only in the fullscreen version, as opposed to a widescreen version where the number "301" flashes underneath the poster, which is noted in another mistake). (00:17:30)
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: When the train suddenly stops, Harry gets up and slides the door open. He pulls the door with a tight grip on the doorhandle, then he releases his grip from the handle and rests his palm on the doorhandle. But in the next shot he is gripping the doorhandle again. (00:19:25)
Continuity mistake: When the kids are on the Hogwarts Express, there is a bottle of water on the flat fold up tray near Lupin. As the train is bumped, Ron is jerked forward, but the bottle remains in the same position. (00:20:40)
Chosen answer: Fred and George used the map to aid them in their mischievous activities at Hogwarts, and probably had little interest in what their little brother was doing or who he might be with at any given time.
raywest ★