Continuity mistake: In the paddock scene, Harry is walking towards Buckbeak. The shot then focuses on Hermione putting her arm on Ron's shoulder. Then the camera focuses back on Harry and in the background you can see Hermione placing her arm on Ron's shoulder again. (00:33:10)
Continuity mistake: During CoMC class, after Hagrid coughs, says, "Ta da!" and gestures toward Buckbeak, there is a shot of the students and Hermione's Monster Book of Monsters lies open on the huge rock. In the next close-up of Hermione, her book is closed and partially buckled. When Ron asks, "Hagrid...what is that?" her book lies open again. Books lying near Hermione's change in consecutive shots as well, including the one held by the girl beside Neville. (00:33:20)
Continuity mistake: At the start of Hagrid's lesson, he coughs and says, "Ta-daa!!" for all to see Buckbeak. In the next wide shot Goyle stands at the back and his hood and robe lie flat. In the next close-up Goyle's hood is positioned completely differently, then in the next wide shot it's flat again. (00:33:20)
Deliberate mistake: The wings of the hippogriff are much shorter when folded up than when flying. According to the animators, the wings would have to be huge to carry the weight of the hippogriff when flying, but so big that they would drag on the ground when folded up. So they deliberately made the wings shorter. (00:33:30 - 00:35:55)
Continuity mistake: During the class with Hagrid, sometimes Ron has his Monster Book of Monsters under his arm and sometimes he doesn't have it. (00:33:35 - 00:34:55)
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: During Hagrid's lesson, when Harry walks towards Buckbeak as Hagrid explains to Harry that he needs to wait for Buckbeak to bow back, etc., in the next shot a boy on the left of the screen drops his cloak to the ground. In the next shot of the students, the boy has it on his arm again, but in the next shot as Harry bows, it's on the ground once again. (00:34:10)
Continuity mistake: In the paddock scene, Harry's tie changes length. When he is in the paddock the narrow end of the tie is longer. When flying on Buckbeak, his tie is properly even. Then when he returns to the paddock, his tie is uneven once again. (00:34:15 - 00:36:50)
Audio problem: When Harry finally pets Buckbeak and the class and Hagrid are applauding, Ron says "Does he get to fly?" but his lips aren't moving. (00:34:15)
Continuity mistake: When Lupin is turning into a werewolf and Sirius comes at him while saying, "Remus, my old friend. Have you taken your potion tonight?" Lupin's shadow on the ground change position in the next shot. (00:35:20)
Revealing mistake: As Harry and Buckbeak fly over the loch, Buckbeak's foot trailing in the water leaves a wake, as it should. This wake should also disturb the ripples and waves that are already present on the surface of the water, but they do not. It is obvious that the wake effect was added in, but the foundation shot of the loch was not edited to help it make sense. (00:35:20)
Continuity mistake: As Malfoy is approaching Buckbeak saying, "You great ugly brute," we see Hagrid turn around. Watch the dead ferrets hanging around his neck. They hang further down around his neck than they do in the next shot. (00:35:25)
Continuity mistake: When the ghost comes through the window on his horse we see him riding into the hall before the headless ghost comes through the window and pursues the first ghost. Then it cuts from inside the hall and we see the first ghost come through the door again. By this time it should be the second ghost coming through the door, not the first. (00:37:15)
Revealing mistake: After Harry's first ride on Buckbeak during Hagrid's class, before Buckbeak cuts Malfoy's arm with his talon, when Malfoy holds his arm over his face, the pre-cut and ripped sleeve is visible in this close-up. (00:37:55)
Continuity mistake: During Hagrid's class, when Malfoy stands before Buckbeak as the Hippogriff rears up, in the wide shot facing Buckbeak, Malfoy lifts HIS left arm with his right arm still down at his side. However, in the next close-up facing Malfoy, HIS right arm is now lifted high up. (This has nothing to do with camera angles.) (00:37:55)
Revealing mistake: When they look at the newspaper about Sirius being sighted you can see the picture of Sirius on the newspaper doesn't move at all. (00:37:55)
Continuity mistake: In the DADA class, when Lupin puts the needle on the horn gramophone disc to start the music, the position of his hand and the needle in the close-up differs greatly than in previous and following shots. Throughout the scene the gramophone and its horn's position differ in consecutive shots as well. (00:40:30)
Continuity mistake: When Neville magically makes the Snape Boggart wear his grandmothers clothes, in one shot the Snape Boggart clutches his red handbag with both hands by his chest, yet in the next shot he is holding the handbag down by his right side. (00:40:55)
Continuity mistake: In the boggart scene after Neville Longbottom has confronted the boggart, we can see that Ron is next, then Seamus Finnigan, then Parvati Patil. But after Ron's turn with the boggart, Prof. Lupin immediately calls out Parvati. Seamus never got a chance with the boggart even though he was right behind Ron. (00:41:10)
Audio problem: In Lupin's Boggart class when Ron gives the spider skates, it cuts to Lupin saying, "You see? Very good.", but the words aren't in sync with his mouth. (00:41:35)
Answer: This didn't happen in the book. It appears to be done purely for comic effect in the movie, showing Dumbledore's eccentric and quirky nature. He's seemingly oblivious to what he's doing and how it affects Ron.
raywest ★