I console myself with the idea that in days, all the loose ends will be tied (well, most anyway) by Ms. Rowling's skilled hand. David Yates' Order of the Phoenix was not up to snuff, in my humble opinion.
This was the first time I noticed glaring inconsistencies between the book and the film. I understand the manic urge to shorten a novel of nearly 900 pages, but get real - certain crucial elements of the story were missing, and those that were included happened differently. Omitted items include:
- Aunt Petunia's howler from Dumbledore
- Marietta, and her 'relationship' with the DA
- Harry's unwrapping of Sirius' two-way mirror
- Harry's conversation with Nearly Headless Nick
- Kreacher lying to Harry, causing him to rush to the Ministry
- Ron & Hermione being named prefects
- 'Weasley is Our King'
- Harry's reaction to seeing James in the pensieve
- the locket in Grimmauld Place
- McGonagall's injury attempting to shield Hagrid from Umbridge
- the scene at St. Mungo's
- It was Marietta, not veritaserum-induced Cho, who ratted out the DA - so we missed a humorous scene involving the word 'SNEAK'
- the Dursleys left Privet Drive to (presumably) take Dudley to hospital in the film, not receive a garden award (staged by the OOP)
- the trio met Luna on the carriage ride in the film, not on the Hogwarts Express
- Umbridge had the whole class write her horrible lines in the film (not mentioned in the book)
- scene depicting Mr. Weasley being attacked was unclear in the film
- Harry only received one owl post at the Dursleys in the film; the second was missing
