The Hagrid Line In Sorcerer's Stone That Puzzles Harry Potter Book Fans

The Harry Potter movies are missing several small details from the books, but there's one line from Rubeus Hagrid in Sorcerer's Stone that really doesn't make any sense.

The gentle, giant groundskeeper of Hogwarts, played by Robbie Coltrane in the films, has a reputation for being pretty loose-lipped, accidentally revealing secrets left and right to Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson). In both the first book and first film, Hagrid is an unwitting source of information about the mysterious Sorcerer's Stone, which, as it turns out, is hidden within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Though the Stone is, according to Hogwarts' professors, very well guarded, the fallen Dark Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) launches a sneaky attempt to steal it, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione to save the day.

However, between the book and the film, a single scene was cut that makes one of Hagrid's lines seem completely untrue. Here's the Hagrid line in Sorcerer's Stone that puzzles Harry Potter fans.

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione try to figure out who is trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone for Voldemort, they all naturally suspect Severus Snape (the late Alan Rickman), the callous, often cruel Potions master who definitely seems like a bad guy. Hagrid tries to reassure them, saying that Snape is one of the teachers who set up a test protecting the stone from any possible thieves. However, as Redditor PetevonPete noted in a roundup of lines lifted directly from the books that appear in the movies, Hagrid's line doesn't make any sense.

So why does it seem like Hagrid is lying? When Harry, Ron, and Hermione go to try and get to the stone before Snape, they pass through several different tests in the film... except for Snape's. In the book, Snape offers up a logic test, and those who wish to pass must solve a puzzle focused on several bottles that could include poison, nettle wine, or potions that allow the drinker to move to the next room. In the book, Hermione, with her considerable intelligence and impeccable logical skills, solves the puzzle, allowing Harry to face off against Voldemort in the next room.

With this scene cut, it definitely doesn't seem like Hagrid is telling the truth, and it makes very little sense as to why he would tell the trio that Snape is protecting the stone. Adapting beloved books for the big screen can definitely be a challenge, but this moment definitely could have used some clarification.

The Harry Potter films are available to rent or buy on major streaming platforms now.