11 things the Harry Potter movies actually did right

The Reign of Umbridge

Imelda Staunton’s interpretation of Dolores Umbridge is spot on. She made it easy to despise Umbridge in the films, just as fans hated her while reading the books. Her pink wardrobe and classroom filled with disgustingly adorable kitten decor carries over to the big screen well. Staunton’s high-pitched, girlish voice even matches that of Umbridge’s book character.

Umbridge has a number of nasty scenes that appear in the adaptation, but her detentions with Harry stand out as most gruesome. After Harry insists that Voldemort has returned, in front of the entire Defense Against the Dark Arts class, she forces him to spend a week writing lines. The catch? The quill she gives him carves the message into his hand: I must not tell lies.

Her inspections of the Hogwarts professors also made it into the movie, adding humor in some instances. While McGonagall doesn’t give her quite as much sass in the films, Snape’s inspection is about the same. And poor Trelawney is mocked and belittled by her, until Umbridge finally tries to kick her out of Hogwarts.

The ridiculous educational decrees Umbridge produces also appear in the film, as Umbridge takes on the role of Hogwarts High Inquisitor. These decrees cause a deal of trouble for Dumbledore’s Army, eventually resulting in Dumbledore’s flight from the school. Thankfully, Umbridge still gets carried off into the Forbidden Forest at the end of the films.