# Harry Potter movie scene **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 25, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864 "2010-11-25T12:21:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/1 "2010-11-25T12:21:09Z")
First off, I have to say I haven’t seen any of the HP movies. I’ve read the books a few years ago, but I don’t remember them very well. I am watching a video of a deaf woman signing about a Harry Potter movie. Sometimes signers use their hands to describe something, without saying what it is. She is saying something like: A person is climbing up stairs. S/he comes to a barrier of some sort. A big thing is rising up and turning its head. It turns its head and hits something wall-like. The person climbs the barrier and runs away. Then she says: A person is climbing upwards. Something big rises up and turns its head. It dives around to the left. Then it swings back to the right. It’s looking for something (I think). It looks like Harry is trying to get away from some monster. He gets away by climbing a wall that the monster for some reason can’t follow him over. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Anyone know what the monster is and what book it’s from? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/2 "2010-11-25T13:46:03Z")
Sounds like stealing the dragon egg in _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_. Harry is flying his broomstick at the time. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/3 "2010-11-25T17:32:33Z")
This may seem like a stupid question: But why do visuals have to be signed? ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/4 "2010-11-25T19:49:34Z")
It could also be from Chamber of Secrets, during the final battle when Harry has blinded the Basilisk and it is trying to sniff him out while he climbs a carved wall. ---
**Author:** ![Bewildebeest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bewildebeest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bewildebeest)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/5 "2010-11-25T21:37:12Z")
In the last book, Harry is climbing the stairs in the house of Bathilda Bagshot, the woman who talked to Rita Skeeter about the Dumbledores. Nagini is in her skin and attacks Harry on the landing at the top of the stairs. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/6 "2010-11-25T22:35:49Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > This may seem like a stupid question: But why do visuals have to be signed? Sorry, I don’t understand this question. The conversation is about whether a certain scene from the movie is in the book (the book and the movie are identified as Harry Potter, but not which one). She doesn’t sign out word for word PERSON CLIMB UP. BIG THING LIFT HEAD. She is showing what happened using her hands. I’m just having trouble working out what she means. The first time I watched it I thought it was a a giant spotlight turning from side to side, but the wall part was confusing. Now I think it’s a big creature, but it might be something else all together. I don’t think he’s on a broomstick, since he’s moving his limbs. Could be the Chamber of Secrets. **Bewildebeest** , is that scene in the recent movie? Does Nagini hit her head on a wall at any point? Actually, maybe it is the Chamber of Secrets, because if the basilisk was blind it could easily run into a wall. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/7 "2010-11-25T22:56:11Z")
It just occurred to me, the ‘wall’ could be a tree, or hedge, even. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/8 "2010-11-25T23:30:34Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > Sorry, I don’t understand this question. We are wondering what the context of this video is. Usually interpreters only sign what’s audible, since deaf people can see the visuals for themselves. What situation is the person in, that they decided to describe the visual plot of a movie using sign? Is it just a practice exercise? Or are they being interviewed, and they are describing the scene as the answer to a question? Or is it a conversation between two signers who happen to be chatting with each other about a Potter movie they just watched? ---
**Author:** ![Bewildebeest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bewildebeest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bewildebeest)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/9 "2010-11-25T23:55:08Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > Sorry, I don’t understand this question. > … > **Bewildebeest** , is that scene in the recent movie? Does Nagini hit her head on a wall at any point? Actually, maybe it is the Chamber of Secrets, because if the basilisk was blind it could easily run into a wall. Yes and yes. Actually, she smashes through the walls. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/10 "2010-11-26T03:04:11Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > We are wondering what the context of this video is. Usually interpreters only sign what’s audible, since deaf people can see the visuals for themselves. What situation is the person in, that they decided to describe the visual plot of a movie using sign? Is it just a practice exercise? Or are they being interviewed, and they are describing the scene as the answer to a question? Or is it a conversation between two signers who happen to be chatting with each other about a Potter movie they just watched? Oh, OK. It is two signers having a conversation. I am transcribing it as part of a university linguistics assignment (I’m looking for how subjects are or aren’t marked in Australian sign language). Don’t interpreters interpret both ways, though, say if a hearing person wanted to know what a deaf person was saying? It could be Nagini then, especially since that’s recent. It looked more like it hit the wall and stopped rather than smashed through, but it’s close. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/11 "2010-11-26T07:19:56Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > Oh, OK. It is two signers having a conversation. Aha! Thanks for the explanation. As far as Potter, keep in mind that it’s not likely to be from the last book unless your video was filmed within the last seven days. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/12 "2010-11-26T09:04:15Z")
No, it’s from two weeks ago. I guess I’ll have to chase her up and see if she remembers what she was talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/13 "2010-11-26T17:41:49Z")
It sounds more like the Chamber of Secrets scene \*\*maggenpye \*\*mentions. Is this conversation video something avaliable to all of us (on Youtube or something)? That might help. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/14 "2010-11-28T03:24:41Z")
Yeah, my first thought was the basilisk from _Chamber of Secrets._ ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/15 "2010-11-28T07:51:40Z")
I feel so … _validated_ (sniff), thank you. So, **Weedy** , have you checked? what’s the actual answer? ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/16 "2010-11-28T10:38:55Z")
I’m hoping I’ll see her tomorrow so I can ask her. The basilisk does seem like a good bet. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/17 "2010-11-29T04:04:31Z")
Ok I’ve checked up and it turns out I completey misunderstood what she was saying. D’oh! There was no creature. The thing coming up off the ground was a flight of stairs, that rose up, and locked into place. Then the flight up the next level went back the other way. Does that sound more familiar? I think it was the 5th movie. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/18 "2010-11-29T04:22:18Z")
Hmm…sounds to me like the “trick step” scene in the fourth book. Harry is climbing a staircase, lost in thought, and steps in a trick step–a step that isn’t a step at all. Consequently, his feet get stuck, and he drops something big and heavy and it rolls down the stairs. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/19 "2010-11-29T05:08:44Z")
Or it could be the very first movie, when the new students first see the crazy Hogwarts staircases moving hither and yon. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864/20 "2010-11-29T05:13:48Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Or it could be the very first movie, when the new students first see the crazy Hogwarts staircases moving hither and yon. I thought of that scene, too. There are a couple of scenes where the staircases move - when the first years are led to the Griffindor common room for the first time and then later where the three kids accidentally find themselves in the ‘forbidden corridor’ and meet Fluffy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-movie-scene/561864.md?page=2)