To speak with a clear conscience, whether in film or in literature, Hermione's first appearance in Harry Potter can't really be called "likable." Especially in the original novel, the feeling she gives when she first shows up is, frankly, quite underwhelming.
This is how J.K. Rowling described it:
Just as Ron raised his wand, ready to show Harry some magic, the compartment door was pushed open from the outside. Hermione came in with Neville to look for his toad. Without any greeting, she directly asked the two of them if they had seen it.
Ron said no, but Hermione ignored him—her eyes were fixed entirely on Ron's wand. She blurted out a question, asking if Ron was performing magic. Before Ron could reply, she sat down uninvited, eager to watch how he did it.
Honestly!In her previous life, when Isabella read this passage, she was full of question marks.
She really thought Hermione was a bit deranged.
First of all, barging in without knocking—at best, you could call it thoughtless; at worst, it was simply bad manners.
Second, asking for help without even saying "please"? Isn't that a problem with her attitude? That isn't pride—that's arrogance.
And lastly, Hermione, weren't you here to help Neville find his toad? Yet the moment you saw Ron about to cast a spell, you just abandoned Neville and sat down, more interested in Ron?
Oh—
How is this behavior any different from an AI following instructions mechanically?
That's right. Back then, when Isabella read the novel, she felt Rowling hadn't handled Hermione's entrance well. Rowling may have intended to highlight Hermione's traits quickly and concisely, but since her writing hadn't yet matured, the scene came across stiff.
And in this life…
Even though she had met Rowling, she never asked whether the depiction of Hermione's entrance was too heavy-handed.
Because she couldn't ask.
At that point, she needed Hermione, not the other way around. Rowling was the one giving her an opportunity, not the one needing to be saved. So even if Isabella felt confused, as long as most of society could accept Hermione's characterization, how could she voice her doubts? That wouldn't be proper.
But earlier, in class with Columbus, she had learned from him the reason the screenwriter cut the scene.
Yes.
In the film, the first meeting of the trio differs from the original novel.
The screenwriter also thought Hermione came across as too aggressive, too harsh. So when writing the script, they changed "Hermione entering with Neville to look for the toad" into "Hermione entering alone to look for the toad."
Once the image of her "ignoring her companion" disappeared, Hermione's choice to "pause the search to watch Ron attempt magic" could instead be interpreted as: "a child born into a Muggle family, curious about the magical world."
This was an optimization of Hermione's characterization.
It softened her unnatural arrogance and highlighted her "studious overachiever" quality.
And this adjustment had Chris Columbus's approval.
It was precisely because Columbus explained the reason for this change when talking about the difference between book and script that Isabella considered continuing the optimization during filming…
For example, on the shooting day, she asked Columbus:"Director, could Hermione's first line in the movie be 'Excuse me'?"
"If Hermione, while looking for the toad, said 'Excuse me, has anyone seen a toad?' to Harry and Ron, wouldn't that make her less jarring, less sharp?"
"Of course, I don't mean making her not proud at all, just softening her slightly."
"Hermione's defining trait is confidence, not arrogance, right?"
Columbus chuckled.
He understood what Isabella meant, but he rejected it.
His reasons were twofold:
First, Rowling specifically wanted to show Hermione's social immaturity in this scene. During adaptation, they could tone that down a little, but they could not fundamentally alter the characterization or cut the plot. That would disrespect the original work.
Second—
"My dear, if Joanne had chosen an ordinary girl to play Hermione, then yes, I might have worried. Because in this scene, Hermione does look harsh, lacking manners. Yet her family is wealthy, happy, well-raised in the Muggle world. But with you as Hermione, I don't feel any concern."
"Because beautiful people are always given leniency."
"As long as you look stunning on camera, even if the scene itself has problems—whether Joanne wrote it poorly or not—the audience won't care. They'll forgive Hermione's flaws because of your beauty."
Isabella accepted this explanation. Not only because the original films had in fact succeeded with this portrayal—proving Columbus right—but also because his reasoning was professionally sound.
And now, she was even more convinced—
"Oh~ are you casting magic? Let me see."
The moment Hermione noticed Ron preparing to cast a spell, her on-screen self immediately showed eager curiosity.
As she spoke, her gaze dipped downward instinctively, followed by a haughty lift of her head.
Truthfully, this kind of movement gave off an air of looking down on others.
Yet even though Isabella herself thought her on-screen Hermione was too arrogant, the fans in the theater erupted into cheers.
"Ohhh~~~ Hermione's little look is just too cute!"
"Hahaha~~~ She looks like she doesn't believe Ron can succeed at all!"
"Wow~ that's exactly the look a top student gives a failing student! Isa's acting is amazing!"
The comments rang out one after another. Meanwhile, Ron's spell failed onscreen.
Hermione then pulled out her wand from her robe and casually showed off:
"Reparo."
With a swish, Harry's battered glasses were instantly restored.
The two boys were stunned. Harry took them off to examine them, which let Hermione notice his scar. She identified him, introduced herself, and then…
She frowned at Ron.
As a middle-class girl, Hermione had certainly received social etiquette training. Reporting one's name when meeting new people was ingrained in her. But exchanging names with a loser? Oh—
Their eyes met, and on-screen, Hermione's thick eyebrows drooped into an inverted "八."
"And you are…?"
She wanted his name, but felt that speaking with him was a waste of time.
"I'm Ron Weasley," he said casually, still chewing food.
"Oh. Pleasure."
Hermione replied mechanically, then quickly turned her head away—as though looking at Ron for one more second would make the world explode.
Especially when she turned back toward Harry, her eyebrows instantly returned to normal. The abrupt change of expression, frankly, was rude. But as the saying goes: "principles follow appearances."
"Hahaha~ Hermione's adorable!"
"She really doesn't like dumb people!"
"Well, maybe not dumb exactly. Hermione probably just thought Ron looked too messy. Didn't she even remind him about dirt on his face before leaving? Being untidy is rude in social settings."
"Ohhh~ and that stylish turn as she left was so cool!"
The better the image, the more lenient the world.
At first Isabella felt a little embarrassed by the flood of praise, but that lasted no more than half a second.
Because not only was being loved by the audience an amazing thing—it meant she had succeeded—but also because Maggie Smith leaned over and whispered:"Nicely done."
The old lady often used encouragement in her teaching. Isabella had received many such compliments from her before.
But this time was different. Because this was the premiere—her greatest test—and "good" here truly meant good.
"Thank you."
"Mm."
"You acted well too."
"…Hm?"
Her cheeky reversal made those nearby burst into laughter.
The reason Isabella said that was because not long after the trio's first meeting, the train arrived at Hogwarts.
Led by Hagrid, the children entered the school. On the stairs stood Professor McGonagall, with her tall pointed hat, welcoming them sternly.
So strict.
But so fitting.
Once she finished explaining the sorting process, Hogwarts' grand doors opened to all.
The story began to unfold—
Sorting:In the movie, Hermione was sorted first.
Arrival:On their first night, everyone was frightened by Nearly Headless Nick, shocked by the moving staircases, captivated by the living portraits, and warmed by the cozy dormitories. Inside and outside the screen, excitement buzzed everywhere.
Classes Begin:On the very first day, Harry was late. Entering class, Ron was relieved McGonagall wasn't there—but then the British Shorthair cat leapt from the desk and transformed—
"Wow~~~ our professor can turn into a cat!"
No one knew which genius shouted it, but the whole theater burst into laughter.
Isabella nudged the old lady.
Maggie Smith was pleased, because the audience loved her.
But also helpless—because being called "a professor who can turn into a kitty" hardly sounded dignified.
Young Adult films are notoriously hard to make.
Because children's tastes differ from adults'. Kids like something purely because it's fun. Adults? Not so simple. At fourteen, you play CS because it's fun. At thirty-four, you still play CS—but is it really because you still think it's fun? Not necessarily. The truth is, you just don't have time to pick up new games.
That's why satisfying children's unfiltered joy is so difficult. Trying to meet someone's "pure preference" is, frankly, nonsense.
But—
Everything difficult is only difficult for those who can't do it. For those who can, it's easy.
Columbus was Hollywood's second-best director of children's films at the time. For him, pleasing kids was effortless.
Even without existing material, he could write Gremlins and direct Home Alone. With Harry Potter—a story already beloved by children? Easy. Just respect the original and show sincerity to the fans. That's enough.
The only real difference is that film pacing isn't the same as prose pacing.
But how many in Hollywood would dare claim their pacing surpassed Spielberg's?
And Columbus had studied under Spielberg, already capable of working independently over a decade ago.
Game over.
By respecting the book fans as much as possible, Columbus managed, in just twenty minutes, to show a full day at Hogwarts.
What would be disastrous "skimming" in other films became, here, a delightful unveiling of the magical world.
In Potions class, the moment Snape appeared, the audience erupted in cheers—
That billowing black robe, the way he strode in with an aura of authority—it was exactly how the novels described him, perfectly matching the image most people had of Professor Snape.
At lunch, countless owls swept into the hall, delivering mail to their little "masters."
The sight of all those wings filling the sky, parcels tumbling down in every direction—that was the magical world countless fans had once dreamed of.
The film moved to the flying lesson. When Harry, on his very first try, mounted his broom and bravely outmaneuvered Malfoy, finally snatching the Remembrall, the crowd erupted. The excitement of that moment—so in tune with the original novel—had fans cheering loudly:
"Cool~~~!"
Then came Quidditch. In the book, the trio encountered Fluffy, the three-headed dog, after sneaking out for Harry and Malfoy's midnight duel. But in the movie, it was rewritten as a chance accident. Some fans might have felt a twinge of regret at the change—until Hagrid's "cute dog" bared its enormous, foul-smelling jaws on screen. Suddenly, who cared about the difference?
Because—
"Oh! Fluffy looks exactly like the illustrations from the original artbook!"
"My god—the troll chasing Hermione is stupidly adorable! And Harry stuck his wand right up its nose~"
"HAHAHAHA—did you guys see that? Harry caught the Golden Snitch with his mouth! And when he spit it out, the Snitch flapped its wings like it was shaking off the spit! That detail was brilliant—"
"Opus—the snowy landscape is gorgeous—so Hedwig really can fly free like that?"
"Stop! Stop! These three are killing me—Harry, Hermione, and Ron can wear the same school uniform and make it look completely different? And even funnier, once they wrap themselves in their robes, they look like potatoes!"
"Forbidden Forest!"
"Dragon!"
"Centaur!"
"Wizard's Chess!"
"Voldemort—!"
The story of The Philosopher's Stone is simple. Summed up in one line: Harry and his friends unite, overcome challenges, and bravely thwart the schemes of the great villain, Voldemort.
Of course, compared to the novel, the film had shortcomings. Words are the highest form of storytelling; with a few lines, an author can spark limitless imagination. Cinema is only the art of light and shadow—it can only try its best to capture the magic of prose.
But for a film based on a beloved novel, as long as the creators give fans what they came for, the film is a success.
The 160-minute movie flew by. As the credits rolled, the premiere theater filled with thunderous applause.
The invited guests' compliments may have carried a hint of courtesy.But the cheers of fans and moviegoers—that was genuine joy.
Normally, the premiere of an A-list project would be followed by a cocktail reception. After the film, the producers and distributors would throw a party to entertain stars, media friends, crew, and their families. But since minors weren't allowed to drink, the cocktail party was scrapped.
Instead, there was a meet-and-greet with the creative team, followed by a celebratory dinner.
The Q&A session was simple: Warner set up a row of chairs in front of the screen, invited the creative team to sit, and had them share stories behind the film while taking questions from media and fans.
The first half went smoothly—after all, the press that attended had been invited, and no one was about to risk their livelihood by asking Warner anything awkward. But once the fan Q&A began, things got lively.
A girl in her twenties was picked by the host. Her first reaction was to scream in delight, then gush about how much she loved the film. Finally, she asked:
"I want to know—how was the Potions class scene filmed?"
"Professor Snape's presence was incredible! He was so intimidating, the acting was perfect, and all the other students looked too scared to even face him! That moment was everything I'd ever imagined of Snape! But… Miss Granger stood out even more."
"When I watched the movie just now, I noticed that in that scene, Miss Granger was the only one who wasn't afraid of Snape, the only one brave enough to raise her hand. How did you capture that? Because, as far as I know, when an actor is fully commanding a scene, everyone else is usually swept along by that aura."
"Oh… that's a great question." Columbus lifted the mic. "Alan's look and demeanor fit Snape so well that he was completely at ease embodying the character. As for Granger…"
He glanced sidelong at his colleagues. Everyone was struggling not to laugh.
"Okay, I think everyone wants to answer this one."
With that, he passed the microphone to "Dan," who grabbed it eagerly.
"The Potions class scene was actually terrifying! Because before shooting, the director told us to imagine we weren't facing Snape but a private tutor. And if we didn't finish our homework, we wouldn't be allowed to leave class that day. So of course, we were all scared stiff…"
"Ohhh, so that's how!" the audience chuckled.
"As for Isa—Hermione—why wasn't she scared? Well…"
"Because she didn't have any homework!"
Before Dan could finish, Rupert leaned over with a grin, pointing at Isabella as he blurted, "She's a real bookworm! Less than a week after joining the set, she didn't even need lessons anymore—she passed the education board's exam and was allowed to self-study!"
"So when it came time to film, the director told her it was simple: just raise your hand. If Snape called on her, that meant she could wrap for the day!"
"And what happened? She nearly stretched her arm to the ceiling of Hogwarts!"
"She really wanted to go home!"
"And Snape kept ignoring her!"
"She was dying inside!"
"HAHAHAHA—is that true???"
"Oh~ Isa didn't need tutoring?"
"My god, she actually passed the board's exam? She could self-study?"
"No wonder her Hermione was so perfect—she is Hermione!"
"Isa, you're so adorable—we love you!" a fan suddenly shouted.
Isabella, sitting in front of the screen, happily waved in the direction of the voice.
Earlier, Warner hadn't bought individual PR articles for the cast.
They hadn't needed to.
Harry Potter carried its own gravity—its cultural impact rivaled Star Wars.
Why waste money hyping individual actors when hyping HP itself was worth ten times more?
Because of that, the audience knew almost nothing about the behind-the-scenes details, and neither did most of the press. Which is why, once these first-hand tidbits surfaced, the discussion in the hall exploded.
And in the next few rounds, nearly every question ended up being about Isabella.
Who doesn't love a beautiful, talented star?
To be fair, being the center of attention was flattering, and Isabella answered each question with poise.
But since the film was titled Harry Potter and the XXX, not Hermione and Those Two…—ahem—after basking in the spotlight for a while, she deftly redirected the focus back to her fellow cast.
That little hand-off with the microphone had the whole audience laughing.
The evening only grew more delightful at the celebratory dinner. Though no outsiders were allowed—since confidential matters might come up—the atmosphere was warm.
"Isa? So glad to meet you."
Isabella had just been looking for her mom and sister to grab some food when someone approached.
It was Helena Bonham Carter, smiling warmly.
Kenneth Branagh, widely regarded as the heir to Laurence Olivier, came over with a camera, asking for a photo. Since he also knew Isabella's mother, it turned into a family group shot.
Emma Thompson, who had already won an Oscar back in '93, congratulated her and said she hoped to work together someday—a real possibility, since in the future British cinema would essentially be split into two groups: those who'd been in Harry Potter and those who hadn't. And Emma Thompson, of course, would later play Sybill Trelawney, the "strongest priestess" of the wizarding world.
Rowan Atkinson, the modern-day Chaplin, jokingly asked her for a hug. After she agreed, he hugged her lightly and said:
"You were brilliant. I believe you'll become a big star."
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Bean. Thank you for your kindness. But I hope this isn't just a very serious joke."
"Hahaha!"
Her raised eyebrow made Atkinson flash his trademark mischievous grin.
"This is no joke."
Then he snapped his fingers at the waiting press.
The photographers immediately raised their cameras and captured the moment: the old comedy legend posing with a little girl making silly faces.
Isabella had always known that Harry Potter could change her life.
But now, standing here in this moment, she still felt her heart race.
The stars around her might not have fortunes equal to her late father's peak wealth. But she had gone from nothing to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with them in just one year, hadn't she?
And this was only the premiere—the film hadn't even hit theaters yet, and she was already this well received.
Once the movie officially released…
Well, they didn't even need to wait.
Because the very next day, Warner dropped a promotional bombshell.