They should have kept in the Petunia and Dudley bits. The movies never really emphasized Harry's life with the Dursleys. But if they're going to even bring up Petunia in Snape's memories, it would have been beneficial to include that scene. It also gives the movie audience a bit of insight as to why Petunia would have wanted to rid her life of the world that killed her sister.

While Harry looks ridiculous in the fat suit (he lost a bunch of weight), this was a great scene, and well acted by Harry. It's too bad they cut the last part he did out. It would have been a nice ending to Harry's Muggle world for the movie audience to see. Sad they didn't keep it in.

They should have definitely kept in the scene with the trio in the tent. It would have helped explain the Horcruxes to the movie audience, it would have given background since they ignored the Gaunts in the sixth film, it fully explained the taboo on Voldemort's name (even if Ron found out about it while he was gone) and it would have introduced the true effect of the Horcrux on all of them. It helps set up for the true moral change in the three of them, and helps depict just how it affected Ron and his decision to leave. This should have been kept in above all of the other scenes they cut.

I'm okay with them cutting the Mr. Weasley scene.

I still love the Ron/Hermione scene. This could definitely have been slipped in either before the Ministry trip (hard with the location) or after Ron returned, when he's determined to be optimistic. It helped bond the two of them, which they definitely did in the book, while Harry still separated himself. In the book, Ron and Hermione really get close, and they support each other when they have doubts about the journey. It's so tense, and this is a nice moment among the tension. It's a much more natural moment between the two (helped by the great chemistry and real life friendship of Rupert and Emma) than the awkward dance scene was for Harry and Hermione; neither character is naturally prone to dancing. And it was just an excuse (an unnecessary one at that) to give the Harry/Hermione ship a goodbye so to speak. I wish they had had a nice hug or a random, awkward Harry joke or even started singing a Muggle children's song (or even the Hogwarts school song)...it would have bonded the two of them, it would have given a little bit of light and innocence among the darkness Ron's departure brought, and it would have felt more natural for the characters. Dan and Emma have a nice chemistry themselves, and Emma was perfect in that scene (especially the last look that says, "I'm with you, Harry, and thanks for trying to cheer me up. But you're not Ron. Ron left. And we're sad"). It would have still given them that essential "We're-friends-could-there-be-something-more-nope-I-love-Ginny-and-I-love-Ron-and-Ron-left-and-we're-alone-and-scared-and-still-don't-really-have-a-plan-but-we'll-venture-on" moment that the dance scene was supposed to achieve. I just could never get into it.

I guess...if they could include the random and awkward dancing scene, this simple, natural moment could have been included too...and it would have also featured Harry feeling secluded (which he did), and also present and reiterate the importance of the mirror...

Shannon