Deleted Harry Potter scene explains huge end of movie plot hole

The Harry Potter movie series are essential viewing, especially over the Christmas holidays, but one film in particular has a plot hole that has left viewers scratching their heads.

Eleven years after the finale Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 wrapped up, the finale scene has still left a plot hole that hardcore fans still couldn't work out.

However, a deleted scene has now come to light that clears up the confusion.

Watch the scene here:

In the ending of the final Harry Potter film, Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith) is seen sending all of the Slytherin students off to the dungeons so they can't betray Hogwarts to Voldemort's (Ralph Fiennes) Death Eaters.

Many of Slytherin students would have had family involved with the dark arts and potentially support for He Who Must Not Be Named, which would have left students forced to choose between fighting their family or their school.

However, the fact that Professor McGonagall confines students in the dungeons was a bit off for a lot of hardcore fans - including those who have read the original J.K. Rowling books thoroughly.

Warner Bros

In the books it has this detail differently, and in fact the Slytherin students and all of the witches and wizards at Hogwarts younger than 16 are sent out of the castle.

Yet as viewers we watch Slytherin students escorted and locked in the dungeons after one sly Slytherin student suggests turning Harry over to Lord Voldemort.

A decisive Professor McGonagall orders all of them to be sent to the dungeons while the rest of the school cheers, which seems a bit snide but we'll go with it.

However, having all the Slytherin students out of the way means one massive plot hole later when Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) rocks up for a fight with fellow Slytherin students Goyle (Josh Herdman) and Blaise (Louis Cordice) in tow.

In the movie it doesn't quite fit as we see Goyle and Blaise being locked up in the dungeons but then they're playing sidekicks to Malfoy in the Room of Requirement.

Directors and screenwriters did attempt to cover this plot hole with one scene, which unfortunately was later cut out of the movie.

Warner Bros

The all important scene showed Malfoy breaking the Slytherin students out of the dungeons on his return to Hogwarts and grabbing his best pals to head off and try and beat Harry and co.

Insider info revealed this scene could have been totally different too as Malfoy was supposed to be backed up by long-time henchmen Crabbe (Jamie Waylett) and Goyle, but actor Waylett was swiftly cut from films after being caught growing cannabis at his home so only appeared in six out of eight of the Harry Potter films.

Instead viewers saw Goyle and Blaise alongside Malfoy instead of the usual Crabbe and Goyle.

Losing the deleted scene also means less Tom Felton in the movies, which is a shame as a savvy fan worked out the star was only on screen for a grand sum of 31 minutes throughout the entire Harry Potter franchise.