The One Hermione Plot the 'Harry Potter' Movies Skipped — And Why the Reboot Must Include It
An important part of her story fans deserve to see.
One of the most heartfelt and controversial Hermione Granger storylines from J.K. Rowling’s books was completely left out of the Harry Potter films — her creation of S.P.E.W., the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. With HBO promising a faithful adaptation of the original novels, fans are hoping this overlooked subplot finally gets the treatment it deserves.
Founded during Goblet of Fire, S.P.E.W. marked Hermione’s shift from bookish overachiever to fearless moral crusader. After witnessing the mistreatment of the house-elf Winky at the Quidditch World Cup, Hermione launched her campaign for house-elf rights — even if Ron and Harry rolled their eyes at her efforts.
S.P.E.W. revealed both Hermione’s courage and her occasional blind spots. The elves she tried to help often wanted no part of her activism, and her attempt to free them by sneaking socks into Gryffindor Tower only backfired. Yet she never backed down. As a Muggle-born, Hermione knew what it meant to be looked down upon — and she wasn’t going to stand by and watch others be treated unfairly.
Her passion didn’t end at Hogwarts. By the time she becomes Minister of Magic in The Cursed Child, she’s rewriting laws, protecting magical creatures, and finally bringing justice to a world she once tried to change with a box of buttons and a dream.
Though S.P.E.W. never gained traction in the books, its message — and Hermione’s brave insistence on doing what’s right, not what’s popular — remains a defining part of her character. If the HBO reboot wants to show the real Hermione Granger, it needs to start here, CBR's Michelle Konopka Alonzo sums.
