Q: How come I've never seen this part before? A: Most likely because you've played a different version. For Harry Potter 1 & 2 (and 3, but there are no GBC or PS1 versions of that game), there are 5 completely different versions made by 4 different developers. These are the PC version, the PS1 version, the 6th-gen-console version (PS2/Xbox/GC), the GBA version, and the GBC version. (On an added note, even the 6th-gen-console versions have some gameplay differences between them, at least for Chamber of Secrets).
Q: Whoa, you just went from the Burrow to Hogwarts? What sort of cheater are you? A: Ah yes, the Wrong Warp. By picking up the Remembrall facing towards the gate Harry came in, Ron doesn't come through and so we're able to move Harry and go back through the gate. Theory: As Ron is supposed to be triggered, the game has a procedure waiting to start the cutscene, so by then going back into that Remembrall area (which triggers the Ginny cutscene talking about the Remembrall), the memory address is different or maybe stacked, so the game goes to a cutscene where Harry walks into the Gryffindor Common Room. This might not be the case, but it's a suggestion.
Q: Why do you always talk about softlocks? A: Both PS1 games are littered with softlockable points; a softlock could be just around the badly-textured corner. One of my more infamous softlocks within the community is when, during the book-reading after the duel with the snake, the Sorting Hat kept repeating "You would have done well in Slytherin". In terms of the most horrible places to softlock, of course, the final boss would be the worst, but if you have autosave on the whole time, the worst place to softlock is before Aragog, because the last loading screen, and therefore the last place you saved, was just after you sneaked around the teachers, meaning you'd have to go through all the spider killing and hiding from trolls all over again. Softlocks mainly happen on console; emulator is fine.
Q: Why are you missing those Mandrakes? A: It takes a little while to be able to pick up a Mandrake after killing all the slugs, so we save a little time by skipping ahead to the next one, until the third one, which we collect, and then we go back for the first two. This is also faster than going the whole way around.
Q: lol, you died, you noob A: Dying in the Dark Arts lesson saves a bunch of time. For some reason, you get dumped into the "Well done!" scene after you press Continue.
Q: Why did you keep that spider alive at Aragog? A: If one spider stays alive, Aragog will not spawn any more of them, and none will come in through the trees.
Q: Why didn't you jump that ledge? A: Sometimes Harry just decides to drop off a ledge no matter how far you hold the analog stick.
