Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) – Aunt Petunia’s farewell/Dudley’s handshake

This selection is a bit of a cheat since it's two different scenes, but they both ultimately serve the same purpose. Throughout the first six Harry Potter films we've seen just how terrible the Dursley family has been to Harry. The events of Deathly Hallows: Part 1 forces the family to abandon their home for their own safety in the theatrical cut and that's the last we see of them. This leaves Harry's story with them feeling a little unresolved, but two deleted scenes involving his Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley help bring a poignant end to recontextualize their standing with him.

For Aunt Petunia's scene, it becomes clear to Harry and the audience that Harry only ever served as a reminder of the loss of her sister. While that doesn't excuse her behavior and treatment of Harry, it does humanize her to an extent. As for Dudley, his handshake with Harry cements Dudley's changed attitude towards his cousin, as he affirms to Harry that he isn't a waste of space like his father says.