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The power of positivity in the wizarding world

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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When it comes to dealing with the blues, there is something to be said about the Wizarding World’s way of handling things. No, not magic. We’re talking positive thinking.

Look at the Boggart spell, for instance. Boggarts, as we know, are shape-shifting creatures that take the form of whatever the person in front of them fears the most. Even Muggles are able to feel a Boggart’s presence, which says a lot about the nature of fear. Because obviously, we don’t have to see a thing for it to make us feel anxious.

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Witches and wizards get rid of Boggarts by making them comical – and while we don’t have the option of forcing fear into a funny hat, the idea of laughing at things that scare you is not new. There's the cliche of telling people who dislike public speaking to imagine the audience in their underwear. Or how we laughingly scream through old horror movies. And isn’t the way we share ridiculous (Riddikulus?) memes to help us deal with sometimes fearful situations kind of like point-ing our phones at all manner of unseen Boggarts in a bid to try and laugh them away?

OK, the Riddikulus spell only gets rid of the Boggart and not the underlying fear, but what it shows is the importance of attitude to a spell’s effectiveness – or, indeed, anything. It’s not just about ability; not always. With spells like this, it’s about your emotions.

When Lupin introduced Harry’s class to the Boggart, he asked them to think about their fears, and then to imagine how they might turn them into something comical. In other words: change your thinking and you’ll find your fears reduced. Basically, he introduced the concept of positive thinking.

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The Boggart exercise makes this seem a fairly simple task, but given Lupin’s class was the be-ginning of a long series of practice sessions for Harry, it is clearly not easy. Add in external stressors (Dementors, Azkaban escapees, Blue Monday emails) and thinking positively becomes a lot harder. Even in the wizarding world. 

Nowhere is this more apparent than with the Patronus charm. That’s the big one. The defensive spell to end all defensive spells, and apparently the only one to have caused Hermione trouble. Because it’s extremely difficult. Like, extremely-advanced-magic difficult.

![WB-HP-F3-prisoner-of-azkaban-harry-cast-patronus-forest-dementors](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/2XhHzpQMeToEYMgYV2AHED/e2fb9ec761dc6c1d637121b68f08d130/HP-F3-prisoner-of-azkaban-dementors-and-patronus.jpg)

Now on paper, the Patronus charm doesn’t look all that different from the Boggart experiment: just think of a single, very happy memory whilst also saying the correct incantation.

Except when Harry first tried it, he couldn’t grasp it at all. Aside from the fact that saying one thing whilst doing something else is a feat of memory beyond magic, is it actually easy to think of a single, very happy memory? How happy is very happy? And anyway: how do you hold onto any memory when you’re surrounded by Dementors? 

Basically, the answer to all these things is practise (and, in the meantime, chocolate.) There are no shortcuts when it comes to casting a Patronus, although some characters struggle more than others. Hermione, for all her magical achievements, has a propensity to fixate on negative possi-bilities: her Boggart is Professor McGonagall telling her she’s failed her exams. This is clearly not helpful when it comes to the Patronus charm, which depends entirely on conjuring up positivity in the midst of a dark fog of misery. 

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Maybe that’s why Harry naturally excels at Defence Against the Dark Arts in a way Hermione doesn’t. His attitude to magic is instinctive and emotional, and while he’s not always expert at managing his mood he certainly knows how to focus his energies.

Although it’s not even just about practise and determination – Harry’s real breakthrough arrived in Prisoner of Azkaban, when he discovered that the Patronus he’d thought was his fathers was actually his own. In that Time-Turner-enabled scenario, Harry cast his first (or second, depending on where you are) fully-formed Patronus in the presence of actual Dementors, precisely because he thought he’d achieved it before.

> “‘I knew I could do it this time,’ said Harry, ‘because I’d already done it ... Does that make sense?’"

Success breeds success, after all. It’s like Ron when he thought he’d swallowed Felix Felicis. Once you think you can do something, you’ll start to do it unconsciously.

So: casting a Patronus is difficult, just as maintaining a positive attitude is difficult. They both take time, dedication and support – but get it right once, and it becomes easier every time. After all, if practise makes perfect it’s no wonder Harry was the Patronus expert. No other Hogwarts stu-dent had quite as many dealings with Dementors.

What if Ginny Weasley had never possessed Tom Riddle's diary?

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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Before we dive into what could have happened, let’s look at why the diary was so significant in the first place…

When we initially come across Tom Riddle’s diary in *Chamber of Secrets*, we are unaware of just how powerful an object it truly is. At first the diary bought from a Muggle stationary shop seems harmless. The pages are blank after all… but we soon learn there is more to this journal than meets the eye.

Soon we are taken into the diary and shown the memories of Tom Riddle. The diary wants us to believe it was Hagrid who had opened the Chamber of Secrets and Tom who had stopped him. Of course, at this point we were still unaware that Tom was Voldemort. However, when Ginny is taken to the Chamber and Harry goes to rescue her, we soon realise that this is a rather insidious artefact, and that this sentiment applies to its original owner too. 

It was Tom Riddle who had found the Chamber of Secrets during his time at Hogwarts, and it was he who opened it – which led to the death of a student. Having been worried that Hogwarts would be closed because of this murder, Tom pinned the blame on someone else and abandoned his current plan to finish Salazar Slytherin’s work. Instead, he left an enchanted diary which would complete the mission in the future by possessing and manipulating an innocent soul, such as Ginny, to do his dirty work.

If it wasn’t for Harry’s timely intervention, Ginny would have died, and Hogwarts would have closed. When Harry destroyed the diary, he wasn’t just getting rid of an awful object but was also destroying a part of Voldemort’s soul – as the diary turned out to be a Horcrux. 

Yet none of this may have happened if Lucius Malfoy hadn’t slipped the diary into Ginny’s book in the first place. While the Chamber of Secrets remaining sealed would have been a good thing… we can’t help but wonder what impact it would have had on the rest of the story. Would it have changed Ginny? Would it have had an impact on her relationship with Harry? Most importantly, what would it mean for the destruction of Voldemort?

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## Would the Chamber of Secrets have reopened? 
When Tom Riddle created the Horcrux out of his diary, he probably didn’t have an exact idea of when it would be used to open the Chamber of Secrets again. In fact, it wasn’t his decision to open it at all. That was all down to Lucius Malfoy and his vindictive desire to get one over on Arthur Weasley. We think it is pretty safe to say that there is a fair chance that the Chamber would have remained closed in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts. We also reckon that could have extended to Harry’s entire time at school. We highly doubt that there was any pupil at Hogwarts who would have had the capability to open the Chamber, even if they did have strong anti Muggle-born views (like Draco Malfoy for instance). So, without the diary we reckon it might have stayed shut.

We also think that the Chamber may not have been opened if the diary had come into the possession of someone who wasn’t as vulnerable as Ginny. For Tom Riddle's plan to work, he required an innocent soul who needed a friend. They had to pour themselves into the diary and be completely open. If they were guarded, he might not have been able to possess them and force them to carry out his plan. He also needed someone who would be too frightened to own up to what was happening or ask for help. Ultimately, the person who owned the diary could not suspect its true motives. While we don’t deny that there could have been other students who were susceptible, at that moment, Ginny was the perfect target.

Nevertheless, we’re not saying that it could never have been opened at another moment in time. Lucius Malfoy didn’t seem to understand just how valuable the diary actually was to Voldemort or that it contained a piece of his soul. He just thought it was an excellent way to get rid of Muggle-borns. So, even though he was supposed to take care of it, we imagine he wouldn’t have been able to pass up on an opportunity to try and have the Chamber of Secrets opened again. He might not have chosen Ginny, but he still would have given it a go in the years before Voldemort returned to power.

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## Would the sword of Gryffindor have been so important?
The sword of Gryffindor was integral to the plot of the *Chamber of Secrets* – it was what killed the Basilisk. And as the sword is Goblin-made, it was built to imbibe only that which makes it stronger. Therefore, when the sword was used to kill the King of Serpents, it became impregnated with its venom. Now this made the sword an invaluable object as Basilisk venom is one of the very few substances that can obliterate a Horcrux. Without it, the sword would not have been powerful enough to destroy one. If Ginny hadn’t opened the Chamber of Secrets, Harry would probably have been oblivious to the sword, and it would not have been as important. 

It was not just the hunt for Horcruxes that made this sword so special, it was also because of what it symbolised. If Harry hadn’t known about it, he may never have had the reassurance that he belonged in Gryffindor. It was the discussion he had with Dumbledore, after he returned from the Chamber (with the sword), that led him to realise that it is our choices rather than our abilities that make us who we are. Without it, his worries about his Slytherin traits would probably have become worse and made life even more difficult for him.

Ultimately, we reckon that the sword of Gryffindor would not have been an important element in the stories if Ginny didn’t have the diary. Harry would probably not have encountered it. Even if he had come across it, it would not have been a crucial tool in the Horcrux hunt but a rather beautiful, if decorative, object.

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## Would the trio have had more trouble hunting Horcruxes and defeating Voldemort? 
We’ve briefly touched upon the importance of the sword of Gryffindor as a means to destroy Horcruxes and with that in mind, the short answer would be yes. 

If Ginny didn’t have the diary, the subsequent events would not have occurred, and this would have left our trio with no means of getting rid of the Horcruxes. While we know there are other ways of disposing of one, it requires magic that is very powerful and often unstable. Fiendfyre is one example of this. Though, as we saw with the death of Crabbe, it was incredibly dangerous and almost uncontrollable – even Hermione didn’t think she had the skill to handle it. 
We also think that even if the trio had been able to discover another method for destroying Horcruxes, it would have taken them a long time to figure it out and even if Voldemort wasn’t victorious, he would have remained powerful for a much longer period of time.  

It is also possible that Voldemort may never have been destroyed. Without the discovery of the diary, Dumbledore and Harry may never have known about the piece of Voldemort’s soul concealed in it. As someone who hated everything to do with Muggles, it seemed like an odd choice of Horcrux for him. It certainly went against his regular pattern of wanting to use objects that almost seemed like trophies – such as Slytherin’s Locket or Ravenclaw’s Diadem. 

Similarly, if Lucius Malfoy had held onto it for a couple more years, the diary would have been back in Voldemort’s grasp and much harder to access. We doubt that Voldemort would have let something so important out of his sight once he knew that his Horcruxes were under threat. We also don’t know if Harry, Ron and Hermione would have been able to get close enough to take it from his possession.

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Ginny Weasley in the Room of Requirement holding up her wand and looking determined.

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## Would Ginny not have become as strong a witch? 
This is an interesting question. There is no doubt that Ginny came away from her experience with the diary and the Chamber of Secrets as a more resilient and wiser person. It was Ginny who was incredulous in *Half-Blood Prince*, when she found out that Harry had been taking orders from something someone wrote in a book. She knew just how dangerous it could be because of her experience and was a lot warier and a lot less naïve when it came to objects of unknown origin. 

Furthermore, the aftermath of this event probably forced Ginny to develop quite a tough skin. As we learn in *Cursed Child*, Ginny was shunned by her peers for a long time and probably felt quite isolated. But rather than letting that incident crush her, she remained confident and put on a cheery face – even though she still carried the weight of that horrific ordeal. 

Yet, we reckon Ginny would still have been as fierce and as strong even if she hadn’t had been through any of that. This was the witch who had been breaking into the Weasley’s broom shed since the age of six and taking each of her brothers’ brooms in turn to practice. She was also determined to be in the thick of things – whether that was as a member of Dumbledore’s Army, fighting underage in the Battle of Hogwarts or her schemes with Fred and George. Ginny Weasley had always been a strong and capable witch. While this incident may have influenced her personality – it didn’t change who she was.

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## Would Ginny and Harry have ever become a couple?
We are pretty certain that Harry and Ginny would have still become a couple. Even if the Chamber of Secrets had not been opened, they still would have been very involved in each other’s lives. She was the sister of his best friend. She was also a fellow Gryffindor. They were both members of Dumbledore’s Army. They both played for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Their similarities were still there, and we reckon the attraction would have still grown. 

It’s also worth remembering that it wasn’t Harry rescuing Ginny that sparked her crush on him – she was already smitten. She was the one who (probably) sent him a Valentine’s Day card before the events of the Chamber of Secrets, and she had always been flustered and giddy in his presence. Harry saving her may have reinforced those feelings, but they certainly didn’t cause them.

That’s not to say that the diary didn’t have any impact on their relationship. When Ginny was being shunned, it was Harry that reached out to her in the Gryffindor common room and asked her to play a game of Exploding Snap. Even as an adult she recalls how important that gesture was to her – and how it made her feel loved. 

Overall, we think Harry and Ginny would have still been together. They had such similar interests, and their temperaments were well suited. They both were excellent at supporting one another and knowing what each other needed. They handled decisions maturely – like their temporary break up when Harry went to hunt Horcruxes. So, we reckon that even without that awful shared experience, they still would have had many more moments where they would have got to know each other. 

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Do you agree with our thoughts? What do you think would have happened if Ginny had never been in possession of Tom Riddle’s diary?

Explore more ‘what if’ scenarios with us, such as…

[What if Remus Lupin had never become a werewolf?](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/what-if-remus-lupin-was-never-werewolf)

[What if Neville had become the Chosen One?](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/what-if-neville-was-the-chosen-one)

Ranked: The best feel-good moments from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts 

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**SPOILER WARNING** 

*Contains spoilers for Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts films.*

## ‘Salamander Eyes’ – Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald 

Newt Scamander has a tendency to be a little awkward at times (which is exactly why we love him) and the scene of him flirting (?) with Tina Goldstein was definitely that. But in a very sweet way. It’s not every day a girl gets her eyes compared to a salamander’s – but our favourite Magizoologist did always have a very unique outlook on the world. 

## Meeting Buckbeak – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

We meet so many amazing fantastical creatures in the wizarding world, from the majestic to... well, Flobberworms. In *Prisoner of Azkaban*, Hagrid introduced his class to Hippogriffs, a magical creature who will only engage with you once you have both bowed. Fair enough. This is a level of respect we can get on board with. In the film, we get to see Harry fly with Buckbeak during an exhilarating scene with an epic score. We want to be friends with a Hippogriff, basically.

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## Luna’s friendship mural – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

Harry, Ron and Hermione get to visit Luna’s house in Deathly Hallows, and it was no surprise to learn that the house perfectly corresponded to the Lovegoods’ quirky tastes. What did surprise us, in a very lovely way, was discovering that Luna had created a mural, dedicated to her Hogwarts friends, proudly on display in her bedroom. Harry was notably touched by the dedication – and so were we. 

## The Niffler has babies – Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

What’s cuter than a Niffler? Lots of multicoloured mini-Nifflers, that’s what. We were delighted to learn that Newt’s snouty friend had had children in the second Fantastic Beasts film, with the babies already causing all manner of mischief. The champagne cork slow-mo moment, for instance. 

![baby-nifflers-square](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/15TXwSGMtfhPRhuLsFAymy/3d8d400fbc1cfeb3ad03fc81a5b4770e/baby-nifflers-square.jpg)

## Dobby is a free elf – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 

When we first meet Dobby, he is wearing a mangy pillowcase and has a habit of hitting his head on walls to stop him giving away secrets – all symptoms of being the Malfoy family’s house-elf. However, thanks to some sly sock sneaking from Harry, Dobby is finally granted his freedom, as his ‘master’ had given him clothes. Who knew a smelly sock would make us so happy?  

## A cosy Hogwarts Christmas dinner – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

This bemusing scene from the third Harry Potter book found a very small collective of Hogwarts staff and students jammed together at Christmas time. Not surprisingly, very few students had stuck around that year, due to the threat of Sirius Black on the castle, not to mention the not-very-Christmassy Dementors hanging around Hogwarts. This resulted in a very strange concoction of people enjoying the festive feast with all the tables pushed together. Our favourite moments from it? Dumbledore offering a terrified young first-year called Derek some chipolatas, certainly. And a catty comment from McGonagall to Trelawney that still makes us smirk. Tripe, Sybill?  

## Everything is okay at the end – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 

Another moment from *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets* now – and one of the most cathartic. After a year of horrors for Hogwarts, including Basilisk attacks on unsuspecting students and poor Hagrid sentenced to Azkaban, everything resolved itself at the end-of-term feast, with the Chamber of Secrets closed, the affected students ready to be cured and Hagrid’s triumphant return. This sequence of victories lead to a domino effect of emotions for us dear readers, and the film-version of events is even more emotional, with a huge rapturous round of applause at the end! Our tears! 

## Queenie visits Jacob’s bakery – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 

Back to Fantastic Beasts now, and this reunion scene at the end of the film was a special one for all the Queenie and Jacob fans out there. After being forced to have his memory erased as part of the mass memory cleansing of New York, Jacob seemingly forgets about his adventures with Newt and his romance with the talented Legilimens, Queenie. Or does he? Working in his dream bakery, (where he has started subconsciously baking goods in the shapes of fantastic beasts) Queenie pops in to visit, stopping Jacob in his tracks as they both smile at each other. After a tear-jerking goodbye kiss left us wondering if Jacob would ever know Queenie again – this spark of recognition gave us hope. 

![FB WB Queenie Goldstein Visits Jacob's Bakery](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/FB-00241r/0918843b4661d1dcddbd67df1d1c6d0a/FB-00241r.jpg)

## Molly and Harry’s hug – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 

This particular moment from Harry Potter is perhaps more bittersweet than feelgood, but a paragraph from the books we will truly never forget. After witnessing the return of Lord Voldemort, Harry is forced to relay the chain of events to Professor Dumbledore, before being sent to the hospital wing for some much-needed sleep, with Mrs Weasley, (who had come to cheer Harry on in the Triwzard Tournament) Sirius and his friends. Although Harry tries to be strong in front of them, Mrs Weasley tells Harry that nothing that happened was his fault – before giving him a hug that is described ‘as if by a mother’. Sob.  

## Harry learns how to cast a Patronus – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

In the third book, Harry learns of a complicated charm that only works if you summon happy memories – the only way to combat the Dementors of Azkaban. After some frustrating beginnings (with the patient and wise Professor Lupin as his teacher) it is only towards the end of the story that Harry sees his Patronus for the first time – revealed to be a stag, the same as his father’s. As Dumbledore tells Harry, ‘your father is alive in you’.  

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## Luna comforts Harry – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 

After losing Sirius at the end of *Order of the Phoenix*, Harry is beside himself with inconsolable grief. But it is not Hermione or Ron who finally get through to him, but Luna, a newer friend. After revealing that she lost her mother at a young age (‘it was quite horrible’ she says in a typically Luna-esque matter of fact way) Harry suddenly feels like he has someone who understands him a little better. And Luna promising Harry that the dead ‘never really leave us’ seemed to give him the comfort he so dearly needed. 

## Harry and Ginny kiss – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 

While Ginny fancied Harry first, it took until the sixth book for Harry to realise he fancied her too. Hurray! But what would Ron think? After a triumphant Quidditch win (spearheaded by Ginny, taking over from Harry while he was banned) the jubilant moment took over Harry, and the pair finally shared their first kiss in a very public fashion. Thankfully, Ron didn’t give Harry much of a hard time about it. 

## Harry learns that he is a wizard – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 

After eleven years as the neglected nephew of the Dursleys, Harry learns that this life is not meant to be, and he is actually a wizard with a whole other world ready to welcome him in. The first few chapters of *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* paint a sad childhood for Harry, confined to a cupboard under the stairs and constant coldness from his Aunt and Uncle – often a mystery to Harry. When a half-giant called Hagrid tells him the strange news over a campfire of sausages, Harry may not understand at first, but realises that he was never destined to be stuck with the Dursleys forever. 

## Ron and Hermione finally kiss – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

After seven books – seven books! – we were beginning to think Ron and Hermione would never bite the bullet and get together, despite years of will-they, won’t-they moments, kisses on the cheeks, jealousy over other partners, and so much bickering you thought they were an old, married couple. For a moment, in *Half-Blood Prince*, we thought they might get together then, with Hermione asking Ron to be her date to Slughorn’s party. But as you know, that didn’t quite work out, not pointing the blame at anyone (Ron) and then Lord Voldemort and Horcrux hunting got in the way of things in Deathly Hallows. So what were the pair to do? Have their first kiss slap-bang in the middle of the battle of Hogwarts. ‘Is this the moment?’ Harry had to ask wearily. But still, we all turned the page with a sigh of relief. 

*What’s your favourite feel-good moment of the Wizarding World?*

Deconstructing... the moment Harry first sees Hogwarts 

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## The darkness 

By the time the Hogwarts Express reaches the school, it is pitch black – and the students must cross the lake by boats to reach the castle. Lit up by only lanterns guiding the way, Hogwarts suddenly looms into shot, providing its own light beaming through the castle windows. Dumbledore once famously spoke of “finding light in the darkness” – and this truly was the moment where Harry was taken away from the darkness of the Dursleys and found light with his new friends in the wizarding world. 

## The music 

John Williams’s unforgettable score for the Harry Potter films rests in the memories of so many Wizarding World fans of different generations, and it is never played to such perfection as it is here. It could only be the soaring strings of Hedwig’s Theme that would befit introducing us to the grandeur of the castle. Hedwig’s Theme would go on to become the leitmotif that is heard across all eight Harry Potter films, always waiting in the wings to truly bring the wizarding world to life. Producer David Heyman has described the score as “majestic” and says he remembered thinking, “this is it”.  It really was! 

## The castle  

Then there’s Hogwarts itself. Towering above the lake against the backdrop of a mystical moonlit sky, our first introduction to Harry’s new home is unforgettable. There is something quite overwhelming and gothic about this building’s silhouette, bursting with turrets, towers and grand, fortified walls, which makes the nervous first years look even tinier looking up at it. The lights pouring through the windows create a sense of mystique immediately, leading us viewers to wonder exactly what is going on in there. 

The spectacle of Hogwarts was created via various techniques by the filmmakers, usually involving models. According to Harry Potter: Page to Screen, production designer Stuart Craig’s designs for Hogwarts were designed as “a huge physical miniature, which was designed for filming on, and which occupied one of the big soundstages at Shepperton.”...

“The model was approximately eighty feet in diameter and used for many of the shots of Hogwarts seen in the original film”, the book adds.

## The reaction 

As Ron Weasley says, “wicked”. Because what else is there to say? The looks on the faces of the Hogwarts students truly says it all – with the likes of Hermione, Seamus, Dean, Harry and Ron all gazing up at their new home in awe. 

There is even a low angle shot of the castle as the students draw closer, making Hogwarts seem even more grand, even a little scary! In fact, there are quite a number of low angle shots used as the students enter Hogwarts, and a humble Neville looks up at Professor McGonagall slightly embarrassed after collecting his unruly toad, Trevor. After all, it’s a very overwhelming thing – going to Hogwarts! 

__Join us for more moments of [movie magic at our hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/harrypottermovie20), celebrating 20 iconic scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.__


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Le Sportsac release Fantastic Beasts-themed range

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The Fantastic Beasts™ x LeSportsac Collection invites you to embrace the vintage stylings of the movies, with this selection of bright and colourful accessories. 

Fantastic Beasts™ x LeSportsac Collection

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The collection features cute magical creatures (such as Teddy the Niffler and Pickett the Bowtruckle) while other pieces showcase the gorgeous retro aesthetic that the Fantastic Beasts films have become known for. 

Check out two all-over prints as well – Transﬁguration Today, composed of various creatures seen throughout the ﬁlms grounded on a newspaper background, and Downtown MAJ, inspired by the New York subway tile.

This assortment also offers unique collectible pieces exclusive to the collection, including a Suitcase Crossbody, inspired by Newt Scamander's briefcase, and a puffy Owl Crossbody featuring a soft owl face for a fun 3D effect.

We're sure Newt Scamander himself would love these looks!

[Take a look at the full collection here.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/linkout?destination=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lesportsac.com%2Fpages%2Ffantasticbeasts)

Everything we’re excited about from the Hogwarts Legacy gameplay reveal

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It’s been an exciting week for the upcoming action RPG game, [Hogwarts Legacy](https://www.hogwartslegacy.com/en-us), as fans were treated to several glimpses of what to expect during a PlayStation State of Play showcase. Two exciting new videos revealed [a behind the scenes trip with the developers](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/go-behind-the-scenes-of-hogwarts-legacy), while the other offered a full 14 minute run-down of gameplay. You can watch the behind the scenes featurette here and you can watch that gameplay right here...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/PGQZa3H1mXM?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

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And, of course, if you want to go into the game knowing absolutely nothing, this article will naturally contain many, many spoilers! 

## 1. Hogwarts looks stunning 

![hl-hogwarts-timelapse](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/7Ay3pUQhMserd2fYWSS8ZW/498d0419d4596bd1d10ce715abbb6124/hogwarts-timelapse.gif)

We’ll start with a pretty primitive point: Hogwarts looks incredible. In fact, this is perhaps the most meticulously detailed interpretation of Hogwarts castle we have seen yet, with every room richly detailed and crammed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-them titbits.

## 2. Many familiar (and some unfamiliar) creatures  

![hl-niffler](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/tfJP8Bu7kSGIWIcxwzLNd/89391eb1bb85b71a0251e0117306d089/hl-niffler.gif)

Alongside witches and wizards, the usual array of fabulous magical creatures also popped up during this preview.

We spotted centaurs, a Graphorn, Mooncalves, a Kneazle and a Niffler to name a few. 

But we also spotted some magical creatures that seemed less familiar – after all, this game is from the 1800s, so there could be certain magical beasts that were more common back then. Apparently, some creatures that live on the outskirts of Hogwarts have been corrupted by dark magic, while others are susceptible to poachers – but don’t worry, you’ll have the ability to rescue them and nurse them back to health. Newt Scamander would approve.

## 3. “Powerful ancient magic”

![hl-ancient-magic](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/3pVX1yBhCGbl74627RP5a3/973602d90ab1544c43f597042fcd4d97/hl-ancient-magic.gif)

Dedicated Harry Potter fans will know all the wizarding world basics by now: Invisibility Cloaks, Summoning Charms, Animagi, you name it. But in this extensive look at Hogwarts Legacy, there were many instances of magic that seemed from another time. In fact, there is mention of ‘forgotten magic’ and to beware those seeking to harness it to ‘destroy wizard-kind’.  So, what sort of forgotten magic can we expect to see? In one moment, we see a character touch a mirror like it’s liquid, before it transforms into a wall. In another sequence, we see a potion turn someone into a rock-like texture. Which piece of magic intrigued you the most from this teaser?

## 4. Your character is a fifth year! 

One major thing that we learnt from the Hogwarts Legacy walkthrough is more detail about our character, who we can shape and form in any way we like. (More on that in a moment.) But one thing that is constant is the fact that you’ll be playing as a fifth year joining Hogwarts late – so there will be lots of catching up to do. (But don’t worry, you’ll still experience your Sorting Ceremony!) 

This preview seems to allude to the fact that our character is very special. And as the voiceover mentions, they may have a little something to do with ‘the fate of the entire wizarding world’. No pressure, then. 

## 5. Create the witch or wizard you want to be !

![hl-robes-rotation](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/4yd0G9XabQUgTm0sAvztyk/d878d51c32e0ad0b89aa366c044b4547/hl-robes-rotation.gif)

You decide what your character looks like and what they specialise in. The preview shows us an impressively detailed glimpse at how uniquely you can design your character. 

## 6. You’ll get to hang out in your Hogwarts house common room (including Hufflepuff!) 

Depending on what Hogwarts house you find yourself in, you’ll get to frequent your common room once you’ve partaken in the Sorting Ceremony. This includes a fully fleshed out Hufflepuff common room, complete with a badgers’ set inspired interior and cute little plants. This is the common room we did not get to visit during the Harry Potter stories, so we’re particularly excited to see the wholesome nature of the Hufflepuff students’ home. You can learn more about the Hufflepuff common room here.

## 7. Same Hogwarts lessons, new professors! 

Once you’re all settled in at Hogwarts, you’ll get to fully embrace student life and start attending classes! The dream! Many of the famous classes you know and love will be playable, from Charms to Defence Against the Dark Arts to Herbology. But as this is the 1800s, you can expect to meet a whole different group of professors from another time. There’s the quirky red-headed Herbology professor, keeping it on theme in a floral hat, the extremely charming Charms professor in flowing purple robes, and a rugged Potions professor who seems a tad more enthusiastic than Severus Snape. We’re already dying to get to know them! 

## 8. Duelling

![hl-duelling](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/6RZwktMoGyusebMRbBMan7/9b83434741d3efe71fc3ad55d3157128/hl-duelling.gif)

You’ll remember Malfoy and Harry’s intense showdown in Duelling Club during Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and it seems this little tradition has stemmed back for centuries. We all love a bit of healthy competition, so these lessons should help you up your game when duelling in slightly more dangerous settings...

## 9. Explore Hogwarts’ secrets

![hl-forbidden-forest](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/2IHdqBZilstalxQwlxAW1b/8d43bd32a36bd15405d9e801c37c8990/hl-forbidden-forest.gif)

If you’re anything like us, sometimes we simply love to roam around open-world games and just enjoy the vibes. Hogwarts Legacy will give you the opportunity to do exactly that. From dungeons to portraits to hidden corridors to rooms we don’t even recognise, this is your chance to uncover some of the castle’s big secrets. You’ll need to use certain spells to get around (as you know by now how unpredictable Hogwarts can be) and expect to solve puzzles along the way too. And although some areas of the castle seem unfamiliar, there are certain artefacts and rooms that we recognise from Harry’s time at Hogwarts. We’re quite sure we spotted the Fat Lady at one point. 

## 10. Is that the Prefect’s bathroom? 

We visited the Prefect’s bathroom in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, with a little help from Cedric Diggory. And in the game, one shot boasts a luxury chamber with a mermaid portrait and a huge swimming pool. But on closer inspection of the video, was that a swimming pool? Or in fact, a very big bath, complete with a series of twisty and complicated taps? We suspect this is the very bath that Harry would dip into many years later to uncover the secrets of his Triwizard Tournament clue. We’d definitely love to be a Hogwarts Prefect – simply for the facilities! 

## 11. Ghosts with the most 

![hl-peeves](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/28Xgd9viMDenNezEbrt3al/afec220f7d8019179a85d93e36f1300b/hl-peeves.gif)

While many characters are brand new (or old, we should say...) there are certain faces that do stand the tests of time. You know, because they’re ghosts! In the teaser, we spot History of Magic professor Professor Binns, a colourful poltergeist that surely must be Peeves – and the Gryffindor ghost, Nearly Headless Nick. This teaser reveals that poor Nick was obsessing over joining the Headless Hunt 100 years before he was telling Harry about it! We simply have to admire his ability to stick to his guns.

## 12. Extra-curricular activities 

Beyond your lessons, there will be plenty of side-quests to take part in to help you catch up to the other students – but of course, it was flying that really caught our attention. We wonder if we’ll be a totally natural flyer like Harry, or endlessly shouting “up” grumpily at our brooms like Hermione? 

Mastering broom flight comes ‘highly recommended’ in the game – which is not surprising – there is a lot of ground to cover when exploring. We even spot a chance to fly a Hippogriff later on too...

## 13. The fallen wizard 

There are myriad enchanting rooms in this game to get excited about, but this huge cavernous space with a looming statue of a fallen wizard stood out. For a moment, it looked like the statue of Salazar Slytherin from the Chamber of Secrets with that curling beard, but we suspect this is someone else. Any ideas on who this could be? And whereabouts in Hogwarts is this? 

## 14. Professor Fig

![hl-fig-360](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/Zrl5NVG3V8sAoHUwx3PjU/3fbaa58b91719e4f4de9869aa4b4162e/hl-fig-360.gif)

As we move into the ‘adventure’ portion of the teaser, we are told we will befriend this well-accessorised chap called Professor Fig. And no, before you ask, we suspect this is not an ancestor of Arabella Figg from the Harry Potter stories, due to the spelling of the name. Nonetheless, we’re still excited on what this new character will bring to the story.

## 15. Outside of Hogwarts

As huge and sprawling as Hogwarts is, the game will also open up uncharted territories. Beyond Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest, Hogwarts Legacy boasts gorgeous landscapes and rocky terrain never seen before. We hope these Hogwarts students have hiking boots –we want to go exploring!

## 16. Master your favourite magic 

Your Hogwarts legacy is what you make it – and that includes the sort of magic you intend to master. A lot of spells featured in this preview are very familiar to us, such as Blasting Curses and Shield Charms, and it sounds like it will be important to practise them during various conflicts – while combining them as sequences. But there is other magic to think about as well. 

Maybe you would prefer to master Herbology or Potions – which both have their own advantages in battles too, such as unleashing Mandrake seedlings on opponents or having your own-brewed Potions to increase your power. Basically, you can play to your strengths rather than simply be a whizz at hexes. Never forget Professor Sprout lobbing Mandrakes at the Battle of Hogwarts!

## 17. New friends 

Hogwart is full of cliques and alliances, just like any school. So, who will be your Ron and Hermione? The preview introduces us to three characters who accompany you at various points in the game and have their own stories. Natsai Onai is a justice-driven adventurer, Poppy loves magical beasts, and Sebastian Sallow is a charismatic Slytherin with a family secret... 

## 18. The Room of Requirement! 

We’re sure we speak for every Harry Potter fan when we say we’ve always wanted our own version of the Room of Requirement, and Hogwarts Legacy aims to please. This is your own space in the game where you can work on your craft, be that nurturing your own menagerie of magical beasts, brewing your potions or harvesting magical plants. There is even a house-elf called Deek that can help you out. If only we could have a Room of Requirement in real life to work on our best selves! 

## 19. Visiting Hogsmeade 

After all that duelling, potion brewing and castle exploring, remember to partake in a bit of R&R at Hogsmeade village. We’re quite excited about seeing Hogsmeade station – not to mention the fact we can shop around in all the establishments we know from the books and films. Watch out for Dark wizards and witches who hang out around the village outskts, though. 

## 20. Enjoy Hogwarts whatever the weather

Come rain or shine, you’ll be able to live your student life across all the seasons – including our absolute favourite, Hogwarts in the snow. 

***

So, there you have it. Just 20 things we adored about the Hogwarts Legacy walkthrough. What sort of witch or wizard will you be? 

__Scheduled for release holiday 2022, Hogwarts Legacy will be published by Warner Bros. Games under the Portkey Games label. The game will be available for PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, Nintendo Switch™ system and PC.__

Keep visiting WizardingWorld.com for more news on Hogwarts Legacy and other Portkey Games updates as they come. [Remember to register](https://my.wizardingworld.com/register) and sign up for our newsletter for more exclusive magical goodies.  

Cursed Child officially opens in San Francisco after stunning premiere 

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Watch back on this emotional montage of Cursed Child’s opening night in San Francisco, where cast, crew and fans came together for a very magical event. 

Cursed Child San Francisco opening night

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Before the show, San Francisco’s City Hall was proudly lit up in Hogwarts house colours, with Mayor London Breed (who got sorted into Gryffindor during the festivities) making an apearance.

San Francisco's production of Cursed Child has been boldly restaged as one singular performance by the award-winning creative team, with the entire venue transformed to immerse visitors into the wizarding world. 

The San Francisco cast includes John Skelley as Harry Potter, Angela Reed as Ginny Potter, alongside Benjamin Papac as their son Albus Potter; Steve O’Connell as Ron Weasley, Lily Mojekwu as Hermione Granger, and Folami Williams as their daughter Rose Granger-Weasley; and Lucas Hall as Draco Malfoy, and Jon Steiger as his son Scorpius Malfoy.

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For details on how Cursed Child's performances in San Francisco, visit their [official website in this territory.](https://sf.harrypottertheplay.com/) Tickets ($59–$199) are currently on-sale through Sunday, September 4, 2022. 

And be sure to [keep visiting our Cursed Chid hub for all the latest news on the eighth story.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/cursed-child-collection)