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Sirius Black and Harry Potter: two peas in a (Snargaluff) pod

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Harry and Sirius by the Black family tapestry at number twelve, Grimmauld Place

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## Childhoods more unstable than a cursed broom

Unlike James Potter, neither Sirius nor Harry were raised by loving parents. Harry was brought up – very begrudgingly – by his aunt and uncle and suffered years of neglect and bullying before finally escaping to Hogwarts. Sirius was brought up by his own parents, but never fitted in with the Black family stereotype – he was sorted into Gryffindor, which didn’t get him many Black family brownie points, and refused to accept their ‘pure-blood mania’. 

Although Harry was an only child like his father, he didn’t really grow up as one. More in common with Sirius, Harry was constantly reminded of how he didn’t measure up to Dudley, just as Sirius was told that his brother, Regulus, was a much better son. Sirius and Harry’s home lives were so unhappy at points that they both ran away from home. Harry ran away after he blew up his Aunt Marge and Sirius left home for good at sixteen. And where did he go? The Potters’.


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## The Marauders' legacy

James Potter and Sirius Black weren’t exactly model students at Hogwarts.  For starters, they created a map that was effectively a tool to help them make mischief without getting caught. Arguably Sirius was the biggest rebel of them all – he owned a flying motorbike for goodness sake! When Harry was given the Marauder’s Map by Fred and George in his third year, he was already breaking rules left, right and centre, thanks to his very own rule-breaking tool – his father’s Invisibility Cloak. 

Sirius was delighted to find a fellow rebel in Harry, and Sirius lived vicariously through Harry’s exploits at Hogwarts. Padfoot thoroughly approved of the underground Defence against the Dark Arts group – Dumbledore’s Army – delighted that Harry was taking a stand against Umbridge. We’ll never know whether James Potter would have encouraged the same kind of rule breaking in his son, but Sirius and Harry definitely shared a certain disregard for toeing the line.



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Harry looking at the Marauders Map in his dormitory

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## Fiery tempers worthy of a Hungarian Horntail

The very first time we met Sirius Black he was in a murderous rage, determined to kill Peter Pettigrew – disguised as Ron’s rat – who had betrayed Lily and James Potter. But this wasn’t the only time we saw Sirius lose his temper. Snape, Kreacher and even Mrs Weasley all felt the heat of his temper. And Harry isn’t exactly cool-headed either. Remember that time when he shouted – in glorious capital letters – at Ron and Hermione for keeping him in the dark all summer when they’d been hanging out with the Order? And he just couldn’t keep his anger for Umbridge under control at all – even after Professor McGonagall warned him of the danger.

We don’t know much about James Potter’s temper, but we do know that he was the Marauder who rescued Snape from a potential run-in with Lupin in werewolf form, even though the two hated each other. Perhaps he had a more rational head on his shoulders than Sirius or Harry? 



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Sirius Black pointing his finger in the Shrieking Shack

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## Fame’s a fickle friend to both of them 

James Potter was popular at Hogwarts – a great Quidditch player and head boy – but he wasn’t more widely known until after his devastating death at the hands of Lord Voldemort. His son though, experienced fame throughout Hogwarts and beyond, and his best friend Sirius Black’s name was familiar to witches and wizards everywhere – he even made it onto Muggle TV. Harry and Sirius both suffered for their fame at one time or another. 

For most of *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, Harry was accused of lying about Voldemort’s return in the Daily Prophet, and later he was targeted as Undesirable Number One by the Ministry of Magic. Like Sirius, Harry had to go into hiding when a price was put on his head by the Ministry in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*. As a result, Harry and Sirius most likely learned to distrust the authority of the Ministry in a way that James never did.  


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Sirius trapped in the Top Tower from the Prisoner of Azakban 

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## Transfiguring friends into family

Perhaps as a result of their unhappy upbringings, both Sirius and Harry’s friendships run deeper than your average playground pals. Arguably, James and Sirius acted like brothers, as well as best friends, emphasised particularly by the fact that Sirius actually moved in with the Potters when he ran away from the Black family home. Sirius was also best man at James and Lily’s wedding, a place often taken up by the groom’s brother.

Harry is similar in this way, and through his friendship with Ron, was adopted into the Weasley family to such an extent that Ron’s mother sent him Christmas presents and thought of him like a son. Sirius and Harry’s relationship is an interesting mix of friends and family too: Sirius is Harry’s godfather and sometimes treats him like a son, but at other times he seems to forget Harry isn’t his best friend, James Potter. ‘You’re less like your father than I thought’ Sirius told Harry when he refused to risk Sirius’ safety and meet his godfather in Hogsmeade. A harsh put-down that muddies the family-friend boundary between them. 



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## Brave Gryffindors to the last 

Along with James, Harry and Sirius showed unimaginable courage in the face of evil. Sirius, still a wanted man, didn’t hesitate to leave Grimmauld Place and go after Harry at the Ministry of Magic. Sirius was also determined to give Harry help and advice via owl and in the Gryffindor fireplace throughout his time at Hogwarts, risking being thrown back into Azkaban if caught. 

Harry stood up to bullies, fought dragons, and faced Lord Voldemort whilst still trying to attend classes at Hogwarts. And in the end, just like James and Sirius, Harry was willing to give up his life to protect the people – and wizarding world – that he loved.


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Harry and Sirius standing in the Department of Mysteries 

Watch our guide on how to draw a Bowtruckle

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Bowtruckles are tree guardians and usually live in trees whose wood is of wand quality. Talking of wands… did you know that you can find out your wand type in our official Wand Ceremony? You can play through once you [register at Wizarding World](https://my.wizardingworld.com/about-passport "Registration"). 

As Newt Scamander writes in his book on magical creatures, *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*, though Bowtruckles look pretty harmless, ‘if the tree in which it lives is threatened, it has been known to leap down upon the woodcutter or tree-surgeon attempting to harm its home and gouge at their eyes with its long, sharp fingers. Ouch! You’re best off keeping an offering of woodlice nearby to keep this little fellow happy… 

Watch the video below and find out how to draw a Bowtruckle for yourself…

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rd_4_qd5NxY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>


For more of our arts and crafts videos, check out our [Crafting Magic page](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/crafting-magic "Crafting Magic"), as well as our [Wizarding World YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChPRO1CB_Hvd0TvKRU62iSQ "You tube channel WW"). 

And for even more stay at home fun, check out our [Harry Potter At Home hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/harry-potter-at-home "HPAH"), and bring the magic to you!



Make your own Cornish pixie light up jar

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*‘The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and pulling bizarre faces at the people nearest them.’*

Professor Lockhart set these Cornish pixies loose in a Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson! And unfortunately, he didn’t seem to know the spell to get them back into their cage. The lesson ended with Lockhart fleeing the classroom – after asking Harry, Ron and Hermione to sort them out for him!

We’re sure you’ll be much more careful when you’re creating this light up jar containing your very own Cornish pixie craft. But just remember not to underestimate this magical creature like Dean Thomas did! Watch the video and download the Cornish pixie templates below ...

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Template 1 - you can save this image and make it bigger or smaller to fit your own jar!

![cornish-pixie-template-1](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/7cL9b8X1Plmf8ymMdEOzHI/b0e3287d49196f579ce78e64a55563ce/Approved_Cornish_Pixies_Silhouette_Artboard01_copy.jpg)

Template 2 - you can save this image and make it bigger or smaller to fit your own jar!

![cornish-pixie-template-2](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/7uuFs35aTFxaqxIQPwrRf0/dbad76997e892779149aba0c776b6996/Approved_Cornish_Pixies_Silhouette_Artboard02_copy.jpg)

For more of our arts and crafts videos, check out our [Crafting Magic page](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/crafting-magic "Crafting Magic"), as well as our [Wizarding World YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChPRO1CB_Hvd0TvKRU62iSQ "Youtube"). 

And for even more stay at home fun, check out our [Harry Potter At Home hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/harry-potter-at-home "HPAH hub"), and bring the magic to you!


The extra hard wordsearch of scary things 

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Fill in the blank letters of these magical words and then, once you've figured them out, drag your cursor across the letters on the board.

How quickly can you find them all? As this is an extra-scary wordsearch, you only have one chance to get them right! We do enjoy a trick more than a treat sometimes... 

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For more crosswords and wordsearches, [visit our puzzles hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles) or you can enjoy even more Wizarding World challenges in our app. [Gold Members](https://www.wizardingworld.com/harry-potter-fan-club) can also expect weekly puzzle drops. 

Find out which Hogwarts house you're in

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Bloomsbury and Scholastic announce the release of Harry Potter: A Magical Year, The Illustrations of Jim Kay

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Coming this October, fans can soon look forward to *Harry Potter: A Magical Year, The Illustrations of Jim Kay*: a celebration of the award-winning artist’s rich and imaginative interpretations of the wizarding world paired with memorable excerpts from the Harry Potter books.

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The visual content of the book is composed of a selection of iconic artwork from Bloomsbury’s four Illustrated Editions, complemented by unseen pencil sketches and preparatory studies from the Jim Kay art archive.

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Each day features a favourite anniversary or meaningful memory from the Harry Potter novels (366 in fact – including one extra for the leap year) all delicately illustrated with scenic artwork along the way. 

Alongside Jim Kay’s most iconic illustrations are previously unseen pencil sketches and preparatory pieces, offering a unique and fascinating insight into the artist’s sketchbook.

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Jim Kay has so far illustrated four of the seven Harry Potter books in the series, with his most recent work in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire released back in 2019. The *Illustrated Edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* will follow in 2022. For now, fans can take a closer look at Jim Kay’s craftmanship, with *A Magical Year* celebrating pieces from his previous offerings alongside never-seen-before sketches. 

No detail has been spared here, with each page lovingly decorated with different wizarding world flashbacks, from the snowy towers of Hogwarts to the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. 

*Harry Potter: A Magical Year, The Illustrations of Jim Kay,* is being released by Bloomsbury and Scholastic on the 5th October, while fans can look forward to T*he Illustrated Edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* in 2022.

Visit the official websites of [Bloomsbury](https://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/a-magical-year-9781526640871/) and [Scholastic](https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/books/harry-potter/) for more details on how to pre-order *Harry Potter: A Magical Year, The Illustrations of Jim Kay.*

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First look at the all-new Spin Master Wizarding World toy collection coming soon

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The Wizarding World is always finding inventive ways to entertain and surprise fans with new pieces of magic – and this all-new offering from Spin Master promises many enchanting treats for younger fans. 

From an interactive Hedwig to a Hogwarts castle replica, this new range of toys from Spin Master celebrates the iconography of Harry Potter in all manner of cute ways. Here’s a first glance at this new toy line. 

## Harry, Hermione, Luna and Cho 8” Dolls

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Four beloved characters from the Harry Potter film series have been reimagined as new storytelling Dolls, boasting customisable outfits, Hogwarts uniforms, accessories and of course, wands!

Fans can choose between Harry, Hermione, Luna and Cho – with each Doll coming with mini-additions that complement their character. For example, the Deluxe Brilliant Hermione Doll is dressed like how you see Hermione in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, complete with pink hoodie and Time-Turner accessory. And if you want to take Hermione on a different adventure, she also comes with an additional outfit, cauldron and potion bottle, so you can recreate her famous Polyjuice Potion moment from *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*. 

## Enchanting Hedwig Interactive Plush 

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We’d recognise this snowy owl anywhere – yes, it’s Harry’s beloved pet, Hedwig, who is available here as a special interactive plush.

Hedwig can flap her wings, move her beak and turn her head 270 degrees, just like a real owl. She even sits on her own little perch, so she can live comfortably in your home.

Featuring innovative effects, this plush has intuitive ‘ruffle detection’, meaning Hedwig will know when you want to pet her. She’ll also recognise the tone of your voice and respond to you when you fancy a chat. 

And the finishing touch: Hedwig also comes with a special Hogwarts letter, complete with the famous red wax seal, which she can hold in her beak. Only friends with the secret combination of interactions will be able to get Hedwig to release the letter.

## Magical Minis Hogwarts Castle, Small Dolls & Playsets 

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This collection surely wouldn’t be complete without Hogwarts Castle itself, which has been recreated for you here as a Magical Mini. Standing almost 2ft tall, the set is interspersed with magical features, from interactive light and sound effects to a surprise Moaning Myrtle in the bathroom. 

The Hogwarts Castle comes with 12 accessories, including your very own 3-inch Hermione small doll to wander round the school with. And more Magical Minis are available separately, so you can start to add classrooms and other characters into Hogwarts to let your imagination really fly. 

Keep an eye out for more details on the Spin Master collection, including additional goodies and release dates, very soon.

Take a look inside the new Harry Potter flagship store opening in New York this June 

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__Note: The images featured in this article are rendered imagery and not actual store photography.__

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Wizards and witches may have Diagon Alley, but soon, we will have Harry Potter New York – a new, three-storey retail experience that will house the largest collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products under one roof. From photo opportunities to upcoming virtual reality experiences, this store is expected to be exceptionally magical when it opens this summer, and here’s just a peek at what to expect.

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Located at 935 Broadway, next to the iconic landmark, the Flatiron building, Harry Potter New York promises to be so much more than a normal shopping experience, offering 15 different themed areas, exclusive products and interactive elements, all celebrating different facets of the wizarding world.

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Upon entering Harry Potter New York, visitors will be greeted with a huge, floating model of Fawkes the Phoenix, created especially for this new store. Created by a team of specialist propmakers over a number of months, Fawkes weighs over 100kg and is just one of several meticulously detailed homages you can expect to see. In fact, the shop will be home to hundreds of Wizarding World props, with some authentic items featured in the films on display.

Due to the many glorious details showcased in the store, fans will find several photo opportunities to try out on each storey, from a Ministry of Magic London-style phone box to an extremely immersive setting where you get to pose inside one of Hagrid’s boots! We’re sure you’ve never had that photo opportunity before.

![hpny-store-atrium](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/CiNPbSUkHpYQV5530kNNr/7c23ca647e5f910dff67b521d4a67e80/hpny-store-atrium.jpg)

Beyond that, Harry Potter New York even plans to delve into the realms of virtual reality, with special immersive experiences set to be introduced to the store later in the summer. Soon, fans can expect to try out two sensory VR adventures, the first called Chaos at Hogwarts, which invites customers to step inside the beloved castle, and the second called Wizards Take Flight, where fans will be gifted with the feeling of flying on a broom across the skies of London.  Watch out for more updates on this upcoming feature later in the summer, once the store has opened!

The interactivity doesn’t end there. Members of our very own [Harry Potter Fan Club](https://www.wizardingworld.com/harry-potter-fan-club-tiers) who have our official app will be able to unlock extra surprises as they explore. Simply look out for our Enchanted Keys, which can be scanned in your app to bring up extra details about the store and your surroundings and learn a few behind-the-scenes snippets alongside your shopping experience. These keys have been precariously placed around the store – so keep a watchful eye. 

No rock has been left unturned when it comes to the breadth of detail within Harry Potter New York, with every inch steeped in magical nuances to make visitors really feel like witches and wizards. For example, fans can  test out their wand of choice at an interactive wand table, just like Harry did at Ollivander’s. The store even has its very own Wand Shop, which is host to over 50 wands, inspired by the characters, locations and props within the Wizarding World. This includes wands you won’t have seen anywhere else – such as the Golden Snitch Wand, especially created for Harry Potter New York.  

Even the products that fans can buy in the store have been made extra-special, with a Personalisation Area also being introduced. Here, shoppers can browse a selection of unique products, as well as get their name added to a number of selected items, such as having it engraved on a wand, embroidered on a Hogwarts house robe or embossed on a journal. 

Harry Potter New York is set to be a store of many firsts. For example, this will be the first time US fans can visit the House of MinaLima, home of the graphic designers that created the iconic props you see in the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. An area of the store will be specially dedicated to MinaLima’s graphic art creations, that range from Daily Prophet and Quibbler covers to Harry’s very own Hogwarts acceptance letter. You can learn more about MinaLima at their official website.

The sheer breadth of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts items on display means every type of wizarding world fan will find something special for them here, alongside taking part in a number of other unique experiences. We can’t wait until Harry Potter New York opens its doors to you all! 

*Harry Potter New York opens 3rd June. You can learn more details about the store from HarryPotterStore.com, with some of the store’s products online right now at [HarryPotterShop.com](https://harrypottershop.com/). Covid-19 guidelines will be in place at Harry Potter New York once it opens to the public.*
