Wizarding World Homepage

The wizarding world pranks quiz

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Professor Umbridge being chased through the Great Hall by a fireworks in the shape of a large dragon.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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and the Order of the Phoenix

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There may have been Potions essays to complete and yes, there was Voldemort to defeat, but life at Hogwarts was definitely full of fun, games and magical mischief. How much do you remember about these tricky little moments? 

The importance of mirrors in the Harry Potter books

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Professor Quirrell is standing with his back to the Mirror of Erised in a stone room.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 

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and the Philosopher's Stone 

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To us Muggles, mirrors may serve no greater purpose than to ensure our teeth are spinach-free or to fix unruly strands of hair. But in the Wizarding World, though they mostly sat quiet and unnoticed, mirrors were powerful instruments that revealed desires and fears, and reflected truths and distorted realities.

Their enigmatic quality has been explored in literature for centuries and used symbolically in various ways. For instance, the usurped king in Shakespeare’s *Richard II* smashed a mirror as a reflection of his inner destruction. Alice in Lewis Carroll’s *Through the Looking Glass* slipped through a mirror to another world, only for it all to have been just a dream. In various versions of *Snow White*, mirrors were a tell-tale sign of the Evil Queen’s vanity while in Bram Stoker’s *Dracula*, they revealed the soul (or a vampire’s lack of one).

It was no surprise, then, that mirrors in the Harry Potter books also offered significant clues and insights if we looked a little closer. Each mirror came to represent so much more than mere reflections. 

Here are some of the important mirrors we learned of and what we think they mean.

## The two-way mirror

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Harry and Hermione looking into the broken mirror shard  

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If you need to speak to me, just say my name into it; you’ll appear in my mirror and I’ll be able to talk in yours.

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Harry’s untimely discovery of his late godfather’s gift completely gutted us. For a moment, Harry was hopeful that he would be able to talk to and see Sirius again through the two-way mirror. But all he was left with were his own eyes blinking back at him and Sirius’s name hanging in the air. In anger, he hurled the small square mirror back into his trunk, shattering it in the process (uh-oh, bad omen).

The mirror, intended to open up a connection between Harry and Sirius, ended up reminding Harry of the great barrier between them. Even death was beyond the reach of magic. The broken two-way mirror represented Harry’s grief and shattered emotions in a way words alone couldn’t, intertwining the looking glass with death. And it wasn’t the only time it did.

After Albus Dumbledore died, when Harry had been thinking of his late headmaster, he found one of the shards from the mirror and saw ‘a flash of brightest blue’. But he brushed it off as his imagination, a moment that again embodied his inability to interact with a dead loved one. The jagged piece would also foreshadow another significant death to come. The blue eyes actually belonged to Aberforth, who would later send Dobby to the cellar of Malfoy Manor to help Harry in what would become the house-elf’s last heroic act.

## The Mirror of Erised

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Things were also not as they seemed with the Mirror of Erised. The old device reflected one’s deepest desires but kept them just out of reach. For Harry, his wish was to be with a family he had never known. For Ron, it was to finally step out of his brothers’ shadows and be the best. Dumbledore, too, despite his initially evasive ‘thick, woollen socks’ answer, knew what it was like to dream of seeing his family whole and happy once again. 

But the Mirror of Erised also symbolised the dangers of clinging to those wishes. Dumbledore himself warned Harry that it provided neither knowledge nor truth. Instead, obsession could leave people in disrepair and blur the line between reality and dreams. 

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The Mirror of Erised

The advice to ‘hold on to your dreams’ is all well and good, but there comes a point when holding on to your dreams becomes unhelpful and even unhealthy. Dumbledore knows that life can pass you by while you are clinging on to a wish that can never be – or ought never to be – fulfilled.

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It was by moving past those obsessions and living their own life that the characters ended up realising their dreams in some way. Harry was not reunited with his late parents, but they appeared to him when he needed them most, and he ended up with people who loved him just as much. Ron too faced his fears when he retrieved the sword of Gryffindor, saved Harry and destroyed a Horcrux – becoming the hero he always wanted to be.

## Foe-Glass

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The dark and mysterious aura of mirrors was amplified through the Foe-Glass. Instead of hopes and dreams, the Dark detector displayed one’s fears by revealing the possessors’ true enemies. Barty Crouch Jr, in his impersonation of Moody, relied on the magic mirror to keep an eye on his foes, but in his blind rage and desire to kill Harry, he did not see the images of Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall growing more distinct.

The Foe-Glass appeared again a year later during the DA’s first meeting in the Room of Requirement, but the mirror was now cracked. 

(Sidenote: cracked mirrors seemed to follow Harry a lot, and often appear in connection to Voldemort. For instance, in *Chamber of Secrets*, Harry noticed a cracked and spotted mirror in the bathroom of Moaning Myrtle, who was killed by Tom Riddle. And in the *Order of the Phoenix*, Harry saw Voldemort’s white face and red eyes through a cracked, age-spotted mirror in his dreams.) 

It was probably a good thing then that Harry turned his back on the cracked Foe-Glass, because as we kept seeing, depending on magic too heavily could be dangerous. Like he told Dean, ‘You don’t want to rely on them too much, they can be fooled.’ That is, what one saw wasn’t always the truth. It was a lesson even Harry himself would continually learn.

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What appeared to be a mirror hung opposite Harry on the wall, but it was not reflecting the room. Shadowy figures were moving around inside it, none of them clearly in focus.

Discover the films

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to Fantastic Beasts

Hagrid's favourite beasts quiz

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Ron, Hermione, Harry and Fang sit in Hagrid's hut

Hagrid's Favourite Beasts Quiz

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Dragons, Blast-Ended Skrewts and Acromantulas, none of these Magical Creatures can be considered cute and cuddly – unless you’re Hagrid of course. 

The magical textbooks crossword

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Best of luck!

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And remember, you can play more wordsearches, crosswords and Number Magic challenges over at our [puzzles hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles). 

Check out the Harry Potter Yume collection

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Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions invites fans to be the first to play

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*Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions* is a fast-paced, online multiplayer game featuring the world’s most iconic magical sport. From Warner Bros. Games, under the [Portkey Games label](https://www.portkeygames.com/), it engages players in the sport of Quidditch and other broomstick adventures alongside friends in a competitive setting.

So, how to join the playtests? Simply visit [QuidditchChampions.WBGames.com ](https://quidditchchampions.wbgames.com/en?utm_source=wwd_web&utm_medium=newsarticle&utm_campaign=QuidditchChampions&utm_content=Games) to sign up for the chance to be a Quidditch Champion. 

***

While you wait for more info on *Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions*, you can still geek out with us about [Hogwarts Legacy over at our hub. ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/hogwarts-legacy)

Harry Potter: Magic Awakened reveals new story trailer 

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From your train journey to the Sorting Ceremony, Harry Potter: Magic Awakened will give you the full Hogwarts experience. The immersive collectible card and wizarding dueling game has already become the No.1 top grossing mobile game in Mainland China – and we love the unique artistic style this game is designed in. This latest look at the game puts you right in the center of the storyline, from Hagrid’s delivery of the Hogwarts letter to dueling lessons at Hogwarts.

Harry Potter Magic Awakened | Story Trailer

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As you can see, the game invites you to customise your look, go shopping in Diagon Alley and generally improve your magical knowledge – but we’re intrigued by some of the unfamiliar characters we see in the trailer too, such as the blonde Slytherin student intent on getting to her Potions class! 

[Harry Potter: Magic Awakened](https://www.wizardingworld.com/discover/portkey-games/harry-potter-magic-awakened) is one of many titles that sits under the Portkey Games label, which is dedicated to creating new Wizarding World mobile and video game experiences that place the player at the centre of their own adventure, inspired by J.K. Rowling’s original stories. You can learn more about Portkey Games here.

You can [pre-register on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netease.wb.goog.hpma&hl=en&gl=US&pli=1) or the [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/pl/app/harry-potter-magic-awakened/id1490196497) right now to learn more, or [visit the official website.](https://www.magicawakened.com/en-gb)

Get ready for Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter 

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Something extremely magical is coming to Tokyo – and is set to be one of the biggest magical experiences for fans yet. Yes, tickets for Warner Bros. [Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter](https://www.wbstudiotour.jp/en/about/) are now on sale.

The Tokyo branch of the Studio Tour will not only have exclusive Wizarding World treats on offer – but invites you to visit the biggest Harry Potter shop in the world as part of your visit. 

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As with other Studio Tours around the world, Japan-based Harry Potter fans can expect to visit authentic sets, props and costumes made by the original British filmmakers. The Studio Tour in Tokyo is a brand-new experience, and the first tour of its kind to open in Asia, where fans can step behind the scenes and discover the world of film production through the medium of witchcraft and wizardry.

For those unfamiliar with the Studio Tour, visitors will be able to visit the iconic Great Hall set, walk along the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley and traipse through the mysterious Forbidden Forest. You’ll bump into magical creatures, observe gorgeous costumes and take part in magical activities, such as broom riding and Butterbeer drinking.

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Fans will also get to immerse themselves into iconic Wizarding World moments, such as appearing in a moving Hogwarts portrait or stepping into the crowd of a Quidditch match, just as if you were a wizard or witch yourself. 

The Platform 9 ¾ set was created by the original Harry Potter filmmakers using authentic techniques. It’s home to the Hogwarts Express which is an original British steam locomotive that was built in 1929 called The Dumbleton Hall. Operated by the Great Western Railway, it continued to run for over 35 years until it was retired. The locomotive was refurbished in England, then shipped to Japan to take up its position at the Studio Tour. 

Torben Jensen, VP and GM Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter said: “The Studio Tour is a completely new experience for Harry Potter fans in Japan and I’m so excited to open the doors on 16th June.  In addition to fantastic interactive features, multiple photo opportunities and the world’s largest Harry Potter shop, the Studio Tour will exclusively showcase a number of incredible film sets that are one of a kind.” 

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Alongside Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts fans will be able to seek out some of their favourite locations from the films: The Great Wizarding Express, for example, is a set that is exclusive to Tokyo, which appeared in *Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore*.

The train carriage is art deco in styling, to match the era, and is decorated with ornate detailing throughout recreating the appearance of birdseye maple, ebony and brass inlay strips.  Depicting the scene where Newt Scamander leads an intrepid team of wizards, witches, and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, the mannequins display the costumes of Newt Scamander, Jacob Kowalski, Theseus Scamander, Bunty Broadacre, Yusuf Kama and Eulalia “Lally” Hicks.

The Studio Tour will also be home to the largest Harry Potter shop in the world, featuring 14 themed sections that are decorated with over 7,000 bespoke and specially sourced props. The areas are beautifully designed and take inspiration from elements of the shops on Diagon Alley including Honeydukes, Ollivanders and Flourish and Blotts.

A huge range of products will be available to buy, many of which have been exclusively developed for Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo. In addition, visitors can enjoy a choice of restaurants and cafés which will serve a celebration of traditional British fare such as fish and chips, roast beef, English breakfast and Afternoon Tea. Delicious.

Get ready for a summer of magical delights out in Tokyo! It’s going to be a big one.

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Tickets for Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo will be on sale from Wednesday 22nd March at 2pm JST, available to purchase for visits between 16th June to the 30th September, 2023. [Visit the official website for details.](https://www.wbstudiotour.jp/)