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The Harry Potter characters whose Hogwarts houses are up for debate

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In this article, we sort through (get it?) those times the Sorting Hat had some trouble making a decision, as well as focus in on those witches and wizards who didn't always feel that the Sorting Hat had placed them in the right house. And of course, there’re the characters we feel might have better belonged elsewhere... Perhaps when you’ve read this article you might agree with Dumbledore’s words: ‘I sometimes think we Sort too soon...’

__Beware! There are about as many spoilers for the Harry Potter books and *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* in this piece as there are gnomes in the Burrow garden...__



## "Hmm,’ said a small voice in his ear. ‘Difficult. Very difficult"

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McGonagall Homepage Carousel

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The famous Thinking Cap boasts ‘I’ll eat myself if you can find/ A smarter hat than me’ in its start of term song, and it would never publicly admit to having doubts about its sorting abilities. But sometimes, it takes a suspiciously long time to make a decision. 

Minerva McGonagall was one Hogwarts student that presented a dilemma for the Sorting Hat. She was a Hatstall – a student whose sorting takes longer than five minutes – and in her case it was the choice between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw that took the time. Given how quickly she answered the Ravenclaw door-knocker’s riddle, we can see that she would have done well in that wise house. On balance though, we think the Sorting Hat went the right way with Minerva McGonagall: duelling with Snape, sticking up to Umbridge and defending Dumbledore – she’s got a lion heart of pure red and gold. 

The line between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw seems to be a bit of a head-scratcher for the Sorting Hat. The same houses were in contention for Hermione Granger, who revealed in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that the Sorting Hat ‘seriously considered’ putting her in Ravenclaw. It’s not the biggest surprise if we’re honest – top of her year and arguably one of the brightest witches of her age, we didn’t need the lost Diadem to work out that she would have flourished in Ravenclaw. We’ll never know whether Hermione steered the Sorting Hat away from Ravenclaw or whether she was always heading (get it?) towards Gryffindor, but we’re glad it decided on red and gold in the end – it wouldn’t have been quite the same without our favourite trio plotting in the scarlet common room.

Maybe the Sorting Hat was trying to change Peter Pettigrew’s fate by placing him in Gryffindor rather than Slytherin? Of all the Hogwarts houses, Slytherin boasts the largest number of Death Eaters, after all. A Hatstall like Minerva McGonagall, the Sorting Hat clearly found sorting Wormtail difficult. But we can’t help but feel that this time the Sorting Hat went the wrong way. It seems more cunning than courageous to fake your own death and spend twelve years hiding as a rat. Perhaps the Sorting Hat would argue that fear can overcome anyone, sometimes even a Gryffindor, and that was what had led Peter Pettigrew down the slippery slope and into Lord Voldemort’s service. But we’re not so sure… 


## "There’s no need to tell me I’m not brave enough to be in Gryffindor"



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Neville is suspended by the ears by two Cornish pixies, during Defence Against the Dark Arts

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The Sorting Hat never admits that its final decision is wrong, but it does umm and ahhh in students’ ears while it deliberates. And the longer the student is left sitting on the stool, the more likely they are to doubt the Sorting Hat’s eventual decision. In Harry Potter’s case, the Sorting Hat’s indecision stayed with him for years afterwards, despite it respecting his desperate plea of ‘Not Slytherin, not Slytherin’. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, it took Harry pulling the sword of Godric Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat, to allay his concerns that he should have been a Slytherin. 

Although the Sorting Hat respected Harry’s choice, it wasn’t so kind to Neville Longbottom; it was determined to place him in Gryffindor, despite him asking for Hufflepuff. Throughout his first year Neville was plagued with doubts, at one point choking out: ‘There’s no need to tell me I’m not brave enough to be in Gryffindor’. We hope that when Dumbledore explained that ‘there are all kinds of courage’ Neville felt more at home. And if he didn’t, we reckon killing a giant snake with Gryffindor’s sword probably did the trick. 

Albus Severus Potter was a different case entirely. Before he even arrived at Hogwarts he was terrified that he would be Sorted into Slytherin. And then, his worst fear came true. The whispers filled the Great Hall just like they had when his father arrived all those years before. This time though, it was with shock rather than excitement – shock that Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley’s son had been Sorted into Slytherin rather than Gryffindor. Side-note: never let it be said that the Sorting Hat bows to peer pressure or celebrity. We might have expected Albus to struggle with the Sorting Hat’s decision, and he did at first. But it soon turned out that Slytherin was exactly where he was supposed to be.


## "And you all know the score:/I sort you into houses/ Because that is what I’m for"





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A head shot of Snape looking sideways from the Deathly Hallows Part 2 

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True. It’s the Sorting Hat’s job to sort, but it’s our job to mull over its decisions. And we too have some doubts. 

Let’s start with Gilderoy Lockhart. Apparently little Lockhart had above-average intelligence when he arrived at Hogwarts and as we know he turned out to have a real talent for Memory Charms. But surely a true Ravenclaw wouldn’t have needed to modify the memories of more knowledgeable and daring witches and wizards? And they certainly would have been able to sort out a few pesky Cornish Pixies? Then there’s his ambition for fame, which was evident even at school, where he once created ‘an illuminated projection of his own face which he would send skywards in imitation of the Dark Mark’. We’re sure that made him lots of friends...

With all of this taken into account, we’d dare to say that Lockhart showed far more cunning and ambition than he ever did wit and wisdom. Perhaps Lockhart wouldn’t have felt the need to prove himself so much if he’d ended up in a house better known for these traits, like Slytherin.

We need to talk about Severus Snape. Surely not? We hear you cry. Yes – Snape was Head of Slytherin. Yes – Snape had a burning ambition to be the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. Yes – he was king of all things cunning in his role as double agent to both Dumbledore and the Dark Lord. But are these what made up the very core of Severus Snape? Without Lily Evans entering his life we might have said yes. Snape’s love for Lily gave him a defining characteristic of another Hogwarts house: Loyalty. This was his essential driving force, it even infiltrated his magic and showed up in his Patronus. His love for Lily, and his loyalty to her above ambition, above self-preservation, was – as Dumbledore puts it – the best of Snape. Would Hufflepuff have been a better fit?

Don’t misunderstand us, Luna Lovegood is an excellent Ravenclaw. She shared a lot of Luna-style wisdom with Harry during her time at Hogwarts, in particular reminding him that the ones who leave us are never truly lost behind the Veil, as well as demonstrating a gift for logical thinking. We’re not sure we could come up with an answer as to whether the Phoenix or the flame came first under such immense pressure. And it must have taken some seriously impressive magic to make her Gryffindor lion hat roar so realistically. But Luna’s loyalty and kindness – key Hufflepuff traits – really did know no bounds. Luna insisted on coming to the Ministry to help her fellow DA members – it was her idea to ride the Thestrals. And Luna was one of only two members of the DA who were loyal enough to answer the call of the charmed Galleons the night Malfoy let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts.


Where all these doubts take us, we suppose, is to somewhere more certain: we, like the characters in the wizarding world, are all made up of a mixture of cunning, curiosity, courage, kindness and a whole lot more. Perhaps the Sorting Hat shows witches and wizards the traits most dominant in them already, or perhaps the Hat Sorts to encourage traits that thus far have lain dormant? We can never really know, but as Dumbledore sagely said: ‘It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.’


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Dumbledore sitting in a chair from the Half Blood Prince 

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Have you tried our official Sorting Ceremony to discover where you truly belong? It’s available on our new Wizarding World app. 
Don’t worry if you were previously sorted into a Hogwarts house, you have the choice to keep it if you’re unhappy with the Sorting Hat’s choice, just like Harry.



Comparing Lord Voldemort and Grindelwald's paths 

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Voldemort holding his wand in the Ministry of Magic from the Order of the Phoneix 

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## Followers over friends

When teaching Harry about Horcruxes in *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*, Dumbledore shared memories he had collected about the childhood of Lord Voldemort – or Tom Riddle, as he was then known. During Riddle’s Hogwarts days, Dumbledore observed: 

> ‘As he moved up the school, he gathered about him a group of dedicated friends; I call them that, for want of a better term, although as I have already indicated, Riddle undoubtedly felt no affection for any of them.’ 
> Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

These early followers – for Riddle was their leader, even if he pretended to be their friend – were ‘forerunners of the Death Eaters, and indeed some of them became the first Death Eaters after leaving Hogwarts.’ From then on, the people who surrounded Lord Voldemort were referred to as his followers, his Death Eaters, but very rarely was the word ‘friend’ used by either Voldemort or others. And the same can be said of Gellert Grindelwald. As the entire city of Paris was covered in his dark banners, Tina warned, ‘it’s Grindelwald. He’s calling his followers.’ 

Followers not friends. 

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## The making of impassioned speeches

On stage at the underground amphitheatre in *Crimes of Grindelwald*, Grindelwald spoke, and people listened. Grindelwald addressed those listening as ‘my brothers, my sisters, my friends’. But we know many of those in the crowd were not ¬– and would never be – his friends; Tina was there, as were Newt and Leta. What he was doing was making a speech, trying to persuade, trying to anger, trying to gain followers. And most of all trying to justify his actions. 

Interestingly, Lord Voldemort also made epic, justificatory and impassioned speeches. He made a speech to the Death Eaters that gathered in the graveyard at Little Hangleton the night he returned to his body:

> ‘But I want there to be no mistake in anybody’s mind. Harry Potter escaped me by a lucky chance. And I am now going to prove my power by killing him, here and now, in front of you all, when there is no Dumbledore to help him, and no mother to die for him.’
> Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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And he couldn’t help but make a speech to Harry at their very last encounter, even as they circled each other to fight the duel that would end it all. 

> ‘Is it love again? […] Dumbledore’s favourite solution, love, which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him falling from the Tower and breaking like an old waxwork? Love, which did not prevent me stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach, Potter – and nobody seems to love you enough to run forwards this time, and take my curse. So what will stop you dying now when I strike?’ 
> Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Both Voldemort and Grindelwald knew the power of words; their ability to scare and to encourage, as well as their power to spread disharmony and fear. Both men also appeared to like the sound of their own voices – their speeches were long, rhetorical and often focussed on themselves, bringing others into their own mythologies rather than recognising other people’s stories. 

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A green beam comes from Voldemort's wand after he casts a killing curse.

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## Spontaneous acts of violence

As well as the power of words, both knew the power of violence – particularly spontaneous acts of violence – as a means of spreading fear and asserting their dominance. 

‘Kill the spare’ Voldemort casually said as he ordered the murder of Cedric Diggory. This coming moments before he used the Cruciatus curse on Avery ¬– one of his own Death Eaters – as Avery begged for his master’s forgiveness. 

Grindelwald committed these violent acts too, despite claiming otherwise in his speech in the underground amphitheatre: ‘Go forth from this place and spread the word: It is not we who are violent.’ 

Grindelwald hid out in Parisian homes and his every move was tinged with the green light of the Killing Curse. While he waited on a street, his followers killed those inside to allow his entry. He didn’t cast the curse himself but we assume it was on his orders, and he tapped his cane carelessly on the pavement whilst he waited.

Inside, a baby was left alive only to face the green light of Carrow’s Killing Curse a few moments later, again on Grindelwald’s nod. The baby’s crime? Being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Years later, Lord Voldemort murdered Frank Bryce at the beginning of *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* for eavesdropping. 

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## Obsession

Gellert Grindelwald and Lord Voldemort both had obsessions, and they are oddly aligned.  Voldemort was obsessed with Harry Potter – the Boy Who Lived – to the extent that he did not allow his Death Eaters to come to his aid in the graveyard at Little Hangleton, though he had been reborn for mere minutes. As the cores of Voldemort’s and Harry’s wands connected, Voldemort shrieked: ‘Stand aside! I will kill him! He is mine!’ In *Goblet of Fire*, Wormtail suggested using another wizard’s blood for Voldemort’s rebirth because it would be easier, but his master replied: ‘I have my reasons for using the boy, as I have already explained to you, and I will use no other.’ 

Gellert Grindelwald was similarly focussed on another: Credence Barebone. In contrast to Voldemort’s obsession with killing Harry, though, Grindelwald wanted Credence on his side. Though we still don’t know the full depths and reasons for this obsession, Grindelwald gave us clues along the way.

>  ‘So . . . Credence Barebone. Nearly destroyed by the woman who raised him. Yet now he seeks the mother who bore him. He’s desperate for family. He’s desperate for love. He’s the key to our victory.’<br>
> Fantastic Beasts: The Crime of Grindelwald 

Interestingly, at one time or another Grindelwald and Voldemort waited for Credence and Harry respectively to approach them of their own accord. In the Forbidden Forest during the Battle of Hogwarts, Voldemort said of Snape and Lucius: ‘Neither of you understands Potter as I do. He does not need finding. Potter will come to me.’ And when Grindelwald’s followers asked him why they couldn’t just grab Credence and leave, his answer was very similar, though for different ends: ‘He must come to me freely — and he will.’ 

Both also shared an obsession with the Deathly Hallows, though Lord Voldemort is only interested in the Elder Wand rather than all three, like Grindelwald. 

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Of his and Grindelwald’s friendship, Dumbledore said:

>  ‘And at the heart of our schemes, the Deathly Hallows! How they fascinated him, how they fascinated both of us!’ <br>
> Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Lord Voldemort sought one of the Hallows by travelling across the wizarding world. And when he thought he had finally truly possessed it, he was jubilant. He thought himself unbeatable:

> ’[…] and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore’s last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!’<br>
> Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

It is perhaps unsurprising that both these Dark wizards, who sought power at any cost, were stirred by the idea of the Deathly Hallows. Their shared obsession with the Elder Wand was an insight into what lay behind their respective rises to power, and later, their downfalls. 

How the wizarding world sometimes gave us some unrealistic expectations 

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## Teachers

Perhaps you were lucky enough to have wonderful teachers, but Albus Dumbledore would be a hard act for any head teacher to follow. His wisdom, wit and protectiveness over his students was second to none.

Remember that time in *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* when Harry accused Dumbledore of abandoning the school? His angry reply said it all: ‘Please do not suggest that I do not take the safety of my students seriously.’

Then there was Remus Lupin who gave Harry private tuition so he could fight off Dementors. What better gift could a teacher give than a Patronus? ‘A pure, protective magical concentration of happiness and hope.’ Meanwhile, in Muggle life, extra maths tuition was never going to be quite as exciting... however excellent the teacher. 

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## Adventures

Reading about Hogwarts had us imagining we’d be solving at least one mystery a term during our own school years. Think again! No priceless magical objects hidden down the third-floor science corridor, no secret chamber under the sports hall, no school heirlooms scattered across the country in need of destruction. Nothing. The biggest mystery some of us had to face at school was why we weren’t allowed to write about the Harry Potter books in our English exams... or was that just us?

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## P.E.

We thought physical education or games or sport – whatever your school called it – wouldn’t be so different to Quidditch. How very wrong we were. It turns out you can’t really compare Quidditch to any sport you might try at school. Why? Well, clearly it’s the best sport ever invented. Flying broomsticks, spectacular dives, signature moves (we’d all love a go at a Wronski Feint) and Quidditch heroes worthy of admiration – Viktor Krum, Gwenog Jones, Charlie Weasley. Not to mention that Quidditch teams are mixed, so it’s a sport that heroes equality. 

P.E.’s only saving grace perhaps was that it was timetabled to end; in Quidditch, if you had a particularly slow Seeker, the game could go on for days. In fact, the record is six months – that’s a really long P.E. lesson.

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Cormac McLaggen brags to Ron Weasley at Quidditch Keeper tryouts

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## School dances 

When our own school dances, discos, and graduation balls came around, we’re sure we weren’t alone in imagining some version of the Yule Ball ¬– that glittering winter spectacular that was held in honour of the Triwizard Tournament in *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*. Perhaps you too had unrealistic expectations about the décor and pictured your school hall decked out ‘in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling’ with your classmates in elegant dress robes. And don’t forget the live fairies! 

How our expectations crashed through the floor when everyone turned up in jeans, jumped up and down to the music, and the only refreshments were bowls of ready salted crisps. We’d rather have braved taking Cormac McLaggen to Slughorn’s Christmas party. 


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## School meals

Much to our disappointment, it turned out that cafeteria food couldn’t really compete with Hogwarts feasts. From the way the food just magically appeared on the tables, to the sheer number of choices, our own Muggle school food didn’t stand a chance. Treacle tarts, Yorkshire puddings, flaming Christmas puddings, platters of fat chipolatas, tureens of buttered peas – to name a few delights. At Harry’s first ever banquet ‘He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table’. If you can say the same about your school food, then we are Slytherin green with jealousy.


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Hats fly in the air when Gryffindor win the House Cup 

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## Trouble

Is it us or did Harry, Ron and Hermione always manage to avoid really serious trouble? Imagine if you had crashed a stolen car - albeit one belonging to your parents - into an ancient tree on school property? Expulsion would definitely have been on the cards. But Professor McGonagall didn’t even take any house points off Harry and Ron when they crashed Mr Weasley’s car into the Whomping Willow. And when it came to the Chamber of Secrets, they broke ‘about a hundred school rules into pieces along the way’ and then received Special Awards for Services to the School. 

Huh, surely Muggle teachers would barely raise an eyebrow at small transgressions like running in the corridors, chewing gum in class or forgetting your sports kit? 

No such luck. If only we could have had detention with Hagrid and unicorns instead of writing lines...

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## Friendship

Harry, Ron and Hermione are true friendship goals but we’re not sure the expectations they created for our own are realistic. 

We’re sure your friends are wonderful, but have you ever fought off a twelve-foot mountain troll with any of them? Or accidentally eaten slugs trying to stick up for them? Or believed in a friend so much that you agreed to destroy evil objects with them even though they had no plan whatsoever? You see our point. 

But it’s worth saying here that friendship is always relative to the people who are in it, so we’re sure you have a mountain troll moment in your friendship story… even if it doesn’t involve troll bogies or Wingardium Leviosa. 

One expectation that the Harry Potter stories gave us was that friendship is vitally important, and that wasn’t unrealistic at all. 

Things we notice watching Harry Potter films ten years on

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## Neville’s Remembrall scene actually reveals what he forgot 


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All eight Harry Potter films are loaded with miniscule details you’d have to pause to notice. But here’s one from *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)* that really amused. During the scene where Neville is telling Harry and co. about his Remembrall (the magical object that glows red upon forgetting something), Neville wonders why his is glowing on that occasion. Looking at the scene again reveals why – Neville is the only character not wearing his Hogwarts robes. In the books, we didn’t get this little nuance, and it’s one of many moments that the film-makers hid in plain sight, ready for us to spot!

## So. Much. Knitwear. 


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For those who enjoy a healthy game of Harry Potter movie bingo, a recommended check box would be to spot all the glorious knitwear. We know Hogwarts is based somewhere in Scotland, so everyone is freezing at all times, but once you notice all the cardigans, jumpers, cardigans over jumpers and Neville’s fetching sweater vests, you can’t stop noticing them. In fact, we wrote about our favourite [woolly fashion here.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/an-appreciation-of-harry-potter-knitwear-web) 

## In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, all the boys are clearly going through an indie band phase


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Ron and Harry looking at their dress robes from the Goblet of Fire

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In the fourth Harry Potter adventure, a lot of the male characters have opted for the same hairstyle. Harry, Ron, Neville and the Weasley twins are *all* rocking a Beatles-style mop top we remember quite well from our own teenage days. Then, in *Order of the Phoenix*, everyone’s clearly got it out of their system and had a haircut. Ah, to be young. 

## The significance of seven 


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Just like in the books, there are many instances of the number seven scattered throughout the films, alluding to Voldemort’s comment that seven is the most magical number. In the end, there are seven Horcruxes. But there are smaller mentions too; Harry’s Quidditch uniform is splayed with the number seven. In *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, (2009)*, during the orphanage scene, a young Tom Riddle even has seven rocks on his windowsill. 

This theme is true in the books too. Seven Hogwarts years. Seven Weasley children. Seven socks owned by Dobby... [the list goes on. ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/the-significance-of-seven-infographic)

## Making plans for Nigel  


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The Harry Potter films are famously extremely loyal to their book counterparts, but sometimes, unexpected joys pop up that us book-readers weren’t expecting. One example of this? Lovely, completely random, Nigel. A helpful young student who first crops up in *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2004)*. He’s a lad of few words, but his adorably endearing presence made quite the statement. 

## Sirius’s ‘Nice one James’ line was quietly devastating

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Harry and Sirius standing in the Department of Mysteries 

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Another moment from the films not in the books was this sucker-punch line from Sirius, just before we lost him. When Harry’s duelling skills impress Sirius, he says, ‘Nice one, James’ just before being hit by Bellatrix’s deadly curse.

The line reminds us of the argument Molly and Sirius have in the book, *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, where Molly accuses Sirius of seeing Harry as his old best friend, James, not Harry himself. This line seems to allude to that – in a subtle, devastating fashion. 

## Professor Slughorn’s fish, Francis 



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Francis the fish! How on earth could we forget Francis the fish?! In the film, *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)*, Professor Slughorn tells us the story of Francis, created from a clever charm that Harry’s mother, Lily, had performed, in which she turned a flower (a lily, in fact) into a ‘wee fish’. This sweet story turns into something far more poignant when Slughorn reveals that the fish disappeared on the day Lily died.

## Neville fancies Luna! 


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In the final instalment, *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2* (2011), we all remember the thrilling sequences of the Battle of Hogwarts, the tragic deaths and the shocking twists. But book-readers who haven’t seen the last film since its release may have forgotten a passing remark from Neville Longbottom, where he suddenly reveals he’s crazy about Luna – and goes off to find her. In the books, no such admission is made at all, leaving book-readers collectively surprised, confused, overjoyed or outraged depending on preference. 

Whether or not Luna and Neville ever made a go at it has not been revealed, but we do know that Neville eventually goes on to marry Hannah Abbott and works at Hogwarts as Herbology Professor many years later, while Luna marries Newt Scamander’s grandson, Rolf. What could have been!

# The Warner Bros. logo gets darker and darker 


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Again, it’s the little things that we love realising about the Harry Potter films the most. Take the very opening seconds of each film, emblazoned with the Warner Bros. logo. When you re-watch, you’ll spot that the logo gets darker and becomes covered in cracks and blemishing as the film series goes on. As the adventures get more and more dark and dangerous, it’s only fair that the Warner Bros. logo follows suit! 

*The Harry Potter films [are currently playing back-to-back in the US during the Thanksgiving weekend](https://www.usanetwork.com/wizardingworld/watch). Check your local TV listings to see exactly when and where, from 28th November to the 30th. There’s always time for another rewatch!*


news

Introducing Wizarding World Gold

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From eBooks to exclusive series, priority ticketing to collectible pins – here’s a guide to the glittering goodies that come with [your subscription.](http://wizarding.world/AboutGold)

Are there any Nifflers around? Keep your eyes peeled for them, because we’re about to talk about Gold. Launching this autumn, [Wizarding World Gold](http://wizarding.world/AboutGold) is an annual paid subscription that promises to serve up all manner of Wizarding World treats. Currently on offer to UK and US-based fans (with more countries to follow in the coming months), it’s available to pre-order now and will enhance your free membership of the Official Harry Potter Fan Club.

Here are just some of the things on offer…

### A magical welcome gift

Subscribers will receive a magical welcome gift, including a postcard-sized print of J.K. Rowling’s sketch of Hogwarts, an exclusive collectible pin and a personalised, interactive journal we’re calling *Keys and Curios*. 

### Curious about *Keys and Curios*? Read on…

This beautiful journal will arrive personalised with your name, Hogwarts house and more. And *Keys and Curios* knows more about you than just your house – flip through its pages to find personalised surprises and, as the title may suggest, discover Enchanted Keys that you can scan with your Wizarding World app to unlock hidden secrets. Each month will offer up something new, display gorgeous themed artwork from across the Wizarding World and propose regular activities for you to scribble in.

(And it absolutely won’t be mistaken for Tom Riddle’s diary!)

Did we mention? The *Keys and Curios* cover is specially designed by the graphic design team behind the *Harry Potter* and *Fantastic Beasts* films, MinaLima.

Those that take advantage of the pre-order window can be among the first to receive this amazing journal. We really hope you like it.

### And even more magic

As well as your welcome gift, a 12-month Wizarding World Gold subscription will also give you*:

•	__Wizarding World Originals__ – Our new exclusive video series, set to unravel the mysteries and uncover the secrets from all corners of the Wizarding World.

•	__All 7 eBooks of the original Harry Potter stories__ – Take the magic of J.K. Rowling’s stories wherever you go with these 7 eBooks, available on the Wizarding World app for the duration of your subscription. 

•	__Collectible pin badges__ – You’ll receive the first pin badge in your welcome gift. But there are more to collect!

•	__Special events__ – Access Gold subscriber events throughout the year, such as the Wizarding World Gold Christmas Party in the Great Hall at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, later this year.

•	__Exclusive discounts__ – Enjoy discounts from the Wizarding World.com shop, Platform 9¾ store in London’s King’s Cross Station, and shops within Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, as well as discounts on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ Exclusive Vacation Package at Universal Orlando Resort.

•	__Priority booking__ – Priority access to tickets for the most popular Wizarding World events and locations, including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child shows in London, New York and San Francisco as well as Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. 

•	__Early access__ – Unlock early access to limited-edition Wizarding World Gold merchandise ranges and curious collectibles - before they go on general release. 

•	__Plus, plenty of perks__ – including new quizzes and puzzles, chances to win once in-a-lifetime experiences and much, much more! 

__Enjoy all this for just $74.99 (US) and £59.99 (UK).__

*Certain Gold benefits are subject to availability and change from time to time. Some exclusions and other conditions may apply.

*Any extra questions on Wizarding World Gold? [Click here](http://wizarding.world/AboutGold) to learn more. And watch out for peeping Nifflers!*


Fantastic Beasts, Magical Creatures and the Wonder of Nature

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Mythical beasts have fascinated authors and artists throughout time, and these creatures are often inspired by the real-life wonders of nature. Thanks to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter stories and the Fantastic Beasts films, we have followed Harry and Newt as they introduced us to all manner of magical creatures and fantastic beasts. With a wealth of legend and mystery behind them, and their links with remarkable animals of the natural world, the Wizarding World has joined up with some very special partners to deliver a new stand-out project.

In the UK in 2020, Warner Bros., the Natural History Museum, BBC, Bloomsbury Publishing and Pottermore Publishing will all be exploring the parallels between these magical creatures and how nature inspired the creative teams that brought them to life onscreen and on the illustrated page.  

Here’s a taster of what’s in store...

BBC One is creating a new documentary, to be presented by Stephen Fry, which will dive into the fascinating history of some of the world’s most awe-inspiring beasts (we’ll have more news on when that will air soon, so watch this space).

In spring, the exhibition *Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature* will open at London’s Natural History Museum. An international tour will soon follow.

Both the documentary and exhibition will look at remarkable animal behaviours and abilities in the natural world, and explore the history as well as connections that inspired and helped bring to life the magical creatures of the Wizarding World. Beasts, both magical and Muggle, will have their stories told, from 11,000-year-old woolly rhinos to Erumpents and Zouwus. Through innovative storytelling, both teams hope to inspire visitors and viewers to help care for and protect the planet today, and in the future.  

Bloomsbury, the original publisher of the Harry Potter books, will be working closely with the experts at the Natural History Museum to bring this exhibition to life on the page, as well as the Pottermore Publishing team, who will bring their digital and audiobook expertise to the project.

*That’s all for now, more details will follow over the coming months.*

Introducing new puzzles to the Wizarding World app 

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Merry Christmas!

Seeing as it’s the festive time of year, ‘tis the season for curling up on a squishy chair with a good puzzle. If you’re subscribed to Wizarding World Gold (you can [learn more about Gold here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/about-gold)) get ready for regular challenges, starting with some wordsearches, which will come with their own magical twists. 

If you’re a Fan Club member, you can have a go at our first puzzle today. Check your app now to try it out.

For Gold members, you’ll begin to see wordsearches popping up in your feed, but keep checking in, for more puzzle-types are on the way, ranging from easy, medium and hard. And be warned, the hard puzzles really will be a challenge...

And, seeing as this is the Wizarding World, expect your puzzles to be peppered with a little sorcery, which shall become apparent once you start playing. Some puzzles will also come with secret codes, which you can unlock with the Wizarding World app for an extra treat.

*Play our first puzzle in the Wizarding World app from today - with more to come!*

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts cast members join forces for Lumos charity album A Magical Time of Year 

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Fancy hearing David Bradley (AKA Argus Filch) try his hand at some Bing Crosby? Or Dan Fogler and Ezra Miller join up for a Hanukkah classic? These are just a few of the joys of A Magical Time of Year, a new compilation album recorded to raise money for the Lumos Foundation, a charity founded by J.K. Rowling.

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Various cast members from the likes of *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* and the Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter films, lent their voices to create this seasonal collection just in time for the holiday season. Take a look at the track list to see who got involved.

TRACK LIST 
1.	What Christmas Means to Me – Thomas Aldridge
2.	Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! – Claudia Kim
3.	It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas – Kevin Guthrie 
4.	The Christmas Song – Chris Jarman
5.	Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah – Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller 
6.	Silent Night – Michelle Gayle
7.	Merry Christmas Everyone – Warwick Davis
8.	Santa Baby – Poppy Corby-Tuech
9.	What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve – Thomas Aldridge, Michelle Gayle
10.	Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Alison Sudol
11.	White Christmas – David Bradley
12.	Come, O Come, Emmanuel – William Nadylam
13.	O Holy Night – Ezra Miller 

Professor Flitwick actor and Lumos ambassador Warwick Davis, one of the contributors to the album, said of the experince: 

'I had such fun singing ’Merry Christmas Everyone’, a song I’ve loved since the original recording by Shakin’ Stevens. Through your support of this album, you’ll be helping Lumos make a real difference to the lives of children and families, and be adding a little magic to your holidays.'

A Magical Time of Year will be coming out this week on 29 November, with three teaser tracks available to download or stream from today. A percentage of the proceeds will go to the Lumos foundation, helping vulnerable children all across the world leave orphanages and reunite with their families.

To find out more about the album, [visit the Lumos website.](https://www.wearelumos.org/get-involved/magical-time-of-year/)

All they want for Christmas: A Harry Potter gift guide

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An illustration of a snowy Hogsmeade and the exterior of the Three Broomsticks.

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A snowy Hogsmeade with Hermione Ron and an invisible Harry.

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## Rubeus Hagrid: a new recipe book

A very well-meaning cook, [Hagrid](/image/an-apron-clad-hagrid) could nonetheless use a few pointers in the kitchen if his jaw-breaking rock cakes are anything to go by. [Mrs Weasley](/features/molly-weasley "Molly Weasley") could undoubtedly recommend a good one. He’d probably prefer a [dragon](/features/dragons "Dragons"), though.

## Gilderoy Lockhart: a framed picture of himself
With his dazzling smile and coiffed blonde locks, [Lockhart](/features/gilderoy-lockhart "Gilderoy Lockhart") never lost his love of signing his own pictures, even when he ended up in [St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries](/writing-by-jk-rowling/illness-and-disability), so he would be delighted with another framed photo of those pearly whites.

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## Mr Weasley: a Muggle computer
Good old [Arthur](/features/arthur-weasley "Arthur Weasley") just can’t help himself when it comes to [Muggle](/collection/muggles "Muggles") artefacts – they’re a real source of wonder to him. So imagine his excitement if he was given a Muggle computer. Not only do they run on ‘[eckeltricity](/writing-by-jk-rowling/technology "Technology by J.K. Rowling")’, they also have plenty of wires to keep him occupied. Of course, he’d probably end up bewitching it in some way and having to hide it in his shed in case Molly ever found out. 

## Ron Weasley: new dress robes
[Harry](/features/harry-potter "Harry Potter") did ask the Weasley twins to buy [Ron](/features/ron-weasley "Ron Weasley") a new set after he gifted them both his Triwizard Tournament winnings, but we never actually saw them. So just to make sure that poor old Ron never has to wear that [frilly maroon monstrosity](/image/dress-robes) again, a sleek, black stylish cloak would be just the thing.

## Hermione Granger: a trip to the British Library
Her constant refrain of ‘I’m going to the library’ almost became her catchphrase, and there are few wizarding books [Hermione](/features/hermione-granger "Hermione Granger") hasn’t read –  even the ones she’s not strictly supposed to have access to. The only thing is, a day out at this wondrous institution probably wouldn’t be long enough for [Hogwarts](/features/hogwarts "Hogwarts")’ resident bookworm.

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## Professor McGonagall: a tin of shortbread
The head of [Gryffindor](/collection/all-about-gryffindor "Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor") is a woman of simple tastes, but she does keep a jar of biscuits on her desk, so she must enjoy the odd [treat](/feature/sweets-and-treats-infographic "Sweets and treats from the wizarding world") or two. With a nod to her [Scottish roots](/writing-by-jk-rowling/professor-mcgonagall), a slab of buttery shortbread would no doubt raise one of [Professor McGonagall’s](/features/minerva-mcgonagall "Minerva McGonagall") rare smiles.  

## Albus Dumbledore: a new pair of socks
[Dumbledore](/features/albus-dumbledore "Albus Dumbledore") told Harry that when he looked in the [Mirror of Erised](/features/the-mirror-of-erised "The Mirror of Erised") he saw himself holding a new pair of thick woollen socks, because one can never have enough socks. Although he may not have been entirely truthful, it does make the task of what to get the wizard-who-has-everything much easier. Socks it is. And we’ll chuck in a bowl of Liquorice Wands for his sweet tooth too.

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