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Wizarding World kisses: how does your favourite rank on our Kiss-O-Meter?

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### Hermione Granger & Ron Weasley: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

The moment: 

>‘Hang on a moment!’ said Ron sharply. ‘We’ve forgotten someone!’ 
>
>‘Who?’ asked Hermione. 
>‘The house-elves, they’ll all be down in the kitchen, won’t they?’ 
>
>‘You mean we ought to get them fighting?’ asked Harry. 
>
>‘No,’ said Ron seriously, ‘I mean we should tell them to get out. We don’t want any more Dobbys, do we? We can’t order them to die for us –’  

>There was a clatter as the Basilisk fangs cascaded out of Hermione’s arms. Running at Ron, she flung them around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Ron threw away the fangs and broomstick he was holding and responded with such enthusiasm that he lifted Hermione off her feet'.
>
>*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* 
 
The verdict: We absolutely love that it was house-elf rights that finally got these two to take the leap. What with the Basilisk fangs in Hermione’s arms and the impending Battle of Hogwarts, we’re not entirely sure it was the most romantic of settings. But it didn’t seem to matter to them, although Harry did mention it:  

>‘Is this the moment?’ Harry asked weakly, and when nothing happened except that Ron and Hermione gripped each other still more firmly and swayed on the spot, he raised his voice. ‘OI! There’s a war going on here!’

Spoil sport.  

__Our Kiss-O-Meter says:__

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### Ron Weasley & Lavender Brown: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The moment: 

There, in full view of the whole room, stood Ron wrapped so closely around Lavender Brown it was hard to tell whose hands were whose.  

>‘It looks like he’s eating her face, doesn’t it?’ said Ginny dispassionately. ‘But I suppose he’s got to refine his technique somehow. Good game, Harry.’  
><br>*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

The verdict: We’ve chosen Ron and Lavender’s first kiss for our Kiss-O-Meter, but this was by no means the last. Poor Harry had to put up with their persistent snogging. We were told that Lavender ‘seemed to regard any moment that she was not kissing Ron as a moment wasted’ – well, she certainly gets ten out of ten for effort. Although this particular kiss did break Hermione’s heart so that may affect our Kiss-O-Meter…  

__Our Kiss-O-Meter says:__

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### Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince  

The moment: 

>Harry looked around; there was Ginny running towards him; she had a hard, blazing look in her face as she threw her arms around him. And without thinking, without planning it, without worrying about the fact that fifty people were watching, Harry kissed her.  
>
>After several long moments – or it might have been half an hour – or possibly several sunlit days – they broke apart.  
><br>*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*
 
The verdict: We love how Harry seemed at this moment. Harry, who’d been plagued with the mystery of Malfoy, learning the true horror of Horcruxes with Dumbledore and following Riddle’s past for most of Half-Blood Prince, finally gets to experience something wonderful. And don’t even get us started on Ginny’s blazing look, fresh from her Quidditch glory and determined to get what she wants.  

__Our Kiss-O-Meter says:__

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### Percy Weasley & Penelope Clearwater: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 

The moment:  

>‘Oh, that,’ said Ginny, giggling. ‘Well – Percy’s got a girlfriend.’  
>
>Fred dropped a stack of books on George’s head. 
>
>‘What?’ 
>
>‘It’s that Ravenclaw Prefect, Penelope Clearwater,’ said Ginny. ‘That’s who he was writing to all last summer. He’s been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day.’ 
><br>*Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*
 
The verdict: We never actually got to see Percy and Penelope having any romantic moments together, but we absolutely had to include the hilarious moment Ginny revealed their shenanigans. Percy Weasley sneaking around meeting with a girl – what a dark horse! 

__Our Kiss-O-Meter says:__ 

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### Dean & Ginny: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 

The moment: 

>When Harry pushed open the tapestry to take their usual short cut up to Gryffindor Tower, however, they found themselves looking at Dean and Ginny, who were locked in a close embrace and kissing fiercely as if glued together.  
>
>It was as though something large and scaly erupted into life in Harry’s stomach, clawing at his insides: hot blood seemed to flood his brain, so that all thought was extinguished, replaced by a savage urge to jinx Dean into a jelly. 
><br>*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*
 
The verdict: Many of us have been in Harry’s position and seen someone we like kissing someone else. Though our reaction might not have been as strong as Harry’s. We included this kiss because it was clearly quite something – to make Harry want to jinx one of his supposed friends into a jelly! 

__Our Kiss-O-Meter says:__

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### Harry & Ginny: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows  

The moment: 

>‘I’d like you to have something to remember me by, you know, if you meet some Veela when you’re off doing whatever you’re doing.’  
>
>‘I think dating opportunities are going to be pretty thin on the ground, to be honest.’  
>
>‘There’s the silver lining I’ve been looking for,’ she whispered, and then she was kissing him as she had never kissed him before, and Harry was kissing her back, and it was blissful oblivion, better than Firewhisky; she was the only real thing in the world, Ginny, the feel of her, one hand at her back and one in her long, sweet-smelling hair – 
><br>*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*
 
The verdict: Okay, okay we know we’ve already got a Ginny and Harry kiss in this article, but we couldn’t resist this one! We love that Ginny gave him a kiss rather than a birthday present, although you’d think she might have been able to stretch to a Chocolate Frog as well. Turns out there’s nothing like a kiss intended to ward off Veela…  

__Our Kiss-O-Meter says:__

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### Fang & just about anyone he meets: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 

The moment: 

>‘He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.  
>
>There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire and in a corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.  
>
>‘Make yerselves at home,’ said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked. 
><br>*Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*
 
The verdict: Although Fang licking your ears might drench you in dog slobber, we reckon you’d still feel pretty loved by his canine kisses. It seemed like Fang wasn’t fussy but Umbridge didn’t get the same treatment Harry, Ron and Hermione did. Dogs are much cleverer than they look. Just saying.  

__Our Kiss-O-Meter says:__

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Luna Lovegood’s eight wackiest moments

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## That time... she laughed at Ron’s joke for wayyyy too long

We all know Ron Weasley’s a hoot a minute, but there are limits to even his joke-cracking abilities. Granted, his gag about Goyle looking like a ‘baboon’s backside’ was pretty funny but maybe not quite as funny as Luna Lovegood found it. She ‘let out a scream of mirth that caused Hedwig to wake up and flap her wings indignantly and Crookshanks to leap up into the luggage rack, hissing. Luna laughed so hard her magazine slipped out of her grasp, slid down her legs and on to the floor.’
 
## That time... she commentated the Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor Quidditch match

From forgetting the names of players, to pointing out ‘interestingly shaped clouds’, to being ‘singularly uninterested in such mundane things as the score’, Luna commentating the disastrous Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor Quidditch match in *Half-Blood Prince* had to be one of the most unexpected and hilarious moments of the whole series.  

Ron said of the hilarious commentary: ‘I hope Luna always commentates from now on...’ and we whole heartedly agree. And if you don’t, you’ve probably got a case of ‘Loser’s Lurgy’ just like Luna diagnosed for Zacharias Smith during the match. 

## That time... she wore those radish earrings 
 
Yes, you read that right. They were earrings, they were radishes and they were orange. What a look! At least if Luna ever got hungry, she had a healthy snack hanging from her ears to nibble on. We included this moment for more than just the radishes though. The first time Harry noticed Luna’s radish earrings was also when she randomly declared her belief in him: 

> Luna took a great breath and then said, without so much as a preliminary hello, ‘I believe He Who Must Not Be Named is back and I believe you fought him and escaped from him.’<br>
> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*
> <br>

We sometimes wish we could wear our hearts on our sleeves as wonderfully as Luna Lovegood.  

## That time... she wore a roaring Gryffindor lion hat 
 
> ‘I’m supporting Gryffindor,’ said Luna, pointing unnecessarily at her hat. ‘Look what it does...’ She reached up and tapped the hat with her wand. It opened its mouth wide and gave an extremely realistic roar that made everyone in the vicinity jump.<br>
> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*
> <br>
> 

If you’re ever wondering whether you’ve overdone it when showing off your own house pride, just remind yourself of Luna’s lion hat – and she wasn’t even in Gryffindor!

## That time... she warned everyone about the Rotfang Conspiracy

This had to be one of Luna’s wackiest moments of all. In conversation with Harry, Slughorn and Snape at Slughorn’s party, she became very concerned about Harry’s desire to become an Auror. The reason for this? According to Luna, the Aurors were actually ‘part of the Rotfang Conspiracy’. What did this mean, we hear you ask? Luna told the group that the Aurors were ‘working from within to bring down the Ministry of Magic using a combination of Dark magic and gum disease.’ Wow, just wow.





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Luna wearing her roaring Gryffindor Lions Head  

How to make your own Wizarding World Valentine's Day cards 

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Watch our handy guide on how to make your very own Harry Potter-themed Valentine's Day cards. Puns included. 

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This week, we've gone all romantic, and have created these Wizarding World themed Valentine's Day cards you can make along at home. 

Take a look.  

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<br>

Feel free to use your own magical puns if you don't like ours!

You can download our Valentine's Day card templates below. 

[Download our Quidditch-themed card is here.](https://assets.wizardingworld.com/cards/quidditch-card.pdf)<br>
[Or our Felix Felicis-themed card here.](https://assets.wizardingworld.com/cards/felix-card.pdf)

Things we loved when international magical co-operation came to Hogwarts

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### Different wizarding ways to travel  

Before the arrival of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students to Hogwarts we’d already heard of a few exciting ways for wizards to travel: flying cars, Floo powder, Apparition, broomsticks, even Portkeys – an inanimate object that, once bewitched, can ‘transport anyone who grasps it to a pre-arranged destination’. But we have to say the international transport choices made by Beauxbatons and Durmstrang really did blow us away.  

Remember Beauxbatons? A golden carriage the size of a house? Horses the size of elephants? That beats grasping a mouldy old boot at the top of a hill any day of the week! 

And then there was the stately arrival of the Durmstrang ship: ‘Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water, gleaming in the moonlight.’ Impressive.
<br>
### Expanded fashion horizons  

Don’t get us wrong, we are big fans of the Hogwarts robes – warm, practical and…  does black really ever go out of fashion? Severus Snape certainly didn’t think so. And we would have loved to be fitted out at Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions in Diagon Alley. However, we thoroughly enjoyed the different wizarding uniforms fashioned by the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students when they attended Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. 

The Beauxbatons robes of fine silk, though impractical, were undeniably beautiful. And the Durmstrang cloaks made from ‘shaggy, matted fur’ were certainly something. If nothing else, they’d keep any wizard warm in winter. But we suppose at the end of the day, for the students of all three schools, it went further than fashion. What international magical co-operation really meant for them was widening their experience of the wizarding world in as many ways as possible, whether they wore silk, or fur or plain old Hogwarts black.  
<br>
### New faces shaking things up 

Obviously, a fresh batch of first years nervously enters the Great Hall to be sorted every year, so there are new witches and wizards arriving each September. But the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students’ arrival at Hogwarts was a little like an established school body absorbing additional sixth form students. They were new, they were mysterious, some of them were very good looking, and they were the same age – if not older – than many of the Hogwarts students. Cue chaos (Krum-mania), teenage tantrums (Ron) and more than a few crushes (or Fleur-fever, as we like to call it). Nothing like new faces to shake things up and we thoroughly enjoyed it – even if Ron didn’t. 
<br>
### Excuses for Hogwarts to show itself off  

International magical co-operation didn’t mean the three wizarding schools weren’t competitive against each other. As host, Hogwarts certainly wanted to put its best brick forward. As the Triwizard Tournament approached, Harry noticed ‘that the castle seemed to be undergoing an extra-thorough cleaning’. Members of staff also seemed ‘oddly tense’ with Professor McGonagall telling Neville: ‘Longbottom, kindly do not reveal that you can’t even perform a simple Switching Spell in front of anyone from Durmstrang!’  

As well as the Hogwarts home team worrying about the castle’s appearance and the apparent abilities of the students, there was the opportunity for shining as a host of the Yule Ball, a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament. As Professor McGonagall put it, the Yule Ball was a chance for ‘us to socialise with our foreign guests’ and ‘of course a chance for us all to – er – let our hair down’. The glitz, the dancing, the giant revelations, the love triangles, the DRAMA – the Yule Ball really was one of the highlights of the Harry Potter stories, and all thanks to international magical co-operation.  
<br>
### Similarities as fascinating as differences 

We loved how the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang presence at Hogwarts allowed us to compare the way they lived and learned magic to our favourite Harry Potter characters. Remember when the champions were required to have their wands weighed by Mr Ollivander? We learned that although Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour owned wands like Harry and Cedric, Krum’s wand was made by Gregorovitch and Fleur’s had a core – Veela hair – that you’d never find in an Ollivander wand.  

Learning about other schools meant we also found out more about Hogwarts, through Hermione’s reading of Hogwarts: A History, of course. Turns out, just like Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, Hogwarts was hidden: bewitched so that if ‘a Muggle looks at it, all they see is a mouldering old ruin with a sign over the entrance saying DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE’. Though the Triwizard Tournament was notoriously dangerous, this was perhaps what Dumbledore envisaged when he helped revive it – students from different wizarding communities learning about each other and making friends along the way. 
<br>
### New and long-lasting friendships 

It was very heart-warming to read in later books that the new international friendships made at Hogwarts during the Triwizard Tournament stayed strong. Hermione and Krum continued to write letters to each other (in a friend way, Ron – calm down). Fleur ended up married to Bill Weasley, and Krum attended their wedding! How’s that for international magical co-operation?

What if… Harry had gone through the Triwizard Tournament without 'Mad-Eye Moody’s' help?

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__Warning: spoilers for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire are more abundant than gnomes at the Burrow. Proceed with caution!__ 

Harry Potter never asked for help with the Triwizard Tournament. And he certainly never asked to be assisted by Death Eater Barty Crouch junior disguised as famous Auror Mad-Eye Moody. In fact, he never actually asked for his name to be entered into the Goblet of Fire in the first place. It’s complicated. 

Let’s take this step-by-step and explore how we think Harry would have fared in the Triwizard Tournament without Mad-Eye Moody’s help.

Oh, and you might notice we’ve referred to Barty Crouch junior as Mad-Eye Moody in the title of this article to save people from spoilers. For consistency, we’ll be referring to Barty Crouch junior as Mad-Eye Moody throughout, just to put you in the same position as Harry and keep you on your toes.

## The Goblet of Fire hurdle


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According to the new rules of the Triwizard Tournament, Dumbledore drew an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire, to prevent anyone under seventeen from entering. Harry was as surprised as everyone else when his name came out as a fourth Triwizard champion. Only later did he find out that it was Mad-Eye Moody who put his name in the Goblet of Fire, under the name of a different school. But if Harry had really wanted to enter the Tournament, could he somehow have figured out a way around Dumbledore’s Age Line? 

Fred and George Weasley attempted it with an Ageing Potion and, as Hermione predicted, it didn’t work. But what about if Hermione had really put her mind to it and helped Harry enter the Triwizard Tournament? Could she have used her famous logic to outsmart even Albus Dumbledore? After all, Mad-Eye Moody did, and he wasn’t even the real Mad-Eye. 
One hurdle might have been Hermione not being all too keen on breaking rules. But then she did brew Polyjuice Potion in her second year at Hogwarts, breaking – in her words – ‘about fifty school rules’. 

For the sake of argument, let’s say Harry managed to persuade Hermione to help him, and as a Hogwarts champion, he progressed to the first task… 


## Here be Dragons

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Harry holding his wand in the first task of the Triwizard Tournament 

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It was Mad-Eye Moody who nudged Hagrid into showing Harry the dragons, as well as Mad-Eye who helped Harry see how he could play to his Quidditch strengths to succeed in the first task.

But we’re not entirely sure what difference Mad-Eye Moody’s help actually made on this particular task. Hagrid was never a brilliant keeper of secrets – in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, his catchphrase could have been, ‘I shouldn’ta told yeh that!’. And given how much Hagrid cared about Harry, we reckon he would have been likely to show Harry the dragons anyway, to prepare him. Even if Hagrid hadn’t, we’re not entirely sure it was helpful for Harry to have seen the Hungarian Horntail up close. Arguably, it made him even more nervous just before he was about to begin the first task! 

We should also add into our considerations the fact that Harry wasn’t as unfamiliar with dragons as some of the other Triwizard champions might have been. He’d unwillingly come far too close to a Norwegian Ridgeback in his first year at Hogwarts – a dragon Hagrid affectionately named Norbert. Perhaps this familiarity might have helped him in the first task, even without the dragon warning?

Then there is the small matter of getting past the dragon and retrieving the golden egg. Would Harry have been prepared to do this without Mad-Eye Moody’s hints about using a broom? It’s worth remembering that it was actually Harry who worked out that he’d need a Summoning Charm. And then it was Hermione who helped Harry to learn how to Summon his broom from a great distance. Had they had prior warning from Hagrid about the dragons, we reckon Harry and Hermione might have worked things out on their own. 
On to the second task… 
  
## Anyone fancy a swim?

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Hermione wrapping Harry in a towel after task 2 

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Mad-Eye Moody told Harry that it was he who told Cedric Diggory to open the golden egg underwater, and then trusted that Cedric would pass the information on to Harry in repayment for the dragons. But it was actually Harry who made the decision to tell Cedric about the dragons himself, so that all the champions were on an equal footing for the first task. Also, Mad-Eye Moody might have pointed Cedric in the right direction with the egg, but Cedric was a clever and resourceful student, as well as kind; he may very well have worked it out on his own and shared the information with Harry anyway.

The trickster Moody also planted (excuse the pun) the book Magical Mediterranean Water-Plants and Their Properties in Harry’s Gryffindor dormitory – and by planted we mean he gave it to Neville Longbottom. When Harry didn’t ask Neville for help, Moody then staged a conversation with Professor McGonagall about Gillyweed in front of Dobby, who ‘ran straight to Snape’s store- cupboard’ to get a mouthful for Harry in time for the second task. 

We think that the question of how Harry would have fared in the second task without Moody’s interference really comes down to loyalty. Harry was a loyal friend and inspired loyalty in others too – perhaps his Gryffindor roots were to thank for this? Neville was great at Herbology and may well have known about Gillyweed even without the book. Perhaps at the eleventh hour, Harry might have sought him out, and no doubt Neville would have helped him anyway.

Then there’s the matter of the second task itself. Moody might have helped with the Gillyweed but he didn’t help down in the lake. Professor Lupin taught Harry about Grindylows – they were in his Defence Against the Dark Arts exam in third year. Harry managed to fight them off in the second task, where Fleur failed. It was also Harry’s Gryffindor courage and loyalty that got him the extra points from the second task – saving both Ron and Fleur’s little sister. On to the third and final task… 


## A-MAZE-ing at the maze

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You had an easier time of it than you should have done in that maze tonight, of course,’ said Moody. ‘That was because I was patrolling around it, able to see through the outer hedges, able to curse many obstacles out of your way. I Stunned Fleur Delacour as she passed. I put the Imperius Curse on Krum, so that he would finish Diggory, and leave your path to the Cup clear.’

We don’t want to be rude, but Moody might have had an inflated sense of his own importance here. Harry’s Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons with Lupin the previous year were hugely beneficial to him in the maze – he cast a Patronus and then saw off a Boggart in quick succession. Harry was also very naturally talented at defensive magic, as we saw with his duel with Lord Voldemort only moments after he completed the maze. Also, let’s not forget that the year after the Triwizard Tournament, Harry actually taught defensive magic to a whole bunch of people known as Dumbledore’s Army. 

We can’t say for sure, but we reckon Harry would have had just as good a chance of getting to that cup first as Cedric, or Krum, or Fleur, even without Moody’s interference. 

## Conclusion


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We can’t deny that it would have been tough for Harry to get through to the third task without Moody’s help. But we don’t think it would have been impossible, as long as Harry had help from his friends. 

One of Harry’s greatest qualities was that he knew the importance of friendship and knew that sometimes you just have to ask for a helping hand. It didn’t hurt that one of his best friends happened to be the cleverest witch of her age, either.


Still curious? This is just one of the 'What if' articles in the series. Click [here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/what-if-dumbledore-had-told-harry-that-he-was-the-chosen-one-from-the-beginning "What if Dumbledore had told Harry he was the chosen one article") to read one about Dumbledore...   


For beginners, for novices, for Harry Potter superfans going 20 years-strong, dig deep into the Wizarding World with our collection of features.

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to premiere in Tokyo, Japan in 2022

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Following productions in London, New York, San Francisco, Melbourne and Hamburg, with another in Toronto on the way, *Cursed Child* is gradually making its way around the world. Next stop: Tokyo. 

This is the first time the award-winning play will be opening in Asia and also marks the second non-English language version, following the German production now playing in Hamburg.

The play will be produced in Japan by TBS and HoriPro (who also look after Asian productions of *Billy Elliot the Musical* and *Mary Poppins*) and will run as part of TBS’s 70th anniversary celebrations. The dynamic theatre will also be undergoing a major renovation in anticipation for *Cursed Child*’s arrival and will open as a site-specific venue especially for the occasion! 

We can’t wait to see *Cursed Child* brought to life in a whole new continent. 

*Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will be launching in Tokyo, Japan in 2022, at the TBS Akasaka ACT Theatre. More details as they come!*

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Scholastic reveal new illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone designed by MinaLima

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Along the dusty shelves of the Hogwarts library, young witches and wizards are accustomed to finding books containing magical surprises. Now we can experience a bit of sorcery ourselves with this new, innovative version of the first Harry Potter book.

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From US Harry Potter publishers Scholastic, this new edition of *Sorcerer’s Stone* is adorned with paper craft features and special fold-out pages, artistically recreating the likes of Diagon Alley, and, naturally, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You can even immerse yourself in a pop-out Great Hall feast and (almost) join the festivities yourself.

“This new edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the perfect way to start a new generation of readers on their Hogwarts journey, and at the same time is sure to be a treasured keepsake for fans to add to their collection,” said Ellie Berger, President Scholastic Trade. “The Harry Potter series continues to inspire readers of all ages with its universal themes of friendship, imagination and the triumph of good over evil.”

The book has been designed and illustrated by the talented team at MinaLima, helmed by Mira Mina and Eduardo Lima, who have injected their unique style into the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films.

“Twenty years of designing for the Wizarding World have come full circle in this extraordinary opportunity to depict Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in a whole new way. From creating Harry's Hogwarts acceptance letter for the first film, to envisioning his world for this new illustrated edition, MinaLima's many invitations to visualize this fantastic universe never cease to beguile. We have sought to bring together our artistry with J.K. Rowling's singular storytelling to offer the reader a completely fresh experience of this now new classic work," said Eduardo Lima and Miraphora Mina.

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__Look out for the new edition of *Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone*, coming 20 October 2020, published by Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the US.__


First official Harry Potter flagship store to open in New York later this summer

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This first-of-its-kind Wizarding World experiential store will serve as a next-door neighbour to one of New York’s most iconic landmarks, the Flatiron Building, at 935 Broadway. So, unlike Diagon Alley, Muggles certainly won’t miss this. 

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The Harry Potter New York store will house the largest collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products in the world under one roof.

Wizarding World fans will be able to peruse everything, from Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans to personalised robes, along with rare collectible items, hand-signed artwork, and exclusive ranges. The building is designed to be fully accessible for wheelchair users. 

Sarah Roots, Senior Vice President for Worldwide Tours and Retail at Warner Bros., said:

‘This will be the largest dedicated Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts store in the world and will become a must-visit fan destination where Wizarding World enthusiasts can engage with interactive experiences and numerous photo opportunities as they step into the magic.’

So, for now, enjoy some of the concept designs and look out for more details coming later this year.

Get early access & benefits for Fantastic Beasts exhibition with Wizarding World Gold

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[Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/fantastic-beasts-magical-creatures-wonder-of-nature), is coming soon to the Natural History Museum in London. It explores how the real and wizarding world intertwine: how the wonders of the natural world have inspired myths, legends and magical creatures for generations. Visitors will see creatures, specimens and historic objects from the museum’s world-famous scientific collection, alongside some of our favourite fantastic beasts. Yes, this could indeed include a Niffler.

All manner of wonderful real-world creatures will be featured, from tigers to marine iguanas, and very special exhibits – including the giant oarfish, the world’s longest bony fish. Visitors can channel their inner-Magizoologists on their visit, as they learn the tools and techniques used by Newt as well as real-world scientists and explorers.

Digital installations and props from the films will bring the magic to life. You’ll be able to compare the camouflage tactics of an octopus with the Demiguise, examine the appearance of prehistoric reptiles alongside dragons from the wizarding world, and learn of the mating rituals of the peacock spider, contrasted with the habits of the great Erumpent.

Even better, if you are a member of Wizarding World Gold, you can get 2-day early access to buy tickets for the exhibition, with early access tickets available from 14 January - today!

In addition, Gold subscribers will receive a special 10% discount on tickets purchased on 14 January.*

[Find out more about Gold here.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/about-gold)

And then there's the accompanying BBC One documentary special which is in the works, too, with the working title, Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History. This collaboration between Warner Bros. and the BBC’s Natural History Unit will be presented by none other than Stephen Fry, whose narration of the Harry Potter stories for the UK audiobooks is widely loved by fans old and new.

In a time when looking after our planet and protecting its biodiversity is more important than ever, Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature will inspire Wizarding World fans and nature-lovers alike to learn more about our environment, with the help of some fantastic beasts, be them real or imagined. 

[ *Terms and conditions apply.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/terms/natural-history-gold-terms-conditions)

*Gold subscribers, go to the Wizarding World App to access your tickets today!*

Valentine’s Dinner in the Great Hall returns to the Studio Tour in 2020

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Ah, Valentine’s Day. We can’t say Harry Potter always had the greatest time on Valentine’s Day (just ask Cho Chang about their only date), but nonetheless it is a cause for some much-needed romance in the wizarding world. Who can forget the ‘dozen surly-looking dwarfs’ that Lockhart dressed with golden wings and armed with harps to deliver Valentines messages?!

In the absence of these messengers, we’re pleased to report that  Valentine’s Dinner in the Great Hall will return to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter on Friday 14th, Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th February 2020. 

And we're pleased to say that Wizarding World Gold members will get 48 hours early access to book one of 33 pairs of tickets, 11 pairs per night,  that have been exclusively allocated to Gold subscribers. [Learn more about Gold here.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/about-gold)

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Couples are invited to spend Valentine's Day in a truly magical location this February as Warner Bros. Studio Tour London hosts a romantic dinner in the iconic Great Hall. Each night from Friday 14th February through to Sunday 16th February, guests attending the evening event will be greeted on arrival with welcome drinks and canapés, including a special 'Love Potion' cocktail (no, Snape was not coerced into making this one!), before sitting down to dine on the authentic Great Hall set.

You’ll have your own special romantic space with tables for two and a three-course dinner. Complimentary photos will be taken at the tables.

After dinner, access to the Studio Tour is all yours! Stop for a drink at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters to admire the costumes of film couples Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione from the series’ concluding scene set 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts. After exploring Gringotts Wizarding Bank and having a wander up Diagon Alley, after-dinner tea, coffee and petits fours will be served overlooking the majestic model of Hogwarts castle at the tour’s conclusion.

Wizarding World Gold members will have early access to purchase tickets from Sunday 8 December 2019 at 10:00AM GMT until Tuesday 10 December 2019 at 10:00AM GMT, when tickets go on general sale.

*T&Cs: Event is 18+ only. Tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability. Maximum 1 pair of tickets per Gold subscriber. Other limitations and [terms and conditions apply](https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/terms-and-conditions).

Get the latest Wizarding World news here. Faster than an owl and more accurate than the Daily Prophet

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Quiz

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The Arthur and Molly Weasley Quiz

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The Magic Gone Wrong Quiz

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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and the Chamber of Secrets

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The Gilderoy Lockhart Quiz

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The Divination Quiz

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The Ultimate Defence Against the Dark Arts Quiz

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Dark Mark

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‘The Dark Arts,’ to quote Severus Snape, ‘are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before.' Which means, in order to do well, you're going to have to have had paid attention to Harry's time in Defence Against the Dark Arts. 

Do you have what it takes to become an Auror or are you more of a Gilderoy Lockhart type? Take our Defence Against the Dark Arts quiz to find out... 

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Discover the films

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Take these quizzes and discover how much you really know about the Wizarding World. From spells to ghosts, potions to professors, wands to witches and more.

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Put your wizarding knowledge to the test with curious quizzes for all levels

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J.K. Rowling Originals

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The Sorting Hat

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The famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat gives an account of its own genesis in a series of songs sung at the beginning of each school year. Legend has it that the hat once belonged to one of the four founders, Godric Gryffindor, and that it was jointly enchanted by all four founders to ensure that students would be sorted into their eponymous houses, which would be selected according to each founder’s particular preferences in students.

The Sorting Hat is one of the cleverest enchanted objects most witches and wizards will ever meet. It literally contains the intelligence of the four founders, can speak (through a rip near its brim) and is skilled at Legilimency, which enables it to look into the wearer’s head and divine his or her capabilities or mood. It can even respond to the thoughts of the wearer.

The Sorting Hat is notorious for refusing to admit it has made a mistake in its sorting of a student. On those occasions when Slytherins behave altruistically or selflessly, when Ravenclaws flunk all their exams, when Hufflepuffs prove lazy yet academically gifted and when Gryffindors exhibit cowardice, the Hat steadfastly backs its original decision. On balance, however, the Hat has made remarkably few errors of judgement over the many centuries it has been at work.

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## J.K. Rowling’s thoughts

The Sorting Hat does not appear in my earliest plans for Hogwarts. I debated several different methods for sorting students (because I knew from early on that there would be four houses, all with very different qualities). The first was an elaborate, Heath Robinson-ish machine that did all kinds of magical things before reaching a decision, but I did not like it: it felt at once too complicated, and too easy. Next I placed four statues of the four founders in the Entrance Hall, which came alive and selected students from the throng in front of them while the school watched. This was better, but still not quite right. Finally, I wrote a list of the ways in which people can be chosen: eeny meeny miny mo, short straws, chosen by team captains, names out of a hat – names out of a talking hat – putting on a hat – the Sorting Hat.

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The Potter Family

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The Potter family is a very old one, but it was never (until the birth of Harry James Potter) at the very forefront of wizarding history, contenting itself with a solid and comfortable existence in the backwaters.  

Potter is a not uncommon Muggle surname, and the family did not make the so-called ‘Sacred Twenty-Eight’ for this reason; the anonymous compiler of that supposedly definitive list of pure-bloods suspected that they had sprung from what he considered to be tainted blood. The wizarding Potter family had illustrious beginnings, however, some of which was hinted at in *Deathly Hallows*. 

In the Muggle world ‘Potter’ is an occupational surname, meaning a man who creates pottery. The wizarding family of Potters descends from the twelfth-century wizard Linfred of Stinchcombe, a locally well-beloved and eccentric man, whose nickname, ‘the Potterer’, became corrupted in time to ‘Potter’. Linfred was a vague and absent-minded fellow whose Muggle neighbours often called upon his medicinal services. None of them realised that Linfred’s wonderful cures for pox and ague were magical; they all thought him a harmless and lovable old chap, pottering about in his garden with all his funny plants. His reputation as a well-meaning eccentric served Linfred well, for behind closed doors he was able to continue the series of experiments that laid the foundation of the Potter family’s fortune.  Historians credit Linfred as the originator of a number of remedies that evolved into potions still used to this day, including Skele-gro and Pepperup Potion. His sales of such cures to fellow witches and wizards enabled him to leave a significant pile of gold to each of his seven children upon his death. 

Linfred’s eldest son, Hardwin, married a beautiful young witch by the name of Iolanthe Peverell, who came from the village of Godric’s Hollow. She was the granddaughter of Ignotus Peverell. In the absence of male heirs, she, the eldest of her generation, had inherited her grandfather’s invisibility cloak. It was, Iolanthe explained to Hardwin, a tradition in her family that the possession of this cloak remained a secret, and her new husband respected her wishes. From this time on, the cloak was handed down to the eldest in each new generation. 

The Potters continued to marry their neighbours, occasionally Muggles, and to live in the West of England, for several generations, each one adding to the family coffers by their hard work and, it must be said, by the quiet brand of ingenuity that had characterised their forebear, Linfred.  

Occasionally, a Potter made it all the way to London, and a member of the family has twice sat on the Wizengamot: Ralston Potter, who was a member from 1612-1652, and who was a great supporter of the Statute of Secrecy (as opposed to declaring war on the Muggles, as more militant members wished to do) and Henry Potter (Harry to his intimates), who was a direct descendant of Hardwin and Iolanthe, and served on the Wizengamot from 1913-1921. Henry caused a minor stir when he publicly condemned then Minister for Magic, Archer Evermonde, who had forbidden the magical community to help Muggles waging the First World War. His outspokenness on the behalf of the Muggle community was also a strong contributing factor in the family’s exclusion from the ‘Sacred Twenty-Eight’.  

Henry’s son was called Fleamont Potter. Fleamont was so called because it was the dying wish of Henry’s mother that he perpetuate her maiden name, which would otherwise die out. He bore the burden remarkably well; indeed, he always attributed his dexterity at duelling to the number of times he had to fight people at Hogwarts after they had made fun of his name. It was Fleamont who took the family gold and quadrupled it, by creating magical Sleekeazy’s Hair Potion ( *‘two drops tames even the most bothersome barnet’* ).  He sold the company at a vast profit when he retired, but no amount of riches could compensate him or his wife Euphemia for their childlessness. They had quite given up hope of a son or daughter when, to their shock and surprise, Euphemia found that she was pregnant and their beloved boy, James, was born. 

Fleamont and Euphemia lived long enough to see James marry a Muggle-born girl called Lily Evans, but not to meet their grandson, Harry. Dragon pox carried them off within days of each other, due to their advanced age, and James Potter then inherited Ignotus Peverell’s Invisibility Cloak.

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The Hogwarts Express

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The Hogwarts Express steaming through the country side

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As we know from early historical accounts, and from the evidence of early woodcuts and engravings, Hogwarts students used to arrive at school in any manner that caught their fancy. Some rode broomsticks (a difficult feat when carrying trunks and pets); others commandeered enchanted carts and, later, carriages; some attempted to Apparate (often with disastrous effects, as the castle and grounds have always been protected with Anti-Apparition Charms), others rode a variety of magical creatures.

In spite of the accidents attendant on these various modes of magical transport, not to mention the annual Muggle sightings of vast numbers of airborne wizards travelling northwards, it remained the responsibility of parents to convey their children to school, right up until the imposition of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1692. At this point, it became a matter of urgency to find some more discreet method of transporting hundreds of wizarding children from all over Britain to their secret school in the Highlands of Scotland.

Portkeys were therefore arranged at collecting points all over Britain. The logistics caused problems from the start. Up to a third of students would fail to arrive every year, having missed their time slot, or been unable to find the unobtrusive enchanted object that would transport them to their school. There was also the unfortunate fact that many children were (and are) ‘Portkey-sick’, and the hospital wing was frequently full to bursting for the first few days of every year, while susceptible students overcame their hysterics and nausea.

While admitting that Portkeys were not an ideal solution to the problem of school transportation, the Ministry of Magic failed to find an acceptable alternative. A return to the unregulated travel of the past was impossible, and yet a more secure route into the school (for instance, permitting a fireplace that might be officially entered by Floo powder) was strongly resisted by successive Headmasters, who did not wish the security of the castle to be breached.

A daring and controversial solution to the thorny problem was finally suggested by Minister for Magic Ottaline Gambol, who was much intrigued by Muggle inventions and saw the potential in trains. Where exactly the Hogwarts Express came from has never been conclusively proven, although it is a fact that there are secret records at the Ministry of Magic detailing a mass operation involving one hundred and sixty-seven Memory Charms and the largest ever mass Concealment Charm performed in Britain. The morning after these alleged crimes, a gleaming scarlet steam engine and carriages astounded the villagers of Hogsmeade (who had also not realised they had a railway station), while several bemused Muggle railway workers down in Crewe spent the rest of the year grappling with the uncomfortable feeling that they had mislaid something important.

The Hogwarts Express underwent several magical modifications before the Ministry approved it for school use. Many pure-blood families were outraged at the idea of their children using Muggle transport, which they claimed was unsafe, insanitary and demeaning; however, as the Ministry decreed that students either rode the train or did not attend school, the objections were swiftly silenced.

The Marauder’s Map

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Harry locates the One Eyed Witch using the Maurauder's Map.

From the Sorting Hat to wand woods, the Marauder’s Map and more. Discover the writing and content released by J.K. Rowling on Pottermore.com now available on Wizarding World.

J.K. Rowling Archive - Wizarding world

Explore the inner workings of the wizarding world with a collection of writing from J.K. Rowling