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Behind the scenes with Hogwarts Mystery’s new Valentine’s Day side quest

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If you’ve ever been unsure what to wear for that special someone on a Valentine’s Day date, you will probably enjoy this new behind-the-scenes video from Jam City. It shows the intensive creative process behind the customisable character outfits they are introducing for its new Valentine’s Day side quest.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It&#39;s the season of love! Here&#39;s a sneak peek at how all the beautiful Valentine&#39;s date outfits come to life in <a href="https://twitter.com/HogwartsMystery?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HogwartsMystery</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HPHM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HPHM</a> ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/huKGARk8cW">pic.twitter.com/huKGARk8cW</a></p>&mdash; Wizarding World (@wizardingworld) <a href="https://twitter.com/wizardingworld/status/1230178247301832704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

From initial designs, through their customisation and 3D teams, and finally the content team who implement them in the game, you get an idea of just how collaborative you need to be to create such polished work. 

Oh, and you also get to learn what ‘orthos’ are exactly, as well as which wizarding world teacher takes a starring role in the new side quest.

*Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is available from the [App Store](https://app.adjust.com/txtawi7?campaign=Valentines&deeplink=com.jamcity.potter%3A%2F%2Fapp) and [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tinyco.potter&hl=en_GB)*

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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!*

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

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Which Quidditch position would be right for you? 

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## For thrill-seeking adventurers, you should be a Seeker 

*Notable Seekers*: Viktor Krum, Glynnis Griffiths, Harry Potter, Charlie Weasley

*Seeker objective*: Catch the Golden Snitch before the other team’s Seeker

__Seeker would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__
… you keep a cool head under pressure and never shy away from shouldering responsibility. Individuality is important to you; you love the limelight, but you believe working as part of a team makes your success all the more meaningful. You notice small details that other people don’t and often follow your instincts when the way forward is unclear. You are bold and brave in the face of physical danger and would never dream of running the other way. 

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## For a goal-orientated team player, you should be a Chaser 

*Notable Chasers*: Ginny Weasley, Dragomir Gorgovitch, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell

*Chaser objective*:  Throw the Quaffle through one of the three goal hoops

__Chaser would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__ 
… you’re a team player and feel most fulfilled when working towards a common goal. You read situations quickly, and often successfully pre-empt a particular outcome. You don’t crack under pressure, but you prefer to share the burden of responsibility with a select and trustworthy few. You’re excellent at thinking on your feet and unafraid of a challenge. You don’t shy away from hard work and are a fan of the mantra, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. For you, victory isn’t sweet unless it’s shared. 

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Quidditch Pitch and its stands from the Half Blood Prince 

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## For the selfless, you should be a Keeper 

*Notable Keepers*: Oliver Wood, Ronald Weasley, Barry Ryan, Cormac McLaggen

*Keeper objective*: Protect the hoops from goal-scoring Chasers

__Keeper would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__ 
… you’re an all-or-nothing kind of person, for whom there is no middle ground. Good or bad, that’s how you see things. You save the goal, or you let it in – no grey area exists. You stand strong in the face of adversity and cope well under pressure, as well as under intense scrutiny. You are happy to sacrifice personal glory for the good of others, even if it means you’re the centre of negative (rather than positive) attention. When it comes to a showdown, you always stand your ground. Some might describe you as an unsung hero or heroine, but you don’t need their praise to know your own worth. 

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## For the free-spirited exuberant, you should be a Beater 

*Notable Beaters*: Kevin and Karl Broadmoor, Gwenog Jones, Fred and George Weasley

*Keeper objective*: Protect team members from Bludgers using a bat

__Beater would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__ 
… you’re fiercely protective of your friends, sometimes taking it to... extremes. Rather than focussing on specific goals, you prefer to take life as it comes, and go with the flow. When you have a challenge in your sights, however, there’s no holding you back. You’re a team player, but only as long as you’re enjoying your own role within the group. You prefer to tackle new obstacles as they arise, rather than plan for them in advance. People call you unpredictable, mainly because you have a strong sense of fun and nobody can tie you down. You only live once, right?

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## For the thick-skinned, you should be a referee 

*Notable referees*: Madam Hooch, Hassan Mostafa

*Referee objective*: Implement the rules of Quidditch in a fair manner

__Referee would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__ 
… you have a clear and unshakeable moral compass and don’t mind getting a bit of stick. You are never swayed by bias and judge events based on the facts in front of you rather than making any assumptions, even if people are arguing otherwise. If you are convinced of a particular way forward, you will not be deterred, even if it makes you unpopular. Indeed, a referee of any sport requires a thick skin, and judging by some of the injuries we’ve heard about Quidditch referees suffering, we might mean literally. 

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## If you have a way with words, you should be a commentator 
 
*Notable commentators*: Lee Jordan, Luna Lovegood, Ludo Bagman

*Commentator objective*: Communicate the action on the Quidditch pitch to the crowd

__Commentator would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__ 
… you prefer to watch the action rather than be caught up in it – but that doesn’t mean you don’t know exactly what’s going on. You like facts and figures, and you have an excellent memory for names and faces. You have a love of words and like the sound of your own voice, and others like listening to you too. You are generally trustworthy, honest and call things as you see them. You also have an infectious sense of humour and don’t mind being the centre of attention – even if you’re happy on the sidelines most of the time. And, of course, you are absolutely, 100% impartial.  

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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.
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### 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.  
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### 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. 
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### 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. 
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### 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?

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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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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The Arthur and Molly Weasley Quiz

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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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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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JKR Sorting Hat illustration

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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.

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Perhaps no students (even including Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Tom Riddle) have ever explored the castle and grounds of Hogwarts as thoroughly and illicitly as the four creators and contributors to the Marauder’s Map: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.

James, Sirius and Peter were not initially impelled to explore the school grounds by night out of devilment alone (though that played its part), but by their desire to help their dear friend Remus Lupin to bear his lycanthropy. Prior to the invention of the Wolfsbane Potion, Lupin was compelled to undergo an excruciating transformation every full moon. Once his condition was discovered by his three best friends, they sought a way to render his transformations less solitary and painful, which led to them learning to become (unregistered) Animagi, so that they could keep him company without harm to themselves. The ability of Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and James Potter to become, respectively, a dog, a rat and a stag, enabled them to explore the castle grounds by night undetected. The interior of the castle, meanwhile, was mapped over time with the help of James Potter’s Invisibility Cloak.

The Marauder’s Map is lasting testimony to the advanced magical ability of the four friends who included Harry Potter’s father, godfather and favourite teacher. The map they created during their time at Hogwarts appears to be a blank piece of parchment unless activated by the phrase: ‘I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,’ a phrase that, in the case of three of the four makers, should be understood as a joke. The ‘no good’ of which they wrote never denoted Dark magic, but school rule-breaking; similar bravado is evinced by their use of their own nicknames on the map (‘Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs’).

The magic used in the map’s creation is advanced and impressive; it includes the Homonculous Charm, enabling the possessor of the map to track the movements of every person in the castle, and it was also enchanted to forever repel (as insultingly as possible) the curiosity of their nemesis, Severus Snape.

Although the precise circumstances surrounding the makers’ loss of their map are not given in the Harry Potter novels, it is easy to conclude that they eventually over-reached themselves and were cornered by Argus Filch, probably on a tip-off from Snape, whose obsession it had become to expose his arch-rival, James Potter, in wrongdoing. The masterpiece of a map was confiscated in Sirius, James, Remus and Peter’s final year and none of them were able to steal it back from a well-prepared and suspicious Filch. In any case, their priorities changed in their final months at school, becoming far more serious and focused on the world beyond Hogwarts, where Lord Voldemort was successfully rising to power. All four of the map’s creators would shortly be inducted into the renegade organisation headed by Albus Dumbledore, the Order of the Phoenix, and a map of their old school – no matter how ingenious – would no longer be of use to them except as a piece of nostalgia.

The Marauder’s Map was, however, of immense use to the young Weasley twins. The story of Fred and George’s acquisition of the map is told in *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*. It was a mark of their high esteem for Harry Potter, and their belief that he stood in need of assistance with a destiny none of them yet fully understood, that they later gifted the map to him, unwittingly passing it on to the child of one of the creators.

The map was subsequently confiscated from Harry Potter by a Death Eater in disguise at the school, who recognised it as a likely source of his own discovery.

## J.K. Rowling’s thoughts

The Marauder’s Map subsequently became something of a bane to its true originator (me), because it allowed Harry a little too much freedom of information. I never showed Harry taking the map back from the empty office of (the supposed) Mad-Eye Moody, and I sometimes regretted that I had not capitalised on this mistake to leave it there. However, I like the moment when Harry watches Ginny’s dot moving around the school in *Deathly Hallows*, so on balance I am glad I let Harry reclaim his rightful property.

Hatstall

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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.

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