The First Year Hogwarts Professor Quiz

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*Illustration by Jim Kay © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc*

Always. Why the Prince’s Tale is such an emotive chapter

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## The beauty of friendship

In Snape’s memories, Harry – and so the reader – has the opportunity to understand the entire timeline of Severus and Lily’s friendship. They’re both outsiders in their own way. Snape reveals what a tough home life he leads, and as a Muggleborn Lily has been experiencing magic without any reference point for what it is. Until they meet each other. We watch their fledgling friendship blooming, hear Snape’s tiny groan as Lily is sorted into Gryffindor and not Slytherin as he’d hoped, and then watch the difficulties their friendship faces as Snape becomes more involved in the Dark Arts and Lily struggles to understand it. We root for their friendship in spite of it all because their whole pasts are laid in front of us over only a few pages, a few strands of memory.

We can still see – even though Severus and Lily may forget it in their teenage years – that young witch and wizard lying on the leafy ground with a canopy of leaves above their heads. It’s hard not to wish that things had turned out differently for them. That they could have held onto that friendship all the way through their school years instead of drifting apart. And think that perhaps it might have stopped Snape drifting into circles that would only bring him misery and regret. Though, of course, in later life Lily’s doe protects him from that darkness with its silvery light of hope. 

## The power of enduring love

By Chapter Thirty-Three we already know what Lord Voldemort is capable of. We’ve already seen him use the Killing Curse without remorse on countless innocents – on Snape himself – and we’ve even seen him directing an attack on Hogwarts, the only place he ever really had a home. In the context of this and as Snape’s story unravels, we understand the pure depth of the love he has for Lily. A love that had him spying on one of the most dangerous and deadly Dark wizards that ever lived. From the moment we see him going to Dumbledore ¬– ‘Don’t kill me!’ – we understand better the high stakes Snape has been gambling with. We understand that from the moment he goes to Dumbledore until the moment of his death he has been living in fear for his life. And it’s all for love. All for Lily. Snape shows us that love is stronger than fear, and that is something overwhelmingly beautiful. 

## The devastation of unrequited love

‘After all this time?’ Dumbledore asks as Snape casts his doe Patronus. ‘Always,’ Snape answers. And queue the sobbing and broking hearts! This is, perhaps, the most memorable exchange across the whole Harry Potter series. But why? Perhaps in the doe Patronus we truly understand the depth of Snape’s love for Lily, a love that was never returned in the way he would have hoped. Perhaps it’s because many of us have experienced that pain of loving, and wanting and not being wanted in return (perhaps in a romantic way, perhaps by friends, an estranged parent). Perhaps it is also because throughout the Harry Potter series, Patronuses have always been a symbol of hope. Did Snape still hope that Lily would return his love one day? Or was it just enough for him to hold on to a piece of her, her doe, even though he couldn’t bring her back? Whatever it is, the fact that Lily’s doe protects Snape from the depressive darkness of Dementors is something that simultaneously warms and breaks your heart. 

## The complexity of human character 

Snape’s memories reveal him as a very complicated person. And it is emotive and somewhat reassuring to see this complexity of character in another human being. People are complicated because they’re made up of so many different experiences. Snape was a lonely, friendless child. He was a victim of bullying. He was a bully himself. He found hope and friendship in Lily Evans. He called her names. He joined Lord Voldemort. He betrayed him. He loved the Dark Arts. He taught Potions. He accidentally betrayed the person he loved most. He saved Harry’s life on a number of occasions. He protected Hogwarts. All these facets of Snape are laid bare for us, and in them we understand how he became what he was, but also in general how people become who they are. They are made up of the lived parts of their lives. As Sirius once put it, ‘the world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters’ and Snape is a Death Eater but he has also done good. Perhaps there’s hope in this. Just like in his Patronus. 

The truth about the Boy Who Lived at last 
Away from Snape, this chapter gives the truth about Harry at last. It shows a shrewdness and calculative side of Dumbledore that has stayed hidden until this point, and that in itself is disarming. We get answers to questions Harry has asked over and over. About Malfoy, about Snape, about Voldemort, about Dumbledore, and of course, about himself. There is a catharsis in all the revelations. A catharsis that Harry feels too. To have the truth at last. To finally know how to go on. Perhaps even, how to succeed. Even if that comes to making the ultimate sacrifice for the wizarding world. 

Ghostly Helping: 6 times ghosts were more friendly than frightening

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### That time Nearly Headless Nick caused a commotion to distract Filch 

> ‘‘‘Harry! Harry! Did it work?’
> Nearly Headless Nick came gliding out of a classroom. Behind him, Harry could see the wreckage of a large black and gold cabinet which appeared to have been dropped from a great height.
> ‘I persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch’s office,’ said Nick eagerly. ‘Thought it might distract him –’
> ‘Was that you?’ said Harry gratefully. ‘Yeah, it worked, I didn’t even get detention. Thanks, Nick!’’

### That time Moaning Myrtle revealed the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets…  

> ‘…They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then –’ Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining, ‘I died.’
> ‘How?’ said Harry.
> ‘No idea,’ said Myrtle in hushed tones. ‘I just remember seeing a pair of great big yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away ...’ She looked dreamily at Harry. ‘And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she’d ever laughed at my glasses.’
> ‘Where exactly did you see the eyes?’ said Harry.
> ‘Somewhere there,’ said Myrtle, pointing vaguely towards the sink in front of her toilet.’

### That time Peeves gave Umbridge the farewell from Hogwarts she deserved…  

> ‘Professor Umbridge left Hogwarts the day before the end of term. It seemed she had crept out of the hospital wing during dinnertime, evidently hoping to depart undetected, but unfortunately for her, she met Peeves on the way, who seized his last chance to do as Fred had instructed, and chased her gleefully from the premises whacking her alternately with a walking stick and a sock full of chalk. 
> Many students ran out into the Entrance Hall to watch her running away down the path and the Heads of Houses tried only half-heartedly to restrain them. Indeed, Professor McGonagall sank back into her chair at the staff table after a few feeble remonstrances and was clearly heard to express a regret that she could not run cheering after Umbridge herself, because Peeves had borrowed her walking stick.’

### That time the Grey Lady helped Harry work out the location of Ravenclaw’s lost diadem…  

> "‘And ... and the diadem?’
> ‘It remained where I had hidden it when I heard the Baron blundering through the forest towards me. Concealed inside a hollow tree.’
> ‘A hollow tree?’ repeated Harry. ‘What tree? Where was this?’
> ‘A forest in Albania. A lonely place I thought was far beyond my mother’s reach.’
> ‘Albania,’ repeated Harry. Sense was emerging miraculously from confusion, and now he understood why she was telling him what she had denied Dumbledore and Flitwick. ‘You’ve already told someone this story, haven’t you? Another student?’
> She closed her eyes and nodded.
> ‘I had ... no idea ... he was ... flattering. He seemed to ... to understand ... to sympathise ...’
> Yes, Harry thought, Tom Riddle would certainly have under- stood Helena Ravenclaw’s desire to possess fabulous objects to which she had little right.
> ‘Well, you weren’t the first person Riddle wormed things out of,’ Harry muttered. ‘He could be charming when he wanted ...'"

### That time Moaning Myrtle helped the Hogwarts Champions out with their Triwizard clues…  

> "Oh ... I see ...’ said Myrtle, picking at a spot on her chin in a morose sort of way. ‘Well ... anyway ... I’d try the egg in the water. That’s what Cedric Diggory did.’
> ‘Have you been spying on him, too?’ said Harry indignantly. ‘What d’you do, sneak up here in the evenings to watch the Prefects take baths?’
> ‘Sometimes,’ said Myrtle, rather slyly, ‘but I’ve never come out to speak to anyone before.’
> ‘I’m honoured,’ said Harry darkly. ‘You keep your eyes shut!’
> He made sure Myrtle had her glasses well covered before hoisting himself out of the bath, wrapping the towel firmly around himself and going to get the egg.
> Once he was back in the water, Myrtle peered through her fingers and said, ‘Go on, then ... open it under the water!"

### That time Peeves fought for good in the Battle of Hogwarts… 

> “Harry, Ron and Hermione raised their wands at once, ready to strike, but the duellers were weaving and darting around so much that there was a strong likelihood of hurting one of their own side if they cast curses. Even as they stood braced, looking for the opportunity to act, there came a great ‘wheeeeeeeeeeee!’ and, looking up, Harry saw Peeves zooming over them, dropping Snargaluff pods down on to the Death Eaters, whose heads were suddenly engulfed in wriggling, green tubers like fat worms."


Ten of the best bookish Moaning Myrtle moments

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## 1.	That time she reminded Harry, Ron and Hermione that ghosts have feelings too...

*“What are you whispering?’ said Myrtle, staring at him. ‘Nothing,’ said Harry quickly. ‘We wanted to ask –’<br>
‘I wish people would stop talking behind my back!’ said Myrtle, in a voice choked with tears. ‘I do have feelings, you know, even if I am dead.’’*

## 2.	That time she took great delight in Hermione’s misfortune...

*“You’ll be teased something dreadful,’ said Myrtle happily.<br>
‘It’s OK, Hermione,’ said Harry quickly. ‘We’ll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions ...’<br>
It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way with a hearty guffaw.<br>
‘Wait till everyone finds out you’ve got a tail!’’*

## 3.	That time she furiously described herself as a ghost scoreboard...

*“But it can’t hurt you if someone throws something at you,’ said Harry, reasonably. ‘I mean, it’d just go right through you, wouldn’t it?’<br>
He had said the wrong thing. Myrtle puffed herself up and shrieked, ‘Let’s all throw books at Myrtle, because she can’t feel it! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach! Fifty points if it goes through her head! Well, ha ha ha! What a lovely game, I don’t think!”*

## 4.	That time she delighted in telling Harry how she died but also somehow revealed the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets… 

*“To ask you how you died,’ said Harry.<br>
Myrtle’s whole aspect changed at once. She looked as though she had never been asked such a flattering question.<br>
‘Ooooh, it was dreadful,’ she said with relish. ‘It happened right in here. I died in this very cubicle. I remember it so well. I’d hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then –’ Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining, ‘I died.’<br>
‘How?’ said Harry.<br>
‘No idea,’ said Myrtle in hushed tones. ‘I just remember seeing a pair of great big yellow eyes…”*

## 5.	That time she made a rather unappealing offer to Harry...

*“Myrtle goggled at them.
‘You’re alive,’ she said blankly to Harry.
‘There’s no need to sound so disappointed,’ he said grimly,
wiping flecks of blood and slime off his glasses.
‘Oh, well ... I’d just been thinking. If you had died, you’d have been welcome to share my toilet,’ said
Myrtle, blushing silver.’*

## 6.	That time she became very interested in bath bubbles...

*“Well, that’s what Diggory thought,’ she said. ‘He lay there talking to himself for ages about it. Ages and ages ... nearly all the bubbles had gone ...’<br>
‘Underwater ...’ Harry said slowly. ‘Myrtle ... what lives in the lake, apart from the giant squid?’<br>
‘Oh, all sorts,’ she said. ‘I sometimes go down there ... some- times don’t have any choice, if someone flushes my toilet when I’m not expecting it ...”*

## 7.	That time she casually appeared in the Lake during the Second Task...

“‘How are you getting on?’<br>
Harry thought he was having a heart attack. He whipped around, and saw Moaning Myrtle floating hazily in front of him, gazing at him through her thick pearly glasses.<br>
‘Myrtle!’ Harry tried to shout – but, once again, nothing came out of his mouth but a very large bubble. Moaning Myrtle actually giggled.
‘You want to try over there!’ she said, pointing…”

## 8.	That time she gave emotional support to the most unlikely person...

*‘Draco Malfoy was standing with his back to the door, his hands clutching either side of the sink, his white-blond head bowed.<br>
‘Don’t,’ crooned Moaning Myrtle’s voice from one of the cubicles.<br>‘Don’t ... tell me what’s wrong ... I can help you ...’<br>
‘No one can help me,’ said Malfoy. His whole body was shaking.<br>
‘I can’t do it ... I can’t ... it won’t work ... and unless I do it soon ... he says he’ll kill me ...’”*

## 9.	That time she just loved the drama...

*‘Harry did not know what he was saying; he fell to his knees beside Malfoy, who was shaking uncontrollably in a pool of his own blood. Moaning Myrtle let out a deafening scream.
‘MURDER! MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!”*

## 10.	And then proceeded to gossip about it to the whole castle...

*‘The news had travelled very fast: apparently Moaning Myrtle had taken it upon herself to pop up in every bathroom in the castle to tell the story…’*

Learn all about the most magical sport with our new Quidditch collection 

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This week, *Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition* is [bringing the wizarding sport to life in a whole new way.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/interview-with-emily-gravett-for-quidditch-through-the-ages-illustrated-edition)

![Quidditch_Through_The_Ages_Illustrated_Bloomsbury_Cover](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/NhIe06LaqFfUrA22ccvZo/c45341448a9a4dd4c44c3036ffb42161/quidditch-through-the-ages-illustrated-uk.jpg)

To celebrate this exciting new interpretation of the 2001 Hogwarts Library book, we're thinking about Quidditch, Quidditch and more Quidditch.

![scholastic-us-qtta-illustrated-cover](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/6ctXokAsCOPJgF7HWa5HJZ/c30c372ddb5eda4e5f30a85fa111665e/quidditch-us-cover.jpg)

On our Quidditch hub [(which you can visit here)](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/quidditch) you can play quizzes, learn more about the sport, get sneak peeks inside the new *Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition* book and find an exclusive interview with the book's illustrator, Emily Gravett. You can find out which Quidditch position best suits your personality, catch the latest Quidditch news (did you know there's a new Quidditch-themed statue in London's Leicester Square?) and even watch David Tennant and David Beckham regale you with the Quidditch-themed chapter of *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.*

[So get on your broom and get a full Quidditch education! ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/quidditch)

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5 of the most underrated acts of bravery in the Harry Potter series

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## Obliviate  - Hermione Granger

> “I’ve cast a good enough charm to keep them safe and happy. Wendell and Monica Wilkins don’t know that they’ve got a daughter, you see.”*

In *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*, Hermione’s preparations for a life hunting Horcruxes go way beyond deciding whether or not to pack her copy of *Hogwarts: A History*. She tells Harry and Ron that she’s modified her parents’ memories so that they have different names and a life ambition to move to Australia – which they’ve already done. If she survives, she says she will lift the enchantment, but we just can’t imagine the kind of bravery it took for Hermione to cast that charm on her own parents and have them forget her before her very eyes. 

![HP-F7-hermione-looking-sad-article-insert](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/78RzbzYXSFPM7c5bkkt9MK/e52630a18c20b2c1ab45ca5a6c0d6fe7/hermone_.png)

<br>

## Meeting Aragog – Ron Weasley

> “It’s not funny,’ said Ron, fiercely. ‘If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my – my teddy bear into a dirty great spider because I broke his toy broomstick. You wouldn’t like them either if you’d been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and ...”

In *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, we find out that Ron is not at all keen on spiders after Fred’s practical joke on him as a child. Despite this, Ron follows the spiders (and Harry) into the Forbidden Forest, and is then faced with Hagrid’s Acromantula friend (aka a really massive spider), Aragog, before he is swiftly joined by many, many more of his eight-legged friends and family. We have to take our wizard hats off to Ron – despite his fear, as far as we know, he never even thought about leaving Harry to face the Forbidden Forest alone. 

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## Letting go – Harry Potter

> “Ginny, listen ...’ he said very quietly, as the buzz of con-versation grew louder around them and people began to get to their feet. ‘I can’t be involved with you any more. We’ve got to stop seeing each other. We can’t be together.’
> 
> She said, with an oddly twisted smile, ‘It’s for some stupid, noble reason, isn’t it?’
> 
> ‘It’s been like ... like something out of someone else’s life, these last few weeks with you,’ said Harry. ‘But I can’t ... we can’t ... I’ve got things to do alone now.’
> 
> She did not cry, she simply looked at him..’

Harry Potter didn’t get too many normal teenage experiences at Hogwarts. Between feuding with Snape, fighting off Voldemort and hanging out in the past with Dumbledore, there wasn’t an awful lot of time to just be himself, rather than the Boy Who Lived. His relationship with Ginny gave him a chance to feel something unequivocally good, to experience something that made him purely happy that was not at all out of the ordinary or laced with danger. This act of Harry’s – of letting Ginny go to keep her safe – is one of the most gut-wrenching moments throughout the stories. And it might just be one of Harry’s bravest acts too… 

![HarryPotter WB F7 HarryAndGinnyAboutToKiss Still 080615 Land](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/nN3jmmhBviEYku8yG0CyI/f2145da20d8dea175b6735cd9f67e428/HarryPotter_WB_F7_HarryAndGinnyAboutToKiss_Still_080615_Land.jpg)

## St Mungo’s – Neville Longbottom

> ‘His mother tottered away, back up the ward, humming to herself. Neville looked around at the others, his expression defiant, as though daring them to laugh, but Harry did not think he’d ever found anything less funny in his life.’

Neville kept the horror of his parents’ torture by Bellatrix Lestrange a secret for many years at Hogwarts. Whist Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny are visiting Mr Weasley in *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* they bump into Neville, his fierce grandmother and Neville’s parents who are long term residents of the Janus Thickey Ward. We can’t imagine how scary and unsettling it must have been for Neville to find himself face to face with his school friends at St Mungo’s. Neville, yet again, shows a quiet defiance and bravery whilst confronted with the unexpected arrival. Something, no doubt, he has always feared. 
<br>

## Breaking the mould – Dudley Dursley 

> “I don’t think you’re a waste of space.’
>
> If Harry had not seen Dudley’s lips move, he might not have believed it. As it was, he stared at Dudley for several seconds before accepting that it must have been his cousin who had spoken; for one thing, Dudley had turned red. Harry was embarrassed and astonished himself.
> 
> ‘Well ... er ... thanks, Dudley.’
> Again, Dudley appeared to grapple with thoughts too unwieldy for expression before mumbling, ‘You saved my life.’…’

For his whole life, Dudley has heard his parents bad-mouthing, bullying and generally complaining about his wizard cousin, Harry Potter. And yet, at the moment of their parting from Number 4, Privet Drive, Dudley breaks the mould. In direct contradiction to the years of anti-Harry tirades, Dudley shows that he respects Harry, even cares for him. And then he does it again, not only in words this time but in actions: 

> ‘Dudley gently released himself from his mother’s clutches and walked towards Harry, who had to repress an urge to threaten him with magic. Then Dudley held out his large, pink hand.’ 

It’s worth remembering that Dudley has bullied Harry for his entire life up until this point, and there is no excusing it. But there is something quietly brave in Dudley’s gesture. It’s more than just a handshake. It acts like a bridge between two cousins from different worlds; it heals something.

![DudleyDurlsey WB F5 DudleyAgainstWallDuringDementorAttack Still 080615 Land](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/4VWF4jvQwUW0u2yocqa2Sy/a3adba64ccf2fac06579f8bd97d2145f/DudleyDurlsey_WB_F5_DudleyAgainstWallDuringDementorAttack_Still_080615_Land.jpg)


Delving deeper into Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition with Emily Gravett

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*Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition* is out today! And you can catch more from Emily with our [exclusive interview with her here. ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/interview-with-emily-gravett-for-quidditch-through-the-ages-illustrated-edition)

## The tapestry 

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This tapestry, which depicts an ancient hunt for a Golden Snidget, is one of the biggest pieces in the entire book. It took Emily around 2 weeks to complete. If you look closely, it’s filled with all sorts of commotion, magical creatures, a Latin description and other little details.

‘The tapestry, inspired by the Bayeaux tapestry, was a massive challenge actually, because there were so many elements that I had to make look right,’ Emily said. ‘And I’m not a sewer, so I had to figure out a way to make it look like I’d sewn it in Photoshop – working out how to make stitches and then using individual stitches in Photoshop, so it took about two weeks! I scanned in an old piece of linen as the background and then sewed it together digitally.’  

## The leprechaun 

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Emily also called out this Kenmare Kestral’s leprechaun mascot as one of her favourite pieces, which she made a real-life version of using needle-felting. “I still have him somewhere!” she said.

‘Each one of the Quidditch teams has a badge, so I designed them as logos, but then I thought I’d put all the team ‘merchandise’ in there and make that for real – that’s how I ended up making patches too.’ 

## The Quidditch teams


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The British and Irish Quidditch Teams section of the book was one of the first chapters Emily worked on. And for each team, she was sure to include little details that were true to their real-life locations.

‘There’s little chapter headings in the book so I was trying to find references for each place. Appleby, for example, has a horse fair, so that’s why there’s a little carriage on it and Wigtown has the books. 

## The Quidditch players 


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‘I used to play roller derby, so in my head, roller derby and Quidditch have sort of become the same sport. Roller skates and brooms are not the same at all, but it’s that kind of speed and the ‘being hit’ element of it, so I was thinking of safety gear, knee pads and wrist guards, etc. And the players. The thing I liked about roller derby is there’s quite a lot of diversity, in body shapes and sizes, and I wanted to get that across in the team members I was drawing – make sure they weren’t all just svelte athletes. It’s quite an inclusive sport. After all, you’re sitting on a broom!

## The Quidditch balls 


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I was a bit worried about this chapter because at first, I thought it would be a bit dull – it’s just about balls! But the actual fold-out Quidditch balls sort of amazed me – I thought it’d be a great thing to actually put the actual-size of the balls in – so I measured them on Photoshop. When I saw them printed out, I thought, ‘that can’t be right?’. But I did loads of research into the sizes to make sure I had the most accurate Quaffle! 

***

*Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition* is out NOW from [Bloomsbury](https://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/quidditch-through-the-ages-illustrated-edition-9781526608123/?ewid=153) and [Scholastic.](https://scholasticlibrary.digital.scholastic.com/978-1-338-34056-3.html) 

A portion of proceeds from the sale of this edition will go to J.K. Rowling’s own international children’s charity Lumos, which helps some of the world’s most vulnerable children and young people to have a better life; and to Comic Relief.

[And for more Quidditch content – visit our hub.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/quidditch)

Ten of Minerva McGonagall’s best lines

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## 1.	"He’ll be famous – a legend – I wouldn’t be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter Day in future – there will be books written about Harry – every child in our world will know his name!"
*Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (book)*
<br>
## 2.	"The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts."
*Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (book)*
<br>
## 3.	"Perhaps it would be more useful if I were to Transfigure yourself and Mr Potter into a pocket watch? That way one of you might be on time."
*Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (film)*
<br>
## 4.	"You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don’t let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in." 
*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (book)*

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## 5.	"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"
*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (book)*

## 6.	"Alastor, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment, surely Dumbledore told you that?"
*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)*


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## 7.	"Professor McGonagall sat down behind her desk, frowning at Harry. Then she said, "Have a biscuit, Potter."
*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (book)*

## 8.	"Why is it, when something happens, it is always you three?" 
*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)*


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## 9. "Where's Professor Snape?" shouted a girl from the Slytherin table. "He has, to use the common phrase, done a bunk," replied Professor McGonagall, and a great cheer erupted from the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.’
*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (book)*

## 10.	“I’ve always wanted to use that spell!”
*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (film)*

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Some interesting data about your favourite Quidditch teams 

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When you sign up to the Harry Potter Fan Club, one of the fun things you can do is pick your Favourites: AKA your top things about the wizarding world, from favourite characters to favourite Quidditch teams. You can learn more about [Favourites here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/10-interesting-facts-about-your-wizarding-passport-favourites) if you haven’t chosen yours yet!

With the upcoming release of Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition coming soon (published 6th October – [learn more about that here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/bloomsbury-reveal-cover-for-new-illustrated-edition-of-quidditch-through-the-ages)) we’ve been looking into some of your favourite Quidditch teams, all of which are beautifully illustrated in the new book. 

![quidditch-through-ages-page-teams](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/69iw9gqz2I0jMSJIJ4LESj/072b3231fbcbc4e79feaaa60425dfb20/quidditch_pic.jpg)

First, a quick reminder: in the wizarding world, there is a British and Irish Quidditch League, with teams up and down the country representing select villages, towns and cities. Think of it like the wizarding world’s equivalent of the football league. As you can see from Emily Gravett’s illustration above – each team comes with its own history, colours and crest, and you can pick some of these to be your favourite team on your profile here. So, which team resonated with our fans the most? Take a look.
<br>
## The most popular Quidditch team is... 

The Holyhead Harpies! Yes, the Quidditch team (famous for being the only one to be made up entirely of women) struck a chord with our Harry Potter Fan Club members the most, winning the top slot by a landslide. Interestingly, Ravenclaws were the house most likely to pick this team. 

And a fun fact for you: the Holyhead Harpies is the team that Ginny would go on to play for after Hogwarts.
<br>
## And in second place...

The Chudley Canons! Ron Weasley’s beloved team, famous for their vibrant orange colours, came in second place in our list altogether – although Slytherins favoured this team far less than the other three houses... It should be no surprise, however, that Ron’s house, Gryffindor, was the house that were most likely to pick Chudley Cannons as their team. 
<br>
## In third place...

The Falmouth Falcons! A bit more of a leftfield choice makes up our top three, but all four houses are in agreement on this one. Again, Ravenclaws loved them the most, and Hufflepuffs the least. 
<br>
## Other interesting things...

- Ravenclaws were most likely to pick Puddlemere United, the oldest team in the Quidditch league, as their favourite. Also, their outfits are blue which suit the Ravenclaw colours! 

- Slytherins were most likely to pick the team Ballycastle Bats as their favourite. Interesting – Snape, who was Head of Slytherin house, was once described as a bat. 

- In regards to our Favourites and our users, Hufflepuffs were the least interested in picking Quidditch teams, usually placed last looking at the data of each team. Slytherins weren’t far behind them either. Quidditch isn’t for everybody, and that’s OK!

- Ravenclaws, however, just seem to really like Quidditch! Based on these results, anyway. More often than not, Ravenclaws were top of the list when it came to picking favourite teams – seven of them, in fact. 

****

So, did your favourite team make our top three? Or are you yet to pick your [Favourites](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/10-interesting-facts-about-your-wizarding-passport-favourites)?

And remember, *Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition* is released 6th October with [Scholastic in the US](https://scholasticlibrary.digital.scholastic.com/978-1-338-34056-3.html) and [Bloomsbury in the UK](https://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/quidditch-through-the-ages-illustrated-edition-9781526608123/?ewid=153). Or you can visit our [Quidditch hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/quidditch) to learn all about the wizarding sport, with quizzes, features and more. 

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Which wizarding career would be right for you? 

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## Auror: for the brave-hearted dueller 

__Notable Aurors: Mad-Eye Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Harry Potter__ 

*Main responsibility: To protect the wizarding world from Dark forces* 

Auror would be the right wizarding career for you if…  

the only thing you fear is fear itself. We’re kidding, but you do have to be very brave in this line of work. You’d be on the front-line, duelling and catching Dark wizards, in order to protect the wizarding world no matter what. But it’s not all brawn over brains, McGonagall advises Harry that he’d need at least five NEWTs and nothing under “Exceeds Expectations” grade to have a chance of working at the Auror office. For this career, we think you’d also need perseverance (we hear the training programme is gruelling), as well as a strong sense of justice and loyalty.  
<br>

## Hogwarts Professor: for the school-loving over-achiever  

__Notable professors: Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape__ 

*Main responsibility: Passing on your knowledge to the next generation of witches and wizards* 

Hogwarts professor would be the right wizarding career for you if…  

you’re the kind of person who likes to specialise and then learn as much as you can about a particular topic. You’d need to have patience, especially if you had students in your class like troublemakers in chief, Fred and George Weasley. You would also REALLY need to love your subject, whether it be Charms, Transfiguration or Defence Against the Dark Arts – otherwise you’d have a pretty rubbish time and so would your wizarding students. The professors at Hogwarts are all experts in their field, but you’d also need to be able to take that knowledge outside of the classroom and use it to, for example, defend the school in times of peril.  
<br>

## Shop owner: for the creative entrepreneur   

__Notable shop owners: Fred & George Weasley, Florean Fortescue, Mr Borgin & Mr Burke__ 

*Main responsibility: Selling magical wares to the wizarding masses* 

Shop owner would be the right wizarding career for you if…  

you’re an extrovert who likes chatting to strangers and enjoys the hustle and bustle of a busy shopping street. You’d need to be savvy about how many Knuts to a Sickle there are, as well as being a creative type who can come up with innovative ways of presenting your magical goods. You’d have to decide what you’d sell of course, but you’d need to stand out from the crowd if you set up shop in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade. So if the spectacle of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes fills you with ideas and artistic spirit then this might be the wizarding career for you.   
<br>

## Healer: for the responsible all-rounder 

__Notable Healers: Dilys Derwent, Poppy Pomfrey, Hippocrates Smethwyck.__ 

*Main responsibility: Dealing with magical injuries and illnesses*   

Healer would be the right wizarding career for you if…  

you’re a high achiever across the board. To be Healer in the wizarding world you would need at least an “E” at NEWT level in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts. But that’s not all, you have to have a pretty strong stomach when faced with magical injuries – Madam Pomfrey saw some pretty gruesome ones throughout her time, including Harry’s boneless arm! A strong constitution and an excellent mind are a must for this career, but so is a kind and caring heart.  
<br>

## Wandmaker: for the secretive forager  

__Notable Wandmakers: Ollivander, Gregorovitch__ 

*Main responsibility: Making wands and selling them to witches and wizards* 

Wandmaker would be the right wizarding career for you if…  

you’ve got an eye for detail and don’t settle for less than perfection. You’d need to be good at crafts and working with materials – wands don’t make themselves! You’d also need to be a relentless forager, searching for the exact woods and core materials you’d need to make each individual wand. We feel like this career would also suit someone a little mysterious – the wand chooses the wizard after all…  
<br>

## Curse-Breaker: for the adventure-seeking intellectual 

__Notable Curse-Breakers: Bill Weasley__ 

*Main responsibility: Finding treasure for Gringott’s bank*  

Curse-Breaker would be the right wizarding career for you if…  

you’re interested in a ‘challenging career involving travel, adventure and substantial, danger-related treasure bonuses’ – or at least that’s what is said on the pamphlet. Bill Weasley was a curse-breaker and it sounds like you’d need to be pretty smart – he got twelve OWLs. Judging by his example, this career would suit you if you’re into Arithmancy, and you’re cool in a crisis as well as interested in travelling the world. Oh, and you should probably be okay with risk taking – it doesn’t sound like the safest career option out there…  
<br>

## Wizarding writer: for the curious wordsmith 

__Notable writers: Rita Skeeter, Gilderoy Lockhart, Bathilda Bagshot__ 

*Main responsibility: Sharing wizarding stories, knowledge and gossip with quill and ink* 

Writer would be the right wizarding career for you if…  

you just can’t stop scribbling. You would likely be an expressive person who loves to get their thoughts down on paper and has a way with words. If you like investigating and talking to people you might be more suited to the journalistic route like Rita Skeeter. If telling stories is more your cup of Pumpkin Juice then it might be that magical books are your calling – though make sure you avoid presenting fiction as fact like the once-famous Lockhart.   
<br>

## Professional Quidditch player: for the competitive sports-lover  

__Notable Professional Quidditch Players: Viktor Krum, Ginny Weasley, Oliver Wood__ 

*Main responsibility: Playing the glorious game of Quidditch for a living and entertaining the masses* 

Professional Quidditch Player would be the right wizarding career for you if…  

you’re competitive and courageous. Quidditch isn’t for the faint-hearted so you’d need to be fine with the danger of soaring Bludgers and dizzying falls off moving broomsticks. You’d need to be a team player as well as motivated as an individual – particularly if you’re playing a position like Seeker. Fame can come with being a professional player – as Viktor Krum knew very well – so you’d need to be okay with celebrity status and attention too.  

Which of these wizarding careers sounds most like you? Let us know on our Wizarding World Twitter, Instagram or Facebook pages! 

13 interesting things we noticed in the Hogwarts Legacy trailer 

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You can learn more about the [upcoming game, slated for 2021 here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/introducing-hogwarts-legacy-open-world-role-playing-game-set-in-wizarding-world). And for a deep dive into the trailer, simply read on! 


Hogwarts Legacy | Official trailer

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## The flying carriage 

We are immediately greeted with a flying carriage, carrying some packed luggage and a barn owl perched atop, soaring to Hogwarts by moonlight. A familiar image. In the Harry Potter books, there are two ways to get from the Hogwarts Express to the castle – first-years travel by boat (and hope to Merlin they don’t fall into the Great Lake like Dennis Creevey once did) while the older students take flying carriages. But, as we learn in *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, these are actually carriages pulled by Thestrals: magical horse-type creatures who can only be seen by those that have witnessed death.  This moment also reminds us of the opening of *Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald*, where the titular villain is seen riding a similar one.

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## “Hogwarts, Late 1800s”

The trailer establishes when the game is set very early on – the late 1800s. What with all the candles and quills and parchment, Hogwarts was always an old-worldly establishment, even when we visited the Harry Potter stories in the 1990s – so we wonder how really different the school will be in an earlier century? 

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## A familiar voice  

To many, the voiceover from the trailer may have seemed quite familiar. That’s because this happens to be Jim Dale, the much-loved voice of the Harry Potter audiobooks in the US. Hearing Jim’s commentary over the top of Hogwarts Legacy trailer will no doubt be a great comfort to the many fans who grew up with him narrating the books. 

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## The Great Hall 

Speaking of familiar sights, it isn’t long before we are ushered into the Great Hall, complete with floating candles and students happily tucking into one of Hogwarts’ legendary feasts. The impressive graphics of the game allow us to see this location in a whole new light, with reams of detail packed in, from the stained-glass windows to the Hogwarts house crests draped over the tables.  

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## The Hogwarts library, moving portraits and staircases that like to change 

It becomes quickly apparent just how detailed every room of Hogwarts really is in the game, with glimpses of hallways, suits of armour and enchanted staircases, fully developed in high definition. You also see shots of different corridors and maybe even common rooms – which presumably we’ll get to frequent, depending on what house we’re in! One particular room we get to see a lot of in the trailer is the Hogwarts library, packed to the brim with intricately placed nuances. We can see new portraits of wizards we have yet to learn about, shelves full to the brim with books, and even a student fast asleep on top of their work. The attention to detail is stunning!

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## The Sorting Hat 

As we cut to the Sorting Ceremony, we see Hogwarts staff supervising a student about to be sorted. They may be new staff to our eyes, but some things never change, such as the inclusion of the beloved Sorting Hat. Even over a century ago, it was still all shabby and patched up! 

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## New Hogwarts professors

Actually, that should really be old Hogwarts professors. Throughout the trailer, there are Hogwarts staff members dotted everywhere, including the aforementioned two wizards supervising the Sorting Ceremony and a red-headed professor in the greenhouses teaching Herbology. We also see a sullen wizard with long, dark hair strolling around with some sort of bottle. Perhaps a Potions Master? If so, it sounds like the profession lends itself well to sullen, dark-haired wizards, if Severus Snape is anything to go by. 

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## Trolls, dragons and other fantastic beasts  

The trailer showcases magical creatures that we recognise from both Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beasts films, including one student feeding some adorable, wide-eyed Mooncalves. We also spotted a troll, a dragon, a hippogriff, a Graphorn and a few darker creatures that we’ll come on to shortly. 

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## Imaginative magic

This mechanical wizard caught our eye, seemingly Transfigured from a mirror. We’re sure we can expect to see all sorts of imaginative spells and interesting new pieces of witchcraft taught to us during our studies in *Hogwarts Legacy*.


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## Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest 

The nearby wizarding village of Hogsmeade will be a key location students can visit during some downtime from their studies. We’re already looking forward to getting a flagon of Butterbeer in the Hog’s Head. 

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## “A larger world beyond these walls”

We all know how impossibly grandiose and huge Hogwarts castle is, but the game also promises that we’ll be able to go “beyond those walls”. While we already know we’ll be visiting Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest, in one shot of the trailer, we see a Hippogriff flying over the grounds to a rocky area in the distance. In another shot, we see a stone, spiral wall magically opening, as well as otherworldly caves and underground crevasses. So, while Hogwarts and its grounds will feel comfortingly familiar to Wizarding World fans, expect to also explore the unfamiliar...

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## The Inferi, Acromantula and Dementors 

Of course, this wouldn’t be the wizarding world without the darker elements, and the trailer reveals that both Inferi (undead corpses) and Dementors (soul-sucking beings) will appear in the game at some point, most likely for you, the player, to overcome. The presence of these beings also suggests we’ll be visiting them in their habitats – the Inferi seem to be roaming a cave (surely not the one Harry and Dumbledore go to on an ill-fated trip?) and the Dementors could well be coming from Azkaban. We also spot a battle with a giant spider, which we’re assuming is an Acromantula. Arachnophobes, beware. 

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## The man behind the mask 

It also appears that we’ll be meeting some new Dark wizards and witches too. A wizard in an animal skull-esque mask appears towards the end of the trailer, immediately conjuring up connotations of the Death Eaters. He’s also draped in animal attire – look closer and you’ll see his clothes are themed around fur and fangs. What could this mean? 

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__What did you spot?__

We want to know what you thought of the trailer, and any easter eggs you may have found along the way. If you’re old enough, visit our [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/wizardingworld), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/wizardingworld) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/wizardingworld) and tell us what you’re most excited about.

*Hogwarts Legacy*, part of the Portkey Games label, is due for release in 2021. [Visit the official website for more details. ](https://www.hogwartslegacy.com/en-us)

Why Albus Potter was a true Slytherin

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__Caution! There are spoilers for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as well as the whole Harry Potter book series in this article__

## He is cunning 
Slytherins are a cunning lot, and there are all kinds of examples of Albus Potter using his wiles to come up with schemes and plans worthy of any member of Salazar’s house throughout Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Just think of the first time we ever meet him – he’s already trying to plan for if the Sorting Hat tries to place him in the house of the snake.

*Albus: ‘Dad . . .*

*Albus pulls on Harry’s robes. Harry looks down.* 

*Do you think – what if I am – what if I’m put in Slytherin . . .’*

*Harry: ‘And what would be wrong with that?*

*Albus: ‘Slytherin is the house of the snake, of Dark Magic . . . it’s not a house of brave wizards.’*

*Harry: ‘Albus Severus, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.’*

*Albus: ‘But just say ...’*

*Harry: ‘If it matters to you, you, the Sorting Hat will take your feelings into account.’*

By his fourth year, Albus has got bigger plans than politely asking the Sorting Hat to take his choice into account. Using his full Slytherin cunning, he manages to get himself and Scorpius off of the Hogwarts Express, and into St Oswald’s – no mean feat – and join forces with the alluring Delphi. And let’s not forget his scheming with Polyjuice Potion and illegal Time-Turners. When everything reaches a head near the end of Cursed Child, Albus comes up with a genius scheme to send a message to his dad – from the past to the future – by way of a very special blanket. This Potter has a sharp and shrewd mind worthy of any member of Slytherin house.  

## He is ambitious
Escaping off a moving magical train by way of the terrifying Trolley Witch? No problem. Bringing Cedric Diggory back to life by way of an object that is both illegal and highly dangerous? Why not? Breaking into the Ministry of Magic disguised as your Dad’s best friend? What could possibly go wrong? Communicating with your father in the future when you’re stuck at a point in his past when he couldn’t even walk yet? Albus Potter is on the case. Arguably, Albus is even more ambitious than his father when it comes to his own ability to accomplish near-on impossible tasks. But perhaps Albus’s greatest – most secret – ambition, is to feel his father’s love and respect – not as a result of Albus pretending to be someone Harry wants him to be, but through his own achievements. An ambition which, in the end, is realised.


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Albus & Scorpius in Cursed Child. By Matthew Murphy

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## He is proud
Pride is a key Slytherin trait, and arguably Albus has it in cauldrons. Sometimes this is to his advantage, like when he takes pride in having a friend like Scorpius Malfoy, who is funny and clever and kind, no matter what the rumours say about him and his parentage. At other times, his pride comes before his fall in quite catastrophic ways. Remember when, so proud of the brilliant plan they’ve come up with – and probably wanting to succeed in front of Delphi – he refuses to heed warnings from Scorpius, about the difficulties of saving Cedric and messing with time? Yeah. That didn’t go so well. Voldemort Day. That’s all we’re saying. 

It takes Albus a while to be proud of his house too, but he accepts it long before his fellow students – or indeed, his father does. We love this exchange between Scorpius and Albus and we hope Slytherins all cheered and glowed with house pride when they heard it: 

*Scorpius: ‘Did you really think she’d come to us? Potters don’t belong in Slytherin.’*

*Albus: ‘This one does.’*

## He is brave
Not necessarily one of the most famous traits of Slytherin house, but Harry said it himself on platform nine and three-quarters when Albus questioned him about the Sorting Ceremony: 

*Harry: ‘Albus Severus, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.’*

You would need some serious courage to spy on one of the most dangerous Dark wizards of all time – especially for as long as Snape did it. But that’s not the only kind of bravery he showed. The courage to love, the courage to carry on, the courage to trust Dumbledore. Snape showed all of this bravery, and he was head of Slytherin house at one time. And Albus Potter, who shares his middle name with the mysterious Potions master, demonstrates a lot of bravery throughout Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. He faces all kinds of monsters, from the Trolley Witch to Delphi herself. A particularly brave moment was when he stood up to her without a second thought:

*Albus: ‘We won’t. We won’t obey you. Whoever you are. Whatever you want us to do.’*

*Delphi: ‘Of course you will.’*

*Albus: ‘You’ll have to use Imperio. You’ll have to control me.’*

Sounds quite a bit like his dad, Harry there, doesn’t he? 

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So, there we have it! Any Hogwarts house would have been lucky to count Albus Potter amongst its numbers, but with apologies to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Huffepuff – we reckon the Sorting Hat got it right with Albus – even if it was a rather big shock that one of Harry Potter’s children ended up in Slytherin.  Still need to find out which house you belong in? [Take the Sorting Ceremony on our website here](https://my.wizardingworld.com/register), and find out!

And we have plenty more Cursed Child treats for you in our special [Cursed Child Collection](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/cursed-child-collection). You'll find exclusive video interviews, quizzes, character discussions and a trailer of the award-winning production [here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/cursed-child-collection). 

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Unannounced Apparition and other wizarding practices bound to cause family rows

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## Unannounced Apparition
Though witches and wizards have to take a test to legally Apparate, most of them do pass eventually. And we reckon that in the context of normal wizarding family life, there are plenty of ways this could get on a family’s nerves. A sibling Apparating right behind you to give you a shock, perhaps? Or what about those distant French cousins appearing on the doorstep for a visit just as you were about to sit down to read the tales of Beedle the Bard? And what if you wanted some peace and quiet? You wouldn’t be able to shut anyone out of your room – if someone wanted to bother you, they could just – well – Apparate straight on in. Annoying or what? 

## Conjuring food
As we know, food is the first of the five exceptions to Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration, which means that essentially you ‘can’t produce food out of thin air’. However, you can Summon food if you know where it is, transform it, and increase the quantity of what you already have (thanks Hermione). We can see this causing a family row or two. Imagine how rude it would be to Summon food you’d made at home rather than accept the meal made for you at a family dinner? Awkward. We would hope you’d never do this, but what if you were really hungry? What if the food was really bad? It might be tempting to summon that Chocolate Frog from your bedside table… 

## Surprise arrivals by Floo Powder
As a general rule, in the Muggle world, if you’re going to pay someone a visit you tell them what time you’re setting off and how long it’ll take you to get there. But with Floo Powder in the wizarding world, this useful delay would be non-existent, giving you no time to tidy up, wash, brush your hair, or quickly run out for essential snacks. Nightmare. Imagine if your mother-in-law just appeared in the fireplace, dusting off her clothes and tutting at the general state of your living room. And another thing – in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry uses Floo Powder to try to talk to Sirius and only his head travels to Grimmauld Place. Imagine the spying possibilities here – you’d be constantly on edge in case you were complaining about your uncle’s cooking. He might just be listening in from the fireplace!

## Whipping wands out for every tiny thing
This was a particular nuisance to Mrs Weasley when Fred and George came of age and were allowed to do magic outside of Hogwarts. And we can imagine that this delight in the freedom to use wands outside school is something common to many young witches and wizards – and indeed an irritation to many exasperated wizarding parents! Magic isn’t always quiet, and the bangs, sparks, fizzes and general disruption caused by a trainee witch or wizard’s spellwork in progress is bound to get on everyone in the family’s nerves at some time or another…  

## Buying basically anything from Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes
 Extendable Ears for listening in on secret conversations about you; Instant Darkness Powder and Decoy Detonators for causing distractions and disarray; Skiving Snackboxes for getting out of helping clear up; fake wands that turn into rubber chickens for a laugh; Patented Daydream Charms for when you’re trying to look like you’re paying attention to a boring story told by your Great Aunt. Essentially, what we’re saying is, if not all of your household is up for a laugh and a joke, any item from Fred and George’s shop is likely to cause some kind of row. Though maybe not the Pygmy Puffs though… you might be safe with one of those! And their cuteness might just avoid an argument, you never know!

## Unauthorised riding of broomsticks
Whilst witches and wizards under the age of seventeen aren’t allowed to practise magic outside of Hogwarts, those who come from wizarding families – like the Weasleys – are likely to be riding broomsticks from a young age. Just think about that photograph of Harry as a tiny child zooming around on a toy broomstick Sirius gave him before his parents died. But we reckon that as children get older there might just be a few rows centred around unauthorised riding of broomsticks – perhaps they break into the family broom shed like Ginny Weasley? And what if instead of practising Quidditch they decide to take the brooms on a little jaunt to visit friends or sneak out to a party a few towns over? There would be a Mrs Weasley-style showdown if they were found out, no doubt. 

## Hogwarts pets at home
Don’t get us wrong, we absolutely love that Hogwarts students are permitted to bring a pet to Hogwarts. Imagine being able to bring your cat along to school? Or have an owl companion like Hedwig who delivered your post for you? The trouble is, wizarding siblings do go home for the holidays and their pets go with them. And as we know from Ron and Hermione, pets don’t always get along – alright so Scabbers was in fact a man posing as a rat, but we’re not sure cats and rats keep particularly good company with each other, even at the best of times. Scraps between owls and cats, or various other combinations aside, what about all the work and mess these pets would make? The owl droppings! The cat fur! Even if you didn’t have a wizarding sibling, all that mess – and cleaning it up – would surely be bound to cause some family unrest.


A first year’s guide to Harry Potter Fan Club Pin Seeking 

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## 1. Did you know that some Harry Potter Fan Club pins are more rare than others?

Some are limited edition, some are exclusively available in a particular set, some are glow-in-the-dark and some have hidden surprises to unlock. So keep a look out and see what secrets you’ll discover.

## 2. You can collect the Harry Potter pins in sets or as individual pins.

Some of the individual pins are one-off specials and limited editions that won’t come around again so snap them up when you can. [Visit our interactive universe of pins to explore them here.](https://explore.wizardingworld.com/pins)

## 3. There’s a little secret hidden in the hexagonal pin set boxes.

Magnets in the walls of each box mean that you can connect multiple sets together and build a magical display. 

![Pins Box Set Pile](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/1sCX8w6DIy4T5VazIboeYE/2a77fe533c74dfaa134305855f04db7f/Pins-vault-images_5.jpg)

## 4. There are new pins coming soon – can you guess what they will be?

There are clues scattered across the site to help you solve the mystery. 

## 5. Look out for Enchanted Keys

You can unlock extra surprises within the Harry Potter Fan Club app when you scan the Enchanted Key hidden on each pin package*. 

## 6. Record the pins you've collected so far 

The Harry Potter Fan Club Pin Seeking Collector’s Guide is the perfect companion for your collection – record the pins you’ve already got and take note of the ones you still want to add.

[Download it here.](https://downloads.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/2KcMf1407AawrYRhZPx05m/b7cef9c9b109194ea2c3b5f29a7da7bb/Pin-Seeking-Guide_aw_UK_v2-4.pdf)

## 7. Each set contains a set exclusive – an extra magical pin that can only be found in that set.

You can collect the Hufflepuff Badger, Slytherin Snake, Ravenclaw Eagle and Gryffindor Lion when you collect the house sets. 

## 8. Share your pins online with us 

Every pin tells a story, what’s yours? See what other Harry Potter fans have been doing with their collections and share your pin seeking pictures using #HarryPotterPinSeeking. For a chance to be featured, read our Submission Terms.

## 9. Fancy getting your hands on new pins as soon as they’re released?

[Harry Potter Fan Club Gold Members](https://www.wizardingworld.com/harry-potter-fan-club) get early access to the latest pin releases and save 20% in the Wizarding World online shop**. 

There is lots more pin magic to come so keep a Seeker’s eye out for updates and new releases. 

*Harry Potter Fan Club app currently only available to users in the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

**Early access and 20% saving subject to availability. Stock of some pin designs may be very limited. Offer applies to purchases from Wizarding World online shop only. Other limitations and terms and conditions apply. Purchase of Gold subscription required. Gold Terms of Purchase apply.

Eight moments we loved from the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince film

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## 1.	Welcome to Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes… 
We always knew that seeing Fred and George’s shop brought to life on screen was going to be a treat, but this scene really did surpass all expectation. The cheeky music, the giant top hat being lifted on the outside of the shop, the twins’ matching sharp suits – it was perfect. And that’s before we even get started on the joy of seeing all their long-developed products on the shelves (watch out for the young wizard trying out Puking Pastilles!). You might have to watch this scene several times to take it all in, with the some of the most playful parts of magic whizzing across your screen.

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

## 2.	Ron in love with Romilda Vane…  
‘It’s beautiful isn’t it, the moon?’ says… Ron? He isn’t exactly his usual self in this scene and that is part of the genius of the exchanges between him and his best friend. Harry’s confusion between Lavender and Romilda is priceless, and we love Harry’s exasperation at Ron’s declarations of love: ‘Fine you’re in love with her. Have you ever actually me her?’ Lesson learned from this scene: in the wizarding world, it’s best not to eat a whole box of Chocolate Cauldrons that’ve been lying around… 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/5VMy-erDsDw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

## 3.	Harry’s Acromantula impression at Aragog’s funeral…  
We don’t know about you, but as soon as Professor Slughorn introduced Felix Felicis we started to dream about trying some, and Harry’s ‘devil may care’ attitude in this sequence makes it look like an absolute hoot. The way the effects of Felix Felicis on Harry are portrayed made us giggle something chronic, particularly when contrasted with the sombre atmosphere of Aragog’s funeral. The best part? When Hagrid laments – ‘Seriously misunderstood creatures, spiders’ – pay close attention to Harry’s Acromantula impression. It’s priceless.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/_8mtV1eyM7A?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

## 4.	Introducing Horace Slughorn…
With Voldemort’s return, the wizarding world feels like a much more dangerous place throughout Half-Blood Prince, including at the beginning when Dumbledore and Harry enter a dark Muggle house. It appears to have been the target of a wizard attack, all turned upside down and blood dripping from the ceiling. That is until Dumbledore sees right through Slughorn’s disguise. We loved the touch of Dumbledore prodding the wand into the armchair, as well as Dumbledore’s calm introduction of Harry without any comment that Slughorn has just turned from a nicely upholstered armchair into a man. Watch and enjoy… 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ju4GW_E6T_o?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

## 5.	Snogging at the Three Broomsticks…  
A cosy fire, Butterbeers and a whole lot of wizarding gossip. We love any scene set at the Three Broomsticks, but this one is a real cracker. Things to look out for: Ron’s reaction to Dean and Ginny kissing is brilliant – ‘I’d like to leave’ –although so is his awkwardness when Hermione talks about snogging him! Of course, there’s also Harry’s cringe-worthy sucking up to Slughorn to enjoy, as well as a little moment between Ron and Hermione when she gets some Butterbeer on her top lip…  

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/nZRHXx4DIqI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

## 6.	Luna Lovegood’s Spectrespecs come in handy…  
Luna Lovegood might be a bit wacky, but she’s a Ravenclaw for a reason. This scene is so perfectly Luna it makes us grin every time. Decked out in her Spectrepecs, she opens the door of a Hogwarts carriage and somehow manages to spot Harry under the Invisibility Cloak, where he has been left by Malfoy. Harry can’t believe that she has been able to find him, but of course she puts it down to Wrackspurts! We love a Luna and Harry moment, especially this one when Harry says they’re friends and Luna kindly fixes Harry’s nose: ‘Have you ever fixed a nose before?’ says Harry. ‘No, but I’ve done several toes, how different are they really?’ If you’re a fan of Luna, this clip is well worth the watch… 

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

## 7.	Quidditch tryouts…  
Is there anything better than a bit of Quidditch drama? This clip starts beautifully, with a shot of the whole Quidditch pitch and stands, before zooming in on the action. Harry is Quidditch captain and holding tryouts, though it’s Ginny who is able to get people to be quiet by telling them to ‘shut it’. Look out for the Quidditch uniforms  – they’re ace, as well as that moment Cormac McLaggen catches a fly in his fingers. What we love the most in this clip though, is the playful music as Ron and McLaggen go head to head for the position of Keeper… 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/fAFK6QWTNuc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

## 8.	But I am the Chosen One…   
This clip is an absolute treat. We’ve got Harry and Hermione in the library – who doesn’t love a scene where books are being magically being returned to their shelves? – some cheeky music for a sassy Harry, as well as Romilda Vane in background, checking out the Chosen One. When Hermione urges Harry to choose his date carefully for Slughorn’s party, he responds: ‘I’ll take someone I like, someone cool.’ Cut to Luna Lovegood in an absolutely fabulous dress. And listen out for her piece of Luna-style wisdom about wearing shoes to bed… 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/UUR5UFUBp5s?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Ranked: The 7 most memorable Diagon Alley moments

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## 7. Gilderoy Lockhart’s book party (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) 

> Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd.<br>
> Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 

The introduction of Harry’s second Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was just as chaotic as you might expect – after all, he didn’t have much luck with his first one. Lockhart’s book party (to launch his new autobiography, *Magical Me*) took place in Flourish and Blotts, giving us several memorable moments – such as Lockhart’s general tomfoolery, a confrontation between Lucius Malfoy and the Weasleys, and a general insight into the world of a wizarding world celebrity – one that actually enjoyed the limelight. 

## 6. Meeting Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone) 

> ‘Hullo,’ said the boy, ‘Hogwarts too?’
> ‘Yes,’ said Harry.<br>
> Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 

A pivotal moment from Harry’s first visit to Diagon Alley saw him meet his first fellow Hogwarts student. Upon bumping into this blond, pale drawling boy (who he would later learn to be called Draco Malfoy) in Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, Harry was greeted with the opportunity to make his first friend. But after Malfoy insulted Hagrid and generally came across as quite narrow-minded, it wasn’t until their second meeting on the Hogwarts Express that Harry knew not to shake his hand. How different things could’ve been if he had taken it, though... 

[In fact, we speculated about that right here.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/could-harry-and-draco-ever-have-been-friends)

## 5. Diagon Alley abandoned (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) 

> Diagon Alley had changed. The colourful, glittering window displays of spellbooks, potion ingredients and cauldrons were lost to view, hidden behind the large Ministry of Magic
> posters that had been pasted over them.<br>
> Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince  

We’re used to seeing Diagon Alley as a jolly old place – full of the hustle and bustle of Hogwarts students and their families getting ready for a new school year, full of promise curiosity and excitement. However, upon revisiting the shopping district in the final book, Harry, Hermione, Hagrid and the Weasleys were crestfallen to discover that the uprise of Voldemort and the Death Eaters meant that the once-vibrant location had become a shadow of its former self. Shops boarded up, noted absences of Diagon Alley regulars, and an anxious energy seemed to permeate their surroundings. The place that Harry had once known as a busy hub of childhood wonder was suddenly tainted with fear.  

## 4. Harry’s Knight Bus escape  (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) 

> He could even go wherever he liked, as long as it was in Diagon Alley, and as this long cobbled street was
> packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world, Harry felt no desire to break his word to Fudge and stray back into the Muggle world.<br>
> Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

After an argument with Uncle Vernon’s sister Aunt Marge got a little overheated (or should that be overinflated) Harry went on the run, boarding the outrageous Knight Bus quite accidentally, then finding himself taking refuge in the only safe place he could think of: Diagon Alley. Thankfully, he chose very wisely, and was set up at the Leaky Cauldron pub at the behest of the Minister for Magic himself. After an awful time with Aunt Marge continuously belittling him and his late parents, a summer away from the Dursleys was much needed.  In Diagon Alley, Harry was free to be himself, befriend the regulars and feel safe in his accepting wizarding community. 

## 3. Weasley Wizard Wheezes (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) 

> ‘Whoa,’ said Ron, stopping in his tracks.
> Set against the dull, poster-muffled shop fronts around them, Fred and George’s windows hit the eye like a firework display.<br>
> Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 

With a little help from Harry’s sack of Triwizard Tournament winnings, Fred and George Weasley finally got the funds they needed to achieve their dreams: opening a joke shop, naturally. After a year of product ‘experiments’ (including poor Neville turning into a canary) Fred and George revealed their talents with Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, a colourful paradise for Hogwarts students looking to infuse some magical fun into their days. From Pygmy Puffs to U-No-Poo, the mischief-making stock on sale actually showcased the twins’ knack for advanced magic – and a number of their products came in use for beyond the classroom.  

## 2. The introduction of Crookshanks (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) 

> ‘What was that?’
> ‘It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger,’ said Harry.<br>
> Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

Adopted by Hermione after many years without a home at the Magical Menagerie, the fluffy, ginger squashy-faced cat would soon become a staple of the Harry Potter series, and reveal himself to be a very intelligent mystery-solver. Without Crookshanks and his suspicion of Scabbers and befriending of Sirius Black, who knows how the events of *Prisoner of Azkaban* may have ended... 

## 1. Harry’s first trip (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone) 

> Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping.<br>
> Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 

Of course, the most magical and profound moment Diagon Alley gave us was seeing it through Harry’s eyes for the first time. Whisked away from the Dursleys with Hagrid, this really was Harry’s first taste of wizarding life – and it was a thrill to see him pulled away from his lonely Privet Drive life inside a happy London microcosm, brimming with magic and magical people. This would be the place of many firsts for Harry – where he would meet his first, fellow Hogwarts student, where he would first meet Hagrid, get his first wand... the first time, maybe, that Harry truly realised what his life was actually supposed to be like.  

## Special mention to...

The poor Flourish and Blotts bookshop manager, who had to deal with a rather animated book order in *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.*

> A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had
> seized a third and were pulling it apart.
> ‘Stop it! Stop it!’ cried the manager, poking the walking stick
> through the bars and knocking the books apart. ‘I’m never stocking
> them again, never! It’s been bedlam! I thought we’d seen the
> worst when we bought two hundred copies of The Invisible Book
> of Invisibility – cost a fortune, and we never found them ... Well, is
> there anything else I can help you with?’<br>
> Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

A hero among us all. 

*What’s your favourite Diagon Alley moment?*