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The Weasley Twins Quiz 

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Do you know your Fred from your George? Or is that Fred? Or is that George? Who knows. Sometime even Mrs Weasley got confused. How about a little quiz to see how much you really know about our beloved cheeky Weasley twins. Will your result be twice as nice, or simply second best? 

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Discover the films

Wizarding World Image Crediting

to Fantastic Beasts

The Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Quiz 

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Sure, you know the Harry Potter books inside out, but in 2016, we were introduced to the eighth story when *Cursed Child* began performances at London's Palace Theatre. 

How well do you know Harry’s life 19 years later? Let’s hope you don’t get a cursed quiz result... 

Beware: some spoilers ahead if you haven't seen it!

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The Albus Dumbledore Quiz

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Dumbledore uses the Deluminator outside the Dursley's house.

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Fascinating things, quizzes. So how well do you really know your Albus Dumble-lore?

Do you know your sherbet lemons from your Acid Pops? How about all of Dumbledore’s myriad middle names? What does ‘Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak’ actually mean? (Just kidding, nobody knows that.) 

Let’s see how much you know about one of the greatest wizards there ever was.  

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The Ultimate Defence Against the Dark Arts Quiz

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Dark Mark

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

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

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The Hogwarts Castle Quiz

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> ‘Oh, I would never dream of assuming I know all Hogwarts’ secrets, Igor,’ said Dumbledore amicably.<br>
*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*
<br>

But how many of Hogwarts' secrets do *you* know, we wonder? Have a go at our latest quiz and be careful not to fall down a trick step.

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<p>

If you fancy solving some more Hogwarts mysteries, [why not try our 30-question ultimate Hogwarts quiz for an even bigger challenge?](/features/the-ultimate-hogwarts-quiz)

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

Quizzes - Wizarding World

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

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Five things you (probably) didn’t know about Cursed Child

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Albus and Scorpius Broadway Cursed Child

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## Gillyweed?

Sam Clemmett and Anthony Boyle, who played Albus and Scorpius in the original London production, had to take an unusual taste test. In the play they have to eat Gillyweed, the plant that when consumed has the effect of generating webbing between the fingers and toes, as well as gills to breathe underwater. To stand in for Gillyweed, they were offered a range of edible possibilities including actual seaweed and samphire. They settled on apple skin!

## The owls that are unseen

A whole flock of owls were created for the Hogwarts owlery in the play. These were meticulously created from many fabrics, feathers, sturdy brown paper and leather. But because they are nested in the upper reaches of the stage, the audience can’t even see them! ‘We knew that nobody would ever see them,’ props supervisor Lisa Buckley explains in the book, ‘but it was such a lovely thing to create this flock of owls. Sometimes, it’s actually nice to provide props that nobody really sees, but you know are there.’

## We can work it out

Movement director Steven Hoggett liked to put the original London production cast through their paces, ensuring they were physically fit for what he calls a ‘ballistic’ performance every night. Each day of the week had a different physical workout to contend with (from circuit training to silly dances on ‘Fun Friday’), but the week would always start and end with yoga: ‘to centre everyone again.’

## Muggles allowed

Unbelievably, lighting designer Neil Austin had never read the Harry Potter stories, or seen any of the films. As such, he was designated the team Muggle in the original London production cast and crew. That way he ensured that the production was accessible to all audience members. ‘I think it was quite helpful to have someone who doesn’t know the canon,’ says Austin in *The Journey*. ‘You can forget that this show needs to appeal not only to the fans, to the people who love the books, but also to the grandparents who haven’t read them and are taking the kids to the show for a treat. Or even the standard theatregoer, who’s heard this is a good show, but isn’t a Harry Potter fan, and is wondering if it’s got anything in it for them.’ We’ll let him off then...

## DO drop your t’s!

During rehearsals for the original London production, the cast and crew instituted a House Cup and everyone got themselves sorted. They had a scoreboard and a winning house every week, with points being awarded, but also deducted. For example, five points were taken for mispronouncing *Voldemort* with a hard *t*. *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* uses J.K. Rowling’s original intention for the pronunciation, ending with a soft, French-sounding *Vold-de-mor*.

One other thing we learnt (which may not surprise some) is how boisterous the New York audiences turned out to be compared to London. ‘The weirdest thing was that they clap upon people’s entrances here, which doesn’t happen in the UK as much,’ says Paul Thornley, who played Ron in London and on Broadway. ‘And some comment more. But if people are involved in something, I don’t have a problem with that. I quite like it.’ And so do we!

*Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: The Journey* is available now in the [US](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NYR3NDT/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_H-aXDbD8D6H7E) and [UK](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NYR3NDT/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_H-aXDbD8D6H7E) in print and digital.

Who is the 'purest' Wizarding family?

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It’s actually a problem that has plagued the wizarding community for many decades, leading to the rise of Dark wizards, prejudice against Muggle-borns, and many broken families.

So, which wizarding family was most guilty of keeping themselves the ‘purest’? To find out, let’s dig through the Sacred Twenty-Eight, a directory of pure-blood families, and select a few... 
<br>

### The Longbottoms
<br>

>Look at Neville Longbottom – he’s pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up.’
> <br>*Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

Neville comes from a long-line of pure-blood wizards, although we don’t know as much about the individuals as we do with some other wizarding families. What we do know is that both of Neville’s parents were pure-blood, as was his gran, Augusta. When the family feared that Neville’s early lack of magical prowess might mean he was a Squib, his great uncle Algie pushed him off Blackpool Pier with the hope of forcing a bit of magic out of him. This may imply that certain members of Neville’s family felt a bit delicate about the thought of having a non-magical member.

Although the family seem generally good-natured, there is evidence of the Longbottoms marrying into the Black family tree. ‘Harfang Longbottom’, who is presumably one of Neville’s ancestors, is seen on the Black family tapestry connected to Callidora Black. Most pure-blood families from the Sacred Twenty-Eight directory do tend to be connected. After all, there aren’t really that many properly ‘pure’ blood wizards to choose from. And some families tend to go so hardcore they marry within their own line...
<br>

### The Gaunts 

This leads us nicely on to the Gaunts, the despicable descendants of Salazar Slytherin, and the ancestors of Lord Voldemort. Determined to keep the family line ‘pure’ and pass down certain Slytherin skills, such as Parseltongue, the Gaunts had a tendency to marry their cousins, as Albus Dumbledore observed. As a result, the likes of Marvolo and Morfin Gaunt are cruel, mentally unstable and abusive. And the family seem to share the same strange physical traits too, such as their eyes facing opposite directions. 
<br>

### The Malfoys and The Blacks 

The Black family motto speaks for itself: ‘toujours pur’, meaning ‘always pure’ in French. Indeed, the Blacks spent a lot of effort keeping non-magical types out of the family, to the extent that members were literally burnt out of the famous family tapestry if any ‘blood treachery’ was found. Usually, this punishment was served to people who married half-bloods or Muggle-borns, but was also a general chastisement for anyone who displayed any sort of rejection of the Black family’s ideals, such as Sirius. 

We’ve linked the Malfoy and Black family together for this section, as the two clans are inextricably intertwined – again – an effort to maintain their blood purity. Narcissa, a Black member, being the most notable link to the Malfoys. As such, Draco’s family and ancestors pride themselves on their pure-blood status and the riches that come with it. There is also a history of cruelty towards Muggles, such as Nicholas Malfoy, who was rumoured to have ‘despatched’ various Muggles under the guise of the Black Death...

The family is also known for being chiefly placed in Slytherin house. Something they hold with honour. And despite Draco carrying on this tradition, with his Slytherin-based son Scorpius and his pure-blood wife Astoria, 
he still managed to create tension with his parents by softening his views on blood purity. And *Cursed Child* fans will know that Scorpius is an absolute sweetheart. Could this be the beginning of a more sympathetic branch of the Malfoy family tree?
<br>

### The Lestranges

As with the above, Bellatrix’s family are tied to the Blacks and the Malfoys quite significantly. Indeed, Bellatrix, married into the Lestrange family specifically because of how steeped in pure-blood richness they were. From the way Bellatrix reacts around Lord Voldemort, it may be fair to say her love isn’t entirely reserved for her husband Rodolphus...

In *Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald*, we met a much earlier Lestrange member, Leta. We were also introduced to their family history a little more, which is steeped in French ancestry, with many dark secrets woven within. In terms of the family’s pure-ness, they seem quite dramatically so, and would do pretty much anything to achieve those ends. Take the cruel Corvus Lestrange, who forced a member of the Kama family (another very pure-blood family) to conceive with him under the Imperius Curse... 
<br>

### The Weasleys
<br> 

>'You’d never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave.’
> <br>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 

We finish on a family who are technically quite pure-blood, but are deemed ‘blood traitors’ by various peers, and seem proud of it. It is, indeed, the Weasleys’ compassion and morals that led to several members marrying half-bloods, Muggle-borns, etc. and creating a family made with love, kindness and definitely not much blood purity. Look at Ron and Hermione as a major case study! Then there’s Arthur Weasley, who shows such an affinity with Muggles, he made a career based on his interest in Muggle artefacts. The only remotely bad apple we seem to find in the Weasley clan is Aunt Muriel, who seemed contemptuous of Hermione’s Muggle-born status,

The Weasleys may not be the purest pure-blood family in the wizarding world, but their hearts are certainly the purest of the lot.

Sirius Black and Harry Potter: two peas in a (Snargaluff) pod

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Harry and Sirius by the Black family tapestry at number twelve, Grimmauld Place

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## Childhoods more unstable than a cursed broom

Unlike James Potter, neither Sirius nor Harry were raised by loving parents. Harry was brought up – very begrudgingly – by his aunt and uncle and suffered years of neglect and bullying before finally escaping to Hogwarts. Sirius was brought up by his own parents, but never fitted in with the Black family stereotype – he was sorted into Gryffindor, which didn’t get him many Black family brownie points, and refused to accept their ‘pure-blood mania’. 

Although Harry was an only child like his father, he didn’t really grow up as one. More in common with Sirius, Harry was constantly reminded of how he didn’t measure up to Dudley, just as Sirius was told that his brother, Regulus, was a much better son. Sirius and Harry’s home lives were so unhappy at points that they both ran away from home. Harry ran away after he blew up his Aunt Marge and Sirius left home for good at sixteen. And where did he go? The Potters’.


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## The Marauders' legacy

James Potter and Sirius Black weren’t exactly model students at Hogwarts.  For starters, they created a map that was effectively a tool to help them make mischief without getting caught. Arguably Sirius was the biggest rebel of them all – he owned a flying motorbike for goodness sake! When Harry was given the Marauder’s Map by Fred and George in his third year, he was already breaking rules left, right and centre, thanks to his very own rule-breaking tool – his father’s Invisibility Cloak. 

Sirius was delighted to find a fellow rebel in Harry, and Sirius lived vicariously through Harry’s exploits at Hogwarts. Padfoot thoroughly approved of the underground Defence against the Dark Arts group – Dumbledore’s Army – delighted that Harry was taking a stand against Umbridge. We’ll never know whether James Potter would have encouraged the same kind of rule breaking in his son, but Sirius and Harry definitely shared a certain disregard for toeing the line.



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Harry looking at the Marauders Map in his dormitory

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## Fiery tempers worthy of a Hungarian Horntail

The very first time we met Sirius Black he was in a murderous rage, determined to kill Peter Pettigrew – disguised as Ron’s rat – who had betrayed Lily and James Potter. But this wasn’t the only time we saw Sirius lose his temper. Snape, Kreacher and even Mrs Weasley all felt the heat of his temper. And Harry isn’t exactly cool-headed either. Remember that time when he shouted – in glorious capital letters – at Ron and Hermione for keeping him in the dark all summer when they’d been hanging out with the Order? And he just couldn’t keep his anger for Umbridge under control at all – even after Professor McGonagall warned him of the danger.

We don’t know much about James Potter’s temper, but we do know that he was the Marauder who rescued Snape from a potential run-in with Lupin in werewolf form, even though the two hated each other. Perhaps he had a more rational head on his shoulders than Sirius or Harry? 



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Sirius Black pointing his finger in the Shrieking Shack

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## Fame’s a fickle friend to both of them 

James Potter was popular at Hogwarts – a great Quidditch player and head boy – but he wasn’t more widely known until after his devastating death at the hands of Lord Voldemort. His son though, experienced fame throughout Hogwarts and beyond, and his best friend Sirius Black’s name was familiar to witches and wizards everywhere – he even made it onto Muggle TV. Harry and Sirius both suffered for their fame at one time or another. 

For most of *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, Harry was accused of lying about Voldemort’s return in the Daily Prophet, and later he was targeted as Undesirable Number One by the Ministry of Magic. Like Sirius, Harry had to go into hiding when a price was put on his head by the Ministry in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*. As a result, Harry and Sirius most likely learned to distrust the authority of the Ministry in a way that James never did.  


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Sirius trapped in the Top Tower from the Prisoner of Azakban 

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## Transfiguring friends into family

Perhaps as a result of their unhappy upbringings, both Sirius and Harry’s friendships run deeper than your average playground pals. Arguably, James and Sirius acted like brothers, as well as best friends, emphasised particularly by the fact that Sirius actually moved in with the Potters when he ran away from the Black family home. Sirius was also best man at James and Lily’s wedding, a place often taken up by the groom’s brother.

Harry is similar in this way, and through his friendship with Ron, was adopted into the Weasley family to such an extent that Ron’s mother sent him Christmas presents and thought of him like a son. Sirius and Harry’s relationship is an interesting mix of friends and family too: Sirius is Harry’s godfather and sometimes treats him like a son, but at other times he seems to forget Harry isn’t his best friend, James Potter. ‘You’re less like your father than I thought’ Sirius told Harry when he refused to risk Sirius’ safety and meet his godfather in Hogsmeade. A harsh put-down that muddies the family-friend boundary between them. 



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## Brave Gryffindors to the last 

Along with James, Harry and Sirius showed unimaginable courage in the face of evil. Sirius, still a wanted man, didn’t hesitate to leave Grimmauld Place and go after Harry at the Ministry of Magic. Sirius was also determined to give Harry help and advice via owl and in the Gryffindor fireplace throughout his time at Hogwarts, risking being thrown back into Azkaban if caught. 

Harry stood up to bullies, fought dragons, and faced Lord Voldemort whilst still trying to attend classes at Hogwarts. And in the end, just like James and Sirius, Harry was willing to give up his life to protect the people – and wizarding world – that he loved.


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Harry and Sirius standing in the Department of Mysteries 

The Molly Weasley Quiz

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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Revolting reads: the most nauseating moments from the Harry Potter series

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*In honour of Hallowe’en treats, the Scourgify Scale has three levels based on the Skiving Snackboxes created by the masters of mayhem, Fred and George Weasley:*
- Fainting Fancy *for the lowest level of yuck*
- Nosebleed Nougat *for Flesh-Eating Slug levels of repellent*
- Puking Pastille *for the pass me the slug-bucket moments.*



### Slug vomit

*Scourgify Scale – Puking Pastille*

>'The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch him.’
><br>*Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*  

And who’d blame them? Nothing says Hallowe’en horror more than slug slime mixed with Ron Weasley’s vomit, right? Poor Ron was only trying to curse Draco Malfoy for calling Hermione a Mudblood. If only the spell hadn’t backfired... we would have enjoyed Malfoy vomiting slugs over the cups in the trophy room far more than watching Ron suffer. 

### Bubotuber pus 

*Scourgify Scale – Nosebleed Nougat*

On to greenhouse three with Professor Sprout and ‘the ugliest plants Harry had ever seen’. Although apparently Bubotubers look ‘less like plants than thick black giant slugs protruding vertically out of the soil’ – delightful. But in our assessment of all things vomit-worthy, we’re more interested in the Bubotuber pus that the plants themselves. Not unlike the pimples that the plant goo is a remedy for, Harry and his classmates had to squeeze a ‘thick yellowish green liquid’ from the slug-like swellings on the plant and collect it in bottles. It might have been higher on our Scourgify Scale if squeezing the plants didn’t sound quite so satisfying.
<br>

### Harry’s boneless arm

*Scourgify Scale – Fainting Fancy* 

Do you remember when all Harry had to worry about was his teacher removing the bones in his arm? Those were the days, eh? It makes our own arms feel tingly just thinking about how Harry's was described as a ‘thick, flesh-coloured rubber glove’. Apart from a boneless arm sounding more like a  grotesque Hallowe’en costume idea than a Quidditch injury, Madam Pomfrey also had to give Harry Skele-Gro to regrow the bones. And we don’t think it tasted like pumpkin juice.
<br>

### Stinksap

*Scourgify Scale – Nosebleed Nougat*

Neville’s Mimbulus mimbletonia caused an almighty scene on the Hogwarts Express. The little grey cactus might have looked fairly harmless – even though it was covered in boils –but it seriously damaged Harry’s chances with Cho Chang when Neville activated its defence mechanism. 

>‘Liquid squirted from every boil on the plant; thick, stinking, dark green jets of it.’ 
><br>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

Harry received a faceful of the disgusting Stinksap – it even got in his mouth –just as the Ravenclaw heart-throb opened the door of the carriage compartment to say hello. Don’t worry, Harry, it could have been worse. Wait... could it?

### Deathday Party food

*Scourgify Scale – Fainting Fancy*

When we say party food, perhaps your mind fills with images of cocktail sausages on sticks, party rings, homemade chocolate bunsand a beautifully iced birthday cake? Hold your Hippogriffs: there ain’t no party like a Deathday Party. The food at Sir Nicholas de Mimsy - Porpington’s 500th death anniversary most definitely makes it onto this nauseating list. Delights included cakes burned charcoal black, a great maggoty haggis, mouldy cheese and a grey cake shaped like a tombstone. Not much of a spread, but then Nearly Headless Nick did have his head – almost – chopped off on Hallowe’en.
<br>

### Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans

*Scourgify Scale – Nosebleed Nougat*

When it comes to Wizarding World confectionary, there are quite a few unpleasant choices. Blood-flavoured lollipops meant for vampires, Cockroach Clusters and Puking Pastilles. So why choose Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans? Let’s just think about them for a second. Every flavour. That’s *every* flavour. There’s no way raspberry or lemon would make it onto this unpleasant list, but just think about the flavours Dumbledore shared with us: a vomit-flavoured bean in his youth; earwax in Harry’s first year. What other flavours could be out there? We shudder to think. Like Dumbledore, we think we’ve lost our liking for them, too.
<br>

### Troll bogeys

*Scourgify Scale – Puking Pastille*

A twelve-foot mountain troll could probably make it onto this list without the bogeys. But we are all about the revolting this Hallowe’en, and how do you make an encounter with a stinking, club-wielding giant worse? You shove a brown stick up its nostrils and then get covered in lumpy, grey troll bogeys, of course! At least Harry had the sense to wipe his wand on the troll’s own trousers rather than his robes – although not quite enough sense not to hang from the troll’s neck in the first place. 
<br>

### Polyjuice Potion

*Scourgify Scale – Nosebleed Nougat* 

We’re not saying Polyjuice Potion isn’t useful – it helped Harry, Ron and Hermione on their way to solving many a mystery. But despite its ability to change you into someone else for a while, drinking the potion itself sounds less tempting than swigging Skele-Gro. The basic ingredients alone make us want to retch: Lacewing flies, leeches, Boomslang skin, powdered horn of a Bicorn just to name a few. Who’d want to swallow any of those ingredients on their own? Let alone after they’ve all been mixed together in a cauldron and left to stew for a month. But that isn’t the worst part of Polyjuice Potion – it also requires a bit of whoever you want to change into. Hermione settles on hair rather than toenails but still... pretty disgusting all round.
<br>

### Brains from the Department of Mysteries 

*Scourgify Scale – Puking Pastille*

>‘Glimmering eerily, they drifted in and out of sight in the depths of the green liquid, looking something like slimy cauliflowers.’
><br>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

Creepy and revolting, just the sight of the green tank displaying lazily drifting brains has to be very high up on our Scourgify scale. Add to this the fact the brains have tentacles (giant squid – you’ve got competition), and when Ron summons one it tries to suffocate him... we think the brains are a nasty Hallowe’en surprise we could definitely live without.

Happy Hurl-owe’en!

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

Features - Wizarding World

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 third Fantastic Beasts film confirms new details including cast members and location

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Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

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Fancy another *Fantastic Beasts* film? Well, it’s our pleasure to announce that pre-production on the third chapter is officially underway. Here are some new details, including the cast, the production team, and a rather special new location. 

Many of the characters you know and love from the first two *Fantastic Beasts* films will be back for the next adventure in a cast led by Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore and Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald along with Ezra Miller (Credence/Aurelius Dumbledore), Alison Sudol (Queenie Goldstein), Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski) and Katherine Waterston (Tina Goldstein).

Comedian and actor Jessica Williams, who was featured briefly in *Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald*, will have a bigger role in this film. Stay tuned to learn more about her character, Professor Eulalie 'Lally' Hicks, a teacher at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the American equivalent of Hogwarts. 

The film will once again be directed by David Yates and will reunite producers David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves, Lionel Wigram and Tim Lewis, along with executive producers Neil Blair, Danny Cohen, Josh Berger and Courtenay Valenti. The screenplay will be written by J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves.  

As with the first two films, the third will take us to new continents, exploring wizarding cultures across the globe. The first *Fantastic Beasts* film introduced us to American wizarding life in 1927 New York, the second took us to Paris, and we can now reveal that the third film will officially be visiting... Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!

This location-reveal follows on from [J.K. Rowling’s mysterious Twitter header](https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1057961162883719168?lang=en) last year and confirms that she was indeed referring to Brazil as one of the main destinations in the third Fantastic Beasts.

*The as yet un-named third instalment of Fantastic Beasts will start production in Spring 2020. The film will release on November 12, 2021.  As always, keep visiting WizardingWorld.com for more updates as we get them.*



Cursed Child: The Journey - Extract Part 4, Costumes & Props

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Cursed Child Journey: Wardrobe Sketch 

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## Costumes, wigs, hair and make up 

As costume designer Katrina Lindsay works, she visualizes a sculptural picture and color palette of what will be seen onstage. “When designing anything from the main character looks to the school jumpers, it’s like viewing a painting,” she explains. With that in mind, Lindsay had a sudden, panicky thought while sketching out the costumes for *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* in her home studio.

“I remember thinking, oh god, everything’s going to be black and everything’s going to be the same silhouette with the cloaks. How do I make it varied? And,” she adds, “how do I achieve that in a way that feels right for this world?” Prior to her involvement with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Lindsay won Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Tony awards for her costume design of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, as well as an Olivier Award nomination for Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical. Her work spans from theater to opera, ballet to film, where she designs sets as well as costumes, and has done both regularly for the National Theatre. Working in tandem with Lindsay was Carole Hancock, department head of WHAM, aka Wigs, Hair, and Makeup.

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Hermione, Harry and Ron wearing robes, from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

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The WHAM acronym came about prior to *Cursed Child*, when Hancock was working on the London production of The Lion King. “I was so tired of being called the wig lady,” she recalls. “We’re bigger than that.”

So she and the head of the department came up with the name change, and that’s what she’s called her department ever since. Hancock came on the show right before rehearsals began and started brainstorming ideas with Lindsay based on Rowling’s books and copious research on both their parts. “There are portrait galleries to visit,” says Hancock, “and the internet has heaps of stuff, of course. I’ve got a plethora of books of period hairstyles and weird fashions. You may not use them, but they’re inspiration.” Hancock and Lindsay put together a board of their ideas, not unlike set designer Christine Jones’s collage. “We had images of students and teachers, London schoolkids and Scottish schoolkids,” says Hancock, describing their thoughts about the contemporary generation, but they also considered the well-established characters from the books.

“In a way, we already knew what Dumbledore or Hagrid were like. But Katrina and I worked together on what we thought those characters should be and how we would tweak them and change them a little bit.” Designing the costumes and looks for *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* presented an unusual task: They should be unique to the production, but the audience still needed to recognize each character immediately as soon as he or she stepped onstage. Harry Potter wouldn’t be Harry Potter without his wayward hair, glasses, and lightning scar, but how would he look now as a Ministry worker, frazzled father, and, simply, an adult? Lindsay strove for a balance of what she felt readers’ expectations were and a wizarding world that was recognizable but had evolved in the nineteen years that had passed since Harry’s time at Hogwarts ended.

“There is a very British, vintage aesthetic that we identify with the world of Harry Potter, and that comes through in the color palette, the materials, and the headwear,” she explains. “There is also an atmospheric type of beauty to the world of the play. This world is a mixture of the everyday alongside the magical and more fantastical. And for me, that’s the important balance to express. You’re not just one thing—you’re both.”

The design of the costumes evolved from initial sketches to new approaches based on Lindsay’s involvement in the show’s workshops with the other creative team members, and then rehearsals, consulting with each actor about their character’s look. “I felt that my task as a designer was to be true to the physical language happening onstage and the actors who were creating the characters,” says Lindsay.

Cursed Child wands 

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## Props

American-born Mary Halliday and British-born Lisa Buckley, the props supervisors for *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*, were tasked with finding magical herbs and potions bottles, tables and chairs, owls, and wands.

“Some supervisors are also makers,” says Halliday, “whereas Lisa and I are not. We have zero artistic skills as far as actually making something with our hands,” she adds with a laugh. What Halliday and Buckley do count among their skills is finding the right people to provide what they need.

“It’s about finding the person who’s best suited to do it.Then we make sure they have the information they need—all the references and all the materials,” Halliday says. “It’s a lot like feeding info to many baby birds.”

Buckley explains that one of the most important parts of their job is having a good address book. “Knowing people and having good relationships is key,” she says. The two women had worked separately or together on several Sonia Friedman productions, as well as having worked with Jones and Banakis, so they felt this was a great opportunity to all work together. Both admit that they were not as familiar with the Harry Potter story as others on the creative team. “At the end of the Kennington workshop, I literally asked Brett what a Muggle was,” says Halliday. “He was like, how are you part of this? How are you even here?” She also remembers googling “Moaning Myrtle” during tech rehearsals.

“I didn’t know her story,” she says. “Who is this woman and why is she living in the bathroom?” Halliday and Buckley found many of the pieces online or at vintage markets or thrift stores. Headmistress McGonagall’s desk is from a church. Amos Diggory’s wheelchair was found on eBay. Bespoke props include papers printed with the Hogwarts and Ministry of Magic logos. Buckley feels that a thorough knowledge of the wizarding world wouldn’t actually have been an advantage. “I thought the whole point was for us to react and respond to what came out of the rehearsal room. I think it was, personally, better to have come to it without too many preconceived ideas. If you do, you can’t help but think, oh, that’s not how I imagined it. Or, I didn’t really see it like that. But I didn’t have any frame of reference, so it was really helpful.”

*Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: The Journey, by Jody Revenson, publishes today in the UK and 5 November, 2019 in the US.*

To order from different territories, follow these links: [UK](https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/harry-potter-theatrical-productions/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-the-journey/9780751576108/), [US](https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/book/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-the-journey-by-harry-potter-theatrical-productions/), [Aus](https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-the-journey-by-harry-potter-thea-productions-and-jody-revenson-9780751576108?cfclick=7f13bcf15eb243b0877563592683d084), [NZ](https://www.whitcoulls.co.nz/product/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-the-journey-6496752), [India](https://www.amazon.in/Harry-Potter-Cursed-Child-Award-Winning/dp/0751576107/) and [South Africa](https://www.takealot.com/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child/PLID56355835).

Cursed Child on Broadway releases new tickets

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Have all your friends seen it? Did your colleague go last week and mention it more often than Malfoy mentions his father? Would you see yourself holding *Cursed Child* tickets in the Mirror of Erised? Perhaps you’ve left it up to Santa, and put them on your Christmas list?

Well, prepare yourselves because we’ve got some very exciting news...

New tickets are now available for *Cursed Child* in New York. So whether you’ve not seen Cursed Child yet or you are - quite understandably – desperate to go again, it’s your lucky day – no Felix Felicis required. 

This astounding production, with so many awards it could rival the trophy room at Hogwarts, isn’t one you’ll want to miss. So don’t hang around like you’ve been on the wrong end of a Levicorpus jinx. 
Tickets available [here](https://harrypotter.ticketmaster.com/both-consecutive/calendar/2019/11?utm_source=wizworld&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=111onsale&utm_content=wweb).

*If the West Coast is more convenient, no Apparition will be necessary. [Tickets are also on sale](https://www.harrypottertheplay.com/san-francisco/tickets/) for Cursed Child in San Francisco!*

Everything you need to know about Cursed Child: The Journey 

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How on earth did they achieve that Time-Turner effect? What were the script edits like? How did the flying Dementors work? Those who have seen *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* know all too well about the abundance of magical riches the show has to offer. And now, some of its secrets are revealed in this beautiful, new behind-the-scenes book. 

Available in a stunning hardback edition or as an eBook and put together by Jody Revenson, *The Journey* explores the many different elements that came together to bring the eighth Harry Potter story to life, from costumes to music, from early development to Opening Night. Compiled with exclusive interviews with all the original creative team, fans can expect many fun behind-the-scenes titbits to be unveiled, such as extracts from director John Tiffany’s own notebooks, and new, gorgeous photography displaying the complex rehearsal process.

For those who order the eBook, *The Journey* comes with an interactive element, such as five videos that invite readers to dive even deeper into *Cursed Child*’s inception. For example, enjoy a time-lapse of how London’s Palace Theatre was brought to life. Both theatre and Harry Potter fans are in for a treat. 

*Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: The Journey* publishes on 31 October, 2019 in the UK and 5 November, 2019 in the US.

To pre-order from different territories, follow these links: [UK](https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/harry-potter-theatrical-productions/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-the-journey/9780751576108/), [US](https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/book/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-the-journey-by-harry-potter-theatrical-productions/), [Aus](https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-the-journey-by-harry-potter-thea-productions-and-jody-revenson-9780751576108?cfclick=7f13bcf15eb243b0877563592683d084), [NZ](https://www.whitcoulls.co.nz/product/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-the-journey-6496752), [India](https://www.amazon.in/Harry-Potter-Cursed-Child-Award-Winning/dp/0751576107/) and [South Africa](https://www.takealot.com/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child/PLID56355835).


Introducing Wizarding World Gold

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

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

Here are just some of the things on offer…

### A magical welcome gift

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

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

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

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

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

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

### And even more magic

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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The Sorting Hat

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

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

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

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## J.K. Rowling’s thoughts

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

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The Potter Family

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Hogwarts Express

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The Hogwarts Express steaming through the country side

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Marauder’s Map

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

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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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An archaic Hogwarts term for any new student whose Sorting takes longer than five minutes. This is an exceptionally long time for the Sorting Hat to deliberate, and occurs rarely, perhaps once every fifty years.

Of Harry Potter’s contemporaries, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom came closest to being Hatstalls. The Sorting Hat spent nearly four minutes trying to decide whether it should place Hermione in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. In Neville’s case, the Hat was determined to place him in Gryffindor: Neville, intimidated by that house’s reputation for bravery, requested a placing in Hufflepuff. Their silent wrangling resulted in triumph for the Hat.

The only true Hatstalls known personally to Harry Potter were Minerva McGonagall and Peter Pettigrew. The former caused the hat to agonise for five and a half minutes as to whether Minerva ought to go to Ravenclaw or Gryffindor; the latter was placed in Gryffindor after a long deliberation between that house and Slytherin. The Sorting Hat, which is infamously stubborn, still refuses to accept that its decision in the case of the latter may have been erroneous, citing the manner in which Pettigrew died as (dubious) evidence.

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

J.K. Rowling Archive - Wizarding world

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