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Hogwarts in the Snow: lesser known decorations from the Great Hall

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Gryffindor table set for Christmas at Hogwarts in the Snow

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### House representation

Professor McGonagall told Harry and his classmates on his arrival at Hogwarts: ‘your house will be something like your family’. For the films, the Art Department, Props Team and Set Decorators wanted to reflect house colours in the decorations for Christmastide – the time of year most commonly spent with loved ones. 

House representation details you may have missed include snowmen on cakes wearing house scarves, sweet pots and student presents wrapped with house colours, as well as crackers with an individual house design.  
House pride is strong as ever in the Great Hall during the festive makeover of the sets for Hogwarts in the Snow.   


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### Magical attention to detail

Those of you channelling a Ravenclaw’s thirst for knowledge will be delighted to find out there’s more detail than just House representation in the Great Hall.  

The garlands on every panel are the actual garlands used during filming, with some fresh ivy added we’re sure Professor Sprout would approve of.  
The Christmas puddings are rigged by the Special Effects department to produce real flames. Unfortunately, they are about as inedible as Hagrid’s rock cakes since they’re made of concrete and steel leaves to withstand the high heat.  


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### Fabulous filming facts

Did you know that during the filming of the first Harry Potter, real food was cooked and served fresh every day on set? Unfortunately, it didn’t keep well and by the end of a long day’s filming, it looked a little like the spread at Nearly Headless Nick’s Deathday Party. After the first film therefore, the ever-creative Props Team solved this problem by making replica feast food themselves. We hope the cast remembered the change: even the peas were metal ball bearings sprayed green!  

And do you remember the malevolent beings circling the top of the Christmas trees? The SFX Team led by Oscar-winning John Richardson added them in an inspired decorative mood. Out-Hermione all your friends by telling them the magical beings are actually fairies, not witches.  



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### Yule be surprised to know

The Great Hall also boasted additions for the special Yule Ball celebration that happened in Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts.  

>‘Ah, music,’ he said, wiping his eyes. ‘A magic beyond all we do here!’ 
>
>*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*
 
Albus Dumbledore certainly would have approved of Professor Flitwick’s orchestra being set out for the Yule Ball set. It included all the original musical instruments from the fourth film, as well as velvet coloured chairs and music stands.  

Did you recognise the shape of the ice sculpture centrepiece on the Yule Ball table? It was actually based on the Brighton Pavilion! And there was no rest for the Props Team when it came to creating a wintery feel… All the flaming torches in the Yule Ball were painted to look like ice, and the icicles were all hand-made in resin.  


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An enormous cauldron of thanks to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London for sharing these seasonal secrets! 

For more information or to book your tickets in advance, you can head over to their <a href="https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk">website.</a>


How the wizarding world sometimes gave us some unrealistic expectations 

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## Teachers

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

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

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

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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and the Goblet of Fire

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## Adventures

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

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## P.E.

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

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

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Cormac McLaggen brags to Ron Weasley at Quidditch Keeper tryouts

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## School dances 

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

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


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## School meals

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


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Hats fly in the air when Gryffindor win the House Cup 

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## Trouble

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

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

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

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## Friendship

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

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

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

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

What would Wizarding World characters be thankful for?

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Neville poses with a plant in the Goblet of Fire.

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## Luna Lovegood
For Luna, we’ve chosen Dumbledore’s Army. The anti-Umbridge Defence Against the Dark Arts group run by Harry meant so much to this free-spirited Ravenclaw. Treated unkindly by fellow students due to her eccentric ways, Luna told Harry that the DA ‘was like having friends’. Luna made lifelong friends thanks to the DA – as well as learning some handy defensive magic. 

Luna may have been thankful for the DA, but we’re pretty sure her new pals were thankful for her fiercely loyal friendship too. 


## Newt Scamander 
If we could ask our favourite Magizoologist he’d probably find it tricky to choose only one kind of fantastic beast to be thankful for. So we’re making his mind up for him. How about Salamanders – fire-dwelling lizards that feed on flame? But why choose this creature above all his others? What about Pickett and Bowtruckles? Or the baby Nifflers? Or Mooncalves? We’re so thankful for those unbearably cute creatures! Ultimately we think it would be Salamanders. For Newt, the creatures were inextricably linked to Tina Goldstein. ‘She has eyes just like a Salamander’, Newt told Jacob. And although his friend warned against telling Tina this, we’re so glad Newt did. And she didn’t seem to mind either… 


## Gilderoy Lockhart
We think Professor Lockhart would claim to be thankful for all sorts of things: his bravery fighting off banshees, his fearlessness against ghouls, his ability to save people from vampires, hags, yetis, trolls… But that was all a lie. We think that deep down, Gilderoy would be most thankful for Witch Weekly magazine. He really did win Witch Weekly’s Most-Charming-Smile Award five times in a row. It’s possibly the only achievement he was famous for that he actually earned himself. 


## Hedwig
Harry’s precious snowy owl, Hedwig, often had a worse time than Harry at number four, Privet Drive. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, when Harry was locked in his room by the Dursleys, poor Hedwig wasn’t allowed out of her cage. The only food available to her was soggy vegetables from Harry’s stone-cold soup. After all this, we think Hedwig would be thankful for Hogwarts. There she had the owlery to catch up with all of her feathered friends and the freedom to spread her snowy wings across the wide-open skies of the Scottish Highlands – as well as a constant supply of prey from the Forbidden Forest!


## Jacob Kowalski
To say that Jacob was a little overwhelmed by his trips into Newt’s suitcase might be an understatement. But who wouldn’t be with all those fantastic beasts gadding about? It might be strange then that we’ve chosen the Occamy – a small snake-like bird – as something Jacob would be thankful for. But Occamy egg shells are solid silver, and this was the thank you Newt left behind for Jacob after their first adventure together ended: 
‘Dear Mr Kowalski, You are wasted in a canning factory. Please take these Occamy eggshells as collateral for your bakery. A well-wisher.’

Baked goods for everyone, all thanks to an Occamy! Little did Jacob know that his adventures with magical creatures were only just beginning… 


## Hermione Granger
We’re sure Hermione would be thankful for Harry and Ron, for Crookshanks and for the beautiful dress robes she wowed everyone with at the Yule Ball. But we reckon that Hermione would be most thankful for the Hogwarts library. The library and its books were there for her, even when she’d fallen out with her friends. It played a crucial role, not just to get her top marks, but also to help her solve many-a-mystery. And don’t forget it was also the place where Viktor Krum liked to watch her work. How romantic!  To prove our point here’s what Ron had to say on the matter: 
‘Because that’s what Hermione does,’ said Ron, shrugging. ‘When in doubt, go to the library’. 


## Fred & George Weasley
Fred and George’s joke-shop dream may have stayed as elusive as a Crumple-Horned Snorkack without Harry’s helping hand in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. So we’ve chosen Harry’s Triwizard Tournament winnings as something the twins would be thankful for. Without it, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes may never have existed so we’re pretty grateful for those thousand Galleons too. Imagine how many laughs we would have missed out on? U-No-Poo – a modern classic. And who doesn’t want a Pygmy Puff for a pet?


## Remus Lupin
Given Lupin’s ‘furry little problem’ as his friend James Potter used to call it, we think Remus would be thankful for the Wolfsbane Potion. The potion made Werewolves like Lupin ‘safe’, which meant he was able to keep his mind when he transformed, and curl up in his office as ‘a harmless wolf’. However, because it was a fairly modern invention, Lupin didn’t always have the potion and used to turn into a ‘fully fledged monster once a month’. Without the Wolfsbane Potion, Lupin never would have been able to take up a post at Hogwarts.   


## Neville Longbottom
It’s fair to say that Neville struggled with many of his classes at Hogwarts. Even by his second year he was afraid the Heir of Slytherin would come after him, because he claimed he was ‘almost a Squib’. But there was one area that Neville excelled in: Herbology. Right at the beginning of his journey, a good Herbology mark meant Neville scraped it through end-of-year exams. Then in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows we found out that he became a Herbology Professor at Hogwarts! Herbology really did help Neville blossom into the Horcrux-slaying Gryffindor we all know and love. We think he would be very thankful for the existence of this green-fingered subject. And Stinksap to anyone who says otherwise!


## Ron Weasley & Harry Potter
Saving them both from Devil’s Snare; figuring out the identity of Slytherin’s monster and passing on the information whilst petrified; helping Harry beat a dragon by relentlessly teaching him Accio; getting them through their homework and O.W.L.s.; coming up with Dumbledore’s Army; saving them both from Bill and Fleur’s wedding… The list goes on. 
We think Harry and Ron would be eternally thankful for Hermione Jean Granger. 
Perhaps Ron most of all, who was lucky enough to marry her in the end.  


We’ll leave you with a quote from Dumbledore:
‘We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbet lemon?’


Things we notice watching Harry Potter films ten years on

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


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

## So. Much. Knitwear. 


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

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


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

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

## The significance of seven 


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

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

## Making plans for Nigel  


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

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

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Harry and Sirius standing in the Department of Mysteries 

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

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

## Professor Slughorn’s fish, Francis 



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

## Neville fancies Luna! 


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

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

# The Warner Bros. logo gets darker and darker 


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

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


What your Patronus says about you

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Luna conjuring her rabbit Patronus in the Room of Requirment 

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## Five favourites from the top ten 

*Most popular: dolphin*

It’s a good thing that dolphins are the most common Patronus form, because they’re friendly, sociable mammals! They live in pods, communicate in squeaks, whistles and clicks and are incredible playful creatures. If you have a dolphin as a Patronus, perhaps it matches your own extroverted personality? If that doesn’t sound like you, maybe deep down you’re more outgoing than you thought…  

*Tonkinese cat*

There are no fewer than six types of cat in the top twenty, but the one that came in second to the dolphin was the Tonkinese cat. It’s no real surprise that cats were amongst the most common Patronus types; according to J.K. Rowling ‘it is usual for a Patronus to take the form of an animal commonly found in the caster’s native country’. A Tonkinese cat Patronus might indicate that you’re a curious and loving person. This breed delights in playing games, unlike lazier cats, and is very generous with their affection. 

*Fox*

Following the felines, the fox slinks into fifth place. Foxes are cunning, resourceful and fiercely intelligent – remind you of anything? That’s right – we wouldn’t be surprised if some members of Slytherin house find themselves with a fox Patronus. Foxes are also highly adaptable and can live in many diverse habitats around the world. If deep down you’re channelling the fox, you’ll likely have resilience in spades.

*St Bernard*

The sixth most popular Patronus is a type of dog. Like cats, there are quite a few friendly canines in the top twenty, but the St Bernard comes out top dog. A gentle giant, the St Bernard reminds us a little of Rubeus Hagrid in nature. Apart from its size, this breed has become well known for performing search and rescue, saving lives in the mountains. You’re likely to have bravery with a St Bernard as your Patronus, as well as a big heart – even if you don’t wear it on your sleeve. 

*Hedgehog*

This prickly customer just makes it into the top ten. Hedgehogs hibernate in cold climates, so if your Patronus takes this form it might be that you’d rather curl up under a blanket than take on the winter chill. Personality-wise, these critters may look cute but they’ve got a hard edge when it comes to defending themselves. Perhaps you have hidden depths to your personality if this is your Patronus. One thing’s for sure though, we wouldn’t mind having this spiky Patronus on our side against a Dementor.

Still curious about whether your Patronus made it into the top 20? Scroll to the bottom to find out!

## A handful of rarities

*Unicorn*

A magical form of Patronus is very uncommon, and the unicorn is one of the rarest on our list. According to Newt Scamander, the unicorn ‘is a pure white, horned horse when fully grown’. They generally avoid human contact, so a unicorn Patronus might indicate shyness in a personality as well as an air of mystery. 
Although it doesn’t follow that a magical Patronus is more powerful than any other, it may reflect an ‘unusual personality’. 

*Snowy owl*

Given their prominence in the wizarding world, you might think that having an owl Patronus is pretty commonplace. However, they’re unusual and this is backed up by our statistics – the Snowy owl is 115th most common. In fact the highest any owl comes on list is 105th with the Scops owl. If you’re lucky enough to have a Snowy owl as your Patronus, you may well reflect its protective and fearless personality – it fiercely defends its nest, even against wolves. No doubt Hedwig would have been a Gryffindor!

*Stag*

118th on our list is the stag Patronus we associate so closely with Harry, as well as his father, James Potter. Interestingly the doe sits next to the stag on the list, almost like they’re watching over each other – not unlike James and Lily, and later... Snape and Harry. Often regarded as a protector, a stag Patronus might indicate that you look out for others, as well as shine in leadership roles. Just like Harry, we’d feel safe with his proud guardian as our Patronus.

*Wood mouse*

If you have a mouse as a Patronus we’re here to reassure you – they may be small, but they are mighty! J.K. Rowling tells us that ‘one of the most famous Patronuses of all time was a lowly mouse, which belonged to a legendary young wizard called Illyius, who used it to hold off an attack from an army of Dementors single-handedly.’ As well as bravery, having this mouse Patronus may also hint at your initiative and intelligence. Wood mice mark their territory by placing objects in key places. Smart! At 87th down the list, this little mouse is also a relatively rare Patronus.  

*Albatross* 

The albatross is the rarest Patronus on our list; the one belonging to the lowest number of Wizarding World fans. With the longest wingspan of any bird – up to 11 feet – the albatross surfs the ocean winds for hours, hardly even needing to flap. If you have produced an albatross Patronus, perhaps you have a happy-go-lucky personality and enjoy throwing caution to the wind. The Dementors would be unlikely to get you down with this giant feathered friend soaring in to save the day.


## The top twenty... 

1. Dolphin
2. Tonkinese Cat
3. Manx Cat
4. Nebelung Cat
5. Fox
6. St Bernard Dog
7. Weasel
8. Bassett Hound
9. Black And White Cat
10. Hedgehog
11. Deerhound
12. West Highland Terrier
13. Siberian Cat
14. Tortoiseshell Cat
15. White Stallion
16. White Mare 
17. White Swan
18. Osprey
19. Borzoi
20. Ragdoll Cat


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If you already have a Patronus you can admire it [here](https://my.wizardingworld.com/patronus "Patronus experience link").

Whatever form your Patronus takes, we hope it brings you happiness and hope!



Ranked: most significant wizarding world duels

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

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## Gilderoy Lockhart vs Severus Snape: *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

You might think it’s curious that we’ve chosen to include this duel in this list. Lockhart, despite starting the Duelling Club, was disarmed by Snape almost immediately. But this duel marked the very first time Harry witnessed the Disarming Charm, Expelliarmus. Snape was desperate to loathe Harry, despite his promises to Dumbledore about Lily’s son. Isn’t it interesting that it was the Potions professor that first showed Harry the spell that saved his life countless times?

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## Tina Goldstein vs Theseus Scamander: *Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald*

We absolutely loved this duel between Tina and Newt Scamander’s brother, Theseus, at the French Ministry of Magic. In answer to a curse, Tina cast a spell that slammed Theseus into a chair, bound his hands and then made him fly backwards – still sitting on the chair – into a wall. Goldstein had serious moves. Newt summed it up: ‘I think that might have been the best moment of my life.’ 


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## Harry Potter vs Lord Voldemort: *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

As though the first Harry versus Voldemort duel – Avada Kedavra versus Expelliarmus – wasn’t dramatic enough, the duellers’ wands shared the same core – a feather from the tail of Fawkes the Phoenix – and a rare phenomenon, Priori Incantatem, occurred. Also known as the reverse spell effect, Harry forced Voldemort’s wand to regurgitate spells it had performed, and ghosts emerged from the Dark Lord’s wand tip. Harry’s parents, amongst others, helped give him enough time to escape.

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## Percy Weasley vs Pius Thicknesse: *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

This duel happened after Percy finally – FINALLY – saw sense and joined his family in fighting against Lord Voldemort at the Battle of Hogwarts. Whatever the jinx Percy used against Thicknesse, it looked pretty uncomfortable. But this duel is mainly in this list because Percy Weasley finally made a joke:

*‘Hello, Minister!’ bellowed Percy, sending a neat jinx straight at Thicknesse, who dropped his wand and clawed at the front of his robes, apparently in awful discomfort. ‘Did I mention I’m resigning?’* 

Perfect Percy came good in the end.  


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## Harry Potter vs Draco Malfoy: *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Part One)*

A Harry versus Draco showdown isn’t exactly a rare occurrence in the wizarding world. In fact, Draco and Harry agreed to duel in his very first year at Hogwarts – although Draco never turned up. We’ve chosen this duel in *Cursed Child* though, because it was about more than Slytherin versus Gryffindor or DA versus Inquisitorial Squad: it was dad versus dad. They’d also improved a lot since their encounter at the Duelling Club in their second year. This duel was a masterclass in wand work, with at least ten different spells cast.  

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## Albus Dumbledore vs Lord Voldemort: *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

Enchanted statues. Silver shields. A Phoenix swallowing a killing curse. A rope turning into a snake. Wisps of dark smoke. Water rising. You wouldn’t want to be caught in the middle of a duel like this one. This was a significant duel in the wizarding world, not just because of the awe-inspiring magic performed, but because it was the only time Dumbledore fought Voldemort head on. It also finally persuaded Cornelius Fudge that You-Know-Who had returned.

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## Severus Snape vs Minerva McGonagall: *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

Secretly, we reckon most people hoped McGonagall and Snape’s underlying dislike for each other – remember their Quidditch rivalry? – would come to a head. And what better way than this wizard duel? And this one was pretty special. One of the most impressive moves from McGonagall was transforming a black serpent into smoke, and then solidifying it into ‘a swarm of pursuing daggers’.

McGonagall was cooler than Hogwarts in the snow about her duelling prowess though: when asked where Snape had gone by a Slytherin student she simply announced that he’d ‘done a bunk’. A round of applause for magnificent Minerva. 


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## Molly Weasley vs Bellatrix Lestrange: *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

When Molly duelled Bellatrix after she attacked Ginny, it became clear very quickly why she belonged in the Order of the Phoenix, and also that she’d been hiding her duelling light under a bushel across the previous six books. We loved the way Bellatrix’s face changed as she realised that she’d met her match in Molly. And of course, there was that unforgettable line: ‘NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU...' – you know the rest.

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## Harry Potter vs Lord Voldemort: *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

In a mirroring of the spells they used in their first duel against each other, Voldemort shrieked Avada Kedavra and Harry relied on his trusty Expelliarmus in their final showdown:

*Harry saw Voldemort’s green jet meet his own spell, saw the Elder Wand fly high, dark against the sunrise, spinning across the enchanted ceiling like the head of Nagini, spinning through the air towards the master it would not kill, who had come to take full possession of it at last.* 

Who was the true master of the Elder Wand? If you don’t know... then you’ll find the answer in the chapter ‘The Flaw in the Plan’ from *Deathly Hallows*. 


An appreciation of knitwear in the Harry Potter films 

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WB HP3 F3 Ron in knitted hat from Prisoner of Azkaban

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So, as the winter months draw in, let’s celebrate our favourite Harry Potter characters rocking their favourite cosy clothes. Who wore it best? And, not looking at Ron, who needs a Switching Spell on their wardrobe?

## Maroon season

WB HP F3 Hermione and Ron in Prisoner of Azkaban

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We all know that Ron hates maroon more than Lord Voldemort hates not-murdering people. And yet, Molly insists on this brownish-red shade being the colour that would haunt Ron for many knitted jumpers to come. Be this as it may, Ron wouldn’t be Ron without his maroon ensembles, and we wouldn’t have him any other way. Here’s a lovely diagonal patterned number from *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* to celebrate. 

## A-Gryffin-dorable

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While Ron was confined to his inevitable maroon doom, it’s nice to see his best friends syncing up with him in this lovely colour-combined red effort. This is just what Gryffindor mates do for each other when they’re not Horcrux hunting, taking down the Dark Lord, etc. 

## Vest is best

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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Now, you could argue that a sweater vest is the most pointless member of the knitwear family, as it’s basically a jumper where your arms remain cold. Nonetheless, one Neville Longbottom is here to prove us all wrong, championing the sweater vest on a number of occasions in the films. Neville really is doing his best to bring the 70s back with a vengeance here. Or maybe he just really enjoys golf, secretly. Who knows!

Either way, you’ve got to respect him for becoming the great wizard he becomes when his arms must have been absolutely freezing the whole time. Can someone try casting Expelli-ARM-us?

Draco’s so mad at this look he’s pointing a wand at him. Yes, this is definitely what this scene is about.

## Getting Ravenclaw-ready

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It’s a wonder anyone at Hogwarts ever heard anyone else talk, seeing as how popular ear-covering bobblehats seem to be in the castle. Here’s Luna and Cho flaunting some corresponding sea-blue knitted looks, maybe getting ready to launch their Ravenclaw-themed girl band?

## Taking umbrage with Umbridge



WB HP F5 Dolores Umbridge in her office in Order of the Phoenix 

WB HP F5 Dolores Umbridge in Order of the Phoenix 

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You thought Fluffy the three-headed dog was scary? You clearly haven’t met the other fluffy: the pink cardigan of Dolores Umbridge. The film’s costume designers clearly had a lot of fun designing Professor Umbridge’s sickeningly pink wardrobe, with her various outfits from Order of the Phoenix being both brilliant and ghastly. Also, observe the cat brooch.

## Fighting Voldemort in a cable knit

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 

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If you’re on your way to defeat one of the Darkest wizards of the wizarding world... it’s important to be comfortable. This is just what Harry did during his epic rescue of the Philosopher’s Stone in his first year. Voldemort was no match for this cosy, red cable knit–and Harry certainly pulled the wool over his eyes when he ended up defying him of the Philosopher’s Stone. 

## Wait, a fleece cardigan OVER a Weasley jumper?

WB HP F4 Ron Weasley outside in Goblet of Fire

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Ron, we know it’s Scotland, but it really cannot be that cold.

## Tassle hassle 

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Here’s Ron, yet again, and this time he is wearing a very silly hat. As the woolly hat laws strictly decree, you can only wear these tasselled things at festivals. 10 points from Gryffindor for wearing such a hat indoors. 5 points back for those very cosy-looking, thick woollen socks, though. Dumbledore would love those.

## The Horcrux-killing cardy look

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Neville defies Lord Voldemort and holds the sword of Gryffindor in the aftermath of the Battle at Hogwarts.

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But when all is said and done, the most iconic knitwear moment of all time in Harry Potter surely must be Neville Longbottom doing his part to take down Lord Voldemort... in this really cosy-looking cardy! See, Neville? When you invest in some winterwear which keeps your arms warm, you can be invincible. 

Yes, you cardi-can.

*Which wizarding woolly is your favourite?*

How the Weasleys changed my life as a redhead  

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It is a truth universally acknowledged that redheads didn't generally have the best time in primary school. Having red hair, even without hand-me-down robes, was basically an invitation to be picked on, whether you went to a wizarding school or your standard comprehensive. As much as I insisted that my hair was actually *auburn* (or titian, depending on one's preference), unfortunately more things rhymed with ginger, so that was that. Then when I was introduced to not just one ginger hero in the Harry Potter series, but a whole family of them, you can imagine how delighted I was. Here's how the Weasleys helped me to live my best redheaded life...

It was 2001 and during 'circle time' in my year 6 classroom, our teacher asked which fictional character we would most like to be. I proudly opted for Ginny Weasley. Despite one classmate’s snarky cry of 'who?!', I was pleased with my choice. For the first time in a long time, there was a ginger character to get on board with. After all, Ginny was in one of the coolest wizarding families! She lived in the Burrow! She could cast a mean Bat-Bogey Hex! She became slowly possessed by the spirit of Lord Voldemort! OK, maybe not that last one.

Ginny wasn't the only redheaded Harry Potter character to inspire me. Ron, after all, was Harry's best friend, and he’s not teased about his hair in the books, not really. It wasn't a personality point, nor was it an invitation for the rest of the characters to treat him badly. In fact, the only character to point out his hair is Draco Malfoy, who then gets superbly taken down by Harry Potter, marking the end of any chance of them becoming friends. It made me realise that hair colour isn't nearly as important as being good at something; like Ron with his chess, or being a great friend, or sticking your neck out to help someone. Just because my hair colour was what my classmates zoned in on, it didn't need to define me.  

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Suddenly, the classmates that picked on me were just a bunch of mini Dracos. And who wants to be Draco, running to tell the teacher every time he wanted to get Harry in trouble and buying his way into the Quidditch team, when you can be ginger and winning the House Cup?   

Then there was the Weasley family beyond Ginny and Ron. Fred and George were easily the funniest and most likeable characters in the novels (in my opinion, anyway). Hilarious, charming and massively popular, it made me feel smug that we had at least one thing in common. Not to mention Bill, who especially made being a redhead cool, what with his ponytail and his fang earring.

Of course, I'm not the only one to feel like the Weasley family seriously helped me out as a youngster. Speaking about how J.K. Rowling helped her to love her red tresses, Laura, 33, said: "She inspired me when she said she loved ginger people at the *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2* premiere. I also love the fact that all the main characters are ginger like Lily, Ron, all of the Weasleys." Hayley, 28, added that thanks to the Weasleys, she's never dyed her hair a different colour. She said: "There wasn’t really anyone else who I knew in my year at school who was a redhead and people would always make jokes about me being ginger and I always desperately wanted to change my hair colour. But then the Weasleys got a bit of a cult following and became cool, so it helped me embrace my colour rather than hate it - haven’t touched hair dye since!"  

Even Rupert Grint himself had a lot to say about the Weasleys being up front and centre in the novels. Speaking at the *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2* premiere, saying to J.K. Rowling: "What you've done for ginger people … I can't put it into words. So, thank you, Jo," to the ecstatic screaming of what I assume was the ginger part of the crowds at Trafalgar Square.

Going from a hair colour that went from being widely mocked to coveted was great. With countless people dressing up for Hallowe’en sporting red hair and a broken wand as Ron, it can most definitely be said that the Weasley family contributed to the rise of the redheads, and I couldn't be happier to be a part of that crowd.  

Now, who wants to talk about Spattergroit?

Stray thoughts: when did characters first start seeing Thestrals? 

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and the Order of the Phoenix

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>‘It’s all right,’ said a dreamy voice from beside Harry as Ron vanished into the coach’s dark interior. ‘You’re not going mad or anything. I can see them, too.’  
>
>‘Can you?’ said Harry desperately, turning to Luna. He could see the bat-winged horses reflected in her wide silvery eyes.  
>
>‘Oh, yes,’ said Luna, ‘I’ve been able to see them ever since my first day here. They’ve always pulled the carriages. Don’t worry. You’re just as sane as I am.’  
>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

### A note on Thestrals 

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Before we share our Thestral investigations, it’s important to remember that the ability to see the carnivorous horses has two requirements.  

The first requirement is easiest to remember: ‘that the beholder has witnessed death’. But the second, more complex, requirement is that in order to see a Thestral, the beholder must have ‘gained an emotional understanding of what death means’.  

So, witnessing death alone isn’t enough – it must be coupled with a deeper understanding. 

You’ll notice we haven’t included characters we know could see Thestrals and why. Harry, Luna, and Neville, for example. But this stray thought isn’t concerned with them – this time we’re investigating some characters that we don’t know about for sure. 

Get ready, as Dumbledore would put it, to enter the realms of guesswork and speculation…  

### Albus Dumbledore
 

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Dumbledore lived a very long life, but sadly he wasn’t very old when he became acquainted with death. On finishing Hogwarts, Dumbledore and his friend, Elphias Doge, were planning on travelling around the world. But on the eve of their departure Dumbledore’s mother, Kendra, died. But could Dumbledore see Thestrals after this? The problem is we’re not convinced that Dumbledore was actually home when his mother died – in *Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* he told Harry ‘I returned to my village in anger and bitterness’. A return to Godric’s Hollow really does sound like he wasn’t there when Kendra died. Unfortunately, tragedy struck the Dumbledore family again not long after Kendra’s death. Dumbledore’s sister, Ariana, was killed during a fight between Aberforth, Dumbledore, and Dumbledore’s ambitious new friend, Grindelwald. Dumbledore spent the rest of his life haunted by the guilt he felt about Ariana’s death, so we think he probably gained a true emotional understanding of death’s meaning from that early age. In addition, Hagrid told his Care of Magical Creatures class that when Dumbledore was taking a long journey and didn’t want to Apparate he would ride a Thestral. An odd choice if he couldn’t see them.  

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### Rubeus Hagrid 

It would have been a little strange if Hagrid hadn’t been able to see the Thestral herd that he looked after in the Forbidden Forest. But stranger things have happened in the wizarding world, so just like Harry, Ron and Hermione would, we investigated. It appeared that during his Care of Magical Creatures lesson on Thestrals, Hagrid was able to see the creatures coming, as well as touch them – even to the extent that he reached out to pat his favourite, Tenebrus. But when did Hagrid start seeing Thestrals?  

We know that Hagrid’s father died when he was young: 

>‘Dad raised me ... but he died, o’ course, jus’ after I started school. Sorta had ter make me own way after that.’ 
>*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

But if he was away at school, it’s possible Hagrid wasn’t there when his dad died. 

We also know that Hagrid fetched baby Harry from the remains of the Potter house at the end of the First Wizarding War. Perhaps he witnessed death on other errands for Dumbledore during that dark time and that’s why Thestrals were visible to him? 

### Minerva McGonagall 

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We set ourselves a challenge in Minerva McGonagall. Like Albus Dumbledore, she was an intensely private individual – perhaps owing to her childhood in an all-Muggle village where she was encouraged by her witch mother to hide her magic. Unlike Dumbledore however, there was no *The Life and Lies of Minerva McGonagall* to point us in the right (or wrong) direction. What we did find out however was that tragedy struck Minerva after she started teaching at Hogwarts and might have meant she could see Thestrals from then on.  

After turning down his proposals of marriage multiple times, Minerva finally married her old Ministry boss, Elphinstone Urquart. According to J.K. Rowling, their marriage ‘was a very happy one’ and ‘period of great fulfilment for Minerva’. Very sadly, he died from an accidental Venomous Tentacula bite, three years into the marriage. We don’t know whether Minerva was actually present when this happened, but she was so devastated that she couldn’t bear to be alone in their cottage and fled to the Hogwarts castle and threw herself into her work. We might not know for sure whether she could see Thestrals, but knowing all this, we love her even more. 

 

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### Severus Snape 

There isn’t much doubt in our minds that Severus Snape could see Thestrals. Most memorably, on one terrible night, he killed Albus Dumbledore. But that was late on in Snape’s slippery career working as a double agent for both Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort. One interesting observation is that when Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him – instead of Draco Malfoy doing it – Snape protested: 

>‘That boy’s soul is not yet so damaged,’ said Dumbledore. ‘I would not have it ripped apart on my account.’  
>
>‘And my soul, Dumbledore? Mine?’  
>*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows*

This might indicate that Snape hadn’t murdered anyone before Dumbledore, but it still doesn’t give us any clues about whether he’d previously seen death. It is likely that Severus Snape at least witnessed murders, given how many were carried out by Lord Voldemort both times he came to power. But did he have an emotional understanding of what death really meant whilst hovering in Voldemort’s shadow? We would guess that if he didn’t, when Lord Voldemort made Lily Evans his victim, those Thestrals would have come into sharp focus for Snape. 

### Lord Voldemort

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Many would say that there’s an easy answer when it comes to Lord Voldemort: he must have started to see Thestrals during his time at Hogwarts because he killed his father and grandparents – and framed his uncle Morfin for it – whilst still a student. Not to mention he was present when the Basilisk, the creature he controlled, killed Myrtle in the girl’s bathroom which housed the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. And if that wasn’t enough – he embarked on making Horcruxes, which require murder to be created. 

Lord Voldemort almost certainly satisfied the first requirement: he wasn’t just seeing death; he was bringing it about. But the question we have is, does he ever gain an emotional understanding of what death means? Can someone so quick to end a life, whether by his own hand or on his orders, really understand what death truly means? Can someone who doesn’t love, really understand the significance of death? 

‘Kill the spare’ Voldemort said of Cedric Diggory in Little Hangleton graveyard – but Cedric was loved, and missed, and mourned – all part of death. From what we know of the Dark Lord, it appears none of that would have crossed his mind? 

On the other side of the Knut, Lord Voldemort created the Horcruxes in order to achieve his goal ‘to conquer death’. He feared death. He snarled mid-duel in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: ‘There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!’  

Perhaps that meant he understood its significance too well? Death means lay down your weapons, it means your reign is over, the end of your power. And death came for Lord Voldemort at the last, no matter how hard he tried to outrun it.  
<br>
Despite Thestrals themselves being harmless, this stray thought led us to some of the darkest moments across the Harry Potter series and reminded us of the people some of our favourite characters loved and lost. If you’re feeling down after all this talk of Thestrals, we’d like to remind you of a piece of wisdom Dumbledore shared with Harry in his very first year at Hogwarts: ‘to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection for ever’.  

Five things you (probably) didn’t know about 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.

Oh dear. Are you lost?