Casting the golden trio

We have to kick things off by talking about the new Harry, Ron and Hermione. With over 40,000 Harrys considered, finding the actors to perfectly personify these characters was no easy feat. Yet, once Alastair was found in Manchester, Arabella in London and Dominic in Glasgow, it was clear that this was a combination that had its own kind of magic.

Not only do each of these actors already seem to embody their characters (we love the fact that Dominic auditioned with a poem that he wrote himself) but they already seem to be hanging out together and playing rock, paper, scissors like a bunch of best friends. With the series set to play out over the next decade, we can’t wait to see their relationship grow.

The nature of magic

You couldn’t have Harry Potter without magic – it seeps into every part of the story. As the special revealed, the new HBO series is leaning into the power of magic by combining it with the power of nature. More specifically, the series fully leans into the idea that all magic is firmly rooted in the natural world, and this should be evident in every detail.

For example, the ideas of naturalism have been integrated into a lot of the sets. Take one look at the halls and corridors of Hogwarts and you’ll see that they have truly brought the outside in – with creeping vines and sprawling trees as key features within the castle walls.

It’s not just the big design choices that evoke the wonder of nature but the smaller elements too. For instance, the new Chocolate Frogs – these hopping sweets are now green and have never looked more realistic! The pink and green colour palette of the packaging reminds us of lily pads floating in a pond. The new Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Bean packaging builds on similar principles too with its extremely intricate vine design.

The emblems of Hogwarts

As we are on the topic of nature, it has even been incorporated in the house banners. Did you spot the Ravenclaw eagle and the Slytherin serpent? Not only have the mascots had a makeover, but the overall design is unlike anything we have seen in the Harry Potter world before with both banners containing a vine motif.

Bringing the books to life

Finding Harry also revealed more blink-and-you’ll-miss-them moments that demonstrate how the television show is set to be a faithful adaptation of the books.

This image is a treasure trove of these – especially when it comes to Ron. Did you spot the Chudley Cannons badge, the symbol of his favourite Quidditch team, on his jacket? Or the bruise, which is a result of his scuffle with Malfoy in Philosopher’s Stone, on his cheek?

New Wands

Three Gryffindors also had their wand designs clearly displayed in the special. The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted Hermione, Parvati, and Neville brandishing theirs! Whilst each are unique, from Hermione’s twisting pattern to Neville’s (well, his dad’s) branch-like design, the idea of magic in nature is once again at the forefront.

The Muggle world

We also need to take a second to admire just how fantastically mundane the Muggle world is – especially when it comes to Privet Drive. The Dursleys’ house perfectly matches all the other houses on their street, with no attempt at being unique or even a hint of whimsy. Their world is clearly distinct from the wonder of the magical world and extremely recognisably Muggle.

This continues inside number four, where there is no escaping the 90s – not with that choice of wallpaper. The Dursleys’ house is an accurate reflection of them as a family. A family that prided themselves on being perfectly normal thank-you-very-much.

In fact, the only bit of originality can be found in the cupboard under the stairs. Yes, it is a small, dark and miserable space but it is one that Harry actually tried to make his own – thanks to some carefully hung drawings.

The magic of costumes

Costumes are a crucial part of bringing the world of Harry Potter to life and this behind-the-scenes special has some fascinating insights into their creation. From hand painting and marbling clothing to printing leaves on fabrics, nature was not only the inspiration for these designs, but the key to bringing them to life.

After all, when you print with leaves, there is a natural magic to the process. You don’t know what you are going to get and the beauty lies in the imperfection – ideal for creating costumes for eccentric characters such as Dumbledore.

This celebration of nature extends beyond colours and details to the materials used for costumes like the Hogwarts uniforms. Rather than using synthetic options, they were all created from natural fabrics such as British wool and organic cotton.

Whereas the costumes of the Muggle world are heavily influenced by synthetic materials often used in the 1990s. With a pastel colour palette and a penchant for shell suits, these outfits are in complete contrast to their magical counterparts, drawing attention to the huge differences between these worlds.

The Great Hall

In Finding Harry, Janet McTeer, aka Professor McGonagall, revealed that walking into the Great Hall for the first time was like walking into a cathedral. We have to say that we agree with her. From the decorative door to the carvings on the columns (including the house symbols), there is nothing plain or boring about this space. In our opinion, it would more than hold its own against any famous cathedral when it comes to grandeur.

The Potions classroom

Lit by candles and covered with cauldrons, textbooks and ingredients, the special unveiled yet another iconic Hogwarts location – the Potions classroom. Brilliantly designed, it manages to walk the line of making you feel as though you are underground in the dungeons, right in the bowels of the castle, while still managing to retain the warmth associated with the enchanting atmosphere of Hogwarts.

Diagon Alley

Instantly recognisable as the heart of the magical community in London, the set of Diagon Alley was also revealed during this behind-the-scenes journey. With familiar favourites, such as Gringotts Bank and Ollivanders, reimagined for the new series, the street itself encapsulates the ramshackle charm of the wizarding world with its wonderfully eccentric shops complete with handcrafted details.

Magical creatures

The impressive craftsmanship that went into this series even extends to the creation of the wizarding creatures. Each animatronic animal was carefully constructed using research, talent and painstaking attention to detail – it took 36,000 feathers to build one owl!

Viewers were also treated to seeing a wizarding pet up close. In the new series, Scabbers is an extremely realistic looking animatronic rat! They even have one model that bites! It’s enough to make you believe in magic.

The new Harry Potter series will also debut magical creatures that have never been seen on screen before – like the Dugbog. Taking inspiration from nature, the creature effects team have succeeded in making a realistic, if rather slimy, magical creature.

Speaking of slimy, we finally get to see what a Flobberworm looks like and can confirm they’re brilliantly gross.

Platform nine and three-quarters

The final part of the special unveils the famous platform nine and three-quarters. From the murals on the walls to the scarlet Hogwarts Express, it beautifully captures the magical realism of Harry Potter and makes us all the more excited for this brand-new journey back to Hogwarts.

Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic is available to stream on HBO Max where it is available. You can also watch on Crave in Canada and OSN+ in the following territories: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq and Libya.

You can learn absolutely everything we already know about the Harry Potter television series right here – and do sign up for our newsletter to get all the latest owl post as soon as we have it.