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Pub trivia – fun facts you didn't know about wizarding inns

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__Spoiler warning! There are some mild spoilers ahead – turn back now if you’re not familiar with the stories…__

## The Leaky Cauldron is the oldest pub in London

Despite what many [Muggles](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/muggles) think, the title of oldest pub in London goes to this well-loved wizarding establishment. Found on Charing Cross Road, the [Leaky Cauldron](/fact-file/locations/the-leaky-cauldron) was built in the 1500s – long before Charing Cross Road was even planned! Its true address is number one, [Diagon Alley](/fact-file/locations/diagon-alley).

## Muggles used to frequent the Leaky Cauldron

This wizarding institution wasn’t always a place that where only magical folk congregated. As it was built two centuries before the imposition of the International Statute of Secrecy, it was initially visible to Muggle eyes too. Muggles weren’t made to feel unwelcome or turned away. Having said that, thanks to the *interesting* conversations and even more *interesting* magical pets, many scarpered before finishing their mead.

![LeakyCauldron WB F1 SomeoneOutsideLeakyCauldron Illust 080615 Land](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5sxx5inySIAWsKA0gcuUEG/ca736eb81e715e092136f42c579a2719/LeakyCauldron_WB_F1_SomeoneOutsideLeakyCauldron_Illust_080615_Land.jpg)

## Neville Longbottom and Hannah Abbott lived above the Leaky Cauldron

In a turn of events that we find extremely adorable, after leaving [Hogwarts](/fact-file/locations/hogwarts) not only did [Neville](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/neville-longbottom) continue his passion for magical plants as [Herbology](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/herbology) professor, but he also married [Hufflepuff](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/hufflepuff), [Hannah Abbott](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/hannah-abbott-fact-file). The happy couple decided to make a home for themselves living above the one-and-only Leaky Cauldron.

## A pub was the headquarters of a rebellion

Although we never learnt which one it was, according to *Sites of Historical Sorcery*, one of the wizarding pubs in [Hogsmeade](/fact-file/locations/hogsmeade) was said to have been the headquarters of the 1612 [goblin](/fact-file/creatures/goblin) rebellion. Could it have been the [Hog’s Head Inn](/fact-file/locations/the-hogs-head) which was known for its dubious dealings and schemes? Or perhaps it was the cosiness of the [Three Broomsticks](/fact-file/locations/the-three-broomsticks) that convinced the goblins to make it their base?

![pottermore-moments-hp-b5-hogs-head-homepage-hero](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2zygTLqXtChkWM7Asbbca3/14624eac244b6e0d0dd667458176dd1a/pottermore-moments-hp-b5-hogs-head-homepage-hero.jpg)

## The Hog’s Head Inn was run by a Dumbledore

While [Albus Dumbledore](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/albus-dumbledore) ran Hogwarts, just down the road his brother, [Aberforth Dumbledore](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/aberforth-dumbledore-fact-file), ran the Hog’s Head Inn. Crochety and a big fan of goats, he and his brother didn’t always see eye-to-eye. Ultimately, they were both extremely good people and Aberforth even helped the resistance at Hogwarts after Albus’ death – thanks to a secret passage that connected the [Room of Requirement](/fact-file/locations/the-room-of-requirement) to his pub.

## Sybill Trelawney made her infamous prediction at the Hog’s Head Inn

The Hog’s Head Inn was the location of many crucial story moments from the founding of [Dumbledore’s Army](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/dumbledores-army) to [Hagrid](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/rubeus-hagrid) winning a dragon egg in a game of cards. However, there was one particular moment that changed the course of wizarding history forever. On a gloomy night, Albus Dumbledore went to interview [Sybill Trelawney](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/sybill-trelawney) for the role of [Divination](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/divination) teacher. He was thoroughly unimpressed until, among the ramshackle décor and sticky floor, she made her prediction about the boy destined to end [Voldemort](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/lord-voldemort) and rid the world of his evil!

![pottermore-moments-three-broomsticks-homepage-hero](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/YvfQFf3Sc7Y1rQNcmqoKm/7278f0704d0a659047a66375127ed129/pottermore-moments-three-broomsticks-homepage-hero.jpg)

## Katie Bell was given the cursed opal necklace at The Three Broomsticks

Run by Madam Rosmerta, the Three Broomsticks was a warm and welcoming establishment in Hogsmeade. Yet Dark Magic still managed to worm its way in there in the form of the cursed opal necklace. Part of a clumsy attempt on Dumbledore’s life, [Gryffindor](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/gryffindor) Quidditch team member, [Katie Bell](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/katie-bell), took the necklace from the pub while under the influence of the [Imperius Curse](/fact-file/spells/the-imperius-curse) and narrowly escaped its deadly power.

## It wasn’t just witches and wizards who frequented the Three Broomsticks

Said to be as old as the only all-wizard village in Britain, the Three Broomsticks was a bit of a haven for all sorts of magical beings, such as hags, who couldn’t disguise themselves particularly well in the Muggle world. In fact, Ron and Hermione once thought they spotted an ogre!

Every quote to live by from your favourite witches

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Hermione wearing a red dress and smiling at Bill and Fleur's wedding.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

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and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

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## The importance of keeping things in perspective

![HP-F1-philosophers-stone-hermione-charms-learning-classroom-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/qVjLFPXczR2mwGR54M1JK/5ffbc10854b90be415e66d18504a0f56/HP-F1-philosophers-stone-hermione-charms-learning-classroom-web-landscape)

‘Books! And cleverness! There are more important things – friendship and bravery…’

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Hermione Granger: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

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Despite being known for her exceptional brain power, [Hermione](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/hermione-granger) also knew the importance of nurturing the other elements of her personality too. It’s a lesson she learnt in her first year after finding genuine friendship. It is also one that we could do with remembering too.

## Don’t be afraid to be bold

![HP-F5-order-of-the-phoenix-ginny-da-wand-determined-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/3yxtbUPaKL5YRyOXEmcss7/b5f3840e6afd0c2e76548570d0532593/HP-F5-order-of-the-phoenix-ginny-da-wand-determined-web-landscape)

‘…anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.'

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Ginny Weasley: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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If you don’t ask you don’t get! As [Ginny](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/ginny-weasley) reminds us, if we shy away from a challenge, we’re never going to achieve our dreams. If we find our courage? Well, the world is our oyster.

## Be proud of who you are

![HP-F4-goblet-of-fire-mcgonagall-desk-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/71JqjFqxFPKBLmoFUGKYJD/22d4d28400d268c5d1382d675b5ce1ae/HP-F4-goblet-of-fire-mcgonagall-desk-web-landscape)

‘It’s high time your grandmother learned to be proud of the grandson she’s got, rather than the one she thinks she ought to have...’

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Minerva McGonagall: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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The no-nonsense [McGonagall](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/minerva-mcgonagall) was a witch worth listening to! It’s all too easy to get caught up in the comparison trap, trying to think about who you *should* be and feeling inadequate next to others. However, you are brilliant just the way you are. You are one-of-a-kind. If the Head of [Gryffindor](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/gryffindor) can see that – so can you.

## There is always hope

![HP-F5-order-of-the-phoenix-luna-da-room-of-requirement-casting-patronus-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5zrwB81bovDEUXWbMyCWia/26babee3a72e41ff8557681a28703f5a/HP-F5-order-of-the-phoenix-luna-da-room-of-requirement-casting-patronus-web-landscape)

‘The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. If not always in the way we expect.’

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Luna Lovegood: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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When times are hard, it can be easy to give up hope and become despondent. Yet this poignant point from the wonderfully eccentric [Ravenclaw](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/ravenclaw) is a reminder that good days are on the horizon – even if we can’t quite see them yet.

## Don’t be afraid to dream big

![WB-HP-F7-hermione-reading-promo-crop](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7uWvZ2RIgkybj8J1lCs5RA/39672ce02de6ff4e27d39381deb3c05f/WB-HP-F7-hermione-reading-promo-crop.jpg)

‘I’m hoping to do some good in the world!’

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Hermione Granger: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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No matter who you are, you *can* make a difference. If you channel Hermione’s determination, we’re sure you will go on to do great and brilliant things.

## An excellent reminder

![HP-F5-molly-weasley-harry-potter-web-10744](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/1ugOAEKJsmxHxy7rDSEkO8/d6f828346ab08de9e2eb69ed086fdf71/weasley-quiz-title-.jpg)

‘A good first impression can work wonders.'

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Molly Weasley: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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A sage piece of advice from [Mrs Weasley](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/molly-weasley)! She might have said this to Harry before his [Ministry](/fact-file/locations/the-ministry-of-magic) hearing, but we think this is something that can be applied to many different areas of your life. From making friends to job interviews, things are always easier if you start off on the right foot.

## Do what is right, not what is easy

![WB-HP-F2-hermione-examining-potion-ingredients-with-cauldron-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4L5hkIozTd68acqd3hpP2I/27590dc492caea34621b56bdd472e45b/WB-HP-F2-hermione-examining-potion-ingredients-with-cauldron-web-landscape.jpg)

‘Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine… I don’t want to break rules, you know. I think threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion.’

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Hermione Granger: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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Hermione was the witch who once declared being expelled to be a fate worse than death. To hear her trying to convince [Harry](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/harry-potter) and [Ron](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/ron-weasley) to break the rules was rather shocking. Yet she raises an extremely valuable point. Sometimes you need to push the boundaries to do what is right. Following the rules can only go so far – especially if those rules cause more harm than good. It can be hard to stand up and be counted but we should all try to do so.

## Protect what is important

![WB-HP-F8-professor-sprout-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/6PcDR4xjlhQ8xtErVUHYBc/198864f4ef4413d1ed6e50f91411088e/WB-HP-F8-professor-sprout-web-landscape.jpg)

‘I feel that if a single pupil wants to come, then the school ought to remain open for that pupil.’

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Pomona Sprout: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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This was a brave statement from [Professor Sprout](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/pomona-sprout) in the wake of [Dumbledore’s](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/albus-dumbledore) death. [Hogwarts](/fact-file/locations/hogwarts) was so much more than a school. For many like Harry, it was a sanctuary and place they could call home. A place that should be protected. This is a sentiment we could all take on board. We should all work hard to take care of what, and who, is important to us.

## Don’t judge a book by its cover

![hp-f4-fleur-arrival-beauxbatons-great-hall-uniform-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7L4Bw903CP5Rnv0MuCknWF/16abc8334d6185d0b8be2af4c5f93c45/hp-f4-fleur-arrival-beauxbatons-great-hall-uniform-web-landscape.jpg)

‘What do I care how ’e looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave!’

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Fleur Delacour: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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You might think glamorous and goodlooking [Fleur Delacour](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/fleur-delacour) would also be extremely vain. Yet she wasn’t. Filled with self-confidence, she didn’t judge her husband based on his appearance – she knew it was the content of his character that truly mattered. That attitude is one we think everyone should embody.

## Boundaries are good

![mcgonagall-web-header-wand](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/6J6heLMpK9Lee0eL8faPnj/18ebb3e1a6694c1ed440bf094b02a127/mcgonagall-web-headrer.jpg)

‘I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking.’

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Minerva McGonagall: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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Quite right too! Don’t let anybody try to take your voice or diminish you. If someone tries to talk over you, channel your inner McGonagall and lay down the law – they’ll soon learn a valuable lesson.

Your birth month tells us your Harry Potter soulmate

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## January: The determined and dedicated Oliver Wood is your perfect match

![WB-HP-F1-philosophers-stone-oliver-wood-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7iJHeRIUbca989dspC4c2t/a8eae533de5cb364c2b8ef17aa39c857/WB-HP-F1-philosophers-stone-oliver-wood-web-landscape.jpg)

When considering your ideal partner, you don’t want someone who is afraid of commitment and isn’t willing to put the work in. You want someone who is going to give the relationship their all. This is why you and [Oliver Wood](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/oliver-wood) make a perfect pair. This [Gryffindor](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/gryffindor) proved his determination time and time again as [Quidditch](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/quidditch) Captain. He was always coming up with training techniques and drills to make the team better. Yes, some of his teammates might have complained about the early starts, but it didn’t put Oliver off… and it worked. That’s the type of dedication you admire.

## February: Your soulmate is the creative and eccentric Luna Lovegood

![WB-HP-F5-luna-lovegood-wears-spectrespecs-with-quibbler-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5jiVEF9rz3GdDt6go666da/6431193cd66631881320a9921f2913fe/WB-HP-F5-luna-lovegood-wears-spectrespecs-with-quibbler-web-landscape.jpg)

There is nothing that bores you more than blending into the crowd. From your curious insights to your wacky wardrobe, you march to the beat of your own drum. You are proud to celebrate your uniqueness, and you are looking for a partner that doesn’t shy away from their individuality too. This is why [Luna Lovegood](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/luna-lovegood) with her [Spectrespecs](/fact-file/objects/spectrespecs) and radish-like earrings is your ideal match. The two of you would have a joyful relationship that celebrated creativity, eccentricity and a shared belief in the Crumple-Horned Snorkack.

## March: The brilliantly hilarious Ron Weasley is the one for you

![HP-F6-ron-in-bed-smiling-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/51khMqIDGh7ltBpFgDIet4/4390b7228f2368b128a11304e8a73108/HP-F6-ron-in-bed-smiling-web-landscape.jpg)

Life’s too short not to have fun. Who wants to be miserable? Yes, serious things happen but you still want to find the joy in life, and you want a partner who can do that too. This is why you and [Ron Weasley](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/ron-weasley) would make the perfect pair. From his ‘Merlin's most baggy Y-fronts’ exclamations to quippy ‘Oh, of course… I forgot we’ll be hunting down [Voldemort](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/lord-voldemort) in a mobile library’ comebacks – his quick with would keep you entertained for life.

## April: The elegant and poised Fleur Delacour is your ideal soulmate

![hp-f4-fleur-arrival-beauxbatons-great-hall-uniform-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7L4Bw903CP5Rnv0MuCknWF/16abc8334d6185d0b8be2af4c5f93c45/hp-f4-fleur-arrival-beauxbatons-great-hall-uniform-web-landscape.jpg)

Graceful, elegant and gliding through life – that’s the ultimate dream. You aren’t interested in awkward situations and embarrassing encounters; you want life to be as serene as possible. As you want this from your partner too, you and [Fleur Delacour](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/fleur-delacour) would make a flawless duo. No matter what situation she faced – from walking into the [Great Hall](/fact-file/locations/the-great-hall) for the first time to rejecting [Yule Ball](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/yule-ball) dates, she was always perfectly poised which is something you appreciate.

## May: The thoroughly good Cedric Diggory is who you’re drawn to

![HP-F4-goblet-fire-cho-cedric-walking-into-yule-ball-together-happy-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7Gg3rW3wpho401kh28ueXG/2ce6bdeb293a9f962407b31ab38c3c2b/HP-F4-goblet-fire-cho-cedric-walking-into-yule-ball-together-happy-web-landscape)

You have no time for people that like to play games in relationships. You abhor anyone who has a mean streak. You really can’t stand when people are rude to those around them. This is why [Cedric Diggory](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/cedric-diggory) is the perfect person for you. Despite being handsome, intelligent and an extremely talented wizard, this [Hufflepuff](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/hufflepuff) was also humble. He was *good*. He helped Harry despite him being his [Triwizard](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/triwizard-tournament) rival and never let being the rising star at [Hogwarts](/fact-file/locations/hogwarts) go to his head. Cedric is a partner you would always feel safe with… and he is perfect for you.

## June: Your soulmate is Lavender Brown who wears her heart on her sleeve

![HP-F6-half-blood-prince-weasleys-wizard-wheezes-lavendar-looking-at-ron-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/41iicwNjHTdrMVNZoiTdoC/ddf961f7074d912a9307c0dc9e2716aa/HP-F6-half-blood-prince-weasleys-wizard-wheezes-lavendar-looking-at-ron-web-landscape)

As someone who is often described as vivacious and an open book, you have real difficulty bonding with people who are closed off or reserved. You find those who keep their cards close to their chest rather unsettling – which is why [Lavender Brown](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/lavender-brown) is your soulmate. Whether she was snogging Ron in front of the whole [Gryffindor common room](/fact-file/locations/the-gryffindor-common-room) or giving him gaudy necklaces as a token of her affection, she was not afraid of her emotions or letting everyone else see them. This type of openness is something you can’t help but be drawn to.

## July: Your perfect match is loyal Neville Longbottom

![HP WB F4 Neville and his plant crop ](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/66z5lwGFVYTJTiW2dNdKfw/e99e49796545303b7dec644c11004840/NevilleLongbottom_WB_F4_NevilleLongbottomWithPlantPromoShot_Promo_080615_CROP.jpg)

Don’t underestimate [Neville](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/neville-longbottom). He might have initially been a clumsy underdog, but he soon surpassed that and became a [sword-of-Gryffindor-wielding](/fact-file/objects/the-sword-of-gryffindor) hero. One who was loyal to his friends, his school and loyal to what was right. As someone born in July, this is what you would like to find in a partner. You don’t want a person who could easily be swayed. You want someone who is as committed to you as Neville is to his [Mimbulus mimbletonia](/fact-file/plants-and-potions/mimbulus-mimbletonia), which is why he is the one for you.

## August: The logical and intelligent Hermione Granger is the one for you

![HP-F7-deathly-hallows-part-one-hermione-bill-fleur-wedding-red-dress-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5aJclseoYsrr4a0y0XPiQY/be44e1bfabc2a5f7422ed6e87a5df30e/HP-F7-deathly-hallows-part-one-hermione-bill-fleur-wedding-red-dress-web-landscape)

As somebody who is known for their sharp mind and love of learning, we think you and the [cleverest witch of her age](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/hermione-granger), who takes the largest books out of the [Hogwarts library](/fact-file/locations/the-hogwarts-library) for ‘light reading’, would get on like a house on fire. Your days would be spent verbally sparring with each other, debating Ancient Rune translations and generally broadening your minds and you wouldn’t want it any other way.

## September: The discerning Draco Malfoy is your wizarding soulmate

![WB-F3-draco-in-care-of-magical-creatures-with-monster-book-of-monsters-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4FeDA9gWYlkm3iFXZMUOF5/47927d38da6fcc8d4660a5cd92a7e6d6/WB-F3-draco-in-care-of-magical-creatures-with-monster-book-of-monsters-web-landscape.jpg)

There’s nothing wrong with being shrewd or ambitious, these are traits that you rather admire. In fact, you find someone who knows exactly what they want and how to get it extremely attractive. This is why [Draco Malfoy](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/draco-malfoy) is the one for you. We are in no way saying you are prejudiced or a bully like he was. However, the embodiment of [Slytherin](/fact-file/magical-miscellany/slytherin) traits, he was not afraid to openly say he liked the finer things in life or believe he deserved them – just like you.

## October: Fiery Ginny Weasley is your magical match

![GinnyWeasley WB F6 GinnyAtSlughornsParty Still 080615 Land](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4otWY19HKE4WyOOy4Q0wSu/66177ea78a84f5e28b9fb79b2b961e51/GinnyWeasley_WB_F6_GinnyAtSlughornsParty_Still_080615_Land.jpg)

If there was a witch that knew exactly who she was, it was [Ginny Weasley](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/ginny-weasley). Having had a rough start at Hogwarts she blossomed into a fierce and phenomenal person – with an excellent talent for the [Bat-Bogey Hex](/fact-file/spells/the-bat-bogey-hex). That self-assuredness is something that you are looking for in a partner. You don’t want somebody who doesn’t take the time to work on being the best version of themselves. You want someone who is confident and powerful – exactly like Ginny.

## November: Harry Potter’s bravery is what makes him your soulmate

![HP-F8-harry-lake-web-header](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/3SzHQWDxZAPjea1KYpaIO0/cc24a62a6e35937f165b190cf14df8e6/harry_heaer.png)

[Harry Potter](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/harry-potter) is not afraid to confront the difficult things in life. He doesn’t shy away from a challenge or let fear stop him. He puts himself out there whether that’s soaring through the sky on his [broomstick](/fact-file/objects/broomstick), fighting the forces of evil or summoning up the courage to ask his crush to the Yule Ball. This is something that you strongly relate to. You’re not one to be called timid and you can’t stand cowardice. We’re not saying you’re necessarily an extrovert, but you stand up when it matters and that’s why Harry is your ultimate wizarding soulmate.

## December: The glass half-empty Moaning Myrtle is your perfect match

![HP-F2-chamber-of-secrets-moaning-myrtle-girls-bathroom-web-landscape](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2HdGuqY9aOgGStQJii0yVY/5013a2d38cecb8e9f536e42f6dbf0036/HP-F2-chamber-of-secrets-moaning-myrtle-girls-bathroom-web-landscape.jpg)

There is no person that gets on your nerves more than the one who is relentlessly optimistic. You don’t have time from all that chirpiness and being constantly told to look on the bright side. In fact, being stuck with someone like that would be your worst nightmare. You want someone who will always look on the gloomy side – which is why [Moaning Myrtle](/fact-file/characters-and-pets/moaning-myrtle) (emphasis on the *Moaning*) is your perfect match. Despite her crush on Harry Potter, with your maudlin outlook, we’re sure you could win her over and many (un)happy centuries sitting in the [u-bend of a Hogwarts toilet](/fact-file/locations/moaning-myrtles-bathroom) discussing all the reasons why everything is awful.

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

A guide to all the Wizarding World activities you can play on Amazon Alexa  

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Much like a Pensieve, Amazon Alexa has now been filled with more Wizarding World wisdom – and is inviting you to play a brand-new Harry Potter-themed quiz. Here’s the details on that, along with a handy reminder of all the other Harry Potter activities you can play with Alexa if you’re not based in the US.

__The original Harry Potter quiz on Alexa has now evolved – and can be played in even more territories__  

The [Official Harry Potter Quiz](https://skills-store.amazon.com/deeplink/dp/B07KXWZP9J?deviceType=app&share), which launched back in 2018, is still available to play on Alexa, with some new additions. Simply use the command ‘Play Harry Potter Quiz’ to any Alexa device and enjoy a daily dose of quiz questions. The game is now available in India, Australia and Canada alongside the US and UK.

And there’s new ways of earning points too. Previously, you could only net points for your particular Hogwarts house and see a collective leaderboard – now you’ll be able to see your individual ranking for an extra-competitive edge! 

Simply say, “Alexa, play Harry Potter quiz” to begin.

__The latest quiz is aimed at children who may not have read Harry Potter yet__   

This latest addition, available for US-based fans, is titled the Wizarding World Book Quiz, and is specially designed for younger listeners. In fact, you don’t even need to have read the books to play this particular challenge. Players will simply be asked to listen to a Harry Potter audiobook excerpt carefully – and then answer a question based on observations made from the clip. 

So, even if you have no idea what a Hippogriff is or a Supreme Mugwump – not to worry. 

Every day comes with new surprises, such as bonus questions and points, the chance to earn special achievement badges, and themed questions if it’s a special day in the Wizarding World calendar – such as a character’s birthday, so check in regularly for new surprises! 

The new quiz comes with Amazon FreeTime (a monthly subscription service that provides access to thousands of child-friendly books, TV shows, apps, games and more) or is available to buy separately for $4.99. There’s even a shorter, free version if you just want to test it out, which comes with seven days’ worth of questions. 

Simply say “Alexa, play Wizarding World quiz” to begin this one.

__Beyond the quizzes, you can also listen to the audiobooks with a special Audible listening event__

*Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* will be available to listen to, in its entirety, in German, French, Italian and English language (with Japanese soon to follow) with Stephen Fry and Jim Dale narrating the English-language UK and US editions respectively. 

All you need to do to trigger the audiobook is say, “Alexa, read Harry Potter Book 1”, sit back, and enjoy. 

__And what if you don’t live in any of those countries?__

If you don’t live in any of the countries listed above, never fear. Audible has recently launched Audible Stories, where hundreds of classic books are available to listen to until the end of April, wherever you are. And this includes the Stephen Fry edition of Philosopher’s Stone. You can learn more about [Audible stories here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/introducing-hp-at-home "Learn more about HPAH"). 

**

So, however you like to enjoy your daily dose of Wizarding World fun, why not explore some of Alexa’s activities with the family? 

The new Harry Potter quiz challenges can be played on various Amazon Alexa devices, Amazon Fire TV and the free Alexa app. For more information on Alexa Skills, [visit the Amazon website](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pottermore-Publishing-Audible-Official-Potter/dp/B07KXWZP9J). 

US-based fans can try out the [new quiz here](https://www.amazon.com/Pottermore-Publishing-Wizarding-World-Book/dp/B086SRFPJ6/ref=sr_1_15?dchild=1&fst=as%3Aoff&qid=1586344575&refinements=p_n_date%3A14284925011&rnid=14284924011&s=alexa-skills&sr=1-15).

The skill is available to [download here](https://skills-store.amazon.com/deeplink/dp/B07KXWZP9J?deviceType=app&share).


The Weirdest Fantastic Beasts

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Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander in 'Fantastic Beasts'

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## Ashwinder

We begin our roundup of the weirdest fantastic beasts with the Ashwinder: a thin, pale grey serpent with red glowing eyes. The red glowing eyes are kind of a standard for the wizarding world, but the creation of an Ashwinder gets pretty weird. When a magical fire is allowed to burn unchecked for too long, the serpent rises from the embers and then slithers away, leaving an ashy trail behind it.

For those who don’t like snakes, you may be relieved to hear that the Ashwinder lives for only an hour, after which it collapses into dust. The bad news is that during that time it lays eggs – usually in a dark, secluded spot (like a house!) – that give off intense heat and could ignite a dwelling within minutes. Oh dear…

## Diricawl

The Diricawl is a plump-bodied, fluffy-feathered, flightless bird – sound familiar? Well, you’d be absolutely right. Muggles were once fully aware of the existence of the Diricawl, but they knew it by another name: the dodo. It turns out, the Diricawl is remarkable for its methods of escaping danger; it can vanish in a puff of feathers and reappear elsewhere (the phoenix shares this ability). Obviously unaware that the Diricawl could vanish at will, Muggles believe they have hunted the species to extinction.

## Clabbert

The weirdness of the Clabbert is all about its appearance. A cross between a monkey and a frog, the Clabbert has mottled green, smooth and hairless skin with webbed hands and feet, as well as long arms and legs that allow it to swing between branches. But that is all quite normal compared to what it has on its head. The Clabbert’s most distinctive feature is the large pustule in the middle of its forehead, which turns scarlet and flashes when it senses danger. According to Newt Scamander, American wizards once kept Clabberts in their gardens to give them early warning of Muggles. However, trees full of glowing Clabbert pustules attracted too many Muggles asking why their neighbours still had their Christmas lights up in June. Well, it’s unlucky to keep your decorations up – maybe those Muggles were just trying to help?

## Bundimun

If witches and wizards start asking each other, ‘what’s that awful smell?’, the answer may well be a Bundimun. The presence of this creature is usually announced by a foul stench of decay. Skilled at creeping under floorboards and behind skirting boards, they infect houses, oozing a secretion which rots away the very foundations of the dwelling in which it is found. This might be odd, but it looks even weirder. At rest, the Bundimun resembles a patch of greenish fungus with eyes, though when alarmed it will scuttle away on its numerous spindly legs. It feeds on dirt. Delightful. Poor Bundimun – we bet it doesn’t have many friends.

## Augurey

The Augurey doesn’t sound too strange… at first. It’s a thin and mournful-looking bird, somewhat like a small and underfed vulture, and greenish-black in colour. It is intensely shy and flies only in heavy rain (okay – a bit odd), but otherwise it remains hidden in its tear-shaped nest. Things get weirder when you learn about its distinctive low and throbbing cry, which was once believed to foretell death. Patient research revealed, however, that the Augurey merely sings at the approach of rain. One more quirk: Augurey feathers are useless as quills because they repel ink. Huh.

## Jobberknoll

The Jobberknoll is a tiny blue speckled bird which eats small insects. So far, so Muggle. However, it makes no sound until the moment of its death, at which point it lets out a long scream made up of every sound it

has ever heard, regurgitated backwards – what a way to go! The feather in the Jobberknoll’s cap is that it’s, well… feathers, are used in Truth Serums and Memory Potions.

## Kappa

The Kappa inhabits shallow ponds and rivers. It is often said to look like a monkey with fish scales instead of fur with a hollow in the top of its head, in which it carries water. The Kappa feeds on human blood (eeesh!) but apparently may be persuaded not to harm a person if it is thrown a cucumber with that person’s name carved into it. Yes, that’s right – a cucumber will save a witch or wizard from a Kappa that wants to drink their blood. Well, this is an article about the wizarding world’s weirdest beasts – what did you expect?

## Lethifold

Also known as ‘Living Shroud’, the Lethifold resembles a black cloak perhaps half an inch thick; thicker if it has recently killed and digested a victim (stop reading now if you’re easily scared!). It glides along the ground at night, like a rustling shadow, and generally attacks the sleeping – though its victims rarely have a chance to use any magic against it. Once its prey has been successfully suffocated, the Lethifold digests its food there and then in their bed. It then exits the house slightly thicker and fatter than before, leaving no trace of itself or its victim behind. Is it just us, or have you got the shivers?

## Streeler

After all that talk of Lethifolds, this one will cheer you up! The Streeler is a giant snail that changes colour on an hourly basis. As a result, it has been kept as a pet by those who enjoy its kaleidoscopic colour changes. Slight downside to this rainbow show: Streelers leave a trail so venomous that it shrivels and burns all vegetation over which it passes. Aunt Petunia certainly wouldn’t want those in her perfectly manicured garden!

Make your very own scrapbook of Harry Potter characters

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With Scholastic's scrapbook activity, you can make a fun record of your favourite characters from the Harry Potter stories. All you need to do is write the name of the book you're reading, choose a character, draw their picture, and then list ten things you know about them.

Here are some of the characters Scholastic would include in their scrapbook to get you started...

## Albus Dumbledore:

The Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We love his silver hair, silver beard and half-moon spectacles – as well as the purple cloak he wears to Privet Drive!

## Hedwig:

Harry Potter’s snowy owl. We love the story of Hagrid buying her for Harry when he takes him to Diagon Alley for his school supplies. She’s beautiful, loyal and very good at delivering letters.

## Rubeus Hagrid:

Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We’d definitely include this loveable giant in our scrapbook. He’s kind, funny, and he has a flying motorbike!

## Mr Ollivander:

Mr Ollivander is a wandmaker. Harry visits his shop in Diagon Alley to buy his holly and phoenix feather wand. We think he’s a very interesting character, and he makes us curious about the history of the wizarding world.

## Oliver Wood:

Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Wood teaches Harry all about the wizarding sport, Quidditch. We love this character because he’s brilliant at being Gryffindor Keeper, and he’s very competitive for his team.

## Minerva McGonagall:

Head of Gryffindor house and Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We’re including Professor McGonagall in our scrapbook because she’s excellent at magic – she can turn herself into a cat! And we’re too scared we would get detention if we don’t!

## Neville Longbottom:

Gryffindor student with a troublesome toad. Neville might not be top of the class, but he tries his best, and that’s what’s important. And if you read to the end of the first Harry Potter book – you might understand even better why we would be proud to have him in our scrapbook…

To start making your own Harry Potter scrapbook, visit Scholastic’s activity page, download and print out as many blank scrapbook pages as you need! And if you’re reading other books as well as Harry Potter, you can build scrapbooks for the characters that appear in those, as well!

[You can download the scrapbook template right here.](https://www.scholastic.com/content/dam/teachers/lesson-plans/migrated-files-in-body/scrapbook.pdf)

Watch our guide on how to make your own Wizarding World gift bags

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Wrapping presents can be a bit of a bore sometimes, especially when you're a Muggle without any Spellotape. It's far more fun to use these personalised gift bags with your favourite Wizarding World characters! From Luna Lovegood to a cheeky Niffler, here's how to make your own. Watch our video and then download our templates. 


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bZVFC6-gSCE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>


So, to download and print your favourite, take a look at the full-sized ones we made earlier! 

[Click here to download the full set.](https:////assets.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/Nl8zgXa1BqrER0JbsTdSw/4bcb9a84ccf870f64a01dea8faa25482/Wizarding_Craft_Bags_-_Download_Character_Sheet__1_.pdf)

[Professor Dumbledore ](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/201X0T0DNYaJD1FtcIcgAo/3c71b535ad964adafcc4f1d6ab4efdfb/dumbledore.jpg)


![paper-bag-dumbledore](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/201X0T0DNYaJD1FtcIcgAo/3c71b535ad964adafcc4f1d6ab4efdfb/dumbledore.jpg)
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[Luna Lovegood ](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7pKn8JfawI5PCAjX8avkUK/bf3f829f8bf6e9ade0ca127270586361/luna.jpg)


![paper-bag-luna](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7pKn8JfawI5PCAjX8avkUK/bf3f829f8bf6e9ade0ca127270586361/luna.jpg)
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[Harry Potter ](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/26rTl1mc9q1ZXrVBF9W5n9/875a042144ae228e823c7a10f00960ae/harry.jpg)


![paper-bag-harry](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/26rTl1mc9q1ZXrVBF9W5n9/875a042144ae228e823c7a10f00960ae/harry.jpg)
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[Newt Scamander](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/6FxqdqCk161u15XKTq1Ldr/561fa769a7bb30a956a4eeb0a6a9294d/newt.jpg)


![paper-bag-newt](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/6FxqdqCk161u15XKTq1Ldr/561fa769a7bb30a956a4eeb0a6a9294d/newt.jpg)
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[Ron Weasley ](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2PNSSaNIOkTQGGT7LQgpqD/7011abecc3b6a02093457d7752cbb782/ron.jpg)


![paper-bag-ron](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2PNSSaNIOkTQGGT7LQgpqD/7011abecc3b6a02093457d7752cbb782/ron.jpg)
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[Draco Malfoy](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2qblHez5nEbDLingvkagBI/46a052fb2a65eac8baa15e7399be1328/malfoy.jpg) 


![paper-bag-malfoy](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2qblHez5nEbDLingvkagBI/46a052fb2a65eac8baa15e7399be1328/malfoy.jpg)
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[Hermione Granger](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/3s13h8yeVdbbi30gizsxSm/9224e0c1d803ac39c0372b37942bafaf/hermione.jpg) 


![paper-bag-hermione](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/3s13h8yeVdbbi30gizsxSm/9224e0c1d803ac39c0372b37942bafaf/hermione.jpg)
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[Gellert Grindelwald](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7GG7tuYvoKgnDJN7rpkCzI/cce5e04aa0ebe00cbea1018b51d7d758/grindelwald.jpg)


![paper-bag-grindelwald](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7GG7tuYvoKgnDJN7rpkCzI/cce5e04aa0ebe00cbea1018b51d7d758/grindelwald.jpg)
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[Niffler ](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/6FCYVzWRku1uMvKVZmqjBu/244838ce407cb8142820913d9c277276/niffler.jpg)


![paper-bag-niffler](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/6FCYVzWRku1uMvKVZmqjBu/244838ce407cb8142820913d9c277276/niffler.jpg)
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[Rubeus Hagrid ](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5TBmKR3JxGYr7SlTdOHpyV/1894ed7d7335aa9960d54d8353c3debc/hagrid.jpg)


![paper-bag-hagrid](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5TBmKR3JxGYr7SlTdOHpyV/1894ed7d7335aa9960d54d8353c3debc/hagrid.jpg)

Try our new Harry Potter themed video call backgrounds 

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Working from home or indeed socialising from home is awash with pros and cons. Pro: you avoid the hustle and bustle of public transport. Con: you are constantly agonising over the perfect, scenic background on your video calls. Bookcase looking a bit askew? Regretting your poster choices? Sunlight shining through the window too much, giving you a featureless face reminiscent of Lord Voldemort?

Never fear. These new Wizarding World backgrounds feature some of our favourite locations in the Harry Potter films, are just what you need to eliminate your woes. From the Room of Requirement to the Potions classroom, simply download these images to live your best wizarding life. 

Maybe you could dress up too for added effect. For the Potions Classroom background, for example, simply don’t wash your hair for several days to channel your best Severus Snape!

## First up, some contributions from some friends. 

Fans of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks can now join their video calls as if you were calling in from Universal Studios, be it Japan, Orlando or Hollywood.

[Diagon Alley, Universal Orlando Resort ](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/6wHncCI874vqZMgEeZUOLk/3f086d8665f06dfa1f9f0af585850d47/UOR_DiagonAlley_VB.jpg)

![UOR DiagonAlley VB](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/6wHncCI874vqZMgEeZUOLk/3f086d8665f06dfa1f9f0af585850d47/UOR_DiagonAlley_VB.jpg)

[Hogsmeade at sunset, Universal Orlando Resort](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/tNPmz0pA13JwB2VIjhLTq/1ac82d1d21217431b2bb697933efc735/UOR_HogwartsSunset_Hogsmeade.jpg)

![UOR HogwartsSunset Hogsmeade](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/tNPmz0pA13JwB2VIjhLTq/1ac82d1d21217431b2bb697933efc735/UOR_HogwartsSunset_Hogsmeade.jpg)

[A beautiful lit-up Hogwarts, Universal Orlando Resort](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7jtm2fvxWBptLdLIWAAGg0/91912351116a6d5924864422d3aff6a2/UOR_HogwartsLights_Hogsmeade.jpg)

![UOR HogwartsLights Hogsmeade](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7jtm2fvxWBptLdLIWAAGg0/91912351116a6d5924864422d3aff6a2/UOR_HogwartsLights_Hogsmeade.jpg)

[Hogsmeade, Universal Studios Japan](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/1w8BOGDPawgS18hiYs9Ltr/0ca9cc37e4f618da3f5ed94a217df78a/USJ_wwhp1.jpg)

![USJ wwhp1](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/1w8BOGDPawgS18hiYs9Ltr/0ca9cc37e4f618da3f5ed94a217df78a/USJ_wwhp1.jpg)

[Hogwarts in the daytime, featuring the Black Lake, Universal Studios Japan](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2pcaAS2VS1yEZe5xz42LUF/436fcbacbbf9834a009b23ff677e3522/USJ_wwhp2.jpg)

![USJ wwhp2](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2pcaAS2VS1yEZe5xz42LUF/436fcbacbbf9834a009b23ff677e3522/USJ_wwhp2.jpg)

[Ollivander's wands, Universal Studios Hollywood](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7E0XBZbFixPj7x2m5IrgZr/3ef0922f9260f50ed706df4049ff2112/USH_Wands_VB.jpg)

![USH Wands VB](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7E0XBZbFixPj7x2m5IrgZr/3ef0922f9260f50ed706df4049ff2112/USH_Wands_VB.jpg)

[Hogwarts Express, Universal Studios Hollywood](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/66xwf3FHbXQE6UN74RruiJ/a382ede206ba95618e20c63c33f3a57d/USH_Train_VB.jpg)

![USH Train VB](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/66xwf3FHbXQE6UN74RruiJ/a382ede206ba95618e20c63c33f3a57d/USH_Train_VB.jpg)

[Hogwarts at night, Universal Studios Hollywood](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7tBebKTKUKG6UtMfT4uIrn/cbe472185e1ae71d07a76982d1d6ca92/USH_Hogwarts_VB.jpg)

![USH Hogwarts VB](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7tBebKTKUKG6UtMfT4uIrn/cbe472185e1ae71d07a76982d1d6ca92/USH_Hogwarts_VB.jpg)

[Hogwarts portrait wall, Universal Studios Hollywood](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/FguKzCQXYbXvJMS27FKqZ/5a936f1febc6e5767626c1831ded406a/USH_Hogwarts2_VB.jpg)

![USH Hogwarts2 VB](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/FguKzCQXYbXvJMS27FKqZ/5a936f1febc6e5767626c1831ded406a/USH_Hogwarts2_VB.jpg)

## And some contributions from CineConcerts, the official Harry Potter Film Concert Series!

[Pretend you're in the orchestra...](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/rNID84kCn9luZCDFR32I3/b9ec2599e17d09e704ec7d97b542201c/HPFCS-Virtual-Background-09-HP4-RAH-.jpg)

![HPFCS-Virtual-Background-09-HP4-RAH-](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/rNID84kCn9luZCDFR32I3/b9ec2599e17d09e704ec7d97b542201c/HPFCS-Virtual-Background-09-HP4-RAH-.jpg)

[Casually sitting in front of the Goblet of Fire sheet music...](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5a0MiQ1Jm0pjjaNY80CeQo/66c09d17900118c844e3aca81bb55572/HPFCS-Virtual-Background-13-HP4-RPO-.jpg)

![HPFCS-Virtual-Background-13-HP4-RPO-](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5a0MiQ1Jm0pjjaNY80CeQo/66c09d17900118c844e3aca81bb55572/HPFCS-Virtual-Background-13-HP4-RPO-.jpg)

[Or watching the Harry Potter films from an immaculate view](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5zQqLPcKtoPNc0vqTmHoTG/dd2a2f8cfbde0cfd7113cd457b36c8fc/HPFCS-Virtual-Background-06-HP3-RAH-.jpg)

![HPFCS-Virtual-Background-06-HP3-RAH-](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/5zQqLPcKtoPNc0vqTmHoTG/dd2a2f8cfbde0cfd7113cd457b36c8fc/HPFCS-Virtual-Background-06-HP3-RAH-.jpg)

[Whichever film is your favourite](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4wdcYOvqwngmIsxSBgViEh/793e8c199121188d8ef4e74e6088bff3/HPFCS-Virtual-Background-05-HP3-RAH-.jpg)

![HPFCS-Virtual-Background-05-HP3-RAH-](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4wdcYOvqwngmIsxSBgViEh/793e8c199121188d8ef4e74e6088bff3/HPFCS-Virtual-Background-05-HP3-RAH-.jpg)

[Such as this brilliant Prisoner of Azkaban moment](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/ADgJu8I922wRelwu1aYJb/87fe02749e1afc63e7450ae85b793a9d/HPFCS-Virtual-Background-01-HP3-RAH-.jpg)

![HPFCS-Virtual-Background-01-HP3-RAH-](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/ADgJu8I922wRelwu1aYJb/87fe02749e1afc63e7450ae85b793a9d/HPFCS-Virtual-Background-01-HP3-RAH-.jpg)

## Or perhaps you'd like to try our own house-themed backgrounds...

[Gryffindor Pride ](https:////contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/1ZdDHNNr56SkFVIKQhqShx/4632b2aa10bef92f4c6b896e24750c2d/release_2_ww_gryffindor_house_pride.png)

![web-house-background-video-gryffindor](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/1ZdDHNNr56SkFVIKQhqShx/4632b2aa10bef92f4c6b896e24750c2d/release_2_ww_gryffindor_house_pride.png)

[Slytherin Pride ](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7ur72yAPPid4CUlGkPJEEo/8e49f529b79d8a3aef875a27bf797732/release_2_ww_slytherin_house_pride.png)

![web-house-background-video-slytherin](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7ur72yAPPid4CUlGkPJEEo/8e49f529b79d8a3aef875a27bf797732/release_2_ww_slytherin_house_pride.png)

[Hufflepuff Pride](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2hVa1W5oFKQYeQJwJQI7uN/4d25f46922bce2b1e260369050ac8322/release_2_ww_hufflepuff_house_pride.png)

![web-house-background-video-hufflepuff](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2hVa1W5oFKQYeQJwJQI7uN/4d25f46922bce2b1e260369050ac8322/release_2_ww_hufflepuff_house_pride.png) 

[Ravenclaw Pride](https:////contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4aFhPoOZZPgMpvJCuL52g9/d2be480ee2a3bfc6d8ac13a21a04918a/release_2_ww_ravenclaw_house_pride.png)

![web-house-background-video-ravenclaw](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4aFhPoOZZPgMpvJCuL52g9/d2be480ee2a3bfc6d8ac13a21a04918a/release_2_ww_ravenclaw_house_pride.png)

## And here are our locations-based ones...

[The Room of Requirement](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7rU0syR2Ti9D0mLXcfsjs4/8813e89d6ce13fb27a8f69e368ab15f0/release_1_room_of_requirement__1_.png)

![wb-room-of-requirement-background](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7rU0syR2Ti9D0mLXcfsjs4/8813e89d6ce13fb27a8f69e368ab15f0/release_1_room_of_requirement__1_.png) 

[Potions Class ](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4NDgfXWk5pcrDOA85Qcb3I/d13bbf32dc216f53302e0b3b9c5fadfd/release_1_potions_class.png)

![wb-potions-class-background](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/4NDgfXWk5pcrDOA85Qcb3I/d13bbf32dc216f53302e0b3b9c5fadfd/release_1_potions_class.png)

[Ollivanders](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7DvriklYdR7DBtc3OpJeUp/adbe1af8d340fe4a05f4b5afaef92b7d/release_1_ollivanders.png) 

![wb-ollivanders-background](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/7DvriklYdR7DBtc3OpJeUp/adbe1af8d340fe4a05f4b5afaef92b7d/release_1_ollivanders.png)

[Hogwarts](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/71J6YPxNauhFABbjHpGluJ/631bd6980b0a430d5b476ef331abb2b5/release_1_hogwarts.png)

![wb-hogwarts-background](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/71J6YPxNauhFABbjHpGluJ/631bd6980b0a430d5b476ef331abb2b5/release_1_hogwarts.png)

[Platform Nine-and-Three Quarters](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/3vjglYWTc0svDmPj6OB0QN/95c4a868036f5280219ca57bff4bbe8d/release_1_platform_9_3-4.png)

![wb-platform934-background](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/3vjglYWTc0svDmPj6OB0QN/95c4a868036f5280219ca57bff4bbe8d/release_1_platform_9_3-4.png)

[Hagrid's Hut](https://contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2n8JnRmzLJdYzM4SoIzVLL/3dea9275b3be7b5aef314aeb89d7616a/release_1_hagrids_hut__1_.png)

![wb-hagrids-hut-background](//contentful.harrypotter.com/usf1vwtuqyxm/2n8JnRmzLJdYzM4SoIzVLL/3dea9275b3be7b5aef314aeb89d7616a/release_1_hagrids_hut__1_.png)

Enjoy – and see you at Hogwarts, everyone! 

Learn some friendship lessons and discover your Hogwarts best friend with Bloomsbury

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Sometimes making new friends can seem a little scary. Let’s take a look at some of the witch and wizard friends from *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* (or *Sorcerer’s Stone* for our US readers), and see what we can learn from them about friendship. 

## Harry Potter & Ron Weasley 
Harry and Ron first made friends on the Hogwarts Express. Although Harry grew up with Muggles and Ron with wizards, they still had a lot to talk about! 

__Friendship lesson__: *being different from someone doesn’t mean you can’t be their friend. In fact, it can make your friendship really exciting as you learn about each other!*

## Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter 
Harry and Ron didn’t really know Hermione very well before they decided she was annoying. It wasn’t until she was attacked by a mountain troll and stuck up for them in front of a teacher, that they got to know her properly. Then, of course, they realised how great she really was.

__Friendship lesson:__ *you can’t really know whether you want to be friends with someone before you get to know them. Give them a chance, and you might find a best friend.*

## Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe 
We first saw Draco, Goyle and Crabbe together on the Hogwarts Express, and they were rarely seen without each other after that. 

__Friendship lesson:__ *you might not be able to see why people are friends, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a strong friendship*.

## Albus Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall 
Professor McGonagall waited for Albus Dumbledore on the Dursleys’ wall as a cat— all day! And she missed out on lots of parties. Now that’s friendship!

__Friendship lesson__: *sometimes being friends means you put your friend first rather than yourself.*

## Rubeus Hagrid and Fang the boarhound 
Hagrid and Fang were rarely seen without each other. And even though Fang was scared of going into the Forbidden Forest – he still came along with Hagrid!

__Friendship lesson:__ *your friends don’t have to be people! Sometimes animals can make you feel just as loved as your human friends.*

## Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger
A fellow Gryffindor, Neville made friends with Ron, Harry and Hermione – Harry even rescued Neville’s Remembrall from Malfoy. But one night, Neville had to make a brave choice to stand up to the three of them. When awarding him house points for courage, Professor Dumbledore said: ‘It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.’

__Friendship lesson:__ *being friends with someone doesn’t always mean you’ll always agree with them. Sometimes you need to tell them the truth, even if you’re worried about what they’ll think.*

Now you’ve read all about the friendship lessons we can learn from the first Harry Potter book, it’s time to find your own Hogwarts best friend!

Click here to take [Bloomsbury’s 'Who Is Your Hogwarts Best Friend' quiz](https://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/fun-stuff/who-is-your-hogwarts-best-friend/ "Harry Potter best friend quiz Bloomsbury"). Who are you hoping for? Harry? Ron? Hermione? Draco? Or someone else?

__Illustration by Jim Kay © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc__


Why Tonks was a true Hufflepuff

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## She was loyal

The loyalty of Nymphadora Tonks was never called into question – not once across the whole Harry Potter series. She might have been a loyal member of the Order of the Phoenix, but ‘*don’t call me Nymphadora*’ Tonks was fighting Dark wizards as an Auror before we ever got to meet her in the books. 

We shouldn’t be surprised. The Sorting Hat told us Hufflepuffs were loyal in the first ever song we heard it sing in *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*. The head of Hufflepuff house, Professor Sprout, had this trait in spades. Loyal to Dumbledore, the Herbology teacher openly opposed Dolores Umbridge over the sacking of Professor Trelawney, and also awarded Harry twenty points just for passing her a watering can, after his Quibbler interview about the return of Voldemort. 

A Hufflepuff’s loyalty to the good side is demonstrated clearly in Tonks, and it is extended to people as well, particularly an unswerving loyalty to The Boy Who Lived. Remember that time the conductor of the Knight Bus almost gave away Harry’s location? ‘*If you shout his name I will curse you into oblivion,*’ Tonks warned. You don’t mess with Tonks. Beyond Harry, it’s worth remembering that even after the death of her father and giving birth to her son Teddy, Tonks was still determined to fight at the Battle of Hogwarts.

## *‘Said Hufflepuff, ‘I’ll teach the lot,/ And treat them just the same.’*

From a variation of the Sorting Hat song we heard in *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, Helga Hufflepuff’s attitude about equality was one that passed down to generations of Hufflepuff students. Just think about Professor Sprout, who channelled the house founder when she said, after Dumbledore’s death, ‘*I feel that if a single pupil wants to come, then the school ought to remain open for that pupil*.’ 

Tonks too prized individuality of spirit – just look at the pink hair she rocked – and accepted people no matter who they were or where they came from. Remus Lupin’s identity as a werewolf didn’t bother her one bit – in fact it frustrated her that he thought of himself as so ‘other’: 

*'You see!’ said a strained voice. Tonks was glaring at Lupin. ‘She still wants to marry him, even though he’s been bitten! She doesn’t care!’*

*‘It’s different,’ said Lupin, barely moving his lips and looking suddenly tense. ‘Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely –’*

*‘But I don’t care either, I don’t care!’ said Tonks, seizing the front of Lupin’s robes and shaking them. ‘I’ve told you a million times …'*

__*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*__


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Tonks looking scared with Lupin at her side from the Half Blood Prince.

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## She was unafraid of toil

Despite Tonks downplaying her job as a Dark wizard catcher, we know that it was one of the hardest careers to get into after Hogwarts. When Harry raised the career idea with Professor McGonagall we learned that anyone who wanted to become an Auror would need ‘top grades’ and ‘would be required to undergo a stringent series of character and aptitude tests at the Auror office.’ Yikes! That is a lot of toil.  

Tonks might have joked about how she, ‘*Nearly failed on Stealth and Tracking*,’ during Auror training because she was so clumsy, but the point is she didn’t actually let her clumsiness get the better of her. And at school she would have had to work really hard to get the grades she needed – ‘a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s, and nothing under “Exceeds Expectations” grade’. 

## She was kind

Kindness is not (and should not be) limited to members of Hufflepuff house but it is a trait that graced many of the house’s members. There was Newt Scamander, who took the blame for his friend Leta Lestrange’s transgression while they were at Hogwarts, and of course Cedric Diggory. Even during the competition and pressure of the Triwizard Tournament, Cedric took the time to be kind to Harry – telling his friends to stop wearing the nasty badges, for example – even though Harry really did steal his thunder when they became joint Hogwarts champions. And fellow Hufflepuff Tonks had a great deal of kindness in her heart too.

When Harry showed an interest in how Tonks became a Metamorphmagus, she showed him empathy – expressing her understanding of why he might be interested in hiding his scar from the world, rather than making him feel self-conscious about his enquiry. Then, when Malfoy attacked Harry on the Hogwarts Express in *Half-Blood Prince*, Tonks saved him and healed his broken nose – ‘*Episkey!*’ – without a second thought, despite her own broken heart.

But Tonks’ kindness wasn’t limited to healing or sympathy. When the stakes were high transferring Harry from Privet Drive to Grimmauld Place, Tonks broke the tension by making light of Moody’s warnings about one of them getting killed: ‘*Stop being so cheerful, Mad-Eye, he’ll think we’re not taking this seriously*’. And as the strain became hard to bear at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, Tonks could be found transforming her nose, Metamorphmagus-style, to entertain Hermione and Ginny. Sometimes kindness is just cheering people up when they’re in need of a good laugh.


Any Hogwarts house would have been lucky to count Nymphadora Tonks amongst its numbers, but with apologies to Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw – this witch is Hufflepuff through and through. 


Diving into the depths of the Great Lake

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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and the Goblet of Fire

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## Grindylows

Newt Scamander writing on Grindylows in his book, *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*:
*‘A horned, pale-green water demon, the Grindylow is found in lakes throughout Britain and Ireland. It feeds on small fish and is aggressive towards wizards and Muggles alike, though merpeople have been known to domesticate it. The Grindylow has very long fingers, which, though they exert a powerful grip, are easy to break.'*

Harry first came across a Grindylow in Professor Lupin’s office in his third year at Hogwarts. It wasn’t particularly friendly – ‘pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers’ as well as ‘brandishing a fist at him’ from its tank. We found out that these water demons inhabited the Great Lake during the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. One grabbed Harry’s leg, although he was able to fend it off with an underwater Relashio spell and he spotted another as a merperson’s pet. However, it was Fleur Delacour who came off the worst, attacked by the Grindylows and unable to retrieve her little sister from the lake. 

## Merpeople

Newt Scamander writing on merpeople in his book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them:
*‘Merpeople exist throughout the world, though they vary on appearance almost as much as humans […] The oldest recorded merpeople were known as sirens (Greece) and it is in warmer waters that we find the beautiful mermaids so frequently depicted in Muggle literature and painting. The selkies of Scotland and the merrows of Ireland are less beautiful, but they share that love of music which is common to all merpeople’.*

The merpeople in the Great Lake played a vital part in the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. It was their song that formed the clue inside the golden egg, and they were tasked with guarding the friends, family or lovers that were taken from the four champions. 
In the Great Lake, the merpeople had ‘greyish skins and long, wild, dark green hair. Their eyes were yellow, as were their broken teeth’ and, more alarmingly for Harry, many of them were carrying spears. We certainly wouldn’t want to cross them, as Harry found out when he tried to take more than one hostage… 

## Giant squid

[Writing on wizardingworld.com](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-great-lake "JK Rowling Writing Great Lake") about the giant squid that lives in the Great Lake, J.K. Rowling says it is ‘*semi-domesticated and permits students to tickle its tentacles on sunny days, when it basks in the shallows.’*

So although a giant squid sounds quite scary, it’s hard to be truly fearful of a creature that allowed the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan to tickle its tentacles. In fact, the giant squid seems like a pretty relaxed kind of creature to be around when we compare it to the other inhabitants of the Great Lake. Across the Harry Potter books, it was often seen propelling itself ‘dreamily across the surface of the lake’ or ‘waving its tentacles lazily above the water’. What a life, eh?

That being said, we’re still not sure we’d want to risk a swim.

## Moaning Myrtle 

J.K. Rowling writing on [wizardingworld.com about ghosts](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/ghosts "Jk Rowling ghosts writing"):
*‘In the world of Harry Potter, a ghost is the transparent, three-dimensional imprint of a deceased witch or wizard, which continues to exist in the mortal world…Should part or all of a ghost pass through a living creature, the latter will experience a freezing sensation as though they have been plunged into ice-cold water.’*

Moaning Myrtle might be a ghost, but she told Harry that she – sometimes willingly, sometimes unwillingly – visited the Great Lake’s depths:

> ‘I sometimes go down there… sometimes don’t have any choice, if someone flushes my toilet when I’m not expecting it...”
> 
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 

Myrtle might not have always been a cauldron full of laughs, but we have to say she really helped Harry out with the second task of the Triwizard Tournament. She gave him a clue that the egg should be held underwater whilst he bathed in the Prefects’ bathroom, and then – from her trips to the Great Lake – confirmed to Harry that merpeople did indeed live there. Although, like Harry, we’d rather avoid thinking ‘about Moaning Myrtle zooming down a pipe to the lake with the contents of a toilet’. 

It definitely puts us off diving into the Great lake even more!


Harry Potter and the importance of chocolate

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## Early childhood
The first time chocolate was mentioned in the Harry Potter series, Harry didn’t get to eat it at all. On a birthday trip to the zoo, Piers and Dudley enjoyed chocolate ice creams, whilst Harry was begrudgingly bought a cheap lemon ice lolly. Harry was treated as an outsider by the Dursleys long before he knew how different from them he really was. Thankfully, chocolate tracked Harry’s development and entry into the wizarding world – once he found where he truly belonged, it wasn’t long before chocolate was a way that people showed him friendship and, ultimately, love.

The start of the change arrived with Rubeus Hagrid on the night he finally gave Harry his Hogwarts letter. As well as the staggering news that Harry was a wizard, he also brought the Boy Who Lived a sticky chocolate cake for his eleventh birthday. Then not long afterwards, in a mirroring of the scene at the zoo, Hagrid bought Harry an ice cream in Diagon Alley when they went to buy his school supplies. No lemon ice lolly this time – Hagrid bought Harry chocolate and raspberry ice cream with chopped nuts. Already, Harry was allowed chocolate in this strange new world he supposedly belonged to, and it was being bought by someone who cared about him, rather than by the Dursleys who – given half the chance – wouldn’t have bought him that ice lolly at all.

## Starting at Hogwarts
Then Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express to his new wizarding life and chocolate appeared again. Harry shared his purchases from the trolley witch with Ron, but arguably it wasn’t until sharing the Chocolate Frogs that they really bonded. Ron relaxed as he explained all about Chocolate Frog cards and marvelled over Harry revealing that in Muggle photos the subjects stayed put. By the time Draco Malfoy turned up in their compartment and announced, ‘You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there’, Harry and Ron were already united against him.

As the years went by, chocolate was a gift given and received by Harry in friendship and love on many occasions. During Christmas of his first year, Harry received Chocolate Frogs as a gift from Hermione – a representation, perhaps, of the fact that Hermione was now Harry’s friend too, alongside Ron (who had shared his Chocolate Frogs when the boys first met). One poignant moment was when Mrs Weasley sent Harry a ‘handsome chocolate egg decorated with small, iced Snitches’, including him amongst her own family members.

## Chocolate as a remedy
Aside from a way to show love and friendship, chocolate was also used as a remedy in the wizarding world: a remedy against some of the gravest creatures ever to darken the pages of the Harry Potter books – the Dementors. J.K. Rowling told us, ‘the mood-enhancing properties of chocolate are well known in both the Muggle and wizard worlds. Chocolate is the perfect antidote for anyone who has been overcome in the presence of Dementors, which suck hope and happiness out of their surroundings.’ We saw the remedy in action when Dementors entered the Hogwarts Express in *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*: ‘A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.’ Madam Pomfrey was very impressed by the new addition to the Hogwarts teaching staff – ‘So we’ve finally got a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies’ – and once we got to know him, we were too!

## Chocolate and trouble
Chocolate might have helped guard against some of the effects of a Dementor attack, but people’s love of chocolate did cause some problems in itself. Remember when Romilda Vane spiked those Chocolate Cauldrons with love potion? Poor Ron really didn’t see it coming – who could blame him for eating the delicious treats? Hermione, too, played on the general love of chocolate, when she filled chocolate cakes with a sleeping draught, which were soon devoured by Crabbe and Goyle. A lesson here that in the wizarding world, not everything was always as it seemed – not even chocolate.

## Chocolate and comfort
These incidents aside, chocolate in the wizarding world ultimately became something that gave comfort, both to Harry and to others. Perhaps, in Harry’s case and other Hogwarts students brought up by Muggles, it was the familiarity of chocolate – aside from how delicious it is – that brought them comfort. It didn’t matter that they were eating Chocolate Frogs rather than just a plain old Muggle chocolate bar; chocolate was something familiar, something they could relate to, in a world that was so startlingly different from the Muggle one they’d grown up in.

But it wasn’t just wizards brought up by Muggles who found comfort in chocolate. When Draco Malfoy put a Leg-Locker Curse on Neville Longbottom and he choked out, ‘There’s no need to tell me I’m not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy’s already done that,’ Harry gave Neville his last Chocolate Frog to try to cheer him up. And if you still don’t take our word for the comforting power of chocolate after all this, perhaps Albus Dumbledore could persuade you. After Ginny Weasley was rescued from the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore declared there would be no punishment and that she should be prescribed some hot chocolate: ‘I always find that cheers me up,’ said the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had.

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