We all want to be the Hermione Granger of Harry Potter knowledge, but did you know these 20 facts every Harry Potter fanatic should know about the wizarding world?
1. Just how do you pronounce her name?
Due to the fact so many people were finding it difficult to pronounce Hermione’s name, J.K. Rowling got our favourite Griffindor lady to sound it our for Viktor Krum in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Her-my-oh-knee.
2. The actors reflected their characters
When our favourite trio joined the cast of Harry Potter they were asked to write an essay about their characters by director Alfonso Cuaron. Just like the characters they were playing, Emma Watson wrote a 16 page essay, Daniel Radcliffe wrote a one page essay and Rupert Grint never handed his in.
3. The pranksters both died smiling
Sirius Black was known for his rule breaking and trickery when he was at school and Fred Weasley was definitely a prankster. Both characters died with a smile on their face.
4. The elder wand is the only wand to contain a Thestral hair
The elder wand’s core was the hair from a Thestral – the only wand to contain a Thestral core. Thestrals can only be seen after you have witnessed death.
5. The first book was released in 1998…
This was the same year that the Battle of Hogwarts occurred.
“I open at the close.”
6. J.K. Rowling’s Depression
J.K. Rowling has admitted that she only wrote Harry Potter to combat her depression, especially after the death of her mother.
7. Indeed the dementors are a physical representation of Rowling’s depression
Which puts into perspective just how crippling this mental illness is to a person.
8. The reason behind Snape’s hatred for Neville
The prophecy for the Chosen One could have related to Neville or Harry, but Lord Voldemort chose Harry. If he had chosen Neville then Lilly Potter would still be alive, which is why Snape picked on Neville so much at school.
9. In Latin “Expecto Patronum” translates to “I await a guardian”
Which makes perfect sense as they are like little guardians.
10. Hermione has an otter patronus
Your patronus is a representation of your soul and soul mates are said to have a complimentary patronus. In Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows Herminone falls asleep holding Ron’s hand – just like otters fall asleep holding paws with their mate. Ron has an Jack Russel patronus – an animal known for chasing otters.
11. The stag and the doe
Similarly James and Lilly Potter were soulmates as their patronus were a stag and a doe.
12. Dumbledore was a busy bee
The word Dumbledore means bumblebee in Olde English. J.K. Rowling so named him as she imagined him pottering around Hogwarts humming to himself.
13. Dumbledore’s boggart was his sister Ariana’s corpse
J.K. Rowling confirmed that Professor Dumbledore feared the death of his sister most so that is what form his boggart would take. This is probably due to the guilt of not knowing whose curse killed her.
14. While Lord Voldemort’s boggart would be…
…his own corpse as Voldemort’s greatest fear was his own mortality.
15. After the books George Weasley married Angelina Johnson
They had two children, Fred II and Roxanne. It’s also rumoured that George was never able to produce a patronus again due to the fact all his happiest memories were with his brother Fred.
16. Remus Lupin’s name in Latin
Remus Lupin is an anagram of “primus lune” which translates as “first moon” in Latin.
17. A table of thirteen
During Christmas dinner in the Prisoner of Azkaban, the superstitious Professor Trelawney didn’t want to sit at the Christmas table as there would be 13 people sitting (and the first to rise from a table of 13 would die first). During the Order of the Phoenix, there is a meeting with members of the order. Sirius is the first to stand of the 13 at the table.
18. The Black family were all named after stars
With Sirius being named after the dog star.
19. The wizard population
It is estimated that there would be approximately 3000 wizards living in the UK in the Harry Potter universe.
20. Dementors don’t breed
Instead they grow like a fungus where they decay. Which is just downright gross.
