Miscellaneous

Harry Potter Facts

Juliet has the same birthday as Harry (and J.K. Rowling), the 31st of July.

The actress who played Moaning Myrtle was 37 years old at the time 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' was filmed. She is the oldest actress to ever portray a Hogwarts student.

Ron Weasley's character originally swore a lot, but Rowling's publisher wouldn't let her use that sort of language because it would've been inappropriate for young readers.

Rowling's publisher suggested she use initials rather than her real name, 'Joanne Rowling,' in order to appeal to male readers. She chose J.K., borrowing the "K" from her grandmother's name, Kathleen. However, neither "Kathleen" nor "K" is part of her legal name.

The first five years J.K. Rowling spent on Harry Potter were used up constructing rules as to what her characters could and could not do.

J.K. Rowling has said that the difference between Harry and Voldemort is that Harry accepts mortality, and thusHarry is stronger than his nemesis.

Only Alan Rickman, the actor who played Professor Snape, knew his character's fate before the release of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' because Rowling told him.

Rupert Grint dressed up like his female drama teacher and rapped about Ron Weasley for his audition tape. His rap began, "Hello, my name is Rupert Grint, I hope you don't think I stink."

The first thing Snape asks Harry is "Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Accordind to Victorian Flower language, asphodel is a type of lily meaning 'My regrets follow you to the grave' and wormwood means 'absence' and also typically symbolised bitter sorrow. If you combind that, it meant 'I bitterly regret Lily's death.'

Contrary to popular belief, the 't' at the end of Voldemort is silent. The name comes from the French words meaning "flight of death."

Tom Felton auditioned for the roles of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, but was chosen to play Draco Malfoy instead.

In Greek Mythology, a seer named Cassandra wa given her powers by Appolo, who later cursed her so no one would believe her prophecies. Professor Trelawney's great grandmother's name was Cassandra.

J.K. Rowling is the first person to become a billionaire by writing books.

During the filming of the kissing scene between the horcrux versions of Harry and Hermione in the final film, Rupert Grint was removed from the set for laughing too much.

The infamous Weasley cousin who was cut from the books was named Mafalda. She was in Slytherin.

Hogwarts has about a thousand students. (True, that number doesn't seem right, but J.K.R. said so, and she's the boss.)

James Potter was a Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team (although the movie claimed he was a Seeker).

Dean Thomas's father was killed by Death Eaters when he refused to join them. Neither Dean nor his mother know.

While filming "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," Tom Felton's Hogwarts robes had their pockets sewn shut because he kept trying to sneak food onto the set.

James Potter inherited lots of money and didn't need a well-paying profession.

James Potter inherited the Invisibility Cloak from his father.Witches and wizards have longer life-spans than Muggles.

One of the flying cars used in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" was stolen off the set. It was discovered seven months later when an anonymous caller informed police of its whereabouts.

People had trouble pronouncing Hermione's name, so Rowling had her sound it out for Viktor Krum in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."

The approximate value of a Galleon is about five pounds (Harry's wand cost 7 Galleons which is the equivelent of £35).

Forty versions of Salazar Slytherin's infamous locket had to be created to accommodate Harry and Ron's failed attempts to destroy it during filming.

When "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" was released in Great Britain, the publisher asked stores not to sell the book until schools were closed for the day to prevent truancy.

The least successful Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," made $90 million more than the most successful Twilight movie.

Fred and George Weasley were born on April Fools' day.

If placed in front of a mirror, the inscription on the Mirror of Erised ("Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi") reads, "I show not your face but your heart's desire."

Hogwarts' school motto, "Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus," means, "Never tickle a sleeping dragon."

In order to become acquainted with the films' three main stars, director Alfonso Cuaron had each of them write an essay about their characters. True to their characters, Emma Watson wrote a 16-page essay, Daniel Radcliffe wrote a simple, one-page paper, and Rupert Grint never even turned his in.

Rupert Grint stated that his most embarrassing moment waswhen he drew a really ugly picture of Alan Rickman, only to find he was standind right behind him.

When Fred and George Weasley bewitched snowballs to hit the back of Professor Quirrell's turban, they were unknowingly hitting Voldemort in the face.

Harry Potter is 7 books, 199 chapters, 3363 pages and 1,090,739 words.

Both Sirius and Fred, Hogwarts pranksters from different generations, died laughing.

The 31st October is a very eventful day for Harry: in 1994 the Goblet choose Harry's name, in 1992 Ginny opened the Chamber for the first time in 50 years & the trio went to Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday party, in 1991 Harry became friends with Hermione, in 1981 James and Lily were murdered.

J.K. Rowling revealed that she rushed into writing Goblet of Fire. She had written half the book when she realised she had created a 'giant hole' in the plot. She had to go back and fix it, which is hy the book is so long.

After the Battle over Little Whinging, 13 people gathered at the Burrow to mourn the loss of Alastor Moody. Remus lupin is the first to rise to offer to look for the body. Lupin was later killed by Antonin Dolohov at the Battle of Hogwarts, making one of Professor Trelawney's predictions come true: when 13 dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die.

In the sixth book, Dumbledore is 115, McGonagall is 62, Snape is 37 and Voldemort is 70.

In Chamber of Secrets, Harry made Dobby promise to never save his life again. Later in Deathly Hallows, Dobby was killed rescuing Harry from Malfoy Manor.

Luna Lovegood eventually comes to see the truth about her father and comes to realise that not all of the creatures she's been told about exist.