How badly did the Dursleys treat Harry as a baby?

We know that Harry Potter suffers greatly being raised by Vernon and Petunia Dursley. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone tells us that Aunt Petunia dyes Dudley’s old clothing grey in lieu of buying Harry his own school uniform. He’s bullied relentlessly by Dudley and his gang. And, of course, forced to spend long periods…

Remus Lupin actor thought his character was “gay”

David Thewlis, who portrays werewolf Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter films, has admitted he thought his character was gay whilst filming Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. In fact, the film’s director Alfonso Cuaron actually told David (without JK Rowling’s knowledge or permission) that Remus Lupin was a gay man. As such, David…

How Neville’s broken wand in The Order of the Phoenix changed him as a wizard

Neville Longbottom tells us in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone that his grandmother was worried he might not have enough magic to be admitted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In fact, it’s not until his Great Uncle hung Neville by his ankles out a window and he fell, only to bounce to…

A casual reminder that wizards fish using “accio”

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when Harry, Ron and Hermione are camping in the forest, they overhear a group of runaways (including Ted Tonks, Dean Thomas, and a small cohort of goblins) ‘fishing’ for salmon. Alas, wizard ‘fishing’, as one astute Redditor pointed out, consists of a wizard (in this case, Ted Tonks),…