It’s hard to imagine any actress other than Julie Walters as Mrs. Weasley.  I don’t know that I would have thought of her for the role initially—I still think of her as the young Open University student in Educating Rita—but, having seen her embody the plump, devoted mother of the Weasley brood, I think she …read more!

What can we say about Alan Rickman on the anniversary of the late actor’s birthday? First and foremost, we in the Harry Potter fandom fondly remember him as Severus Snape. The association is inextricable and one we would not try to separate. Rickman was perfectly cast and, famously, the only actor specifically sought out by …read more!

Poor Ginny.  She gets to marry her childhood crush, Harry Potter, in the end, but she also inspires some of the most divided opinions amongst fans.  Some readers just never warmed up to her.  They wanted Harry to marry Hermione, or they “shipped” him with other characters, everyone from Luna to Draco.  Ginny had the …read more!

We wouldn’t be here without Luna.  There would be no Potter fans enjoying a website about the series if she didn’t exist as a character because she was crucial, in her own dreamy, ephemeral way, to the defeat of Voldemort.  And in the process she taught us a lot about judging people. At first, she …read more!

Today we celebrate the birthday and work of renowned composer John Williams. When we think of our favorite films we typically discuss the actors, the direction, even the writing, first. The music of film often subsists in the background, but as soon as we hear the unforgettable notes which spark our recognition and drive our …read more!

Albus Dumbledore may be viewed as the wizened mentor of the Harry Potter series, but Arthur Weasley is the enduring father figure. He never tries to take James place in Harry’s life–or usurp Sirius’ role as godfather and confidant–but he is the reliable, steadfast presence that both Harry and his children need. Throughout J.K. Rowling’s …read more!

Today we celebrate Warwick Davis’ 48th birthday–and what a splendid 48 years it’s been! Within the Harry Potter fandom Davis is most well-known for playing multiple characters in the wizarding world: a Goblin bank teller at Gringotts, Professor Filius Flitwick and, later, the duplicitous goblin Griphook. He played each with appropriate humor, seriousness and aplomb–as …read more!

It’s a bittersweet thing to celebrate the birthday of beloved friend who passes too soon from our lives. In the case of Lily Evans Potter, she is memorialized in pages of fiction, never lost to us entirely but always, there, a reminder of how inadequate are the brief glimpses of her story. We must strive …read more!

Celebrating the birthdays of the Harry Potter villains is always a wee bit awkward.  I mean, do you really wish Bellatrix a happy birthday?  She killed Sirius!  Luckily, J.K. Rowling provides a little backstory for most of the characters that gives us some context for their bad behaviour.  This never excuses their behaviour—as much as you …read more!

As we celebrate A Celebration of Harry Potter this weekend, let’s not forget the birthday of one half of the insanely talented graphic design duo Minalima, Miraphora Mina! Having worked with Eduardo Lima to design most of the props, posters, maps (pretty much anything visual, really) from the Triwizard Cup to Hermione’s Time Turner, it’s …read more!