Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the life of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry .
The main story arc concerns Harry’s struggle against Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who intends to become immortal, overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic, and subjugate all wizards and Muggles.
Let’s see some amazing facts about him!
1. The central character in the series is Harry Potter, an English orphan who discovers, at the age of eleven, that he is a wizard, though he lives in the ordinary world of non-magical people known as Muggles.
2. The wizarding world exists parallel to the Muggle world, albeit hidden and in secrecy.
3. His magical ability is inborn and children with such abilities are invited to attend exclusive magic schools that teach the necessary skills to succeed in the wizarding world.
4. Harry becomes a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a wizarding academy in Scotland and it is here where most of the events in the series take place.
5. As Harry develops through his adolescence, he learns to overcome the problems that face him: magical, social and emotional, including ordinary teenage challenges such as friendships, infatuation, romantic relationships, schoolwork and exams, anxiety, depression, stress, and the greater test of preparing himself for the confrontation, that lies ahead, in wizarding Britain’s increasingly-violent second wizarding war.
6. Each novel chronicles one year in Harry’s life during the period from 1991 to 1998.
7. The books also contain many flashbacks, which are frequently experienced by Harry viewing the memories of other characters in a device called a Pensieve.
8. The environment Rowling created is intimately connected to reality.
9. The British magical community of the Harry Potter books is inspired by 1990s British culture, European folklore, classical mythology and alchemy, incorporating objects and wildlife such as magic wands, magic plants, potions, spells, flying broomsticks, centaurs and other magical creatures, the Deathly Hallows, and the Philosopher’s Stone, beside others invented by Rowling.
10. While the fantasy land of Narnia is an alternate universe and the Lord of the Rings’ Middle-earth a mythic past, the wizarding world of Harry Potter exists in parallel within the real world and contains magical versions of the ordinary elements of everyday life, with the action mostly set in Scotland (Hogwarts), the West Country, Devon, London and Surrey in southeast England.
11. The world only accessible to wizards and magical beings comprises a fragmented collection of overlooked hidden streets, ancient pubs, lonely country manors and secluded castles invisible to the Muggle population.
12. Since the release of the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, on 26 June 1997, the books have found immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide.
13. They have attracted a wide adult audience as well as younger readers, and are often considered cornerstones of modern young adult literature.
14. The series has also had its share of criticism, including concern about the increasingly dark tone as the series progressed, as well as the often gruesome and graphic violence it depicts.
15. As of July 2013, the books have sold more than 450 million copies worldwide, making them the best-selling book series in history, and have been translated into seventy-three languages.
16. The last four books consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history, with the final instalment selling roughly eleven million copies in the United States within twenty-four hours of its release.
17. A series of many genres, including fantasy, drama, coming of age and the British school story, the world of Harry Potter explores numerous themes and includes many cultural meanings and references.
18. According to Rowling, the main theme is death. Other major themes in the series include prejudice, corruption, and madness.
19. The success of the books and films has ensured that the Harry Potter franchise continues to expand, with numerous derivative works, a travelling exhibition that premiered in Chicago in 2009, a studio tour in London that opened in 2012, a digital platform on which J.K.
20. Rowling updates the series with new information and insight, and a pentalogy of spin-off films premiering in November 2016, among many other developments.
21. Most recently, themed attractions, collectively known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, have been built at several Universal Parks & Resorts amusement parks around the world.
22. In 1995, Rowling finished her manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on an old manual typewriter.
23. Upon the enthusiastic response of Bryony Evens, a reader who had been asked to review the book’s first three chapters, the Fulham-based Christopher Little Literary Agents agreed to represent Rowling in her quest for a publisher.
24. The book was submitted to twelve publishing houses, all of which rejected the manuscript.[24] A year later she was finally given the green light (and a £1,500 advance) by editor Barry Cunningham from Bloomsbury, a publishing house in London.
25. The decision to publish Rowling’s book owes much to Alice Newton, the eight-year-old daughter of Bloomsbury’s chairman, who was given the first chapter to review by her father and immediately demanded the next.
26. Although Bloomsbury agreed to publish the book, Cunningham says that he advised Rowling to get a day job, since she had little chance of making money in children’s books.
27. Soon after, in 1997, Rowling received an £8,000 grant from the Scottish Arts Council to enable her to continue writing.
28. Harry’s birthday is July 31, 1980. Rowling’s birthday is also July 31 – but in 1966.
29. 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.
30. 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.
31. 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.
32. Fred and George were born on April Fool’s Day.
33. The only time the Weasley twins were ever apart were when George’s ear was cursed off and when Fred was killed.
34. Remus Lupin’s Patronus is a wolf (not a werewolf), because all things wolf-related disgust him.
35. Nymphadora Tonks’ original Patronus was a jack rabbit, but it eventually changed to a wolf.
36. Minerva McGonagall was a gifted Quidditch player, but she experienced a nasty fall in her final year at Hogwarts that left her with a concussion and several broken ribs.
37. Αfter graduation, Minerva fell head-over-heels in love with a Muggle boy named Dougal McGregor.
38. He proposed to her, and although she wanted to accept, she declined in fear of never being able to reveal her true identity unless they had kids. If she broke the International Statute of Secrecy, she would lose the job at the Ministry for which she was giving him up.
39. Minerva left for London three days later, and found herself bitter from heartbreak and hating her new life. She eventually took a teaching post at Hogwarts.
40. Professor McGonagall ended up marrying her old boss at the Ministry, Elphinstone Urquart, who proposed several times before she accepted.
41. Her husband suffered an accidental death (Venomous Tentacula bite) three years into their marriage. She always kept her maiden name.
42. 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.”
43. Contrary to popular belief, the ‘t’ at the end of Voldemort is silent. The name comes from the French words meaning “flight of death.”
44. J.K. Rowling slightly based 11-year-old Hermione on herself at the same age. She even made Hermione’s patronus her favorite animal, an otter.
45. An outbreak of lice occurred among the children cast members during the filming of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.”
46. Tom Felton auditioned for the roles of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, but was chosen to play Draco Malfoy instead.
47. The idea for Sirius Black’s tattoos came from those used in Russian prison gangs. The markings identify the person as someone to be feared and respected.
48. Dementors, the deadly phantoms that guard Azkaban Prison, represent depression and were based on Rowling’s struggle with the disease.
49. Probably the most impressive of Harry Potter facts is that J.K. Rowling is the first person to become a billionaire (U.S. dollars) by writing books.
50. 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.
51. 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.
52. 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.”
53. 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.
54. The least successful Harry Potter film, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” made $90 million more than the most successful Twilight movie.
Got anything to add?