Harry Potter Fun Facts
1. The Hogwarts school motto is "Draco domiens nunquam
titillandus," which means "Never tickle a sleeping dragon," in Latin.
titillandus," which means "Never tickle a sleeping dragon," in Latin.
2. A picture of Gandalf the Grey (from The Lord of the Rings) can
be seen in the collection of great wizards in Professor Dumbledore’s
study in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
3. As every Potter fan knows, Dementors are deadly, magical,
wraith-like creatures. Rowling revealed that they represent depression and that they were
based on her own experience with the disease. The remedy to lighten the effects
of a Dementor is chocolate.
be seen in the collection of great wizards in Professor Dumbledore’s
study in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
3. As every Potter fan knows, Dementors are deadly, magical,
wraith-like creatures. Rowling revealed that they represent depression and that they were
based on her own experience with the disease. The remedy to lighten the effects
of a Dementor is chocolate.
4. Rowling is the first person to become a billionaire (U.S. dollars) by writing books.
5. The actress who played Moaning Myrtle is actually 37 years old
and is the oldest actress to portray a Hogwarts student.
5. The actress who played Moaning Myrtle is actually 37 years old
and is the oldest actress to portray a Hogwarts student.
6. Rowling discovered “witchy” sounding names such as toadflax, goutwort,
grommel, and others in Culpeper’s Complete Herbal, a famous book of
herbal lore from the 1600s.
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released on July 21,
2007, and sold 11 million copies on the first day of its release,
breaking Rowling's earlier records for the fastest selling book of all
time.
8. Rowling said that if she were to be a teacher at Hogwarts, she would teach
Charms. If she had a job in the wizarding world, she would write spell books.
9. Harry Potter’s pet snowy owl, Hedwig, shares her name with two famous saints.
One is Saint Hedwig of Andechs (1174-1243), a former duchess noted for her
benevolence and compassionate nature. The other is Saint Hedwig, Queen of
Poland (1373-1399). The death of Hedwig in Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows represents Harry’s loss of innocence and coming of age.
10. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, dragon blood is revealed to
be an effective oven cleaner.
11. Harry’s birthday is July 31, 1980. Rowling’s birthday is also July 31—but in
1966.
12. Over the course of the Harry Potter movies 6 actors have played Voldemort.
13. Dumbledore is an early modern word for "bumblebee."
14. The least financially successful Harry Potter film made $90
million more than the most successful twilight film.
15. So many fans visit King's Cross station to take pictures of platform 9 and 10
that the station management erected a sign that says "Platform 9 3/4."