Step into the mesmerizing and mystical world of Harry Potter and discover seven mind-blowing facts that even the biggest Potterheads may not know. Get ready to explore hidden secrets and untold tales that will leave you spellbound.
1. First draft
The first draft of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was written on scraps of paper in various cafes in Edinburgh, Scotland, where Rowling was living at the time and struggling financially.
2. Change of name
The 1998 book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was initially going to be called Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. J.K. Rowling changed it before the book’s publication, but decided to use the title for the sixth book.
3. Hogwarts house names
The names of the four Hogwarts houses – Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor – are all formed from real surnames found in the United Kingdom.
4. Hermione Granger or Hermione Puckle?
A fun Hermione Granger fact: she was originally intended to be named Hermione Puckle. Rowling changed it after realising that it might be too difficult for young readers to pronounce.
5. The real Hogwarts Express
The Hogwarts Express, the train that takes students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is actually based on a real train line in Scotland called the Jacobite Steam Train.
6. Severus Snape
The character of Severus Snape was one of the first characters that J.K. Rowling created for the series. She had his entire backstory and true motivations planned out from the beginning. His role in the story were gradually revealed throughout the books.
7. The final chapter
J.K. Rowling wrote the final chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows years before finishing the rest of the book and she kept it securely locked in a safe deposit box.
