Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are privy to certain privileges as members of the Royal Family. Case in point: when HBO built elements of the new Harry Potter set in Windsor Great Park, Kate Middleton and Prince William's kids were lucky enough to get an invite.

As reported by the Daily Mail, "Hogsmeade Station was built on Windsor Great Park," which is conveniently close to Kate and William's new home, Forest Lodge. On Friday, September 26, "Kate took Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis for a spellbinding visit where they met the cast," the outlet reported.

According to the publication, the visit "would have been a magical evening for the young royals who are huge fans of the movies."

Describing the incredible event, a royal source told the Daily Mail, "It was so special, Kate and the children met the young actors and the director on the set. There was only one night of filming there so it really was a magical ticket."

The source continued, "And as for Louis, he got the chance to ride on the train with the driver. He seemed to absolutely love it. It's the dream for most children to step aboard the Hogwarts Express." Clearly, being a child of the future king has some benefits.

A source also revealed that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie's children visited the set, too. "They were busy looking at the Hogwarts Express and it genuinely seemed like a magical time for them," the source explained.

Earlier this week, royal biographer Christopher Andersen opened up about George, Charlotte, and Louis's upbringing in an interview with Harper's BAZAAR. "[Kate and William] pretty much lavish equal attention on all three, while at the same time nurturing their distinct and different personalities," the expert noted.

Harry Potter star Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom, has explained how he thinks the movies' young cast avoided the "pitfalls of being a child actor"—and what he had to say was pretty heartwarming.

"One of the questions that was asked earlier about the pitfalls of being a child actor that we seem to have avoided, I would posit that a large degree of that was because we were all there together," Lewis said during an appearance at Rhode Island Comic Con on Nov. 3 (via People). "Frequently, you hear many stories of how they were the sole actor in that movie and having to carry that movie on their own and all of the pressures and anxieties that come with that. Whereas, we were all kind together."

He added, "a lot of the fears that we had were all shared" and said that nobody else can understand exactly "what we went through and how it affected our personal lives except each other."

Lewis played a Hogwarts student alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton and many more young people.

Looking back now, 13 years on from the last Harry Potter movie premiere, the most important thing for Lewis are the friendships he made along the way.

"It's one of the things that I've carried with me is those friendships," he said. "I don't go back and read the books. One of the only things that I still kind of hold onto is those relationships that we forged throughout those films."

Childhood stardom has been under the microscope lately, with many former child stars speaking out about how their lives suffered as a result of finding fame at such a young age.

The latest example of this came courtesy of Demi Lovato, who recently released the documentary Child Star, on which celebs including Raven-Symoné, Drew Barrymore and Kenan Thompson tell their stories.

Off the back of this film, Lovato is advocating for "protections" for young people in the entertainment industry, so that future generations don't go through what she and the other stars of the film went through.

Tom Felton just gave Harry Potter fans one of the greatest gifts he could have: a reunion picture with his movie dad Jason Isaacs, who played the Lucius Malfoy to his Draco Malfoy.

Felton posted a sweet picture of the two of them posing together outside the Savoy Hotel in London. He wore a coral pink bomber jacket, white t-shirt, beige pants, and white sneakers, while Isaacs went more so over to the dark side in a black NY hat, black puffer jacket, dark jeans and dad sneakers (appropriate).

Felton captioned the post, "Father & son x" with a Slytherin snake emoji and a red heart.

Costar (and sworn enemy) Matthew Lewis (who plays Gryffindor goof Neville Longbottom) commented, "Lord Gortash, I presume?" which a hasty Google search tells me is a reference to the video game Baldur's Gate 3, for which Isaacs voices Lord Gortash.

"So his father DID hear about this," one person quipped, nodding to Draco's famous line.

Others pointed out that the Savoy was a funny place for the two of them to pose outside of, which it seems is because some saucy fan fiction about Draco took place at the hotel, but again, this goes completely over my head.

Lastly, one person had this genius idea: "Need BOTH of you on The White Lotus"

Since the Harry Potter series ended, Felton has only taken a few small TV and movie roles, and has been focusing instead on his music.

As for Isaacs, aside from lending his voice to video games, he has had roles in Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, Sex Education, and Star Trek: Discovery, among others.

Rupert Grint was super "proud" of being in the Harry Potter movie franchise, as he says himself, so it's important to him that he teaches his almost-3-year-old daughter Wednesday about it all.

While Grint told GQ Hype that he has bought Wednesday her own kiddie Hogwarts robes, adding, "Gryffindor, obviously," she apparently isn't quite grasping the whole concept quite yet.

"I’ve shown her clips from Potter but I don’t think she understands it’s me," the actor said. "When she’s old enough, I’m looking forward to watching them with her."

Appearing on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon back in March 2022, Grint had already hinted that he was slowly introducing Wednesday to the Harry Potter world.

"I've already started showing her the trailers and she has a wand and a PEZ dispenser with my head on it," he explained, to which Fallon noted that it was kind of creepy that candy was coming out of her father's neck.

Also on Fallon, Grint—who stars in Apple TV's Servant—revealed more adorable details about his toddler, including that she's super obsessed with Target, and is a little foul-mouthed.

"She's obsessed with Target," he said. "She'd choose that over, like, going to the park. She loves going to different Targets, and kind of seeing how the layout's kinda slightly different, and sometimes she doesn't buy anything, she just wants to kind of browse."

He added, "The toy aisle is definitely a draw, but she's more into lip balm to be fair."

During a separate appearance, Grint told the talk show host, "She says 'dada,' she says 'mama.' It was kind of at the same time, and also the F-word came pretty quick."

He explained how this came to be: "She spends a lot of time in my dressing room when I'm kinda doing my lines for this, and my character says the F-word a lot, and now she just says it whenever she's excited," he said. "We were actually in a toy store today, and she was just walking around, just jumping at every..."

When Fallon asked how people react to this, Grint said, "It's kind of a mixed reaction. We find it hilarious, so it's kind of encouraging it." It is pretty hilarious, to be fair.

Though there are plenty of people who claim to be tired of Prince Harry making headlines, it seems there are far more who are hankering to hear his story from his own perspective.

Exhibit A: His memoir, Spare, has apparently sold more copies on its first day out in the U.K. than any other non-fiction book, ever. It was released on Jan. 10 worldwide.

Royal reporter Omid Scobie tweeted, "And there you have it! Spokesperson for @TransworldBooks, a UK division of Penguin Random House, tells me that Prince Harry's #Spare has become Britain's fastest selling non-fiction title of all time. It's, so far, recorded a sales figure of 400,000 copies across all formats."

Larry Finlay, the managing director for Transworld, said in a statement, "We always knew this book would fly, but it is exceeding even our most bullish expectations.

"As far as we know, the only books to have sold more in their first day are those starring the other Harry [Potter]" (via Reuters).

Meanwhile, the memoir is finding a similar success in the U.S., topping Amazon's nonfiction bestseller list as well as Barnes & Noble's top 100, according to CBS News. The outlet reports that we will have to wait to find out where it lands on the New York Times bestsellers' list, however, because the current list precedes Spare's publication date.

In Spare, Prince Harry makes a number of shocking and unexpected revelations about his life as a royal and his departure from the U.K., such as his experimentation with drugs, how he lost his virginity, and his complicated relationship with brother Prince William.

Spare is out now and available from all major book retailers.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are constantly criticized in the press, and paparazzi very often follow them around—that much is clear.

However, in the trailer for their upcoming Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, a photo that showed photographers presumably "hounding" the royal couple appears to have actually been taken at the 2011 premiere for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two in London, according to a report in The Sun.

The image used in the trailer, which appears in black and white, can be found on stock photo site Alamy, where it is indeed listed as having been taken on July 7, 2011, the day of the final Harry Potter premiere.

Of course, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had nothing to do with the picture research or video editing involved in making the trailer, but because they are its subjects, this move unfortunately has the potential to reflect badly on them.

"I don’t imagine Harry would have realized, but Netflix have been careless here as it weakens Harry’s comment about protecting his family," royal expert Ingrid Seward told The Sun. "This fake picture weakens his point."

In the short teaser for the series, Prince Harry says, "I had to do everything I could to protect my family."

The Sun photographer Doug Seeburg was at the Harry Potter premiere in 2011, and denounces the use of this particular photo in the trailer.

"I remember going to the premiere. It was a huge event. Crowds and crowds of fans had turned out in the rain and camped overnight to see the actors. There were no members of the Royal Family there," Seeburg said.

"In the Netflix trailer it’s implied the photographers, including me, were trying to get a shot of the royal couple—but that’s nonsense.

"For a picture from that premiere to turn up in this trailer about Harry and Meghan seems like lazy picture research."

Still, it's undeniable that the Sussexes have struggled with the paparazzi over the years.

Prince Harry got into fights with them before he met his wife; the couple lied about Archie's birth to ward off the paparazzi; and they once even brought a legal claim against a pap agency. It's just that the use of that 2011 photo makes it look almost like those problems don't exist, which again, they very much do.

Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 4. For most of the newest season of Stranger Things season 4, Jamie Campbell Bower is just an orderly in Dr. Brennar's facility—a weird, haunting guy in a weird, haunting lab. That is, until the ending of Stranger Things season 4 volume 1, where it's revealed in a jaw-dropping twist that the orderly is Henry Creel, also known as 001, also known as Vecna. Finally, we know how the first gate opened in Hawkins: in a stand-off with Henry/001 in the facility, after he's tricked Eleven into giving him his power back, El throws Henry/001 against a wall with such enormous psychic force, he's tossed into the Upside Down, where he burns and suffers until ultimately declaring his vengeance.

You probably thought Campbell Bower looked familiar—after all, he's been in some of the biggest franchises in recent history. Here's what to know about the British actor.

He starred in 'Twilight' and 'Harry Potter' films.

The 33-year-old actor grew up in London with parents who were in the music industry. He got his start in theater, as a member of the U.K.'s National Youth Music Theatre and National Youth Theatre. He then acted as a model, before landing his big role in the film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Bower is the person to call when you need to cast a villain in an iconic pop culture franchise. Before Stranger Things, he played Young Gellert Grindelwald in the seventh Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, and in the second spinoff film, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. He also starred in several Twilight films as Volturi member Caius.

Besides these villain roles, the Brit also played Jace in the film adaptation Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. On the TV side, he portrayed King Arthur in the 2011 series Camelot, and Christopher Marlowe in the 2017 series Will.

He's also an accomplished musician.

Bower's been a musician just as long as he's been acting. He's played in bands throughout his life, most recently as the lead vocalist and guitarist of London punk band Counterfeit from 2015 to 2020. Bower now performs as a solo singer-songwriter under the name Jamie Bower. 

It sounds like Eddie Munson would be a big fan of Bower's music, as he described his sound to NME as "exploring the darker side of life." 

"I like macabre stuff," he told the outlet. "I like the idea of mortality. I like the idea of worlds beyond worlds. I really enjoy pushing the limits of the human experience and seeing how far I can go and seeing what else is out there. It’s a tough place for people to get into when you’re like, 'Listen, I want to make music that feels like I’m in Hell, how do you guys feel about that?'"

Bower also told the outlet that he'd love to do a soundtrack, so someone let the Duffer Brothers know. (He's also selling merch if you can't get your hands on a Vecna shirt).

His next film tells the story of the first televised exorcism.

After playing a man who "haunted" his family in Stranger Things, Bower will be on the other end of the haunted house story in his upcoming film. He'll star alongside The Boys' Erin Moriarty in True Haunting, per Deadline. Based on true events, the movie will follow Ed and Marsha Becker, a couple who purchase their first home and find it's haunted by the family who lived and died there before. They seek out the first-ever televised exorcism, but the ceremony just makes things worse.

He and his girlfriend have been dating for over a year.

Per Page Six, Bower has been in a relationship with talent manager Jess Moloney since early 2021. The actor has also previously dated Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright and his Mortal Instruments co-star Lily Collins.

He also acted in the Vecna prosthetics.

In addition to playing the kind orderly a.k.a. Number One a.k.a. Henry Creel in the scenes with Eleven, Bower also voiced Vecna and wore the full suit of prosthetics for his scenes, which took over seven hours to apply. He told Entertainment Weekly that the Vecna costume was "90 percent practical. The only thing that is not practical are the vines moving on the neck." He also shared some gnarly pics of the makeup process and final product on his Instagram.

He made a mind-map to figure out who his character was.

Bower was kept in intense secrecy about his role during his audition, receiving scenes from Primal Fear and Hellraiser during the first round, and then "dummy sides" to show him a bit more of the character. After that, the actor told Variety that he turned full theorizer to figure out just what role he was auditioning for.

"I went crazy for, like, two days," he told the outlet. "In my apartment, I put a picture of Will Byers in the middle, and then all the other characters around it, and then sort of made this Claire Danes-esque from 'Homeland' mind-map of who I thought this person was. I stepped back from it after two days, and was like, that feels kind of good."

Bower then had a meeting with the Duffer Brothers, where he presented some pics from his research. "So I presented this thing to them, and then we flipped through it. They looked up at me after going through it, and they went, 'Have you been given the scripts?'" he told Variety. 

"They were like, 'This is literally perfect. Everything that you’ve gotten here is perfect. Your references are perfect. The inspiration is perfect. Do you mind if we show you some more visual references that we have and what we’re thinking, and tell you a little bit more about the character?’ I think by that point, they knew I wasn’t completely insane."

In a post-Volume 2 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bower added that he had also guessed that Vecna was behind the Mind Flayer and the Upside Down monsters all along.

"I told you about the mood board, and how I would have had Will Byers in the middle. But what I didn’t tell you was that literally, right next to him, I had the Mind Flayer. And that just happened purely by accident. I guess whatever Matt and Ross [Duffer] were putting out into the universe, I was taking in," he said.

He's staying mum on whether Vecna's in season 5.

The Stranger Things cast and crew have apparently instituted a spoiler-lockdown policy for all post-season interviews. Bower has given no hint of whether Vecna will return in season 5, but he did tell The Hollywood Reporter that he thinks the Hawkins gang still has a chance.

"There’s always an opportunity for the good guys to win," he told the outlet. "I think in this case, they’d have to be way smarter than they have been thus far, because Henry is not one to forget and not one to let things slide."

Woohoo! Actress Bonnie Wright, who portrayed Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter film series, tied the knot with her love Andrew Lococo.

She took to Instagram a couple of days ago to share the happy news via a short clip of her hand over her spouse's, itself hovering over a pool. In it, Lococo wears a simple gold wedding band, while Wright is sporting a lovely square blue stone set on a simple band. Her nails are painted a tasteful shimmery pearl.

"Yesterday was the best day of my life," Wright captioned the post. "thanks to my husband!!"

Fellow Harry Potter stars rushed to send Wright their well wishes. "Congratulations to you both!" commented Scarlett Hefner, who played Pansy Parkinson.

James Phelps, AKA Fred Weasley (RIP), contributed a couple of party horn emojis. Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) wrote, "Congratulations B xx"

As for the ring, Kyron Keogh, co-founder of ROX Diamonds & Thrills, tells Marie Claire, "It looks like Bonnie is wearing a 5-carat cushion cut aquamarine stone on an 18-carat yellow gold band. It’s a bezel setting which is sleek and modern. Rather than prongs that secure the stone, the bezel setting has a smooth ring of metal that circles it to hold it in place. It’s clean and timeless and a great option for people who want a ring that is more low profile and less flashy. I would estimate that it costs around £11,000 [~$14,500]."

In a dreamy second Instagram post, Wright shared a black and white photo of hers and her husband's backs with their arms and hands interlaced. "It took a village of creativity and love to make our wedding day so special!" she wrote.

"We can’t wait to thank you all individually when we have more photos to share. In the meantime a very sweet capture on polaroid during our ceremony by @radandinlove @jamiestreetphoto"

Remember when the Harry Potter reunion was nothing but a rumor, and I didn't let any of you get your hopes up? Well, you officially have permission to get those hopes up real high, because IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING, PEOPLE.

Several original cast members have confirmed the news on Instagram, and fans everywhere are skipping with glee (or at least that's what I'm imagining them doing). First up is Emma Watson, who posted an official teaser for the special, which will celebrate 20 years since the first movie came out (the actual anniversary was on Nov. 16). "Had to break out the Time-Turner one last time for this… #ReturnToHogwarts, streaming only on @hbomax," Watson wrote.

Next is Tom "POTTAH" Felton, who tried hard to relate to his American fans, writing, "is this what school homecoming is like? mark your calendars for New Years Day #returntohogwarts , streaming on @hbomax x"

Matthew Lewis, AKA Neville Longbottom, shared the teaser with the caption, "This New Year’s Day… we’re putting the band back together. #ReturnToHogwarts, streaming only on @HBOMax. International release coming soon."

No word from Rupert Grint, and Daniel Radcliffe isn't on Instagram, but both are listed in the credits at the end of the teaser. Also involved are Helena Bonham-Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Imelda Staunton, Bonnie Wright and so many more.

Watson also posted the most adorable throwback pics from the cast—one of herself and trusty acolytes Radcliffe and Grint, and one with what looks like the wholeee cast and crew. "Harry Potter was my home, my family, my world and Hermione (still is) my favorite fictional character of all time. I think a journalist once said it was irritating how many times during an interview I mentioned how lucky I was and started counting… BUT I DAMN WELL KNEW!!! And still know," she wrote, making us all tear up just a little bit.

She continued, "I am proud not just of what we as group contributed as actors to the franchise but also as the children that became young adults that walked that path. I look at my fellow cast members now and I am just so proud of who everyone has become as people. I am proud we were kind to each other that we supported one another and that we held up something meaningful.

"Thank you to the fans that have continued to show their support well after the last chapter closed. The magic of the world wouldn’t exist without you. Thank you for fighting to make it such an inclusive and loving place.

"I still miss the crew who made these films all the time. Thank you for all of your hard work too - I know your contributions sometimes get overlooked.

"Happy 20th Anniversary Potterheads! We hope you enjoy the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts which will stream New Year’s day, Jan. 1 on HBO Max. Lots to look forward to."

If there are three words in the English language guaranteed to send whole swathes of millennials into meltdown, it's surely "Harry Potter reunion." I'm hoping not to cause a panic here, but it looks like those three magic words (a spell, if you will) might become reality, or so The Sun reports, anyway.

So far, it sounds like the main cast members, namely Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, have only been "invited" to participate in the special revival, and haven't necessarily accepted said invitation yet.

"The proposed show is being shrouded in secrecy as franchise bosses want to get talent locked in first," a source in the know told The Sun. "It would be amazing if they pull it off and they have offered big money to the cast to reunite."

Reflecting on the likelihood of the actors accepting to film the revival, the insider added, "Many of the actors have moved on, but the movies launched them to superstardom. They all have lots of fond memories from their time filming together. Everyone is hopeful it will happen."

The proposed reunion would take place at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour London in the coming weeks, and aim to recreate iconic scenes from the movies, "including boarding the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9¾ and The Yule Ball."

The reunion obviously isn't confirmed for the moment, so I hope this didn't get your hopes up too much. While we wait for further news, may I suggest taking another look at Emma Watson's breathtaking outfit from the Earthshot Prize? You're welcome.

Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter film franchise, collapsed on a golf course on Sept. 23 and was brought to hospital.

Felton was playing as part of the Ryder Cup celebrity match on Whistling Straits Golf Course in Wisconsin, alongside sports pros including hockey players Teemu Selanne and Mike Eurzione, and speed skater Dan Jansen, according to Golf Digest.

A representative for the Professional Golfers' Association of America said in a statement, "In today’s Ryder Cup Celebrity Match, actor and musician Tom Felton experienced a medical incident on the course while participating for Europe. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment. No further details are available."

Felton was conscious while being carted off the course, but there have been no updates since.

It's unclear at what stage Felton collapsed, but his team did win the matches, according to Getty Images.

Felton had recently posted a promo video for the Omega European Masters in which he participated, and a photo of himself practicing his swing. He captioned this photo, "Whack."

The actor, musician and keen sportsman had just celebrated his 34th birthday. He posted a black and white selfie on Instagram for the occasion, with the caption, "33 years done - good lord it’s been so much fun getting here - yet, somehow, I still feel the best is yet to come - thank you all for your love , support & sense of humour - let’s keep a good thing going - to the next 33 xx"

Commenting on his latest post, dedicated to his brother, a fan wrote, "Wishing you a speedy recovery x."

Content warning: This piece includes details of transphobia, racism, and violence.

A lot of valid criticism has already been written about J.K. Rowling and, by extension, Harry Potter, particularly in light of the author's recent, vastly misinformed anti-transgender comments via blog post, Twitter, and elsewhere. Like so many Potter fans, I'm wrestling with my disappointment and personal relationship to the series in light of all this. Many intelligent articles explore the misinformation she uses to defend her perspective and how insensitivity around gender and race was already evident in her wizardry canon. For the original seven books (1997-2007), though, some fans have argued that they were "of their time" and subject to increasing criticism after the books were completed. But what about Rowling's other series, the whodunit mysteries she's actually still writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith? Unlike Harry Potter, this story takes place in the real world—one in which Rowling directly explores issues of race, gender, and sexuality. It's really bleak.

For a long time, I loved the Strike series. I preordered the books. I read them the day they came out. I loved her representation of her secondary protagonist, Robin Ellacott, who's a rape survivor with PTSD—made even more poignant because Rowling shared she's a sexual assault survivor in her latest blog post and has since claimed to have received rape and death threats. I'm also a rape survivor; I felt so seen by Robin's depiction that I wrote a Medium blog post devoted to it in 2018. It was perhaps because of my own connection to one of the characters that it took me much too long to acknowledge what else was staring me, a cisgender white woman, directly in the face.

There's a strong moralistic undercurrent in the Strike series. Exploring some similar themes as The Casual Vacancy, there's no patience for people who are lazy, greedy, gossipy, fame-seeking, cheating, or deceitful. Among others, she presents unlikeable characters who take the form of conservative, hypocritical politicians; radical leftists; wealthy elite who rub elbows with royalty; publishers, editors, authors—especially the misogynist ones—in the literary world; and journalists, particularly those who work for the Daily Mail and Sun chasing salacious stories and hacking phones. By contrast, protagonist Cormoran Strike is an impoverished, disabled veteran who lost half a leg to an IED in Afghanistan. As a private detective, he serves as the sometimes caustic voice of reason as he seeks justice for his clients.

To an extent, this is the job of the crime writer—to create characters that read as seedy, given that they're all potential suspects. But this element makes it all the more upsetting that, as with Harry Potter, problematic racial undertones exist throughout: describing a seamstress as "oriental" in book one, The Cuckoo's Calling, and calling a multiracial man a "masterpiece produced by an indecipherable cocktail of races." A homeless Black woman, "uncompromisingly plain" with "greasy skin...the color of burned earth...covered in acne pustules and pits" is a covetous blackmailer, killed for her shortsightedness. An Italian Briton in book four, Lethal White, is "swarthy" and ultimately sociopathic. There's an offhand use of the n-word via a Jay-Z and Kanye song in the background. An investigating Strike resorts to taunting a Muslim man about his family's disownment because of their mistaken belief in his homosexuality.

Rowling's not the first crime writer to use racist stereotypes, but the problems don't stop there. There are even fewer LGBTQ+ representations, but we actually don't have to go far to see her depict a transgender character: book two, The Silkworm, which won the Gold Dagger Award in 2015 from the Crime Writers' Association. A potential suspect, trans woman Pippa Midgley is a pitiful, high-strung, violent character with no sense or self-preservation. She stalks and attacks Strike with a Stanley knife. When Strike defends himself and drags her into his office, references are made to Pippa's assigned sex at birth: her "prominent" Adam's apple, voice "as rough and loud as a docker's," and the vocal exercises she may have done, as she explains she's transitioning. Strike threatens her when she attempts escape. "If you go for that door one more fucking time I'm calling the police and I'll testify and be glad to watch you go down for attempted murder. And it won't be fun for you inside, Pippa...not pre-op."

Here, the protagonist, the hero you're meant to be rooting for, is making a pretty clear threat—an allusion to prison rape. This is particularly callous in light of Rowling's admission she's a survivor, and seemingly flying in the face of her blog comment that "[t]rans people need and deserve protection." It's also transphobic to taunt Pippa about her transition—a grossly inappropriate remark that wouldn't be made if he were treating her simply as a nefarious woman—and highlight how that will lead to more violence. Other characters respond with pity, rather than scorn, to Pippa, but her attempts to form a new family after disownment and honor her experience via memoir are treated glibly. At one point Strike calls her a "self-dramatizing twat."

In 2019, Vice noted the book's transphobic nature as preexisting evidence of Rowling's beliefs. Trans writer Katelyn Burns wrote for Them in 2018 that "[i]t’s an entirely common though insulting trope about trans women—that they are aggressive and unable to overcome their masculine nature, not to mention villainous—that has become all too common from cisgender authors with only a passing knowledge of trans people."

It doesn't stop there. Book three, Career of Evil, spotlights and heaps scorn on two characters with body integrity identity disorder (BIID), in which sufferers "reject" healthy body parts and seek amputation or paralyzation. The disorder garners significant controversy; Researchers categorize it as rare, extreme, and debilitating. It may originate as a psychiatric disorder and/or a neurological problem that produces abnormal brain scans. And some conservative writers incorrectly conflate people who have this agonizing disorder with people who are transgender. 

And in fact, some readers have already noted that Rowling's depiction of BIID in Career of Evil comes off as a coded criticism of being transgender. There are similarities in the language, like, "People have died trying to do it themselves," and one of the characters proudly announcing, "It's a need...I've known ever since I was a child. I'm in the wrong body. I need to be paralyzed." This garners a response from the disabled Strike: "Get some fucking help. With your head." Rowling hasn't spoken specifically about her feelings about BIID, but the violent, derisive depiction fetishizes and pathologizes the characters in the same way as Pippa. Worth noting: BBC apparently cut both Pippa and the BIID storylines from the C.B. Strike TV series.

Not as many people read the Strike series—it would be almost impossible to replicate the insane success of Harry Potter—but the first two Strike books hit 1.5 million copies in 2015 and Rowling's been steadily chugging along ever since (book five is set to debut September 29). The decision about what to do with the series depends on what an individual needs to process and heal: Some walk away, some work to separate the art from the artist. Some fans have already said they won't purchase more Strike books. Two Harry Potter fan sites, MuggleNet and Leaky Cauldron, have issued statements condemning her remarks—particularly that she chose to tweet during Pride Month. Some argue that Rowling has made herself irrelevant. Many, myself included, have committed to listening to trans writers when they call out prejudice the first time. Burns posted a thread that encourages readers to pivot from Rowling to the intersection of race and transphobia:

It's still true that the Strike series helped me reckon with my own trauma and feel seen. But, I'd rather be a true ally. If there's one small silver lining, then, it's that Rowling inspired transgender and nonbinary people—in some cases, to write more inclusive books of their own. "If the root of Rowling’s books is the constant miracle of overcoming considerable odds with love and courage to negotiate hatred," explains writer and transgender woman Charlotte Clymer, "trans people, who leave our homes every day into a world full of discrimination and violence against our bodies and souls, are the closest thing this world has to magic."

Harry Potter fans—yes, I'm addressing roughly the entire Millennial generation—we need to have another tough conversation with ourselves: We must end our Harry Potter fantasy now.

Last week, J.K. Rowling tweeted a transphobic comment (not for the first time). She quickly doubled down on those feelings, publishing a lengthy essay in response to the backlash, leaving Potterheads to decide whether denouncing Rowling and her anti-trans positions meant they must also denounce the whole Potter franchise.

Like so many others, I feel a deep, emotional connection to the series. It has been the soundtrack of my entire life; each new book coinciding with an adolescent milestone of my own. When the seventh and final book was released the summer before my senior year of high school, it felt like Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I were all transitioning into adulthood together—the culmination of their adventure was also the culmination of mine. Pottermore personality quizzes determined that my Patronus was a silver cat and I was owed a yew wand from Ollivander's, making me feel seen—transforming my specific traits into unique powers that I could be proud of instead of loathe. The fact that it is common to define oneself in terms of Hogwarts houses (proud Gryffindor speaking) is a mark of how profoundly personal this universe feels. The books felt like a place where I—we—belonged.

I’m also a ciswoman, which means my feelings are not the point right now. As significant as the franchise has been for me, if I am actually going to be the ally I fancy myself to be, that means I have to consider the damage Rowling (and potentially the entire series) has done to trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people. Being a white ciswoman gives me a voice—like a magical power, but a shitty one, because it's a power others are denied. It’s my job to use that "magical power" as a force for good and say what nobody wants to say. To bring to light that if Rowling had been a Hogwarts parent and heard that Lupin was a werewolf, her Karen-self likely would have demanded he be fired for putting her little Hufflepuff in danger.

Rowling has come under fire several times before for saying or insinuating awful things (as she herself noted in her essay). In December, she tweeted in support of Maya Forstater, noted TERF (trans exclusionary radical feminist). And recently, people have pointed out several troubling or outright racist elements of the Potter series: Gringotts' goblins, creatures who control all the money in the Wizarding World, are described in explicitly antisemitic stereotypes. The single Asian character in the series is named Cho Chang, of all things. Rowling’s stories set in the United States, at a school named Ilvernmorny, have been roundly criticized for appropriating and flattening Native American mythologies, borrowing liberally from entirely disparate tribes and traditions, and watering them down into something cute and vaguely magic-esque. The stories center around a white settler from Ireland who establishes the magical school, implying there are no Native American witches or wizards at all. Meanwhile a “Pukwudgie,” a creature from Wampanoag lore, serves as side-kick and is meant to clumsily represent all Native American people. (Not to mention, Rowling’s books treated Hermione’s dedication to SPEW like a goofy personality quirk akin to being a raw vegan.)

As a theoretically woke coalition, people in my orbit can acknowledge these things, but we all seem particularly reluctant to even consider canceling (whatever that means) Harry Potter.

As we once again grapple with Rowling outing herself as troubling, to say the least, the “art versus the artist” argument has bubbled to the surface—as it always does. Fans have fretted and argued over whether we can, in good conscience, continue to listen to Michael Jackson or watch Woody Allen movies, now knowing what they have been accused of. Is their cultural contribution enough to outweigh reprehensible behavior?

Thanks to my English Lit degree, I can certainly summon a convincing case that Harry Potter should be appreciated independently of Rowling. My instinct is always to see a work of art, no matter what it is, as its own thing. Once you’ve created something and put it out into the world, it’s no longer yours. It takes on a life of its own; it’s like having a literary child.

And this is the case when it comes to Harry Potter. Rowling isn’t the sole creator of this universe as we inhabit it now. The actors who starred in the movies, for example, are indelible elements of the franchise, and many of the most visible stars have been outspoken in opposition to Rowling’s position on trans rights. See: Daniel Radcliffe’s statement in The Trevor Project. After Rowling released her divisive essay, other stars, including Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander), and Katie Leung (Cho Chang), began voicing their support of trans rights on social media. Noma Dumezweni, who played Hermione in the Cursed Child stage play, and even Arthur Levine, who edited the Harry Potter books, also spoke out condemning Rowling’s comments.

Some of these statements also included a consoling message to fans: that it’s okay to love or have loved Harry Potter. "If you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life—then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred," Radcliffe wrote in his moving statement. And Wright’s tweet read, "If Harry Potter was a source of love and belonging for you, that love is infinite and there to take without judgment or question. Transwomen are Women. I see and love you, Bonnie x."

These words, from people who had a direct hand in creating Harry Potter as we know it, feel particularly comforting. I cannot erase what this world meant to me growing up. I agree with Radcliffe and Wright.

But...

All of this analyzing and agonizing misses the point. Who does it hurt when we continue to lionize a series written by an outspoken transphobe as a generationally-defining text?

Trans people are at increased risk of hate crimes and violence, particularly Black trans women. The Human Rights Campaign counts at least 26 trans and gender non-conforming people who were murdered in 2019, though the real number is likely larger due to non-reporting. Just last week two Black trans women, Riah Milton in Ohio and Dominique “Rem’Mie” Fells in Pennsylvania, were killed. That same week the Trump Administration rolled back anti-discrimination laws that protected LGBTQ people (and particularly trans people) from being denied medical care. This is to say nothing of living in a world whose very infrastructure seems determined to deny the reality that trans, nonbinary, and nonconforming people exist at all. Ideologies like Rowling’s are actively and intentionally cruel and dangerous.

I don’t want to be one of those people who says “I’m an ally!” and does nothing more than attend a Pride parade and feel moved by Call Me By Your Name. My childhood nostalgia can’t be more important than a trans person’s trauma or physical safety. If continuing to call myself a “Gryffindor” or referring to Hermione as a personal hero valorizes a transphobic figure, bolsters a hate group, and puts people in danger, do I have a choice but to abandon the story?

The irony of it all is that Rowling’s books taught us that we each, no matter how young or seemingly insignificant, have a specified contribution to make in the fight against evil. My high school senior quote was Dumbledore’s last line to Harry: “Of course, it is all happening inside your head, Harry. But why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” If I’m honest, there will likely always be a place in my heart for that world, which, indeed, still feels very real to me.

But it is time for Harry Potter to be dethroned from its place atop the zeitgeist. We can no longer use the series as an ethical yardstick, measuring right and wrong on a scale of Voldemort to McGonagall, or use Patronus quizzes as an astrology-adjacent form of self-assessment. We should consider shutting down Cursed Child and Harry Potter theme parks. Because we cannot simply and wholly divorce Rowling from the Wizarding World she conjured. When we patronize Harry Potter parks or movies like Fantastic Beasts, she still benefits financially, and her position of power remains unchecked. In doing so, we abandon the trans lives her public statements endanger.

The Wizarding World isn’t the moral sanctuary it once was. And because we are all adults now, we have to acknowledge that.

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Rowling herself penned, via Harry’s thoughts: “It was important, Dumbledore said, to fight, and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then could evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated.” So let’s fight. Let’s use this opportunity to talk frankly about anti-trans violence, TERFs, and the importance of language that identifies people accurately—like using correct pronouns or acknowledging that not all women menstruate and not all people who menstruate are women. It‘s the least we can do in keeping evil at bay.

Click here for 17 LGBTQIA+ organizations that support trans rights. donate now

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• In a series of posts on her Instagram Story on Friday night, Blake Lively showed off her love for the Harry Potter franchise.
• The actress tested out the popular "Which Harry Potter Character Are You?" filter that's been blowing up everyone's Instagram Stories lately and shared her results with her followers.
• In her first post, Blake revealed that the app predicted that her Harry Potter alter ego for 2020 would be none other than Dobby the House Elf. Blake didn't seem thrilled with the results and revealed in her next IG Story post that she had personally been hoping to get The Boy Who Lived himself, Harry Potter. 

Blake Lively is a multi-faceted woman. She is an actress. She's a mother. She's an expert internet troll (specifically when it comes to her husband, Ryan Reynolds). She's a fashion icon.

Blake Lively is also, it turns out, a bona fide Harry Potter nerd. The actress took to her Instagram Story on Friday night to share her Potterhead pride—and to test out the "Which Harry Potter Character Are You?" filter that's surely been blowing up your Stories lately.

Like so many of your friends and followers, Blake took the quiz and shared her results with the world. And, (probably) like many of your friends and followers, she wasn't thrilled with the results: Dobby the House Elf.

Okay, so maybe "not thrilled" is a bit of an understatement. In response to the prediction that she would channel Dobby in 2020, Blake made this face:

In a followup post on her Instagram Story, the actress revealed that she was hoping for a very different result indeed.

"And I fully knew I was gonna be Harry," Blake wrote, along with a cute Sorting Hat emoji.

You're a Harry at heart to us, Blake. Wands up.

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Sadly for all of us Harry Potter fans, Hogwarts only exists on the page/screen (and in our minds!). But the sets and locations that brought the movies to life do very much exist. The movies were one big love letter to the U.K., and many of these locations are available to at least walk around. You might even be able to find a Potter-themed tour, while you're at it. Here are the filming locations to visit that'll satisfy all your cravings for movies, muggles, and magic. Accio!

Also known as the "Harry Potter house," this actual residence was used as the set for No. 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, in the first two films. It was auctioned off in 2003; It's probably still a private residence, so we wouldn't recommend asking to go inside, but you can certainly walk around.

Harry frees a python and realizes he can talk to snakes in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Both inside and outside the real-life Reptile House were used for this scene. 

It's just for a moment, but Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are two landmarks in the background when Harry first travels to London with Hagrid.

This famous covered market in London is where Hagrid takes Harry to the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron Pub (42 Bull's Head Passage, in real life).

Hagrid takes Harry to King's Cross so he can board a train to his new wizarding home.

At the time of shooting, platforms 4 and 5 were apparently temporarily re-numbered 9 and 10. There actually is still a Platform 9 3/4 sign to this day (although you can't board the Hogwarts Express, sadly) with a cute disappearing trolley.

King's Cross was also used in other Harry Potter films, all the way through Deathly Hallows. 

And this station served as the location of Hogsmeade Station, where the students get off for Hogwarts.

In the first and second Harry Potter films, Alnwick Castle acted as the set for Hogwarts; A number of other productions have also filmed there, including Downton Abbey and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

The location is stunning and expansive. It also (if you happen to be a fan of the Royal Family as well) was the location for Prince William's BFF Thomas van Straubenzee's wedding to Lady Melissa Percy.

The cathedral doubled as the inside of Hogwarts on multiple movies, including The Sorcerer's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, and The Half Blood Prince.

Including when Harry and Ron spot an enormous troll down a long hallway.

And here's a shot of the late Alan Rickman (a treasure, gone too soon) shooting The Half-Blood Prince.

Professor Flitwick teaches Harry how to use a wand in the Harrow School's Fourth Form Room (the classroom dates all the way back to 1615). The Crown has also apparently shot at Harrow School. There are public tours, but check to see when.

The scenes in the Hogwarts Library—where Hermione reads, where Harry steals a restricted book—was one of a few locations filmed at Oxford.

In The Half-Blood Prince, Ron recovers in the infirmary after being poisoned—which was actually shot inside the Divinity School. 

In The Goblet of Fire, Mad-Eye Moody transforms Draco Malfoy into a ferret, right in this courtyard.

And, even though filming actually didn't take place in this iconic dining hall, it was the inspiration for the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

The abbey served as another set for Hogwarts. Harry is chosen for the Quidditch team and attends Snape's classes here. Yes, you can take tours of the abbey. 

And Durham Cathedral also contributed exterior and interior locations for various scenes in the early films...

...including one where Harry walked with Hedwig through a snowy, secluded courtyard.

This Scottish village was used for many an outdoor shot—the bridge to Hogwarts and Hagrid's hut, to name a couple. It's as close as we'll probably get to an actual Hogwarts campus.

Meanwhile, this was the set of Hogwart's Lake when Harry rode on a hippogriff, as well as scenes between Harry, Ron, and Hermione in The Goblet of Fire. 

Several Scotland lakes (lochs) were used in The Prisoner of Azkaban (where Harry finally summons his Patronus). Loch Eilt and Loch Morar were also used.

When the cast and crew weren't headed off to a historical location, they shot primarily at the studio in Leavesden. Here, for Goblet of Fire, tents were set up for the Quidditch World Cup (they likely don't exist anymore, but there's plenty more at the studio).

The studio now has a very detailed Harry Potter tour, with sets, costumes, and all sorts of props from the various films.

Oh yeah, and Kate Middleton, Prince William, and Prince Harry all visited for the opening of the attraction in 2013. Here's the set used to depict Diagon Alley.

Here, Prince Harry visits the set of The Burrow (the Weasley house).

And the trio visit the Great Hall of Hogwarts (so impressive)!

Also included in the tour, models of important buildings like Hogwarts...

...and some of the (creepy) makeup effects and prosthetics.

It's a Potterhead's dream, basically.

This bustling area served as the updated locale of the Leaky Cauldron (IRL: The Market Porter Pub) in The Prizoner of Azkaban. 

During The Order of the Phoenix, the Order flies over London on broomsticks; the London Eye's just one of the landmarks you can spot in the background. 

And you can spot Buckingham Palace in the background, as well as Big Ben and the Tower Bridge.

In one of the most horrifying scenes of the series, the Millennium Bridge is attacked by Death Eaters in The Half-Blood Prince and collapses into the Thames River.

Hardwick Hall was used for interior and exterior shots of Deathly Hallows—Part 1 for Malfoy Manor, the Death Eaters'/Voldemort's home base. 

This bustling square was the site of a particularly key scene in Deathly Hallows—Part 1...

...where Death Eaters attack Harry, Hermione, and Ron in a diner in London.

Windsor's Great Park served as the location of Harry, Hermione, and Ron's refuge when they're on the run from Death Eaters and Voldemort.

This picturesque house was used in Deathly Hallows—Part 2 for Harry's family home in Godric's Hollow—where Harry's parents died and where the trio is attacked by Nagini. It's unclear if you can go inside, but the village is gorgeous.

This was the location of Shell Cottage, the house of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour (sadly it's now been dismantled). The cast and crew, seen here, filmed at the nearby beach. In this scene, the characters have just jumped off a dragon after escaping Gringotts in Deathly Hallows—Part 2.

So you can literally walk in Harry Potter's/Daniel Radcliffe's footsteps, if you so choose.

•••

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Listen: It's never not going to be lovely when old Harry Potter co-stars reunite. And we're all prone to just a little bit of shipping when certain couples align—for instance, Emma Watson and Tom Felton, who popped up on Tom's Instagram Monday playing guitar in their pyjamas. Some fans are convinced the two are dating, but relationship or not, it's really very cute to see them hanging out. 

Tom posted a photo of the pair in South Africa, both sporting pyjamas (Emma's are extremely Hermione, it must be said), with Tom teaching Emma how to play the guitar. The caption, "Quick learner x," is ever so slightly superfluous, since we all know Emma's a genius even in the Muggle world. Regardless, it's an adorable photo, which sent the Hermione-Draco shippers (I believe the kids are calling it "Dramione") absolutely giddy in the comments.

Tom's next photo only adds fuel to the fire: He's sitting cross-legged on the beach, two thumbs up, wearing a t-shirt that reads, "WOMEN DO IT BETTER." The "EW" photo credit in the caption is kind of unnecessary, let's be honest—does a more Emma Watson t-shirt exist? There's also the small matter that he's worn the shirt before, in Emma's presence no less: Back in November, she posted a video on Instagram of the two riding a longboard, both having the absolute time of their lives. (Emma captioned it, "#TFToleratingmysubparskatingskillssince1999," which conjures a very cute image of baby Malfoy attempting to teach baby Hermione how to skate on the HP set.)

This isn't the first time they've hung out this year, or even documented their time together: In February, Emma posted a gorgeous photo on Instagram of herself in the driver's seat, captioned, "Friends capture you best," with Tom tagged. And yes, that pointed "friends" is admittedly un-ignorable. My conclusion: Whether romantic or purely platonic, I heartily endorse this relationship.

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• This week, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge traveled to Northern Ireland for an official royal visit.
• Prince William and Kate Middleton had a busy schedule that included an an engagement at Windsor Park football stadium and a visit to the Braid Arts Centre, among other things.
• On the second day of the trip, Kate turned heads in a stunning, baby-blue Mulberry coat. The look drew comparisons to Disney princesses, but fans on Twitter were quick to point out the similarities to the school uniform worn by students at Beauxbatons, the French, all-girls magic school featured prominently in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. 

This week, Prince William and Kate Middleton traveled to Northern Ireland for an official royal visit. Like most royal travel, the itinerary for the trip was intense, and included an engagement at Windsor Park football stadium, home of the Irish Football Association (IFA), to play soccer with a group of young girls, meetings with the Police Service in Northern Ireland to hear about the challenges officers there face, and taking part in a workshop at the Braid Arts Centre.

On the second day of the trip, Kate turned heads in a baby-blue Mulberry coat (which she paired with navy Rupert Sanderson Malory pumps, which are still shoppable (and predictably pricey).

Rupert Sanderson

£425.00

SHOP IT

Here's a full-length look at the outfit:

If you think. the outfit looks positively magical, then you're not alone. Fans on Twitter were quick to point out just how similar Kate's baby-blue look is to the school uniform worn by students at Beauxbatons, the French, all-girls magic school featured prominently in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Here's Fleur Delacour, Beauxbatons' star pupil and Triwizard champion, for some up-close comparison:

And a close-up of Kate's cape coat:

Sketches of the costume were shared on the official Harry Potter site, Pottermore:

And we have to admit, the looks are similar:

Here's what Potterheads had to say about Kate's low-key cosplay:

Looks like yer a wizard, Kate.

On thinking about quitting the Harry Potter franchise: On why being in the Harry Potter movies was so stressful:On feeling the line between himself and his character blur over time:

Did you think being in the Harry Potter movies looked like a magical dream come true? Well, according to Rupert Grint, that wasn't always the case. In a new interview with The Guardian, Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the phenomenally successful series, has opened up about the difficulties he struggled with behind-the-scenes. Here are the biggest HP-related revelations from the interview. 

"There were definitely times when I thought about leaving. Filming Harry Potter was a massive sacrifice; working from such a young age for such long periods and I definitely remember thinking during one extended break, ‘This whole thing is so all consuming, do I really want to go back? Maybe it’s just not for me.’ I guess I was probably just being a teenager." 

"For the first few Harry Potter films I was living the dream. The reason I auditioned was because I loved the books. When I got to film three or four, I started to feel an overwhelming weight of responsibility because they were so phenomenally popular. The whole press and red carpet thing was an attack on the senses. I don’t excel in that kind of environment."

"The line between Ron and me became thinner with each film and I think we became virtually the same person. There’s a lot of me in Ron and moving on was a massive adjustment because it was such a constant part of my life. I don’t want to liken it to coming out of prison because it wasn’t a prison, but it did feel like stepping out of an institution. It was nice to breathe the fresh air and now I’m really enjoying stepping further away from that blue-screen world."

I get being super into your job, but Ezra Miller takes being committed to his job to another level. The press tour for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has had Miller taking his fanboy levels to new heights, and I'm not complaining. He's a self-professed "diehard fan of Harry Potter", and tends to geek out during press and promo tours about anything involving Harry Potter. He even said he's refused to take the Pottermore test to get sorted into a Hogwarts house out of genuine fear that he might not be the Gryffindor he always believed himself to be. 

"I respect the sorting process and I’m so on board with Pottermore—you guys are like Dumbledore’s Army, keeping it all alive. I know the Sorting [Ceremony] was written by J.K. Rowling, but I still can’t risk it," he told Pottermore in 2016. "What if I get Slytherin? I couldn’t live with myself. I need to be in Gryffindor. If I didn’t get Gryffindor, I wouldn’t know who I was anymore."

So it's no surprise that his love for Harry Potter has overflowed into his red-carpet routine. Not only did he show up to the film's Paris premiere looking like a Dementor had a baby with Missy Elliott's garbage bag coat look, but he arrived to the film's London premiere today dressed not only as the chicest chicken I have ever seen, but he'd written "Avada Kedavra", the infamous Killing Curse from Harry Potter, on his palm. Don't believe me?  Here's a close up:

This is the kind of loyalty employers dream about. Keep killing it, Ezra.

In Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Claudia Kim plays a character doomed with a blood curse. Outside of the wizarding world, she likes to indulge in breakfast tea, K-Dramas, and quality time with her tiny Maltese.

Age: 33

Lives in: Seoul, South Korea

You know her from: Marco Polo (2014–16), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), The Dark Tower (2017)

Big break? “Growing up, Karuna Shinsho on CNN was one of my idols, so I wanted to become either an anchorwoman or an international lawyer. Then I heard about the Korea-China supermodel contest and thought maybe an opportunity could come of it. It was never about winning, but I feel very lucky that I did.”

On the Job: “The first time I saw J.K. Rowling, I was sitting across from her at the Fantastic Beasts table read, and I was just amazed by how wonderful she is in person. When I was washing my hands in the bathroom, I looked in the mirror and saw her come in behind me. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh! I want to give you a handshake, but my hands are wet! What do I do?!’ She said she loved my audition tape, and it meant the world to me.”

At leisure: “I try to catch up on all of the Korean shows. Mr. Sunshine is one I’m watching right now, and My Mister is another one that I loved. We have something called Olleh TV that’s kind of like Netflix.”

Will travel: “Lucca in Italy is my favorite vacation spot. I bike to the beach every day, but I’m still not very good at it, so the whole time I’m just yelling, ‘Sorry! Sorry!’”

Hot tips? “I love breakfast tea. Lately, I like Steven Smith tea and this French brand Theodor Paris that makes really good milky oolong.”

Good sport: “I’m a fan of judo, so I always try to watch competitions like the European championship. And I really want to get back into jujitsu.”

Girl’s best friend? “I have a Maltese named Winter because she was born on Christmas Day. She’s 11 now. Every time I put my yoga mat on the floor, she joins me and we fight over space. She likes to do a downward dog.”

This article originally appeared in the November 2018 issue of Marie Claire.

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So far, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Australian royal tour has given us many gifts: Meghan's first state dinner! Her royal sneaker debut! A whole lot of PDA! Some touching moments! So many fashion moments! And tonight, it gave us her first true red carpet (and Oscar de la Renta) look.

After spending a few days in Fiji and Tonga, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are back in Sydney, attending Australian Geographic Society Awards (and tomorrow, the finals of the Invictus Games) before they head to New Zealand on Sunday. And while the pair must already be exhausted by this whirlwind royal tour (and its many outfit changes), the two stepped out tonight in glorious, gorgeous formalwear.

While Prince Harry opted for a navy suit and baby blue tie (dapper Harry!) Meghan went for a less demure look than her husband. In contrast to the previous two formal events she attended this trip—the first, the state dinner where she wore a blue Safiyaa cap-sleezed, caped gown (and, sadly, no tiara), the second, an evening reception in Tonga where she chose a a white column dress by designer Theia, accessorized with a diamond bracelet given to her ahead of her wedding by Prince Charles, and the aquamarine ring she wore on her wedding day that had belonged to Princess Diana—this event seemed to call for a statement-making look, because that's exactly what the Duchess of Sussex chose:

The tulle Oscar de la Renta dress is from the pre-fall 2018 collection and covered in laser-cut birds—very fitting for a wildlife conservation event.

And, for any Harry Potter fans, maybe gives you big Fleur Delacour vibes? Remember her wedding dress in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?

Sure, the Duchess of Sussex's dress didn't feature two intertwined phoenixes and there was probably no floating champagne present this evening, but I'd like to think she's a Harry Potter fan all the same.

The new Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald trailer is here and boy is it a doozy.

“When you watch the trailer, don’t talk until the end,” J.K. Rowling warned a group of Harry Potter fans yesterday who got a sneak peek at the new trailer. “There’s a name that you don’t want to miss. You’ll know what I’m talking about,” she promised.

And we did.

When the name “Nagini” is uttered at the tk mark as Claudia Kim’s character, Natalie, transforms into a snake in front of our eyes, the entire room of fans gasped audibly, because this is indeed a huge reveal—and one that is probably stupefying to Potter fans.
“Kim is none other than Nagini, a circus performer and contortionist who eventually becomes Lord Voldemort’s trust serpent and Horcrux,” the Fantastic Beasts Instagram account explains.

MERLIN’S PANTS!

Kim herself explained that the secret was so big, she didn’t even refer to herself as Nagini during table reads—instead, using the name Natalie, which we don’t officially know yet, but must be the contortionist’s name pre-snake transformation. (Also, how did that whole thing go down?!)

During the trailer preview, which we watched alongside Kim, as well as her fellow cast mates Ezra Miller, Dan Fogel, and Callum Turner, there were a lot of reactions from fans as well the Fantastic Beast-ers, some of whom were watching it for the first time.

“Full body chills!” Ezra Miller shouted as Johnny Depp’s Grindewald hangs out of the side of a flying carriage. “Lion bumps,” he pronounced, showing fans the goosebumps on his arm. “Play it again!” He called as soon as the trailer ended—and the room became dark again as they played the trailer another time.

Some more revelations from the cast (and spoilers that are not in the trailer ahead!): Callum Turner, who plays Newt’s very handsome (that’s not a spoiler, look at his face) brother revealed Theseus Scamander is an auror, was a Hufflepuff, and is—and here’s the !!!—engaged to Zoe Kravitz’s character, Leda Lestrange...you know, the woman in the photo Newt appeared to be pining for in the first Fantastic Beasts movie.

Drama!

Yesterday, your favorite boy band reunited to receive their first star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and honestly, it's about time. And while I was super pumped to see *NSYNC's name finally plastered across a sparkly, pink star, all I could focus on was the fact that JC Chasez's hair was waaayyyy longer hair than I remember from his former days on stage.

In fact, his slicked-back, shoulder-length hair made him look exactly like another childhood treasure of mine: Professor Snape, i.e. the bad boy/sad boy of Harry Potter. 

The resemblance is uncanny, right? It's honestly just the hair (and maybe the nose), but still. Besides attending the Academy Awards in March—where Chasez's hair was noticeably longer, but not THIS long—he has led a pretty low-profile life on social media in the last decade. It's safe to say he's been working on this new Snape-y lewk since July 2017 (a.k.a the last picture he's posted on Instagram sporting a short cut).

So, basically, Chasez's hair now symbolizes your entire childhood all at once, and honestly, I'm here for it. Here's hoping he won't be saying bye (bye, bye) to that long, beautiful hair anytime soon.

This morning, Kate Middleton and Prince William FINALLY announced the name of their new baby: Louis Arthur Charles. Hooray! There's a lot of meaning behind Prince Louis' name: He shares Louis with his dad and brother and it's also the name of Prince Philip's favorite uncle. Arthur is another name he has in common with William as well as his grandfather, Prince Charles. And then Charles is also, of course, the name of his grandfather.

But the new royal baby also shares his names with another iconic British family: The Weasleys.

MAGIC.

As Pottermore pointed out (whilst referencing the Deathly Hallows epilogue, which, perfect), the wee prince's names are also Weasley family names. There's Arthur Weasley, Weasley family patriarch; Charlie Weasley, second eldest son and dragon expert; and Louis Weasley, the youngest child of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour.

Yes.

YES!

Sure, it may not have been intentional (because if they were going for an HP reference that also worked with the royal family, they should have chosen Harry ... or even Henry!), but still, even imaging Kate and Wills as Harry Potter fans...

OH WAIT, I DON'T HAVE TO:

Stupified.

As my mother always loved to say—often while drying her eyes with the memories of my childhood—after you have a baby, you cry at everything. But for me, my fall from cold, calloused grace didn't require gestation; it simply happened over night. One day, puppies and old people and American Idol were meaningless, and the next, they were all emotional landmines.

But rather than give in to the haters (a.k.a. my boyfriend's eye-rolling) I have decided to embrace my leaky heart and share it with you. So without further ado:

Everything That Made Me Cry This Week

1. Watching an old woman on a park bench blowing bubbles at a baby

2. The baby

3. When the delivery guy forgot to give me the salmon for my salmon salad

4. The Extra gum commercial

5. Dropping and smashing a full carton of eggs on the kitchen floor

6. Realizing I’ll probably never get carded again

7. When Chuck finally proposed to Blair in Gossip Girl after 1000 years of will-they-won’t-they build-up

8. Being 1000 years late to watching Gossip Girl for the first time

9. This sweet, tone-deaf photo of my 83-year-old grandma

10. The realization that my grandma is old

11. Accidentally stepping on a dog’s paw on the sidewalk

12. Trump—just in general

13. When my boyfriend randomly patted me on the head

14. The pivotal scene in Rudy when Rudy finally gets accepted into Notre Dame

15. Thinking about how Sean Astin, a.k.a. Samwise Gamgee, a.k.a. Doug Whitmore, a.k.a. Bob Newby, is such an underrated actor

16. The Extra gum commercial again

17. Daydreaming about the last cookie waiting for me at home, then finding out that my boyfriend ate it

18. This pregnancy reveal video

19. Carrying my giant bag of laundry 12 blocks through terrible weather

20. Discovering I left my wallet and quarters at home

21. Stumbling upon the Harry Potter clip when Dumbledore asks, “Lily? After all this time?” And Snape whispers, “Always,” whizzing his wand around and ramming it into my heart

22. Still being allergic to cheese

23. Feeling like I needed to cry, but not knowing why

24. My period

Guys, get your wands at the ready, because someone just created a Harry Potter-inspired hair color, and it's actually incredibly kind of great.

The Gryffindor-inspired dye job was first spotted by Allure on Virginia-based hairstylist Crystal Casey's Instagram. Casey originally posted the experimental color earlier this March, but two days ago she revealed the lengthy process it took with a step-by-step tutorial.

“The color itself was inspired by Gryffindor from the Harry Potter movies, with my own twist, of course," Casey told Allure. The striking coloring is the result of mixing basic balayage with a color-melting technique, resulting in a checkered-like gradient. Even though the client's hair appears to have horizontal streaks of color, Casey actually painted the dye on vertically and diagonally to give the color more depth and dimension.

Let's be real, I know you're probably not about to run to your hairstylist with this picture in hand, since the look isn't exactly the subtle balayage you've been obsessively pinning after.

But hey, I'll still get behind any movie-related hair inspo, especially when it allows me to nerd out over Harry Potter. Which is about 100 percent of the time.

Today in magical news: Zayn Malik, the former 1D-er who went off in his own direction and is now dating Gigi Hadid, got a big ole Harry Potter tattoo. Of what? Well, considering Zayn is an obvious Slytherin, it makes total sense that he got some Dark Lord ink.

But he didn't choose Hot Voldemort:

Which... if you're gonna go Voldy, why not go Hot Voldy?

He didn't choose back-of-Quirrel's-head Voldy:

Which, honestly, wise.

He didn't even choose cackling Voldemort:

He went with Avada Kedavra Voldemort:

A fan spotted the new ink in a photo of Malik taken in Miami earlier this week.

You can see Voldemort's face up by his knee. And it looks exactly like that last scene of The Battle of Hogwarts in Deathly Hallows:

Except instead of Harry Potter, it looks like He Who Must Not Be Named is battling The Flash.

Stupefied.

In the wake of sexual assault allegations against a slew of Hollywood stars in 2017, audiences worldwide have become understandably more stringent in who they want to watch on the big screen. And when allegations were brought against Kevin Spacey, his role in All the Money in the World was swiftly recast, despite there being less than a month until the movie's release date.

So when photos of Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald emerged, the world was reminded of the domestic abuse claims Amber Heard made against Depp during divorce proceedings. J.K. Rowling fans called for the actor to be replaced, citing Spacey's quick replacement as the perfect example.

However, Rowling defended the decision to keep Depp in the movie saying, "Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies."

Now, Daniel Radcliffe has weighed in on the controversial decision to stand by Depp, but he's a lot less forgiving than Rowling. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Radcliffe said:

"I can see why people are frustrated with the response that they were given from that... I’m not saying anything that anybody hasn’t already said—and this is a weird analogy to draw — but in the NFL, there are lots of players arrested for smoking weed and there is other people’s behavior that goes way beyond that and it’s tolerated because they’re very famous players. I suppose the thing I was struck by was, we did have a guy who was reprimanded for weed on the original 'Potter' film, essentially, so obviously what Johnny has been accused of is much greater than that."

Radcliffe's response is so smart because, while suggesting that actors have been fired from the Harry Potter franchise for much less than Depp has been accused of, he manages to stay classy and fairly neutral. Well, as neutral as someone can be while sneakily suggesting that Depp's role in the Fantastic Beasts franchise should be recast immediately...

Emma Watson has come a long way since her not-so-humble beginnings as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise. Since breaking onto the scene as everyone's favorite witch, Watson has branched out, trying her hand at everything from animated films to thrillers, and starring in indie favorites and certified blockbusters alike. So, on that note, here's the definitive ranking of her films—from worst to best.

1. 'Colonia'

Colonia's premise had promise—with Watson starring as a young woman who infiltrates Colonia Dignidad (an ex-Nazi cult that nobody ever escaped from) in an attempt to rescue her boyfriend. The movie didn't really come together, however, and was pretty much universally panned by critics.

2. 'Regression'

Regression was Watson's attempt at a mysterious thriller, but, sadly, it wasn't as mysterious or thrilling as fans might have hoped. Don't give up though, Em. We still think you have a dark, twisty thriller in you. 

3. 'The Circle'

Thriller attempt No. 2 did not go so well either. The Circle, based on the Dave Eggers novel of the same name, wanted to be a topical, tech-y film about the dangers of social mega-corps like Google. Unfortunately, watching someone be way too into social media is about as interesting on screen as it is in real life. Still, the movie teamed Watson up with actors like Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Patton Oswalt, and Karen Gillan, so the cast gets an A+.

4. 'The Tale of Despereaux'

Watson's first non-Potter film was animated, and at that point we were all just excited to see her outside of the wizarding world. It's a perfectly fine kids' movie, but that's about it.

5. 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'

Speaking of perfectly fine kids' movies, it's time to talk about the first Harry Potter film. Sorcerer's Stone was a huge deal for Potterheads when it came out, but the tone is decidedly more silly and childish than future Potter movies, and the CGI is legitimately cringeworthy.

6. 'This Is the End'

This Is the End was a funny movie and Watson is good in it—offering proof that she needs to lean into her natural talent for comedy. That said, one of her main scenes is an extended rape joke, and it didn't age super well.

7. 'Noah'

Watson went for biblically big drama in Darren Aronofsky's Noah, a grand retelling of the story of Noah's Ark. She does a great job in the movie, but it's a weirdly forgettable entry in her filmography, considering the scope.

8. 'Beauty and the Beast'

Watson's Beauty and the Beast was one of the top-grossing movies of 2017 and put her on the map as a leading lady in her own right. There's plenty to like about it—but not enough to outrank most of the Harry Potter franchise, TBH. Watson's singing is so-so and even though the film is an almost shot-for-shot recreation of the animated version, it fails to capture the charm and magic of the original, or add anything new to the story.

9. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Remember when Hermione solved the entire mystery of this book chapters before the end, and all she got for her efforts was being petrified and stuck in a hospital wing? Story of her life. Still, watching Hermione show off some mega-smarts earns this one a high-ish ranking.

10. 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'

The scene where Hermione walks down the stairs at the Yule Ball looking confident and fabulous AF earned a cheer from overlooked bookworms everywhere. Oh, and the movie also marked a turning point for the Harry Potter franchise—big deaths, things getting real, and whatnot.

11. 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'

After Potter, Watson chopped her iconic Hermione locks into a pixie and decided to try her hand at being an indie-teen darling. Her American accent left something to be desired, but we got to see a different side of her as an actress, and that's worth something.

12. 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'

Dumblerdore's Army forever.

13. 'The Bling Ring'

Watson teamed up with the legendary Sofia Coppola for this movie, based on the real-life group of teen burglars known in the media as "The Bling Ring." The movie was also the first time we got to see Watson stretch her comedic chops and, frankly, we'd like to see more of that in the future.

14. 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'

This is one of the best Harry Potter film adaptations, but when it comes to Hermione, loses points for being mostly about her unrequited crush on Ron. Meh.

15. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1'

Just watch Hermione wipe herself from her parents' memories and try not to tear up. It's some of Watson's best and most subtle work in the Harry Potter movies.

16. 'My Week With Marilyn' 

Yes, this was a small, supporting role for Watson, but she nailed it and managed to command the screen as part of a deeply impressive ensemble cast. It's probably some of her best acting to date and the movie is a joy to watch as well. A+ all around.

17. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2'

The drama, the action sequences, the fans-were-waiting-for-it-forever kiss with Ron—yes to all of it.

18. 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'

Prisoner of Azkaban is a common favorite among Harry Potter book-readers and movie-watchers alike. It's also the ultimate Hermione-Granger-Being-a-Total-Badass movie. She manipulates time, takes a million classes, saves the day, and STRAIGHT UP PUNCHES MALFOY IN THE FACE. It will be hard to ever dethrone this one from the top spot, honestly.

Emma Watson started her career at the tender age of nine on Harry Potter, and let's just say she wasn't exactly the consummate professional she is now. Outtakes from the first film show Watson hilariously/adorably mouthing her co-stars lines—and naturally Jimmy Kimmel forced her to watch them on air during an interview.

The result? Peak embarrassment and peak LOLs. Watch below:

To be fair, who among us doesn't mouth all the words to Harry Potter?

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These days, Emma Watson is a walking eco-friendly best dressed list. But back in 2001, at her very first red carpet, Watson was...well, as fashion-challenged as any 11 year old.

At the premiere for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (aka Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to American fans), Watson wore a floor-length, short-sleeved grey dress, purple boots, and a feather boa.

When Watson stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show to promote Beauty and the Beast, Ellen forced her to face her ghost of fashion past head-on.

"Oh wow, this was special," Emma said of the look. "This was my first ever movie premiere, and my mom and I planned this for weeks. It doesn't look like it but there was a lot of thought going into this. I thought I looked amazing by the way. Bless me."

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I get it: It may seem 👀 to compare the President of the United States to a character from Harry Potter, but these are the times we're living in. And Donald Trump and Dolores Umbridge have a *lot* more in common than their coiffed hair.

J.K. Rowling wove many socio-political themes into her legendary series, and the most chilling—especially seen through a 2017 lens—is the rise and fall of Professor Umbridge. Through her character, Rowling stressed the dangers of a power-hungry regime and subtly taught Millennials the importance of resistance, which is extremely apt now that Trump is president. Here, all the ways I've noticed that they're eerily similar.

They Invalidate Dissenters and Control the Media

Early on in Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter attends a disciplinary hearing for using magic outside of Hogwarts. Although Harry was just saving himself from dementors, the Ministry of Magic still tried to expel him. During a hearing, the Ministry called his testimony about Lord Voldemort "convenient" and a "weak cover story." Meanwhile, The Daily Prophet pulled a Breitbart and was relentless in publishing articles claiming that Harry was an untrustworthy lunatic. Sound familiar? It should. FAKE NEWS!

Both Umbridge and Trump Love Humiliating Others

Remember when Donald Trump shamelessly mocked a disabled reporter? It was a cringe-worthy moment that the public will (hopefully) not soon forget.

Likewise, Dolores Umbridge had no problem humiliating professors in public. Remember Professor Flitwick—a renowned Hogwarts faculty member who happened to be small in stature—and how she measured his height in public?

Maybe Trump and Umbridge just have terrible senses of humor. Or maybe their insults are examples of the historically ableist rhetoric fascists use to make examples out of people whom they perceive to be easy targets. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

They Don't Hesitate to Use Violence

Because of their authoritarian natures, both Donald Trump and Dolores Umbridge have no issue exerting physical force. For Donald Trump, violence exhibits itself sexually (read: grabbing women by the "pussy") and, so far, through broad, vague threats of "sending in the Feds." For Umbridge, she takes things into her own hands:

They Both Abuse Their Executive Power

In what is perhaps the strongest parallel between the two, both Trump and Umbridge wasted no time abusing their power once in charge. Although Trump used to criticize Barack Obama for his use of executive orders to govern, our new POTUS has used his presidential pen frequently to enact swift and extreme change during his first days in office.

Umbridge's version of Trump's executive orders? Decrees. One of her most notorious decrees forced a mandatory disbanding of all student organizations. Like any fascist regime, this rule was enacted to ensure that students couldn't gather and form opposition. She also declared that any student in possession of unbiased news (read: The Quibbler) be expelled. In fact, Umbridge was obsessed with shutting down the media—just like her sinister spirit animal Donald Trump.

Umbridge also gave herself "supreme authority" over all punishments, and censored teachers. It's yet another creepy real-world comparison with President Trump, who is quick to fire anyone who disagrees with him—like former Attorney General Sally Yates.

Finally, Umbridge attempted to pass a decree that would have allowed students to be physically punished. Sounds eerily similar to President Trump's mission to reinstate torture, no?

On the Bright Side, a Downfall Is Inevitable

Just as Dolores Umbridge fell from grace, one can only assume that President Trump will at some point suffer the same fate. But for that to happen, we have to do what J.K. Rowling taught us to: uphold our end of the bargain and unite as civilians from all walks of life.

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in-Manuel Miranda and his short hair just visited The Tonight Show, and you know what that means...more epic Wheel of Freestyle realness.

In the event that you didn't see Wheel of Freestyle Volume One, this game basically involves Jimmy Fallon giving Miranda three random words/subjects and then flailing gleefully as the Hamilton star busts out spontaneous rhymes. In this moment, friends, Jimmy Fallon is all of us.

So, the best lines from Miranda's freestyle?

1. "I'm going above and beyond, I'm Sirius Black I've got my magic wand. And ah yeah, there's nothing you can do to harm us, avada kedavra and yo, expelliarmus."

2. "Oh man, this is such a roller coaster, I'm just trying to pop right out of your toaster."

3. "Yes, I know that rap was tragic, but I'm a unicorn brony and friendship is magic."

4. "I got an erection today, I can't wait to choose my choice on election day."

Bow down. And also, Tariq from The Roots delivered a pretty sick rap about guacamole, just saying.

In other news, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Saturday Night Live promos just dropped and they are best defined as "charming." Watch below.

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We're already counting down the days until the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the latest theatrical venture into J.K. Rowling's wizarding world. Fantastic Beasts follows Newt Scamander and is poised to introduce fans to American witchcraft and wizardry.

The movie won't feature our beloved Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but it's making up for it with loads of new characters, mythology, and even some new magic. That's right, Fantastic Beasts will give us a glimpse into a field of magic that was never explored in the Harry Potter series.

Alison Sudol revealed the new power when she told Entertainment Weekly about her character, Queenie Goldstein, who is a Legilimens. The power allows Queenie to read minds, which will surely conjure up memories of Harry's time studying Occlumency with Snape, but her power works in a different way. She's more of an empath, reading people's emotions and motivations.

"She's basically a complete and utter magical empath," Sudol told Entertainment Weekly. "She's able to read people—so it's not just reading somebody's thoughts. She's can read into someone's story, she can see people's goals. And so even though she's able to do magic with her wand, a lot of her magic is actually internal, which makes her a different type of wizard or witch. And she's incredibly fun, playful, joyful, and free-spirited, kind and wise, and also has a sort of stillness about her because she's always tuning into people, so she's quite an interesting character to play—very vivacious and lively, yet very centered and aware."

They definitely didn't teach this skill at Hogwarts. If you need us, we'll be in the Restricted Section reading up on this for the rest of the day.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child premieres on stage in the West End of London Saturday, July 30, and it's the first big, new excursion into the Wizarding World Potterheads have gotten since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 premiered in in 2011. Yes, there are the Universal parks, which are amazing, and the Pottermore stories, which are enlightening, but Cursed Child marks a full-length return to the Wizarding World.

For those of you not in London and lucky enough to have snagged tickets to the premiere, you can buy the script for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child when it's released at midnight July 31. It's been almost ten years since a Harry Potter midnight book release party (which one of your local bookstores is sure to be hosting), but don't panic: Here's your guide to making the most of this epically Potter-ific occasion. Follow the steps below for a perfect Potterhead evening.

Plan ahead

Find your perfect local release party and gather your favorite fellow Potterheads for the fun. Not sure where to go? Fret not: Scholastic has set up a site that allows you to search by zip code for midnight parties close to you.

Arrive early

Don't show up minutes before midnight. Sure, that might be when you're finally able to buy the book, but most parties start several hours earlier—some as early as 8 p.m—and you don't want to miss the fun.

Dress the part

Robes are optional (but if you have them, there isn't a better time to break them out), but you should wear your Potter pride on your...well, on your body. Dig deep (or not so deep) in your drawers, find your favorite HP shirt or, if you don't have one, dress in your House colors.

Bring friends

If the Harry Potter series has taught us anything, it's that everything is better with friends. Bring your squad. Round up your Harry Potter-loving pals (and if you don't have any, round up a few to introduce to the magic) and go.

Stock up on caffeine

Buy coffee. Buy tea. Buy energy drinks if you have to. Just be prepared to pull a finals-week-worthy all-nighter because you're not going to want to put this book down.

Follow these steps and your Harry Potter and the Cursed Child release night will be as magical as the muggle world gets.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is here, and (as expected) black actress Noma Dumezweni absolutely slayed as Hermione. Just ask Emma Watson, who attended the June 7 performance, and was completely mind-blown. "I came in with no idea what to expect and it was AMAZING," Emma wrote on Facebook. "Some things about the play were, I think, possibly even more beautiful than the films."

Our bodies are so ready. But the best part about this whole thing is the fact that Emma met Noma back stage for a Hermione love fest. "Meeting Noma and seeing her on stage was like meeting my older self and have her tell me everything was going to be alright, which as you can imagine was immensely comforting (and emotional)!" she wrote. "The cast and crew welcomed me like I was family and Noma was everything I could ever hope she would be. She's wonderful."

We know, we know, pics or it didn't happen, so on that note:

While Noma certainly doesn't need her predecessor's approval, this moment will hopefully influence the (ahem, super racist) Harry Potter fans out there who were distressed by her casting. And while we've noted this before, it bears pointing out once again that Hermione was not written as a white character. Actually, we'll let J.K. Rowling speak for us on this one:

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As excited as we are to see a whole new cast take on our beloved characters in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, for millions of millennials there will always only be one Harry Potter: Daniel Radcliffe. And while many A-list actors tend to shy away from the roles that made them household names (I'm looking at you, Robert Pattinson), Dan is only happy to step back into those shoes someday, provided the circumstances and script are up to par. 

"It would depend on the script," he told Radio Times, when asked if he would play Harry again as an
adult. "The circumstances would have to be pretty extraordinary. But
then I am sure Harrison Ford said that with Han Solo, and look what
happened there! So I am saying no for now, but leaving room to backtrack
in the future."

Hopefully we won't have to wait 30 years for it to happen. Until then:

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child just announced their cast, and black actress Noma Dumezweni nabbed the leading role of Hermione.

This is a huge deal because a) everything to do with Harry Potter is a huge deal, and b) Hermione was played by white actress Emma Watson in the film series. But did Hermione's ethnicity really get a re-write, or was she a woman of color to begin with?

Writer Alanna Bennett postulated this theory back in February, highlighting several notable themes in the Harry Potter series. Bennet pointed out that Hermione is largely described by her bushy hair and large teeth, and the one mention of her skin color implies that she's a woman of color: "They were there, both of them, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor—Ron looking incredibly freckly, Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at him."

J.K. Rowling favorited Bennet's article on Twitter, and posted the below tweet after news of Dumezweni's casting broke.

One small step for Harry Potter = one large step for the industry. We can't wait to see what Dumezweni brings to the table—and by "the table," we mean House Gryffindor. 

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In a move that's sure to traumatize all walks of Harry Potter fandom (especially hardcore fans who play Quidditch IRL), Emma Watson just threw shade at Hermione Granger.

The 25-year-old actress played Hermione for a decade, and a hallmark of her character—at least according to JK Rowling—is "lots of bushy brown hair." Watson's own locks had to look the part for Harry Potter's film adaptation, and apparently she wasn't on board.

"When I see the images again from the first Harry Potter I immediately think how bad my hair was," she tells Vogue Italia. "It is always surprising for me, to see how long this period of time is, where I have come and from where I started. It is pleasant to follow that journey." 

Hermione is often lauded as a strong role model who doesn't care about her looks when there important things to think about (house elf emancipation, anyone?), but let's not forget that Emma Watson isn't her character. Guess she wants her hair to be on point just like the rest of us non-wizards—which, to be clear, does not conflict with her feminist values.

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The Harry Potter series may have come to a close seven years ago, but J.K. Rowling stops for nothing—the author has just written some new material about Harry and friends as adults.

Rowling's short story (published on her website Pottermore) takes place during the Quidditch World Cup where Harry's crew are in their mid-30s and raising their own families. But here's the twist: It's written in the form of an article by wizarding world gossip columnist Rita Skeeter. The piece is filled with insulting references to the characters' appearances and speculation about the state of their marriages, and also has juicy information on what other characters have been up to since the novels ended.

This follows a series of Quidditch World Cup pieces Rowling has written for Pottermore to coincide with the World Cup in Brazil, but it's the first time she's written about her main characters as adults since the epilogue of Deathly Hallows. Commence superfan freak out now.

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Photo Credit: Murray Close/©Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection and Getty Images

Bonnie Wright might not be a household name just yet, but as the love interest of one Harry Potter, she's definitely getting there: Her character, red-haired Ginny Weasley, takes on a larger role in this summer's final installment of the Harry Potter franchise. While in town for the opening of Harry Potter: The Exhibit at Discovery Times Square — the exhibit's last stop in North America — she stopped by the Marie Claire office to chat — in that adorable accent of hers — about the finality of the films, her fashion taste, and her future as an actress.

So, first things first: Can you give us any hints about the last film?

So many questions are answered and so many sad and happy things happen. There are a lot of deaths that will be unfortunate. But it's, I guess for us and for the audience, it's not only a climax to the film, it's the climax of all 10 years of these movies. I think we're all hoping that everyone will be on he edge of their seats. The moral of the whole thing is will good finally be able to trump over evil? So I think it is quite satisfying.

You also played a 35-year-old version of Ginny in the last movie. Was that odd?

It's really strange because when you get on, you're looking at yourself in the mirror and it's you but it's not you. It was really weird when my parents came on set when I was doing that. They were like, "This is really weird." I had these thin prosthetics under my eyes to make them baggier and I had a short hair wig.

You were 10 years old when you first played Ginny. What was it like growing up in the spotlight?

For me, the part started quite small and it grew as I got older, so it worked really well because I was still at school. Luckily for Dan [Radcliffe] and me, we lived in London so we'd go home to our house and see our friends on the weekend. You've got to realize that so much of your life is also just being the same as anyone else. You've got to be driven to have that balance rather than getting lost in the work world.

How has your style evolved in that time?

I think when I was quite younger, I was always quite a tomboy. And when I was a tomboy, my mom always used to be like, "Come on, let's just put you in a dress, just this once!" And I'd be like, "No, it's my body and I'll wear what I want!" So I guess that phrase of mine has kept with me. I've never had a stylist and I've always chosen my own clothes.

So how would you describe your fashion sensibilities right now?

I feel dressy and I decide to dress up, and other times I'm just wearing medium casual. I like things that make me feel ready for the day. Cuts of clothes and shapes of clothes are really important. When I put something on, and I stand up much straighter that's when I love to wear clothes.

Who are some of your favorite designers?

I think at the moment I like a lot of French designers. I think they do really well in terms of marrying this sort of casual yet sort of smart casual. People like ABC or Vanessa Bruno or there's a French company called Loft that is my new love.

Who were you closest to on the Harry Potter set?

That's hard. For me with the Weasley family, we have Rupert [Grint] and James and Oliver [Phelps] and Julie Walters, we had so much fun in those scenes. We joked around, and it was able to add a more natural feel to the family that we did all get on.

What will you miss most?

Gosh, lots. I think just for the people who started on the first film or second film, the Leavesden Studio sets were like a second living room to us. And just being in those moments in between takes when we're just sitting and chatting and laughing. We'll never be able to recreate that certain group and that certain environment.

Sometimes it's really hard to let go. I guess we know so confidently that J.K. Rowling isn't going to write another book about Harry Potter, so we do very much know it's put to rest. But I think for all of us, the memories are going to be so vivid for a very long time that it almost feels like it wasn't too long ago that we were there.

But are you happy to be moving on from playing the same role?

Yeah, I think all of us are, really. I mean it's been a really long and amazing journey with the characters, yet there comes a point where there's only so much you can put into something.

Do you plan to continue on with acting?

I'm in my second year of college at the University of London, University of the Arts at the moment doing film. And I start a new film in June this year that's an American film set in Jakarta in Indonesia, and I think there are two other Australian actors meant to be in it, Rhys Wakefield and Sophie Lowe.

Right now, my hunger and drive is to really play as many diverse roles as possible. And I think when you're with a character for 10 years, it's an awfully long time. For me now, opportunities have very much opened up, so it's just seizing the right ones and choosing everything right.

When Emma Watson arrived at Brown University last year, students reacted with giddy excitement—a bona fide movie star living in their midst!—that was tempered by a genuine desire to respect her privacy.

But her fellow freshmen grew up watching the Harry Potter movies, which starred Watson as Harry's pal Hermione Granger, and sometimes they simply couldn't restrain themselves.

In one class, the professor asked students a question, and Watson raised her hand. Just like the fiercely smart, overachieving, always-right Hermione, Watson gave the correct answer.

From the back of the room, one of her classmates called out, "Score 20 points for Gryffindor!"

At Brown, Watson wasn't playing for Gryffindor—the fictional house where Harry and Hermione lived at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—but she has found a real home. When we met for breakfast shortly before Watson began her sophomore year this past fall, she was eager to return to college life.

"The first year at Brown was about finding my feet," she said. "I found a great group of girlfriends, and now that I know how things work and what the professors expect, I'm really excited about going back for my second year, because I feel this time I can relax and enjoy it."

Watson is deeply grateful for the way she's been treated by her peers. "Brown has a real sense of community, and people are very protective of me," she said. "They really look out for me; they want me to feel like I'm part of it. I threw my 20th birthday party at Brown, and I didn't even have to say to anyone not to put pictures on Facebook. Not a single picture went up. That was when I knew I'd found a solid group of friends, and I felt like I belonged."

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This sense of comfort is particularly welcome as Watson adjusts to the end of the Potter saga, a job that defined her life for a decade. After the November release of the seventh movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, the series will conclude next July with the release of the eighth and final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II. When Watson finished shooting last June, she was left with a welter of powerful feelings. "My last day was pretty emotional," she admitted. "It was sad; it's the end of an era. What an amazing learning experience! I gave everything I could to that role, and I got so much from it."

Now that it's over, Watson is reveling in the freedom to make changes—starting with a radical haircut that left her nervously fingering the feathery ends of the new pixie style that was inspired by such icons as Mia Farrow, Edie Sedgwick, Jean Seberg, and Audrey Hepburn.

"I've wanted to do it since I was about 16, and when Harry Potter ended in June, I just needed a change," Watson said. "It was quite symbolic for me. It's very short; it was buzzed at the back and on the sides. And it's really liberating that I can walk out without thinking about it."

With her transformation from bushy-haired Hermione—whose thick tresses were augmented with hair extensions—to a gamine look far better suited to her delicate features, Watson also announced her intention to grow and evolve instead of hanging on to her youthful image as one of the pint-size wizards who captivated people's imaginations all over the world.

The highest-grossing film series in history, the Potter movies were so successful that the seven J.K. Rowling books were expanded into eight major feature films. "It wasn't like I made one movie; it was working consistently for 10 years. There was no reprieve," Watson said. "But I'm glad I saw it through to the end; I played that character from the start, and I wanted to finish what I started. It felt very satisfying that I had completed Hermione's journey."

Watson's parallel journey was less dramatic than some of Hermione's death-defying escapades, but the actress has also lived an extraordinary adventure during the last decade. Her own choices—like those of Hermione—have been dictated by a highly disciplined intelligence, an intense commitment to achieving her objectives, and an iron will.

Watson's passion for performing was originally ignited by a poetry recital competition. "I loved finding out the real meaning of all the words, and how I could say them, and what I could do with my voice, and how I could get the audience to hang on my every word," she explained. "I just got really into it."

She was 7 years old when she read the first Harry Potter book, and she was in the middle of reading the third one when she auditioned for the first movie. "Playing Hermione just came so naturally; I had a real affinity for her," she said. "I felt like I knew exactly who she was. Like me, she's very loyal and determined, she's very intelligent, and she has a lot of guy friends, as I do. Her eagerness to please and to have the right answer is definitely like me. I'm a perfectionist, so my bossiness definitely comes out."

But her decision to go after the role was as audacious as her chances were unlikely, given her lack of acting experience. Even as a 9-year-old, however, Watson manifested a near-obsessive commitment to her goal. "I started working on the audition at 9 in the morning and didn't stop until 5 in the evening," she recalled. "The tape was just me doing the same thing hundreds of times over, until I got it exactly right. I was just amazed at my stamina. The grown-ups said, 'We had to stop you; you wanted to keep going.' I've always been like that; I give 100 percent. I can't do it any other way."

Watson's parents, who divorced when she was very young, are both lawyers—her father is a telecommunications attorney, and her mother is a solicitor—but their little girl made it clear they were not to stand in her way. "I would never have forgiven my parents if they had made me turn down that opportunity," she said. "I just loved performing. It just made me feel alive. It's scary, but that's part of it. I think it's important to have that extra adrenaline. It gives you that extra zing."

Despite the temptations of Hollywood and a complicated family with assorted full, half-, and stepsiblings, Watson seems the polar opposite of wild-child stars who generate lurid headlines. She appears to have spent her entire adolescence as a classic good girl, unremittingly hard-working and conscientious.

"I do things in my own way, but I've never felt any need to rebel," she said. "To be honest, I've always had far too much freedom. I had a job when I was 10. I started living on my own when I was 17 or 18. I've earned my own money; I've traveled the world. What would I rebel against? I've had so much freedom, sometimes it was hard. My parents wanted to protect me, but they had no idea how to. I had to learn as I went and make my own mistakes. I went from being totally unknown and never acting professionally to being in a major movie and being very famous. It all happened so quickly, I didn't have any time to work things out. It's been pretty scary at times."

Read the rest of Marie Claire's exclusive interview with the star in our December 2010 issue, on newsstands November 16.

Want more? Check out Emma Watson's style evolution through the years!

Emma Watson has long been a fan of Burberry, having sported the British fashion house's wares both on and off the red carpet. Now the iconic brand is returning the favor—in the ultimate manner—by tapping the 19-year-old British actress, best known for her role as Hermione Granger in Harry Potter, to star in its fall advertising campaign.

"I wanted the images to represent both the rich history and the modernity of the Burberry brand whilst at the same time reflecting a quiet beauty, timelessness and strength that is particularly significant today," said Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey of the timeless, full-color images photographed by Mario Testino. "Emma's charm, intellect and brilliant sense of fun made the whole shoot feel like a picnic on the Thames."

Watson is joined in the campaign by five British guys from the worlds of film, music art. They include actors Douglas Booth and Tom Hughes, models Charlie France and Nick Wilson and model and deejat Tom Guinness.

All were shot in Westminster, in a historic part of London, not far from Burberry's new global headquarters Horseferry House not far from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

Keeping in tune with the return to the brand's rich heritage and signature icons, the images feature Watson and her male counterparts outfitted in rich outerwear, including the time-tested Burberry trench coat, as well as eveningwear and tailored suiting. Accessories of note for fall include the Woolf bag as well as the Burberry snood scarf.

"Having known and admired the lovely Emma Watson for quite some time, she was the obvious choice for this campaign who like the images she fronts, has a classic beauty a great character and a modern edge," Bailey added. "I believe that these iconic images shot by Mario Testino will have longevity well beyond the season that this ad campaign represents."

Starting next month, shots as well as behind-the-scenes video footage from the shoot will be available to view on Burberry.com.