Hi everyone. During my trip last year I went to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter. And since this is everyone’s favourite book to move adaptation, I thought I would give you a tour of ‘The Making of Harry Potter’ while also bringing some of the books quotes to the behind the scenes of making of the movie.

We took a lot of photos during this tour, so I will these will be divided into a few different posts. This week are are strolling through different places throughout the Harry Potter series.

Diagon Alley

“Harry wished he had eight more eyes…. There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels’ eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon.”

About Diagon Alley:

Diagon Alley is a cobbled wizarding alley and shopping area located in London, England behind a pub called the Leaky Cauldron. Inside the alley is an assortment of restaurants, shops, and other sights. All items on the Hogwarts supply list can be bought at Diagon Alley. The alley is completely hidden from the Muggle world which is right outside of its boundaries. It is very large in area and essentially the centre of wizarding London.

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The Chamber of Secrets

“Entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.”

About The Chamber of Secrets: The Chamber of Secrets was created under the dungeons of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during Medieval times by Salazar Slytherin, who disagreed with the other Hogwarts founders on the merits of blood purity.

The Chamber of Secrets was home to an ancient Basilisk, which, according to legend, was intended to be used to purge the area of Muggle-born students. The Chamber is flanked with towering pillars entwined with carved wood, and a tall statue of Salazar Slytherin is at the far end. The basilisk rests within the mouth of the statue, possibly symbolising Salazar Slytherin’s ability to speak Parseltongue. Sometime before 1992, the chamber flooded with water

 

Gringrotts Wizarding Bank

“A snowy-white building which towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was … a goblin.”

About Gringotts Wizarding Bank: Gringotts Wizarding Bank is the only bank of the wizarding world, and is owned and operated by goblins. It was created by a goblin called Gringott, in 1474. Its main offices are located in the North Side of Diagon Alley in London, England. In addition to storing money and valuables for wizards and witches, one can go there to exchange Muggle money for wizarding money. The currency exchanged by Muggles is later returned to circulation in the Muggle world by goblins.[1] According to Rubeus Hagrid, other than Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Gringotts is the safest place in the wizarding world.

The motto of Gringotts Wizarding Bank is Fortius Quo Fidelius, a Latin phrase that means “Strength through loyalty”

 

Ministry of Magic Headquarters

“They were standing at one end of a very long and splendid hall with a highly polished, dark wood floor. The peacock blue ceiling was inlaid with gleaming golden symbols that kept moving and changing like some enormous heavenly noticeboard. The walls on each side were panelled in shiny dark wood and had many gilded fireplaces set into them. Every few seconds a witch or wizard would emerge from one of the left-hand fireplaces with a soft whoosh. On the right-hand side, short queues were forming before each fireplace, waiting to depart.”

About the Ministry of Magic Headquarters: The headquarters of the Ministry of Magic are located deep underground, below Whitehall, in London. They are comprised of a very large, ten-story building housing several offices, departments and courtrooms. Although all the structure is underground, magical windows show whatever weather the Magical Maintenance Department has chosen for the day, from bright sunshine to hurricanes. Lifts provide access to every level, except Level Ten, the Wizengamot Courtrooms, which is only accessible via a set of stairs from Level Nine, the Department of Mysteries.

 

Magic is Might Statue

“A gigantic statue of black stone dominated the scene. It was rather frightening, this vast sculpture of a witch and wizard sitting on ornately carved thrones…Engraved in foot-high letters at the base of the statue were the words MAGIC IS MIGHT.”
“Harry looked more closely and realised that what he had thought were decoratively carved thrones were actually mounds of carved humans: hundreds and hundreds of naked bodies, men, women, and children, all with rather stupid, ugly faces, twisted and pressed together to support the weight of the handsomely robed wizards.”

About Magic is Might statue: The Magic is Might monument was a black stone statue created after the Death Eaters took over the Ministry of Magic on 1 August,1997. It replaced the Fountain of Magical Brethren and thus was located in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic Headquarters. The “Magic is Might” monument depicts a witch and a wizard sitting on carved thrones made of the naked bodies of Muggles twisted and pressed together to support the thrones of the witch and wizard, and each Muggle with an ugly and stupid face.

Ollivanders

“The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window ….. A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair”

About Ollivanders: Ollivanders in South Side, Diagon Alley, London, is owned by the Ollivander family and run by an older family member Garrick Ollivander, known only as Mr. Ollivander. Mr. Ollivander has been serving as the family shopkeeper at least since the 1930s, and remembers every wand he’s ever sold. The Ollivander family are widely acknowledged to be the best wandmakers in Britain, and rank among the finest wandmakers in Europe. Wandmaking has been the family business since 382 B.C. Although there are other wandmakers in Britain, most new British wands are purchased from Ollivanders, including almost all first wands purchased by incoming Hogwarts students. There is also an Ollivanders in Hogsmeade.

 

4 Privet Drive

“A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen.”

About the 4 Privet Drive: 4 Privet Drive is the street address of the home owned by Vernon and Petunia Dursley. They lived in this home with their son, Dudley as well as their nephew, Harry Potter, son of Lily Potter, Petunia’s late sister and Lily’s husband James Potter. Privet Drive lies in the village of Little Whinging, which is located in the county of Surrey, near London in the southeast of England. The neighbourhood consists of a number of almost exact replications of the Dursley residence - row upon row of executive houses for executive people.

 

Platform 9 ¾

“He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he’d be in trouble -leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run -the barrier was coming nearer and nearer -he wouldn’t be able to stop -the cart was out of control - he was a foot away - he closed his eyes ready for the crash - It didn’t come… he kept on running… he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O’clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it.”

About Platform 9 ¾: Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Platform 9¾) is a platform at King’s Cross Station in London. Magically concealed behind the barrier between Muggle Platform Nine and Platform Ten, this Platform is where Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry students board the Hogwarts Express on 1 September, in order to attend school. In order for someone to get onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, they must walk directly at the apparently solid metal ticket box dividing Platforms Nine and Ten. There is a guard stationed just outside the entrance, in order to regulate entries and exits from the platform.

 

Potters’ Cottage

“The hedge had grown wild in the sixteen years since Hagrid had taken Harry from the rubble that lay scattered amongst the waist-high grass. Most of the cottage was still standing, though entirely covered in the dark ivy and snow, but the right side of the top floor had been blown apart.”

About the Potters’ Cottage: The Potters’ Cottage was the home of James, Lily, and Harry Potterfrom the late 1970s to 31 October, 1981, during the final months of the First Wizarding War. When Lord Voldemort murdered Harry’s parents a large portion of the cottage was destroyed.

 

Tom Riddle’s Gravestone

“You stand, Harry Potter, upon the remains of my late father,” he hissed softly. “A Muggle and a fool. . . very like your dear mother. But they both had their uses, did they not? Your mother died to defend you as a child . . . and I killed my father, and see how useful he has proved himself, in death.”

About Tom Riddle’s Gravestone: Tom Riddle’s Gravestone was the final resting place of Thomas, his wife Mary and their son Tom Riddle Sr.. The grave was located in the Little Hangleton graveyard near the centre of the graveyard and had a clear view of the Riddle House in the distance.

 

The Burrow

“It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked it looked as though it were held up by magic (which, Harry reminded himself, it probably was). Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read, THE BuRRow. Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard.”

About The Burrow: The Burrow was the family home of the Weasley family. Located on the outskirts of Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon, England, it was a thoroughly magical dwelling that became a second home to Harry Potter. A barn stood nearby.

The Burrow is held up with magic and is very cluttered inside, but very welcoming at the same time. In 1997, following the death ofAlbus Dumbledore, The Burrow became the Headquarters of theOrder of the Phoenix. The Weasleys were forced to abandon their home during the height of the Second Wizarding War when they became targets of the Death Eaters.

 

Cupboard Under the Stairs

“Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.”

About the Cupboard Under the Stairs: The Cupboard Under the Stairs[1] was Harry Potter’s room in the Dursley household, at 4 Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey. The cupboard was described as small and dusty, with lots of spiders.

 

Umbridge’s Office

“Now, however, it looked totally unrecognisable. The surfaces had all been draped in lacy covers and cloths. There were several vases full of dried flowers, each one residing on its own doily, and on one of the walls was a collection of ornamental plates, each decorated with a large technicolour kitten wearing a different bow around its neck.”

About Umbridge’s Office: Umbridge decorated her office with paraphernalia related to kittens, chocolate cakes, biscuits, tea, and other cute things to the point of being sickening.

 

Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes

“Set against the dull, poster-muffled shop Fronts around them, Fred and Georges windows hit the eye like a firework display. Casual passersby were looking back over their shoulders at the windows, and a few rather stunned looking people had actually come to a halt, transfixed. The left-hand window was dazzlingly full of an assortment of goods that revolved, popped, flashed, bounced, and shrieked; Harrys eyes began to water just looking at it.

About Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes: Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, also known as Weasley and Weasley[1] is a joke shop located at Number 93 Diagon Alleyfounded by Fred and George Weasley.

The shop contains practical joke objects, such as; Extendable Ears, aReusable Hangman, Skiving Snackboxes, and Fred and George’s special WonderWitch products, such as; Love Potions, Ten-Second Pimple Vanishers, and Pygmy Puffs. There is also a section of Muggle Magic Tricks “for freaks like Dad, which are said to do steady business, despite not being big sellers. The shop also sells a number of defensive magical objects. This establishment started out as an ‘owl-post service’ led by the twins from The Burrow, (later continued from Hogwarts), selling joke-products until the final shop was opened.

Flourish and Blotts

“The shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all.”

About Flourish and Blotts: Flourish and Blotts Bookseller is a bookshop in North Side, Diagon Alley. Established in 1454, it is where most Hogwarts students purchase their schoolbooks. The shop has had a few problems with certain books, such as The Invisible Book of Invisibility which cost them a great deal of money though they never found them, and The Monster Book of Monsters which tore each other up as well as biting the manager when he tried to get one out. Flourish and Blotts also runs a service, which enables purchasers to buy books via owl delivery. They also take advance orders for book that are in high demand, such as The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore.

 

 

All quotes have been taken from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, and ‘about’ information has been sourced from Harry Potter Wiki. Images are owned by myself or my friend who I was travelling with.

I hope you enjoyed my stroll through The Making of Harry Potter!!