harry potter tour great hall

Diagon Alley

The Diagon Alley set constantly changed throughout the Harry Potter series. Though, the street’s initial design included rich elements from the Harry Potter books with influence from streets described in Charles Dickens’ works. Since its construction, walls have shifted, shop fronts have moved and entire buildings have been carefully tweaked, to make them look slightly leaning, to create the street that is seen in the films. For Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, several of the Diagon Alley set pieces were re-dressed for usage in the village of Hogsmeade. 

Gringotts Bank, Flourish and Blotts, and Mr. Mulpepper’s Apothecary are all located in Diagon Alley, as is the famous Harry Potter London shop for wands, Ollivanders. 

Fun fact – During filming, the wand shop had over 17,000 individually labeled wand boxes.

Forbidden Forest

The Forbidden Forest in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was shot on location as well as in the studio. For Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, this was moved entirely to the Studio to house the infamous acromantula spider Aragog’s lair, and it grew throughout the film series. Scenic artists created backdrops that were up to 600 feet long for the filming of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. 

Fun fact – The Harry Potter Studio Tour Forbidden Forest contains 19 trees, each with a diameter of over 12 feet.

Platform 9 ¾

In the movies, hundreds of students were taken from Platform 9 ¾ in King’s Cross station, London to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland by the Hogwarts Express. Most of the scenes on Platform 9 ¾ were shot on location at King’s Cross Station in London, however for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, a section of the station platform was reconstructed on a stage at Leavesden, complete with track and the train. 

The external views of the train were created using actual trains and passenger carriages on sites across the United Kingdom, while all the sequences that take place inside the train were created using a built-in set of interior carriage sets. The green screen background in the windows was changed with moving backdrops and special effects such as hopping Chocolate Frogs and flying Dementors by visual effects teams working on the movies.

Fun fact – The Hogwarts Express served as the backdrop for the series’ very first shot in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, as well as the series’ very last scene in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, ten years later.

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The Great Hall in Hogwarts | Warner Bros

• Harry Potter Tours
• 51.690413, -0.417580
• Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden WD25 7LR, England, United Kingdom

Serving as the backdrop to some of the film series’ most iconic scenes such as the Yule Ball and the Battle of Hogwarts, the Great Hall was first built for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2000 and was used as a key set for six more films. The spectacular Great Hall includes the costumes of students from each Hogwarts house plus two large tables which are set for dinner; at the top of the room is the teachers’ table where the Hogwarts Professors sat. The Great Hall is home to some of the beautiful hand crafted props created for the Harry Potter film series including Professor Dumbledore’s lectern and the House Points Counter. Though rarely seen on screen, it is rumoured that when the House Points Counter was first built it caused a national shortage of Indian glass beads.

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Unique Fully Guided Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Delight as the magic of Harry Potter comes to life again before your eyes. This fully guided London studios tour will take you back to your favorite scenes, with the real props, costumes and sets, and unforgettable behind-the-scenes commentary from an expert English-speaking  Studio Tour guide who knows how the film magic brought the books to life. Get exclusive Timed entry to the experience of the Great Hall, Hagrid’s Hut and Platform 9 ¾, with return transport from Central London.

• Arrive by authentic Muggle train and step into Hogwarts on the *only* fully-guided tour of the spectacular Warner Bros. Studios: The Making of Harry Potter, in small groups of 8 or less so you can really appreciate the magic.
• Your official Studio tour guide will be there to help you make the most of our exclusive time entry - so there’s no waiting in line and priority re-entry, meaning you won’t miss a moment.
• See the amazing sets, costumes and props from across the eight amazing Harry Potter movies: all so detailed and recognizable. Sip on some Butterbeer, ride a broomstick and enter the breathtaking Great Hall …

Your Harry Potter Studio Tour Experience

What's included.

• Fully guided tour of Warner Bros. Studios in English, with an expert Harry Potter tour guide
• Small groups of 8 people or fewer
• Admission with timed entry to Warner Bros Studios
• Transportation to and from the meeting point

Sites Visited

• Warners Brothers Studios (inside) 

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the Making of Harry Potter on our fully-guided Warner Bros. Studio Tour in English. As a Warner Bros. Studio Tour London preferred partner, we’re the only tour company that allows you to learn about the real-life movie magic used to create the beloved film series from an official, Studio Tour guide.   

Start your magical journey in Central London, where you’ll meet a City Wonders representative to collect your return train tickets directly to Watford Junction Station. After arriving at Watford Junction, you’ll be taken to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London via an official shuttle bus.

Once you arrive at the Studios, you’ll enjoy timed access and a greeting from a dedicated English-speaking  Studio Tour guide, who will reveal the wonders you’ll encounter throughout your tour of the original sets, props, and costumes from the Harry Potter™ film series. Next, view a short introductory film before being led into the most iconic set of the series: the Great Hall.  

From there, your Studio Tour guide will begin to share production secrets and inside information, as well as highlight the processes used to bring the films to life. As the only fully-guided tour, this experience is completely unique and the best way to explore the behind-the-scenes magic of the Harry Potter film series as you walk along the famous cobbled street of Diagon Alley™, featuring the shop fronts of Ollivanders™, Flourish and Blotts™, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, Gringotts™ Bank and Eeylops Owl Emporium™.

You’ll also visit the original Hogwarts Express locomotive and a re-creation of Platform 9 ¾ where you can climb aboard the train’s carriage and pose for a photo with a luggage trolley as it disappears through the platform wall. Enjoy other memorable sets from the Harry Potter film series, including the Gryffindor common room, the boys’ dormitory, Hagrid’s Hut, the Potions classroom, and Dumbledore’s office – all while being captivated by the secrets and insights shared by your guide.

Step Into the Forbidden Forest

Defy Professor Dumbledore’s orders and follow Harry, Ron and Hermione’s footsteps into the Forbidden Forest. Home to Buckbeak the Hippogriff, Aragog the Acromantula and 19 trees, each with a diameter of over 12 feet, visitors are invited to walk beneath the giant entwined roots and discover how to control the weather using the same techniques used during filming.

15th September – 5th November Delve a little deeper into the world of the Dark Arts as the Studios are transformed for the Halloween Season. From floating pumpkins in the Great Hall to pools of silvery unicorn blood, you’ll learn how the Prop Making Department hand-crafted spooky items to bring the Wizarding World to life. You’ll also be able to test out your wand combat skills against an actual Death Eater as they patrol an eerier Diagon Alley!

Hogwarts in the Snow

11th November – 14th January The Studio Tour becomes even more magical during the Christmas season! Explore Hogwarts in the Snow to learn how film-makers created ice that never melts and fireplaces that burn forever with special effects. Special Christmas props including hand-made cards, Christmas trees, and decorations from the Yule Ball will also be on display.

Once your guided tour comes to an end, you have the option to re-enter and explore the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London at your leisure, find a special Harry Potter souvenir at the Studio Shop or enjoy a coffee in the Studio Tour Cafe. When you're ready to head back to central London, your City Wonders representative will provide train tickets and all necessary information for an easy journey.

This unique, fully-guided tour at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter is the only tour of its kind and is sure to create the memory of a lifetime!

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• We will do everything within our power to ensure timings and itineraries are respected; however, due to issues beyond our control, timings and sites are subject to last minute changes on rare occasions.

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This tour is subject to a 48-hour cancelation policy. If you wish to cancel or amend your booking, you can do so without charge by contacting us up to 48 hours in advance of your expected departure time.

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Dinner in the Great Hall Returns to Warner Bros Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter

by Grace Hurley · Published October 8, 2021 · Updated October 20, 2021

Between Hogwarts covered in snow and the Great Hall shimmering with enormous Christmas trees or decked out with incredible ice sculptures, some Potterheads would say that the most magical scenes in the Harry Potter   films are the Christmas ones.

Once again, Harry Potter fans are in for a treat this Christmas. They can witness the magic of Hogwarts at Christmas themselves because Dinner in the Great Hall is returning to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter this December.

            View this post on Instagram                         A post shared by Warner Bros. Studio Tour (@wbtourlondon)

Guests will enjoy an incredible two-course meal in the Great Hall followed by a dessert bowl on Platform 9 ¾. They will also get after-hours access to the Studio Tour.

Dine as the students of Hogwarts did, as our popular Dinner in the Great Hall events return for another magical year. Each night from 13th [to] 15th December, you are invited for a drinks reception under the imposing [d]ragon in the Studio Tour’s lobby before moving through to the magnificent Great Hall for a mouth-watering [ sic ] two-course seated dinner. You will have the chance to explore the depths of the Studio Tour, exclusively after hours, marvelling at the original sets whilst enjoying dessert bowl food and the wizard’s drink of choice, [b]utterbeer! To top the night off, you can dance the night away with a disco by the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 ¾ before heading to the Studio Tour shop to select a wand of your choice to take home.

Guests will be given welcome drinks and canapés on arrival, a tankard of butterbeer in the Backlot Café, and a complimentary souvenir green screen photograph.  The evenings will begin at 6:30 p.m. and finish at midnight, and guests will be seated at tables of 10 or 12 people.

Dinner in the Great Hall

This is the first time Dinner in the Great Hall will take place since 2019 ; the COVID-19 pandemic meant the Studio Tour had to close for several months throughout 2020 , disrupting last year’s Hogwarts in the Snow  and meaning that Dinner in the Great Hall didn’t take place.

This year’s Dinner in the Great Hall will take place on December 13, 14, and 15, and tickets cost £260 per person.

Grace Hurley

I'm an animal-loving Ravenclaw with a Masters Degree in Writing and a passion for the Harry Potter universe since the age of five.

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Important dates, thu, apr 11.

• Smart Living

This Is the Day You Should Go to the Harry Potter Studio Tour For the Best Experience

Updated on 7/30/2017 at 5:45 AM

I consider it a must-do for every Harry Potter fan to visit the Harry Potter Studio Tour outside London at least once in their life. It's a sprawling museum of sorts with sets, costumes, factoids, and magic. On the tour, you can drink butterbeer, you can see the mechanics behind how some of the special effects are done, and you can get some completely unique experiences . . . if you know what you're looking for.

The tour starts with a short film from the movie cast, introducing you to the magical world of Harry Potter. At the end of the film, you see the doors to the Great Hall before the screen goes away and the actual doors appear. What you may not realize, though, is that if you play your cards right, you can get chosen to open those very doors. The secret? Go on your birthday.

The man who was welcoming all of us into the tour asked if anyone in the room was celebrating a birthday, and I saw no better way to spend my 30th birthday than at the ultimate place for Harry Potter fans. My best friend shoved me to the front of the room and I volunteered, along with a young girl who was probably celebrating her 10th birthday, which is just solid proof that Harry Potter is for all ages. She and I got to open the doors to the Great Hall, which was maybe the best moment of my life because I've loved Harry Potter for nearly two decades.

Opening the doors to the Great Hall is one of those supersecret experiences that you can have if you know beforehand what the key to doing it is. So if you can visit on your birthday, you might just get to be the lucky chosen one.

A post shared by (AES) Amanda (@bengal_bella) on Oct 19, 2016 at 12:34pm PDT

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Home > Articles > Literature & Movies Featuring Oxford 

Getting to the Harry Potter Studios from Oxford

If one of the reasons why you’re visiting Oxford is your love of Harry Potter, you’re probably considering a visit to the Harry Potter Studio Tour – the place where the majority of the movies’ scenes were actually filmed. Now, it’s one thing to go from London . But how can you visit if you’re staying in Oxford?

Follow this link to see a complete list of Oxford Harry Potter filming locations and how to visit them .

What Is The Harry Potter Studio Tour?

The Harry Potter Studio Tour, officially known as Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is a popular attraction located in Leavesden, near London, England. It offers visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Harry Potter film series , based on the beloved books by J.K. Rowling.

The studio tour takes place at the actual film studios where the Harry Potter movies were filmed over the course of a decade. Visitors have the opportunity to explore authentic sets, props, costumes, and special effects used in the production of the films.

Highlights of the Harry Potter Studio Tour include:

The Great Hall: Visitors can step into the iconic Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, complete with long dining tables, towering candles, and authentic props from the films.

Diagon Alley: Guests can stroll down the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley, where they’ll find familiar shops such as Ollivanders Wand Shop, Flourish and Blotts, and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes.

Hogwarts Castle: A breathtaking model of Hogwarts Castle, used for exterior shots in the films, is on display. Visitors can marvel at the intricate detail of the model and learn about the techniques used to bring it to life on screen.

The Forbidden Forest: Step into the enchanted Forbidden Forest, home to magical creatures such as Buckbeak the Hippogriff and Aragog the Acromantula. Visitors can explore the dark and mysterious forest, encountering animatronic creatures along the way.

Special Effects and Creature Workshops: Learn about the creative processes behind the special effects and creature design in the Harry Potter films. Interactive exhibits allow visitors to try their hand at wand choreography, green screen technology, and more.

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The Great Hall: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter

An in-depth look into one of Harry Potter's most iconic sets

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter unveiled its set of the Great Hall in late April to a lucky group of 11-year old Potterheads from Nerima City, Tokyo.

As an homage to the same age that Harry, Ron, and Hermione originally enrolled at Hogwarts, the Studio Tour welcomed the students as the first visitors to the Great Hall. Led by an official guide, the children participated in a trial of the actual Studio Tour experience, before it opened on June 16, and learned behind-the-scenes information about the set production.

The Great Hall is one of, if not, the most recognizable sets from the Harry Potter series. This huge hall served as the setting for the sorting ceremony, many feasts, study halls, and more. Its design incorporated both traditional English architecture and magical elements to create a refined, welcoming, and mystical atmosphere.

The set at Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo was crafted in the UK by the original creators and then transported to Tokyo, making its authenticity unparalleled. The massive area displays perfectly arranged dishes and utensils, the golden owl podium, the house point counter, stained glass windows, seemingly aged stonework, and even costumes of iconic characters, such as Dumbledore, Hagrid, and McGonagall. Once you pass through the commanding doorway, you will truly feel like you are not in Japan anymore.

Given the Great Hall’s mesmerizing atmosphere, it is not surprising that the children were equally spellbound. “I thought it was amazing that the space made me feel like I was in the movie,” one student remarked. “I was surprised that the set was real and not CG,” another child said. Multiple participants voiced their excitement about returning to the Studio Tour in the future.

“I think it is a great opportunity to learn how magnificent sets and movies are made,” Head of Visitor Experience, Naoki Ono shared, “I want people of all generations to come and visit.”

Learn more about Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter .

‘Wizarding World’ and all related names, characters and indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. – Wizarding World publishing rights © J.K. Rowling.

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The Great Hall in the Hogwarts Castle was the main gathering area in the school , which was located off the Entrance Hall . It was a large hall where students and teachers dined and congregated. [1] Three meals a day were hosted in this hall.

The Great Hall was the main place where students received their meals and daily owl post . [2] They also held certain special events, such as the Sorting Ceremony , [1] and the Hallowe'en Feast . [3]

The large hall had enough space to hold every student, as well as the main staff and guests. The Hall had tall walls that reached up to the ceiling, which was covered with floating candles and enchanted to look like the sky above . [1]

At the front of the hall was the staff table, also known as the High Table , which was designed to house the entire Hogwarts staff. In the centre of the table was a throne chair where the present Headteacher sat. [1] At the left of the table was a door which led to a chamber with portraits . [4]

The Great Hall had also held many important events, such as the defeat of Lord Voldemort at the hands of Harry Potter, ending the Battle of Hogwarts and the climatic end of the Second Wizarding War . [5]

• 1 Description
• 2.1 Start-of-Term Feast
• 2.2 Hallowe'en feast
• 2.3 Christmas feast
• 2.4 Duelling Club
• 2.5 Morale Booster
• 2.6 Yule Ball
• 2.7 Apparition Lessons
• 2.8 Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations
• 2.9 Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests
• 2.10 End-of-Term Feast
• 2.11 The Fountain of Fair Fortune
• 2.12 Battle of Hogwarts
• 3 Behind the scenes
• 4 Appearances
• 5 Notes and references

Description [ ]

Interior of the Great Hall

The Great Hall was a large hall with four long tables where students of each House sat during the day and at mealtimes. The staff table was at the front, where the entire Hogwarts staff sat. There was a throne-like chair in the centre of the table where the current Headmaster or Headmistress sat. The ceiling of the Great Hall was covered with candles and it was enchanted to look like the sky above . [1] To the left of the table was a door which led to a chamber with portraits . [4] There was a gallery which overlooked the hall. [6]

From the staff table, the House tables were as follows (from left to right): Gryffindor , Hufflepuff , Ravenclaw , Slytherin . [1]

During the Hallowe'en feast, the hall was festooned with sweets-filled pumpkins , bats , orange streamers, water snakes and many other Hallowe'en-related decorations. [3] At Christmas , before and during the holidays, twelve large Christmas trees were placed around the room. [7]

Start-of-Term Feast [ ]

The 1996 Start-of-Term Feast

The Start-of-Term Feast was a traditional part of the school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry , held in the Great Hall. The gathering was held on the evening of 1 September , following the arrival of the students from the Hogwarts Express . The Sorting ceremony was held at the beginning, before the Headteacher made their announcement and commenced the meal. [1]

Hallowe'en feast [ ]

The 1991 Hallowe'en feast

The Hallowe'en feast at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry occured on 31 October every year. The Great Hall was decorated with Hallowe'en decor, such as sweet-filled pumpkins , bats , orange streamers and water snakes. At the end, there was entertainment, such as the ghosts of Hogwarts popping up out of the wall and performing formation gliding . [3]

It was a highly anticipated feast which most Hogwarts students looked forward to every year. [3]

Christmas feast [ ]

The 1991 Christmas feast

The Christmas Feast was held on Christmas Day. It was attended by the teachers and any student who had chosen to remain at Hogwarts over the Christmas Holidays. The feast was prepared by the house-elves in the kitchens , and consisted of a hundred fat, roast turkeys , mountains of roasted and boiled potatoes , platters of fat chipolatas , tureens of buttered peas , silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce.

For dessert, flaming Christmas puddings were served, with silver sickles hidden within the pudding. There were also surprise firecrackers, which, when popped, gave forth a gift. [7]

Duelling Club [ ]

The first and only meeting of the 1992 Duelling Club

On 17 December 1992 , Professor Lockhart created the duelling club when the Chamber of Secrets was opened. He was given permission by Headmaster Albus Dumbledore to teach students how to duel, in an attempt to help them learn to protect themselves. Lockhart was joined by Professor Snape , who worked as his assistant. [8] In 1996, the Gryffindor Duelling Club held their gatherings in the Great Hall. [9]

Morale Booster [ ]

The Great Hall decorated for Valentine's Day

On 14 February 1993 , Lockhart decided to organise a "morale-booster" against the gloomy atmosphere generated by the Chamber of Secrets' opening. Come morning of Valentine's Day , Lockhart's "morale-booster" was revealed to be an overly lavish party, mainly for him to garner attention for himself more than to help the school residents regain their confidence.

As the opening of this party, he overly decorated the Great Hall during breakfast with lurid pink flowers, falling heart-shaped confetti, and Lockhart himself dressed in matching pink robes. This vivid scene disgusted the majority of the staff, as well as some male students. However, female students who fawned over Lockhart's charm, were rather excited by this. When Harry first walked into the Great Hall for breakfast, the severe change in decor made him thought he walked through the wrong doors initially. [10]

Yule Ball [ ]

The Yule Ball

The Yule Ball, a formal dance held on the evening of Christmas Day, was a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament , though not regularly held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . [11]

The tournament was revived at Hogwarts in 1994 , and they held the Yule Ball in the Great Hall for fourth year students or above, though younger students could also go if an older student invited them to accompany them. The ball began at 8 pm and ended at midnight. [11]

It started with a meal, with the champions and their partners dining at the head table with the teachers and judges, before the room was transformed into a dance floor. There was also a stage for the performing band. [11]

Apparition Lessons [ ]

An Apparition lesson being held in the Great Hall

Apparition is an optional twelve-week class offered at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for sixth year students to learn how to Apparate . [12]

The class began shortly after the Christmas Holidays and was offered to students who were seventeen, or who will turn seventeen during the school year. The class costed twelve Galleons . [12] It was taught by British Ministry of Magic employee Wilkie Twycross in 1997 . Although mainly taught outside, weather conditions meant the lesson had to begin in the Great Hall before they moved out. The Anti-Apparition Charm placed on the entire school was temporarily removed in the Great Hall for students to practise. [13]

Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations [ ]

Fifth years doing an O.W.L. exam in the Great Hall

An O.W.L. (Ordinary Wizarding Level) was a subject-specific test taken during Hogwarts students' Fifth year , administrated by the Wizarding Examinations Authority . The score made by a student on a particular O.W.L. determined whether or not he or she will be allowed to continue taking that subject in subsequent school years. [14]

During these examinations, a giant clock face and a huge swinging pendulum were placed at the far end of the hall in order for students and examiners to keep an eye on the time. [15]

Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests [ ]

N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests) were subject-specific exams that seventh year wizards and witches at Hogwarts took to help place them in some careers. As not all wizards passed or even took the N.E.W.T.s, they can find other jobs using their O.W.L. results. [16]

End-of-Term Feast [ ]

Gryffindor having won the House Cup

The End-of-Term Feast (or Leaving Feast) was a traditional part of the school year at Hogwarts , held in the Great Hall. It occured on the last night of the term; the Feast was notable for including the awarding of the House Cup to the house with the highest points. [17]

The Fountain of Fair Fortune [ ]

Sometime in the early 20th century , when Professor Dippet was Headmaster , the hall was used to host a play version of The Fountain of Fair Fortune . It was directed by Herbert Beery . An hour before the play began, the students playing Amata and Sir Luckless, who were dating, broke up when he left her for the student playing Asha. [18]

As the curtain rose, an Ashwinder started a fire as the girls playing Amata and Asha started fiercely duelling, with Professor Beery getting stuck in the middle. The staff had to evacuate the hall as the fire consumed the hall. Since the play ended in disastrous results, the staff decided never to put one on ever again. [18]

Battle of Hogwarts [ ]

Voldemort's defeat and death at the hands of Harry Potter in the Great Hall

On 2 May , 1998 the final battle between Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter took place here as the conclusion to the Battle of Hogwarts and the Second Wizarding War , and became Voldemort's death-place. [5] Shortly before then, the Great Hall was also the place where many other duels took place. [19]

Before Harry duelled Voldemort, Bellatrix Lestrange duelled Hermione Granger , Ginny Weasley , and Luna Lovegood . At the same time Lord Voldemort duelled Professor McGonagall, Professor Slughorn, and Kingsley Shacklebolt .

Molly Weasley also duelled Bellatrix after the latter nearly murdered her daughter. Molly emerged the victor of this duel. When Voldemort saw this his anger blasted his three adversaries away, but Harry stepped out from under the Invisibility Cloak and took on Voldemort and defeated him.

During moments of peace, it served as a holding area for the dead and wounded and when the battle was over, it was a gathering place for the survivors. [20]

In 1932 , Albus Dumbledore , Newton Scamander and his army met in the Great Hall to discuss their plans. [21] The Muggle Jacob Kowalski ate lunch with two Gryffindor students and one Ravenclaw, who asked him about his wand . [21]

In 1993 , the students were forced to sleep there over night in sleeping bags after Sirius Black broke in. [22]

The Divination Workshop was held in the Great Hall at 12:45. This suggests that lunch in the hall was to be finished by that time. [23]

Behind the scenes [ ]

LEGO Great Hall

The Great Hall, partial view as seen in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

The Great Hall as seen in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

The Great Hall at night as seen in Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells

• In the third film, Dumbledore's Owl Lecturn has been added, and there are more floating candles of various shapes and sizes.
• The fourth film sees the most noticeable change to the set in that a second, higher section has been added to the raised wooden platform on which the staff table sits, allowing for the addition of an additional table (presumably for the faculty of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang and the judges for the Triwizard Tournament to sit). Though the second table disappears following the fourth film the second section of the platform remains (although it was removed when the set was put on display for The Making of Harry Potter ).
• The addition of the Viaduct Courtyard in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) brought about a major inconsistency between the exterior model and interior set that remained unfixed in both the films and video games until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 . With the re-design of the front entrance to resemble the Clock Tower and its courtyard, the design team forgot to include stairs leading up to the Great Hall's elevated position that had been previously been represented by the Chamber of Reception . The floor level of the Great Hall is between the short and tall sets of windows. The short windows below the Great Hall had been originally designed for the Hogwarts kitchens , but that area was not seen in the films. The lack of stairs means that anyone walking through the new entrance would "magically" teleport up to the first floor, which is where the windows corresponding with the interior sets of the Entrance Hall and Great Hall were. The video games hid this issue by using different textures for the interior and exterior areas so they could exist at the same time. The issue was fixed in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 by inverting the window positions so that the taller windows that matched the floor of the interior sets were on the bottom of the model and then the smaller windows were on top (which completely removed the original intention of the smaller windows being for the Kitchens). However, it still was not fixed in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game) . This issue has proven to be catastrophic to fan-made models of the castle, notably those made in Minecraft, because it almost always resulted in the interior areas not being made correctly.
• Despite being categorised as being on the ground floor , the Great Hall was portrayed in the films as being on the first floor until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 .
• The door behind the staff tables leads to a staircase, shown in the first film, which is architecturally impossible because the exterior wall is directly against the back wall of the Great Hall. This staircase could only be supported by magic, and is impossible to include on fan-made models of the castle without modifying the design somehow.
• The design for the Great Hall set in the films was based on the dining hall at Christ Church, Oxford. The art made for Pottermore also appears to do the same.
• While Hogwarts itself is based upon real castles is the UK, there was, obviously, a great deal of creative licence taken. The ceiling in the great hall, for example, is shown as having what is known as a hammer beam construction. The design was developed in the UK hundreds of years ago and used primarily in cathedrals, palaces, and royal homes. However, the weight of the ceiling, particularly under wind or snow load, would push the walls outward and collapse in on itself. Therefore, we must imagine the enchantment is not merely aesthetic but structural as well.
• The enchanted ceiling is only seen once during the daytime in the films (the majority of the time it simply being absent), however in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix , during the fifth year O.W.L exams, the sky can be clearly be seen as blue with a few clouds when Fred and George's fireworks go off.

Bellatrix walking insanely over the Gryffindor table

• Bellatrix Lestrange also wrecked the Great Hall in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , but this must have been a detour as Draco Malfoy , Severus Snape , Fenrir Grayback , Amycus Carrow , Alecto Carrow and Thorfinn Rowle walked from the Astronomy Tower to Hagrid's Hut , the Great Hall is not between these two locations, and from the way they were exiting means they must have either come from the back of the Great Hall or the Trophy Room . This most likely is an error in the film or that the production decided to include another secret passage.

Bellatrix uses a powerful spell to shatter the Great Hall windows

• In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 , Harry and Voldemort duel at the Entrance Courtyard instead of the Great Hall, although the duel between Bellatrix Lestrange and Molly Weasley still takes place here.
• In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 , Headmaster Severus Snape held a spontaneous assembly, which every Hogwarts student attended, to inform them that Harry Potter had recently been sighted in Hogsmeade , and that helping him enter the castle would result in severe punishment. To this, Harry himself stepped forward from the crowd, accusing Professor Snape of murdering Albus Dumbledore . This ultimately resulted in the duel between Professor Snape and McGonagall , and then in the sacking of Professor Snape.
• PopCo, a toy company, has made a Great Hall playset available in stores in 2007. The figures that go with this set are all 3.75 inch tall. The figures are Harry Potter , Ron Weasley , Hermione Granger , Neville Longbottom , Cho Chang , Luna Lovegood , Ginny Weasley , Draco Malfoy , Fred Weasley , George Weasley , Albus Dumbledore , Rubeus Hagrid , Severus Snape , Dolores Umbridge , Argus Filch , Minerva McGonagall , Mad-Eye Moody , Voldemort , Bellatrix Lestrange , Fenrir Greyback , Young Tom Riddle , Dementors , Death Eaters , Sirius Black , Grawp , Magorian , Bane , Thestral , Kreacher , Death Eater dummy, Fang , Mrs Norris , Hedwig , Sorting Hat , Patronus , Nagini and many, many more accessories."
• In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 , half of the Great Hall was blown up due to the battle. Because of this, instead of three towers at the top of the Great Hall, there were only two left.
• In the books and the films, the arrangement of each house table changes throughout each year. It is Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff which is closest to the doors, from the perspective of the teachers table. However, during the Triwizard Tournament, Harry walked between the tables of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, Fleur Delacour walked between the tables of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, while Slytherin table is closest to the doors. Throughout the films, the layout changes every year but in their own way.
• In the books, it's implied that there are multiple doors in the Great Hall which lead into various side chambers, though in the films there is only one behind the staff table which leads into the Trophy Room .
• Additionally, when the Great Hall set was being photographed for the digital recreation, it was noted that the stone floor had been cleaned and polished, whereas in the films the floor was dirty and dusty. As a result, the visual effects team had to modify the digital recreation of the hall so that the floor looked dusty.

Appearances [ ]

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - The Original Screenplay
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Mentioned only)
• Wizarding World
• Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book
• LEGO Harry Potter (Mentioned only)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• LEGO Dimensions
• LEGO Harry Potter
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Harry Potter for Kinect
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault
• Harry Potter: The Creature Vault (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Hogwarts Legacy

Notes and references [ ]

• ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , Chapter 7 ( The Sorting Hat )
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , Chapter 8 ( The Potions Master )
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , Chapter 10 ( Hallowe'en )
• ↑ 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , Chapter 17 ( The Four Champions )
• ↑ 5.0 5.1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , Chapter 36 ( The Flaw in the Plan )
• ↑ Hogwarts Legacy
• ↑ 7.0 7.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , Chapter 12 ( The Mirror of Erised )
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Chapter 11 ( The Duelling Club )
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Chapter 13 ( The Very Secret Diary )
• ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , Chapter 23 ( The Yule Ball )
• ↑ 12.0 12.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , Chapter 17 ( A Sluggish Memory )
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , Chapter 18 ( Birthday Surprises )
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix , Chapter 31 ( O.W.L.s )
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) - Chapter 23 ( O.W.L.S. )
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix , Chapter 29 ( Careers Advice )
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , Chapter 17 ( The Man with Two Faces )
• ↑ 18.0 18.1 The Tales of Beedle the Bard , "The Fountain of Fair Fortune"
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , Chapter 31 ( The Battle of Hogwarts )
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , Chapter 33 ( The Prince's Tale )
• ↑ 21.0 21.1 Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
• ↑ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , Chapter 8 ( Flight of the Fat Lady )
• ↑ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• ↑ Harry Potter Film Wizardry
• Harry Potter
• 1 Tom Riddle
• 2 Harry Potter
• 3 List of spells

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32 Untold "Harry Potter" Behind-The-Scenes Secrets I Never Knew About The Movies

I got to tour the Harry Potter sets in England, so here are some of the wildest, coolest things I learned about the making of the movies.

BuzzFeed Staff

Hey! I'm Spencer , and I recently visited Warner Bros. Studios in England where they filmed the Harry Potter movies. I got to tour the lot and learned soooo many wild behind-the-scenes facts and secrets from the films – most of which you've probably never heard before – so I wanted to share some of the coolest ones with you here.

For context, my relationship with Harry Potter has changed over the years, especially as a queer person. I'm a fan of the series but have struggled with the notion of separating art from the artist, due to J.K. Rowling's constant anti-trans beliefs and statements. Because of this, I noticed that I've distanced myself more and more from the franchise, which is unfortunate because so many people have found a home in it.

However, I do believe the world of Harry Potter is so much bigger than Rowling herself, and I will always appreciate its stars for speaking out against her and for advocating for trans rights (which are human rights!). If you, like me, feel impassioned about trans rights then you can learn more or donate here .

1. First of all, in order to film the exterior shots of Hogwarts in the first film, the Art Department built a massive (and super detailed!) 1:24 scale model of the school, and they filmed it in front of a green screen. The model is over 50 feet in diameter and took 40 different artists to build. An additional 50 artists were then responsible for maintaining it throughout the production of the film.

FYI: Here's what the model looked like in Sorcerer's Stone , using digital effects, compared to what it looked like in real life.

2. More than 8,000 visual effects shots were used throughout the movies, but instead of using CGI on Hogwarts, artists painstakingly installed hundreds of individual lights onto the model. This helped to give the illusion of students walking through the school, lanterns illuminating the campus, and rooms being occupied. Real gravel and plants and trees were also used to make the landscaping look as lifelike as possible.

3. Hagrid is about 12 feet tall in the books, but for logistical reasons they made him 7.5 feet in the movies. A massive animatronic head was even molded from actor Robbie Coltrane's (6'1") body, and his body double (6'10") wore it to perform all the scenes when they needed to emphasize the character's size. The animatronic head got more advanced as the films progressed, and its eyes and lips could be controlled and moved. In other instances, Robbie would film scenes in front of a green screen and then be digitally added in post-production.

Martin Bayfield, his stunt double, wore an enormous body suit that had cold water pumping through it at all times so he wouldn't get overheated. They also built large chairs for him to sit on between takes because the suit was so heavy and he was wearing stilts.

4. In order to make Harry Potter's Patronus glow, the Visual Effects team developed an LED vest that was placed on a Scottish Deerhound. Here, the dog could move freely, and the Visual Effects team could see how Harry's Patronus (a stag) would naturally move while glowing. They then combined visual and digital effects to create the right – and believable – lighting effect for the movie.

5. It's kind of ridiculous to believe, but only 20 makeup artists and hairdressers were responsible for handling over 800 cast members on set each day. Also, only about 50 "costumers" (i.e. those in the costume department) worked on each movie, and they were responsible for designing and making everything from the Hogwarts robes, to each character's glasses or jewelry, to picking out Professor Umbridge's tiny brooches.

6. And speaking of Professor Umbridge, her outfits would get more pink as her character would acquire more power. Basically, the more evil and stronger she got, the darker those pink accents on her and her workers' costumes became.

7. Similarly, at the height of Voldemort's power, his robe was made of rich green silks. These tones would get darker, and new layers of silk would be added to his costume as his character grew stronger. However, as each Horcrux was defeated, a layer of silk would be removed, and the outfit would become more faded.

8. Nearly 350 portraits hung throughout Hogwarts, and all of them were painted on blank canvases by only a couple different artists. In fact, many of the portraits are of random crew members who worked behind the scenes. Prisoner of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuarón even had his then-wife and child incorporated into one of them as a tribute.

9. Over the course of the eight films, over 250 different animals (most of them rescue) were trained to appear on screen. Ravens were apparently the easiest animals to work with because they could be taught in a single day, but owls were the most difficult to train.

Julie Tottman, who worked as Head Animal Trainer on the movies, said her favorite animal to work with was Fang, Hagrid's oversized dog.

10. While shooting the first movie, all of the "floating candles" in the Great Hall were originally hung from the ceiling by wires. However, the flames started burning through the wires, and they came crashing to the ground. For safety reasons, most of the candles were ultimately replaced with digital effects instead.

The original floating candles obviously weren't real – they were just made to look like candles. Instead, they were tubes that were full of oil and topped with a wick. Each one was attached to a wire on a rig, and the wires were meant to be CGI'd out of the final shots.

11. Several invisibility cloaks were made for the movies, and each one was crafted from a special velvet fabric that had Celtic symbols printed on it. In order to make Harry turn invisible, one of the cloaks had a green fabric lining that allowed the Visual Effects team to make it disappear via CGI.

12. Exactly 538 individual sets were created throughout the filming of all eight movies. The Gryffindor Common Room, for example, took about three months to build (nearly the same amount of time it took to build the Great Hall) because of how detailed it is. It's one of the longest-standing sets from the entire series.

13. The Griffin Stairwell (aka the magical spiral staircase that leads to Dumbledore's office) was one of the most challenging props for the Special Effects Department to build. They actually built two versions: one static model in my pic below, and a second that actually moved in real life. To make it a functional, moving staircase, they built it in a 12-foot hole in the ground and used mechanics so it would spiral upwards.

14. One of the Prop Manufacturing Department's favorite pieces to craft was the Triwizard Cup. Their goal was to make it look like an "ever-evolving, organic crystal, as though it magically had a life of its own." On the trophy are three dragons, which represent the three different schools that compete in the tournament: Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons.

15. The Special Effects Department consulted an actual magician to help figure out creative and "invisible" ways to open and close Marauder's Map. For example, it was the magician's idea to use a hidden thread to sneakily unfold the map. That, coupled with some visual effects in post-production, resulted in the final product that we see in the films.

16. Harry's first broomstick was obviously the Nimbus 2000, but it almost looked completely different. The Props Department went through 25 different iterations before settling on the final version.

17. The Gringotts vault cart took three months to build, and by the time they started filming, it was able to move up to 15 mph on a specialty track. However, they used both special ~and~ visual effects for the final product. Each actor had a stunt double, and everything was filmed in front of a green screen so the background could be fitted with the computer-generated set.

18. In the beginning of Chamber of Secrets , the "cake" that fell on Mrs. Mason's head wasn't actually real. It was made of a lightweight fiberglass and was suspended in the air via a mechanical rig, to look like it was floating. Then, when it came time for Dobby to do the deed, a trap door was released and dropped the actual cake onto her.

19. The Weasley's home (aka "The Burrow") was the largest set that was built throughout the entire series, coming in at just over 44 feet. A second model of the house was also built a few years later, this time so they could set it on fire while filming Half-Blood Prince .

According to the Art Department, the Weasley's house was designed to look like Mr. Weasley had built it himself, so they "pushed and pulled support beams and wall units out of place with chains after the set was constructed" to give it that awry look.

20. Seventeen giant fireplaces were built to help create the set for the Ministry of Magic, and each one was just over 30 feet tall. Visual effects were then used to make the space feel even larger.

In Order of the Phoenix , when Harry first traveled to the Ministry of Magic with Mr. Weasley, a bunch of those extras walking around were actually random crewmembers from the set. They all went through hair, makeup, and costuming to become witches and wizards for a day. 

21. Hundreds of different plates were used for Professor Umbridge's decorative kitten plate collection. They were all hand-painted green so the Visual Effects team could CGI cat footage onto them (and, yes, it was actually someone's job to film all of those cats so they had enough footage in the first place).

22. The Forbidden Forest was shot on location at a park in the first movie, but for all the other films they actually built a new set on the backlot and soundstages. Here, they hand-painted the backdrops (some as long as 600 feet) instead of just digitally creating them, and they also used real tree trunks to help carve out the forest.

23. In terms of the makeup effects, there was a whole category of workers in the "Creature Shop" who were responsible for turning the cast into werewolves, trolls, and everything in between. Basically, each character's look would be sketched out, and then a team of artists would create molds for prosthetics, which could then be applied to each actor.

24. The Creature Shop would also work on developing non-actor creatures. Sculptors and engineers built animatronics and models, and the Visual Effects team would turn them into computer-generated models that could be animated. For example, this is how they were able to create the Basilisk. A giant snake head with moving eyes, nostrils, and mouth was crafted for close-up shots, but the rest of the Basilisk's body was created with CGI.

25. A full-body werewolf suit – including stilts and an animatronic head – was actually created for actor David Thewlis during Professor Lupin's transformation scene, but it proved too difficult to operate. After months of rehearsals, they ultimately had to scrap the idea and resort mostly to visual effects.

The makeup department also created several stages of prosthetics to capture each moment of Lupin's transformation into a werewolf. Each look took four hours to apply to the actor.

26. Sixty different actors played goblins during the Gringotts scenes in Deathly Hallows – Part 2 , and many of them were portrayed by female actors. However, female goblins didn't exist in the Harry Potter books, so all of them played male goblins in the movie.

Only one female goblin has ever been mentioned in the Wizarding World. Though she wasn't given a name, she was a jazz singer at The Bling Pig speakeasy in  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them .

27. Several steps were taken in order to turn every actor into a different-looking goblin, first starting with a cast of each person's face. Makeup artists would then sculpt goblin features on top of the silicone molds, body parts would be painted, wigs would be made and applied one hair at a time, and then all of the body parts – teeth, ears, etc. – would be applied and touched up with makeup to blend seamlessly together.

28. The Props Department created over 38,000 pieces of treasure to fill Bellatrix Lastrange's bank vault for the replication scene in the final movie. Each piece was made of rubber because having real brass, copper, and gold goblets and chalices would have been too dangerous (and costly). The cups were then scanned and digitized to look like they were duplicating in the actual scene. In fact, out of the 7,010 Hufflepuff cups in the vault, only four were gold-plated and made of copper – these were used specifically for close-up shots.

29. They also created over 210,000 detailed coins to represent the Wizarding currency. In the first movie, all of the coins – bronze Knuts, silver Sickles, and gold Galleons – were real and made of metal. However, in the final film, the coins were made of plastic and glued together in giant stacks.

30. The Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes joke shop was only featured on screen for 90 seconds in Half-Blood Prince , but 40,000 props were created to fill the store with everything from Nosebleed Nougats, to Puking Pastilles, to love potions. Over 140 different kinds of products were created and sold in their store.

31. The actual layout of Hogwarts changes in every movie, simply because each of the film's directors needed things in different places. Not worried about continuity errors, they figured that "if the staircases could move in the movies then so could everything else." As a result, all of the rooms and grounds consistently change locations. For example, Hagrid's hut doesn't appear in some models of the castle, the Weeping Willow randomly shows up in the second film, and the Great Hall is in a completely different place in the final movie.

Several other changes occurred throughout the series as well, like random courtyards appearing and disappearing, a clocktower being added in Prisoner of Azkaban , and four extra greenhouses popping up in the final movie.

32. And finally, over 4,000 people worked on all eight Harry Potter movies, from the stunt performers, to the animal trainers, to the makeup artists, and so on. The Wizarding World tour ends in Ollivanders' shop, which is stuffed to the brim with wands and boxes, each one inscribed with the name of every individual actor and crewmember who worked on the series.

If you want more information about the Warner Bros. Studio Tour then definitely check out their site here . They change the theme every few months (the theme when I went was "Magical Mischief"), so everything always feels super fresh and new. For reference, I spent several hours there, and I even visited with people who had never seen the movies or read the books, but we all genuinely had a great time. Enjoy!

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32 Untold "Harry Potter" Behind-The-Scenes Secrets And Stories I Never Knew About The Movies

H ey i'm spencer , and i recently visited warner bros. studios in england where they filmed the harry potter movies. i got to tour the lot and learned soooo many wild behind-the-scenes facts and secrets from the films – most of which you've probably never heard before – so i wanted to share some of the coolest ones with you here., 1. first of all, in order to film the exterior shots of hogwarts in the first film, the art department built a massive (and super detailed) 1:24 scale model of the school, and they filmed it in front of a green screen. the model is over 50 feet in diameter and took 40 different artists to build. an additional 50 artists were then responsible for maintaining it throughout the production of the film., fyi: here's what the model looked like in sorcerer's stone , using digital effects, compared to what it looked like in real life., 2. more than 8,000 visual effects shots were used throughout the movies, but instead of using cgi on hogwarts, artists painstakingly installed hundreds of individual lights onto the model. this helped to give the illusion of students walking through the school, lanterns illuminating the campus, and rooms being occupied. real gravel and plants and trees were also used to make the landscaping look as lifelike as possible., 3. hagrid is about 12 feet tall in the books, but for logistical reasons they made him 7.5 feet in the movies. a massive animatronic head was even molded from actor robbie coltrane's (6'1") body, and his body double (6'10") wore it to perform all the scenes when they needed to emphasize the character's size. the animatronic head got more advanced as the films progressed, and its eyes and lips could be controlled and moved. in other instances, robbie would film scenes in front of a green screen and then be digitally added in post-production., 4. in order to make harry potter's patronus glow, the visual effects team developed an led vest that was placed on a scottish deerhound. here, the dog could move freely, and the visual effects team could see how harry's patronus (a stag) would naturally move while glowing. they then combined visual and digital effects to create the right – and believable – lighting effect for the movie., 5. it's kind of ridiculous to believe, but only 20 makeup artists and hairdressers were responsible for handling over 800 cast members on set each day. also, only about 50 "costumers" (i.e. those in the costume department) worked on each movie, and they were responsible for designing and making everything from the hogwarts robes, to each character's glasses or jewelry, to picking out professor umbridge's tiny brooches., 6. and speaking of professor umbridge, her outfits would get more pink as her character would acquire more power. basically, the more evil and stronger she got, the darker those pink accents on her and her workers' costumes became., 7. similarly, at the height of voldemort's power, his robe was made of rich green silks. these tones would get darker, and new layers of silk would be added to his costume as his character grew stronger. however, as each horcrux was defeated, a layer of silk would be removed, and the outfit would become more faded., 8. nearly 350 portraits hung throughout hogwarts, and all of them were painted on blank canvases by only a couple different artists. in fact, many of the portraits are of random crew members who worked behind the scenes. prisoner of azkaban director alfonso cuarón even had his then-wife and child incorporated into one of them as a tribute., 9. over the course of the eight films, over 250 different animals (most of them rescue) were trained to appear on screen. ravens were apparently the easiest animals to work with because they could be taught in a single day, but owls were the most difficult to train., 10. while shooting the first movie, all of the "floating candles" in the great hall were originally hung from the ceiling by wires. however, the flames started burning through the wires, and they came crashing to the ground. for safety reasons, most of the candles were ultimately replaced with digital effects instead., 11. several invisibility cloaks were made for the movies, and each one was crafted from a special velvet fabric that had celtic symbols printed on it. in order to make harry turn invisible, one of the cloaks had a green fabric lining that allowed the visual effects team to make it disappear via cgi., 12. exactly 538 individual sets were created throughout the filming of all eight movies. the gryffindor common room, for example, took about three months to build (nearly the same amount of time it took to build the great hall) because of how detailed it is. it's one of the longest-standing sets from the entire series., 13. the griffin stairwell (aka the magical spiral staircase that leads to dumbledore's office) was one of the most challenging props for the special effects department to build. they actually built two versions: one static model in my pic below, and a second that actually moved in real life. to make it a functional, moving staircase, they built it in a 12-foot hole in the ground and used mechanics so it would spiral upwards., 14. one of the prop manufacturing department's favorite pieces to craft was the triwizard cup. their goal was to make it look like an "ever-evolving, organic crystal, as though it magically had a life of its own." on the trophy are three dragons, which represent the three different schools that compete in the tournament: hogwarts, durmstrang, and beauxbatons., 15. the special effects department consulted an actual magician to help figure out creative and "invisible" ways to open and close marauder's map. for example, it was the magician's idea to use a hidden thread to sneakily unfold the map. that, coupled with some visual effects in post-production, resulted in the final product that we see in the films., 16. harry's first broomstick was obviously the nimbus 2000, but it almost looked completely different. the props department went through 25 different iterations before settling on the final version., 17. the gringotts vault cart took three months to build, and by the time they started filming, it was able to move up to 15 mph on a specialty track. however, they used both special ~and~ visual effects for the final product. each actor had a stunt double, and everything was filmed in front of a green screen so the background could be fitted with the computer-generated set., 18. in the beginning of chamber of secrets , the "cake" that fell on mrs. mason's head wasn't actually real. it was made of a lightweight fiberglass and was suspended in the air via a mechanical rig, to look like it was floating. then, when it came time for dobby to do the deed, a trap door was released and dropped the actual cake onto her., 19. the weasley's home (aka "the burrow") was the largest set that was built throughout the entire series, coming in at just over 44 feet. a second model of the house was also built a few years later, this time so they could set it on fire while filming half-blood prince ., 20. seventeen giant fireplaces were built to help create the set for the ministry of magic, and each one was just over 30 feet tall. visual effects were then used to make the space feel even larger., 21. hundreds of different plates were used for professor umbridge's decorative kitten plate collection. they were all hand-painted green so the visual effects team could cgi cat footage onto them (and, yes, it was actually someone's job to film all of those cats so they had enough footage in the first place)., 22. the forbidden forest was shot on location at a park in the first movie, but for all the other films they actually built a new set on the backlot and soundstages. here, they hand-painted the backdrops (some as long as 600 feet) instead of just digitally creating them, and they also used real tree trunks to help carve out the forest., 23. in terms of the makeup effects, there was a whole category of workers in the "creature shop" who were responsible for turning the cast into werewolves, trolls, and everything in between. basically, each character's look would be sketched out, and then a team of artists would create molds for prosthetics, which could then be applied to each actor., 24. the creature shop would also work on developing non-actor creatures. sculptors and engineers built animatronics and models, and the visual effects team would turn them into computer-generated models that could be animated. for example, this is how they were able to create the basilisk. a giant snake head with moving eyes, nostrils, and mouth was crafted for close-up shots, but the rest of the basilisk's body was created with cgi., 25. a full-body werewolf suit – including stilts and an animatronic head – was actually created for actor david thewlis during professor lupin's transformation scene, but it proved too difficult to operate. after months of rehearsals, they ultimately had to scrap the idea and resort mostly to visual effects., 26. sixty different actors played goblins during the gringotts scenes in deathly hallows – part 2 , and many of them were portrayed by female actors. however, female goblins didn't exist in the harry potter books, so all of them played male goblins in the movie., 27. several steps were taken in order to turn every actor into a different-looking goblin, first starting with a cast of each person's face. makeup artists would then sculpt goblin features on top of the silicone molds, body parts would be painted, wigs would be made and applied one hair at a time, and then all of the body parts – teeth, ears, etc. – would be applied and touched up with makeup to blend seamlessly together., 28. the props department created over 38,000 pieces of treasure to fill bellatrix lastrange's bank vault for the replication scene in the final movie. each piece was made of rubber because having real brass, copper, and gold goblets and chalices would have been too dangerous (and costly). the cups were then scanned and digitized to look like they were duplicating in the actual scene. in fact, out of the 7,010 hufflepuff cups in the vault, only four were gold-plated and made of copper – these were used specifically for close-up shots., 29. they also created over 210,000 detailed coins to represent the wizarding currency. in the first movie, all of the coins – bronze knuts, silver sickles, and gold galleons – were real and made of metal. however, in the final film, the coins were made of plastic and glued together in giant stacks., 30. the weasleys' wizard wheezes joke shop was only featured on screen for 90 seconds in half-blood prince , but 40,000 props were created to fill the store with everything from nosebleed nougats, to puking pastilles, to love potions. over 140 different kinds of products were created and sold in their store., 31. the actual layout of hogwarts changes in every movie, simply because each of the film's directors needed things in different places. not worried about continuity errors, they figured that "if the staircases could move in the movies then so could everything else." as a result, all of the rooms and grounds consistently change locations. for example, hagrid's hut doesn't appear in some models of the castle, the weeping willow randomly shows up in the second film, and the great hall is in a completely different place in the final movie., 32. and finally, over 4,000 people worked on all eight harry potter movies, from the stunt performers, to the animal trainers, to the makeup artists, and so on. the wizarding world tour ends in ollivanders' shop, which is stuffed to the brim with wands and boxes, each one inscribed with the name of every individual actor and crewmember who worked on the series., i f you want more information about the warner bros. studio tour then definitely check out their site here . they change the theme every few months (the theme when i went was "magical mischief"), so everything always feels super fresh and new. for reference, i spent several hours there, and i even visited with people who had never seen the movies or read the books, but we all genuinely had a great time. enjoy.

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Moscow court rejects opposition leader Alexey Navalny's appeal against his prison sentence

Updated on: February 20, 2021 / 12:43 PM EST / AP

A Moscow court on Saturday rejected Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny's appeal against his prison sentence, even as the country faced a top European rights court's order to free the Kremlin's most prominent foe.

A few hours later, a judge in a separate case ordered Navalny to pay a fine for defaming a World War II veteran.

During the first court hearing, Navalny urged Russians to stand up to the Kremlin in a fiery speech mixing references to the Bible and "Harry Potter."

Navalny, 44, an anti-corruption crusader and President Vladimir Putin's most vocal critic, was arrested on Jan. 17 upon returning from Germany, where he spent five months recovering from a nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin. Russian authorities have rejected the accusation.

Earlier this month, Navalny was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for violating terms of his probation while convalescing in Germany. He appealed the sentence and asked to be released. A Moscow City Court judge instead reduced the prison sentence to just over 2 1/2 years, deducting a month-and-a-half that Navalny spent under house arrest in early 2015.

The sentence stems from a 2014 embezzlement conviction that Navalny has rejected as fabricated and the European Сourt of Human Rights has ruled to be unlawful.

Navalny has been held in Moscow's Matrosskaya Tishina prison, but Russian news reports said that after losing his appeal, he would likely be sent to a prison in the western part of Russia within the next few days to serve out his sentence. 

His arrest and imprisonment have fueled a huge wave of protests across Russia. Authorities responded with a sweeping crackdown, detaining about 11,000 people, many of whom were fined or given jail terms ranging from seven to 15 days.

In his speech at the hearing, Navalny referenced the Bible as well as "Harry Potter" and the animated sitcom "Rick and Morty" as he urged Russians to resist pressure from authorities and challenge the Kremlin to build a fairer and more prosperous country.

"The government's task is to scare you and then persuade you that you are alone," he said. "Our Voldemort in his palace also wants me to feel cut off," he added, in a reference to Putin.

"To live is to risk it all," he said, citing "Rick and Morty." "Otherwise, you're just an inert chunk of randomly assembled molecules drifting wherever the universe blows you."

Navalny also addressed the judge and the prosecutor, arguing that they could have a much better life in a new Russia.

"Just imagine how wonderful life would be without constant lying," he said. "Imagine how great it would be to work as a judge ... when no one would be able to call you and give you directions what verdicts to issue."

He insisted that he was unable to report to the authorities in line with his probation requirements while he was convalescing in Germany after his poisoning, emphasizing that he returned to Russia immediately after his health allowed.

"I wasn't hiding," he said. "The entire world knew where I was."

Navalny said he was an atheist before but has come to believe in God, adding that his faith helped him face his challenges. He said he believed the Bible phrase that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, and that he felt no regret about deciding to return home to Russia.

"Even though our country is built on injustice and we all constantly face injustice ... we also see that millions of people, tens of millions of people, want righteousness," Navalny told the court. "They want the righteousness and sooner or later they will have it."

Asked about the impact of Navalny's prison sentence on Russia's politics, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the country's "rich and multifaceted" political scene will develop regardless of the verdict.

Russia has rejected Western criticism of Navalny's arrest and the crackdown on demonstrations as meddling in its internal affairs.

In a ruling Tuesday, the European Court of Human Rights ordered the Russian government to release Navalny, citing "the nature and extent of risk to the applicant's life." The Strasbourg-based court noted that Navalny has contested Russian authorities' argument that they had taken sufficient measures to safeguard his life and well-being in custody following the nerve agent attack.

The Russian government has rebuffed the European court's demand, describing the ruling as unlawful and "inadmissible" meddling in Russia's affairs. Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported that the Russian Justice Ministry on Saturday sent a letter to the court asking it to revise its order.

In the past, Moscow has abided by European Court of Human Rights rulings awarding compensations to Russian citizens who have contested verdicts in Russian courts, but it never faced a demand by the European court to set a convict free.

In a sign of its long-held annoyance with the Strasbourg court's verdicts, Russia last year adopted a constitutional amendment declaring the priority of national legislation over international law. Russian authorities might now use that provision to reject the ECHR's ruling.

After losing his appeal, Navalny had a second court hearing on charges of slandering a World War II veteran and was ordered to pay a fine of 850,000 rubles (about $11,500). Prosecutors asked for a 950,000-rubles ($13,000) fine.

Navalny called the 94-year-old veteran and other people featured in a pro-Kremlin video last year as "corrupt stooges," "people without conscience" and "traitors." He rejected the slander charges, describing them as part of official efforts to disparage him.

Navalny said at the hearing that his accusers "will burn in hell."

• Alexei Navalny
• Vladimir Putin

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