The magical tale of the young wizard has gained incredible popularity worldwide and continues to captivate audiences to this day. The reason lies in the fact that rewatching Harry Potter movies is an endless joy, as they always evoke that enchanting mood.
Engrossed in the intricate plot, one might easily overlook the fascinating Easter eggs skillfully scattered by the creators throughout the franchise.
McGonagall was quite the Quidditch player
Quidditch is one of the best inventions in the Potter universe. The match in the first movie kept viewers on edge, but Harry could have missed out on his House Quidditch team if not for Gryffindor’s head.
Professor McGonagall, upon seeing Harry on a broomstick, decided to take him to the team captain and suggest making the boy a new Seeker. As it turns out, McGonagall not only keenly noticed Harry’s innate talent but also played quite well herself in her youth. We learned this from one Easter egg.
When Harry begins to doubt his abilities, Hermione encourages him, saying that Quidditch runs in his blood, and leads him to the trophy cabinet. Harry’s father’s name adorns the honors board, and upon closer inspection, one can notice a plaque with Professor McGonagall’s name, receiving an award in 1971.
Now it’s clear why she loves Quidditch so much.
Story completion
The introduction of Harry, Ron, and Hermione on the train to Hogwarts is one of the sweetest and most amusing moments in the film. In this scene, Ron talks about how even sweets can be magical in the wizarding world. Harry barely opens his chocolate frog when it promptly comes to life and jumps out the window.
The creators reminded viewers of this funny scene at the very end of the saga, when the famous trio’s children sit on the Hogwarts Express, and the chocolate frog jumps into their compartment. This nostalgic reference to the very first film of the franchise beautifully concludes the saga, hinting to the audience that the story will now continue through the children.
The magic number
In the Muggle world, the number 7 is considered lucky, but wizards have entirely different associations with this number.
This number constantly appears in the Harry Potter saga. Let’s start with the obvious – the saga consists of 7 books. Then, of course, there are the 7 Horcruxes. In the very first film, Harry plays Quidditch wearing number 7, hinting that he is the seventh Horcrux himself.
In each Quidditch team, there are 7 players: three Chasers, 2 Beaters, a Keeper, and a Seeker. The chest where young Tom Riddle hid the diary had 7 locks. In the first part of the Deathly Hallows, using the Polyjuice Potion, 7 Harry Potter doppelgangers appear.
Ginny Weasley is the 7th child in her family.
Animating CGI
Hagrid’s protege, Buckbeak the Hippogriff, is a magical creature. This mythical being with feathers has good manners and prefers to feast on rodents, but when provoked, there’s no stopping him.
In the Prisoner of Azkaban, there’s a scene that many simply didn’t notice, where Buckbeak is seen relieving himself during Hagrid’s lesson. Sharp-eyed viewers might have caught this moment shortly before Buckbeak attacks Draco.
Yes, animals cannot control their urges, unlike creatures created using CGI, where the film’s creative team decides everything. Perhaps the creators decided that this way Buckbeak would look more natural.
Deathly Hallows
If you rewatch all the Harry Potter movies with special attention, you can notice that the creators were hinting at upcoming events. In the Goblet of Fire, a symbol of the Deathly Hallows briefly flashes on screen.
This happens during a scene where Dumbledore tells Harry about the true nature of Barty Crouch Jr. During their conversation, Dumbledore briefly looks at a glass cabinet full of various magical items, one of which turns out to be the symbol of the Deathly Hallows.
If you look closely, you can see a pyramid with a circle in the middle, which is the symbolism of the Deathly Hallows – the Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone enclosed in the triangle of the Invisibility Cloak.
It’s amazing that at that time, the Deathly Hallows books hadn’t been published yet, but since the saga’s author, J.K. Rowling, was actively involved in designing the sets for filming, she made sure the symbol appeared.
Patronus as an Easter egg
For every wizard, the Patronus holds great significance, as this magical entity summoned by a spell serves as powerful protection against dark entities. Patronuses take the form of an animal most fitting the wizard’s character. And until a wizard conjures their Patronus for the first time, they won’t know which animal it will manifest as.
The Patronus is a reflection of its owner’s soul, and it can tell a lot about the wizard’s character, which is why examining the Patronuses of Dumbledore’s Army members is so interesting.
While the kids are practicing, you can notice Hermione conjuring an otter. Interestingly, otters are closely related to stoats – Ron’s Patronus. Perhaps, this was a way the creators hinted at the romantic relationship between Ron and Hermione.
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