#WackyWednesday: Five magical facts about Harry Potter
Harry Potter is the boy who lived not only in fiction, he's taken the world by storm, igniting the imaginations of readers' and movie goers.
It has been 20 years since the world of Harry Potter captured the imagination and hearts of millions of fans around the world.
On June 26, 1997, the world was introduced to a magical way of life with the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling.
With the Harry Potter series taking the world by storm, igniting the imaginations of readers’ and movie goers alike, here are five Harry Potter facts you might not have known.
1. The greatest Harry Potter series of all time
The Harry Potter series is the highest-selling book series of all time. As of 2011, it sold more than 450 million copies.
2. When Hell’s Angels meets Potterverse
Apparently, Rebeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts is based on a Hell’s Angel biker who J.K. Rowling met in West County.
Story has it, the biker was a massive and somewhat scary looking man who loved gardening.
3. Crossing the language barrier
Since being published in 1997, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has been translated into 70 different languages.
4. When Neville Longbottom just can’t get a break
As any avid Potter fan will know, the prophecy which Professor Sybill Trelawney made regarding the chosen one who would bring about Lord Voldemort’s downfall, could have referred to either Harry Potter or bumbling Neville Longbottom.
It is because Voldemort chose Harry as his nemesis that Severus Snape despised Neville so much. If Voldemort had gone after Neville instead, Harry’s mother, Lily, would have lived. And as we know from the novels and movies, Snape’s love for Lily Potter never died.
5. The original pranksters
George and Fred Weasley were the ultimate pranksters in the Potterverse. However, the two pulled a joke on Lord Voldemort, which even the greatest fans might have missed.
In The Philosopher’s Stone, when the twins bewitched snowballs to hit Professor Quirell on the back of his turban, the two were actually hitting Voldemort in the face.
