Inside the magic of Hogwarts

Sajeda Momin

Are you a fan of the boy wizard Harry Potter? If yes, then a visit to London is not complete without a trip to the studios where J.K. Rowling’s record-breaking books were brought to life in the most successful film series of all times. The unique walking tour takes you behind-the-scenes and brings you up close with the sets, costumes and props used in the films along with letting you in on the secrets that went into creating the magical world of Hogwarts.

Step through the enormous wooden doors into the actual Great Hall where the students of Hogwarts ate and celebrated; peer into Harry’s room under the stairs where he grew up; explore Dumbledore’s office and discover new treasures; walk through the cobble-stoned Diagon Alley with shop fronts of Ollivanders wand shop, the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes and Eeylops Owl Emporium; see iconic props like Harry’s Nimbus 2000 or Hagrid’s motorcycle; quench your thirst with a tankard of the non-alcoholic butterbeer or fly a broomstick. For a few hours, simply forget you are a human and get lost in the fantastic world of muggles and wizards created by Rowling.

Leavesden Film Studios, where all eight of the Harry Potter films were shot, is located at Watford in Hertfordshire, a 20-minute train ride from Central London. Once an aircraft factory and airfield called Leavesden Aerodrome, a centre of British aircraft production during World War II, the hangers were first used to film James Bond’s Golden Eye in 1994. In 2000, Warner Bros bought the 80-hectare plot to film the first of the Harry Potter films.

Over the next 10 years, as the books were still being released and films made, the production crew saved many of the iconic sets, props and costumes that were created especially for the films, just in case they were needed later. When filming wrapped on Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows II in 2010, the production crew were left with a treasure trove of intricate and beautifully made artefacts. Taking over two sound studios and a backlot, a team comprising many of the original cast and crew reassembled the sets and recorded their memories from filming so that Harry Potter fans could experience the magic of filmmaking first hand.

On March 31, 2012, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter opened its doors to public. Ever since, more than 6,000 adults and children visit the studios daily to walk in the footsteps of Harry, Hermoine and Ron. Tickets, which cannot be purchased at the door and must be bought in advance, are a tad expensive at Rs 5,800 for adults and Rs 5,380 for children, but are worth the experience for a Pottermaniac.

In the last 5 years, the Studio Tour has been adding new attractions to keep the interest alive. Last year, the famous Hogwarts Express train was brought in along with Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross station for fans to experience. On March 31 this year, the Forbidden Forest complete with its mystical creatures was added as the new permanent expansion. Lakhs of fans from around the world have already made their pilgrimage to Leavesden, and more keep coming every day. Will you be one of them this year?