It has been 26 years since the first Harry Potter book was released. But even after all these years, fans around the world continue to be enamoured by the fantasy world created by Joanne Kathleen Rowling, or JK Rowling, as she is more popularly known. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley became a part of the childhood of every 90s kid. Interestingly, the month of July has many important dates for fans. From the main character and the author sharing their birthday to book releases and Harry Potter receiving his first letter to Hogwarts, here are some other interesting facts about the book series
Updated On: 2023-06-26 07:38 PM IST
Compiled by : Nascimento Pinto
Nineteen years after JK Rowling’s 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone' was published, she released a two-part play called ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ with Jack Thorne and John Tiffany on July 31. It is the last in the series. In this photo, copies of the book 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' are displayed on the day of its release at a bookstore in Hong Kong on July 31, 2016. Photo: AFP
Every year, fans around the world celebrate Harry Potter’s birthday on July 31, which also coincides with the birthday of JK Rowling, who is the author of the book. In this photo, spectacles worn by the actor Danile Radcliffe in the 2001 film, ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone’ on display at the Profiles in History auction house on August 28, 2019 in Calabasas, California ahead of ‘The Icons and Legends of Hollywood Auction’. Photo: AFP
The first Harry Potter book, ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ was published on June 26, 1997 but from then on July became the month of most of her book releases. In this photo, hand-written notes by author JK Rowling are pictured inside a rare first edition of her book 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' displayed at The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 26, 2017. Photo: AFP
Incidentally, July is a special month for Harry Potter fans because five of seven books were published during the month in the United Kingdom. It started with ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ (July 2, 1998), ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ (July 8, 1999), ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ (July 8, 2000), ‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’ (July 16, 2005) and ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ (July 21, 2007). In this photo, a special edition 20th anniversary edition Harry Potter books are displayed for sale in a book store in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 26, 2017. Photo: AFP
According to the books, Harry Potter received his first letter for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on July 24, 1991. A little over a month later, he boarded the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9 ¾ every year on September 1. This photo is a view of the train in Hogsmeade at the grand opening of the 'Wizarding World of Harry Potter' at Universal Studios Hollywood, in Universal City, California, on April 7, 2016. Photo: AFP
JK Rowling said the idea to write Harry Potter ‘fell into her head’ on a crowded train journey from Manchester to London. She went on to write seven books in the series and a play, inspired by it. This is the photo of The Black Medicine Coffee Co. Cafe in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 26, 2017. The cafe is one of the locations where author JK Rowling wrote part of her Harry Potter books. The other place where she started writing the books is the Elephant House cafe. Photo: AFP
JK Rowling finished the final book, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ on January 11, 2007 at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh. To mark the occasion, she scribbled the fact on a bust of Hermes at the hotel. It was released on July 21 the same year in the United Kingdom. In this photo, a copy of the Daily Prophet and a Golden Snitch from the Harry Potter movies are exhibited during a press preview of Prop Store's Iconic Film & TV Memorabilia on May 14, 2021, in Valencia, California. Photo: AFP
