Harry Potter Pilgrimage

I have to say, there’s no better trip for Harry Potter fan than the one I just took (and I mean this in the most objective way possible). In the past five weeks, I’ve eaten breakfast and dinner in the Great Hall at Christ Church (the Inspiration for the Hogwarts Great Hall), stumbled across rooms and buildings used in the movies, written in the same place J.K. Rowling wrote most of the early books, and taken the Harry Potter Studio Tour. I’ve also spent a few hours a week taking a class where we do nothing but discuss Harry Potter (and sometimes we watch Potter Puppet Pals). 

It’s pretty amazing. As a Harry Potter fan, there’s not much better than getting to experience the things that are shown in the books and movies. And as a writer, it’s inspiring to see where Rowling wrote and where she got some of her ideas. 

Though every day was pretty much full of Harry Potter experiences, I have to say that there are some that stand out.

  
Stumbling Across the Hospital Wing

Normally finding yourself in a hospotal wing wouldn’t be a good thing. But when a few of us made our way inside the Divinity School at the Bodleian Library, we were ecstatic. We knew that some parts of the movie had been filmed in the area, but we had only gone inside to get some warm drinks during the intermission of Much Ado About Nothing and were therefore completely surprised. 

  Visiting Platform 9 3/4

Okay, so it’s no longer located between platforms 9 and 10, but that doesn’t keep the staff at Kings Cross from catering wholeheartedly to Harry Potter fans – including a designated scarf thrower to make your picture look super authentic. 

  Writing in The Elephant House

The Elephant House is one of the cafes where J.K. Rowling spent much of her time. During our visit to Edinburgh, a few of us took a few hours out of our sightseeing to just drink coffee, sit, and write where she wrote. Though it may not sound like it, this was one of the most enjoyable experiences of the entire trip.

Visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour

This was definitely the highlight of the trip. I will admit to tearing up a few times as I experienced the magic behind one of the most important literary experiences in my life. The best part was the model of Hogwarts that was used for fly-by shots in the movies. It was huge, at least twice my height, and its sheer grandness along with the music and lighting made for one of the most unforgettable moments of my life.