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The Harry Potter Reunion Special: Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Return to Hogwarts is Finally Here!
The reunion special is streaming on HBO Max now. For now, you can only watch the Harry Potter Reunion Special on HBO Max. But good news, we’ve got the best moments and quotes for you here to enjoy whether you can watch it or not! You can also catch the Fantastic Beasts movies, DVD extras, and all 7 Harry Potter Films on HBO Max right now. The full title is Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Return to Hogwarts.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been looking forward to January first more for this Harry Potter Reunion Special than just for the sake of it being a new year (although- yay for that too!)
Goodness- the intro was beautiful! I loved the artistic way they brought in each of the main characters. Here are our ten favorite quotes from the Harry Potter Reunion Special as well as some of our favorite moments.
**SPOILERS below in both best quotes from the Harry Potter Reunion special and best moments**
There are **SPOILERS** beyond this point for the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Return to Hogwarts special.
10 Best Quotes from the Harry Potter Reunion Special
1) “The Chamber of Secrets was the first book that I… genuinely stayed up at night reading.” Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas) and then immediately following that Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) said “Millions would now read books who would never have [voluntarily] lifted a book up in their lives. And you suddenly realize the power of writing.”
2) “One of the major themes is this alliance of friends who endure” Toby Jones (Dobby)
3) “I’m just very proud to be a part of something that means so much to so many.” Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) [I also loved how he talked about the world kind of evolving and living on through Fantastic Beasts and the amazing fandom]
4) Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) [Talking about Harry discovering the other kids who would form Dumbledore’s Army] “And then he found this secret world of odd bots. Of misfits: people who had this strange power but who still had enormous humanity and depth and vulnerability. The movies kind of gave people permission to accept parts of themselves. So it was quite liberating to see your oddness as a superpower represented onscreen.”
5) “I think it’s great to be a misfit. And I think that’s possibly why it’s so popular. Everyone wants to know that they do belong. It’s a great relief of loneliness, I think… And that’s what’s so profoundly therapeutic and good about it, is it’s made people who otherwise feel lonely, they feel they belong.” Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange)
6) Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) “Great story of Neville is that he’s the champion… But the thing that Harry Potter did for me, both as a story and as an actor in it, was that it helped me to find first what I’m not. Which, therefore, by extension, found what I am.”
7) Daniel Radcliffe “Every part of my life is connected to potter. When I meet people who it’s a really important part of their life, it just makes you really proud… The crew on these films were unbelievable. There are people on these films that are foundational to who I am as a person and an actor. I feel so lucky to be where I am and to have the life that I have and be able to work with the people I work with now. But none of it is possible without this. It was a very, it was a very good ten years.”
8) Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) “no one else can quite understand what we experienced. It was a very unique thing.” Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) “The level of trust I had and that we did build over those 10 years was like, if we were doing a stunt, I trusted that one of you would catch me. It was like the three of us could communicate without having to say anything… We were each very strong for each other.”
9) Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) “I just think it’s a beautiful, creative outlook on life- this belief in limitless possibilities. …. There’s nothing like the stories of Harry Potter. The stories told within them, the individual’s characters’ journeys. I just think that has such a transformative effect on people That’s Magic.”
10) Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) “There’s something about Harry Potter that makes life richer. Like, when things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and feel held.”
And as a bonus- absolutely the most relatable quote and one of the funnier moments to me…
*Rupert Grint (Ron) “For me, running is a stunt. Walking is a stunt.”
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Check out this list of family friendly movies to watch on HBO Max!
10 Best Moments from the Harry Potter Reunion Special
1) The cast talking about how fun it was to be on set
Particularly the ones who grew up on set. That Christopher Columbus and his team set them up with such a fantastic set environment where they felt like they had fun. I loved when Tom Felton said that he did not recall ever feeling like they were really working. And so many of the cast that were adults on the film talked about the childlike and magically fun feel of the environment. And it’s just so nice to know that there was a since of fun, magic and childhood on the set too.
2) The child actors and actresses not understanding how famous the adults were that they were working with.
It’s funny for them to look back on now. And it seemed to have worked to the advantage of the film. Plus, these actors and actresses got to be trained by the best of the best in action. It was also neat reading about who all was almost cast but declined as well as the American stars who wanted in on the film series. There were just so, so many powerful and great actors and actresses in this series.
3) Everything about the Weasleys
One of my favorite Weasley stories from the specials is hearing about how the twins, James and Oliver Phelps, really acted like Ginny and Ron’s older, fun and slightly obnoxious, brother’s behind the scenes too. Bonnie Wright talked about how lucky they were to have this wonderful extra movie family together. The Phelps brothers also talked about quickly buying matching shirts when they realized they were waiting in line with hundreds of other twins who all matched to audition. Also about how a rib got broken accidently on the set of Goblet of Fire.
4) The villains (and the heroes) aren’t jerks in real life
One of the best moments of the Harry Potter reunion special to me was seeing Helena Bonham Carter talk to Daniel Radcliffe about their time on set together and the magic of the books. Also hearing Tom Felton talk about working with Jason Isaacs and the absolute shift from evil villain to really nice guy when the take was over. Tom easily could have been pitted against the three main characters and it’s so fun to see and hear that they all really got along and weren’t made to be super miserable on set period but especially towards each other. Everyone just had lovely things to say about the people they were working with on the movies.
5) Remembering those gone too soon…
It was very touching to hear the cast reflect on their relationships with those cast members who had passed either during the series or after. Richard Harris (First Dumbledore), Richard Griffiths (Mr. Dursley), John Hurt (Mr. Ollivander), Helen McRory (Mrs. Malfoy), Alan Rickman (Severus Snape). These were the other names listed on the memorial page displayed during the special: Timothy Bateson; Terrence Bayler; Sam Blazely; Shiela Allen; Peter Cartwright; Derek Deadman; Hazel Douglas; Alfred Burke; Salo Gardner; Robert Hardy; Jimmy Gardner; Robert Knox; Dave Legeno; Margery Mason; Rick Mayall; Roger Llloyd Pack; Paul Ritter; David Ryall; Mary Selway; Elizabeth Spriggs; Christopher Whittingham. It was a really beautiful moment in the anniversary special that you wish they didn’t have to have.
Need family friendly streaming ideas?! This list has suggestions for Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Prime Video, Paramount, HBO Max, Peacock, and more!
6) Reminiscing on the fun behind the scenes moments
Like during the first movie, the kids played a hand slapping game all the time. Or that Daniel used to hold Helena Bonham Carter’s coffee all the time. Emma Watson talked about how the design team made her pet gerbil a little coffin when he died. Or hearing that the kids were doing their actual homework in a lot of the classroom scenes. I wish we had gotten to hear more behind the scenes, but what they did let you in on was fun to see.
7) The movies mirror childhood in a unique way
These actors and actresses grew up with the movies in the same way that my generation, and generations to come, did. The movies just mirror growing up so well. From the fear of starting school to the awkward hormones of the Goblet of Fire. They showed one of my favorite parts of that movie when Ron is saying ‘you slayed dragons, if you can’t get a date then who can?’ to Harry. Which just makes me laugh every time.
8) No romances, but lots of growing pains
Growing up on set, having pueberty filmed, was not always fun. And can be awkward to look back at. But they still made it fun. There were not any romantic relationships between any of the main characters and the kissing scenes were ultra awkward for everyone. Each of the main three cast members talked about how the pressure made them want to walk away at one point or another. And they all agreed that growing up in these roles made it hard to distinguish themselves from the character. “Towards the end it was kind of a weird time, especially kind of finishing. I felt like I lost track of who I was and who the character was. I didn’t really know where they ended or began.” Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley)
9) The longevity of the series
In one of the most poignant parts of the reunion special, Robbie Coltrane talks about the enduring legacy of the stories and the character he played. He talks about how he won’t be here when his grandkids show their kids the books and films, but Hagrid will be. And it’s just so sweet to think about new generations finding the same light, guidance, and hope that we did in this series.
10) The cast talking about the trust and relationships they had built- but especially hearing about the bond between the three main characters.
Three main characters talking about the trust and great relationship that they built over the ten years and how they would encourage each other was so nice to see. Just to see the rapport between the different cast members and directors and cast was really fun to watch. The magic of books and movies can be broken so often when you hear that behind the scenes the actors were miserable or disliked each other. I think that was the happiest part of this anniversary special was to see that so many people genuinely got along and enjoyed the process of bringing the magic of this story to life on the screen.
Conclusion on Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Return to Hogwarts:
I thought that this 20th anniversary Harry Potter reunion was done SO well. It was artistic and emotional. And while I easily could have watched six or ten more hours of cast interviews and behind the scenes looks, I like what they focused on. Especially the way they wove in the quotes from the books and poignant scenes from the movie. It would be so wonderful for them to get to do another full reunion where the whole cast could return to Hogwarts post pandemic and just have a giant party and set walkthrough weekend that we got to peak into some. I would have loved to have heard more from some of the other characters that were there, like Bonnie Wright (Ginny) and Alfred Enoch (Dean), but also from other people on the set. And of course those who couldn’t make this particular special like Maggie Smith. It would be so interesting to hear from some of the on set tutors and others behind the cameras. I’ve already watched the reunion special twice while writing this and it was just really a beautiful note for the fans.
What was your favorite moment from the Harry Potter Reunion special?! Have you watched all the old DVD extras on HBO Max?
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Before you go, check out these other posts!!
–5 Themed Cookbooks for Kids (Including a Harry Potter One!)
–The Door on Half Blood Hill book review- a dark but inspiring fantasy novel you might like if you enjoyed the Harry Potter novels.
–Amari and the Night Brothers: Another secret and magical world that will be making it’s way to the movies soon!
-Our review with discussion questions for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
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These are great quotes snd moments from the Harry Potter reunion, which was a fabulous retrospective. Another moment that could have made the list was the tale of hearing Dumbledore talk about how well trained birds are theae days (referring to the phoenix) and never telling him it was an animatronic.