Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is a nostalgic delight

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts might possibly be the most perfect reunion special there ever was. For those who have watched it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. And for those that haven’t, please do so soon: you will not be disappointed.

For a couple of months nows, HBO Max has been teasing the special by giving us sneak peeks of the Harry Potter sets, the beloved cast, and interviews. We knew this would reignite fans’ love for the franchise, but there was no way of knowing to what extent.

The nearly two-hour special gives fans a little bit of everything. We got to relive our favorite moments, learn new secrets, and just catch up with the cast that many of us grew up with. I simply have no words to explain how much I loved this special. It was magically perfect in every way and the best way to kick off the new year.

People absent from the Harry Potter special

There were some people missing from the special, including Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. She is seen, however, in archival footage from 2019 talking about the films and their global impact. According to Entertainment Weekly, Rowling was invited to join but her team deemed the old footage good enough. Apparently, her controversial comments about trans people did not play a part in her decision not to return.

Of course, we greatly missed the cast members who have passed away, including Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), Richard Harris (the original Dumbledore), Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon), Helen McCrory (Narcissa Malfoy), John Hurt (Garrick Ollivander) and more. The special includes an emotional tribute to those who are no longer with us, and it brought me to tears. I am so grateful that the special honored all of them in the way they did.

There were plenty of cast members who are still alive and well but did not make an appearance in the special. I was very sad that Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall), Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore), Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory), Julie Walters (Molly Weasley), David Thewlis (Remus Lupin), and Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart) did not show up for the reunion. Of course, in the time of COVID-19, it wouldn’t have been easy to get everyone back, but they were most definitely missed, amongst others not mentioned.

Going back in time with Harry Potter

Set to the iconic Harry Potter music, the 20th Anniversary special exuded comfy, happy vibes. It’s basically how any fan would feel whenever the movies come on TV during the holidays.

Most of the special consists of interviews with the cast as they reminisce about their time on set. Returning cast members included Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), and Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort), not to mention the directors.

I think what was most special about this reunion was hearing about things we had never known before. Things like the late Richard Harris believing that Fawkes was an actual bird. He had no idea it was animatronic, and no one ever told him otherwise! Director Chris Columbus and Harry Potter himself, Radcliffe, get a good laugh from that memory.

I was laughing until my stomach hurt hearing Radcliffe describe the fourth movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as a time of “peak hormone” for the cast members. They were all well into puberty by then, and apparently a lot of them dated each other and were suffering those well-known teenage blues, with lots of broken hearts and curious minds.

I was also surprised to learn that all those floating candles in the Great Hall were actually lit! It led to a bit of an accident on set where the flames started burning the wires they were hanging from, although thankfully no one was hurt. Radcliffe remembered how he found it all very amusing as a kid.

Perhaps the best part, however, was hearing Emma Watson (Hermione) and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) talk about their love for one another. Don’t worry, it’s platonic, but there were definitely some crushes back in the day, especially from Watson’s end.

“I walked into the room we were having tutoring,” Watson said. “The assignment was to draw what you thought God looked like. Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard. And I just fell in love with him.”

And while I’m talking about crushes, I’d be remiss not to mention that Radcliffe harbored a huge crush on costar Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange). He even wrote her a letter professing his love! Absolutely adorable.

I was caught off guard during the film when it was revealed that Watson considered not returning after the fourth film. Watson and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) spoke about the pressures that came with becoming famous at such a young age, and how it often felt lonely. “I think I was scared. I don’t know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point where you were like, this is forever now.”

Luckily, she decided to stay on, and thank goodness she did! There is no Harry Potter without Hermione Granger.

All in all, the anniversary special was probably the best thing HBO Max has ever done (and yes, I’m including the Friends and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunions). It was the perfect way to honor a franchise that still lives on to this day.

I’m still reeling from the magic and nostalgia of it all, and have watched it two times already. I don’t think it’s easy to explain the joy this set of movies has brought to so many lives, but getting to see everyone get back together is a joy.

Bravo, HBO Max for giving us this special treat at the start of a new year. We are forever grateful for this present!

Grade: A+

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h/t PEOPLE