For the past 10 years, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been left unattended but the magic has not left many people’s hearts. From die-hard fans to the occasional watcher, the boy who lived has been affecting lives since 1997. 

For someone who had a childhood filled with the ‘Harry Potter’ books and movies, I loved seeing Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts reunion, it reminded me of all the nights my sisters would take turns reading chapters to me before bed, my dad secretly letting me up stay far past my bedtime and watch ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,’ not to mention my obsession with wanting a snowy owl and thinking I could convince my parents to get me one. 

Over the years, my love for learning the backstory of why and how movies are made, effects especially, skyrocketed. In a part of the reunion Chris Columbus, the director of the first two ‘Harry Potter’ movies, sat down and talked about the making of the first and second films. Hearing the number of challenges that were faced and how they were overcome is so interesting to experience. 

Not only the story behind it but seeing a majority of the cast all together again, now twenty years older is so nostalgic. The reunion wasn’t just important for the fans but also for the cast. The cast and crew reminisced on their favorite memories from filming. The thing I probably liked the most was the fact that it wasn’t focused entirely on the main cast of characters and their experiences.

 Jason Isaacs, who plays the role of Lucius Malfoy, was interviewed and talked about how he originally auditioned for the character Gilderoy Lockhart but instead, the director asked him to read for Lucius, a character he wasn’t very keen on playing. In the end, Isaacs executed the role to perfection with memories and stories to spare. 

Sadly, not all of the cast attended the Hogwarts gathering. Among the actors who couldn’t be there, were the following: 

Micheal Gambon (Albus Dumbledore), Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall), Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory), Julie Walters (Molly Weasly), David Thewlis (Remus Lupin), Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart), Jim Broadbent (Horace Slughorn), Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick), Harry Melling (Dudley Dursley), Fiona Shaw (Petunia Dursley), Brendan Gleeson (Mad-Eye Moody), Timothy Spall (Peter Pettigrew), Emma Thompson (Sybill Trelawney), David Bradley (Argus Filch), Katie Leung (Cho Chang), and Devon Murray (Seamus Finnigan).

The reasons aren’t clear as to why these actors and actresses could not be at the reunion, however, all that matters is these amazingly talented people are safe and healthy. Although no doubt the fans, cast, and crew alike missed seeing them again, the excitement from witnessing everyone together for the first time in twenty years feels so magical.

 The nostalgia from watching the reunion is sparking a love for magic that was almost forgotten. So grab your wands and board platform 9 ¾ once more through watching the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts.