Rachel is a student at the University of Idaho pursuing a degree in wildlife resources and a double minor in French and rangeland management/ecology. In 2021, she studied abroad in Reading, England.
While many stories and novels have come and gone, there is one series that has remained timeless. You may find a copy on the bedside table of a young child, all seven of them on the dusty mahogany bookcase of a retired couple, or several stashed next to academic books in the drawer of a university student. No matter one’s age or lifestyle, these books have transported readers to a magical, adventurous, suspenseful, and mysterious world. The series is so integral in our culture that knowing one’s “house” can illuminate everything about a person. This book series and the wizarding world, as you may have guessed, is that of “Harry Potter.”
This past fall, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Reading, England — in the land that inspired this fantastical series. I saw the rugged highlands that inspired Hogwarts Express’s path, heard the musical accents of the British people (perhaps not all were muggles?), found London’s iconic red telephone booths that would’ve been the gateway to Gringotts, and stood on the Platform 9 ¾ in King’s Cross station. It was an incredible experience filled with incredible memories.
However, there was one weekend that was truly unique—a Harry Potter weekend. Our amazing USAC Resident Director, Jeremy Doughty, and his team curated a totally unique weekend consisting of a Harry-Potter-themed dinner, visits to scene locations in both London and Oxford, and an other-worldly visit to the official Warner Bros. Harry Potter studio.
Day 1 – A Thanksgiving Feast
Harry Potter weekend kicked off with our Thanksgiving dinner in London at a beautiful pub located along the Thames. Students from other USAC England programs joined our Reading cohort and competed in a heated game of Harry Potter trivia. It helped us mentally prepare for the upcoming weekend! Thanks to my friend Johnny Walker, I won the first round of trivia, and my prize was a glorious box of Bertie’s Box Every Flavour of Beans. Afterward, we walked along the Thames, explored the Christmas markets, and reveled in the sparkling lights of one of the most famous cities in the world.
During my program, I attended the University of Reading. Reading is only a 20-minute train ride away, but my friends and I decided to spend two nights in London during the epic Harry Potter weekend. It was a wonderful decision, and one I highly recommend. It afforded us the opportunity to truly integrate into the culture. I remember one night my friends and I explored Soho when a group of young men left a pub, crossed the street, and one of them picked up a traffic cone, placed it on another’s head, and shouted, “Gryffindor!”
This was an example of how iconic Harry Potter is in British culture. From Edinburgh, Scotland to London, England, and all the towns in between—York, Oxford, Bristol, and Brighton—one can find a store that is dedicated to Harry Potter. All of the U.K. is connected to Harry Potter and the people are proud of it.
Day 2 – Exploring the Magic of London
The following day, Jeremy and his assistant Ashini organized a Harry Potter walking tour in London. My friends and I stayed in a quaint Soho hostel and then made our way over to Southwark. Our great escapade started under the glass ceiling of the famous Borough Market, where Harry gets off the magical purple bus during a scene in “The Prisoner of Azkaban.” We grabbed a bite to eat from one of the many artisan food stalls, walked to Leadenhall Market which was decorated for Christmas. Festive red ribbons and garland were strung throughout adorned with large, golden ornaments. The main attraction: a glittering Christmas tree.
While we were there, Jeremy and Ashini gave us images from the movie scenes that were filmed in the locations we visited. Our challenge was to see how we could best match the movie scene to the location. It was great fun and allowed us to connect even more to the Harry Potter world. From Horse Guards Avenue to Trafalgar Square, and places in between, we stopped and matched photos.
We then visited many Harry Potter-themed shops for memorabilia and souvenirs, such as the House of Spells and Minalima (the design studio for the graphic props used in Harry Potter and is quite a fascinating place to explore). We ended the walking tour by visiting Kings Cross/St. Pancras and the legendary Platform 9 ¾. A fun-filled day indeed!
Day 3 – Onward to Oxford
The following morning, we left our hostel and bustled from the tube at Charing Cross to Paddington Station. There we took a train to the historic city of Oxford. I remember it being a cold and blustery day, and we would often seek shelter and warmth in the cathedrals. Our first stop, however, was the Bodleian Libraries. There we visited the Quads, Radcliffe Square, and the Divinity School. Many scenes were shot at these places. At the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin’s tower, we climbed all 127 steps and discovered a 360-degree view of Oxford and the surrounding countryside. After feeling precious sunlight on our faces, we hunched underneath the stone door and made our way carefully down the narrow, uneven steps, feeling as if we were discovering our very own Hogwarts.
We strolled over to the impressive golden building of Christ Church College with its grandiose cloisters, soaring cathedral, and the iconic Great Hall. This Great Hall is the one that inspired the Great Hall in the Harry Potter movies. Since Christ Church is a working university, we waited for the university students to finish their lunch before going into the Great Hall. I remember all of us huddled together in the cloister like Emperor penguins as the north wind whipped around us. But excitement glittered in our eyes and our laughter echoed across the ancient stone, keeping us warm until we could enter the legendary hall.
We walked up the large stone stairs, the same stairs where Professor McGonagall met Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the first Harry Potter movie, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.” We entered through the large wooden doors and took in the incredible view: long rows of wooden tables decorated with small lamps; glass windows streaming muted, early winter light; walls lined with archaic paintings; and the lofty, solid wood-beamed vaulted ceiling. It was a truly incredible experience … our very own Hogwarts.
After, we ambled over to New College, built in 1379, where a jolly porter greeted us at the gate and explained the different places that were used for filming the movies. One instance: in the courtyard surrounded by cloisters, resides an ancient oak tree. This famed tree is the one that Draco Malfoy sat in during the film, “Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire.”
We visited some of the Harry-Potter-themed shops, where my friends and I found and purchased scarves representing our different Hogwarts houses. We also explored Oxford’s winding cobblestoned streets and made our way to the Covered Market. Inside was a swirling array of colors and aromas: the sharp scent of spiced ale and hot chocolate, and the shimmering Christmas lights. It‘s a magical place. The sun set as we rode the train back to Reading. We tried to get as much sleep as possible for the ultimate culmination of this epic weekend—the Warner Bros. Studio Tour.
Day 4 – The Home of Harry Potter
Bright and early, we boarded the bus that would take us to the renowned studio where it all began. Proudly displaying our Hogwarts house colors, we stepped off the bus and gazed up at the giant Wizard’s Chess pieces that guard the doors. As we passed beneath their stony gaze and entered the studio, we were transported into another land. Another world where dragons roared, wizards flew, and magic filled the air. The concept of time melted away as we began the tour and explored the real movie sets and clothing from the films, literally watching the movies come to life around us.
We experienced the Great Hall with its roaring fireplaces and floating candlesticks. We passed through the warmly lit Gryffindor common room, with its great lion insignias and red ochre furniture, to the foreboding Slytherin common room of cool greens and silvers. A stone serpent proudly bore his fangs on the fireplace.
We passed by the great golden eagle lift that takes you to Dumbledore’s study and the mysterious potions classroom where a sinister-looking Snape watched your every move. Our meandering path took us by Hagrid’s quaint cottage where we spied the giant inside amongst his various creatures. We traveled into the Forbidden Forest where mysterious sounds emanated through the dimly lit woods. A large life-like Buckbeak greeted us along our journey.
We made it out alive and found ourselves in a destroyed Gringotts bank. We felt thumping on the floor like some large beast was coming toward us. I subconsciously took a few steps closer to peer through the increasing smoke and fog. A shadow, a figure slowly emerged. ‘Tis the white dragon. We felt the ground shake beneath us as the dragon started hurtling toward us. We hurriedly took a few steps back, but the dragon was almost upon us when suddenly it opened its maws, and we were consumed in a blinding flood of fire. Except we were not burned.
This incredibly life-like simulation made you feel like the main character in a film. After that heart-pounding experience, we leisurely strolled through Diagon Alley and to Platform 9 ¾. The Hogwarts Express is there, spewing steam and ready to take us to Hogwarts Castle.
The culmination of the tour comes when you entered the castle. It’s intricately designed and decorated, and more than 50-feet in diameter. While there were many people walking around the castle, there was a heavy hush in the room—an awe-inspired, respectful silence for the place that holds so many of our dreams. I remember that moment, the first time I saw it. While it wasn’t life-size, it was still the perfect size for dreams, for imagination. It’s the castle you see in the movies; the castle one can imagine while reading the books. This was our home: Hogwarts.
Our epic Harry Potter weekend was a whirlwind of magic, memories, and friendships that will last a lifetime.
Discover study abroad in all USAC England locations. 2022-23 apps for Brighton, Bristol, London, and Reading are now open.
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