Boarders enter the wizarding world

On Sunday 12 May, thirty boarders and staff headed to the Warner Bros. Studios Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. Whilst some of the group were more avid Harry Potter fans than others, all who attended were fascinated to see how the directors, along with the artistic and special effects teams, were able to bring the magic of the wizarding world to life and make it seem so realistic on screen.

The girls learnt how Quidditch was filmed, discovered how Hagrid was made to look so much bigger than the other cast members, and compared the facilities at Mary Ward House with the Griffindor Common Room and dorms! It was also lovely to watch some of the behind-the-scenes footage and see how the cast and crew had developed such strong relationships over the years of filming. A number of the girls and staff particularly enjoyed the new section of Gringotts Bank, discovering how the pillars and floor were made to look like real marble and experiencing the destruction of the bank by dragon! The cafes and souvenir shops were also a big hit with the boarders, many of whom sampled a cup of butterbeer or bought a chocolate frog for the journey home!