For years, fans of the beloved "Harry Potter" franchise have flocked to Edinburgh, Scotland, to visit the sites where author J.K. Rowling had reportedly started writing the series.
But now, Rowling has revealed Edinburgh is actually not where the writing of the boy who lived began.
See 35 ways Harry Potter changed the world in a gallery at the end of this story
"I was renting a room in a flat over what was then a sports shop," Rowling said on Twitter, with an image of where she resided at the time of writing the first book. "The first bricks of Hogwarts were laid in a flat in Clapham Junction."
And fans were -- to borrow from the books -- were essentially petrified.
J.K. Rowling took to Twitter to answer all of our questions about the origin of Harry Potter.
The news came after a fan posted a picture on Twitter of the Elephant House, a coffee shop in Edinburgh which on its website describes itself as the place "made famous as the place of inspiration to writers such as J.K. Rowling, who sat writing much of her early novels in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle."
The fan asked Rowling to explain "the truth about this 'birthplace' of Harry Potter."
Rowling, who is known to drop various bombshells and unknown tidbits about the franchise on Twitter, explained that the real "pen to paper" birth of Harry Potter himself, happened in her flat.
However, she said, the moment where she had the idea for the series itself was while she was riding on a train.
"If you define the birthplace of Harry Potter as the moment when I had the initial idea, then it was a Manchester-London train," Rowling tweeted.
"But I'm perennially amused by the idea that Hogwarts was directly inspired by beautiful places I saw or visited, because it's so far from the truth."
As for the high flying, bludger smashing game of Quidditch, Rowling said it was birthed in 1991 after a one-night stay at the the Bourneville Hotel in Manchester.
Rowling went on to dispel some of the other rumors around her inspirations for key icons from the Harry Potter world.
For example, a fan tweeted a picture from the bookstore Livraria Lello, in Porto, Portugal, that supposedly inspired the Hogwarts library. The only trouble is, Rowling said she has never been there.
She did acknowledge that she wrote in a cafe in Rua Santa Catarina, Portugal.
"If it cheers up the people who're disappointed about the bookshop in Oporto, I wrote in here sometimes," she wrote. "This was probably the most beautiful café I ever wrote in, actually."
Rowling also said that rumors around her inspiration for Hogwarts itself miss the mark as well.
"I sometimes hear Hogwarts was based on one or other of Edinburgh's schools, but that's 100% false, too," Rowling said.
"Hogwarts was created long before I clapped eyes on any of them! I did finish Hallows in the Balmoral, though, and I can't lie, I'd rate it a smidge higher than the Bournville."
Out of all the "utter nonsense about Potter landmarks," Rowling said her favorite is people going to a parking meter she supposedly used in Edinburgh while writing the "Deathly Hallows."
"I can't drive," she wrote.
Unfortunately, when it comes to any spoilers about upcoming work, Dumbledore voiced disappointment best: "Alas, earwax."
35 ways Harry Potter changed the world
Intro
Since we were first introduced to J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world in 1997, “Harry Potter” is the gift that keeps on giving. From books to movies to a live stage play, the possibilities for Pottermania are endless. Here are just a few ways in which “Harry Potter” has changed the world.
Above: Fans of the Harry Potter film franchise gather on the red carpet as stars from the Harry Potter film franchise make an appearance during a special event at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando on Saturday, November 12, 2011, in Orlando, Florida. Cast and fans gathered to celebrate the DVD release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-Part 2." (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
Platform 9 3/4 actually exists
Although it seems like a ridiculous number and you won’t find it on a real train ticket, you will still be able to find Platform 9 3/4 in the King’s Cross station’s main concourse. You can queue up (aka line up) and take a picture there any time of the day without a paid ticket for the train. Even Warwick Davis, who played Professor Flitwick in the “Harry Potter” films, has visited.
People follow a religion known as Snapeism
A few years ago, University of Sydney’s Zoe Alderton examined this fiction-based religion. In the article, she said, “While a Snape religion may be seen as the extreme end of the Harry Potter fandom, I argue that religions of this nature are not uncommon, unreasonable, or unprecedented.”
'Muggle' is in the dictionary
This popular piece of Potter jargon referring to a non-magic person was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2002. The definition: “a person who lacks a particular skill or skills, or who is regarded as inferior in some way.”
There has been a spike in railway trespassing
Just a few years ago there was a 16 percent rise in the number of people trespassing on railways in Scotland. The curved Glenfinnan Viaduct has even been the sight of some near misses, as people have attempted to get close to the tall structure. This is the route we see the Hogwarts Express traveling along in the first few films.
The young adult genre has seen a significant boom
As Harry Potter the character aged so, too, did the danger of his wizarding experiences. This put the young adult genre on the map and paved the way for the success of young adult novels (and film franchises!) such as “The Hunger Games,” “Divergent,” and “The Maze Runner.”
Quidditch has become a sport
More young people are getting involved in politics
Inspired by the Second Wizarding War, the conflict stemming from the Dark Wizard Lord Voldemort's second rise to power, young adults influenced by the spell-binding books and films are becoming more involved in rallies and elections around the world.
You can take a piece of the Potter world everywhere you go
For the super fan, the golden snitch or one of the wizard’s brooms is the ultimate accessory.
People take the sorting hat seriously
Do you know how many quizzes have popped up to tell you which Hogwarts house you would be sorted into? You and your friends can answer a few questions to see if you belong in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin.
Even royals have read it
Earlier this year, the Duchess of Cornwall visited students St James’ Church of England Junior School in Gloucester, U.K. and read a "Harry Potter" book to them.
Hogwarts classes are offered online
A team of super-fans with spell-binding coding skills started an online wizarding world social network at www.hogwartsishere.com that features such courses as Astronomy, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions. Oh, look: another royal! We wonder if the Duchess of Cambridge, who once visited a "Harry Potter" film set, has taken a Charms class.
Costumes are not just for Halloween
Die-hard "Harry Potter" fans don’t need to wait for Halloween to dress as favorite characters or wear Potter-themed garb. You’ll find plenty of Potterheads worldwide at Comic Con and other events. Some even enjoy LARPing, or live-action role-playing.
Above: Harry Potter fans at King's Cross Station, London.
Other countries are creating replicas of Platform 9 3/4
Not only will you find the “magical” Platform 9 3/4 in London, but it can be seen at a commercial center in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province as well.
It inspired a LEGO installation in Poland
A LEGO quidditch game was displayed at a LEGO exhibition in Warsaw, Poland, in February 2018.
Butterbeer is a thing
Sure, you can get butterbeer in places like a candy shop in Coney Island, N.Y. or at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. But people are also experimenting making their own Frappuccino butterbeer concoctions at their local Starbucks. It’s Pottermania at its finest, muggles.
J.K. Rowling became an inspiration to single moms
The “Harry Potter” author’s rags-to-riches story has piqued the interest of single moms everywhere. From jotting down initial ideas about the book on a napkin to becoming the successful entrepreneur she is today, Rowling’s story has inspired many a single mother.
Above: Harry Potter author JK Rowling after she was made a Companion of Honour by the Duke of Cambridge during an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, in London, UK, on Tuesday December 12, 2017. Photo by Andrew Matthews/PA Wire/ABACAPRESS.COM
The awe of the films travels across the globe
Props from a “Harry Potter” film were scattered about Harry Potter: The Exhibition Madrid, Spain, in 2017.
It inspired a creative pet adoption process in Florida
The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando introduced a system where they sorted dogs like they sort children in the Harry Potter books to help get dogs adopted.
Scores of pets have been named after 'Harry Potter' characters
Harry Potter, a British Shorthair, is shown at the Lewis & Clark LH Specialty Club cat show sponsored by Cat Fanciers Association in Portland, Ore.
The book has been translated into more than 60 languages
A fan holds a copy of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" during an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the publication of the first "Harry Potter" book in Montevideo, Uruguay.
More stories have followed the “Harry Potter” series
J.K. Rowling continued exploring her magical world, writing many more stories, including and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” and “Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists.”
The movie characters have touched people’s lives
British actor Alan Rickman played Professor Severus Snape in the films. When he died in 2016 after battling cancer, fans in St. Petersburg, Russia, raised “wands” (i.e., mobile phones) to pay tribute to him.
Several Potter-inspired nonprofits have sprung up over the years
J.K. Rowling attended a special event at the Empire State Building in New York to announce the USA launch of her non-profit children's organization, Lumos.
Life-changing research is being conducted thanks to J.K. Rowling’s generosity
The Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic at Edinburgh University in the U.K. was established with a £10 million donation from author J.K. Rowling. The multiple sclerosis research clinic is named after her late mother.
Fan culture became mainstream
Think back to the age of the Trekkies. Gathering together with mega fans of “Star Trek” wasn’t easy back in the day. Potterheads grew up with the internet, so it has never been too difficult to find a fellow super fan. Communicate with them or find a fun Potter-themed event!
It proved age is nothing but a number
You’re never too old to read “Harry Potter.” And you’re definitely never too old to dress like one of the film characters.
Above: Harry Potter fans at King's Cross Station, London. Photo by Lauren Hurley/PA Wire/ABACAPRESS.COM
It's an inspiration to sewists
Harry Potter fans Fran Plagge and Lottie Yearby, who dressed up as favorite characters Ron Weasley and Dolores Umbridge in these hand-made costumes, were the first in the queue to collect a copy of "Harry Potter and The Cursed Child" at Waterstones in London back in 2016.
Attractions across the globe are being erected in the name of Harry Potter
Visitors stroll through Hogsmeade village at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Children can see themselves in the stories
Themes in “Harry Potter” are timeless. There are countless situations in which Harry and his friends are faced with moral dilemmas of right and wrong, but there is also plenty of fun and magic. It’s easy to identify with the characters.
Above: Harry Potter fans at the grand opening of the "Warner Brothers Studio Tour — The Making of Harry Potter," at the Leavesdon Studios in London, UK, on March 31, 2012. Photo by Ian West/PA Wire/ABACAPRESS.COM
Young people have become more accepting
According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, researchers from several European universities said that reading the books improves attitudes toward stigmatized groups, such as immigrants, the LGBTQ community and refugees.
Above: Harry Potter fans play quidditch at Waterstones in Picadilly, central London, UK, to celebrate the launch of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child at midnight on Saturday 30 July, 2016. Photo by Isabel Infantes/PA Wire/ABACAPRESS.COM
The films launched the careers of several of today’s hottest actors
Years’ worth of “Harry Potter” films put names like Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe one the map, giving us even more movies, plays, etc. to enjoy. Although, they’ll never be able to shake being synonymous with Ron, Hermione and Harry.
People are going to Potter Prom
The 2018 Potter Prom at Fado Irish Pub in Chicago and Miami was a self-proclaimed magical fantasy where fans of the books and films were encouraged to dress in their Hogwarts best, from donning house color dresses and robes to full on dressing up as their favorite characters.
The books proved longer works can work for today’s youth
Before the “Harry Potter” series, most authors felt that kids (and young adults) didn’t have the attention span for longer material. But once this phenomenon became an unstoppable force in the literary world, there was no stopping kids’ desire to read each book in the series.
The stories stay with the readers for life
According to the Atlantic, a 2014 Facebook poll showed that “Harry Potter” topped the list of most-mentioned books in five out of six countries where users answered the question: “What books have stayed with you?”
'Harry Potter' proved a concept can go on forever
J.K. Rowling didn’t just stop when the “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” movies were available for streaming and to watch on DVD. She moved on to the “Fantastic Beasts” film series, and the play “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is a hit. Plus, mega-fans are still keeping up with all things Potter on the popular website Pottermore.com. There’s no telling what’s next for the Harry Potter world!
Above: Jude Law, Ezra Miller, Callum Turner, Dan Fogler and Eddie Redmayne from the film "Fantastic Beasts 2," photographed in the L.A. Times Photo and Video Studio at Comic-Con 2018, in San Diego, Calif., on July 21, 2018 (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times/TNS)
