It was a regular Hogwarts reunion yesterday at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida, where students, teachers and Death Eaters alike all showed up to take a special sneak peek at the new Diagon Alley, the piece de resistance in the theme park’s Universal Studios expansion.
Among the characters present for the preview: Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright), Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch), Bill Weasley (Domhnall Gleeson), Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis), Fred and George Weasley (James and Oliver Phelps), Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), Professor Flitwick (Warwick Davis), Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter).
And authentically absent were Harry, Hermione and Ron, who were always off doing some dangerous thing or another in the original stories, anyway.
The cast posed for a photo op in Diagon Alley itself, after Hagrid (Coltrane) kicked off the festivities with the help of his magic umbrella.
Clearly, no grudges were being held by the minions of the Dark Lord against the righteous wizards who thwarted them. And it was lovely to see the Weasley twins, both alive and with ears intact (sniff).
Also, it must be said: Matthew Lewis has grown up to be the reigning hunk of this alumni scene. Whatever his Patronus used to be, now it is clearly a stone cold fox. Cormac McLaggen, eat your heart out.
