15 Times “Harry Potter” Influenced the World We Live in Today

by · August 16, 2014

1. The time J.K. Rowling sold 500 million copies of Harry Potter, making her one of five self-made female billionaires and winning her the Guinness Book of World Records title of best-selling copyright book in the UK:

 

Harry Potter book release party
 

2. The time Germany named a new species of wasp after a Dementor, the Ampulex Dementor:

 

ampulex dementor, a wasp with an orange-brown body and black coloring on its eyes, abdomen, wings, and legs

 

3. The time Universal Studios built a Harry Potter theme park:

 

A pair of youngsters walk the streets of Hogsmeade, decked out in their House robes, at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort.

 

4. And then the time they built the expansion:

 

Diagon Alley

 

5. When Google added Street View to the Diagon Alley set in Warner Bros. Studios in England:

 

a screenshot of Google's street view of Diagon Alley

 

6. There’s Leaky Con:

 

MuggleNet staff posing for a group photo at Leaky Con

 

7. And Butterbeer:

 

a mug of butterbeer

 

8. And Potter-themed weddings (like Meredith and Josh’s):

 

A white wedding cake with the colorful Hogwarts crest that says Meredith and Joshua

 

9. The time you didn’t have to be a wizard to share the classroom with Harry:

 

Harry and Ron run late to class

 

(Many colleges and universities are now offering courses based on Harry Potter content like Yale, Georgetown, and University of Maryland.)

10. The time the U.S. Military invested in ‘magic-based warfare’:

 

US soldiers appear to be flying on broomsticks

 

11. When Quidditch became a thing:

 

Head coach Juan Martinez raises the Benepe Cup, the league trophy named after quidditch founder Alex Benepe, as he is lifted into the air by his teammates. Photo by Mike Iadevaia

 

12. The creation of Lumos, a charity chaired by the Potter author that has positively impacted the lives of millions:

 

Lumos Foundation Logo

 

13. The time Japan compared China to Lord Voldemort in a diplomatic stand-off surrounding world peace:

 

 

14. And there was that one time J.K. Rowling tried to ship Harry and Hermione and the entire world almost imploded:

 

Hermione resting her head on Harry's shoulder in a cemetary

 

(All hail the Harmonians!)

15. And last but not least, the large online community presence we all enjoy today:

 

Mugglenet logo

 

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