Throughout the 20th anniversary Return To Hogwarts special, there were many things said that made everyone at home both laugh and burst into tears at the same time. Partly because, as these people watched each other grow up throughout the course of the films, so did everyone watching at home.
In the special, however, there are many quotes that are so emotional that they had the power to make even Voldemort cry. Each cast member got the opportunity to wax poetic about some of their most poignant reflections on the franchise as a whole.
Helena Bonham Carter
"I Think It's Great To Be A Misfit, And I Think That's Why It's Popular. Everybody Wants To Feel Like They Belong."
Right off the bat, Helena Bonham Carter, the actress who plays Bellatrix in the Harry Potter franchise eloquently describes why so many people at home connect with the films. And it’s because so many people at home feel like the outsider, like a misfit, and through these films, they feel less alone, like they belong. That’s the power of filmmaking and bringing stories to life, and that’s why this quote is one of the saddest from special.
Chris Columbus
"I Was Always Adamant That Hogwarts Should Feel Like A World That Shouldn't Exist In Reality."
Director of the first Harry Potter film, Chris Columbus, said that Hogwarts should be a world that can’t exist in reality. It should feel like one is entering a whole different world unlike our own, which is what makes this quote so emotional, because the films are like traveling to a new world for a lot of people who adore the franchise. It’s not just a place in our minds, it’s a place that exists in another reality, another world.
Emma Watson
"There's Something About Harry Potter That Makes Life Richer, Like When Things Get Really Dark And Times Are Really Hard, Stories Give Us Places We Can Go, Where We Can Rest, Feel Held..."
Emma Watson, as eloquently as ever, talks about how Harry Potter “makes life richer" in the special, and that even when life is hard and dark, stories give people a place to go. That’s one of the most beautiful things about the franchise: it gives millions and millions of people an escape from their lives.
Whether it's friendship drama, financial troubles, or something deeply woven into a family, Harry Potter can provide a remedy for even the darkest of times, even if only for a few hours.
Emma Watson
“It Feels Like No Time Has Passed And Loads of Time’s Passed.”
Another thing that Emma Watson said that made everyone at home cry was, “it feels like no time has passed and loads of time’s passed.” For fans watching, they too can probably relate to this statement.
The Harry Potter series is very personal to a lot of people that weren’t involved directly in making the films, but who were at home watching them. And what’s emotional about this quote is that a lot of time has passed, but it, at the same time, feels like it's gone by in the blink of an eye. And that’s the beauty of these films: they will always feel like that, frozen in time.
Rupert Grint
“I Wouldn't Be The Person I Am Without So Many People Here. It's A Very Overwhelming Thing Because I've Watched You Grow Up And I've Seen Kind Of Every Stage Of Your Life. It's A Strong Bond That We'll Always Have. We're Family.”
This quote made everyone at home well up because of the true bond that the golden trio has. Rupert Grint, more commonly known as Ron Weasley, said this to Emma Watson about growing up together as they made the films.
And another thing that makes this quote so emotional is how the people in the audiences at home have also watched them grow up through these films. It’s not just the actors or crew who are family: it’s the fans at home who watched the films too.
Mark Williams
"The Weasley Family Values Were Consideration, Thoughtfulness And Fun..."
The head of the Weasley household, Mark Williams, talks about what it was like to be a Weasley in the special, and what their family values were: “consideration, thoughtfulness, and fun.” There perhaps is no better way to sum up the Weasley family, and every time those three words will be henceforth mentioned, it will bring everyone back to this moment, where the Weasley’s were finally understood.
Evanna Lynch
“It Was Quite Liberating To See Your Oddness As A Super Power Represented Onscreen.”
Evanna Lynch, the actress who played Luna, explains that “it was quite liberating to see your oddness as a super power represented onscreen.” And, although all the characters (except Draco) are definitely outcasts in their own ways, Luna was the character who especially was picked on and considered weird. But that’s the beauty of the impact of these films: every person out there that feels like a Luna can see their oddness on screen as not something bad, but instead as a gift.
Emma Watson
“I Walked Into The Room Where We Were Having Tutoring. The Assignment That Had Been Given Was To Draw What You Thought God Looked Like And Tom Had Drawn A Girl With A Backward Cap On A Skateboard. And I Just Don't Know How To Say It – I Just Fell In Love With Him.”
One of the most interesting and exciting reveals of the Return To Hogwarts special for fans everywhere, was the reveal that Emma Watson had a major crush on Tom Felton who played Draco Malloy in the films. As she talks about the reason she fell in love with him, fans wondered if perhaps there was more to the story than she was sharing, which is enough to make anyone cry out of excitement. Is there an Emma and Tom history that fans don’t know about?
Emma Watson
“I Think, Really, The Truth Of It Was, Tom Was The One That I Could Often Be More Vulnerable With.”
Continuing on with another quote about Emma and Tom, she explains that she felt she could be most vulnerable with him, and that’s why she immediately connected with him. This idea of having such a friendship unhindered by difference in age or Hogwarts houses is incredibly special and beautiful, making any true Harry Potter fan burst into tears.
Robbie Coltrane:
"The Legacy Of These Movies Is That My Children's Generation Will Show Them To Their Children. So, You Could Be Watching Them In 50 Years' Time, Easy. I'll Not Be Here Sadly, But Hagrid Will..."
The final - and perhaps most emotional - quote is one spoken by the actor who played Hagrid, Robbie Coltrane. He says that, “you could be watching them in 50 years time, easy. I’ll not be here sadly, but Hagrid will.” Those words enough need no explanation on why this quote is on this list, Hagrid will live on and be in the lives of generations to come. Hagrid will never die. Nor will the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.