The phenomenon that is Harry Potter is never going to go away. The first book came out 20 years ago, since then we’ve had 20 years of wild praise, anticipation, and bona fide magic that’s cemented the series as an enduring classic.
If you needed any proof of that, you need only look to King’s Cross Station in London, where yesterday, on September 1, 2017, hundreds of Potter fans descended on (the honorary) Platform 9 and 3/4 to celebrate the very last scene of the series: the epilogue, set 19 years after the events of the books, when a grown Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione gather once again to send off the next generation to Hogwarts.
Have a great time at Hogwarts, Albus, Rose and Scorpius! #19YearsLater #HPepilogue #kingscross pic.twitter.com/978EJTpeNE
— Nikita Harvey (@nickynak3) September 1, 2017
J.K. Rowling confirmed the date (and reminded us all of the dreadful name she picked for Harry’s son) on Twitter:
Today’s the day Albus Severus Potter boards the Hogwarts Express at King’s Cross for the first time #19yearslater ⚡️
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 1, 2017
And London, as is its wont, cheerfully enabled the entire fanservice-y thing:
https://twitter.com/_Snape_/status/903690706044243970
today is the last day of harry potter existing in the present… sept. 1, 2017 is the date of the last scene of harry potter im crying
— Audrey Galehouse (@audreygale118) September 1, 2017
Guess where I am?! #kingscross #harrypotter pic.twitter.com/PCLKWaHIl2
— Coley DeCat (@ColeyDecat) September 1, 2017
Queue to get into Kings Cross because it’s FULL of kids in the cutest fancy dress. ‘Some Harry Potter stuff’ according to the v.tired guard. pic.twitter.com/zsVZ3Qh1hs
— Ruth Kilpatrick (@_RudieCantFail) September 1, 2017
Harry Potter fans are out in force in londons kings cross! ❤️❤️#19yearslater #backtohogwarts pic.twitter.com/1v9ndImyFw
— Sarah L (@BenzeneDoneThat) September 1, 2017
Fans came from all around the globe to count down the moments until 11am, when the Hogwarts Express would leave (and you can clearly hear the varied accents in this vid):
Kings Cross at 11 #19YearsLater #BackToHogwarts pic.twitter.com/p0JEX9L9qe
— Bobbie (@bobbie_9320) September 1, 2017
The event saw Potter film star Warwick Davies in attendance, and on Twitter, Jason Isaacs got back into character as Lucius Malfoy to lament his part in all that unpleasantness:
https://twitter.com/ahlohomora/status/903548697874706432
It could have all been so different, if only I’d picked the winning side.
Where’s that time-turner gone?#19YearsLater@jk_rowling https://t.co/cO9vbXWQCE— Jason Isaacs (@jasonsfolly) September 1, 2017
It was the last time the wizarding universe’s timeline existed within ours – a moment, for many, absolutely worth braving a crowd of Potter nerds in a London public transport centre. Bless you, Potter maniacs. It’s been a great 20 years.
