By Emily-Rose Toohey and Dominique Tassell
For Harry Potter fans across the world, the 1 September means back to Hogwarts. It’s the day that marks the beginning of a new year and therefore the beginning of a new, exciting Potter novel (or movie, whichever you prefer). In honour of this special day, we’re reflecting on what unexplored stories cited within the books would make exceptional television shows. Although nothing’s official, there have been rumblings from insiders that Warner Bros. (or Warner Discovery as it’s now known after the merger) that something magical is brewing just waiting to appear on our screens over the coming few years.
1. Founder’s era
Throughout the entirety of the Harry Potter series, Hogwarts has been central to the narrative. It’s where the kids go to school and is shrouded with mystery and intrigue just waiting to be uncovered. However, the novels don’t delve deeply into its establishment aside from Chamber of Secrets, which indicates Salazar Slytherin’s biased ways and in Deathly Hallows, through the story of Rowena Ravenclaw’s daughter. The story of the Hogwarts founders (which also includes Godric Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff) presents the opportunity for creators to dive into 10th-century England, and explore relations between Muggles and the wizards while also explaining exactly how our beloved Hogwarts came to be.
2. The ancestor’s era
While there’s debate online about what exactly to call this era, there’s definitely an interest in the time period where Minerva McGonagall, Poppy Pomfrey, Pomona Sprout, and several relatives of the characters we know and love went to school. Characters many would like to see more about include Euphemia and Fleamont Potter (Harry’s Grandparents), Augustine Longbottom (Neville’s Grandmother), and Alphard Black (Sirius’ favourite Uncle).
3. Marauders era
The Marauders’ era is certainly a fan favourite, as indicated by the countless fanfictions to more current TikTok obsessions, so this feels like the most obvious choice. Following the lives of Harry’s parents and their friends, as they get up to mischief and face the first Wizarding War against the evil Lord Voldemort, which eventually leads to all the character’s demise, this era has the potential to be both heart-wrenching and effective. However, there’s a catch: because these characters are so beloved, the Harry Potter fandom has created its own ideas of who these people are. These ideas are so prominent that it’s almost as if a whole new universally accepted canon was created. As a result, if a creator attempts to make a Marauders series, meeting fan expectations would be an incredibly difficult task and may be too dangerous to attempt. Fans are torn too – getting to see beloved stories played out on screen but at what cost? Is it worth the risk?
4. A History Of Magic
While there are definitely certain eras that fans would like to see a specific focus on, a way to get the best of all the worlds would be to utilise yet another textbook mentioned in the original books. Each episode, or every few episodes, could focus on a different era in the Harry Potter universe. While fans certainly have favourite eras, there are plenty of tidbits throughout the novel that could be expanded on. Harry’s namesake sat on the Wizengamot and fought for muggle rights? Please, tell me more!
5. Quidditch Through The Ages
Now, this is a bit niche but surely there’s a good story here. Quidditch is an incredibly complex and historic sport, so much so that there’s a whole book written about it separate from the Harry Potter novels. Much like the Fantastic Beasts franchise (in approach, not quality) which originated as a book ‘written’ by the lead character Newt, another textbook adaptation exploring a very specific aspect of the Wizarding Worlds would simply rule.
6. A Ministry drama
The insights we get into the Ministry of Magic throughout the Harry Potter series show it’s an incredibly complex and diverse workplace. Making a series in this setting would be an opportunity to explore all the different departments and as a result all the different areas of the Wizarding World that the Ministry deals with. This one, in particular, could lend itself to either a more lighthearted approach or a very serious political drama.
7. A Newspaper drama
Similar to a Ministry drama, basing a series in the Daily Prophet’s office would be an opportunity to express the Wizarding World in its entirety. Now maybe we’re a little biased, but a newspaper is a pretty good place to centre a story if you want to see a variety of different groups in the community. Given how big the Harry Potter books are, there’s a lot we still don’t know. Wizarding music, TV, and movies? I present to you the entertainment section. Political drama; the political beat. Crime, Education, Health, it can all be explored by the Daily Prophet reporters.
