Harry Potter: 10 Real-Life Inspirations in the J.K. Rowling’s Series

A series of many genres, including fantasy, drama, coming-of-age fiction, and the British school story, the world of Harry Potter has several unique and magical things that came from the world we live in every day.

• The Philosopher’s Stone is based on real-life legends of the Philosopher’s Stone and the Elixir of Life, which grant their users immortality.
• The character of Nicholas Flamel was a real French man who lived in the late Middle Ages and was a successful merchant.
• Rubeus Hagrid is also based on a real person. The sturdy biker whom author J.K. Rowling once met was actually a gentle and nice guy.
• Voldemort is based on Adolf Hitler himself, an ambitious schemer who strives to exterminate those dreams inferior. The character also resembles a fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, as well as the infamous Josef Stalin.
• Dementors in the Harry Potter universe were inspired by author J.K. Rowling’s bitter experience with clinical depression.
• Horcruxes Echo, the legend of liches is a key part of lich lore.
• Azkaban, is largely based on the real-world prison of Alcatraz, found on its own island just off the coast of San Francisco, California.
• Mandrakes, a strange infant-like creature, came right from history of real mandrake plants used for medicine.
• Fawkes, the personal pet of Dumbledore is a classic phoenix due to being reborn in flames.
• Fluffy is definitely Cerberus, the king of all three-headed hellhounds in ancient Greek folklore, who guarded the entrance to Hades.