July 31st is a very important date for the Harry Potter universe. Many fans will recognize the date as Harry’s birthday, but the last day of July also stands as the anniversary for other significant events within the wizarding world. A few Harry Potter-related real-world events occurred on this date as well.

Harry was born on July 31, 1980, to Lily and James Potter. Lord Voldemort learned about a prophecy about a boy born in late July who would lead to his downfall so he sought out the Potter family. He murdered Lily and James shortly after Harry’s first birthday, but the young boy survived the deadly attack. Harry then went on to live with his aunt and uncle until the events of his eleventh birthday changed his life forever.

Many fans of the series celebrate on July 31st not just for Harry Potter’s birthday, but also as a way to honor the entire series as a whole. It was the final date for students to accept their offer into Hogwarts, although it went a lot more personal for Harry…

Harry Potter’s 11th Birthday: July 31, 1991

The Dursley family never celebrated Harry’s birthday, which was not a surprise considering how they neglected him in every other way. Prior to Harry’s eleventh birthday, however, hundreds of letters arrived at the Dursleys’ home marked for Harry. The Dursely family knew what that meant so they took Harry and traveled to a shack on the edge of an island. But there was no hiding from the wizards and witches of Hogwarts.

On midnight of July 31, 1991, Rubeus Hagrid arrived at the shack to question why Harry didn’t respond to any of the letters. The half-giant revealed Harry’s identity as a wizard and informed him of the tragic events surrounding his parents. Not only did Hagrid rescue Harry from the horrendous Dursley family, but he also gave the young boy his very first birthday celebration.

Hagrid brought Harry a homemade birthday cake with the words “Happee Birthdae Harry” written in green icing. He also gave Harry his first gift, a snowy owl named Hedwig. To further celebrate Harry’s birthday and his acceptance into Hogwarts, Hagrid took him to Diagon Alley. Harry met a number of people in the Leaky Cauldron, realizing that many wizards were already familiar with his name. Harry’s parents left him a small fortune in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, some of which he used to buy the supplies he needed for his first year at Hogwarts, including his wand which he bought at Ollivander’s. That very same day, Professor Quirinus Quirrell broke into Gringotts to steal the Sorcerer’s Stone, but the vault had already been emptied (by Hagrid at the request of Dumbledore).

Other Important Harry Potter Events On July 31

A year later, on July 31, 1992, Dobby the House Elf arrived at the Dursely’s to warn Harry not to return to Hogwarts. Dobby ended up getting Harry punished by the Dursley’s and the Ministry of Magic.

By 1996, ahead of his sixth year at Hogwarts, Harry began celebrating his sixteenth birthday at the Burrow, the home of the Weasley family, but Remus Lupin ruined the celebratory mood with the news of Dementor attacks.

The following year, on July 31, 1997, the Weasley’s hosted a birthday party for Harry when the Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, showed up to give Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the objects noted in Dumbledore’s will. This included his deluminator for Ron, The Tales of Beedle the Bard for Hermione, and the first snitch he caught (containing the Resurrection Stone) for Harry.

As for the behind-the-scenes significance of July 31st, the date marks the birthday of Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling. The author was born on that date in 1965, which is where the inspiration for Harry’s birthday came from. She isn’t the only one from the outside world to share Harry’s birthday either; Richard Griffiths, who played Vernon Dursley, was also born on July 31st. In 2011, Rowling celebrated the important date by opening registration for Pottermore. The book adaptation of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was also released on July 31, 2016.

Next: Harry Potter: What Traits Make You A Gryffindor

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