The story about the Boy Who Lived has enchanted millions of people around the globe. And that's partially because of the world that J. K. Rowling created. The wizarding world of Harry Potter is, quite literally, filled with magic. There are wizards and witches, fantastical creatures, potions and incantations. And of course, there are many, many magical items. In this list, we'll be examining the coolest magical artifacts in the Harry Potter films.
With abilities ranging from flight to time travel, these are 10 magical items and artifacts from the world of Harry Potterthat you'd love to own if they existed in the real world.
10 The Pensieve
Have you ever wished that you could relive one of your memories? Well, the Pensieve lets you do that. A rare and powerful artifact, the Pensieve looks like a large basin that's been inscribed with ancient symbols and runes. And what goes inside this basin, you ask? A person's memories, which appear as a silvery, wispy substance.
Dipping your head into this substance transports you into a faithful recreation of a particular memory, allowing you to relive every subconscious detail as a third-person spectator. Only the most advanced witches and wizards, like Albus Dumbledore, own and use the Pensieve, due to its dangerous power over memory and thought. Dangerous or not, this is one cool item to have in your closet.
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9 The Cloak of Invisibility
There are many invisibility cloaks in the wizarding world of Harry Potter, but there is only one Cloak of Invisibility. This magical garment can turn the wearer completely invisible, no matter what concealment spells are cast at it. Unlike other invisibility cloaks, whose magical properties wear off over time, the Cloak of Invisibility never loses its power.
According to legend, this garment was owned by Death himself and is one of the three fabled Deathly Hallows. The Cloak was given to a wizard, who passed it down from generation to generation. The Cloak of Invisibility eventually falls into the hands of that wizard's distant ancestor, Harry Potter, who turns out to be the owner of one of the wizarding world's most historic magical artifacts.
8 Gryffindor's Sword
Each legendary founder of Hogwarts owned an historical artifact. There was Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's diadem, and Gryffindor's sword. That alone makes these four objects pretty awesome. Each item was said to possess magical properties, though aside from the last two artifacts, we never really learn what those magical abilities are. Ravenclaw's diadem bestows its wearer with wisdom, which is pretty cool -- though that's not nearly as cool as Gryffindor's sword.
As far as movie swords go, the Sword of Gryffindor is pretty badass. Crafted by goblins, it's a powerful weapon that magically absorbs any substance that strengthens it. Much like wands, the sword appears to be almost sentient, choosing to whom and when it should appear. It typically responds to appeals for help by fellow Gryffindors, appearing to be brave and worthy individuals during their time of need.
Harry pulls the sword from the Sorting Hat during his fight with the Basilisk in Chamber of Secrets, which imbues the sword with Basilisk venom, making it more powerful than before. Both Ron (Rupert Grint) and Neville (Matthew Lewis) use the sword in the Deathly Hallows films to destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. It's an object that any Gryffindor, and any muggles who are Gryffindors at heart, hope to one day find.
7 Resurrection Stone
The Resurrection Stone is the second of the Deathly Hallows and is said to have been created by Death himself. According to legend, this historical and magical artifact wields the power to resurrect the dead. But that's not necessarily true. In Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Harry uses the Resurrection Stone before one of his final confrontations with Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), though it doesn't revive his dead loved ones like the stories claim. Rather, the stone seems to temporarily summon their ghosts or spirits to the living world.
It's a beautiful and emotional moment, as Harry converses with his most dearly departed: his mother, his father, his godfather Sirius, and his former teacher, Professor Lupin (David Thewlis). Being able to see and talk to your deceased loved ones whenever you want is pretty awesome. But as far as stones go, this isn't even the coolest one in the wizarding world.
6 Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is where all the magic began. In this film, Harry and his friends hunt for one of the most legendary and magical artifacts in the wizarding world: the Sorcerer's Stone. Or, as it's called overseas, the Philosopher's Stone. It's a blood-red stone that was created by Nicolas Flamel, a real person who supposedly made the alchemical stone in real life.
As legend has it, the Sorcerer's Stone can transform any metal into gold and, more notably, can produce the Elixir of Life, which extends the drinker's lifespan. As long as they continue drinking it, the Elixir of Life will make the drinker immortal from natural causes, although they can still be killed. The Sorcerer's Stone doesn't prevent you from aging. But a stone that wards off death and creates gold out of metal? Now that's pretty cool.
5 Sirius' Flying Bike
A magic, flying motorcycle? How can something as cool as that not be on this list? This vehicle was owned by Harry Potter's godfather, Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), though the gentle, giant-blooded Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) is the only character we ever see ride it.
We first catch a glimpse of the motorcycle in The Sorcerer's Stone, when Hagrid flies it over to Privet Drive to meet Professor Dumbledore (Richard Harris), Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith), and baby Harry. Hagrid rides it again in The Deathly Hallows: Part 1, with Harry Potter himself (Daniel Radcliffe) in tow, racing through the sky to escape an ambush from Voldemort's Death Eaters.
4 Flying Broomsticks
Flying motorcycles aren't the only way to travel in the wizarding world. One of the coolest ways, and Harry's preferred method, is with a broomstick. Forget about cleaning and sweeping; these magical items allow you to travel quickly and in style. The Harry Potter movies modernize the age-old concept of witches on flying broomsticks, turning these objects into the equivalent of cars.
Shops in Diagon Alley sell everything from affordable, low-quality broomsticks to sleeker, more expensive, luxury broomsticks, like the Nimbus 2000 and the Firebolt -- both of which were owned by Harry. And then there's Quidditch, the popular, action-packed wizarding sport that's played on broomsticks, which makes every Muggle sport look lame by comparison.
3 Portkeys
A flying broomstick not speedy enough for you? Then you can always use a Portkey. Portkeys are magical items that have been enchanted to bring anyone touching them instantly to a specific location.
One of the coolest things about a Portkey is that it can be anything, from a smelly old boot to a shining tournament trophy. Portkeys are known for being unpleasant, often creating sensations of discomfort or nausea in their travelers. But the side effects seem more than worth it. An object that can instantly transport you anywhere in the world, avoiding traffic and wait times? Sign us up!
2 Time-Turner
When are time-traveling devices not cool? The Time-Turner is the Delorean of the Harry Potter franchise, an artifact that gives wizards and witches the ability to time travel. However, the Time-Turner can only take you into the past, not the future, and you can only stay there for five hours at a time. The Ministry of Magic permits Hermione (Emma Watson) a Time-Turner -- a timepiece that resembles an hourglass on a necklace -- in Prisoner of Azkaban, so she can manage her busy schedule and attend all her classes. She later abuses the privilege to help Sirius escape his execution.
Giving a teenager a Time-Turner, just for the sake of taking additional classes, seems like a strange way to use a time-traveling device. But that doesn't make this magical artifact any less cool.
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1 Elder Wand
A wand is undoubtedly the coolest artifact in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Many of us are still waiting for our letters of acceptance to Hogwarts, just so we can own this magical item. Wands are tools that allow witches and wizards to channel their inner magic, helping them perform everything from simple, everyday tasks to powerful incantations and spells. It can also be used as a mighty weapon. And no wand in the wizarding world is more powerful than the Elder Wand.
The Elder Wand is the last of the three Deathly Hallows that were supposedly created by Death. The Elder Wand can perform impossible feats of magic, enchantments that even the most skilled wizard and witch couldn't pull off. It has a long and bloody history of wizards and witches who have murdered others in order to possess this wand.
The Elder Wand's location was thought to be lost long ago -- until it was uncovered (literally) in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film duology. As it turns out, Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) had possessed it all along. The Elder Wand briefly falls into the hands of Harry Potter who, to the chagrin of many fans, snaps the wand in two and tosses it away.
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