This summer saw the release of 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them', and with it a fresh dose of severe wizarding FOMO.
Who didn't want to eat a clandestine No-Maj dinner with the Beasts squad, or sink giggle water with Queenie and Dan? Here's a roundup of our wizard wish-list as dictated by Rowling’s seminal film.
Cooking with magic
This is an enviable wizard perk for obvious reasons, but was deployed to maximum effect by Queenie Goldstein for her unexpected No-Maj guest. Enthralling her love interest by devising his preferred dessert, the affable Dan Fogler fell more and more under her spell as raisins levitated and a perfect apple strudel materialised before his eyes. Major first date goals.
Apparition
Featured many times throughout Rowling's book series, we saw apparition at work again when Newt made good his escape from the New York bank as Niffler was performing a small heist. With a blindingly quick swish-and-flick of his wand, Newt vanished from the lobby only to reappear instantaneously outside the bank. Way more boss than taking the stairs, *sigh*.
Polyjuice potion
Though used by the villainous Grindelwald to deceive the government in a wizarding terrorist plot in Beasts, polyjuice potion isn't inherently evil. Imagine how impressive Halloween would be if you could actually embody your character? And the pranking possibilities are literally endless.
Animagus
Similar to polyjuice potion but without all the hassle of brewing a potion, animagi have the ability to morph into an animal at will. Whose mouth didn't drop when the kitty perched on a desk in Harry's first class transformed into their firm-but-fair Transfiguration teacher Professor McGonagall? Also it would be just too cool to connect to your house pet on their level.
Wow-ing your No-Maj buds
This is THE perk of perks, and is writ large in Beasts through Dan's thunderstruck state for the duration of the film. It's hard to say what impressed him more; Queenie's magical baking, the underground wizard speakeasy or the beasts themselves! Perhaps a combination of the above? Call us people-pleasers, but we think you'd be hard-pressed to find anything more thrilling than thrilling the people around you.
Cooking with magic
This is an enviable wizard perk for obvious reasons, but was deployed to maximum effect by Queenie Goldstein for her unexpected No-Maj guest. Enthralling her love interest by devising his preferred dessert, the affable Dan Fogler fell more and more under her spell as raisins levitated and a perfect apple strudel materialised before his eyes. Major first date goals.
Apparition
Featured many times throughout Rowling's book series, we saw apparition at work again when Newt made good his escape from the New York bank as Niffler was performing a small heist. With a blindingly quick swish-and-flick of his wand, Newt vanished from the lobby only to reappear instantaneously outside the bank. Way more boss than taking the stairs, *sigh*.
Polyjuice potion
Though used by the villainous Grindelwald to deceive the government in a wizarding terrorist plot in Beasts, polyjuice potion isn't inherently evil. Imagine how impressive Halloween would be if you could actually embody your character? And the pranking possibilities are literally endless.
Animagus
Similar to polyjuice potion but without all the hassle of brewing a potion, animagi have the ability to morph into an animal at will. Whose mouth didn't drop when the kitty perched on a desk in Harry's first class transformed into their firm-but-fair Transfiguration teacher Professor McGonagall? Also it would be just too cool to connect to your house pet on their level.
Wow-ing your No-Maj buds
This is THE perk of perks, and is writ large in Beasts through Dan's thunderstruck state for the duration of the film. It's hard to say what impressed him more; Queenie's magical baking, the underground wizard speakeasy or the beasts themselves! Perhaps a combination of the above? Call us people-pleasers, but we think you'd be hard-pressed to find anything more thrilling than thrilling the people around you.