International Harry Potter Day 2025: Why May 2 matters and 15 magical quotes to inspire you

On May 2, fans globally celebrate Harry Potter Day.

Every year on May 2, fans around the world come together to celebrate Harry Potter Day, a tribute to the beloved wizarding world that has captivated readers and moviegoers for over two decades. While the day is filled with nostalgia, fan events, and magical memories, its deeper meaning ties directly to a pivotal moment in the Harry Potter story.

Harry Potter Day is celebrated on May 2, marking the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998.(@harrypotter/X)

Why is International Harry Potter Day celebrated on May 2?

May 2 marks the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, which took place in 1998. This decisive confrontation, held within the walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, signalled the end of the Second Wizarding War. The Order of the Phoenix and their allies emerged victorious, bringing down Voldemort and his followers in what became the most consequential and tragic clash in the wizarding world’s history.
In 2012, Britain’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced that the day would be commemorated as the International Harry Potter Day to honour JK Rowling’s literary work, as reported by National Today.

15 Inspirational Quotes from the magical world of Harry Potter

1. “It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live." ― Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
2. “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends." ― Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
3. “Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself." — Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
4. “Fame is a fickle friend, Harry. Celebrity is as celebrity does. Remember that." — Gilderoy Lockhart, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
5. “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." ― Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
6. “You think the dead we loved truly ever leave us? You think that we don’t recall them more clearly in times of great trouble?" — Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
7. “If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals." — Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
8. “Anyone can speak Troll. All you have to do is point and grunt." — Fred Weasley, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
9. “The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of skulls, to be perused by an invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing." — Severus Snape, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
10. "We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are." ― Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
11. "Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right."— Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
12. “Age is foolish and forgetful when it underestimates youth." — Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
13. “It is the quality of one’s convictions that determines success, not the number of followers." —Remus Lupin, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
14. "We’re all human, aren’t we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving." — Kingsley Shacklebolt, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
15. “Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it." ― Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows