Harry Potter’s Day: 5 magic from the movie that is, in fact, real

At some point in our lives, we’ve all wished for magic to make things easier. Whether you’re hoping for a flying car to whisk you out of a Monday morning jam or wanting to ‘accio‘ your favourite book off the shelf because you’re too lazy to get up.

But while you wait for your Hogwarts letter (we’re sure it’s just delayed), there are multiple tools at your disposal that feel like magic. And since it is Harry Potter’s birthday, there couldn’t be a better occasion to acquaint yourself with the endless stream of magic around you – technology. Read on to find out what five of our favourites are.

Moving pictures (GIFs, Smart Displays)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone introduced us to the incredible moving pictures in the Hogwarts hallways. But surely, we’ve enabled ourselves to have our own version of it today.

The next time you add a GIF to your conversation, know that you have a digital moving picture of your own! But if that doesn’t cut it for you, smart displays allow you to play your favourite memories and pictures on a loop apart from simply letting you stream the shows you like.

Invisibility Cloak (Metamaterials)

We know we are far from the idea of an actual ‘Invisibility Cloak‘, but science and technology have helped us inch closer to the possibility not too long into the future. Metamaterials, which came into existence in the early 1960s, are composite materials known to ‘bend’ light around an object. In fact, a breakthrough published in 2018 in the nature nanotechnology journal even stated an optical, 3D cloaking device might soon be close to reality. But know that if you plan to use one someday, there’s a good chance it could get you ‘killed or worse – expelled!’

The Marauder's Map (Google's location share)

Who needs the actual Marauder’s Map when you can share your real-time location on Google Maps? Google’s location sharing allows you to track your loved ones, along with notifying you of their smartphone’s battery status.

ALSO READ: Here’s why this iOS 17 feature seems godsent for my iPhone

And just like how the Marauder’s Map can’t be fooled with Polyjuice Potions or Invisibility Cloaks, there’s no workaround for Google Maps as well. So, the next time you plan to sneak out, don’t forget to perform a ‘mischief managed’ on your phone!

Flying Car (Aeromobil)

Harry and Ron escaped to Hogwarts in a flying car after missing their train in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. But what if we tell you flying cars are no longer a thing from our beloved fictional universe?

Inspired by the winged horse Pegasus, Aeromobil, a Slovakia-based organisation, has developed a sleek, futuristic flying car. Available in two and four-seater variants, the ‘car’ requires only three minutes to get into its flight mode. The only catch? Its price tag of a whopping $1.3 million!

Quick-Quotes quill (speech-to-text feature)

The movies showed Rita Skeeter using a Quick-Quotes quill to jot down her infamous poison-pen stories – something we all dreamed of during a lengthy assignment. However, today the speech-to-text feature, introduced by several platforms, serves the purpose of letting you dictate instead of spending long hours at typing. While you may not always have accurate results, know that Quick-Quotes quill wasn’t perfect either.

So, the next time you find yourself wishing for a magic spell, look around; science and tech are all around you to make things happen.