Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Special: The Most Magical Moments

The on- and off-screen talents behind the Harry Potter movies recently reunited for the Return to Hogwarts special on HBO Max. And because we know you'd avada kedavra us into oblivion if we didn't do so, we've gathered together the best and most touching moments from the nearly two-hour event.

Later, we head to The Burrow, where members of the Weasley family reunite around the dinner table. James Phelps, Oliver Phelps (Fred), Mark Williams (Arthur) and Wright clearly enjoy being in each other's company. "They were like my second family," Grint later says. 

"I think we all have fallen asleep on each other in some of the most grand cathedrals and things in the UK," Radcliffe says as he, Grint and Watson talk about how tight — and hardworking — a team they were. "We were each very strong for each other," Watson adds.

Who's that behind the Daily Prophet? Why it's Bellatrix Lestrange herself, aka Helena Bonham Carter.

The height of the adolescent angst came at the Yule Ball. "All I can remember rs that really aggressive, six-layer collar you had on," Watson tells Grint.

Watson confesses that she had a giant crush on Felton, who is three years older than she is, while shooting the films. "I used to come in evert day and look for his number on the call sheet," she remembers. "I've always had a soft spot for her, and that continues to this day," he says. But for the record: "Nothing has ever, ever, ever, ever  happened romantically with us," Watson clarifies. "We just love each other. That's all I can say about that." 

Ralph Fiennes, who plays the series' central villain Voldemort, lapses into He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's slithery voice during an interview, and it is CREEPY.

Watson heads to Platform 9 3/4, boards the Hogwarts Express and hugs Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) and Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley).

Watson arrives at Hogwarts and steps into a Yule Ball-like party in the Great Hall. It's gorgeous.

Given Grint and Watson's sibling-like relationship, Ron and Hermione's kiss toward the end of the series was a very uncomfortable moment for all (except Radcliffe, who freely admits that he didn't do anything to tamp down the awkwardness). "Obviously, us kissing was the most horrifying thing," Watson says, to which Grint adds: "I kinda think I blacked out."

The gang — including Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) and James Phelps (Fred Weasley) — is almost all here! But where's Daniel Radcliffe, aka Harry?!

"... but Hagrid will." And now we're crying like the groundskeeper did when Buckbeak was in peril.

Columbus reminisces about how he knew Radcliffe was the right person to play the boy wizard, but that convincing Radcliffe's parents was another matter. Meanwhile, "I was a really happy kid that had a really haunted quality, apparently," Radcliffe reflects.

And when Carter sits down with Oldman, she offhandedly says, "I killed you, didn't I?," referring to Sirius' death at Bellatrix's hand. "I'm sorry," she adds. "Had to be done."

Carter is a hoot during the reunion, pulling out not only a photo of something Radcliffe had written her during filming — in which he joked that he wished he'd been born years earlier so he could have a romantic shot with her — but also Bellatrix's prosthetic teeth, which she promptly pops into her mouth.

Indeed, the end of the special is full of footage of people crying because they like each other so much — like this archival footage from the final day of shooting on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 — and it's touching. 

The special makes sure to honor the cast members who are no longer with us, such as Richard Harris, who played Dumbledore (and maybe never knew that Fawkes the phoenix was an animatronic prop, Radcliffe reveals, laughing) and Helen McCrory, who played Narcissa Malfoy. Felton, in particular, gets choked up while talking about his on-screen mom.

Matthew Lewis, who played Neville, gets his in a taxi! (Anyone else feel warm — however you want to define that — when they think about Neville's arc over the course of the movies? Yeah, we get it.)

We mean: COME ON.

Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) talks about a scene that eventually was deleted, where he accidentally dug the sharp fangs on his character's cobra cane into the hand of on-screen son Felton. He also recalls reading for Gilderoy Lockhart — a part that eventually went to Kenneth Branagh — and being angry when it was suggested that he audition for the part of the Death Eater. "I read through gritted teeth, deeply bitter," he says, "and of course that's exactly what was necessary and they asked me to play Lucius — and thank God they did!"

Ah, there he is. The Boy Who Lived walks down a snowy Diagon Alley...

Oldman and Radcliffe discuss how Alan Rickman (Severus Snape) "had the inside line," directly from author J.K. Rowling, on how the story would unfold — which Rowling confirmed after his death in 2016. 

Robbie Coltrane says that the movies' ongoing popularity with kids is a comfort. After all, in 50 years, he won't be around...

Later, Radcliffe, Watson and Rupert Grint remember getting along very well in their first screen test (pictured here). "I do remember the 'click'" of everything falling into place, Watson recalls. 

(Look at these babies!)

Gary Oldman (Sirius Black) and Radcliffe meet up in the Potions Classroom to talk about some of their favorite times together, including The Prisoner of Azkaban's Shrieking Shack scene. In a separate interview, Azkaban director Alfonso Cuarón notes that "a big cloud" settles around Harry in the series' notably darker third film, "and we needed to convey that, stylistically."

... then meets up with Chris Columbus (director of the franchise's first two movies) in Dumbledore's office. Hey look, the sorting hat!

Goblet of Fire "was probably peak hormone, at least for me," Radcliffe says. All of the flirting and such that happens in a normal high school was happening at Hogwarts, Lewis adds, "it was just in a Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

During a sit-down in the Gryffindor Common Room, Watson, Grint and Radcliffe discuss how Watson thought maybe she didn't want to continue with the films at one point — but how, being awkward teenagers at the time, the trio never discussed it. (They also talk about how the props department made a mini coffin for Watson's hamster, Millie, which died during filming... and that conversation is a lot lighter.) Also? "We all still look better than we do in the epilogue," Radcliffe notes, referring to the final film's flash-forward.

"It was a very good 10 years," Radcliffe says, wiping away tears of his own.

There's a whole set-up with some of the cast, including Emma Watson, in a twinkly version of London. They receive letters beckoning them to Hogwarts, and yes it's silly but we'll allow it.

Even so, it's clear how deeply Watson and Grint feel about each other. "It feels like you're a pillar of my life," she tells him. "We're family. We always will be," he says, and they're both kind of crying as they talk about the bond that will always exist between them. 

... and of course we're gonna give you the close-up on that one. "It's so nice to see you," Watson tells her former co-star. "I love you," he replies, followed quickly by: "as a friend," which makes them both laugh.

Then they hug...

Mike Newell, who directed Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, remembers that he wanted the Weasley twins to get into a physical tussle after their plan to outsmart the titular chalice doesn't work. And when the Phelps brothers weren't doing exactly as he asked, he got down on the floor and wrestled with James to illustrate his point. The only problem? James wound up breaking Newell's ribs. Oops.