The Harry Potter timeline lines up with Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts and ends with him all grown up, but what year does the story begin and end? There are so many reasons why the book series and film franchise still endure, from the memorable characters to the rich and magical world, and watching the characters navigate each school year is unforgettable. The Harry Potter movies started the film careers of its young cast members Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, featured some talented directors like Chris Columbus, and while the films received many Oscar nominations, they didn't end up winning any awards.

The Harry Potter franchise tells a complete tale of a young wizard and his quest for self-identity and the family he finds and creates. When does Harry Potter start, when does the series conclude, and what is the overall timeline?

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What Year Does Harry Potter Start?

Voldemort touching Harry Potter's face

The Harry Potter timeline begins in 1991. Harry Potter is having a miserable time grieving the death of his parents Lily and James Potter and being ignored by the Dursleys. Hagrid gives Harry a Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry letter and Harry realizes that he is meant to attend this magical school.

The beginning of the story is thrilling and memorable, as Harry is given his owl Hedwig, gets his first wand, and spends time in Diagon Alley. As time goes on, fans are introduced to the many Harry Potter wizarding schools.

It should be noted that the first chapter of the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, takes place on November 1st 1981, but otherwise, the story begins in 1991.

What Year Does Harry Potter End?

Harry Potter Emma Watson Hermoine Granger

When wondering when does Harry Potter take place, the full Harry Potter timeline is 1991 to 1998. The story ends in 1998, although the epilogue of the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is set on September 1st, 2017. This epilogue is important since it shares what happens 19 years in the future. Now, Hermoine and Ron have two kids and Ginny and Harry are parents of three. The characters' kids are now going to Hogwarts, an emotional conclusion that brings the story full circle. Harry famously says "all was well" because it has been 19 years since he has felt pain in his scar.

While there are some pointless deaths in the Harry Potter franchise, the series does receive a proper ending, with fans learning what happens to all the important characters. And it all began with the casting, which ensured that the right actors would bring this story to life.

In an interview with The Independent, Chris Columbus, who directed the first movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and the second one, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, talked about casting the young actors who would become famous from starring in the franchise. He said, "Rupert Grint and Emma Watson were so perfect and so easy [to find], but Harry Potter was by far the hardest role to cast. We looked through thousands of auditions but nothing was quite right."

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter using a wand

Colombus saw David Copperfield on the BBC and was impressed by a young Daniel Radcliffe's performance, and he knew that the search was over. Columbus also said that he wanted to make sure to cast little-known actors: "I wanted kids who didn’t have a lot of experience. If you cast kids from the Disney Channel, in a sense they’ve had too much of it. By that point, they have a certain bag of tricks and you don’t get a naturalistic performance."

The Harry Potter cast's recent projects prove that they continue to show their talent and love of acting, and when rewatching the film franchise, it's clear that these three actors were the best choices for the roles.

Why Was Harry Potter Set In The Past?

Harry Potter Origins

Harry Potter is set in the 1990s because this is when J.K Rowling wrote the book series. According to Insider.com, she was taking a train in England when she thought of the Harry Potter premise and spent five years coming up with an outline. In 1993, she penned some material featuring a wizard child character named Harry Potter, and by 1995, she was done with the first novel. No matter how successful the film franchise was, there are always going to be Harry Potter book scenes better than the movies.

In 1997, Bloomsbury published Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was published in 2007. It seems likely to assume that Rowling wanted to set the story in the time that she was living in and that's why the Harry Potter timeline spans from 1991 to 1998.

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