Harry Potter legacy hit with blow as cherished event shuts down

The magic at King’s Cross has faded as the famous Harry Potter gathering came to an end forever. 

The annual Back to Hogwarts event, which once drew fans in costumes and even saw stars like Jude Law and Eddie Redmayne, has been "cancelled for good."

Every September 1, crowds filled the station to recreate the moment young wizards pushed through the wall to Platform 9¾ to board the Hogwarts Express. 

For years the departure boards even flashed the magical train’s name, turning the station into a dream for fans.

Last year Warner Brothers Discovery called off the gathering and this summer confirmed it would not happen again. 

However, a statement posted on the Wizarding World website warned fans to stay away from King’s Cross.

It read: “Special Hogwarts notice: alas, we must once again discourage fans from attending King’s Cross Station on 1st September, as there will be no countdown or train announcement occurring in 2025. Safety first, folks.”

A spokesperson also told The Sun: “It is the same for this year, in that we won’t be hosting the event at the station.”

Although the tradition has ended, there will still be a touch of Harry Potter magic for fans. Cineworld Leicester Square will host a screening of the fourth film with James and Oliver Phelps, who played the Weasley twins, meeting fans and answering questions.

Away from King’s Cross, the Hogwarts Express is preparing for a new adventure. 

Furthermore, the Wightwick Hall steam locomotive has been chosen to play the train in the upcoming Harry Potter television series. The engine was built in 1948 and ran more than 640,000 miles for the Great Western Railway before it was retired in 1964 and sent to a scrapyard in Barry, South Wales.

For the unversed, The engine will film for six months every year for the next eight years as HBO creates a new adaptation of JK Rowling’s books. Cameras first rolled in May on the Île de Sein in France, and the series is expected to air next year.