I have never really been a HUGE Harry Potter fan. I mean, I do like the series a fairly good amount. I read the books pretty much the day they came out (in fear they would be ruined by the internet), and I've seen all of the movies - but putting that in super-fan perspective really doesn't notch me too high on the HP totem pole.
If you didn't know, right here in the heart of Edinburgh, the Harry Potter series originated. Apparently this was common knowledge for a lot of people. I, on the other hand, had no idea before coming here. Whoops. I guess I should've done my homework. Anyway, J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter books in the small cafe, The Elephant House, which overlooks Greyfriar's Cemetery and the Edinburgh Castle. It is also said that she wrote a lot in Spoon Cafe & Bistro. But at the time it was under a different name - but who cares about Spoon, the focus is clearly on the Elephant House here...and let's be honest, a cafe filled with nothing but hundreds ELEPHANTS???? It does not get any better.
Right behind Greyfriar's is George Heriots School *AKA* Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This was once a school dedicated solely to the education of orphans (both Harry and Voldemort were orphans and were sent away to school. Coincidence? I think not). George Heriots School is now one of the most expensive schools in Scotland but as the Scots love tradition, they still hold open two spots for orphans. And if you were still doubting this was Hogwarts, the school has four towers (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Jigglypuff anyone?). The school is set just behind Greyfriar’s Cemetery and south of Edinburgh Castle. In fact, you can see all three from the back window of the Elephant House. (I actually ate at the restaurant last weekend. Superb. Although I could've just been on an elephant high...)
Elephant Chair!!!
Perhaps the best part of HP history one can find in Edinburgh is actually within Greyfriars itself. Apparently, on her breaks from writing, would walk around the cemetery. You will find at least SIX namesakes that lent their names to the Harry Potter series. I already mentioned the worst poet in Scotland, William McGonagall. You can also find Moodie (Moody), Potter, Black, Grainger (Granger).
The most famous grave although, and coincidentally the most difficult to find is that of Tom Riddle Senior and Tom Riddle Junior – Actually, it’s Thomas Riddell Esq. and his son, Thomas Riddell Esq. Spooky.
I also found this on another blog while looking for details around the HP significance in Greyfriar's,
"If you’ve seen JK’s drawing of the Hogwarts grounds, it’s quite clear that Hogwarts was based off of Edinburgh castle with the one side that sweeps down gently away from the castle, which turns into the Royal Mile (aka High Street in Hogsmeade), and the other three sides where the Cliffside is as steep as when the iceberg first came along and ran right into Castle Rock. On the north side of the castle is what was once Norloch, or North lake, also known (to my tour guide anyway) as the Great Lake of Poo. It was once where all the bodily waste of the city collected, and the site of witch trials. It’s now the Princes Garden where you can walk where the witches were once drowned."
"The Royal Mile (which is actually a mile and 107 yards long) is clearly where Hogsmeade is derived from. A street lined with bricks, stocked with cheesy tourist fare and plenty of tartan, it winds downhill away from the castle and ends with Holyrood palace (which is clearly the inspiration for all Disney movies ever)."
^The Disney comment made me laugh. So true.
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