As someone who grew up loving Harry Potter, I know for certain that nothing else will replace it in my heart. It's kind of like I used up all of my enthusiasm on those books and movies at an early age, and everything else is just so-so. Game Of Thrones, however, still manages to excite me, and it doesn't hurt that there are a lot of references to Harry Potter in the TV show. Whether intentional or not, fans of both Harry Potter and GOT have noticed a handful of similarities between the franchises, including many of the same actors, like Natalia Tena who played HP's Tonks and GOT's Osha, David Bradley who played Argus Filch and Walder Frey, and Michelle Fairley who played Hermione's mom and Catelyn Stark. However, Monday night's season 7 premiere had the biggest Harry Potter connection yet. Did you catch it?
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The new episode checks back in with all of the major characters, including Samwell Tarly (John Bradley-West), the former steward of the Night's Watch who's now carrying books and cleaning poop at The Citadel. He's training to be a Maester in hopes of learning more about the White Walkers, but the only information about them is tucked away in the restricted section.
In hopes of getting access to the books, he asks archmaester Ebrose for permission — archmaester Ebrose, played by Jim Broadbent, otherwise known as Professor Slughorn in Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince. That's a fun coincidence, but it's even crazier that he ends up acting out practically the same scene as he did with Tom Riddle (young Voldemort, played by Frank Dillane) in a flashback. In HP, Riddle is talking about something he read in the restricted section of the library about horcruxes. They are both called the restricted section, and in both scenes, Broadbent's character is (at least initially) uneasy.
Fans couldn't help but point out this uncanny coincidence:
Poor Jim Broadbent, everywhere he is, people are asking him about the restricted section in the library #GameOfThrones meets #HarryPotter
— ami (@essence_me) July 17, 2017
"Poor Jim Broadbent, everywhere he is, people are asking him about the restricted section in the library."
Every fantasy novel adaptation scene starring Jim Broadbent must begin with "I was wondering..." from an eager student #GameofThrones
— Shirley Li (@shirklesxp) July 17, 2017
"Every fantasy novel adaptation scene starring Jim Broadbent must begin with 'I was wondering...' from an eager student."
People really think Jim Broadbent can get them into the restricted section of the library. Loving this lil #HarryPotter moment in #GoT
— Rachael Caldwell (@RachaelIsSoRad) July 17, 2017
"People really think Jim Broadbent can get them into the restricted section of the library. Loving this lil #HarryPotter moment in #GoT."
Let's just hope the similarities between Samwell and Voldemort stop here.