J.K. Rowling's early Harry Potter sketches are a must-see

With their wealth of imaginative characters, creative creatures and magical settings, the Harry Potter books are an illustrator's dream. Artists have designed adults' covers, children's versions and deluxe illustrated editions of the books, but none of these can lay claim to being the first depictions of the boy wizard's universe.

Yes, back in the 90s, author J.K. Rowling herself put pen to page, but this time to sketch rather than write. The result are a charming set of character illustrations depicting scenes from the first book in the series, Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone.

Published on Pottermore, the illustrations show early versions of characters such as Hagrid and Snape, as well as providing a glimpse of how they evolved.

Other notable sketches include a Quidditch match complete with diagram-like arrows, and Harry's parents reflected in the Mirror of Erised. It's also interesting to see how Rowling imagined Peeves, a ghost character who was never realised on screen in the films.

Regular visitors to Pottermore might already be familiar with these images as they accompany chapters detailing certain characters and events. But for the vast majority of the internet, these illustrations provide a new take on the familiar series, as well as offering an insight into the imagination of the woman behind the words.

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