With the British Library’s History of Magic exhibit in full swing, we’re getting tons of new Potter content to satisfy our Wizarding World cravings.

We’ve already waxed poetic about the exhibit itself, and Mugglecast recently discussed one of the several History of Magic books put out by the British Library, but now there’s a BBC documentary to accompany all these additional materials.

Featuring narration from Imelda Staunton, and appearances by several Harry Potter cast members, like Evanna Lynch, David Thewlis, Warwick Davies, Miriam Margoyles and Mark Williams, the documentary covered much of the thinking behind the specifically curated pieces appearing in the exhibit.

But, nestled between visits to the Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle, and conversations with a generations-old wand making family, were some deeply poignant Potter moments divulged by J.K. Rowling herself.

The heartbreaking origin of the Deathly Hallows

Though it comes much later in the documentary, one of the most devastatingly touching moments was Rowling’s tale of how the Deathly Hallows came to be.

Sparked by the tale of where she was when she drew her sketch of Professor Sprout, it’s a moment that emphasizes how emotions can tie themselves up in our subconscious, and make themselves known decades later.

You can see the clip for yourself below, thanks to the BBC. But make sure that you have some tissues before hitting play.

The wand lore in Harry Potter was entirely of J.K. Rowling’s invention

“I couldn’t find anything on wands, so I just made it all up,” Rowling admitted, after being shown some items documenting ancient wands by the exhibit curators. “That was all me.”

Alone, that would just be an interesting fact, but Rowling went on to remember with some fondness exactly where she was when she wrote Harry visiting Olivanders for the first time. She was sat under a tree, out in the open, with the sun shining down on her. All of the properties and cores for the wands were of her devising on that day and there’s something about the thought of her basking in sunlight, creating one of the key components of the Wizarding World, whilst surrounded by trees, that adds to the magic just that little bit more.

Never underestimate the power of free will

A segment of both the History of Magic documentary and exhibit deals specifically with Divination, a subject that was, for lack of a better word, highly divisive in-universe. Particularly when it came to the prophecy concerning Harry himself, and Professor Trelawney’s hand in it.

Speaking on Divination, Rowling said, “I have a lot of fun with Divination in the Potter books, because I make it quite clear that you get lucky once every million times. Free will is the abiding principal of the Potter books, not prophecy.”

Empowerment through ritual

Of course, it wouldn’t be a History of Magic documentary without talking about magic itself. And, additionally, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Rowling had a particular way with her words when it came to this subject.

“Magic is, I think it’s simultaneously about empowerment but it’s also an acknowledgement that we are in a scary and unknowable world,” she said. “Because we know that these ritual practices go back to what we now would call primitive peoples and yet we still do a version of it today. Many of us still have our little rituals that we don’t even acknowledge. It’s just rituals. But it’s a way of trying to control what we secretly know is uncontrollable. Which is life.”

A message, and comfort, that might be sorely needed. Especially right now.

‘Harry Potter: A History of Magic’ is available to stream via BBC iPlayer now