While the revolutionary Harry Potter series is about a young boy who discovers his magical lineage along with the elusive wizarding world in modern-day Britain, its spin-off Fantastic Beasts tells the tale of a young British wizard's series of misadventures in 1920s America. Both take place in the same magical world but at different time periods. In fact, many of the plot lines that form the backstory for the Harry Potter series have their origins in this unexplored period of history in the wizarding world. 
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood
Let us explore six connections between these two films to get a better understanding of the main plot lines they share.
Spoiler Alert!
If you have not yet seen one or more of these movies, then you are in for some major spoilers ahead.
Gellert Grindelwald
Right from the start of Fantastic Beasts, it is clear that Grindelwald is top of the list for most-wanted criminals in the wizarding world of the early 20th Century. He eventually emerges as the main antagonist in the film, though very little is revealed about him or his motivations. However, we know from the main Harry Potter series that Grindelwald was an infamous dark wizard who was defeated by Dumbledore in a massive duel 20 years after the Fantastic Beasts story.
Albus Dumbledore
While Dumbledore does not appear as a character in Fantastic Beasts, his name is mentioned. We discover that the main character in Fantastic Beasts, Newt, was expelled from Hogwarts but not without being defended by one professor who was very fond of him: Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore's proclivity for defending oddballs and misfits is an important character trait in the main series and is made evident in this prequel as well. Dumbledore fans will be excited to know that the character is set to appear in the following instalment.
Lestrange Family
Fans of the main series will definitely recognise the name "Lestrange", a name belonging to the evil witch Bellatrix, who was responsible for the death of Harry's godfather, Sirius Black. While she is not yet born during the time of Fantastic Beasts, one of Newt's closest friends at Hogwarts was one bearing this family’s name - Leta Lestrange.
Deathly Hallows
The Deathly Hallows are three legendary magical objects (Elder Wand, Cloak of Invisibility and Resurrection Stone) that together will make the owner invincible. While the Hallows themselves are not mentioned, we know that the main antagonist in Fantastic Beasts ends up seeking them out so that he can control their power and change the wizarding world to meet his desires.
Obscurus
The Obscurus is one of the main elements of the Fantastic Beasts story. An Obscurus occurs when a magical person is forced to hide and suppress their latent magical talent, which can lead to extremely violent outbursts of magical abilities. We know from the main series that Dumbledore's sister suffered from this condition, and her eventual death was very formative in Dumbledore's backstory and his beliefs about the relationship between the magical and Muggle worlds.
Hufflepuff
While the Hogwarts houses of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw take a backseat in the main series, at the end of Fantastic Beasts we see Newt wearing a Hufflepuff scarf. Fans of this less prominent house will be excited to know that the main hero of this prequel is a proud member of house Hufflepuff.
Highlight Reel from A Celebration of Harry Potter
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