From Harry Potter's Hogwarts To Wednesday's Nevermore: The Sweet Nostalgia Of The Magical School Genre
Wednesday Season 2 Pays Homage To Harry Potter's First Flying Lesson
What Will The Iconic Moment On Wednesday Lead To?
Wednesday Season 2 pays homage to Harry Potter through a visual parallel, highlighting teamwork and magical instruction.
The familiar scene leads to a coordinated effort to build a bonfire at Nevermore, hinting at a mysterious nighttime school event.
Only time will reveal the significance of Wednesday taking the lead at Nevermore and the mystery behind a phoenix-like creature summoned during the event.
Set in the visually haunting Nevermore Academy, Netflix's Wednesday tells the story of the emotionally guarded Wednesday Addams, who, despite being sent to the boarding school against her will, nearly sacrifices her life to save it. The show became a global phenomenon upon release in November 2022, so it's only fitting that it pays homage to another iconic franchise from a previous era.
Wednesday Season 2 comes with a sweet, nostalgic surprise nestled within the school drama, one that elevates the show beyond dark mystery and a supernatural thriller vibe. While nods to Edgar Allan Poe are expected, the upcoming season also seems to draw inspiration from a beloved pop culture phenomenon known for its magical school setting and heroic students. The fandom was quick to spot a reference, and with a reboot of that very franchise anticipated on Max in 2026, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.
From Harry Potter‘s Hogwarts To Wednesday‘s Nevermore: The Sweet Nostalgia Of The Magical School Genre
Like Harry Potter, Wednesday taps into the magical school genre but with a gothic twist. Beyond several similarities that exist between the protagonists, both Harry Potter and Wednesday Addams are legacy students whose parents left a lasting impact on Hogwarts and Nevermore Academy, respectively. While Harry approaches life with a more human perspective, Wednesday comes from a uniquely eccentric family and possesses an odd sense of humor. Yet, the deeper connection is that neither Harry's nor Wednesday's true journeys begin until they set foot on the grounds of their cool schools.
At their respective schools, both Harry and Wednesday get involved in a bunch of extracurricular activities that speak volumes about their personalities and goals. Harry, thanks to his exceptional flying skills, was made a Seeker in Gryffindor’s Quidditch team in his very first year. Wednesday, on the other hand, joins Eugene Ottinger's Nevermore Hummers, hoping it will serve as a convenient front for her ongoing detective work.
Wednesday Season 2 Pays Homage To Harry Potter's First Flying Lesson
In its own way, Wednesday pays a visual homage to Harry Potter through a striking moment featured in the “Sneak Peek: Addams Family” video released by Netflix. The scene shows Nevermore students gathered outdoors, and lifting logs of wood—an image that is a recall of the flying lesson sequence from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, where Madam Hooch taught Gryffindors and Slytherins the basics of Quidditch.
On the grounds of Hogwarts, facing the opposite side of the Forbidden Forest, the Golden Trio, along with Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, and the rest, gathered for their first flying lessons. This scene with broomsticks laid out on the ground is etched in Harry Potter fans' memories. On Wednesday, a visual parallel unfolds: four Nevermore students, dressed in striped uniforms, stand in formation and lift large wooden sticks from a pile of logs before them, quite like how Harry Potter and his friends stuck out their right hand over their brooms and said “up!”
The similarity is subtle but striking — a nod to Harry and his peers extended their right hands over their brooms and said, “Up!” It’s a clever visual homage, encapsulating the same spirit of magical instruction, discipline, and participation. Furthermore, the parallel exists not just in the setting—a school activity held on the grounds—but also in the shared sense of teamwork.
In the background, more Nevermore students are seen gathering logs of wood, possibly to add them to the central piles laid out in the middle of the grounds. There's a stage nearby that showcases various activities, hinting at an organized effort underway, quite possibly a school event.
What Will The Iconic Moment On Wednesday Lead To?
While it can be argued that the visually familiar scene exists partly for nostalgia, the Sneak Peek teaser reveals through several clues that the students have collected logs as part of a larger, coordinated effort, likely to build a bonfire that plays a key role in a nighttime school event. Morticia and Gomez are possibly overseeing this event, which justifies the creators bringing the Addams family to Nevermore.
Another shot that adds a layer of mystery and purpose is that of Wednesday holding a flame torch high, joined by a large crowd of students and faculty members. Something burning in the background — either an effigy or a bonfire, suggesting something is about to happen, or is underway. The burning in the background gives the whole atmosphere a ritualistic vibe. In another scene, five students raise their right hands, summoning a phoenix-esque creature from the bonfire. As it flies, the crowd cheers, while Morticia and Gomez look on with pride.
Only time will reveal the true purpose of this bonfire, the significance of Wednesday taking the lead at Nevermore, the mystery of the five students who stick out their right arms at nighttime, and Morticia and Gomez's unusually heightened presence at Nevermore.
Wednesday Season 2 returns to Netflix in two parts, with Part 1 (four episodes) debuting on August 6, 2025, followed by Part 2 (the remaining four episodes) on September 3, 2025. Jenna Ortega is set to reprise her role as the titular character. The show also brings back Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams, and Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams, as it promises to expand on the Addams family lore.