India, July 31 -- The world of Harry Potter is loaded with spells, dark magic, and epic battles-but some of its most surprising moments don't come from wands. They come from details so subtle, they slip past all but the most obsessive readers. A lot of hidden details in the series might have been missed even by the most ardent fans. With a new series on the way, let's take a look at some secrets about the series. All of these have been pulled from the books themselves or confirmed by J.K. Rowling, via the Wizarding World site (formerly Pottermore), as first compiled by Reader's Digest.

Rowling didn't just assign names at random. She left trails. Start with "Voldemort." It sounds evil enough, sure. But in French, "vol de mort" translates ...