York Railway Station opened in 1877 and was then the largest station in the world, with 13 platforms beneath an expansive curved iron and glass roof. Designed by Thomas Prosser and William Peachey for the North Eastern Railway, the Grade II* listed building is a masterpiece of Victorian engineering, gracefully curving alongside the city walls. It remains a major hub on the East Coast Main Line and houses the adjacent National Railway Museum. No credible sources confirm York station’s use as a filming location for the Harry Potter series. Although some guides speculate that it stood in for King’s Cross in exterior shots, the confirmed station scenes were filmed at London’s King’s Cross and on sets. Thus, the York connection is unverified.

Tom Quad is the largest quadrangle at Christ Church College, laid out in the 17th century. It sits behind the Porter's Lodge and centres on a grassy lawn with a fountain topped by a statue of Mercury. Two notable towers overlook the square: Tom Tower, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, houses the great bell Great Tom which has marked the hours for over 300 years; and the Bodley Tower, which contains the staircase leading to the Great Hall. Lewis Carroll lived in rooms facing the quad and wrote part of *Alice's Adventures in Wonderland* here. The harmonious proportions and historic architecture make Tom Quad a quintessential Oxford scene. There is no evidence that Tom Quad itself was used for any major Harry Potter scenes; however, the quad's Bodley Tower houses the staircase where Professor McGonagall welcomes new students and Ron and Harry make their late entrance in *Philosopher's Stone* and *Chamber of Secrets*. Fans often visit Tom Quad to imagine Hogwarts students crossing the lawn before meals. The quad's towers and fountain appear in background shots during filming and provide a sense of scale for the college complex.

Christ Church College’s Staircase is more than a stairwell; it is a monument to layered history where Oxford’s academic prestige meets cinematic legend. The grand ascent, with its stone steps and carved banisters, has welcomed generations of scholars and visitors while standing in for Hogwarts’ own arrival corridors in the films. The ambience blends centuries of tradition—the creak of timber, the hush of stone, portraits glimpsing from the walls—with a hint of magic that only a movie crew could heighten. The space remains a touchstone for Harry Potter fans, who feel the weight of history as they trace the footsteps of students who once walked these stairs toward the Great Hall.