If you've ever wondered what Harry Potter would look like if it was adapted as a gritty CW drama, then have I got a show for you. Technically, Netflix's Fate: The Winx Saga is based on the sparkly Italian cartoon Winx Club, but if you've ever visited Hogwarts through the books or films, then prepare to experience some major déjà vu. From the show's chosen one, Bloom, to the literal shoutout to the books, Fate: The Winx Saga and Harry Potter are similar enough to convince you the students at Alfea have been sipping on some Potter-flavored Polyjuice Potion.
Each story includes a magical boarding school, a dark evil that's suspiciously been dormant since the protagonist was born, and a headmaster who knows way more than they're letting on. The biggest difference? The fairy students of Alfea have access to Instagram and there's no spell preventing the guys from visiting the girls' dormitory for a late night rendezvous.
But while the Winx gang are thoroughly modern teens, they also owe a great debt to the students of Hogwarts for writing the coming of age during a time of magical strife rulebook. As you'll see below, the Netflix series and the beloved books and films have too much in common to declare this bit of magic a coincidence.
Minor spoilers for Fate: The Winx Saga below.
1.
Fate: The Winx Saga:
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire:
Bloom doesn't explicitly say she used a portkey to get to Alfea, but she definitely used a portkey to get to Alfea. In fact, a few moments after she details her trip to her new frenemy, Princess Stella reveals she also possesses a magical object that allows her to move between realms — but luckily for Stella and Bloom, their version of a portkey doesn't lead to vomiting and it takes the form of a fashion-forward ring instead of an old boot or tin can.
2.
Fate: The Winx Saga
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone
Hogwarts was so last decade. These days Alfea is the coolest magic school around, and Bloom is the one looking around in wonder on her first day instead of Harry. Sorry, Hogwarts, but Alfea is home now.
3.
Fate: The Winx Saga:
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone:
There's no sorting hat at Alfea, but that's OK, because Bloom and Aisha have taken enough online quizzes to know which houses they would be in. Aisha is a Gryffindor, but much like Harry, Bloom has discovered she would do quite well in Slytherin, if she were so inclined.
4.
Fate: The Winx Saga:
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets:
Dueling club started out as a fun diversion in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, but it ultimately inspired Harry to form Dumbledore's Army. The teachers on Fate: The Winx Saga are less precious about readying their students for war though, and there's an entire group being trained as "Specialists," who will be the school's first line of defense if and when the Burned Ones return.
5.
Fate: The Winx Saga:
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets:
Hey, remember how the night Harry received his scar marked the end of Voldemort's reign of terror, but the minute he entered Hogwarts signs that the Dark Lord was on his way back began to pop up everywhere? Well, it's been 16 years since Bloom was born, and (not-so) coincidently that's how long it's been since anyone has seen a Burned One. (Insert your preferred dun-dun-DUN sound effect here.)
6.
Fate: The Winx Saga:
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone:
Just as Hermione, Ron, and Harry's bond was solidified the night Hermione was attacked by a troll, Bloom's roommates Aisha, Musa, and Terra come to her aid during a dangerous encounter in the first episode, marking the beginning of a beautiful and turbulent friendship.
7.
Fate: The Winx Saga:
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets:
If Harry Potter taught me anything, it's that it is never a good sign when only the hero of the story can hear evil things beckoning them toward danger a la Harry and the old Chamber of Secrets.
8.
Fate: The Winx Saga:
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban:
Watching Hermione punch Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is basically a religious experience. But while it took her three movies/books to put Draco in his place, it only takes one insult for Terra to snap and use her powers to shut up Alfea's wannabe Draco, Riven.
9.
Fate: The Winx Saga:
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban:
In the world of Winx, Bloom is definitely Harry, and Headmistress Dowling will give you major Dumbledore vibes. But it is shocking just how much of a Neville Longbottom the sweet, but shy Terra is. From her love of herbology (she's literally an Earth Fairy) to her willingness to stand up to her friends when they're being idiots, she is basically Neville reincarnated, and I'm so here for it.
Fate: The Winx Saga isn't even trying to deny that Harry Potter is a major inspiration for the show, and I for one applaud the series' transparency, and look forward to the day when the writers inevitably introduce a Sirius Black stand-in for me to fangirl over until his untimely death by magical drapery.
Images: Jonathan Hession/Netflix; Netflix; Warner Bros. Pictures
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