J.K. Rowling's fictional empire may deal with the magical world, but the Harry Potter on-screen recreations are definitely the work of mere Muggles. We decided to poke behind the scenes and ask some folk on the inside for some facts and figures about how they came together during the eight Potter movies.

For example, in addition to the 13 facts over the page, we've found out that when costumed as Hagrid, Robbie Coltrane has managed to get both a fruit bat and a mini-fan caught in his half-giant beard. The latter was cut out, although we never found out what happened to the bat...

More fortunate were the 40 kittens who were filmed to appear on the moving plates in Professor Umbridge's chintz-tastic office. After they'd performed their starring roles, they went on to be domestic pets with their new owners unaware of their Hollywood backgrounds.

So, if you've ever wondered just where and how many sets have been created to bring the books on screen, or what a real life broomstick is made of, check out our gallery for backstage shots and production facts.