JK Rowling has denied that locations in Edinburgh inspired places and characters in her Harry Potter books. Fans of the novels flock to the city's Victoria Street as it is thought to have been the inspiration for the wizarding world's Diagon Alley.
However, the author has insisted she had never visited the street at the time she created the cobblestoned street where Harry and his Hogwarts friends stock up on their supplies. Victoria Street is featured on many Harry Potter walking tours of Edinburgh as well as Greyfriars Kirkyard where Rowling was said to have used names on gravestones for characters in the books.
However, the writer said that story is also bogus and she only discovered it after one of her children went on one of the walking tours with a friend. Although real-life locations such as London's King's Cross feature in the books, Rowling said the only "wizarding world" place which has a real-life inspiration is Harry's home at 4 Privet Drive.
