13 things you didn’t know about Harry Potter – These facts are not even in the movie (With Pictures)

3. Nicholas Flamel is a Real Historical Figure

Nicholas Flamel appears in the Harry Potter franchise as the wizard and alchemist who discovered the Sorcerer’s Stone. While he’s never on screen, he’s a major part of the book, mentioned several times as the owner of the stone.

However, Flamel wasn’t created for the book. He actually lived in Paris in the 1300s, and was successful scribe and a wealthy member of Parisian society. After his death in 1418, rumor spread that he was actually an alchemist, and had discovered the mythical stone that would turn lead into gold. He has been mentioned in several other novels and films, including The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown).