Americans can’t believe magic Harry Potter ‘inventions’ actually just British

Treat tart

Americans thought the British classic sweet treat was made up by JK Rowling.

One person thought it meant: “I thought it was something like butterbeer or chocolate frog lol, I found out it was real two months ago.”

The school house system

Remember when the students were all sorted into houses in the first film? Harry was put into Gryffindor along with his pals Ron and Hermoine. Meanwhile, Draco was put into Slytherin.

Someone replied: “THIS! I was shocked to find out houses were a real thing and that my friend’s school had them.”

Spotted dick

Another classic British dessert made with suet and dried fruit has thrown Americans again.

A user commented: “This will always shock me, every single time I read it not only in Harry Potter. I can’t believe there’s a dessert with that name.”

Another added: “I was so shocked at 1st. I was like whytf Ron is showing Hermione his d**k in the middle of great hall?? Then I learned it was apparently a british dessert.”

Shillings

This is the old money system Britain used to have to pay in coins until the early 1990s.

However, a user thought it meant this and said: “The weird-a** currency system. I thought Rowling was just being zany until I had an older coworker explain shillings and ha’pennies and tuppence to me.”

Christmas crackers

The time of year when the cracker makes an appearance for you to only put on a paper hat, read a joke and find a teeny tiny gift inside. Pretty random when you describe what it is.

However, one user assumed “cracker” referred to something else. “Christmas crackers,” they wrote. “I thought they were like… a food type of cracker?

“I was so confused when two characters were pulling apart the crackers and there was stuff inside of them. But I was just like, ‘oh this wacky magical world and their novelty-filled giant cheezits!’”