At the time I read the series, I wasn't aware that there was a lot of symbolism in the books. Now that I've gotten deeper into decoding stuff, I'd like to go back and read the books with fresh eyes.

I was in Edinburgh at one point and saw one of the places she supposedly wrote the books. There's a cemetery nearby where it is said she got the names for some of the characters. I roamed around in this cemetery and it is true. One of the names I remember finding, off the top of my head, is McGonagal.