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The touching story behind a prank 'Harry Potter' plaque

"I'm not crying. YOU'RE crying."

Martha Tesema

on June 9, 2016

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

In 2014, a mysterious plaque appeared in front of a sculpture at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children that captured the hearts of Harry Potter fans.

"Dedicated to the children of Bristol, the 1998 Quidditch World Cup Posts, enchanted by Adou Sosseh. Have a magical day!" reads the sign

It is posted in front of an interactive sculpture that resembles goal posts used in the wizarding world's Quidditch matches.

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18 months after visitors first discovered the magical plaque, its heartbreaking origin story came to light.

27-year-old Cormac Seachoy, a Bristol University graduate who recently passed away from cancer orchestrated the prank. According to The BBC, Seachoy used Kickstarter to raise funds for the plaque and snuck the sign outside of the hospital in November 2014.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

"There's a massive sculpture outside the children's hospital in Bristol, which consists of these really tall hoops, and looks amazing," Seachoy's crowdfunding plea stated. "Every time I pass them, I think they look like Quidditch Posts, and so I thought it would be an awesome idea to somehow convey to Bristol that the sculpture is actually the Quidditch Posts from the 1998 World Cup and that they have been enchanted into place as a gift from wizards to the Bristol children's hospital. "

With the help of 16 backers, Seachoy raised £364 -- mischief managed.

"He didn't really want much attention from the plaque. He just wanted to do something that would make people smile on their way in and out of the hospital," Seachoy's friend, James Carberry, told BBC. Carberry explained they used industrial strength adhesive to get the plaque to stick, but perhaps he's just not ready to reveal the duo's secret spell.

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The hospital did not know of the plaque's existence until now, but intends to keep it as a tribute to Seachoy.

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"We do plan to keep this but ask that any other magical beings that wish to erect plaques on our site do speak to us first so that the muggles amongst us can say thank you and look after and maintain these gifts," a spokesperson told The Bristol Post.

What is even more magical about this whole thing is the fact that the sculpture, called Lollypop-be-Bop, is interactive plays music made by children in the hospital.

The heartwarming reactions to the plaque's origin story have even reached the ears of author J.K. Rowling, who tweeted her appreciation.